Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15596&preview=true) An AI bot might seem like the answer to the hours you spend submitting resumes and filling out application materials, but it could be harming your job search. These bots submit information about you without your oversight. Not only that, says Find Your Dream Job guest Jessica Miller-Merrell, but the facts they share are the same for each position. Jessica recommends taking the time to tailor each resume and application for the job you want. Narrow down your unique skillset, focus on the jobs that fit your skills, and spend your time researching your ideal companies and positions instead of submitting thousands of resumes per week. About Our Guest: Jessica Miller-Merrell is the founder of Workology. It's a workplace resource for HR, recruiting, and business leaders. Resources in This Episode: For insights into how the world of HR and recruiting works, tune in to Jessica’s podcast. Grab Jessica’s ebook, Secrets of the Job Hunt, by visiting go.workology.com/secrets-of-the-job-hunt/. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn.  Right now get up to 60% off your Babbel subscription – but only for our listeners - at babbel.com/DREAMJOB Use promo code DREAMJOB at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/dreamjob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15503&preview=true)  When dealing with a tough job market, it’s crucial to have enough resilience to get you through without falling prey to a negative mindset. How do you build that resilience? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Ruthie Ditzler, you start by dealing with the negative messages you tell yourself. Learn how you self-sabotage and find ways to correct that. Ruthie says the best way to build positive mindset is to reflect on all the wins from your career. Create a document you can look back on that lists some of your proudest accomplishments, both large and small.  About Our Guest: Ruthie Ditzler is part of the Talent Career Coaching team. Resources in This Episode: If you’re an early professional, find out how Ruthie can help you figure out your future by visiting www.talentcareercoaching.com/meet-ruthie. Connect with Ruthie on LinkedIn. Use promo code DREAMJOB at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/dreamjob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15499&preview=true) Do you feel exhausted by your job search? If you’re facing discouragement, heaviness, or burnout, Find Your Dream Job guest Leigha May says you could be dealing with job search fatigue. Leigha is here to share ways to overcome that feeling of fatigue. She says it starts with setting a daily intention for the time spent and the actions completed in your search. Next, you must adopt a positive mindset. And finally, tap into your network. Spending more time with other humans will give you a boost in motivation.  About Our Guest: Leigha May is here to talk about how to avoid job search fatigue. She’s a career coach for high-achieving professionals. Resources in This Episode: Does your life make you excited to wake up every day? If not, find out how Leigha can help you make that happen by visiting her website at leighamaycoaching.com. Connect with Leigha on LinkedIn. Use promo code DREAMJOB at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/dreamjob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15477&preview=true)  If you head into an interview scared you might say the wrong thing, you might come off as less than confident. How do you overcome the fear of not saying what the interviewer wants to hear? Find Your Dream Job guest Janine Esbrand suggests evaluating your past experiences to reveal exactly what you have to offer. Once you know the value you bring to the table, Janine says it’s as easy as having a few examples of specific experiences where you solved the same type of problem the company is facing.  About Our Guest: Janine Esbrand is a career strategist, an executive coach, and the host of the Career Change Maker Podcast. Resources in This Episode: Ready to move into the driver’s seat in your career? Get Janine’s advice for doing so by signing up for her free email series at solitary-dawn-177.myflodesk.com/emailseries. Tune in to Janine’s podcast for career change guidance, strategy, and inspiration. Connect with Janine on LinkedIn.  Use promo code DREAMJOB at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/dreamjob. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15474&preview=true) If you rely on job boards and your resume to get a job, you need to update your strategy. In a market of thousands of applicants for each position, you have to stand out and search for a job in unconventional ways. Find Your Dream Job guest Yauhan Mehta shares new methods for how to get job offers and maximize your salary. Yauhan stresses the need to develop your personal brand and ways to remain top of mind with hiring managers. If you’re tired of sending in your resume to dozens of openings, Yauhan is here to help you break into the hidden job market.  About Our Guest: Yauhan  Mehta is a career coach who helps you stand out, get job offers, and maximize your salary. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Yauhan on LinkedIn.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15418&preview=true) A job interview is not a legal deposition; you aren’t there to sit quietly and only speak when spoken to. You have the opportunity in an interview to share who you are and build rapport with the hiring manager, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ann Tropea. Ann urges you to practice before the interview, to create a list of your most valuable offerings, prepare questions for the employer, and not be afraid to steer the conversation in a direction that allows you to offer your solutions to their problems.  About Our Guest: Ann Tropea is cohost of the Career Bitches podcast. Ann is also an author, a public speaker, and an advisor for student media at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Resources in This Episode: If you need solid career advice, tune in to the Career Bitches podcast. Connect with Ann on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15377&preview=true) With hundreds to thousands of applicants for the most desirable openings, you need your application materials to stand out. It’s not enough to submit a resume and cover letter; they have to be unique from the rest, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kareem Rogers. Kareem has a 4-step plan for standing out in this market, and it starts with networking. Use your network to find companies that are hiring or to get referrals. Kareem also suggests making a list of things that differentiate you from other applicants and adding those to a well thought-out cover letter.  About Our Guest: Kareem Rogers is a recruiter, a career coach, and the owner of the HR Depot. Resources in This Episode: Want your resume to stay at the top of the pile? Let Kareem help you; find out more at his website, HR Depot. Connect with Kareem on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15383&preview=true)  You’ve been fired or laid off, or perhaps you took time off for personal reasons. How much of that information do you have to share in an interview for a new job? Not much, says Find Your Dream Job guest Heather Joy. You can share the main point - you were laid off or took time to care for a family member - but anymore than that isn’t necessary. Heather cautions that if an interviewer continues to dig for more than that, it’s a red flag. She shares strategies for moving the conversation along to what you have to offer and how you can fill the need they have. About Our Guest: Heather Joy is the founder and owner of Write Path Resumes & Career Coaching. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for more support in your career next steps, find out how Heather can help you by visiting Write Path Resumes & Career Coaching. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15421&preview=true) One of the best ways to find your dream job is to search for positions that focus on your passions. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Diane Linn talks about how she used her years of experience in the political arena to create a job for herself in an area she felt passionate about - home ownership. Diane shares how she and a group of like-minded people created a PAC (political action committee) to focus on providing housing for the homeless and how she became the director of that PAC. Learn more about Diane’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15380&preview=true) It’s inevitable; you’re in an interview and the hiring team asks what your expected salary is. Do you get nervous about that question? You don’t need to, says Find Your Dream Job guest Dorothy Mashburn. Dorothy says you should have a salary goal clarified before you even begin the job search. You do this by researching your market value, considering your skills and experience, and your ability to solve the problems of the hiring manager. Some simple math will get you to a salary range that you can feel confident sharing when the time comes.  About Our Guest: Dorothy Mashburn is an interview and negotiation coach. Resources in This Episode: Are you getting paid what you deserve? Find out by visiting Dorothy’s website at www.dorothymashburn.com/. Connect with Dorothy on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here:(https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15323&preview=true)  Your career is not your life. It’s also not what defines you. So, while losing your job can be a blow, Find Your Dream Job guest Nicole Serena Silver likes the alternative view- that it can also be a gift. Nicole encourages job seekers to take those inherent qualities they have and figure out how to apply them to a new position or even a whole new field. Now is the time to pursue that dream job you’ve always wanted, says Nicole. You are never too old to begin again, and no matter how long you’ve been in your position or field, there are a plethora of opportunities for you if you’re willing to do the work.  About Our Guest: Nicole Serena Silver is the author of the career clarity guidebook Vekita Full Potential.  Resources in This Episode: Are you achieving your full potential? Learn how in Nicole’s guidebook, Vekita Full Potential. Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here:(https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15319&preview=true) The job search itself is stressful enough without allowing limiting beliefs to hold you back further. If you think others don’t have time to help you, that you can’t reach out to the higher-ups, or that you don’t even have a network, you’re struggling with common limiting beliefs. Find Your Dream Job guest Michelle Schafer is here to destroy those myths. Michelle reminds us that most people love to help others. Senior employees, CEOs, and founders were once likely dependent on others for jobs and advancement. Finally, we all have a network. Michelle suggests you make a list of the groups of people you interact with on a regular basis. You will find your network in your everyday life.  About Our Guest: Michelle Schafer is a certified professional coach and a workshop facilitator. Resources in This Episode: Are you in a career transition? Find out how Michelle can help you by visiting mschafercoaching.ca/. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here:(https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15316&preview=true) Some hiring managers report upwards of thousands of applicants for each open position. Find Your Dream Job guest Linda Marak helps her clients bypass the competitors (and the ATS) to get their resumes seen. Linda encourages job seekers to make a list of target companies and then use LinkedIn to find current or former employees to find out more information about the company’s hiring policies and any introductions they can make. Linda says finding a job is not a numbers game; stop wasting time filling out applications for 8 hours a day and learn how to connect with real human beings who can help you. About Our Guest: Linda Marak is a recruiter and career coach. Resources in This Episode: Whether you need personal coaching or a class to help you take the next step in your career, Linda can help. Learn more at her website by visiting www.candidatewhisperer.com/. Connect with Linda on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15309&preview=true) Are you aware that the jobs you see posted are only a small fraction of the available positions on the market? The hidden job market is a real thing, and Find Your Dream Job guest Caroline Ceniza-Levine is here to explain how to find those hidden jobs or even create one. Caroline explains why some companies don’t publicly post open positions, as well as how to use your network and research to discover your dream job, even if it’s hidden. If you spend the majority of your time applying to jobs, learn why that shouldn’t be your top priority when searching for your next job. About Our Guest: Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a speaker, a writer, and the founder of the DreamCareerClub.com Resources in This Episode: At dreamcareerclub.com, Caroline offers free resources, paid coaching, and membership options to help you with your career opportunities.  Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15227&preview=true) Do you have career goals? More importantly, do you have a plan on exactly how you’ll achieve those goals? Find Your Dream Job guest Susan Towers says you need to start planning early in your career, as time slips by quickly, and you don’t want to waste opportunities to further yourself. Susan suggests journaling and self-awareness to help gain clarity on where you want to be in 10, 15, or 20 years. What can you do now to get there? What skills can you gain, and more importantly, what sacrifices are you willing to make in order to make those goals a reality? About Our Guest: Susan Towers is the founder of Sandymount Search.  Resources in This Episode: Is it time for you to work with a professional recruiter? Learn more about how Susan can help you by visiting www.sandymountsearch.com. Connect with Susan on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15223&preview=true) Does the word “network” strike fear in you? Do you wonder if you even have a network of people who would support you? Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Virtue is here to take the fear out of networking. Lisa suggests using the term “building relationships” instead, as that is something we do naturally. She also reminds us that people love to help, so don’t feel guilty for asking others to have coffee or make an introduction or even a referral for you. But you do have to ask for specific help because if they don’t know what to do, they won’t do anything.  About Our Guest: Lisa Virtue is an executive coach who helps you take actionable steps to make your career goals reality.  Resources in This Episode: Discover all the ways Lisa can help you thrive in your career by visiting her website at www.hercareerstudio.com/services. Check out Lisa’s podcast, Her Career Studio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15218&preview=true) We all know we need to be active on LinkedIn and that our profile is the key piece of a LinkedIn strategy. How do you begin to build a profile that gets you noticed? You begin by understanding the platform, says Find Your Dream Job guest Portia Obeng. Portia stresses the importance of keywords. LinkedIn is a keyword-driven platform, so using the keywords that match your industry is your first step. Your LinkedIn profile should tell the reader what you do, how you’ve done it in the past, and the transformation you offer to those you work with and for.  About Our Guest: Portia Obeng is a social media strategist and a career coach. Portia helps women level up on LinkedIn so they can attract the money-making opportunities they deserve. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Portia’s courses and services, visit her website at www.portiaobeng.com/courses. Connect with Portia on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15208&preview=true) Hiring managers are asking questions about a candidate’s experience in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion, so you need to be prepared to answer. Find Your Dream Job guest Jasmine Tolbert shares the biggest factor in answering these questions—authenticity. Don’t try to fake a concern about these topics. Share from your experience how you have pursued racial equity in former jobs and how you would do so in any specific scenarios the hiring manager presents you with.  About Our Guest: Jasmine Tolbert is the vice president of people and culture for YWCA Clark County. Her organization is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the services and programming that the YWCA Clark County provides for women and girls, visit their website at YWCA Clark County. Connect with Jasmine on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15203&preview=true) Is it possible to break into a field that you have zero experience in? It might not be easy, but it can be done. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Gregory Day shares how he went from a career in IT to the field of Human Resources without HR experience. Gregory says passion for the field and enthusiasm for the job are what carried him through when hiring managers scoffed. Learn more about Gregory’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15159&preview=true) You want to switch careers or fields, but you aren’t sure if you have the skills necessary to be successful. What do you do? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Zach Moore, you take the time to figure out which skills you can transfer to that new field. What skills do you possess in terms of working with others, managing projects, or recording data and analytics? Zach also suggests thinking of a job description as a “cry for help,” and figuring out how your skills can answer that cry and solve that problem for the company.  About Our Guest: Zach Moore is the career pathways manager at College Possible. It’s a nonprofit that coaches students from low-income communities to and through college. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about College Possible and its vision of ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to attend college, visit collegepossible.org/. Zach looks forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn; find him at www.linkedin.com/in/zach-moore-85558239/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15148&preview=true) It’s normal to want to show up as your best self in a job interview; after all, you want the hiring manager to like you and want to hire you. However, there’s a difference between being your true best self and being someone you’re not. Find Your Dream Job guest Courtney Ulwelling says there are three things you need to do to show up as your authentic self in an interview. First, prepare, but don’t go in and recite a bunch of facts you read on their website. Second, wear professional clothes that make you feel comfortable. And finally, pay attention. Listen to their questions and be ready with questions of your own.  About Our Guest: Courtney Ulwelling is a talent acquisition specialist at Portland General Electric.  Resources in This Episode: Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15090&preview=true) If the Covid-19 pandemic taught us anything at all, it’s that nothing is permanent. Life changes and we change, and sometimes that change is for the better. Find Your Dream Job guest Toye Jones says changing careers can also be for the better, if you do it right. Toye says you have to start with your why. Be able to explain the reason you’re making the switch, and the experience you have, whether paid or voluntary, to show your passion for the field. Toye also suggests reaching out to hiring managers even if their company doesn’t show open positions and asking for an informational interview.  About Our Guest: Toye Jones is the human resources and equity director at CASA for Children. Resources in This Episode: Learn how you can become an advocate for abused and neglected children by visiting CASA’s website at www.casahelpskids.org. From our Sponsor: Acorns recommends an expert-built portfolio that fits you and your money goals. Then it automatically invests your money for you. (http:// acorns.com/fydj) Discover your inner detective when you download June’s Journey for free today on IOS and Android.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15087&preview=true) It’s not unusual for someone to get a few years into their career and wonder if they’re headed in the right direction. Choosing a major in college doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be happy in that field for years to come. How do you know if you’re on the right path? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Kyle Kavas, you start by asking yourself 3 questions- do you like your job? Do you like your coworkers? Do you align with the company and its values? If the answers to those questions are yes, it’s likely you’ve chosen the right path, at least for now.  About Our Guest: Kyle Kavas the president of UPLIFT Leadership. It’s a nonprofit that helps people figure out who they are, what they want to do, and how to uplift others. Resources in This Episode: Kyle and the team at UPLIFT Leadership have programs for young professionals and students who identify as underemployed. Learn more about the Career Summit, a 4-day workshop for young people ages 16-26, who are newer to the workforce and are ready to build their job search and readiness skills. From our Sponsor: Acorns recommends an expert-built portfolio that fits you and your money goals. Then it automatically invests your money for you. (http:// acorns.com/fydj) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15060&preview=true) Job interviews aren’t something we tend to do regularly, so it’s normal to be nervous going into one. According to Find Your Dream Job guest Michael Buck, preparation is key because hiring managers can tell who’s done their homework. Begin by studying the job description and getting a handle on the specific duties it requires. Michael adds that because the hiring process can be so stressful, you need to be sure to practice adequate self-care before, during, and after any interviews. Finally, prepare a list of questions for the panel. A candidate with zero questions appears to have little to no interest in the job.  About Our Guest: Michael Buck is a recruiter and a human resources manager with deep roots in the nonprofit sector. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Michael on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15056&preview=true You feel like it’s time to make a career change, but you aren't sure which direction you should take. How do you know what to do next? Find Your Dream Job guest Andrea Yacub Macek says you begin by getting clear on what you want from your career, or at least the next level. Then, focus on only one or two areas or goals, and make a decision on what to do as your next step. Finally, Andrea suggests identifying the pieces and parts of your dream job and connecting them with specific positions or companies you’d like to apply to.  About Our Guest: Andrea Yacub Macek is the founder and CEO of AYM Consulting.  Resources in This Episode: Are you a high-performing female who’s ready for change? Let Andrea empower you to achieve your highest career success yet by visiting www.aymconsulting.io. Andrea would love to connect with you and offer support in your career change. Connect with her on LinkedIn. From our Sponsor: Acorns recommends an expert-built portfolio that fits you and your money goals. Then it automatically invests your money for you. Go to acorns.com/fydj. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the podcast on Macslist here: (https://www.macslist.org/?post_type=podcasts&p=15013&preview=true) Applicant tracking systems make it easier than ever to apply for multiple jobs in one sitting. But is that the best way to go about getting your dream job? Not according to Find Your Dream Job guest Elora Arding. Elora says these systems are great for streamlining the application process, but only if you use them correctly. That starts with following all directions and customizing your materials for each position. Elora also suggests researching the company so that you can share relevant experiences and ask questions that show you know the company’s values and how you can contribute to their mission.  About Our Guest: Elora Arding is the people and culture manager at Portland Audubon. Her organization protects birds and habitats, fights climate change, and advocates for access to nature. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about the mission of Portland Audubon, including their upcoming new name and rebrand, by visiting Portland Audubon. Connect with Elora on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You spend the majority of your life at work, so it’s important that your work matters to you. A job that matters adds to your overall fulfillment in life, as well as provides you with direction in your career, says Find Your Dream Job guest Melanie Damm. Melanie suggests starting with what you value most, whether thats flexible hours, salary, or company culture. Envision what your day-to-day would look like in this position. Finally, consider your personality and talents; if you’re a creative, you likely don’t want to sit at a desk all day creating spreadsheets.  About Our Guest: Melanie Damm is a recruitment consultant at the Equitable Hiring Group. Her firm helps nonprofits and impact-driven companies hire.  Resources in This Episode: Are you interested in a job in the nonprofit sector? Find available positions by visiting equitablehiringgroup.com. Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all have a network; are you using yours to the fullest? Networking isn’t merely attending meet-ups or making connections on LinkedIn. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Monica Lucas shares how to use collaborations with others to build an authentic network of people who want to help you. Monica also has some great advice on how to use your talents and experience to boost your self-confidence in an interview. Learn more about Monica’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Career burnout is more common than you might suspect; approximately 76-90% of people report feeling some level of burnout in their job. And not all burnout is the same, says Find Your Dream Job guest Candyce Hunt. She shares her three-step strategy for addressing burnout, and how to head it off before it begins. Burnout doesn’t look the same for everyone, so Candyce shares some of the most common types and what might be causing them. Career burnout is not sustainable so learn how to recognize it and protect yourself from it.  About Our Guest: Candyce Hunt is a career strategist, a speaker, and a co-founder of the 5 Minute Career Hack.  Resources in This Episode: Read or download a complete transcript of this episode. The 5 Minute Career Hack Podcast is a wonderful mix of interviews, inspiration, and actionable career development ideas.  If you’re ready to address the entirety of your career life cycle, you’ll want to get your hands on the 5 Minute Career Hack Master Course. Learn more here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s so easy to use LinkedIn’s quick apply, isn’t it? No more spending hours filling out applications. But those quick apply links might be hurting your chances of getting the job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Sabrina Pomar. Using quick apply submits your resume, whereas a company’s career page allows you to submit a complete application. It also allows you to learn more about the company, says Sabrina, so that you gain clarity on their mission and needs, which is crucial to your job search because it allows you to form questions that show your interest in working there and what you can offer.  About Our Guest: Sabrina Pomar is the talent sourcing specialist at the Cascade AIDS Project. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about the Cascade Aids project and their Prism locations by visiting their website at www.capnw.org/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re looking for a job, you’re being intentional, right? Not necessarily, says Find Your Dream Job guest Hayden Iverson Todd. Hayden defines an intentional job search as knowing the type of position that will benefit your overall lifestyle. We spend too much time at work to apply for any and every job we come across. Hayden suggests approaching your job search by getting clear on your strengths, knowing the type of work that excites you, and exploring the resources your community has to offer.  About Our Guest: Hayden Iverson Todd is an assistant director of career and fellowship advising at Reed College. It’s a private liberal arts school in the Pacific Northwest. Resources in This Episode: Hayden welcomes connections on LinkedIn. Find her at www.linkedin.com/in/haydentodd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hear a lot about branding in the job market, but what does it mean to create a personal brand? Find Your Dream Job guest Michael Ramirez says you already have one, whether intentional or not. Michael defines a personal brand as the way you communicate your values and strengths to a company or hiring manager. Self-confidence is enhanced when your personal brand is strong and well thought out. Sharing your brand with others is as simple as developing an unforgettable elevator pitch that you can use in networking situations.  About Our Guest: Michael Ramirez (http://linkedin.com/in/mikeramirezdesign) is a talent acquisition manager at the Oregon Health & Science University (https://www.ohsu.edu/).  Resources in This Episode: OHSU is hiring! Find out more by visiting ohsu.edu and clicking on the “Jobs” tab. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every job seeker knows that a great resume is the ticket to their dream job, but what makes a resume stand out to hiring managers? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Cassie Ademola, your resume needs certain things to stay out of the No pile. It’s crucial to include specific details about your professional achievements; spell out what you did, how you did it, and the outcome of those actions. Cassie also says that proofreading your resume is a non-negotiable, as well as listing anything about your experience that sets you apart from others in your field.  About Our Guest: Cassie Ademola (http://linkedin.com/in/cassieademola) is a human resources leader, a career brand polisher, and a professional resume writer. Resources in This Episode: Cassie offers several courses on her website to help you level up in your career. Find out more by visiting myprofessionalagenda.com/store/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

What would it be like to create your own job instead of looking for one? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Kelly Noack (http://linkedin.com/in/kelly-noack) shares how she expanded the job she was doing for one arm of a larger company. Kelly’s success in IT security and compliance gave her confidence that she could expand her role to include the family of businesses within the company as a whole. Kelly also shares how mentoring and research helped her propose the new position to her leadership. Learn more about Kelly’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you see networking as large meet-ups and one-off coffee dates, it’s time to rethink your networking strategy. Find Your Dream Job guest Sophia Wellons stresses the need for building long-term relationships through networking. Networking isn’t simply meeting someone and asking them if they have a job for you; it building relationships that will serve both parties for months or years to come. Sophia says you have to go into these settings with clarity on what you need and how you can help others, along with a willingness to do so. About Our Guest: Sophia Wellons (http://linkedin.com/in/srwellons) is a recruiter at Galois (https://lifeatgalois.com/). Her company specializes in the research and development of new technologies. Resources in This Episode: Sophia welcomes connections on LinkedIn. You can find her at (www.linkedin.com/in/srwellons/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Are you afraid of using new technology in your job search? Don’t be, says Find Your Dream Job guest Nicole Blevins. ChatGPT is a tool that can help you be more efficient and can give you the information you need to find the perfect fit. Nicole says ChatGPT can save you hours when creating cover letters and resumes. She also recommends using it to research positions, salary ranges, and sample interview questions. The best way to get comfortable with ChatGPT is to play around with it, learn as much as you can, and discover how it can best help you in your job search. About Our Guest: Nicole Blevins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelizblevins/) is the HR training services manager at Xenium HR (https://xeniumhr.com/). Resources in This Episode: If you want to learn more about ChatGPT and how it can help you in your job search, Nicole invites you to connect with her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolelizblevins/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Not every job will have us excited to get up in the morning. Sometimes, we have to take positions to pay the bills. But if you see an opening that excites you, Find Your Dream Job guest Arturo Rodriguez Flores says you should go all in on the opportunity. Arturo suggests using that excitement to fuel your cover letter writing and to research the company for the interview process. Excitement over a position will lead you to know where the company is, where they’re going, and how you can help them get there, says Arturo.  About Our Guest: Arturo Rodriguez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturo-rodriguez-flores-992281203/) Flores is a recruitment strategist at SEIU Local 503. (https://seiu503.org/) It’s one of the largest labor unions in the state of Oregon.  Resources in This Episode: Want to know more about Arturo and his work with SEIU Local 503? Connect with him on LinkedIn.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

In a crowded job market, if you don’t stand out, you’ll miss out. The best way to network with target employers is by getting clear on your values, says Find Your Dream Job guest Claudia Bruce-Quartey. Know the type of company culture that brings out your best. Claudia also suggests you practice questions to ask in these conversations and also how you will share the value you can bring to the company. And if you feel nervous about meeting with a hiring manager for a conversation, Claudia says execution is everything. So jump! About Our Guest: Claudia Bruce-Quartey (http://linkedin.com/in/claudia-bruce-quartey)is a career coach for female professionals who want to speak confidently about accomplishments and ask for raises. Resources in This Episode: Get your copy of Claudia’s children’s book, “My Hair, My Choice,” which helps black and brown children feel empowered and confident to show up as themselves in the world. (https://www.amazon.com/My-Hair-Choice-Claudia-Bruce-Quartey/dp/1913770281/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2OQIQDZ0DCD0P&keywords=Claudia+Bruce-Quartey&qid=1693933856&sprefix=claudia+bruce-quartey%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-1) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Do you find yourself hesitant to be authentic in job interviews? Why does it matter? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Shae Noble (http://linkedin.com/in/shaenoble) shares her journey to authenticity and how it led her to take on a specific role. Shae says that knowing what you truly want from a job matters more than where you end up. She suggests making a list of what matters most to you and piecing those things together to create your dream job, then pursuing the companies and positions that can offer those things. Learn more about Shae’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)   

We all know we need to network, yet the thought of being in a room full of strangers making small talk turns many of us off. What if networking could be as natural as speaking with a friend? It can, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Katy Byrtus. Katy says the best network is made up of those people you already know. Katy suggests reaching out to former coworkers, managers, and mentors, considering that people enjoy helping others. A job search can be challenging. Don’t go it alone. Use your network to make it easier and more sustainable than staring at a computer screen for hours on end.  About Our Guest: Katy Byrtus (http://linkedin.com/in/kbyrtus) is a creative recruiter at M+P (https://mathys-potestio.com/) who connects candidates with jobs.  Resources in This Episode: Get your FREE download of Katy’s Top 5 Tips for Networking (In and Out of) Your Job Search by visiting https://thecreativeparty.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Katy-Byrtus-MP-and-Macs-List.pdf From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Trying to find a job by sending out mass resumes will only lead to frustration in your job search. You need people who are on your side and who can help you. Find Your Dream Job guest Francina Harrison calls these R-E-A-L relationships; human-to-human interactions that lead to the information you need. As you seek out these REAL relationships, follow the advice Francina offers, “Don’t get anxious; get prepared!” by knowing three things: who you are, what you have, and what you want.  About Our Guest: Francina Harrison (http://linkedin.com/in/careerengineer) is the CEO of The Career Engineer®. (https://tcenow.com/) Her company helps career changers, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. Francina is also the author of A Mind to Work: The Life and Career Planning Guide for People Who STILL Need To Work. (https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Work-Career-Planning-People/dp/069267294X) Resources in This Episode: If you’re feeling anxious about finding your next job, learn more about TCE’s motto - “Don’t get anxious, get prepared!” by visiting the website at tcenow.com/.(https://tcenow.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

It’s easy to reach out to friends and family when we need information during a job search. But have you ever considered networking with a stranger? Making a cold networking request might not be the easiest step you could take, but it can open up opportunities you wouldn’t have known about otherwise, says Find Your Dream Job guest Emma Britton. Even if you don’t know someone, Emma says they’re likely to agree to connect simply to give back. They also realize you, as another professional, have things to offer. So, be confident, reach out, and ask for exactly what you need.  About Our Guest: Emma Britton (http://linkedin.com/in/emma-r-britton) is the director of career services at the National University of Natural Medicine (https://nunm.edu/). Resources in This Episode: If you’re interested in more of what Emma does at NUNM, connect with her on LinkedIn. (http://linkedin.com/in/emma-r-britton) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

You feel like you want a change in your career, but you’re scared. Should you change, or should you stay put and appreciate the job you have? A change can be a positive thing, giving you new opportunities in your day-to-day responsibilities, says Find Your Dream Job guest Amechi Udo. Before making any career change, Amechi suggests asking yourself what your desired outcome is. Get clarity around what you want in a new position, and then use the resources you already have to pursue the opportunity. Start with your skills, talents, and experience and grow from there.  About Our Guest: Amechi Udo (http://linkedin.com/in/careercoachforexecutives) is the founder of Your Career Matters (https://www.yourcareermatters.co.uk/). Amechi’s company helps you take charge of your career. Resources in This Episode: Download your FREE guide, The Seven Steps to Career Change Success, at www.yourcareermatters.co.uk/findyourdreamjob (http://www.yourcareermatters.co.uk/findyourdreamjob). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)   

Careers typically evolve on a fairly linear path. You graduate college, get your first job or internship, and proceed to grow in your field. But what if you turned this path on its head? What if, instead of getting a new job after fifteen years in the workforce, you go back to school and then begin an internship? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Rowena Paz Norman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowenapaznorman/) shares how her journey to her dream job didn’t look like she expected it to. Rowena talks about why going back to school was the right step for her and what it was like being an intern in her mid-thirties. Learn more about Rowena’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories).   

Are you afraid of annoying others by asking them for time to “pick their brain?” There is a better way to ask for someone’s time, says Find Your Dream Job guest Tad Mayer. You begin by figuring out exactly what information you want from this person. But the most important piece, according to Tad, is understanding what you can offer to them. If you have something they value, they are more likely to give you 30 minutes of their time. Tad also recommends asking questions that allow the other person to share their career stories. Networking is a great way to draw out details that can help you in your own career journey.  About Our Guest: Tad Mayer (http://linkedin.com/in/tadmayer) is a career coach at Essex Partners (https://www.essexpartners.com/). His company helps senior executives in transition.    Resources in This Episode: If you’d like your job search to be empowering and full of wonderful experiences, get your copy of the book Tad co-authored, Finding a Job That Loves You Back (https://www.amazon.com/Finding-That-Loves-Back-Conversations/dp/1737946904/ref=sr_1_1). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Congratulations on getting an interview! Now, what is your plan for standing out from the other candidates who are interviewing for your dream job? Using the STAR method to share your professional experience is a great way to connect with a hiring manager, says Find Your Dream Job guest Donna McCullough. Employers want to know who you are, not just what you can do. Donna suggests preparing “Eight Greats,” eight stories that showcase your previous wins in your career. These stories will engage the interviewer and make you unforgettable.  About Our Guest: Donna McCullough (http://linkedin.com/in/donnacmccullough) is the founder of Claravia Consulting (https://claraviaconsulting.wixsite.com/claraviaconsulting). Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to take the next step in your career but you aren’t sure what it should be, let Donna be your guide. Learn more about her career coaching services at claraviaconsulting.wixsite.com/claraviaconsulting. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Have you been trying to find a job with little success? Perhaps it’s time to ask someone to help you. In this episode, Find Your Dream Job guest Ellen Recko shares why it’s a poor strategy to job search alone. Job search mentors can offer more than just available openings; they can help you find clarity in what you want in your next position, as well as boost your confidence in what you have to offer. Ellen says one of the best ways to speed up your job search is to reach out to people who can help. That can be a formal mentor, a friend, or a paid career coach.  About Our Guest: Ellen Recko (http://linkedin.com/in/ellenrecko) is a career coach with Lake Grove Job Seekers (https://lakegrovejobseekers.org/). Resources in This Episode: If you’re going through a job transition and you need help clearing the mind clutter, learn how Ellen and her team can help you through their website at lakegrovejobseekers.org/. (https://lakegrovejobseekers.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will believe in you. Confidence is the key factor in getting the job you’ve dreamed of, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Jamila Brown. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who know their value and what they have to offer. Jamila also says your job search is business, so if you don’t get hired, it’s not a personal rejection. And finally, have options. It’s nice to get an interview, but multiple interviews are more likely to lead to a job offer. Don’t stop at plan A; have plans B, C, D, and E in the background to pull from.  About Our Guest: Jamila Brown (http://linkedin.com/in/jamilabrown) is a career strategist and a co-founder of the 5 Minute Career Hack.(https://www.5minutecareerhack.com/) Resources in This Episode: Are you ready for a career coach to help you find your dream job? Discover how Jamila can help you by visiting her website at www.5minutecareerhack.com/.(http://www.5minutecareerhack.com/) Check out Jamila’s ebook, The Career, The Bag, The Life. (https://www.5minutecareerhack.com/offers/bTv7CreC/checkout) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Your network plays a pivotal role in finding your next job. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Amanda Green (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-green-cpa-mpa-29b09921/) shares how she secured her dream job, even though she wasn’t looking for her next position at the time. Thanks to having a strong network, she was able to learn of an open position that wasn’t on her radar. Learn more about Amanda’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)  

Your work environment affects more than the hours you spend at work; it affects your personal life, as well. That’s why it’s so important to find a place of employment where you feel seen, heard, and appreciated. How can you be sure the company you’re interviewing with provides that type of workplace? Find Your Dream Job guest Ana Goehner says you begin by speaking with current and former employees. Ana also suggests defining terms such as flexibility and exploring how the employer recognizes achievement. Do as much research as possible, and ask specific questions of the hiring manager that relate to what matters most to you. About Our Guest: Ana Goehner (http://linkedin.com/in/anagoehner) is a career strategist and a certified human resources specialist. Resources in This Episode: Is your career in a healthy place? Find out now by taking Ana’s Career Well-Being Quiz at www.anagoehner.com/. (www.anagoehner.com) Check out Ana’s book, 'The Ultimate Interview Guidebook.'(http://www.anagoehner.com/book) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Sending out dozens of applications per day and hoping for the best is not the way to find a job you love. You need a successful plan, one that contains action, accountability, and accessibility. Find Your Dream Job guest Steph Cartwright suggests starting by targeting employers and using LinkedIn to network with employees at those companies. A job search plan need not take up hours a week either; Steph says 20-30 minutes a few times a week is enough to put a strategy into place. Build new habits into your week instead of putting so much pressure on yourself to find the perfect job as quickly as possible.  About Our Guest: Steph Cartwright (http://linkedin.com/in/stephcartwrightcprw)is the certified resume writer and job search strategist behind Off The Clock Resumes (https://www.offtheclockresumes.com/). Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to get unstuck and find the job of your dreams? Steph has multiple ways to help you; find out more by visiting her website at www.offtheclockresumes.com/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

It happens; you’re thrilled to receive a job offer, and then suddenly, the offer is rescinded with no explanation as to why. Now what? Now is the time to take the lessons from your job search experience and move forward with the same energy you began it, says Find Your Dream Job guest Octavia Goredema. What starts as a moment of distress can become a moment of clarity if you allow it. Go back to the drawing board; know that if you got this job offer, you will get another; use this experience to go after what you want with even more clarity and confidence. About Our Guest: Octavia Goredema (http://linkedin.com/in/octaviagoredema) is the host of the Audible Original series How to Change Careers and the author of Prep, Push, Pivot. (https://www.amazon.com/Prep-Push-Pivot-Strategies-Underrepresented/dp/1119789079) Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Octavia’s book and to receive her weekly career newsletter, visit her website at www.octaviagoredema.com/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’re counting on a generic resume to get your next job, you may be in for a rude awakening. In this digital world, you’re going to need to level up if you want to get past the applicant tracking systems and be invited to interview. Where do you begin? Find Your Dream Job guest Enrique Ruiz says the most important step is your LinkedIn page. Build it out fully. Next, prepare two resumes; one for the ATS and a second, more specialized one for each position you’re applying to. Finally, represent yourself well. Show up on time, be pleasant and engaging, and express your desire to work hard and be a team player.  About Our Guest: Enrique Ruiz (http://linkedin.com/in/enrique-ruiz-cdsp) is a former senior talent acquisition manager at Thesis, a digital agency in Portland, Oregon, and will soon launch his own recruiting agency.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re interested in a job in the creative space, Enrique invites you to reach out to him on LinkedIn. Find him at www.linkedin.com/in/enrique-ruiz-cdsp/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

It’s easy to follow an opportunistic path with your career, taking what gets handed to you and making the best of it. But your career becomes more rewarding when you become more intentional. Getting clarity on how you need your job to align with your life is the most important first step, says Find Your Dream Job guest Jeff Perry. Jeff suggests focusing on what you want in a job rather than what you want to get away from. Jeff reminds us that we each have the ability to make choices. Don’t be at the mercy of others when it comes to your career; be intentional with what works for your life and needs. About Our Guest: Jeff Perry (http://linkedin.com/in/jeffcperry) is a leadership and career expert who works with individuals, teams, and organizations. Jeff also hosts The Engineering Career Coach Podcast. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-engineering-career-coach-podcast/id724048690) Resources in This Episode: Grab your copy of Jeff’s book, “The Intentional Engineer: A Guide to a Purpose-Driven Life and Career For Engineers and Technical Professionals.”  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Does the word “networking” strike fear in your heart? Are you hesitant to reach out to others for coffee or conversation? That fear is natural, says Find Your Dream Job guest Gene Rhee. But it helps when you realize we all network every day. When you talk with a coworker or a friend, you’re networking. The key to successful networking, according to Gene, is to have something to offer in conversation, so be clear on your values, skills, and interests, so that when asked, you can share specifics. And be ready to ask questions of the other person so that they feel valued and open to share.  About Our Guest: Gene Rhee (http://linkedin.com/in/generhee) is the executive director of Mohr Career Services at the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon (https://business.uoregon.edu/). Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Gene and his work at the University of Oregon, connect with him on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/generhee/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you aren’t using LinkedIn to find your next job, you are missing out on a  powerful tool. But you have to use it well. Find Your Dream Job guest Nick Poloni says it all starts with a story-driven profile. It’s not enough to have a list of previous positions; you have to provide content and context. Recruiters want to know who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’re looking for. Nick suggests having a specific focus for your profile, using keywords and titles that are common to the field you are in or want to enter.  About Our Guest: Nick Poloni (http://linkedin.com/in/nickpoloni) is the head of recruitment at Cascadia Search Group and works in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Resources in This Episode: Whether you’re a company looking for qualified candidates or a job seeker, Nick can help you. Find out more at cascadiasearch.com/ (https://cascadiasearch.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Job seekers oftentimes are hesitant to share their strengths for fear of bragging, and we sometimes focus more on our weaknesses than what we’re naturally good at. But you need to show a potential employer how your strengths will benefit their company, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kristie Steele. Kristie says the best way to do that is by sharing stories of how those strengths have helped you in previous jobs. Asking friends, family, and coworkers what they see as your strengths is another way to get clarity on what you have to offer in a new position. About Our Guest: Kristie Steele (http://linkedin.com/in/kristiemsteele702)is a senior human resources manager at Forth. It’s a nonprofit working to electrify transportation. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Kristie on LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/kristiemsteele702) to learn more about the work she is doing at Forth and how you can maximize your strengths in your job search.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Do you feel like a failure as a job seeker? Perhaps you’ve been rejected more times than you ever thought possible, or you can’t seem to get an interview, no matter how qualified you are. The key to dealing with failure in a job search all comes down to mindset, says Find Your Dream Job guest Harsha Boralessa. Harsha suggests that resilience is the most important quality to have as a job seeker. Persistence, along with a specific job search strategy, will pay off in the long term. Harsha also shares the importance of doing at least one thing every day to further your career goals.  About Our Guest: Harsha Boralessa (http://linkedin.com/in/harsha-boralessa-cfa-aca-fct-62aa199)is the founder and the host of the Reframe and Reset Your Career podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reframe-reset-your-career/id1548686014). Resources in This Episode: If your career needs a reset, be sure to tune in to Harsha’s podcast and YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ReframeResetYourCareer Find out more by visiting his website at www.harshaboralessa.com/. (http://www.harshaboralessa.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

It’s not enough in today’s job market to have the experience required for an open position. You have to stand out from the crowd of applicants to even secure an interview. Using your leverage is the best way to stand head and shoulders above others, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ashton McMillan. Leverage could be past work experience, education, or specific results from a previous job or campaign that show your success in the field. The more you know the value you have to offer an employer, the more confidently you will approach an interview, so do your homework and discover what results you have achieved that the potential employer needs in a new hire.  About Our Guest: Ashton McMillan (http://linkedin.com/in/ashton-mcmillan) is a recruiter with experience in leadership and financial analysis who specializes in software engineering and technical positions. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Ashton at www.linkedin.com/in/ashton-mcmillan/ to learn more about his work in talent and recruiting.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Are your Sunday evenings filled with dread over having to go back to another work week because of a toxic or upsetting work environment? If so, it’s time to make a decision on whether to stay or leave. Find Your Dream Job guest Becky Farone is here to share how to know when it’s the right time to leave and when you should try to hang on. Becky says you need to go back to your core values, analyze whether there are any areas that you can control, and check your confidence so that you don’t make a fear-based choice. Your career is your own, so trust yourself to make the right decision.  About Our Guest: Becky Farone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckykaplanfarone/) is a credentialed career coach and the founder of Fireworks Coaching (https://www.fireworkscoaching.com/). Becky helps professional women over 40 decide to stay or leave distressing work. Resources in This Episode: Are you stuck in an upsetting work situation and ready to feel energized and peaceful in a job? Let Becky help you; visit her website at Fireworks Coaching (https://www.fireworkscoaching.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Walking into an interview can be nerve-wracking, to say the least. Will you have all the answers they’re looking for? Will it be a good fit? You can’t prepare for the unknown, but what you can do, says Find Your Dream Job guest Karla Rockhold, is prepare for what you do know. Karla recommends preparing a 30 to 90-second elevator pitch to answer the “tell me about yourself” query that usually opens the interview. Do your homework to prepare for the middle part of the interview, and end strong with your own set of questions for the interviewer.  About Our Guest: Karla Rockhold (http://linkedin.com/in/karla-rockhold) is the director of alumni career engagement at Oregon State University (https://oregonstate.edu/). Her office connects graduates with the campus community and its career services. Resources in This Episode: As an undergrad or graduate student, information is your best ally. Connect with Karla on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-rockhold/) to soak up all the career development advice and help she offers! From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Why should you work with a recruiter instead of going the traditional job-hunting route? Find Your Dream Job guest Brad Near says a great recruiter can help you find a job quicker, and with more of what you’re looking for than you can on your own. Brad explains the broad connections that recruiters typically have, which can lead to many more open positions than you could ever know about. You can be more honest with a recruiter than you might be with a hiring manager; a recruiter will have your best interests in mind and will take the time to learn about any negative past experiences. Brad suggests trying a recruiter and seeing what they can do for you. About Our Guest: Brad Near (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bnear/) is the CEO of Rainier Recruiting (https://www.rainierrecruiting.com/). It’s a boutique agency that represents hundreds of openings across North America. Resources in This Episode: Got some lofty professional goals? Let Brad and his team help you reach them. Find out more at rainierrecruiting.com (https://www.rainierrecruiting.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

In the world of job seekers, strategy might seem like the last thing you need. After all, you’ll do just about anything to get your next job, right? But a dialed-in strategy is exactly what you need, says Find Your Dream Job guest Amy Santee. Without it, you’re flailing, not knowing what you want or where to find it. Your job search strategy starts with getting clarity on your priorities, financial needs, geographic preferences, and your long-term goals. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can develop a specific strategy on how to get it. About Our Guest: Amy Santee (http://linkedin.com/in/amysantee)is a career strategist and a coach for user experience professionals. Resources in This Episode: If you need actionable steps to take your career to the next level, find out how Amy can help you by visiting her website at amysantee.com (https://www.amysantee.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you walk into an interview planning to share “just the facts,” you’ll be quickly forgotten. Stories are what grab our attention and stick in our memory. How do you share stories with a potential employer? Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Bachman says it takes research and practice to share your story in a way that gets their attention but isn’t rambling on for too long. Elizabeth also talks about the need to leave behind the mindset that “nice people don’t brag” and get comfortable talking about the things you do best.  About Our Guest: Elizabeth Bachman (http://linkedin.com/in/elizabethbachman) is the go-to person for advanced training in speaking, presentation skills, and leadership. Elizabeth also hosts the “Speakers Who Get Results” podcast. Resources in This Episode: For more information on how to join the next cohort of Elizabeth’s “Visible and Valued Leadership Certification Program” for executive women, check out her website at visible-valued.com (https://elizabethbachman.com/visible-valued-certification/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If you need to update your resume quickly, you need to know which factors make the biggest impact. How much education should you list? And how many pages should it be? Find Your Dream Job guest Ashley Faison is here to answer all these questions and more. Ashley has a seven-step process for revamping your resume in a hurry, including why you should read your resume backward, which skills to highlight, and how much personal information to share. Ashley also explains why you need a customized resume for each job you’re applying to and how that gets you to the top of the pile.  About Our Guest: Ashley Faison (http://linkedin.com/in/ashleydaniellefaison) is a certified resume writer, a career coach, and the founder of Ashleyfaison.com. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the professional development program Ashley is launching, visit her website at ashleyfaison.com (https://ashleyfaison.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Have you taken time off to care for children, elderly parents, or your own mental or physical health? If you’re afraid this gap will negatively affect your job search, you needn’t worry, says Find Your Dream Job guest Elena Giorgetti. Elena explains that employers care more about what you did during the gap than the gap itself. If you present the skills you gained and the value the time away added to your career journey, you can be confident that your career gap won’t hurt your chances of scoring that dream position you’re going for! About Our Guest: Elena Giorgetti (http://linkedin.com/in/elenagiorgetticoaching) is a career coach who specializes in transitions, emotional intelligence, and mental health. Resources in This Episode: Want to learn to crack the hidden job market? Find out more at impactcareercoaching.ca (https://impactcareercoaching.ca/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

You’ve got the offer. You’re ready to start your new job. But before you accept, you must have all the relevant information to make an informed decision. How do you get this information? You ask the right questions, says Find Your Dream Job guest Gaby Rosenada Valdes. These questions should cover the benefits package in its entirety, the type of support you can expect to receive during your first few weeks there, and whether you will have a probationary period. A refusal to answer any of these types of questions may indicate issues you need to investigate further.  About Our Guest: Gaby Rosenada Valdes (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriela-valdes/overlay/contact-info/) is the talent manager at Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette). Resources in This Episode: For more information on how Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette is working in the areas of pay equity and transparency, visit plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Are you afraid to negotiate salary and benefits because you think the employer may pull the offer? Refusing to negotiate salary is the best way to limit your lifetime earnings, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandon Bramley. Brandon says employers expect you to negotiate, and some may actually see it as a weakness if you don’t. Negotiation doesn’t have to be stressful; keep the tone friendly and kind, and you will find most employers to be more than willing to have the conversation.  About Our Guest: Brandon Bramley (http://linkedin.com/in/brandonbramley) is the founder of The Salary Negotiator (https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/). Resources in This Episode: To schedule your FREE consultation with a salary negotiation expert, head over to thesalarynegotiator.com/ (https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If you’re sending out hundreds of applications a week, you need to stop immediately. Quantity will never achieve the results that deeply researched, targeted applications will. Find Your Dream Job guest Banji Alo says you also need to contact the hiring manager to get information on the tools required for the position, as well as what will be expected of you. Banji says sending customized resumes makes you stand out from the crowd and have a much better chance of being called for an interview.   About Our Guest: Banji Alo (http://linkedin.com/in/banjialo) is a career coach who helps professionals who work in data analytics. Banji is also the author of Before Graduation Day (https://beforegraduationday.com/) and the founder of the Career Digest Weekly Newsletter (https://careerdigest.substack.com/). Resources in This Episode: Banji has a FREE data careers kit for Find Your Dream Job listeners. Get yours by going to (https://www.subscribepage.com/banjialo_ds) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

When job hunting, it’s easy to think more about your skillset and qualifications than whether or not the job suits your needs. Find Your Dream Job guest Ursala Garbrecht is here to share why you need to consider what you find fulfilling and enjoy doing at work before applying. Ursula says gaining clarity on the type of career you want can help you narrow down which jobs to apply to. It’s hard to be productive if your needs aren’t getting met, so take the time to drill down into your values, wants, and needs, and you’ll be happier in whatever position you take.  About Our Guest: Ursala Garbrecht (http://linkedin.com/in/ursalagarbrecht) is the founder of Resume Horse (https://resumehorse.com/). Resources in This Episode: Want to get serious about your job-hunting game? Level up your resume, interview skills, and LinkedIn profile with Ursala’s help. Learn more by visiting her website at resumehorse.com/. (https://resumehorse.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

We like to think that ageism isn't a thing in our job market, but that’s not true. Age is very much still a part of what employers consider when hiring. How do you continue to move forward in your career, or switch fields, if you’re an older worker? It all starts with self-confidence, says Find Your Dream Job guest Alex Motta. Alex also stresses the importance of keeping up to date on technology. Your experience and skills are needed, but you have to market yourself in a way that shows the value you bring and what you have to offer.  About Our Guest: Alex Motta (http://linkedin.com/in/alemotta)is an employment strategist and a certified resume writer who specializes in Linkedin profile optimization. Alex is also a Linkedin Top Voice for 2023 in Latin America (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-voices-empleo-2023-c%2525C3%2525B3mo-construir-%3FtrackingId=FXFwu5igTKaHfZKKzFLqPA%253D%253D/?trackingId=FXFwu5igTKaHfZKKzFLqPA%3D%3D). Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to level up your LinkedIn profile or resume, find out how Alex can help you by visiting redaccioncv.com (https://www.redaccioncv.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Many people think that salary is the only thing you need to negotiate in the midst of a job offer. But salary alone isn’t a guarantee of success in your career. If you’re a woman or a BIPOC, you need to understand the company’s promotion path, says Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Robillard. Elizabeth suggests creating a list of your must-haves before going into negotiations so that your career scales at a pace that guarantees your future success. And remember, if they say no to one of your requests, that’s the beginning of negotiating, not the end.  About Our Guest: Elizabeth Robillard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekrobi/) is the founder of Negotiating at Work (http://www.negotiatingatwork.com/). Resources in This Episode: Are you unsure how to negotiate your best opportunity and benefits with a new employer? Let Elizabeth help you by visiting her website at negotiatingatwork.com.(http://www.negotiatingatwork.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Changing career fields can be tricky; you have to convince a hiring manager that your previous skills can be transferred to their company. How do you do that? You start by getting clear on what those skills are, says Find Your Dream Job guest Mpume Ncube-Daka, and sharing specific examples of how they translate to the new field. Mpume recommends using self-assessments to clarify your strengths and weaknesses. And lastly, be prepared to ask the questions that inform you if the employer can match your values and must-haves.  About Our Guest: Mpume Ncube-Daka (http://linkedin.com/in/mpume-ncube-daka) is a coach, a podcast host, and the founder and CEO of About Change Conversations (https://changeconversations.co.za/). Resources in This Episode: Mpume’s company offers group and individual coaching and assessments. Find out more by visiting changeconversations.co.za/what-we-offer/ (https://changeconversations.co.za/what-we-offer/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Finding a new job isn’t easy, and when we experience fear, it can discourage us from even trying. How can you overcome the common fears of job hunting? You can start by clarifying why you’re seeking a change. Find Your Dream Job guest Soma Ghosh also says you need to know what your ultimate career goals are. Soma suggests taking small steps toward your goals and not allowing the fear to paralyze you. Having a supportive network of friends and colleagues can also help you overcome any fears that hold you back.  About Our Guest: Soma Ghosh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soma-ghosh-26086638/) is a career adviser, a business owner, and the host of The Career Happiness Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-career-happiness-podcast/id1450116167).  Resources in This Episode: Do you know the 4 pillars of creating your dream career? Find out by visiting Soma’s website at (ww.somaghosh.com/.) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

You’ve got a job offer, and the salary is more than you expected. You can’t wait to accept. Hold on a sec, says Find Your Dream Job guest Crystal Granger. You need to ask for 24-72 hours to think about it. Crystal says every employer expects you to take this time to think through what you need in a full benefits package before accepting their offer. Consider your expenses, taxes, and what this offer means for future growth in your career and earnings. And Crystal suggests that you always ask for more with complete confidence, even if the offer is beyond what you expected.  About Our Guest: Crystal Granger (http://linkedin.com/in/crystalgranger) is the total rewards and equity manager at Bob’s Red Mill. Resources in This Episode: Crystal would love to connect on LinkedIn with our listeners. Find her at (www.linkedin.com/in/crystalgranger/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Why should you pay attention to the job market if you aren’t looking for a new job? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Bridget Bimrose (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-bimrose/) shares why she continued to network and look at job boards while happy in her career. Bridget says she wasn’t expecting her dream job to pop up on one of those job boards. But when it did, she was ready to apply. Bridget also explains how she determined her non-negotiables and campaigned for them. Learn more about Bridget’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.   

You’ve had a bad day at work, and so you go home, jump on the Mac’s List job board, and start sending in as many applications as you can. Why isn’t this a good idea? Because this tactic will never get you the job you actually desire, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandi Oldham. Instead of firing off a hundred generic resumes, Brandi suggests taking some time to discover what you really want in a job, what you have to offer, and focusing on creating custom resumes for the companies you want to work for.  About Our Guest: Brandi Oldham (http://linkedin.com/in/brandioldham) is the founder of Talent Career Coaching (https://www.talentcareercoaching.com/).  Resources in This Episode: Your unique talents can elevate your career; find out how by visiting Brandi’s website at Talent Career Coaching (https://www.talentcareercoaching.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

As a job seeker, what should you expect in the way of communication from the employer? Find Your Dream Job guest Kevin Grossman says you should expect timely communication, whether you’re a candidate for the position or not. And if your candidate experience is not a positive one, but you are offered the position, should you take it? Kevin says, not so fast; you need to consider whether the company as a whole reflects the lack of communication of the hiring process. About Our Guest: Kevin Grossman (http://linkedin.com/in/kevinwgrossman) is the president of the Talent Board (https://www.thetalentboard.org/).  Resources in This Episode: Find out the impact your candidate experience has on your business growth and success by visiting thetalentboard.org (https://www.thetalentboard.org/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Fear is a common emotion when you’re in a job search. Fear of the unknown, fear of making a mistake, and fear of not meeting an employer’s expectations. What do you do if you’re frozen in fear? Find Your Dream Job guest Connie Steele says you start by asking where the fear is coming from. Is it legitimate? If so, Connie says, you can begin to address any specifics that are in your control. Connie’s best advice is to use rational thinking and not make things out to be what they aren’t. Stop catastrophizing! About Our Guest: Connie Steele (http://linkedin.com/in/conniewsteele) is a future of work expert, a career strategist, and the author of Building the Business of You. Resources in This Episode: Wanna know how successful you are in your career? Take Connie’s FREE assessment at www.conniewsteele.com/assessment. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

The most effective resume is one that is targeted for the specific job you want. Your resume should match the skills, experience, and background the company is looking for. How do you create a resume like this? Find Your Dream Job guest Heather McBride says the first step is understanding how to highlight the skill sets the employer is looking for. Heather also stresses that your resume is not the place to be humble; freely share your accomplishments and experience.  About Our Guest: Heather McBride (http://linkedin.com/in/heathermcbride-resume-writer) is a resume writer and a human resources consultant. Resources in This Episode: Ready to crack the Applicant Tracking System code? Get Heather’s FREE keyword worksheet by visiting www.inclarity360.com (http://www.inclarity360.com.). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Statistics show that more jobs are gained through referrals than in any other way. How do you ensure that your network will refer you for positions that would be a good fit for you? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Natalie Roger (https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieroger/) shares how keeping in touch with former colleagues helped her find positions. Natalie is also a big believer in using the LinkedIn community to help find the job that’s right for you. Learn more about Natalie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.   

Are you feeling demoralized by rejection in your job search? Has the “numbers game” made you feel like a loser? There is a better way to find your next position, and Find Your Dream Job guest Stephanie Mansueto says it’s by being picky. Stop applying for every job you’re qualified for and figure out which jobs you can be competitive for. What skills and experience do you have that take you to the next level of qualification? Stephanie also advises making a list of dream employers and using informational interviews to access the hidden job market.  About Our Guest: Stephanie Mansueto (http://linkedin.com/in/stephaniemansueto619) is a corporate recruiter and a job-hunting coach.  Resources in This Episode: Let Stephanie help you figure out what’s standing between you and your next big career move by visiting her website at smcareercoach.com (https://www.smcareercoach.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you walk into an interview without knowing your audience, chances are, you give generic answers to specific questions. What is the alternative? Find Your Dream Job guest Kisha Hicks suggests it’s understanding the different levels of interviews and knowing who you’re speaking to. Kisha shares how to prepare for interviews without feeling overwhelmed, how to differentiate between different levels of interviews, and why the self-confidence gained by knowing your audience is the most important thing you can do to excel in any interview.  About Our Guest: Kisha Hicks (http://linkedin.com/in/nakisha-hicks-) is a career coach who helps HR professionals shift mindsets, move up in careers and increase earnings exponentially. Kisha also hosts the Morning Mindset podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-mindset-w-kisha-hicks/id1611798615).  Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to push through the fear and self-doubt that plagues you in your career? Tune in to Kisha’s podcast, The Morning Mindset (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-mindset-w-kisha-hicks/id1611798615), for tips and encouragement.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

You’re ready to find your dream job, so you’re sending out hundreds of applications every week. But is that the best strategy? Find Your Dream Job guest Mark Allred says no, it’s not. Mark’s advice is to take some time to get clarity on what you have to offer, what your dream job would look like, and which companies can offer you the work environment that meets your top priorities. Once you know the value you can offer the employer and what you need from them, you can go into any interview with more confidence.  About Our Guest: Mark Allred (http://linkedin.com/in/markfallred) is the director of talent development and growth for the recruiting firm Reveal Global Intelligence (https://revealglobal.com/). Mark also hosts the Career PROgressions Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-career-progressions-podcast/id1567194117).  Resources in This Episode: Career coaching can be the difference between finding an acceptable job and your dream job. Learn more about how career coaching can help you by visiting Reveal Global Intelligence (https://revealglobal.com/). Find out how to build a successful career by hearing from others who have done it on Mark’s podcast, Career PROgressions Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-career-progressions-podcast/id1567194117). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Are you getting interviews but no offers? Maybe it’s time to change tactics and figure out how to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Find Your Dream Job guest Lena Sernoff says it’s crucial to show what sets you apart. Others may have similar skills, but you have unique passions and experiences. Do your research to discover which of your experiences best speak to the employer’s needs. And get comfortable sharing them by practicing with others or in front of a mirror.  About Our Guest: Lena Sernoff (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenasernoff/) is the host of the podcast Girl, You're Hired (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girl-youre-hired-job-interview-tips-podcast/id1596647855). Her show gives you the interview tips you need to land your dream job. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to learn how to interview like a pro, check out Lena’s podcast, Girl, You’re Hired (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girl-youre-hired-job-interview-tips-podcast/id1596647855), wherever you listen to Find Your Dream Job! From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you go into a job search with low self-confidence, it could affect whether you get a job offer. But the job search process itself can be demoralizing. Find Your Dream Job guest John Tarnoff is here to share how to be more confident by clarifying what you bring to the table. John has four specific questions to ask yourself- what do I do best; what do I love to do; what does the world need; what can I get paid for? Once you have these answers, you can approach any interview with confidence in the value you offer.  About Our Guest: John Tarnoff (http://linkedin.com/in/johntarnoff) is a coach, speaker, and author who helps mid and late-career professionals achieve meaningful careers. Resources in This Episode: Are you in a career transition and not sure how to best approach it? John had resources to help you. Find out more by visiting his blog at johntarnoff.com/reimagine-your-career/. (https://johntarnoff.com/reimagine-your-career/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’re sending out hundreds of resumes every week and getting no interviews, Find Your Dream Job guest Mary Southern has some advice for you. Stop. You have to create unique resumes for each position you apply for. Mary gives advice on how to fill out each section of a resume strategically, as well as how to talk about your career achievements. Storytelling makes you stand out as a candidate, and Mary shares how to tell your story using specific examples of successes you had in past positions.  About Our Guest: Mary Southern (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-southern/) is the founder of Resume Assassin (https://www.resumeassassin.com/). Mary’s company creates resumes that show your unique value and help you win interviews. Resources in This Episode: Generic resumes don’t work. If you want to know how to create a unique resume for every job you apply for, Mary can help you. Find out more by visiting her website at Resume Assassin.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

One way to stand out above other applicants is by telling a compelling story- your career story. But research shows that only 35% of applicants write a cover letter. Find Your Dream Job guest Scott Clyburn says you need to use that cover letter to create a “greatest hits'' list of your career achievements. Distill your accomplishments down to those that had the most success. Curate your resume to show an employer how your experience will make you an asset to their company. And do enough research to allow you to speak about the company knowledgeably.  About Our Guest: Scott Clyburn (http://linkedin.com/in/scottclyburn) is the founder of North Avenue Education (https://northaveeducation.com/). His company offers test preparation, study skills coaching, and academic tutoring.  Resources in This Episode: Is grad school in your future? If so, find out how Scott can help you by visiting his website at North Avenue Education (https://northaveeducation.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

The opposite of not getting a job offer is receiving multiple offers. How do you handle not knowing which offer to accept? And what if you make a decision you regret later? Find Your Dream Job guest Martin McGovern shares what to do if you find yourself in this position. Martin says your first step is to slow down. You don’t have to give an answer immediately. Next, only share what has to be shared. You don’t need to tell a potential employer everything. Martin also suggests not staying at your first position if another offer is the perfect one for you.  About Our Guest: Martin McGovern (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinmcgovern/) is a career coach, a podcast host, and the founder of Career Therapy.  Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to get Unstuck in your job search and career? Learn more about how Martin can help you when you visit careertherapy.com/curriculum (https://careertherapy.com/curriculum). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Self-criticism can be a success killer for a job seeker. It causes you to feel like a failure before you begin and encourages you to hide your true self. How do you overcome this? Find Your Dream Job guest Victoria Hepburn suggests beginning by listing your strengths and weaknesses. Then, assess which of the weaknesses actually need to be addressed and which are simply limiting beliefs. Once you know that, you can practice self-compassion exercises to help you break free from those beliefs.  About Our Guest: Victoria Hepburn (http://linkedin.com/in/victoriahepburn) is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and certified coach. Resources in This Episode: Are you struggling with burnout at work? Learn more about Victoria’s battle with burnout and how she overcame it in her book, Pressure Makes Diamonds: Simple Habits for Busy Professionals to Break the Burnout Cycle (https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Makes-Diamonds-Professionals-Burnout-ebook/dp/B08PCQHBZ6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If you’re a job seeker, you’re likely using LinkedIn to help you find your next position, but are you using it to its full capacity? Find Your Dream Job guest Orlando Haynes says visibility creates opportunity, so the more eyes you get your content in front of, the more connections you can make. Orlando suggests experimenting with text, audio, and video to gain attention. But don’t just share anything; share value. A great way to start is by taking an article written by someone else, adding your well-thought-out comments to it, and sharing that to get comfortable creating content for the platform.  About Our Guest: Orlando Haynes (http://linkedin.com/in/orlandohaynes) is a talent acquisition leader, host of the CareerTALKS Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/careertalks-podcast/id1567135916), and co-creator of the Career Accelerator Planner (https://www.amazon.com/Career-Accelerator-Planner-projects-performance/dp/B0B92NT5FH).  Resources in This Episode: Are you a professional ready to grow in your career? Tune in to Orlando’s podcast at CareerTALKS Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/careertalks-podcast/id1567135916). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Some say the cover letter is dead, but that’s not true, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Nicole Fortner. Nicole says that a well-written cover letter can increase your chances by at least 40%. The key, says Nicole, is using keywords from the job posting and keeping it concise, no more than 3-4 paragraphs. Be sure to prioritize your hard skills and share how you can elevate the company and the role.  About Our Guest: Nicole Fortner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolefortner1/) is the founder and CEO of Hire Up Consulting (https://www.hireupconsult.com/). Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to level up in your chosen profession? Find out how Nicole can help you by visiting her website at hireupconsult.com (https://www.hireupconsult.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Maybe you have a LinkedIn profile, and you occasionally scroll your homepage on the platform, but there are other things you can do to use LinkedIn to assist you in finding your next job. Find Your Dream Job guest Karen Sharp-Price shares her top tips for using LinkedIn in ways you may not have thought of. It all starts with optimizing your profile, making connections, and using those connections to build a solid network that can help you with your career journey. Karen also suggests using LinkedIn to make a list of the companies you’d like to work for. About Our Guest: Karen Sharp-Price (http://linkedin.com/in/karensharpprice) is a certified professional coach who helps you get a career you can love. Karen also hosts the SharpHR Career Corner. It’s a podcast about different career journeys. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sharphr-career-corner/id1498512812) Resources in This Episode: For a healthy dose of help and encouragement in your career journey, tune into Karen’s podcast, SharpHR Career Corner. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sharphr-career-corner/id1498512812) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

How do you keep pressing forward when rejection makes you want to quit? Find Your Dream Job guest Larnell Vickers suggests using rejection to do the deeper work of understanding who you are and what you want. Rejection can help you define your value as a person and learn how to better express your work ethic. It can also help you to grow in perseverance and resilience. Larnell also reminds us that our career is a personal journey, and rejection is part of that journey. Learning how to work through it can make your journey stronger and more fulfilling. About Our Guest: Larnell Vickers (http://linkedin.com/in/larnell-vickers) is a career coach, executive recruiter, and leadership consultant. Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to power your career forward? Learn how Larnell can help you by visiting the career journey.co (https://www.thecareerjourney.co/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Should you wait until you need a new job to explore openings? Absolutely not, according to Shelby Danzer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-danzer/), our guest on this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job. Shelby found her current position by maintaining a list of companies she’d be interested in working at and regularly perusing their job boards. And she highly recommends making your own short list of places you’d love to work. Learn more about Shelby’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

Nothing is more frustrating for a job seeker than to think an interview went well and then to find out that someone else got the job. If this is happening to you on a regular basis, it could be a matter of not being prepared enough. Find Your Dream Job guest Lorraine Rise suggests sharing a few examples of career success that address the specific challenges of the open position. Be specific in your answers, and don’t be afraid to own both your strengths and your weaknesses. Practice your interview answers with a friend or in a mirror, and go in with confidence.  About Our Guest: Lorraine Rise (http://linkedin.com/in/lorrainerise) is a coach, a podcaster, and the founder of Career UpRising (https://www.careeruprising.com/). Her company helps professionals change careers, launch a job search, and overcome age bias. Resources in This Episode: To access Lorraine’s free 3-step training on how to change careers at any age, visit her website at www.careeruprising.com/(https://www.careeruprising.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Job postings haven’t changed much in the last century; postings from 1920 look suspiciously similar to those of 2020. But skills, requirements, and culture have changed drastically during that time. Find Your Dream Job guest Kat Kibbens shares how to figure out what an employer really wants by deciphering outdated job posting language. Online tools, clarity on what you’re looking for, and the ability to spot red flags are all key pieces to reading between the lines of any job posting.  About Our Guest: Kat Kibben (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinakibben/) is a keynote speaker, writing expert, and LGBTQIA+ advocate.  Resources in This Episode: Learn more about how Kat can help you by visiting their website at katrinakibben.com/. (https://katrinakibben.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Are you a few years into a job that no longer excites you, or worse, makes you feel unsuccessful and unfulfilled? You may be having a career identity crisis, says Find Your Dream Job guest Elaine Lou Cartas. Don’t worry; you can fix this by paying attention to what matters most to you. Ignore the “shoulds” and dive deep into your values and priorities. Elaine suggests using informational interviews and networking to explore new avenues and possibilities. Elaine also reminds us that we all change, and an identity crisis at work might just mean it’s time for your next career opportunity.  About Our Guest: Elaine Lou Cartas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineloucartas/) is a speaker, podcaster, and coach who works with women of color and allies.  Resources in This Episode: Ready for Elaine to help you with a FREE personalized career review? Visit elainelou.com/call (https://elainelou.com/call/) to learn more! You can find Elaine online at elainelou.com (http://elainelou.com/), https://www.instagram.com/elainelou_/(https://www.instagram.com/elainelou_/), https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineloucartas/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineloucartas/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Many times, getting a job depends on who you know. If you have a strong network, your odds of finding your dream job are much higher. But what about weak ties? Those people you’ve met, but who wouldn’t be considered a close tie? They can be more helpful than you might expect, says Find Your Dream Job guest Rob Kim. Weak ties often have information that you can’t get anywhere else. Rob suggests finding your courage and reaching out to those folks you don’t know well. They could hold the key to your next position.  About Our Guest: Rob Kim (http://linkedin.com/in/robsungryongkim) is a career strategist at the University of British Columbia (https://www.ubc.ca/).  Resources in This Episode: Want more career advice and help? Listen to Rob’s podcast, Career Carrots (https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/career-carrots/id1606450946). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

We all know the importance of having a well-built LinkedIn page. But did you know that recruiters use LinkedIn to reach out to people who haven’t applied for jobs, but who seem to be a great fit for a position they’re looking to fill? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jesse Friedman (http://linkedin.com/in/jessefriedman) tells us why (and how) he was contacted for a job he didn’t even know about. Jesse also shares how to build a rich and fully-developed page on LinkedIn, and why it matters. Learn more about Jesse’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

Quiet quitting has been in the news recently, but are you familiar with quiet firing? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Trevor Houston, quiet firing is what happens when a company treats you poorly in hopes that you will quit rather than them firing you outright. Are you being ignored at work? Has it been a while since you got a raise? Do you tend to get the worst projects or ones that don’t use your skillset? If so, Trevor has advice on how to handle it, as well as how to know when to leave the company and when to stay and work for change. About Our Guest: Trevor Houston (https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorhouston/) is the host of the Who Ya Know Show (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-ya-know-show/id1515779434), a career advice podcast. Resources in This Episode: Learn how to use LinkedIn to level up your job search in a free webinar hosted by Trevor. Sign up at event.webinarjam.com/register/60/500k0anq (https://event.webinarjam.com/register/60/500k0anq) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

How do you know if you should leave your current job for a new one? And how can you ensure that you won’t be just as unfulfilled in the next position? Find Your Dream Job guest Alicia Ramsdell says you begin with clarity on what your ideal position would entail. Alicia also recommends asking yourself if you’re handling the responsibilities you were hired for. And finally, ask yourself if you’re able to fulfill your career goals in your current position. If the answer is no, it might be time to leave.  About Our Guest: Alicia Ramsdell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciaramsdell/) is the founder and CEO of Mindful Career Path (https://mindfulcareerpath.com/). Her company’s services help inspire your career, empower your potential, and create your legacy. Resources in This Episode: If you need help developing a career strategy and forming an action plan, Alicia can help you. Find out more by visiting her website at mindfulcareerpath.com (https://mindfulcareerpath.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Job seekers are nervous. If you’ve had a recent interview, you can probably identify with that statement. But there is a way to see a job search as a natural process between humans and one that allows you to be yourself. Find Your Dream Job guest Mia Williams is here to share how to create a resume that uses keywords to showcase not only your relevant experience but who you are as a person. Mia also gives some great tips on preparing for an interview, as well as how to network more effectively.  About Our Guest: Mia Williams (http://linkedin.com/in/mia-williams) is the founder of The Colors of Her Success (https://www.thecolorsofhersuccess.com/). It’s an online platform for Gen Z women of color learning to navigate success in life and career. Resources in This Episode: Want to hear more from Mia? Check out her podcast by visiting The Colors of Her Success Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colors-of-her-success/id1596998261).  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Ageism is alive and thriving, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made it stronger. If you’re an older worker looking for your next job, Find Your Dream Job guest Scott Jacobs says you must increase your self-confidence before your next interview. Scott shares how to present your experience as an asset rather than a liability and why you must get comfortable with technology if you want to be considered for a position. And finally, Scott reminds us that ageism is no excuse for not going after your dream job. About Our Guest: Scott Jacobs (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jscottjacobs/)is a career coach who runs the Jacobs Strategic Group (https://jacobs-strategic.com/). Scott has helped hundreds of clients with career transitions and job searches. Resources in This Episode: Are you an older job seeker? Find out more about how Scott can help you in your job search by visiting Jacobs Strategic Group (https://jacobs-strategic.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Too often, job seekers work to secure a position without thinking about how they will be treated within the company structure. If equity is important to you, Find Your Dream Job guest Mark Kajitani says you can do pertinent research to find out how the employer handles DEI within the company culture. Once you’re clear on which aspects of equity matter most to you, prepare relevant questions for your interview and research the company to discover how they address those issues. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you would like to see in company diversity. About Our Guest: Mark Kajitani (http://linkedin.com/in/mkajitani) is a nonprofit human resources consultant, a speaker, and the director of people and culture at Oregon Public Broadcasting (https://www.opb.org/).  Resources in This Episode: If you’d like to connect with Mark or find out more about his work at Oregon Public Broadcasting, you can find him at linkedin.com/in/mkajitani (http://linkedin.com/in/mkajitani). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Have you ever been ghosted by an employer after an interview? Perhaps you’ve even spent hours providing work samples, only to never hear a word back. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Kellie Gordon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwgpdx/) shares how ghosting and rejection impacted her job search. Kellie also tells how she used these experiences to determine the company culture she desired to work in. Learn more about Kellie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

It’s easy to tell a hiring manager about the specific successes you had in past positions. What’s not so easy is describing how your strengths led to those successes. But Find Your Dream Job guest Gregory Heller says it’s crucial to explain how those successes can transfer to a new job, and you do that by addressing your strengths that made them possible. Gregory suggests getting clear on the top 3 strengths you possess and practicing sharing them in an interview. He also recommends using informational interviews to gain clarity on what the companies you’re interested in are looking for in a new hire.  About Our Guest: Gregory Heller (http://linkedin.com/in/gregoryheller) is the senior associate director of MBA career management at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington (https://foster.uw.edu/). Gregory also hosts the podcast, Conversations on Careers and Professional Life (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-on-careers-and-professional-life/id1439113603).  Resources in This Episode: Hear more from Gregory on careers and professional life by tuning into his podcast at Conversations on Careers and Professional Life (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-on-careers-and-professional-life/id1439113603). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

As a person of color, you face unique challenges during a job search. How do you overcome those challenges to find your dream job? Begin by knowing what elements matter most to you, says Find Your Dream Job guest María Granados. Ask about initiatives the company sponsors and any partnerships with underprivileged communities. María advises following up after interviews and having conversations with your potential team members to learn how the employer practices diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company and in the community.  About Our Guest: María Granados (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-granados-bhrm-mba-7b420ab3/) is a human resources coordinator at Reed College (https://www.reed.edu/) and a graduate of Portland State University.  Resources in This Episode: Learn more about Reed College and how they are leveling the hiring field through equity, diversity, and inclusion by visiting www.reed.edu/ (http://www.reed.edu/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

It might seem like changing jobs is the only way to get what you want out of your career. But what if staying in your current position could be more profitable? It can, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Bethany Mills. Bethany says there are many reasons to stay where you are, including acquiring new skills, moving up the company ladder, and starting new initiatives. Switching jobs also requires energy that might be better spent at your current job, where you can continue to develop relationships to increase your networking power later.  About Our Guest: Bethany Mills (http://linkedin.com/in/bethanybmills) is the executive director of the Mississippi State University Career Center (https://www.career.msstate.edu/). Resources in This Episode: Learn more about how the Career Center at Mississippi State is creating futures by visiting www.career.msstate.edu/ (http://www.career.msstate.edu/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Preparation should be your number one priority when searching for your next job. But how do you prepare well for a job search? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jessica Ventura (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicanventura/) shares how she prepared for the interview process by gathering specific questions for her potential employer. Jessica also talks about how to leverage networking to learn more about the needs and opportunities in the position you’re applying for. Learn more about Jessica’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories).

If you aren’t clear about what you want in a job, you may find yourself unhappy and unfulfilled at work. If you’re unsure how to state your wants and needs in an interview, Find Your Dream Job guest Leah Gagliano says to begin with your core values. Talk about how those core values make you a better employee and how they will benefit the company. Leah also suggests practicing beforehand so that you go in with confidence. And finally, relate your values to the solutions you can provide for the employer.  About Our Guest: Leah Gagliano (http://linkedin.com/in/leah-gagliano) is the human resources director at Community Vision (https://cvision.org/). It’s a nonprofit that provides services, education, and advocacy for people with disabilities. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Community Vision and how you can get involved with their mission, visit cvision.org/ (https://cvision.org/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Government jobs are plentiful, but there are fewer candidates than ever before. If you’ve wondered if you should apply for your local government, Find Your Dream Job guest Anna Morgan says the answer is yes. Working for your local government is a fantastic way to get involved in your community, and the opportunities for career growth are high. Local governments usually offer excellent benefits as well, according to Anna. Attending job fairs and networking with recruiters can help you find your next job in your local government. About Our Guest: Anna Morgan (http://linkedin.com/in/annabmorgan) is a senior recruiter at the City of Portland (https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bhr/).  Resources in This Episode: Learn more about open positions and the free trainings offered by the City of Portland by visiting www.portlandoregon.gov/jobs (http://www.portlandoregon.gov/jobs). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

In this job seeker’s market, you don’t usually need 100% of the qualifications to apply for your dream job. What you need is clarity on what you want, a resume with relevant experience, and the willingness to step out of your comfort zone, says Find Your Dream Job guest Gillian Williams. Gillian reminds us that even if you faced rejection previously, it only takes one “yes” to change your life. Networking, courage, and transparency are what it takes to get your foot in the door when you don’t meet all the exact qualifications in a job posting. About Our Guest: Gillian Williams (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilliankatewilliams/) is the president and founder of Monday Talent (https://www.monday-talent.com/), a national recruitment firm.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to work with a recruiter who is invested in your career journey, Gillian is ready to help you. Find out more by visiting Monday Talent (https://www.monday-talent.com/).  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

How do you find a company where you feel connected, supported, and have a sense of pride in your accomplishments? Find Your Dream Job guest Rhodes Perry suggests identifying your values and researching potential employers to see if they share those values. Talk to current and former employees and ask specific questions about how teams function in the organization. Find out if the work environment is one that promotes safety, both physical and psychological. Rhodes also emphasizes finding an employer who truly values what you can bring to the job.  About Our Guest: Rhodes Perry (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhodesperry/) is a bestselling author, podcast host, and award-winning social entrepreneur. Rhodes is also the author of the new book, Imagine Belonging: Your Inclusive Leadership Guide to Building an Equitable Workplace (https://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Belonging-Inclusive-Leadership-Equitable/dp/1951591739/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15VO4WVVJTKCN&keywords=imagine+belonging&qid=1660086956&s=books&sprefix=imagine+belon%2Cstripbooks%2C141&sr=1-1). Resources in This Episode: Hear more from Rhodes Perry and other entrepreneurs on his podcast, The Out Entrepreneur (https://www.rhodesperry.com/podcast).  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Are you ready for a change in your job situation, but you aren’t getting called back after interviews? If you’re feeling discouraged with your progress, there are ways to stay positive and reach your goals. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Josh Belzman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbelzman/) shares how hiring a career coach took his search to the next level. Josh tells us what he did to remain positive during a year-long job hunt and the practical steps he took to be more successful at interviewing. Learn more about Josh’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories) series.

How do you decide whether to stay at your company or look for a position elsewhere? It all boils down to a few simple questions, according to this week’s Find Your Dream Job guest, Kelli Thompson. Do your values match those of the employer? Are you excited to get to the office every day? If not, have you discussed your needs with your boss? Kelli recommends doing what you can to change the environment before choosing to leave it. State your needs clearly and set boundaries around time and expectations. And finally, trust yourself to know what’s best for you. About Our Guest: Kelli Thompson (http://linkedin.com/in/kelliraethompson) is a leadership and career coach. Kelli’s mission is to help women advance to the rooms where decisions are made. She’s also the author of Closing The Confidence Gap: Boost Your Peace, Your Potential & Your Paycheck (https://www.kelliraethompson.com/book) Resources in This Episode: Kelli’s book can help you increase your confidence in the workplace. Get your copy by visiting her website at kelliraethompson.com/book (https://www.kelliraethompson.com/book). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

It’s an exciting time of life; you're having a baby! But how do you make your next career move when your time and energy are about to be challenged? First, says Find Your Dream Job guest Emily Lamia, focus on the job you want. Just like any job seeker, determine your skills and the value you offer to the company you’re applying to. Next, Emily says, determine the benefits you need and pursue the positions that offer them. And finally, don’t let pregnancy make you feel like you can’t get hired; companies will hire the right person for the job, so communicate that you are the right person.  About Our Guest: Emily Lamia (http://linkedin.com/in/emilylamia) is the founder and owner of Pivot Journeys (https://www.pivotjourneys.com/). Her company gives you the strategies and support you need to find meaningful work. And to empower you to be inspired, engaged, and effective on the job. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for personalized help as you navigate your next career move, find out how Emily can help you by visiting her website at Pivot Journeys (https://www.pivotjourneys.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

It might seem polite not to negotiate salary, but you are affecting your entire future when you don’t. An extra $15K per year can make a huge difference in your retirement savings, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kimberly Brown. If you need help positioning yourself to get a higher salary, Kimberly suggests starting by knowing your skillset, experience, and value. Share stories that display results you’ve had in the past, along with moments that brought growth. Kimberly also stresses the need for you to believe that you deserve the salary you’re asking for.  About Our Guest: Kimberly Brown (http://linkedin.com/in/kimberlybonline) is a career and leadership expert, author of the new book, Next Move, Best Move (https://www.amazon.com/Next-Move-Best-Transitioning-Career/dp/1119736226), and host of the weekly podcast, Your Next Move (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-next-move-podcast/id1559556846). Kimberly’s mission is to empower women and people of color in the workplace.  Resources in This Episode: If you want to discover how to leverage your unique gifts and position yourself for success, get a copy of Kimberly’s book, Next Move, Best Move (https://www.amazon.com/Next-Move-Best-Transitioning-Career/dp/1119736226). Are you ready to create opportunities for yourself and stop just going to work every day? Tune in to Kimberly's podcast, Your Next Move, for leadership development and strategies that work. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-next-move-podcast/id1559556846) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

We all dread the question, tell me about a time you made a mistake in your job. But if we can address our mistakes as simply a piece of our entire career story, we can change the feeling of shame and uncertainty we may feel. Find Your Dream Job guest Melissa Magaña says our stories make us seem more personable and attractive to hiring managers. Melissa shares how to create a narrative arc of your career history that allows you to share specific stories- stories of successes and challenges.  About Our Guest: Melissa Magaña (http://linkedin.com/in/melissalmagana) is the HR generalist at Habitat for Humanity Portland Region (https://habitatportlandregion.org/).  Resources in This Episode: Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn by visiting Melissa Magaña (http://linkedin.com/in/melissalmagana). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

A job seeker’s market means you have more control over the process of finding your next position. Even if you don’t have 100% of the requirements a posting calls for, Find Your Dream Job guest Beth Gibbs says you should consider applying anyway. Beth shares the best way to know if a job is right for you and how to communicate your non negotiables to a hiring manager. Networking is more important than ever, and Beth explains how to use your network to find the perfect job.  About Our Guest: Beth Gibbs (http://linkedin.com/in/beth-gibbs-6b99214) is the people and culture director at Impact NW (https://impactnw.org/).  Her organization prevents homelessness by partnering with people as they navigate their journey to stability and opportunity. Resources in This Episode: Beth welcomes connections on LinkedIn. Reach out to her at www.linkedin.com/in/beth-gibbs-6b99214. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Have you ever considered starting your own business while still looking for your dream job? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Aaron Kier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronkier/) shares why he continued applying for jobs even after starting his own consulting firm. Aaron also talks about how he used the power of networking not to find a job but to get better at looking for one. Learn more about Aaron’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories).

Preparing for an interview is non-negotiable; you must go in ready to answer questions about your skills, experience, and goals. But it’s even more important that you be authentic. Your resume speaks to your ability to do the job; hiring managers want to know if you’re the right fit, says Find Your Dream Job guest Danelle Robertson. The best way to accomplish that is by having a genuine conversation. Be willing to share your strengths and weaknesses, how you find solutions to problems, and how you’re growing in your field. But above all, says Danelle, be yourself. About Our Guest: Danelle Robertson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelle-robertson-phr-ccws-306b754/) is the people and culture partner at the Oregon Humane Society (https://www.oregonhumane.org/).  Her organization rescues, heals, and adopts thousands of pets each year.  Resources in This Episode: Connect with Danelle on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelle-robertson-phr-ccws-306b754/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Today’s job market requires more than filling out applications. It requires knowing how to market yourself. If you don’t know where to start, Find Your Dream Job guest Liesl Forve says to start by thinking about each job you’ve had and which parts you were most successful at. Then, make a list of your skills and another list of the things you don’t want to do. That should help you narrow down what you love. Liesl then suggests creating a concise “I want” statement that you can use on LinkedIn, your resume, and in conversation with others.  About Our Guest: Liesl Forve (http://linkedin.com/in/lieslhydeforve) leads market expansion and corporate partnerships for Navigate Forward (https://www.navigateforward.com/). Her company supports executives as they explore a shift in career, pivot into retirement, or consider board service. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Liesl on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lieslhydeforve (http://www.linkedin.com/in/lieslhydeforve). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you don’t have a good work-life balance, you will deal with higher stress levels and less satisfaction at work. How do you find a job with a focus on that balance? Find Your Dream Job guest Marcett Banks says you begin by knowing what’s important to you outside of work. What are the things you need time for? Marcett urges honesty when speaking to hiring managers about the time you need for these things. She also recommends not settling for less than what you truly need. You can have a good work-life balance if you know what you’re looking for and how to communicate that to a potential employer.  About Our Guest: Marcett Banks (http://linkedin.com/in/marcett-banks-818b9a132) is a human resource manager at Elephants Delicatessen (https://www.elephantsdeli.com/). It’s Portland's premier catering company and specialty foods retailer. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Marcett by sending her a note on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/marcett-banks-818b9a132/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcett-banks-818b9a132/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

We hear about the importance of using LinkedIn as a networking tool and for finding a great job. But why is it so crucial, and how do you use it exactly? Find Your Dream Job guest Omar Garriott says you begin by making LinkedIn a daily habit. You can’t go there once a week only to see what new jobs are available. Omar also suggests building a proactive network on the platform and optimizing your profile for the job you want. The trick is to lean in, learn the platform, and take the reigns in your life and career.  About Our Guest: Omar Garriott (http://linkedin.com/in/ogarriott) is the global head of education for Qualtrics (https://www.qualtrics.com/) and the co-author of the new book, Linked: Conquer LinkedIn. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future. (https://www.amazon.com/Linked-Conquer-LinkedIn-Dream-Future/dp/1523514167) Resources in This Episode: To use LinkedIn to its fullest get your copy of Omar’s new book, Linked: Conquer LinkedIn. Get Your Dream Job. Own Your Future. (https://www.amazon.com/Linked-Conquer-LinkedIn-Dream-Future/dp/1523514167) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

When your life changes, whether through becoming a parent or something else, you need an employer who cares about your needs. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Rae Rawls Dunnaville (http://linkedin.com/in/raedunnaville) shares how she used her connections to find the perfect job for her changing needs, and why she applied for a job that she may not have sought out. Rae also talks about the importance of keeping your resume updated and why it’s crucial to not only be interviewed but to interview the company as well. Learn more about Rae’’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)series.

It can seem like the most natural thing to do; you want a job, so you dive into the deep end and spend 40+ hours a week on your search. Why is that a bad idea? Find Your Dream Job guest Emily Wong says you don’t need to pile additional stress on top of a full-time job. Treat your search like a project; devote a certain number of hours a week to it, and assign specific tasks to those hours. Emily also suggests batching similar tasks to get through them quicker. And above all, allow yourself to experiment with what works best. There is no failure; only tweaking your approach until you find the perfect method for you. About Our Guest: Emily Wong(https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyfithianwong/) is a resume writer, a career coach, and the founder of Words of Distinction (https://www.wordsofdistinction.net/). Emily’s company helps you land an interview through powerful career storytelling. She also hosts the Career Cohort podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-cohort/id1535822301). Resources in This Episode: To get your FREE download of Five Pillars to Help You with Your Job Search, go to wordsofdistinction.net/launchnow (http://www.wordsofdistinction.net/launchnow/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

You have clarity on your next job; you know the company and the position that will be your dream come true. How do you get your foot in the door? Find Your Dream Job guest Mike Stroud is here to share his tips, beginning with tailoring your resume. Show the alignment between your past experience and the job requirements. Mike also says you need to stand out from the crowd. Show the employer why this is your dream company and how you can serve them. And finally, networking is always the best way to find your dream job.  About Our Guest: Mike Stroud (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-stroud-503aa57a/) is a talent acquisition manager and is here to talk about how to get your foot in the door at your dream company. Resources in This Episode: If Tillamook sounds like your dream company, find out more about job openings there by visiting www.tillamook.com/careers (http://www.tillamook.com/careers). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

It’s not unusual to switch careers several times in your life, but your first time can be nerve-wracking. Find Your Dream Job guest José Miguel Longo is here to explain how to handle the process with ease. Begin with an assessment of your skills and values and how they align with the industry you’d like to pursue. José says you have to be prepared to take action to change careers; do your research, network with others, and gain clarity so you can remain focused on what you want.  About Our Guest: José Miguel Longo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josemiguellongo/) is a career and life coach who helps Millennials achieve meaningful and successful careers while gaining clarity and purpose in life. José Miguel also hosts the podcast, Coaching for Millennials (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-for-millennials-career-life-linkedin-coaching/id1510658413.) Resources in This Episode: Are you a Millennial in need of career advice? Tune in to José Miguel’s podcast Coaching for Millennials for encouragement and practical help. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coaching-for-millennials-career-life-linkedin-coaching/id1510658413)  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

There are many reasons you may have had a negative work experience; the question is, how do you communicate it to a hiring manager without sounding vindictive or like you’re hiding something? Find Your Dream Job guest Stephanie Heath says it’s crucial to be honest because the truth will out. Stephanie suggests owning your part, not over-sharing, and venting with a friend before an interview. Spend more time focusing on what you want from your next position than you spend on what was wrong with the negative experience you had.  About Our Guest: Stephanie Heath (http://linkedin.com/in/stephanieheath) is a job search advisor, a salary negotiation expert, and the founder of SoulWork and Six Figures (https://www.soulworkandselfies.com/). Resources in This Episode: Get your free guide to help you communicate your market value during interviews by visiting soulworkandselfies.com/YourMarketValue (https://www.soulworkandselfies.com/YourMarketValue). Are you ready to accelerate your job search process and achieve your career aspirations? Find out more about how Stephanie can help you at soulworkandselfies.com/catalyst (https://www.soulworkandselfies.com/catalyst). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Do you get nervous before and during an interview? That’s natural, says Find Your Dream Job guest John Neral. After all, you want the job, right? But John says there’s a better way to approach an interview; simply having coffee and conversing with a colleague. The most important thing you can do is show the hiring manager exactly how you can help them solve the problems they need to be solved and why you are the best person for the job. Your goal is to build a relationship in the time you have that leads to a job offer.  About Our Guest: John Neral (http://linkedin.com/in/johnneral) is a career coach who helps mid-career professionals find a job they love or love the job they have.  John also hosts The Mid-Career GPS Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mid-career-gps-podcast/id1548327541). Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to make a mid-career change, tune in to John’s podcast, The Mid-Career GPS Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mid-career-gps-podcast/id1548327541), to hear stories of others who have found a job they love or learned to love the job they have. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

A job search can be grueling. Hours and hours spent on perfecting your resume, sending in applications, networking, and interviewing can take their toll. What if you paced yourself and went a bit slower but you were more focused on what you wanted? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jenny Affan (http://linkedin.com/in/jennyaffan) shares how she decided what was important to her in her next job, and how she made the entire process more fun and less stressful. Learn more about Jenny’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/a-job-market-in-flux-jenny-affans-job-search-success-story)series.

Are you ready to answer the question, “How have you handled failure in past positions?” If not, you’re not ready for behavioral interview questions. These questions aren’t about memorizing answers, says Find Your Dream Job guest Porschia Parker-Griffin. These questions are a chance to share your accomplishments. Hiring managers want results; sharing your results shows them what they can expect from you on the job. It’s also crucial to practice so that you’re comfortable sharing these stories and therefore avoiding long pauses in the interview.  About Our Guest: Porschia Parker-Griffin (http://linkedin.com/in/porschiaparker) is the founder and CEO of Fly High Coaching (https://www.fly-highcoaching.com/). Her company helps you find your ideal career, generate an awesome income, and create a life you love. Resources in This Episode: Porschia loves helping job seekers nail down their interviewing skills. Find out how she can help you by visiting her website at Fly High Coaching (https://www.fly-highcoaching.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Seven seconds. That’s how much time a recruiter spends on an initial resume scan. What can you do to make those seven seconds count? Find Your Dream Job guest Keirsten Greggs says you start by having all the important facts in the right place. Share your experience and the specific, positive ways you impacted your previous employer. Keirsten also recommends focusing on how your past experience would make this the perfect job for you, and “speaking in your own voice.” Don’t use vocabulary that you think a hiring manager wants to hear; use the language of the industry.  About Our Guest: Keirsten Greggs (https://www.linkedin.com/in/traprecruiter/) is the founder and CEO of TRAP Recruiter (https://traprecruiter.com/). It’s a recruiting and career coaching firm that bridges the gap between job seekers and employers. Resources in This Episode: If you need someone to help you bridge the gap between yourself as a job seeker and employers, Keirsten would love to help. Find out how she can help you by visiting traprecruiter.com/ (https://traprecruiter.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

For the first time in decades, there are more jobs open than people who want them. What does this mean for you? It means that you now have the freedom to pursue what you truly want instead of settling for what you can get. Find Your Dream Job guest Sha Lee Hornsby says now is the perfect time to make the career change you’ve been putting off. Flexibility is more available than ever, and employers are willing to hire you even if you have gaps in your resume. Sha recommends finding your community and using it to help you get where you want to go. About Our Guest: Sha Lee Hornsby (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sha-hornsby-37326312/) is a staffing and HR expert with more than 20 years of experience. Sha also hosts the award-winning Cool Careers Podcast (https://shaleehornsby.com/). Resources in This Episode: Not sure what your dream job would look like? Check out Sha’s podcast, Cool Careers Podcast (https://shaleehornsby.com/), where she talks to people about their jobs and why they love them. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Hiring managers are sorting through hundreds of applications for each job opening they post. What can you do to stand out enough to gain an interview or get hired? Find Your Dream Job guest Jackie Dunckley says to begin with purpose. Know what you want and have a plan for how to make it happen. Jackie also stresses the necessity of using your network. One way to do this is by building a robust LinkedIn account. Finally, don’t be afraid to tell the hiring manager how you see your future with the company and what you have to offer long-term. About Our Guest: Jackie Dunckley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedunckley/) is an HR leader with almost 20 years of experience.  Resources in This Episode: Jackie welcomes connections on LinkedIn from listeners of this podcast. Find her at www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedunckley/.(http://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedunckley/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If there is a specific company or field you want to get into, how long are you willing to persevere to get there? What if you get multiple interviews over several years with this company but never get called back? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Judge Kemp (https://www.linkedin.com/in/judge-kemp-20366917/) shares how he used the power of perseverance to get his dream job. Judge also shares how networking put him in a position to find out about jobs he was interested in. Learn more about Judge’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

If you don’t have interviewing experience, you might wonder how to succeed at them. But if you’ve ever been on a date, there are lessons you can transfer to the world of job seeking. Find Your Dream Job guest, Matthew Sorensen, says don’t go too deep, too fast with your questions, and under no circumstances should you focus on your ex (employer.) If you get an offer, respond with enthusiasm, even if you aren’t sure you will accept. Expect to be nervous, but speak positively about how you see your future with this company and what you have to offer. About Our Guest: Matthew Sorensen (http://linkedin.com/in/sorensenmatthew) is a former executive recruiter and search firm owner, and the founder of the  Candidate Club (https://www.candidateclub.com/). Matthew’s company helps you improve your interview skills, avoid costly mistakes, and get the job offer. Resources in This Episode: Matthew’s podcast, The Job Interview Experience, can help you nail your next interview. Listen by visiting jobinterviewexperience.com/. (https://www.jobinterviewexperience.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

You don’t have to be nervous about interview questions if you know what to expect. But how can you predict what the hiring manager will ask? It’s simple, says Find Your Dream Job guest Max Chan. Most positions have common questions that are asked in every interview, so prepare for those ahead of time by studying the job ad. Then, have some general career success stories that you can pull out and tweak to answer any questions you don’t have an answer prepared for.  About Our Guest: Max Chan (http://linkedin.com/in/chan-max) is a career coach, podcaster, and founder of Chan With A Plan (https://chanwithaplan.com/) Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to stop searching for your dream job and start working it? Find out how Max can help you by visiting chanwithaplan.com. (https://chanwithaplan.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” It may be a cliche, but when interviewing for a job, it’s true. Those first few minutes make a lasting impression in the hiring manager’s mind, so you have to use them to your advantage. Find Your Dream Job guest Priscilla Weninger Bulcha says you need to connect your experience and vision with the position. Share the reasons you’re excited about the job and how you see yourself growing in the role in the future.  About Our Guest: Priscilla Weninger Bulcha (http://linkedin.com/in/pweninger) is a human capital management consultant and Latinx career coach based in Austin, Texas. Resources in This Episode: If you’re a BIPOC young professional trying to figure out your next career move, be sure to check out Priscilla’s podcast, Early Career Moves Podcast (https://ecmpodcast.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

You’ve been offered a job and you’re seriously considering accepting but the salary isn’t quite what you had hoped for. Do you just accept? Or do you negotiate? Research shows that if you’re a woman, you likely won’t negotiate. According to Find Your Dream Job guest Tejal Wagadia, women fear repercussions of negotiating salary. But employers expect it, so you need to learn to do it well. Be the first to bring up benefits, know what your non-negotiables are, and remember, the worst the employer can do is say no.  About Our Guest: Tejal Wagadia (http://linkedin.com/in/tejalwagadia) is a LinkedIn Top Voice and an award-winning talent leader. Tejal helps people learn what recruiters want through her blog, LinkedIn articles, and social media posts. Resources in This Episode: Subscribe to Tejal’s newsletter, Caffeinated Careers (https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6888999202198822912/) for regular articles geared toward job seekers and recruiters.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Not many people enjoy networking, but what if it looked different than you imagine? What if, instead of walking into a large gathering, it looked like taking someone to lunch? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jake Neilson (http://linkedin.com/in/jakeneilson) shares how regular lunch dates with someone in a company he wanted to pursue led to the job of his dreams. He also talks about the value of perseverance, and how kindness has led to others reaching out to help him. Learn more about Jake’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories).

You’re ready to make a change in your career but you’re not sure of the exact direction you want to take. Your vision should lead to opportunities to better your position over time. If you don’t know where to begin, Find Your Dream Job guest Sonja Price suggests utilizing a career coach. The right coach can help you determine your path and get clarity on what your goals are. If it’s time for the next step in your career, the right career coach can help you get there.  About Our Guest: Sonja Price (http://linkedin.com/in/sonjaprice) is a top career strategist, salary advisor, and leadership expert. Resources in This Episode: “Increase Your Income” Masterclass Discover How To Increase Your Income By $20,000 to $100,000 or MORE Per YEAR!... By Making ONE Simple Change To Your Career! Watch this short 14-minute FREE Masterclass to learn more. www.DynamoCareers.com (http://www.dynamocareers.com/) Dynamo Careers Website + Other Resources  Explore free articles and career guides that can help professionals understand how to find meaningful work and earn more money.  Learn how to advance your career now. Contacts us today! www.DynamoCareers.com (http://www.dynamocareers.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

You feel unhappy at work but you aren't sure what to do about it. Should you look for a new job, or change careers entirely? Find Your Dream Job guest Al Dea says you begin by figuring out what’s causing the unhappiness. Dig down into the nitty-gritty details of what you don’t like about your job. Then, think about what would be a happy workday for you. Are there changes you can make at your current job to make those things a reality? Al suggests not worrying about the ultimate outcome but rather focusing on each little step toward happiness along the way.  About Our Guest: Al Dea (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldea1/) is a talent development advisor, author, and speaker. Al is also the founder of Betterwork Labs (https://betterworklabs.com/) and the host of The MBA Insider (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mba-insider/id1504586425) podcast.  Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to build the performance of your team? Find out how Al can help you by visiting betterworklabs.com/ (https://betterworklabs.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

You need a job and you need it now. So it can be frustrating when you apply for positions, maybe even have interviews, and then don’t hear anything back. What do you do? Find Your Dream Job guest Brenda Abdilla is here to tell us how to reach out to hiring managers in a way that shows you’re on their team. Brenda shares the chaos that some companies are facing due to the labor shortage and why that delays hiring practices. She also gives specific questions to ask so that you know how long you can expect the hiring process to take.  About Our Guest: Brenda Abdilla (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendaabdilla/) is an executive and career coach. Brenda is also the author of Outsmarting Crazytown: A Business Novel About How Derailed Professionals Can Get Back on Track (https://managementmomentum.net/outsmarting-crazy-town). Resources in This Episode: Are you ready for a career change? Find out how Brenda can help you by visiting managementmomentum.net/our-services (https://managementmomentum.net/our-services). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Gaps on a resume are no longer the red flag they used to be; the COVID pandemic has made gaps more common. But how do you talk about your gaps? Find Your Dream Job guest Esther Leonard says you have to be honest. Share (as much as you feel comfortable) about why you have the gap, but also any skills you built during your absence from the workforce. Esther advises continuing to network and build your confidence that you are the right person for the role you want.  About Our Guest: Esther Leonard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/estheryvetteleonard/) is a career coach and talent recruitment professional. Esther also hosts Beyond Her Grind (https://www.beyondhergrind.com/). It’s a weekly podcast that gets into the root of what motivates women of color to want more in their careers. Resources in This Episode: Book a session with Esther to get your career kick-started on the right path by visiting www.estherthecareercoach.com/services (http://www.estherthecareercoach.com/services). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Do you ever leave an interview feeling like the hiring manager knows nothing about you? That’s a response we hear often. How can you answer common interview questions while leaving an impression on the interviewer? Find Your Dream Job guest Madeline Mann says you begin by choosing stories and accomplishments that are relevant to the role you’re interviewing for. Next, Madeline advises showing how this role is perfect for you, based on your experience and purpose. Finally, make sure each of your answers displays your character and your desire to make a difference for this particular company.  About Our Guest: Madeline Mann (https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinemann/) is an HR and recruiting leader whose career coaching programs have helped thousands. Madeline also hosts the award-winning YouTube channel, Self Made Millennial (https://www.youtube.com/c/SelfMadeMillennial). Resources in This Episode: Register for Madeline’s free 5-day class, Upgrade Your Career, by visiting www.selfmadeway.com/webinar-opt-in (http://www.selfmadeway.com/webinar-opt-in1596637303985) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Searching for your next job can lead to discouragement and even despair. Where do you find the motivation to keep moving forward when you feel like it’s too hard? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Clarke Hylton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarkehylton/) and I discuss the steps he took to overcome inertia and discouragement during his own job search. Clarke says the first step is figuring out what it is you really want to do. And from there, networking is the fastest way to the job you want. Learn more about Clarke’s career history in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/starting-fresh-in-a-new-city-clarke-hyltons-job-search-success-story).

You’ve been called in for an interview. That’s great news! Now, it’s time to prepare. Do you know how to get ready for a job interview? Find Your Dream Job guest Thaddeus B. Dunn says it starts with researching the company. Know what the company values and who the interviewer will be. Study the job description and use points from it to highlight your skills and successes. Prepare questions that will allow you to build rapport with the hiring manager, and practice asking and answering questions with a trusted friend or coach.  About Our Guest: Thaddeus B. Dunn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thaddeusdunn/) is the founder of Right Fit Recruiting (https://rightfitrecruiting.net/). Thaddeus’s company serves healthcare organizations, nonprofits, financial institutions, and government agencies. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about Thaddeus and his company by visiting the website at rightfitrecruiting.net/ (https://rightfitrecruiting.net). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Merely mentioning the words “applicant tracking system” can strike fear in the heart of a job seeker. We tend to fear what we aren’t familiar with and when our livelihood is on the line, it’s easy to understand why. But rather than fear them, Find Your Dream Job guest Matt Warzel says you need to learn how to benefit from them. When approached correctly, an ATS can help you get in front of a hiring manager more quickly, and allow you to showcase your skills prior to an interview. Matt shares the exact method he uses with clients to get the best results when applying through an ATS.  About Our Guest: Matt Warzel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjwcareers/) is a certified resume writer and the president of MJW Careers (https://mjwcareers.com/). Matt’s company helps you find your next job faster and with a better salary. Resources in This Episode: For more insight into how managers and recruiters think, follow Matt’s blog and sign up for his newsletter at jobstickers.com (https://mjwcareers.com/news/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If the thought of walking into a ballroom filled with hundreds of people makes you nervous, you’re not alone. But networking isn’t about the number of people you meet. Find Your Dream Job guest Bob Gerst reminds us that networking is a give and take relationship; not a Rolodex filled with names. Bob says quality networking doesn't just happen, it takes effort. And the more you do it, the easier it gets, so practice is key. Bob also shares how setting networking goals and doing prep work can make the process more beneficial for both parties.  About Our Guest: Bob Gerst (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobgerst/) is a human resources executive and a career coach who helps job changers find jobs quicker. Resources in This Episode: If you need help with your next career transition, find out how Bob can help you by visiting bobgerst.com/#Coaching (https://bobgerst.com/#Coaching). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Have you skipped applying for a job you would love because you don’t have 100% of the qualifications in the job description? Before you eliminate yourself, Find Your Dream Job guest Jonaed Iqbal says you need to consider what you do have to offer. Share stories of how you’ve used your skills in past positions, including volunteer work. And make the interview a two-way street, engaging the hiring manager in conversation, while sharing your passions and how you will use them to meet the demands of the job. About Our Guest: Jonaed Iqbal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonaed/) is the founder of NoDegree.com (https://www.nodegree.com/). It’s a career website for those without college degrees, and also hosts The NoDegree Podcast (https://link.chtbl.com/TheNoDegreePodcast). Resources in This Episode: Lacking a degree doesn't mean you can’t have the job of your dreams. Find out how you can have a fulfilling career and life by visiting Jonaed’s website at NoDegree.com (https://www.nodegree.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

It’s natural to withdraw from others when you’re jobless, but that’s not the best way to help yourself through a time of uncertainty and it certainly isn’t the best way to find your next position. Networking is more important than ever when you’re looking for a job and on this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Doug Hunter (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhunterdigital/) and I talk about how he continued to build his network as part of his job search. Doug also shares how he dealt with the rejection inherent to any job search. Learn more about Doug’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories).

Are you a recent college graduate who’s ready to enter the job market? If so, it is essential that you learn to market yourself and your skills to potential employers. The best way to begin, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Dr. Ciera Graham, is practicing for interviews. Take the time to rehearse answers to common interview questions to build your confidence. Dr. Graham also recommends doing an honest assessment of your skills and sharing with prospective employers some of your previous accomplishments.  About Our Guest: Dr. Ciera Graham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcieragraham/), a higher education administrator, writes regularly about career issues, and runs a coaching business for women and millennials. Resources in This Episode: If you’re a female or a millennial ready for your next career step, find out more about how Dr. Graham can help you. Visit her website at cieragraham.com.(https://cieragraham.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) 

Every employer says, “Tell me about yourself.” If you don’t prepare your answer before the interview, you miss an opportunity to share how your story connects with the position you’re applying for. Find Your Dream Job guest Dan Hahn suggests diving deep into the role and what it requires, and then wording your personal story to line up with the needs of the company. Share personal anecdotes that show how your mission relates to the mission of the employer, and how that mission has inspired your career journey.  About Our Guest: Dan Hahn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-hahn-b521a25/) is the owner of A Portland Career (https://www.aportlandcareer.com/). Dan helps his clients get unstuck and find new careers and better jobs. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to begin a career transition, let Dan help you. Find out more by visiting his website at aportlandcareer.com (https://www.aportlandcareer.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

For working moms looking for their next career opportunity, it can be difficult to balance parenthood, volunteer work, and their home life with the hours required to job hunt. Is there any way to make it easier? Find Your Dream Job guest Mona Johnson says yes. And it starts with saying no. Say no to the things that aren’t top priorities for this season. Say yes to consistency and good time management. Mona adds the important reminder to ask for help. Others want to help you, but you have to be willing to let them know what you need. About Our Guest: Mona Johnson(https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-johnson/) is a career coach at Merit America (https://www.meritamerica.org/). It’s a nonprofit that provides a path to skilled careers in technology for adults without bachelor’s degrees. Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to build a career that matches your potential? Find out how Merit America can help you achieve your career goals at meritamerica.org. (https://www.meritamerica.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Seventy-seven million adults have a criminal record, and while discrimination is illegal, employers do have the right to ask about your background. If you’re ready to rejoin the workforce after a criminal conviction, Find Your Dream Job guest Ty Reed suggests only disclosing if asked directly, but being 100% honest. Be prepared to describe how you have turned your life around, using specific examples. Ty also offers the reminder that while it may take time, you absolutely can get the job of your dreams after a criminal conviction, so don’t give up. About Our Guest: Ty Reed (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyreedmba/) is the founder of Recovery Career Services (https://www.recoveryandwork.org/)It’s a nonprofit that helps anyone who wants to return to employment and put the past behind them. Resources in This Episode: If you have a criminal record and need help getting back in the workforce, Ty would love to help you. Find out more by visiting his website at www.recoveryandwork.org.(www.recoveryandwork.org) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Rejection is a part of the job search that we don’t like to talk about. No matter who you are, it stings to be rejected, especially when you thought it was a perfect fit. How do you get past those initial feelings of not being good enough? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Emma Holland (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmacholland/) and I discuss how she dealt with rejection and eventually found her dream job by refusing to give up. Emma also shares her experience using a career coach and how the support of this coach helped her overcome the obstacles she faced. Learn more about Emma’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories)

Have you dealt with circumstances so difficult, you’re afraid nobody will hire you again? Find Your Dream Job guest, Oscar Garcia has. Oscar knows what it’s like to lose a job with no warning, and he has learned how to use that adversity to advance his career. Oscar says you begin by reframing your story; telling it from a position of strength, not victimhood. View every obstacle as a challenge instead. Oscar also shares how to brand yourself so that companies come to you, as well as how to find the courage to market yourself well. About our Guest: Oscar Garcia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiefempowermentofficer/) is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of Aspira Consulting, a Silicon Valley training and consulting firm. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to see results in your career search, let Oscar help you. Find out more by visiting his website at aspiraconsulting.com/. (https://aspiraconsulting.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’re in a period of stagnation at work, it can seem too hard to look for something better. A job search takes a lot of energy, and if you feel drained at work, you might not feel that you have the energy it takes. But Find Your Dream Job guest Megan Leatherman says there are always steps you can take, no matter how impossible it seems. She says the first step is to get back to self-care. It’s also important, Megan says, to believe that you can do what it takes to find the job that’s perfect for you. Vocalize what’s true about where you are now and where you want to be.  About Our Guest: Megan Leatherman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganleatherman/) is a coach, writer, and the founder of A Wild New Work. It’s an ecological career development agency in the Pacific Northwest. Resources in This Episode: Get Megan’s free program, Grounded and Gifted, by going to her website at awildnewwork.com/groundedandgifted (https://awildnewwork.com/groundedandgifted) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) 

If you’re investing all of your focus into your current job, you are not setting yourself up for future success. Taking ownership of your career gives you an advantage that sets you up for success in future positions. How do you take ownership of your career? Find Your Dream Job guest Monique Betty says you begin by being deliberate - in your skills, your relationships, and your education. Monique suggests focusing less on your purpose early on, and more on finding fulfillment. That, she says, will ultimately lead to you discovering and pursuing your purpose.  About Our Guest: Monique Betty (https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquebetty1/) is an executive coach and trainer who works with professionals and teams. Resources in This Episode: Head over to Monique’s website at moniquebetty.com (https://www.moniquebetty.com/) to be notified when her e-course, The Career Advantage, goes live to the public. Don't miss your chance to sign up (https://www.moniquebetty.com/7-guiding-principles) to Your Professional Development Plan to Move Your Career Forward From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume). TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Any job search is easier if you know what you’re looking for. Too many job seekers settle for a job that pays a good salary but doesn’t fulfill them. How do you figure out your passion and purpose before you try to land your next position? Find Your Dream Job guest Andrea Koppel says you have to experiment. Try out as many things as it takes to discover what you love. She recommends choosing three industries to explore. And Andrea reminds us that we may have several passions in life, so follow what you love and don’t be afraid to change.  About Our Guest: Andrea Koppel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-koppel-caffeinated-career-coaching/) is the founder and CEO of the College2Career Academy and the host of the Time4Coffee podcast. (https://time4coffee.org/t4c-podcast/) Resources in This Episode: Take advantage of the huge archive of conversations Andrea has with career professionals by visiting Andrea’s website at time4coffee.org/. (https://time4coffee.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume). TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)      

The majority of open positions are never posted on job boards, but rather, are filled in-house or through networking. Having a well-developed network opens up jobs for you, but it also provides you with an instant connection to companies you are interested in. Your network can also provide references for you if you’ve worked together in any way.  On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Melissa Erickson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-erickson-86438937/) and I discuss how she overcame her shyness to become a skilled networker. Melissa also shares how she practiced for interviews. Learn more about Melissa’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you’re in a hurry to switch jobs, you’re likely to find yourself in another job you dislike as much as your current one. How can you apply for the job you actually want and not just what’s available? Find Your Dream Job guest Ebony Joyce says you start by slowing down. Figure out what it is you want and what’s holding you back. Ebony also warns against lateral moves, as that can affect your lifetime earning potential. Ebony stresses the importance of knowing your values and finding a company with similar values.  About Our Guest: Ebony Joyce (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebonyjoyce/) is a job search strategist, speaker, and diversity and inclusion consultant at Next Level Career Services. Resources in This Episode: Are you ready for a career that uses your talents and values what you bring to the table? Find out how Ebony can help you by visiting her website at www.nextlevelcareer.co/ (http://www.nextlevelcareer.co/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Looking for a job is exhausting, and it can make even the strongest of us doubt ourselves. How can you overcome self-doubt so that it doesn’t come through in your search? Find Your Dream Job guest Juliet Murphy says you start by believing that you have something to offer. You also need to think about what your colleagues praise you for. Juliet reminds us that it’s normal to be nervous when interviewing for a position but when you believe in yourself, your energy is high and you project confidence that you are exactly what that company needs.  About Our Guest: Juliet Murphy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietmurphy/) is a leading career strategist who specializes in executive advancement and millennial leadership development. Her company’s services include resume writing, executive coaching, and career branding. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, let Juliet help. Find out more about her services at julietmurphy.com/. (https://julietmurphy.com/) Sign up to receive Juliet Murphy’s “9 Tips to Ace the Interview” (https://julietmurphy.com/ace-the-interview/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

We’ve all been there - it’s 10:00 at night and we’re hitting “apply” on every possible opportunity we see on the job boards. It’s called panic applying and it’s harming your job search. What should you do instead? Find Your Dream Job guest Cassie Spencer says you have to start with a list of your non-negotiables. Next, make a solid plan for your job search, and remember that panic applying tends to lead to more stress. Cassie also recommends checking in on your goals weekly and changing your strategy if the current one isn’t working.  About Our Guest: Cassie Spencer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassiespencer1/) is a career coach, a higher education professional, and the co-host of the “Your Career GPS Podcast.” Her clients range from college students to seasoned career changers. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Cassie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/careercoachcassie/) to be updated on her podcast, Your Career GPS. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

What does your resume look like? Is it a list of your experience by year, followed by a summary of your past responsibilities? If that sounds familiar, it’s time to adopt a new strategy. Find Your Dream Job guest Claire Davis is here to share why your resume needs to sell you to the hiring manager. Claire explains that selling yourself is simply showing how your skills and experience are the answer to the company’s problems. Instead of focusing on your accomplishments, focus on how you were able to get results for your past employers based on the skills you possess.  About Our Guest: Claire Davis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairemdavis/) is a career consultant and the founder of Traction Resume. (http://www.tractionresume.com/) Resources in This Episode: Would you like to improve your resume in 30 minutes? Head over to Claire’s website at www.tractionresume.com/ to learn how. ((http://www.tractionresume.com/)) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Are you approaching your job search like a loser? Those are harsh words, but if you’re spending hours searching job boards and applying to any job you think you can get, you can’t expect to find a job you will love. Find Your Dream Job guest Rupert French says you have to take control of your job search campaign. Rupert shares how to create an advisory board, craft a mission statement, and build an achievable timeline for finding the position you want.  About Our Guest:  Rupert French (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupertfrench/) is the founder and owner of The Job Winners (https://www.jobwinners.com.au/). His company has helped thousands of people plan and find new careers. Rupert is also the author of How to Get a Good Job After 50: A step-by-step guide to job search success (https://www.amazon.com/How-Good-After-step-step/dp/1925820823). Resources in This Episode: Learn more about how Rupert has helped thousands find their dream jobs by going to jobwinners.com.au/. (https://www.jobwinners.com.au/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

You’re ready to switch careers, maybe even career fields. You’ve got an idea of what you want to do but you aren’t sure where to start. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Em Bookstein (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybookstein/) and I talk about how they overcame imposter syndrome in order to move into a new industry. Em also shares how informational interviews helped them get answers to the questions they had about a potential employer. Learn more about Em’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/fundraising-for-social-justice-em-booksteins-job-search-success-story)

Job seeking in an ongoing pandemic has brought many changes to how we look for work. In-person meetings are nearly a thing of the past and online etiquette matters more than ever. Find Your Dream Job guest Renata Bernarde says your LinkedIn profile is the most important thing you have in the current job culture. She also shares the best way to connect with others on LinkedIn, and how to set up a job-seeking routine that protects your health and reduces stress. Being adaptable to change will serve you well when seeking a job in a worldwide pandemic.  About Our Guest: Renata Bernarde (https://www.linkedin.com/in/renatabernarde/) is the host of The Job Hunting Podcast (https://www.renatabernarde.com/podcast). Renata is also the creator of Job Hunting Made Simple, an online course and coaching program for executives. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to achieve your career goals, learn more about how Renata can help you by visiting her website at www.renatabernarde.com/jhms. (http://www.renatabernarde.com/jhms) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)     

If you have a tendency to feel anxious during interviews, maybe it’s time to incorporate some well-timed humor. Humor can alleviate stress and help build rapport with others, even hiring managers. Find Your Dream Job guest Loren Greiff says you need to strike a balance between using humor and trying to be a comedian. You want to be yourself, not making jokes for the sake of getting a laugh, but taking advantage of an opportunity to lighten the mood. Loren also says it is crucial to practice your humor before any interview to be sure it lands well.  About Our Guest: Loren Greiff (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorengreiff/) is the founder and president of PortfolioRocket.com.(https://portfoliorocket.com/) Loren teaches her clients a search process to find and land positions in the hidden job market. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to leave the job scene behind and embark on your dream career, find out how Loren can help by visiting her website at portfoliorocket.com. (https://portfoliorocket.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

One of the challenges of changing career fields is convincing a hiring manager that your previous jobs prepared you for this new industry. What’s even more challenging is accomplishing that on your resume. Find Your Dream Job guest Melanie Denny says to start with clarity; clarity on what you want and how your most recent couple of jobs prepared you for that particular position. Melanie also advises adding any courses or education you’ve completed and using the correct jargon for the job you want.  About Our Guest: Melanie L. Denny (https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieldenny/) is an award-winning resume expert, nationally certified LinkedIn strategist, and international career speaker. She’s also the author of The Job Seeker’s Secret Guide to LinkedIn. Resources in This Episode: Get your copy of Melanie’s Job Search Success Kit by visiting bit.do/jobsearchsuccesskit. (https://melaniedenny.kartra.com/page/jssk) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

You don’t have to search far to see companies hiring these days; it seems there are openings everywhere. But that isn’t true for everyone who wants a new job. Some people are struggling to find a job even in this job market. Find Your Dream Job guest Cathy Lanzalaco says that part of the reason is due to passive job seekers, those people who didn’t plan to look for a new job, but just want to know what’s out there. Cathy says to stand out today, you have to actively network and target specific companies. She suggests taking a different strategy if you want to see different results.  About Our Guest: Cathy Lanzalaco (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathylanzalaco/) is CEO of Inspire Careers (https://www.inspirecareers.com/). Her company helps new college graduates, executives, and professionals across the country land jobs and create careers they love. Resources in This Episode: Inspire Careers (https://www.inspirecareers.com/)has support centers located strategically throughout the United States. If you need assistance in a job search, Cathy and her team would love to help you.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

What happens when you find the job you feel you were made for but your background and experience don’t seem to fit? You may have all the right skills but in an entirely different field. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Steph Routh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephrouth/) and I talk about how to present yourself in such a way that hiring managers can relate your experience to the position they’re hiring for. Steph also openly shares how she overcame major rejection in her job search, and the lessons she learned that led her to finally getting hired for her dream job. Learn more about Steph’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/staying-true-to-your-values-steph-rouths-job-search-success-story)

The skills listed in a job posting aren’t the only things you need to focus on in a job search. You bring a lot more to the table than merely a list of hard skills, says Find Your Dream Job guest, Dr. Carol Parker Walsh. Carol suggests making a list of every skill you have, figuring out what you care about the most, and then deciding which of those things match the job you want. Carol says that employers are looking for a whole person, not a list, and she shares how to bring your whole self into any interview situation.  About Our Guest: Dr. Parker Walsh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerwalsh/) is a career strategist, executive coach, and the founder of the Career Rebel Academy. She works with high-achieving women at midlife. Resources in This Episode: If you’re a woman at midlife who is ready to be both successful and fulfilled, find out how Dr. Parker Walsh can help you by visiting her website at www.carolparkerwalsh.com/career-rebel-academy (http://www.carolparkerwalsh.com/career-rebel-academy) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. TopResume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers.  

Switching careers is a challenge at best and can become overwhelming. What if there was a way to shorten the process and make it less painful? There is, and the answer is to find mentors to help you, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kwan Segal. Kwan suggests you start by identifying the industry and specific companies you’d like to work in. Be flexible and willing to meet with someone in that company, even if they’re in a different position than you’re seeking. Kwan reminds us that none of us succeed alone, so reach out to others who can become your mentors and help you make your career switch less overwhelming.  About Our Guest: Kwan Segal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwansegal/) is a human capital consultant and the founder of ICAway (https://www.icaway.com/). It’s a career coaching company for international students and immigrants in the US. Resources in This Episode: If you’re an international student or immigrant, Kwan wants to help you. Find out more by visiting her website at www.icaway.com (https://www.icaway.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Do you know it’s time to look for a new job but you keep putting it off? Maybe it seems overwhelming or you don’t know where to begin. The way to beat job search procrastination is to figure out exactly what you’re avoiding. Find Your Dream Job guest Dr. Ursina Teuscher suggests deciding what your next step should be and taking only that step. Dr. Teuscher also recommends treating a job search like a job. Most of us can do something fairly unpleasant if it’s for work. Finally, create rewards for yourself for completing the tasks you’ve been avoiding.  About Our Guest: Dr. Ursina Tuescher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ursina-teuscher/) is a licensed career counselor with a doctorate in applied psychology. She helps her clients make big decisions, find clarity about values, and achieve goals. Resources in This Episode: If you need guidance on making big decisions in your life, find out more about how Dr. Tuescher can help by visiting her website at www.teuscher-coaching.com/. (http://www.teuscher-coaching.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Are you spreading the net too wide when it comes to looking for your next job? You need to remain flexible as a job seeker but without focus, says Find Your Dream Job guest Markell Morris, you are likely to become overwhelmed with options. Markell suggests beginning by defining exactly what it is you want to do and the skills you can bring to that position. Clarity is paramount when deciding where you should go next. Markell also shares the value in taking things slowly, and building your confidence one step at a time.  About Our Guest: Markell Morris (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markellmorris/) inspires, encourages, and empowers professionals to live their best life. She has created career information resources and programs that educate, guide, and mentor people in support of pursuing meaningful careers from a place of possibility and abundance. Resources in This Episode: Is it time to take control of your career? Find out how Markell can help you by visiting her website at www.futures-in-motion.com. (http://www.futures-in-motion.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Preparing for behavioral interview questions is a crucial part of any job search. But what if you don’t have a specific answer to one of the questions you’re asked? Find Your Dream Job guest Ryan Yip says you can address it with a philosophical statement that addresses the root of the question. Another suggestion Ryan gives is to prepare these statements for several categories and then record yourself practicing your answers so that you can give a smooth response. If you go into the interview with the attitude of being of service, you can feel confident answering any behavioral question you face.  About Our Guest: Ryan Yip (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryaneyip/) is an executive coach who helps you find your best career fit, create your personal brand, and organize your job search. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Ryan’s services, visit his website at www.elnconsulting.com.(http://www.elnconsulting.com) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Whether you’re afraid of backlash or of being let go, it can feel scary to tell your boss or coworkers that you’re looking for a new position. But what if they are the very people who could give you a lead on that job you’d love? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Daniel Thornton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-thornton-37959b18/) shares how his current boss gave him the lead on his dream job at another company. Daniel and I also discuss why networking is more successful than submitting 50 resumes per day. Learn more about Daniel’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Every job seeker knows the importance of networking. However, just talking to a lot of random people isn’t the way to find your dream job. What you need is a strategy for intentional networking. Find Your Dream Job guest Justin Chin says that begins with reaching out to past colleagues and their personal connections. Justin recommends building a team of people who will ask you hard questions and challenge your assumptions. That team of folks can also provide you with warm introductions to the people you need to meet in order to get the position you want. About Our Guest: Justin Chin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/juschin/) is the director of high school connections at Lane Community College (https://www.linkedin.com/school/lane-community-college/). Justin is a leader in education and career and workforce development.  Resources in This Episode: Justin would love to connect with our listeners. Find him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/juschin/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume). Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’ve decided to pursue a career in nonprofit work, it’s likely because you have a passion for the mission of the organization you’re applying to. How do you use that passion to create your personal brand? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Dr. Jasmine Escalera, it all starts with sharing why the company’s mission is important to you. She also tells us how to use the job description to create “win stories” and why it’s critical to share your authentic self with the hiring manager and on the job every day. About Our Guest: Dr. Jasmine Escalera (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-escalera/)is a certified career coach who received her Ph.D. from the Yale University School of Medicine. She helps her clients get career clarity, beat self-doubt, and build confidence. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Jasmine’s group coaching program for women of color, connect with her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-escalera. (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-escalera) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume).  TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

The wage gap between men and women is well-known, but did you know that women also approach their job search very differently than their male counterparts? Women are more cautious, more hesitant to share their strengths, and generally ask for less money. Find Your Dream Job guest Jennifer Kass offers several ways women can change this approach, starting with creating a list of skills and achievements. Jennifer also suggests applying for jobs even if you don’t have 100% of the qualifications and negotiating the salary you’re worth.  About Our Guest: Jennifer Kass (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kass/) is the founder of Feminista Careers.(https://feministacareers.com/) Jennifer helps women land great jobs faster. Resources in This Episode: Do you need help creating your list of achievement stories? Get a free download to help by visiting Jennifer’s website at feministacareers.com/macslist.(https://feministacareers.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1107871) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume)has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

You’ve received an offer for your dream job, but the salary isn’t quite what you had hoped it would be. How do you negotiate the salary with confidence? Find Your Dream Job guest Kate Dixon says you need to be prepared to ask for what you need. Share your expertise and what your research shows the market will bear for someone with your experience. Kate recommends establishing a collaboration with the hiring manager and exploring the company’s flexibility for salary and other benefits.  About Our Guest: Kate Dixon is the founder of Dixon Consulting (https://katedixon.org/) and the author of Pay UP! Unlocking Insider Secrets of Salary Negotiation. (https://www.amazon.com/Pay-UP-Unlocking-Insider-Negotiation/dp/1734699264/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pay+up+kate+dixon&qid=1632850843&s=amazon-devices&sr=1-1) Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to negotiate for a better salary? Get Kate’s course, “The Pay Up Workshop” by visiting her website at courses.katedixon.org. (https://courses.katedixon.org/courses/pay-up-workshop) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume) TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume)has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today (http://macslist.org/topresume)from one of TopResume’s expert writers.    

Networking is a valuable skill to take into a job search, but only if you go into it with the understanding that not everyone you spend time with will have a job to offer you. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Alex Dolan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdolan/) and I talk about how talking to others helped him during his job search, even if it was just a friendly conversation. Alex also shares why he hired a career coach, how to do research on your dream job, and why putting yourself out there is the most important thing you can do. Learn more about Alex’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Maybe you’ve been thinking about making a career change for a while now but you don’t know where to begin. Taking action toward a new career doesn’t have to be overwhelming, says Find Your Dream Job guest Julie Sliga. Julie recommends starting with research, both of your fears and the potential of the field you’re considering. She also advises taking advantage of informational interviews and maintaining your current network. And if you still feel stuck, maybe it’s time to hire a career coach to help you through the process.  About Our Guest: Julie Sliga (https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-sliga-she-her-2589465/) is a certified career counselor and the owner of Panoramic Counseling. She has helped hundreds of workers make big decisions and workplace transitions. Resources in This Episode: Is it time for you to get some help with a career transition? Find out more about how Julie can help you at panoramicpdx.com. (https://panoramicpdx.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

If you want to get the attention of a hiring manager, the most important thing you can do is to stand out. And one of the best ways to do that is by using video. If you’ve never considered creating a video resume, there’s no better time, says Find Your Dream Job guest Rhona Pierce. And it’s not as difficult as you might think. Rhona gives suggestions on how to develop your talking points, how long your video should be, what to focus on, and how to prepare. And the best part? You don’t need any special equipment to get started.  About Our Guest: Rhona Pierce (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonabarnettpierce/) is a personal branding coach and a former recruiter. Rhona helps overlooked professionals capture the attention of employers and secure interviews with ease.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to start getting callbacks for interviews, learn more about how Rhona can help you at howtolevelup.com.(https://howtolevelup.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

If you set up your LinkedIn profile and haven’t been to the site again, you’re missing out on a great job strategy. Recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to find candidates for open positions. How can you use LinkedIn to find your dream job? Find Your Dream Job guest Jonathan Javier suggests beginning with a list of companies you’d love to work for. Search for people who work for those companies and reach out to them. Jonathan offers an important reminder as well; rejection isn’t final. It’s an opportunity to move on to another potential partnership.  About Our Guest: Jonathan Javier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-wonsulting/) is the CEO/Founder of Wonsulting, whose mission is to turn underdogs into winners. Resources in This Episode: If you need guidance on the journey to your dream job, find out how Jonathan can help you by visiting his website at www.wonsulting.com. (http://www.wonsulting.com)   From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)          

We often hear about the importance of authenticity in the workplace. But how can you show your authentic self at work if you haven’t shown it during the application and interview process? Do you want a job that forces you to be one person at work and another in your personal life? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Meghan Prichard shares how she added her unique personality to her resume and the positive feedback she got from doing so. Meghan also explains how she used her personal interests and common bonds with others to develop her professional network. Learn more about Meghan’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If your resume simply lists your skills and qualifications, it won’t grab the attention of a hiring manager. Your resume is your personal marketing document, says Find Your Dream Job guest Pamela Leone, and you need it to showcase exactly what you have to offer. Pamela says you need to highlight the skills you have related to the job opening. But you can’t stop there. Provide concrete examples of how you’ve had success in past positions using those skills. Figure out their greatest need, and share how you can solve that problem for them, using your own success stories.  About our Guest: Pamela Leone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamleone/) is the business engagement executive for South Coast Business. She also is a talent development specialist for her own consulting firm, Impact Coaching LLC. (https://impactcoaching.us/) Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to take your team to the next level of trust, energy, and success, find out how Pam can help by visiting her website at impactcoaching.us/services/.(https://impactcoaching.us/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume). TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Are you trying to transition to a new position or field? If so, you need to go into the process with a definite strategy in place in order to get a new, better, fantastic job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Peter Paskill. Peter says that starts with knowing your skills, desires, and talents, and using them to do a targeted job search. Having the right qualifications isn’t enough; you need to show a hiring manager how you can specifically solve their problem. Finally, Peter strongly recommends holding out for a job that puts a smile on your face. About Our Guest: Peter Paskill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-paskill-bb08a0/) is an author, radio show host, and the founder of CareerMakers (https://www.careermakers.com/).  Resources in This Episode: If it’s time for you to make a career transition, find out how Peter can help you by going to www.careermakers.com. (https://www.careermakers.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume). TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of TopResume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Networking is a great way to get input as you progress in your career, but networking alone can’t help you make specific decisions. The best way to get personalized advice, says Find Your Dream Job guest Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill, is by surrounding yourself with people who are invested in your life. These relationships can be formal or informal, and you can form them in your company and outside it. Nii Ato suggests being direct when asking someone to serve on your advisory board. And remember, no one goes it alone so ask for the help you need.  About Our Guest: Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/niiato/) is a holistic career coach for professionals of color and allies.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, find out how Nii Ato can help you by visiting his website at www.avenircareers.com/. (http://www.avenircareers.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume(http://macslist.org/topresume). TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today (http://macslist.org/topresume) from one of TopResume’s expert writers.    

As job seekers, it’s natural to focus on the skillset and benefits of a position. But those aren’t typically the things that cause a person to stay at a company. Your day-to-day experience is what makes it a dream job, or one you can’t wait to escape. How do you find a job that offers a great employee experience? Find Your Dream Job guest Joni Roylance says you need to think about what hasn’t worked for you in past jobs. And since you spend the majority of your time at work, figure out what it will take for you to thrive before applying for a position.  About Our Guest: Joni Roylance (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joniroylance/) is an advisor, speaker, and writer in adaptive leadership and the future of work. Resources in This Episode:  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Did you know we share even more great resources via our newsletters? We have three! Every Tuesday, we send our New Jobs Newsletter that includes that week’s new jobs added to our job board, our featured job of the week, and three articles sharing the best tips and tricks to make your job search easier and more successful. Every Wednesday, we send our Find Your Dream Job Podcast newsletter that shares the notes and transcript from that week's interview with a leading career expert about the nuts-and-bolts of job hunting. Finally, every month, we send our Hiring Solutions Digest for employers, which shares hiring advice, news, hiring trends, and other informational resources to keep your hiring practices at the top of their game. You can sign up for one or all of them by clicking here. (https://myemailpreferences.macslist.org/)    

Are you hopeful that having a large skill set will help you land your next job faster? That’s not necessarily the case. You’re better off focusing on the things that make you unique, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kevin D. Turner. With the sheer number of applicants for every job posted growing rapidly, you need to stand out if you want to be noticed. Kevin suggests doing a self-audit to figure out what makes you unique and building out your LinkedIn profile to highlight what you bring to the table.  About Our Guest: Kevin D. Turner (http://linkedin.com/in/president)  is managing partner of TNT Brand Strategist (https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnt-brand-strategist/). Its services include resume and LinkedIn optimization, interview coaching, and career transition assistance.  Resources in This Episode: From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Working with a recruiter can be a great way to find your next position, but finding a recruiter or getting noticed by one isn’t easy. The trick, says Find Your Dream Job guest AJ Eckstein, is to network before you need a job. AJ says you need to focus on building organic relationships, especially with those in the field and geographical area you want to work. And don’t focus on work alone; get involved in your community through organizations and volunteer work. Build a portfolio of life experiences so that you have a story to share when you reach out to a recruiter. About Our Guest: AJ Eckstein (http://linkedin.com/in/aaron-aj-eckstein) is the founder of the Career Coaching Company (https://www.careercoachingcompany.com/) which helps recent college graduates land dream jobs at leading companies. He also hosts The Final Round (https://www.careercoachingcompany.com/podcast), an interview podcast with company recruiters.  Resources in This Episode: Learn how to make it past the final round of interviews and actually get the job offer by tuning in to AJ’s podcast at www.careercoachingcompany.com/podcast (http://www.careercoachingcompany.com/podcast.) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by Top Resume. Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.    

We all know that networking is a crucial piece of the job seeker’s puzzle. However, networking alone won’t get you a great job. You have to be strategic in who you’re talking to and where you spend your time. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Joseph Hernandez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephjhernandezmba/) shares how strategic networking got him noticed by a recruiter and ultimately led to a job he loves. Joseph also explains how to share your personal values in a way that builds relationships with others, and how to find mentors to help you along the way. Learn more about Joseph’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

Networking: a word that can strike fear even in the most outgoing of job seekers. But what if you fear it because you only do it when you’re under the stress of finding a job? Is there a better way to network? Find Your Dream Job guest Lav Chintapalli says yes. Daily networking, which Lav recommends, turns the dreaded “meet and greet” into real relationships with people you care about. Rather than looking at networking as something you do, Lav wants job seekers to see their network as a support system for themselves and others. She also offers the reminder that networking includes helping others and not just asking them to help us.  About Our Guest: Lav Chintapalli (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavchintapalli/) is the CEO of Pathway Power (https://pathwaypower.com/). It’s a leadership coaching and consulting firm. Resources in This Episode: If you want to make a bigger impact as a leader, get more information on how Lav can help you by visiting her website at Pathway Power.(https://pathwaypower.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If you’re an introvert, the idea of networking can make you feel exhausted before you even head out the door to an event. But networking is a proven way to get a better job, faster. So how do you, as an introvert, make networking easier? Find Your Dream Job guest Brad Minton suggests starting where you’re comfortable. Try to focus on individual conversations rather than huge crowds, and know what you want to gain from those conversations. Brad also reminds us of the importance of always being true to who you are, and demonstrating to an employer how your personality will benefit the company and its needs. About Our Guest: Brad Minton (http://linkedin.com/in/brad-w-minton) is a career coach, certified resume writer, and licensed professional counselor.  Resources in This Episode: For more career advice, listen to Brad’s podcast, Your Career GPS. (https://minttobecareer.com/podcast) Connect with Brad on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brad-w-minton/. (http://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-w-minton/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’d love a job where you feel seen and understood, where the culture is positive and you feel fulfilled, you want an inclusive workplace. And one that isn’t inclusive in name only. How do you find that type of company? You begin with self-reflection, says Find Your Dream Job guest Victor Cato. Know why you desire to work at a company that prioritizes diversity and inclusion. Next, research the company’s mission statement and any policies related to DEI work. And Victor suggests always using your interview time to ask specific questions about what’s important to you.  About Our Guest: Victor Cato is the talent acquisition and retention manager for the Northwest Regional Education Service District. Resources in This Episode: Northwest Regional Education Service District is hiring. For more information on a career in an inclusive environment in the Oregon area, visit their website at www.nwresd.org/about/careers. (http://www.nwresd.org/about/careers) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by Top Resume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Too many people think that job boards are the magic ticket to their dream position. Yes, job boards serve a purpose, but only when they are used strategically. Instead of applying to every job you qualify for, it’s worth it to first take some time to figure out your end goal. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jennifer Eskridge (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifereskridge/) shares how she defined the exact type of position she wanted. Jennifer also explains how she used networking to verify her career purpose.  Learn more about Jennifer’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)  

You can expect to switch jobs several times during your working life. But if you’re ready to try an entirely new field, it may be harder than you think to get hired. You have to present yourself as already able to do the work, says Find Your Dream Job guest Roshaunda Green. Do your research to know what skills the new sector requires and highlight your abilities in those areas. Always remember that a job is about the employer’s needs, and approach your career and your desire to pivot with courage and confidence. About Our Guest: Roshaunda Green (http://www.linkedin.com/in/roshaundagreen/) is an account manager for diversity and inclusion at SourceAbled and Rangam Consultants. Roshaunda helps employers find and hire qualified people with autism, neurodiversity, and disabilities. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Roshaunda on her LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/in/roshaundagreen. (http://www.linkedin.com/in/roshaundagreen/)   From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)          

Asking for help during a job search is a no-brainer; we need others to help us make connections, identify our strengths, etc. But what should you do if you ask for help and get no response? Start by looking at your request, says Find Your Dream Job guest Mike Bird. Was it specific enough? Keep your requests short and to the point so that you aren’t wasting others’ time. Mike also suggests finding things you may have in common before sending a cold email. Focus on building relationships that will serve you long-term instead of depending on one-off conversations to get you that job. About Our Guest: Mike Bird (https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmike/) is a Montréal-based career coach for new graduates and young professionals looking to confidently establish themselves in the working world. Resources in This Episode: If you’re a new grad or young professional looking for your first real job, learn more about how Mike can help you by visiting his website at www.coachoiseau.com/. (http://www.coachoiseau.com/) Be sure to check out Mike’s podcast, The Career Builder’s Podcast, at www.coachoiseau.com/tcbp/. (http://www.coachoiseau.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

One of the challenges of a job search is finding a position that represents your values and concerns. How can you be proactive about finding a job where you can make a difference? You begin with a personal mission statement, says Find Your Dream Job guest Greg Flores. Start by determining which issues you feel led to do something about. Then, list the skills you have to make a difference in that area. Once you know the issue and how you can contribute, focus on applying to positions that allow you to use those skills to address the issues that are important to you. About Our Guest: Greg Flores (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryflores/) is associate director of career services at Portland State University. He has worked in career development for almost 20 years. Resources in This Episode: Greg would love to connect with you on LinkedIn; find him at www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryflores/. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)          

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes that includes long-term absences from the workforce but a long-term absence doesn’t have to hold you back. How do you explain an absence to a hiring manager? You start by addressing the issue upfront, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Sonal Bahl. Don’t leave the question open for the hiring manager to try to figure out. Sonal also shares how to present your experiences during your absence as building your skillset, and how to confidently lead the interview conversation. About Our Guest: Sonal Bahl (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonalbahl/) is a career strategist and founder of Supercharge (https://www.superchargeyourself.com/). It’s a career advisory firm with clients across the globe. She’s also the host of the How I Got Hired podcast. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-got-hired/id1536817985) Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for personalized help in your job search, learn more about working with Sonal on her website at www.superchargeyourself.com/.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

As a job seeker, you have hundreds of podcasts, career coaches, and websites where you can find advice on how to find your next position. Lack of advice isn’t an issue. But what if the advice you get isn’t good? How can you tell which advice you should follow and which you should ignore? Find Your Dream Job guest Kamara Toffolo says you need to look for people who have experience in hiring. She also advises tossing out anything that suggests ways to “beat the system.” Focus on your resume and networking, and you will find the job that’s right for you. About Our Guest: Kamara Toffolo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamarat/) is a resume writer, LinkedIn consultant, and job search strategist. Resources in This Episode: Kamara has offered a free cover letter guide to our listeners. To download your copy, visit her website at kamaratoffolo.com.(https://kamaratoffolo.com/) Be sure to check out Kamara’s YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/kamaratoffolocareers.(http://youtube.com/kamaratoffolocareers) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)        

We often talk about the difficulties of finding your next job, but what if you get an offer fairly quickly that just isn’t a good fit? There is no rule that says you have to accept the first offer you receive. It’s crucial that you do your research into whether the company aligns with your personal values and desired outcomes. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Kelly Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyandersonpdx/) shares why she turned down job offers and how the job market has changed in the 15 years since her last job search. Learn more about Kelly’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you’ve been laid off or need to find a job quickly, you might feel tempted to send your resume or application materials to every open position you discover. But Find Your Dream Job guest Serena Chan says that’s not a good plan. Hiring managers and recruiters need to know you have the specific skills necessary for the position you’re applying for. Serena also says it’s important to do your own research to be sure that the company you’re applying to is a place you truly want to work, based on their vision and company culture. About Our Guest: Serena Chan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/serena-chan-79881114/) is a recruiter with Cambia Health Solutions. It’s a nonprofit health care company. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the job opportunities at Cambia, visit their website at cambiahealth.com/careers. (http://www.cambiahealth.com/)   From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

As a job seeker, it’s your responsibility to know what skills and abilities you have that set you apart from other applicants. Figuring out what makes you unique isn’t difficult, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Kay Kirkman. It begins with making a list of what you’re great at, whether through job or life experience. What is something only you can do? Once you know what you have to offer, Kay suggests using job boards to get an idea of the possibilities, and to decide what jobs you might enjoy and which companies to pursue.  About Our Guest: Kay Kirkman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaykirkman/) is a career coach, speaker, and host of The GenX Career Show (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-genx-career-show/id1530650736). She helps professionals at midlife find their career passion, even if they think they’re too old or it’s too late. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Kay’s 6-week coaching program, visit her website at yourgenxcareer.com. (https://joyfuldreamlife.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)          

A personal brand is more important than ever in today’s job market, and if you hope to switch careers, your personal brand will be a crucial piece of the puzzle. Executing a career pivot is not as scary as it might seem, and something you may actually do more than once. The good news, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Erica Mattison, is that you don’t need to be a professional marketer to market yourself. Erica gives advice on how to build a work sample portfolio that tells your story and how to become a thought leader in your chosen field. About Our Guest: Erica Mattison (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericamattison/) is a certified career coach who specializes in helping mission-driven individuals craft fulfilling careers and lives. Resources in This Episode: If you need help clarifying your goals and building your confidence, visit Erica’s website at ericamattison.com. (https://www.ericamattison.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)        

It’s not unusual to want to make a positive impact in the world, even in your career, but most people think that working in a nonprofit is the only way to do so. Find Your Dream Job guest Erin Ewart says that’s not true. You can find a social impact job in government, philanthropy, and even in the corporate world. To get started, Erin suggests first deciding what type of impact you want to make and why. Once you’re clear on your values and direction, map out the companies and roles you’re interested in, and use your network to get your name in front of the right people.  About Our Guest: Erin Ewart (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinewart/) is a career coach and the founder of Careers for Social Impact. It’s an organization that helps mission-driven professionals grow in their careers and land jobs they love. Resources in This Episode: If it’s time for you to invest in personal job search help, visit Erin’s website at careersforimpact.com.(https://careersforimpact.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Do you struggle to make tough career decisions or ask for the salary you deserve in a job interview? Maybe you’re telling yourself stories that aren’t true. If you’re stuck in negative thought patterns, Find Your Dream Job guest Dr. Tega Edwin is here to share how to turn those limiting beliefs into liberating beliefs by figuring out where they come from and reframing them into positive stories about yourself.  About Our Guest: Tega Edwin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tegaedwin/) is a career counselor and coach who helps women who are unhappy at work get clarity so they can find a fulfilling career.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for more help finding the career that’s right for you, check out Tega’s coaching options on her website at hercareerdoctor.com. (https://hercareerdoctor.com/)   From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

Layoffs are discouraging in the best of times, but when you lose your job during a global pandemic, finding a new one can be nearly overwhelming. How do you find the perfect position when many companies aren’t hiring? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Blair Denniberg (https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-denniberg-140315114/) shares how she chose which jobs to apply for and why she applied at places that weren’t currently hiring. We also discuss customizing your resume for each application and how to work with less-than-stellar technology when doing virtual interviews. Learn more about Blair’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.(https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

One of the most important things you can do as a job seeker is to stand out from the crowd, and Find Your Dream Job guest Kyle Elliott has a specific way to do just that. Do you know what makes you fabulous? Kyle shares how to use your childhood interests and positive feedback from friends and family to figure out what makes you unique. He also tells us why showing up as your authentic self is crucial in an interview, and how to assess the level of risk you’re willing to take in order to experience more great and rewarding moments in life.  About Our Guest: Kyle Elliott (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylecromerelliott/)is the career coach behind CaffeinatedKyle.com (https://caffeinatedkyle.com/). Kyle’s clients have landed jobs at Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and nearly every other Fortune 500 company you can think of. Resources in This Episode: Find out more about Kyle and his career services by visiting caffeinatedkyle.com. (https://caffeinatedkyle.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you feel bored or discontent at work, maybe it’s time to seek a new position- in your current company. Find Your Dream Job guest Tristan Layfield says internal job-seeking can be a great way to get that promotion or gain the skills you need to further your career. Tristan suggests you begin with setting goals for performance and tracking your success, then sharing those successes with your managers during performance reviews. It’s also crucial to build relationships with others in your company that you can learn from and who will support you. About Our Guest: Tristan Layfield (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristanlayfield/) is a career coach and resume writer. His articles have appeared in Business Insider, Black Enterprise, and The Muse. Resources in This Episode: Tristan shares more tips on career development on his podcast, Tap in With Tristan. (https://www.living-corporate.com/tag/tristan/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If you send in the same generic resume to every position you apply for, you’re likely to be passed over more often than not. What can you do to make your resume unforgettable? Find Your Dream Job guest Derek Murphy-Johnson has several suggestions, beginning with using the keywords and specific language of the job description. Derek also explains how to match your experience with the job you want, the best tricks to avoid typos, and why keeping your resume simple is the best way to stand out from the crowd.  About our Guest: Derek Murphy Johnson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrderek/) is in charge of talent attraction at KinderCare Education (https://www.kc-education.com/). It’s the largest childcare provider in the United States. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Derek on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrderek/) for more information on the work he does. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)   

Do you pay close attention to the actual words you use in an interview? We all say, “um” sometimes, but does it really matter? If you feel nervous when meeting with a hiring manager, you might use fillers, disclaimers, or hedge words. According to Find Your Dream Job guest Tracy Hooper, those extra words are making you appear less than confident. If you’re ready to lose the words that sabotage your confidence, Tracy suggests recording yourself, working on losing one hedge word per month, and practicing using positive language.  About Our Guest: Tracy Hooper (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyhooper/) is a former TV news anchor, a professional speaker, and the founder of The Confidence Project. (https://www.confidenceproject.com/) Resources in This Episode: If you want to learn the skills necessary to be successful in today’s job economy, get Tracy’s new book, "The New Hello: What to Say What to Do in the New World of Work.”  (https://www.confidenceproject.com/book) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume . (http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

A job search can be grueling and the discouragement of not finding a job quickly is a common factor for many job seekers. One way to find a job you might love is to take a chance on a field you hadn’t considered before. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Miranda Whitters (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhitters/) shares how she used her psychology degree to pursue a career in recruiting and how her network helped to get her foot in the door. We also discuss why one-click applications are a waste of time, and how field-specific certifications can provide you with more exposure to the jobs you want. Learn more about Miranda’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Are you considering going back to school before pursuing your dream job? What if you could get that position without paying thousands of dollars for more education? Find Your Dream Job guest Ken Coleman says it’s entirely possible, and he offers two questions to ask yourself before signing up for student loans. Ken also shares networking tips, how to pursue alternative education, and the importance of following your gut.  About Our Guest: Ken Coleman  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kencoleman-/) is the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and the author of The Proximity Principle. Resources in This Episode: If you need help figuring out the next step in your career or job search, visit Ken’s website at kencoleman.com. (https://www.kencoleman.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume (http://macslist.org/topresume)has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

If the statistics are true, recruiters and hiring managers spend less than 5 minutes looking at each resume they receive; even less if it doesn’t grab their attention immediately. In order to get past the first round of screening, Find Your Dream Job guest Agnes Zach says you need to use the language of the job description in your cover letter and resume. In addition, she suggests preparing specific, 3-5 minute answers to the most commonly asked interview questions. Agnes also shares the most common reasons you aren’t making it to the final round of interviews. About Our Guest: Agnes Zach (https://www.linkedin.com/in/agneszach/)is the CEO at Nonprofit Professionals Now. Her organization offers executive search, temporary staffing, and talent evaluation services. Resources in This Episode: If you’re a professional or job seeker in the nonprofit sector, Agnes offers services to help you. Find out more at her website at npprofessionals.com. (https://npprofessionals.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)    

There are many elements involved in landing your dream job; networking, a professional resume, and solid skills are just a few of the things required. But even with all that, it can be incredibly difficult. What if there was a silver bullet to fast-track your job search? Find Your Dream Job guest Jason Alba says informational interviews are the answer. Jason adds that informational interviews are an incredibly effective job search tool that most people aren’t taking advantage of, and he shares how to get the most out of your own.  About Our Guest: Jason Alba (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonalba/) is the founder and creator of JibberJobber (https://www.jibberjobber.com/login.php), the six-week job search program. Jason is also a soft skills and career expert for Pluralsight. Resources in This Episode: For help organizing and tracking your job search, visit JibberJobber.com. (https://www.jibberjobber.com/login.php) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume (http://macslist.org/topresume). Top Resume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’ve ever been ghosted after what you thought was a great interview, you may feel confused about what went wrong. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’ve put your all into the interview only to be rejected. But Find Your Dream Job guest Shelley Piedmont says there are ways to be better prepared next time. First, focus more on the value you bring than strictly on your qualifications. Second, be a clear communicator. And finally, remember that sometimes, not being selected gives you a better chance at job fulfillment and happiness.  About Our Guest: Shelley Piedmont (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleypiedmont/) is a former recruiter and human resource director. She’s also the founder of ShelleyPiedmont.Com (https://www.shelleypiedmont.com/) Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to find a job you love, Shelley can help. Learn more by visiting her website at shelleypiedmont.com. (https://www.shelleypiedmont.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Have you ever heard that to find the job of your dreams, you should follow your passions? But not all passions lend themselves to a career, and not everyone has passions to follow. Instead of trying to figure out your passion so that you can be happy at work, Find Your Dream Job guest Grace Lee says it’s a better idea to pursue meaningful purpose. Stop hoping to find your perfect career; take charge of your future by digging deep into what drives you and creating your own opportunities. About Our Guest: Dr. Grace Lee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorlee/) is the host of the Career Revisionist Podcast (https://careerrevisionist.com/) and founder of Mastery Insights (https://www.masteryinsights.com/), a coaching and education company. She is on a mission to unleash the extraordinary in the world through insightful career development, integrating neuroscience and business development principles. Resources in This Episode: For more insights into building your career, listen to Grace’s podcast: https://careerrevisionist.com/podcast  If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://salary.macslist.org/), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to request a higher salary.

Some fields are naturally more difficult to get into, and require more than a professional resume or great cover letter. There are jobs that can’t be won without experience in the field. But how can you get that experience before you get the job you want? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Hannah Fattor shares how she used volunteer work to hone the skills she needed for the position she wanted. Hannah and I also discuss how working at a nonprofit gave her the opportunity to begin getting the experience she needed to build her portfolio. Learn more about Hannah’’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you’re like most people, you don’t enjoy talking about your greatest accomplishments. It can feel uncomfortable to “toot your own horn,” even when a hiring manager asks you about your skills and expertise. If you want to stand out in today’s tough job market, Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Gross says you must overcome this reluctance. Elizabeth shares how to emphasize your accomplishments on your resume, as well as the best way to sell yourself on LinkedIn.  About Our Guest: Elizabeth Gross (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethgross/) is the owner of Job Search Divas where she offers a range of career-related services, including resume writing, career coaching, job search strategies, networking skills, and interview preparation. Resources in This Episode: To find out more about Elizabeth and the services she offers, visit her website at www.jobsearchdivas.com.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)   

What do you say when a hiring manager asks you why you’re looking for a new job? If this question makes you feel defensive, Find Your Dream Job guest Susan Peppercorn says you need to find a way to put a positive spin on your answer, even if the truth is that you were fired or laid off. Hiring managers understand difficult situations, so don’t be afraid to be honest, while not spewing negativity toward a former employer. Susan advises focusing on what you bring to the table and why you’re interested in working with that company. About Our Guest: Susan Peppercorn(https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanpeppercorn/) is a coach, writer, and speaker. She’s passionate about helping people move from surviving to thriving in their careers. Susan is the author of the bestselling “Ditch Your Inner Critic At Work: Evidence-Based Strategies To Thrive In Your Career.“ (https://amzn.to/2Z49VJ7). Resources in This Episode: Wondering if you’re in the right job? Get your free Career Fit Self-Assessment at https://positiveworkplacepartners.com/ If you’re struggling with how to craft a compelling cover letter, we’ve got a free guide that can help. Download Simple Rules for a Winning Cover Letter here: https://coverletter.macslist.org/

If you're like most people, you feel nervous when going into a job interview. And science has shown that a lack of self-confidence directly affects your body language, which can distract the hiring manager or make you appear less suited for the job. You don’t want to walk into an interview room and try to wing it. You want to walk in there with confidence. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, John Ribeiro, says that confidence comes from changing your mindset, preparing what you’re going to say, and sharing stories that show your true and authentic self. About Our Guest: John Ribeiro (linkedin.com/in/ribeirojohn/) gives people what they need to ace a job interview. He prepares you with the skills and mindset to answer those tough questions that will lead you to a job offer. John is also a veteran hiring manager. And he’s a professional public speaker, podcaster, and co-author of the book Zero2hired: Successfully Break Through Your Interview Process. Resources in This Episode: Learn how to fully prepare for the interview process with John’s course, zero2hired.com/#courses, Are you jobless, underemployed, or dissatisfied with your work? John’s book, “Zero2Hired,” (zero2hired.com/get-book) provides the help you need to break through the barriers that keep you from finding a job you love. If you love this podcast, be sure to listen to the Zero2Hired podcast (zero2hired.com/podcast), where John and his colleague share helpful tips and strategies on finding your dream job. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. Visit macslist.org/questions.

Figuring out the next step on your career journey takes energy and focus. If your strategy so far has been to apply everywhere and see what happens, getting clear on your purpose can reap powerful benefits. Find Your Dream Job guest Erin Thomas says you need to know exactly what type of job is going to leverage your unique talents and strengths. Erin also shares the five-step process she uses with clients to get clear about who you are and about what matters most to you in a job search. About Our Guest: Erin Thomas (www.linkedin.com/in/erinfthomas/) is a career and leadership coach, organizational development expert, and human resources professional. Over the past 15 years, Erin has worked with hundreds of people from all around the globe to uncover their unique leadership stance and voice, putting them in the driver seat of their career and life. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Erin’s career coaching, visit her website at careerandleadershipcoaching.com. Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (focus.macslist.org/), can help.

If you're a mid-career professional looking to make a career change, you’re likely to face obstacles as you try to find the best possible position. Since finding that next job can take a while, you need to use that time to hone in on your unique strengths and talents. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, Alfredo Moreno (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredovmoreno/) shares how refining his elevator pitch helped him to see the things he valued most, as a professional and as a person. Alfredo also shares how goal setting and accountability helped him keep his focus, even during a months-long job search. Learn more about Alfredo’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories). What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I’m the community relations manager at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek campus (https://www.pcc.edu/about/locations/rock-creek/) in Washington County. How long did it take you to find this job? It was a long process, but with different stages of intensity. I had my periscope up for about 16 months overall, but I was particularly intentional, strategic, and intense about it for the final nine months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I found the job the standard, not-particularly-efficient way — discovered it on a job listing website (Indeed.com, I believe) and applied online. Obviously it was one of many I applied for during the long search, but was one of the few that really resonated with me right away. It wasn’t just an intriguing opportunity, it was a role that I knew I could do at a high level and felt very confident that it would maximize both my person passions and professional skill set. I’d say it was a rare opportunity in that regard to hit that sweet spot. So, I put a good amount of time and energy into my resume and, particularly, my cover letter. My resume changed shapes over time throughout my search thanks to input I received from peers and, particularly, an agency rep I worked with. I didn’t get any job opportunities through them, but the feedback on my resume was invaluable. Also (and honestly I have no idea if this moved the needle at all) I printed off physical copies of my resume and cover letter and mailed them in a manilla envelope to the person I thought was the hiring manager for this role. Turned out, she wasn’t (it’s a little unique here), but maybe that resonated a bit with the hiring committee. At minimum, it didn’t seem to hurt me. Finally, even after I had done my initial interview, I kept networking and through some additional LinkedIn exploration I discovered that one of my PCC counterparts in this role was connected to a friend of mine. I asked for an introduction and set up a lunch meeting with my PCC counterpart a week or two before my final interview that was incredibly valuable. She wasn’t on the hiring committee, but gave me some great insight into the role and, most importantly, a real confidence boost heading into the final round. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? There were several large challenges in my search. The first was simply how long it took. While the end result was absolutely rewarding, having “job hunting” take over as my top extra-curricular activity for 8-9 months was draining to say the least. I will also say, it was pretty disheartening to experience the shabby way many organizations treat applicants. I’ve been on the hiring side of this process as well and know that it’s no picnic, but I was disappointed with how many companies failed to follow-up in a timely fashion, even when they promised to do so after an interview stage. The organizations that were sincerely appreciative of the great time and effort applicants put forth, and communicated clearly throughout the process, stood apart from the rest. Finally, as somebody who was well into their career (nearly 20 years) and approaching…okay, at…middle age, with all the varied responsibilities that come with it (mortgage, kid, etc.), I didn’t have the flexibility to explore lower paying opportunities, even if the role had lots of appeal. I had to make a lateral move at worst, which isn’t easy, especially coming out of a niche industry. My window of opportunity was certainly smaller than it would’ve been 10 years earlier when I had more financial and personal flexibility. I overcame these challenges by diving deeper into my goal-setting process and staying as organized as I could (I used a tool called the Best Self Journal to help). I also needed all the encouragement and understanding that I could get from my friends and family who appreciated how grueling it was to stay after this for so long. You’ve got to have advocates in this process, both personal and professional. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Get organized and set specific milestones for yourself that will help you march toward your ultimate goal of a new job — things you can measure and check off on a weekly/monthly basis. Mine included developing and refining a strong elevator pitch for myself, building and enhancing my portfolio, and increasing and expanding my professional network. Each of those stages had several subtasks that had to be accomplished or even pivoted to drive them forward. Unless you’re extremely well-connected out of the gate, this is going to be a multi-layered process with no small amount of personal development and learning throughout. Be ready to hustle and grind. Meet with old colleagues, send emails introducing yourself, ask for favors, go to networking mixers and panels, take advice you hadn’t considered before, read books/blogs/podcasts (Mac’s List, hello!). You’re probably not going to find a golden ticket in any single meeting or event, but you’ll keep picking up tips, info, ideas that will propel you forward.   Why do you love your job? My new job allows me to get out and engage with a LOT of different people while serving as an advocate and professional fan of this unique and beautiful campus. There’s a special spirit of optimism on a college campus. People are here because they ultimately want to be a better version of themselves academically, professionally, but also personally. It’s an addicting energy that makes it a fantastic place to spend your day.

If you’ve ever decided not to apply for a job because you didn’t have 100 percent of the requirements, you may want to revise your strategy. Employers know that there is no perfect candidate for the jobs they advertise. You might be the best applicant with only 60-70 percent of the skills required. But how do you explain the lack of certain skills in an interview? Find Your Dream Job guest Eric B. Horn suggests assuring the hiring manager that you are willing to pursue training and further education if necessary. Eric also shares how to know when the lack of specific skills is a deal-breaker. About Our Guest: Eric B. Horn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbhorn) is a career strategist. national speaker, trainer, and seminar leader who has a unique passion for serving professionals with seven or fewer years of work experience, and business owners, become more successful. Eric is also the author of “How Professional is Your Development” (https://amzn.to/2O6MZWj) and the co-host of the C.A.R.E. podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c-a-r-e-podcast/id1451656665). Resources in This Episode: Pick up a copy of Eric’s book,  “How Professional is Your Development,” (https://amzn.to/2O6MZWj) to learn about his mistakes after college graduation and how you can avoid them. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resume.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume.

In most job interviews, the hiring manager will lead with questions like “Tell me about a time when …” Or, “Have you ever faced a situation where…?” These are both examples of behavioral interview questions. Before you walk into an interview, you need to be ready for every possible iteration of a behavioral interview question. Find Your Dream Job guest Gina Riley emphasizes that behavioral interview questions give you an opportunity to showcase your skills, demonstrate how you work with a team, and highlight how you’ll excel in the role. About Our Guest: Gina Riley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginariley) is an executive career coach and leadership search consultant with Talence Group (https://www.talencegroup.com/). Her experience in recruitment, interviewing, and leadership talent development led her to develop a career coaching program to help executives clarify and better articulate their career stories.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for executive-level coaching or recruiting, visit Gina at https://www.talencegroup.com/. To better understand your strengths and skills, and how your personality plays into your job search and career, check out You Map (https://www.myyoumap.com).  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (https://jobinterview.macslist.org/).

It’s not uncommon to feel as though a job interview is an interrogation and that your entire life is on display for the interviewer to pick apart. But, an interview is a two-way conversation. And while it’s important to prepare for the questions you may get, Find Your Dream Job guest Rachel Beohm says it’s also crucial that you walk into the room with confidence, and the knowledge that you belong there. Rachel shares how eye contact, positive body language, and knowing your value before you walk into the interview can help you to come across more confidently. About Our Guest: Rachel Beohm (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbeohm/) is an executive coach and speaker who specializes in nonverbal communication and personal presence. She trains executives, HR professionals, speakers, and job seekers to present themselves powerfully through the use of nonverbal communication skills so they can achieve their goals, and helps her clients face difficult or scary situations, such as public speaking, negotiation, and job interviews with confidence and power. Resources in This Episode: For more information on Rachel’s one on one coaching or to find out where she will be speaking next, visit her website at rachelbeohm.com.  Download Rachel’s free interview guide, “Ace Your Interview,” at http://rachelbeohm.com/interview/  If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://www.macslist.org/cta-how-to-talk-about-money-in-an-interview), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to request a higher salary.

One of the biggest challenges that you will face in your professional life is choosing a career. It’s not only recent college graduates that face this challenge. Most of us will change careers at least once during our working lives. How do you find the job that’s the best fit for you, no matter your age? Find Your Dream Job guest, Dalan Vanterpool, says that before you begin thinking about certain roles,  you need to ask yourself five specific questions. The answers to these questions can help you land a job that not only allows you to excel in your work, but also provides an atmosphere that you enjoy being a part of every day. About Our Guest: Dalan Vanterpool (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalanv/) is a private banker and career development expert from the British Virgin Islands. Dalan hosts the Focus The Fire podcast (http://focusthefire.com/). His show helps young professionals build meaningful careers that lead to more time, money, and freedom. Resources in This Episode: Dalan’s podcast, Focus the Fire (http://focusthefire.com/), will show you how to transform from an average employee to an amazing leader. Dalan offers essential career advice for young professionals on his website, dalanvanterpool.com. If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://www.macslist.org/cta-how-to-talk-about-money-in-an-interview), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to request a higher salary. From our Sponsor: Sneaker School is an online certificate program that lets you explore career paths in the footwear industry and learn from some of the biggest names in the business. Visit sneakerschool.com/mac to start mapping your career in the sneaker world.

In order to find a career you love, you have to know what you want. Great careers don’t just happen; they’re formed by taking advantage of opportunities, setting goals, and making connections with the people who can help you get the job you want. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, Alisyn Maggiora (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisynmaggiora/) and I discuss how setting clear goals, developing her personal network, and pursuing informational interviews allowed her to get her dream job, even in an industry that she had no experience in. Learn more about Alisyn’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories). What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am an administrative professional with a focus on the non-profit energy industry. I work for the NW Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) (https://neea.org/). How long did it take you to find this job? 3 months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I first found my job on Mac’s List and ultimately, networked my way into the position. I volunteered at a few conferences and events in the industry I was looking to transition into. I networked at those events and followed up with people to learn more about their work and possible opportunities. Eventually, paths started to cross and I received a pivotal recommendation for the position and company I was most excited about. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? Maintaining resilience and confidence when opportunities didn’t pan out. I kept the faith that the right opportunity would come along and continued to find ways to connect with people in the industry and discern what I was most interested in. I thought of it as both relationship building and a learning opportunity. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Get really clear about the kind of work you want to focus on AND the environment/culture in which you want to do it. Put your greatest effort into the types of opportunities that align most with the direction you want to go (applications, volunteering, etc.); don’t just plaster your resume all over the place and expect that to get you something you’ll be really happy with. Network and volunteer for activities that are related to the work you want to do; have conversations with people – build a web. If you’re clear in expressing what you want and stay curious throughout the process, people will usually reciprocate interest in you. Why do you love your job? The size of the organization, culture, and mission support the environment I thrive in. I get to work on projects that interest me and I work with smart, passionate people that have similar personal and professional interests.

When you see a job posting that you're interested in, your natural inclination might be to get your application in as quickly as possible. After all, you’ve got a better chance of being seen if you get it in early, right? Not so, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Connel Valentine. Sending in a general resume, no matter how early, is a great way to end up on a huge pile of other discarded, generic resumes. Connel says the best way to get ahead of the competition is to understand the job description, conduct extensive research, and use that research to arrange a meeting with the hiring executives.  About Our Guest: Connel Valentine (www.linkedin.com/in/connelvalentine/) helps people find the job that’s right for them. He's a career coach and online course instructor at Zero2Hired (zero2hired.com/). Providing both one-on-one sessions as well as self-paced learning courses, Connel shares core skills with clients to get them into the workforce as quickly as possible. Resources in This Episode: For more information on finding the job that’s right for you, visit Zero2Hired.com. (https://zero2hired.com/) Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

A strong job search strategy includes many things, but have you ever considered that publishing content on LinkedIn should be an integral part of that strategy? LinkedIn is a great place to find your next position, says Find Your Dream Job guest Andy Foote. Andy recommends finding content that has high engagement and using it to inform your own writing. As you publish content, continue to build connections so that an audience will begin to engage with your posts. And once you have a bank of content to share, add your best posts to the Featured section of your LinkedIn page.  About Our Guest: Andy Foote (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfoote/) is a writer and coach who teaches LinkedIn strategies. Andy also hosts the podcast, Foote-Notes. (https://www.foote-notes.com) It’s an interview show with interesting people on LinkedIn. Resources in This Episode: To learn how to maximize your LinkedIn profile, head over to Andy’s website at www.linkedinsights.com/. (http://www.linkedinsights.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

If you are currently a graduate student, you might be waiting until graduation to look for your next position. But that’s a mistake on several levels, says Find Your Dream Job guest Liz Hererra. If you spend time at the beginning of your education figuring out where you hope to end up, you can avoid months of frustration. Liz recommends assessing your strengths, building a strong network, and taking advantage of internships to build momentum in your job search during graduate school.  About Our Guest: Liz Herrera (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizherrera1/) is a professional career coach. Liz is also a director of career development and major exploration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Resources in This Episode: For more career advice and coaching, listen to Liz’s podcast, Liz Career Coaching Podcast. (https://www.lizcareercoaching.net/podcast/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

While COVID-19 ushered in the era of virtual hiring, we can expect it to stick around long after the pandemic is over. But how do you pivot to prepare for mostly virtual interviews? Find Your Dream Job guest Shereen Rodrigues says it all starts with that first impression. She suggests dressing your best, head to toe, and having a professional-looking background for video interviews. Shereen says that you should be prepared to share digital copies of your work samples, and practice using all the technology your interview requires before the actual meeting.  About Our Guest: Shereen Rodrigues (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereenrodriguesmbaphr/) is the talent acquisition manager at Otak. (https://www.otak.com/) It’s an architecture and engineering design firm. Resources in This Episode: For more information and to connect with Shereen, contact her on LinkedIn, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shereenrodriguesmbaphr/) or email her directly at [email protected]. (mailto:[email protected]) Be sure to mention that you heard her on this podcast. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

You’ve updated your resume, figured out what lights you up, and held informational interviews. But you might still be missing an important piece in your job search: taking advantage of your alumni network. Find Your Dream Job guest Tiffany Waddell Tate offers a reminder that you have access to people across all sectors and locations simply because of where you were educated. Tiffany suggests using LinkedIn or the Career Services Office at your alma mater to connect with others from your school, and always remember to give back as much, or more, than you ask for.  About Our Guest:  Tiffany Waddell Tate (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanywaddelltate/) is the CEO and founder of Career Maven Consulting. (https://www.careermavenconsulting.com/) It’s a career coaching and talent development firm. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to create a resume that gets noticed, take a look at Tiffany’s mini-course, The Resume Cure. (https://careermavenacademy.teachable.com/p/the-resume-cure) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)        

Due to COVID-19, companies are now hiring for more virtual positions than ever before. But how do you prepare to find one of these virtual jobs? Your first step is to figure out what lights you up, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Amanda Nachman. Amanda says passionate people are more likely to snag one of the few jobs available in this economy. She also shares specific ways to build your network, not only while seeking your next job but as a daily practice. And lastly, make sure your background for virtual interviews is clean, and that you’re dressed professionally.  About Our Guest: Amanda Nachman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandanachman/) is the author of the new book, “#Qualified: You Are More Impressive Than You Realize.” (https://www.amazon.com/QUALIFIED-More-Impressive-Than-Realize/dp/1950367339) Amanda also hosts the podcast, Find Your Passion Career. (https://findyourpassioncareer.com/podcast/) Resources in This Episode: Want tips on how to feel more qualified in your job search? Follow Amanda on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amandanachman/)and grab a copy of her new book, “#Qualified: You Are More Impressive than You Realize.” ((https://www.amazon.com/QUALIFIED-More-Impressive-Than-Realize/dp/1950367339)) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

Finding your next position involves more than just salary negotiations and seeking out a great company culture. A good job will allow you to be the same person at work as you are at home. But how do you find an employer like that? It all starts with research and self-awareness, says Find Your Dream Job guest Shelli Romero. Take some time to figure out the legacy you want to leave and the values that matter most to you. Then research employers and set up informational interviews with the companies that seem to be a good fit with your personal values.  About Our Guest: Shelli Romero (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelli-romero-mpa-opmcp-6532162/)  is the president of Rose City Chica. It’s a career coaching firm that focuses on women, people of color, and GLBTQ communities. Resources in This Episode: If you need expert help finding your next job, connect with Shelli on LinkedIn, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelli-romero-mpa-opmcp-6532162/) and mention you heard her on Find Your Dream Job.    From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)          

Too many job seekers don’t use their LinkedIn page to its full potential. Instead of treating it like another place to show your resume, Find Your Dream Job guest Justin Nguyen says you need to see your LinkedIn account as a way to connect with the companies you want to work for. Each section of your LinkedIn page serves a purpose, from your photo to the copy you add. Justin also shares a specific strategy for making connections with the employers you’re interested in. About Our Guest: Justin Nguyen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justingcgu/) is the founder of GetChoGrindUp. It's a movement to help students navigate college. Justin also hosts the podcast, Declassified College. (https://getchogrindup.com/podcasts/) Resources in This Episode: If you’re a college student who needs career education in a fun and informative format, be sure to listen to Justin’s podcast, Declassified College. (https://getchogrindup.com/podcasts/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

As a job seeker, your first inclination is probably to start sending out resumes as quickly as possible. But what if you adopted a different strategy? What if, instead of submitting dozens of applications, you volunteered in your community or took on contract work doing the things you love and are good at? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Meghan Sinnott (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghansinnott/)tells us how she used volunteering to build up her self-confidence and skill set, and how strong connections brought her next job to her instead of her having to look for it. Learn more about Meghan’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Do you approach your job search with an “I could” attitude? If your response to job openings is, “I could do that,” it’s time to change your strategy because hiring managers aren’t looking for someone who “could” do the job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Mandy Allen. They want someone who has done the job or is excited about doing it. Mandy suggests looking for the common thread in your past work experience, both paid and volunteer. What is the thing you can’t help but do? That thing is likely your natural gifting or passion, so head into the job search process with that unique skillset in mind.  About Our Guest: Mandy Allen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandygallen/) is the talent and culture manager at AHA Strategy and Creative Agency. It’s an independent women-owned agency in Vancouver, Washington.  Resources in This Episode: Mandy welcomes connections through Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ahapdx/?hl=en) and on her LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandygallen/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Are you unhappy in your current job and considering a career change? How can you know whether you should change careers or just switch jobs within the same field? Find Your Dream Job guest Cynthia Pong says you need to know why you want to make a change before starting over. You begin by asking questions about why you’re unhappy and what your career goals are. Cynthia recommends making small pivots unless you’re paralyzed and feeling miserable in your job. If that’s the case, Cynthia says to go ahead and make any change and course-correct later.  About Our Guest: Cynthia Pong (https://www.linkedin.com/in/embracechangenyc/)is a feminist career strategist, speaker, and author. Cynthia is on a mission to help women of color to get the money, power, and respect they deserve. Resources in This Episode: Check out all the free resources Cynthia offers on her site, embracechange.nyc/covid-19-career-guide-women-of-color-job-seekers (https://embracechange.nyc/covid-19-career-guide-women-of-color-job-seekers) If you need help making a career change, grab a copy of Cynthia’s new book, “Don't Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color.” (https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Stay-Your-Lane-Career/dp/1735336300) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

All too often, we see layoffs as a problem instead of an opportunity. Yes, you likely need a steady income, but if you take any job you can find, you’re going to be unhappy down the road. How can you spend the layoff time productively? Find Your Dream Job guest Simone Morris says you start by getting in the driver’s seat of your career. Find gig work to put food on the table and then get serious about figuring out who you are, what you want, and where you want to be. Simone says you need to be proactive in developing relationships, learning new skills, and building your personal brand. About Our Guest: Simone Morris (https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonemorris/) is a speaker, author, and coach. She helps job seekers with career planning, partnerships, and branding. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about the career services Simone offers by visiting her website at www.connectwithsimone.com.(http://www.connectwithsimone.com/) If you’re ready to be in the driver’s seat of your career, tune in to Simone’s podcast, The  Power of Owning Your Career. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-of-owning-your-career-podcast/id1447297703) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re looking for a job you will love and where you can make a difference, you need a custom resume and cover letter for every application you turn in. Find Your Dream Job guest Monica Haut says custom application materials begin with the specific company name, the keywords used in the job listing, and the unique skills you bring to the table. Monica also stresses the importance of keeping the resume concise, with plenty of white space. Custom applications give you the greatest opportunity to find your dream job.  About Our Guest: Monica Haut (https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-haut-4735449/) is the human resources manager at  Hopworks Urban Brewery. (http://www.hopworksbeer.com) It’s a family-owned and operated company that employs more than 100 people across the Pacific Northwest.  Resources in This Episode: Learn more about Hopworks Urban Brewery at www.hopworksbeer.com. (http://www.hopworksbeer.com) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Do you wake up every morning dreading going to work? Not because of a bad boss or work environment, but because you aren’t fulfilled in the work you do? If so, Find Your Dream Job guest, Anuja Sinha, says it may be time to reinvent yourself. Reinventing yourself is a deeper process than merely switching jobs, says Anuja. It’s about figuring out who you are and what you want. Your job impacts your entire life, so why stay in a position that is draining you? Anuja recommends taking the time necessary to discover your purpose and finding a job that suits that purpose. And if you do it right, you’ll never have to do it again.  About Our Guest: Anuja Sinha (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuja-sinha/) is the human resources generalist at Boys & Girls Aid. (https://www.boysandgirlsaid.org/) It’s a foster and adoption agency that has built lifelong connections in Oregon since 1885.  Resources in This Episode: For more information on the services offered by Boys and Girls Aid, visit their website at boysandgirlsaid.org. (https://www.boysandgirlsaid.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

If it’s been a while since you did a job search, you might feel a bit rusty. And that’s completely normal. One of your first priorities should be identifying the people who will help you work through the process, whether that’s through introductions to others in your chosen industry or simply standing by as emotional back-up. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Chris Ling (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurisuringu/) and I talk about his move from lawyer to data engineer. Chris shares how networking with others and practicing the skills necessary for his new career helped him achieve his career goals. Learn more about Chris’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

When you submit a job application, you’re adding your resume to a stack of resumes. Is there any way to make yours stand out to a recruiter? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Samantha Kennen, the answer is yes. Samantha suggests beginning with enthusiasm. Show your excitement for the position by being specific about what you would bring to the job. Samantha also recommends sharing numbers to quantify your skills whenever possible, as well as listing clear objectives or career goals near the top of your customized resume.  About Our Guest: Samantha Kennen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthakennen/) is the human resources director at Grand Central Bakery. (https://www.grandcentralbakery.com/) Her company’s hand-crafted breads and pastries are beloved locally and recognized nationally.  Resources in This Episode: Connect with Samantha on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/samanthakennen/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthakennen/) To learn more about Grand Central Bakery, visit their website at www.grandcentralbakery.com/. (http://www.grandcentralbakery.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re one of several hundred applicants for a job, you can’t afford to stand by and hope your resume gets noticed. You need to find a side door to get in. But how do you find it, and how do you best use it when you do? Your first step, says Find Your Dream Job guest Dana Pratt, is to tailor your resume for the specific company. Next, Dana recommends using business tools and resources to see if you have a connection inside the company. Don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone, online or in person, who could make an introduction for you.  About Our Guest: Dana Pratt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/danacpratt/) is the founder of DCP Training and Talent Development. Her company helps employers with performance consulting, leadership development, and talent management.  Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the services Dana offers, visit her website at https://www.dcptraining.net/. (https://www.dcptraining.net/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

One great way to find your dream job is by getting in on the ground floor of a new field or industry. In today’s job market, the cannabis industry is wide open for growth and expansion as adult-use is legalized in more states. If you want to get into the field of cannabis, Find Your Dream Job guest Ryan Rosenfeld suggests you begin with education. Then, figure out which arm of the industry you’re most interested in, from growing to the C-Suite, and reach out to cannabis companies to inquire about hiring opportunities based on your skillset.  About Our Guest: Ryan Rosenfeld (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-r-rosenfeld-greenforce/) is the president of Greenforce Staffing. It’s a full-service full-service staffing and employment agency for the cannabis industry.  Resources in This Episode: Find out more about how you can get into the cannabis industry by visiting Ryan’s website at greenforcestaffing.com. (https://greenforcestaffing.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you start a job search by saying you’re open to anything, you’re really saying that you have no idea what you want. And if you don’t know what you want, how will you convince a hiring manager that you’re the right fit for a job opening? Instead of being “open to anything,” Find Your Dream Job guest Corbin C. says you have to be focused on finding a job that you will enjoy and that you are qualified for. Corbin advises not wasting time applying for jobs you don’t actually want, and learning to apply the experience you have to a specific position, even if that’s mostly volunteer experience.  About Our Guest: Corbin C (https://www.linkedin.com/in/corbinc/) is a career and technology advisor at Boly:Welch. It's a B Corp that offers recruiting, staffing, and executive search services.  Resources in This Episode: For more information on the workshops that Corbin and his colleagues offer for job seekers, visit https://bolywelch.com/jobseekers/. (https://bolywelch.com/jobseekers/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresum

Finding a new job can present many challenges for anyone, but for those job seekers who are older, those challenges can sometimes seem insurmountable. While ageism is illegal, it remains an obstacle for many people hoping to change careers. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Lisa Lawrence (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lawrence-77806211/) and I discuss how she overcame the stigma of being an older worker and used her years of experience to her advantage. Lisa also shares the necessity of educating yourself on your chosen field and finding common ground between the career you’re leaving and the one you’re hoping to begin. Learn more about Lisa’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you are currently searching for your next position, what is it that you’re looking for? Are you interested in moving up to the next level or do you want to change fields? Perhaps you want to explore a new location. Before you apply for a new job, Find Your Dream Job guest Felicia Rivers says you have to figure out what’s driving you to make the change. After you identify your driver, choose companies that will meet that desire. But, Felicia says, don’t skip doing your homework. Going into an interview unprepared is a sign to a hiring manager that you aren’t really interested in the position or the organization.  About Our Guest: Felicia Rivers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciarivers/) is the director of talent at the Tillamook Creamery Association, a farmer-owned dairy cooperative headquartered in Tillamook County, Oregon. Felicia has almost 20 years of experience in talent acquisition. Resources in This Episode: From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)  

If you’re applying for certain jobs just because you think you should, maybe you need a new strategy. It’s easy to let fear hold you back or make you think you have to settle for a position that’s not going to fulfill you or meet your needs, says Find Your Dream Job guest Jackie Mitchell. What you need, Jackie says, is a mindset shift. You need to get clear on what you want and develop the confidence to go after it. Focusing on what you want instead of what you think you should accept is much more likely to land you in a fulfilling and satisfying role.  About Our Guest: Jackie Mitchell is a certified career coach. She helps professional women feel fulfilled, achieve financial goals, and have well-rounded careers and lives.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re a high-achieving, professional woman and you’re ready to take your career to the next level, check out Jackie’s services at www.jackiemitchellcareerconsulting.com/.(https://www.jackiemitchellcareerconsulting.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) 

If you’re a job seeker in the current market, you know how crowded that market is. Excellent references and a professional resume are no longer enough to get you the job you want. To stand out to an employer, you must be strategic about communicating your unique skillset, says Find Your Dream Job guest Sarah Friedell O’Connell. How do you do that? Sarah says you start by developing your personal brand. Get clarity on the positions you’re interested in and on the value, you bring to a company. Sarah also recommends using branding exercises to build your confidence in what you have to offer.  About Our Guest: Sarah Friedell O'Connell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfriedelloconnell/) is an executive coach and the owner of ChangePoint Advisors. (https://www.changepointadvisors.com/) It’s a firm that helps senior executives navigate career changes.  Resources in This Episode: Are you a senior executive working through a career transition? Find out how Sarah can help you by visiting her website at www.changepointadvisors.com/. (https://www.changepointadvisors.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you don’t have the exact skills a job posting lists, do you still have a chance to be hired for the position? It’s definitely possible, especially if you can communicate that the skills you do have can be applied to the job. Find Your Dream Job guest Ian Yee says that one of the best ways to talk about your transferable skills is to answer questions with stories of how the skills you possess meet the requirements. Ian reminds us that all of our experiences provide us with skills and abilities that we can use in our workplace. He also stresses the need to highlight those abilities in an interview.  About Our Guest: Ian Yee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianwyyee/) is the safety and employment coordinator for Janus Youth Programs.  It’s a  non-profit that changes the lives of young people in Oregon and Washington.  Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the mission and services of Janus Youth Programs, visit www.janusyouth.org/.(http://www.janusyouth.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)      

One of the toughest parts of switching from a for-profit position to the nonprofit world is communicating that you have the skills necessary for the job. Nonprofit jobs can be very specific in the skills they require. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ashlan Glazier-Anderson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlan-glazier-anderson/) shares how she matched her transferable skills to the job descriptions of the positions she was interested in. Ashlan also invested time into personalizing her resume for each job she applied to. Learn more about Ashlan’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Regardless of your age, you could face discrimination in your job search. Is ageism illegal? Yes, but that doesn’t mean it no longer exists. The good news is there are practical steps you can take to overcome the stereotypes about older workers. Updating your technical skills should be your first priority, says Find Your Dream Job guest Debbie Lipton. Ditch the AOL email address, update your LinkedIn profile, and use online training sites for specific skills. Debbie also recommends showing how you can work well with colleagues of any age, and why you want the job you’re applying for.  About Our Guest:  Debbie Lipton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/deblipton/) is the founder and owner of Lipton Career Management. Before starting her company, she worked as a career counselor, hiring manager, trainer, and staffing specialist.  Resources in This Episode: If you need help learning how to be a better job candidate, visit One-Stop Career Center. (https://www.careeronestop.org//) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re looking for a job, self-awareness is the most important thing you bring to an interview with a hiring manager. Knowing what you know is important. But even more important, says Find Your Dream Job guest Tia Coachman, is knowing what you don’t know. Tia says you have to be willing to share what your limitations are and what you need to learn in order to reach new levels. Admitting what you don’t know shows a potential employer that you are teachable and that you have the humility necessary to do the work required to level up to higher responsibilities.  About Our Guest: Tia B. Coachman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbcoachman/) is the Founder/Principal Consultant of Affirma Consultancy which provides bespoke HR Advisory and Executive Search services. Resources in This Episode: If your company needs assistance with HR, learn more about the services Tia’s company offers at www.affirmaconsultancy.com/. (https://www.affirmaconsultancy.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If your job search is taking longer than expected, you may notice some unpleasant symptoms like anxiety and sleeplessness. These things, in turn, can lead to poor decision making. And poor decision making can lead to a hiring manager noticing your stress levels and wondering if you can do the job. If you find yourself in a downward spiral, Find Your Dream Job guest Chase Sterling says you can change it by developing a healthy daily routine. Chase also shares how mindfulness and gratitude can be key ways to lower your stress and anxiety. About Our Guest: Chase Sterling (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasesterling/) is the Founder of HHP Cultures, whose mission is to improve the world by improving workplaces. Resources in This Episode: For a healthier workplace, check out Chase’s website for HHP Cultures, hhpcultures.com/. (https://hhpcultures.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

COVID-19 has put a damper on in-person networking events. But networking is still a crucial component of finding your next position. Have you ever considered all the ways LinkedIn can be used for networking? If not, you’re missing a huge opportunity, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ana Lokotkova. Ana says we need to look at LinkedIn as more of a social media platform than just a place to drop your resume and leave. She shares how to create a plan to help you reach out to others and the importance of developing a creative profile and headline.   About Our Guest: Ana Lokotkova (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alokotkova/) is an international career advisor, speaker, and LinkedIn branding trainer.  Resources in This Episode: If you need help preparing for your next job, get more resources at Ana’s website, https://www.cvlabs.ca/. (https://www.cvlabs.ca/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresu

If your job search has been going on for longer than you expected, you might find yourself discouraged. It can be demoralizing to go to interview after interview and never be offered the job. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Heather Back (https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherback/) and I talk about her two-year-long job search and how she finally landed a job. Heather shares the changes she made in her job search strategy, which included finding new networking opportunities after moving to a new city and narrowing down the exact type of position she wanted. Learn more about Heather’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

A diverse workplace is something that should be a priority for each of us, and many employers state their commitment to providing one. But finding those companies that attract and maintain a diverse workforce can be challenging. How do you know if the employer interviewing you is dedicated to diversity? You begin, says Find Your Dream Job guest Marcus Carter, by asking specific questions about their diversity programming. In addition, Marcus suggests analyzing your future career trajectory and your own tolerance levels for inequity.  About Our Guest: Marcus Carter (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusacarter2/) is a senior recruiter at Instrument. It’s a creative agency, engineering firm, and consultancy.  Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the mission of Free Geek, visit freegeek.org. (https://www.freegeek.org/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)    

We all know that we need to network when we’re job hunting. But do we just ignore those important contacts the rest of the time? That would be a critical mistake, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Lauren Francis. Lauren says you need to stay in touch with your network even when your career is secure. This can be as simple as commenting on an article they write on LinkedIn or attending a webinar their company puts on. Sending an email to check-in is an easy way to stay fresh on the minds of your connections and to show you care about their well-being.  About Our Guest: Lauren Francis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenfrancis/)is the president and founder of Mulberry Talent Partners, a professional staffing, recruiting, and executive search firm in Portland Oregon. Resources in This Episode: Visit mulberrytalent.com (https://mulberrytalent.com/) for more information on their bi-weekly job workshop series.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)  

Job seekers know that networking is the foundation of a successful job search. So, what do you do when a global pandemic stops all in-person networking? You research the company you want to work at and you figure out what you can offer them, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kenneth Johnson. We also need to be more patient than ever and understand that it may take longer for people to get back to us. Kenneth reminds us that the people on the other side of our networking may be needing extra support and that we should find ways to help them, even if it’s on a volunteer basis.  About Our Guest: Kenneth Johnson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kljohnsoninfo/) is the president of East Coast Executives. It’s a top diversity recruitment firm. He’s also a Forbes career coach and the host of The Career Seekers Show. (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=career+seekers+show) Resources in This Episode: If your company is moving toward a more diversified employee base, check out the help Kenneth offers, at https://www.eastcoastexecutives.com/.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re a job seeker trying to figure out how to make authentic connections with hiring managers during a global pandemic, you aren’t alone. Virtual interviews make it more difficult than ever to build rapport with prospective employers. But Find Your Dream Job guest Mark Mohammadpour says that since 90% of human communication is non-verbal, you can build that rapport through simple things like eye contact, body language, and posture. Mark also shares the importance of preparing and practicing before the interview to build your self-confidence. About Our Guest: Mark Mohammadpour (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmohammadpour/)is a strategic communications executive, certified personal trainer, and health coach. Mark also hosts the podcast, Chasing the Sun. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-sun-fitness-health-wellness-mark-mohammadpour/id1446325272) Resources in This Episode: Do long days in the office or weeks of travel leave you with little time for fitness? Tune in to Mark’s podcast, Chasing the Sun, for tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle while chasing a fulfilling career. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chasing-sun-fitness-health-wellness-mark-mohammadpour/id1446325272) If you’re ready to prioritize your health and wellness, visit Mark’s website at chasingthesunpdx.com (https://www.chasingthesunpdx.com/)to find out how he can help you.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re job hunting, it’s likely because you ended up in the wrong job, to begin with. How do you ensure that it doesn’t happen again? You stop applying for jobs, says Find Your Dream Job guest Nick Corcodilos. Instead, you go after specific companies. And because every company needs profitability, you need to show hiring managers how you can increase their bottom line or save on costs. Nick also suggests learning enough about the company that you can show them how your specific skills apply to their specific needs.  About Our Guest:  Nick Corcodilos (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcorcodilos/) is the host of asktheheadhunter.com (https://www.asktheheadhunter.com), where he has answered more than 50,000 questions from job seekers and employers.  Resources in This Episode: Get your own copy of Nick’s book, “Fearless Job Hunting: Overcoming the Daunting Obstacles that Stop Other Job Hunters Dead in Their Tracks.” (https://www.asktheheadhunter.com/store/fjh/books.htm) And be sure to use the discount code “dreamhunter” to receive 25% off your order. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume).Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume)

If you’re considering switching career fields, you’ve probably experienced the insecurity and fear that come along with not only changing jobs but entering a whole new sector. If you’ve been in your field for many years or perhaps even decades, the switch can be even harder. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Michelle Bence (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebrence) and I talk about how she overcame her fears of leaving the field of journalism after 25 years. Michelle also shares her surprise and delight at how transferable many of her skills were, and how she used some of those skills in the interview process itself. Learn more about Michelle’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

Are you ready to leave the company-centered job space behind to find an employer that puts its employees first? Finding a position where you feel deeply valued and truly connected to all your coworkers can be difficult, but Find Your Dream Job guest Katie Augsburger says it is possible. The first step is to be able to articulate your personal values. Secondly, Katie recommends asking questions about the company’s retention and growth policies and practices, and finally, being willing to read the employee handbook for evidence of policies that support marginalized communities.  About Our Guest: Katie Augsburger (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieaugsburger/) is the founding partner and employee experience strategist for Future Work Design. She has been creating and implementing successful human resources programs for over 15 years. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to transition your company to an employee-first model, Katie and her team can help. Learn more about what they offer at www.futurework.design. (http://www.futurework.design) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

With double-digit unemployment due to Covid-19, should you even look for work right now? Even in unprecedented times like these, the job market doesn’t come to a complete halt. Find Your Dream Job guest Pattie Sinacole says that if you’re sitting on the sidelines, you are actively missing opportunities. If you’re ready to get serious about your next career move, Pattie recommends creating a strong LinkedIn profile, building your personal and professional networks, and surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family.  About Our Guest: Patricia Hunt Sinacole (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciahsinacole/) is the CEO and Founder of First Beacon Group LLC (www.firstbeacongroup.com), (https://firstbeacongroup.com/) a Human Resources (HR) consulting firm that provides HR services to a wide variety of companies across New England. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Pattie on LinkedIn to see more of the content she shares there. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciahsinacole) To follow Pattie’s weekly blog column, visit the Boston Globe. (https://www.boston.com/author/pattie-hunt-sinacole) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume).Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Choosing the industry you want to pursue in your career is one of the most important decisions you will make, but it can also be one of the toughest. How do you narrow your choices if you aren’t sure what you want to do? One of the most helpful ways, says Find Your Dream Job guest Meg Gerry, is trial and error. You have to try things to know if they’re a good fit. Meg also suggests having conversations with people currently working in the field you are considering. And finally, personality and career assessments can help you get clear on the skills you offer and what you need in a work environment.  About Our Guest: Meg Gerry (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-gerry-academic-career-advising/) is a Certified Career Services Provider (NCDA), a Global Career Development Facilitator (CCE), a Certified College Counselor, and an academic advisor with a master's degree in academic advising. Resources in This Episode: Meg’s podcast, All Things College and Career, (https://atcandc.com/) provides interviews with experienced professionals to help you decide which academic major or career path is right for you.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume)  Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Does imposter syndrome hold you back from pursuing your dream job? It’s a common issue that affects approximately 75% of us at least once in our careers. If you feel like a fraud when discussing your job skills, there are concrete ways to overcome it, says Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Orbe-Austin. Applying to jobs that you aren’t 100% qualified for and having others who can speak to your strengths are great ways to boost your confidence. Lisa also shares the importance of having a structure for your job search, and how to use your network, even if you’re hesitant to ask others for help.  About Our Guest: Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaorbeaustin/) is a licensed psychologist and executive coach, with a focus on career advancement, leadership development, and job transitions. Resources in This Episode: If you need step-by-step help managing imposter syndrome, get a copy of Lisa’s book, “Own Your Greatness: Overcome Impostor Syndrome, Beat Self-Doubt, and Succeed in Life.”(https://www.amazon.com/Own-Your-Greatness-Overcome-Self-Doubt/dp/1646040244) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.(http://macslist.org/topresume) 

Long-distance job searching can present unique challenges, from figuring out what your new city has to offer to meeting the people who can potentially help you in your search. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Elizabeth Lattanner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-shappell/) and I discuss her move from Washington DC to Portland, and how she leveraged her network in DC to begin building a network 2,000  miles away. Elizabeth also shares how she used the power of informational interviews to find the companies she wanted to work for. Learn more about Elizabeth’’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.(https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we look for work. But how long will those changes last, and what do they mean for the future of job search? According to Find Your Dream Job guest John Sullivan, the changes are permanent and you need to be prepared to adjust your strategy. John shares how to show potential employers that you are capable of handling crises, as well as proving to hiring managers that you have the up-to-date skills needed to work from home and even lead a team remotely.  About Our Guest: John Sullivan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-john-sullivan/) is a human resources expert, author, and speaker. He also teaches at San Francisco State University. Resources in This Episode: If you need help finding a job in the current climate, visit John’s website at www.drjohnsullivan.com. (http://www.drjohnsullivan.com) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today (http://macslist.org/topresume) from one of Top Resume’s expert writers.

If you’ve stopped looking for work because of the current pandemic, you might be surprised to learn that many employers are still hiring. There is, however, a lot of uncertainty in the economy, says Find Your Dream Job guest Biron Clark, so you need to go into a job search focusing on the here and now rather than the long-term. Biron suggests completing 1 or 2 high-impact activities every day instead of spending all day on the computer filling out applications. It’s also a great time to pursue fully-remote positions if that’s something you’re interested in.  About Our Guest: Biron Clark (https://www.linkedin.com/in/biron/) is a former executive recruiter and the founder of CareerSidekick.com.(https://careersidekick.com/) His advice is read by more than one million people per month. Resources in This Episode: For more articles on finding your dream job, head over to Biron’s website at  CareerSidekick.com. (https://careersidekick.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. (http://macslist.org/topresume)Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster.  Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)

Conducting a job search in a stay-at-home world requires a vastly different skill set than many of us are accustomed to, says Find Your Dream Job guest Toni Patterson. Video interviews have replaced face-to-face meetings, and technology know-how is now a requirement, not just an added benefit. It’s important to prepare a space to conduct your video meetings, and Toni recommends paying close attention to the background and lighting. Body language is still important, even over video, so be sure that you understand how to maintain eye contact through your computer or phone.  About Our Guest: Toni Patterson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-patterson-0a5a74126/)is a career coach who helps smart, driven women get the salaries, promotions, and jobs they want.  Resources in This Episode: Updating your LinkedIn profile is a great way to stand out to employers. Get your copy of Toni’s resource, The Ten Easy Ways to Update Your LinkedIn Profile So That The Jobs Find You, (https://toniapatterson.lpages.co/linkedin-profile-tips/) for practical ways to update your LinkedIn profile. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume) 

When you’re looking for that perfect job fit, you need more than just a network. You need a group of people who know you, your needs, and your personal values. Find Your Dream Job guest Soumary Vongrassamy says you need friends who will remind you of what’s really important and who will help you ask tough questions about the job. Once you find your dream job, Soumary says it is of the utmost importance that you “pay it forward,” creating that inner circle for others and helping them through the job search process. About Our Guest: Soumary Vongrassamy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumary/) is a specialist in equity and conflict resolution with the Multnomah County government in Portland, Oregon. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Soumary at (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumary/). Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

If you’ve moved to a new city, you might expect it to take a while to find a job that you love. But on this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jackie Starr (http://linkedin.com/in/jackiestarr) shares how she found her dream job in a new city in just two months. Jackie was looking for work in the nonprofit field, and she wanted a position that had a positive impact on her community. Working with a career coach helped Jackie to narrow down her options, and telling others she was job hunting directly led her to the position she has today as the executive director at the Friends of the Multnomah County Library. Learn more about Jackie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.  

If you’ve been looking for your next position for quite some time, you may feel discouraged. It’s normal to experience depression during an extended job search. It’s also normal to not want to talk about it, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ashley Watkins. You may feel embarrassed about not having a job and your self-worth might have taken a big hit. But Ashley shares the importance of being honest with yourself and others. She also lays out the exact steps you need to overcome those negative feelings, make adjustments, and land the job of your dreams.  About Our Guest: Ashley Watkins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjwatkins/) is a certified resume writer, job search coach and former corporate recruiter. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, visit WriteStepResumes.com(https://www.writestepresumes.com)to learn more about Ashley and the services she offers.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

Using a job board may seem like a productive way to spend your time, but is it? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Susan Joyce, the answer is “maybe.” Susan says job boards work best when you identify your target employers and customize your resume for those employers. She also recommends using job boards to do research on the companies you’ve chosen to target. And remember, 40% of jobs are filled by employee referrals, so if you know someone at one of your targeted employers, be sure to ask them to introduce you to the hiring manager.  About Our Guest: Susan Joyce (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanjoyce/) is the publisher and editor of JobHunt.org. (https://www.job-hunt.org/) With more than one million visitors a month, it’s one of the most popular job-search advice sites in the world. Resources in This Episode: For more advice from Susan and her contributing editors, visit job-hunt.org. (https://www.job-hunt.org/) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)   

The likelihood of an applicant tracking system reviewing your application rather than a human is steadily increasing. How can you ensure that your resume rises to the top and doesn’t end up in the circular file? First, you need to pay attention to the job posting, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandon Laws. Use the same language the employer uses to showcase your skills and experience. Brandon also highlights the need to build a personal brand online that matches the skills you mention on your resume. And watch those typos; applications with grammatical errors almost always get tossed without a second look.  About Our Guest: Brandon Laws ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon) is the director of marketing at Xenium HR,(https://www.xeniumhr.com) where he has spent the last 11 years of his career helping transform workplaces. He also hosts the podcast Transforming Your Workplace. (http://www.xeniumhr.com/hr-resources/podcast) Resources in This Episode: For more ideas on building a great workplace, listen to Brandon’s podcast, Transforming Your Workplace. (http://www.xeniumhr.com/hr-resources/podcast) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

Are you ready for a career that allows you to impact your community and the world, outside the nonprofit sector? No matter which field your expertise is in, B Corps offer you an opportunity to make that impact. B Corps are companies that are dedicated to transparency and reshaping the workplace, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Kathleen Everett. If humane hiring practices, sustainability, and loyalty to employees and customers are important to you in your next position, Kathleen offers some helpful advice on how to find a job in a B Corps.  About Our Guest: Kathleen Everett (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-everett-253347a/ ) has over 30 years of experience teaching companies how to compete with speed, while reducing costs and improving service. Resources in This Episode: For more information and a list of B Corps, visit B Corporation online. (www.bcorporation.net) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

Are you scoring interviews but no job offers? If so, it’s time to figure out what you need to do differently in order to move from candidate to new employee. It all begins with the first 5 minutes of the interview, says Find Your Dream Job guest Sarah Johnston. How you answer the, “Tell me about yourself,” question gives the hiring manager the chance to evaluate many things about you. Sarah also points out the importance of knowing your audience and targeting your answers to address the company’s pain points. About Our Guest: Sarah Johnston,(https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdjohnston) the founder of The Briefcase Coach(https://www.briefcasecoach.com) is a former corporate recruiter and industry insider. Sarah is an executive resume writer, interview coach and LinkedIn profile writer for all career levels - from C-suite to new graduates. Resources in This Episode: Are you tired of not getting the job you want? Visit jobsearchsecretweapon.com (https://www.jobsearchsecretweapon.com) for help in finding the solution. For more help in nailing the first few minutes of any interview, check out “You Map,” (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWVMGRV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0) by Kristin Sherry.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

Sometimes, the hardest part of finding your next job is getting started. If you’re currently in a stable, well-paying position, it can feel scary and uncomfortable to think about leaving that safety for something new. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Maddy Abulencia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mabulencia) and I dig deep into what it takes to begin a job search, as well as how to use your network to help you find your next position. Maddy also opens up about how she conquered imposter syndrome and why she was so intentional about how many applications she submitted. 

Looking for a job without clearly job search defined goals typically leads to frustration and unhappiness. A job search is not a research project, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandy Richardson. Instead of throwing spaghetti at the wall, you need to be aiming at a specific target, and clearly defined goals help you do that. Brandy suggests getting clear on what you enjoyed, and what you didn’t enjoy, about past employment. Learning to say no and focusing on positions that will allow you to thrive are crucial parts of a successful job search.  About Our Guest: Brandy Richardson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdrichardson1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) is a human resource professional with a decade of experience in the field. She currently works as the HR Administrator for Cascade Aids Project. (https://www.capnw.org) Resources in This Episode: If you need HR assistance, Brandy would love to be your personal cheerleader. Connect with her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdrichardson1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) For more information on the services offered by the Cascade AIDS Project, visit cascadeaids.org. (https://www.capnw.org) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

Statistics show that people change careers around a half-dozen times over the span of their working lives. No matter how many times you switch jobs, you will face obstacles. Silencing your internal objections and taking concrete action, says Find Your Dream Job guest Laurie Erdman, are the first steps toward finding your next position. Laurie adds that getting rid of self-doubt and reaching out to others for help can make the transition smoother. Taking time off to practice self-care is also a non-negotiable for anyone in a career transition.  About Our Guest: Laurie Erdman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erdmanl?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) is Senior Change Management Consultant at Cambia Health Solutions (https://www.cambiahealth.com/) where she supports teams in creating people-focused health care. Resources in This Episode: To read more from Laurie, visit her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erdmanl?trk=people-guest_people_search-card)  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

While creating the perfect resume takes time and effort, you don’t have to spend hours customizing your resume for each position you apply for. There are some small tweaks you can do in just a few minutes that can be the difference between your resume getting looked at or thrown in the circular file. Mirroring your resume to use the language the company uses is the first step toward ending up in front of a hiring manager’s eyes, says Find Your Dream Job guest Raine Lunke. Raine also emphasizes the importance of having confidence in your resume, which she says is more important than anything you add to it.  About Our Guest: Raine Lunke (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lunke/) is an accomplished talent acquisition leader, certified HR professional and first-time entrepreneur. Resources in This Episode: If you’re interested in working with a recruiter, visit www.r2rrecruiting.com to see Raine’s services. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)  

In an ever-changing world of technology, many job seekers are now being asked to do video interviews. But if you only have experience with face-to-face interviews, how do you prepare for an on-camera meeting? Find Your Dream Job guest Kanika Tolver says you need to prepare in two ways: technology and practice. Make sure you install the technology you’ll be using to conduct the interview a day prior and that you understand how it works. Kanika suggests asking family and friends to practice with you. She advises that setting up a distraction-free environment will allow your true personality to shine through.  About Our Guest: Kanika Tolver (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanikatolver/) is a professional coach, author, and speaker. She believes that a satisfying, successful career requires fulfillment, self-awareness, and determination. Resources in This Episode: For more information on Kanika’s new book, Career Rehab: Rebuild Your Personal Brand and Rethink the Way You Work, visit kanikatolver.com. (www.kanikatolver.com) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

When you’re searching for your next job, it’s vitally important that you go into the search with some key pieces of information. You need to understand what motivates you, what values you hold, and why you feel the need to move toward a new position. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Roxanne Myslewski (https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-myslewski-72638417) and I discuss how digging deep into her own personal motivations led to her job at the American Red Cross. Roxanne also shares what it was like working with a recruiter and the importance of keeping your online “brand” up to date. Learn more about Roxanne’s career history in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories)

If you are a working parent seeking a better work-life balance, a family-friendly job can make all the difference. In fact, many companies now offer flexible hours and the option to work remotely. The key to finding a family-friendly job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Lauren Bell, is to figure out what “family-friendly” means to you. Lauren suggests being transparent about your needs and communicating them to both current and future employers.  About Our Guest: Lauren Bell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenamberbell) is a career strategist with Projectline Services (https://www.projectlineservices.com), a staffing and consulting company. She’s passionate about inclusive hiring practices, parents re-entering the workforce, and remote work. Resources in This Episode: Visit projectline.com (https://www.projectlineservices.com) to find out more about how Lauren helps working parents find jobs they love. You can also find her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenamberbell) Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

Career gaps are an inevitable fact of life. Whether it’s a voluntary gap to take care of children, or an involuntary gap because you were fired or laid off, you must be ready to explain those gaps to a hiring manager who will see them on your LinkedIn profile. It’s important, says Find Your Dream Job guest Katie Fogarty, to clarify what you were doing with your time and that the gap is now over. Use your LinkedIn profile to highlight your skills and focus on the value you offer, and don’t apologize for your gaps.  About Our Guest: Katie Fogarty (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiefogartymedia) is a 20-year veteran of media, branding, and PR. She launched The Reboot Group to deliver custom coaching engagements, workshops, and trainings that unlock clients' abilities to advocate for their work and value on LinkedIn and beyond. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to craft a LinkedIn headline that gets noticed, Katie can help. Visit her website at therebootgroup.com. (https://www.therebootgroup.com/) Be sure to catch Katie in her new book, Comeback Careers: Rethink, Refresh, Reinvent Your Career - At 40, 50, and Beyond. (https://www.amazon.com/Comeback-Careers-Stronger-Wiser-Better/dp/1602865906/). Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions).  

If you are the parent of a college student, you want to do everything in your power to help your son or daughter find a great job after graduation. However, the things we think are helpful could actually have a negative impact. Encouraging your child to visit their career services center and attend events such as career fairs are specific ways to help, says Find Your Dream Job guest Margaret Roberts. Margaret also says that parents need to take a step back and allow their child to follow their own interests, rather than burdening them with the expectation that they will follow a certain path. About Our Guest: Margaret Roberts (https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretroberts/) supports individuals in achieving success throughout their career life cycle. She leads the Career Management Center at the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific (https://www.pacific.edu/academics/schools-and-colleges/eberhardt-school-of-business/centers-and-institutes/career-management-center.html). She is also a freelance executive resume writer and is pursuing her EdD in Educational Leadership. Resources in This Episode: You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resumemistakes.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume.

You pursued your dream job, got hired, and you’ve been there a few years. But, what if you feel the pull to pursue a new career direction? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ben Oh and I talk about deciding to leave a dream job behind. Ben shares how trusting his instincts and fighting unrealistic expectations led him to a job he loves. Ben also breaks down how he stayed confident that making a career change was the right decision.

Are you afraid of failure in your career or workplace? Failure certainly gets a bad rap in today’s job market. The truth is taking risks and facing failure head on allows you to be your best self at work. Find Your Dream Job guest Dan Cumberland says that fear of failure can cause you to hold back and not share your best ideas with your employer, but taking risks can help you to advance in your career and reach your goals. Dan also shares how to talk to hiring managers about your past failures and why you must fail in order to succeed. About Our Guest: Dan Cumberland (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancumberland/) is the host of The Meaning Movement podcast (http://themeaningmovement.com/), where he curates advice on finding your passion, calling, and life's work. Dan is on a mission to support people in finding and doing their best work in any way that he can. Resources in This Episode: If you need help figuring out the next steps in your life and career, get Dan’s free mini-course, “Five Clues to Your Calling,” by visiting https://thecallingcourse.com/  To hear more from Dan and his fascinating guests, be sure to listen to his podcast, http://themeaningmovement.com. Would you like to listen to more podcasts like this one? If so, I have good news for you: there are dozens of great career podcasts out there. But, they can be hard to find if you don’t already know about them. That’s why I created a guide to the “Top Career Podcasts.” Download your free copy today by visiting http://www.topcareerpodcasts.com

How do you know if your perception of the hiring process matches reality? There are many prevalent misconceptions and common hiring myths out there about the modern hiring process that are completely false. Find Your Dream Job guest expert Dawn Graham says that once you understand how the hiring process really works, your job search will become easier and more rewarding. Dawn also shares strategies for overcoming these myths and finding ways to be more competitive in today’s job market. About Our Guest: Dr. Dawn Graham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdawngraham/) is a career switch coach, TEDx speaker, LinkedIn instructor, and host of the popular call-in show Career Talk on SiriusXM Radio. Her latest book, "Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success" (https://amzn.to/35sos3x), combines her experience as a career coach, licensed psychologist, and former corporate recruiter to give career switchers the strategies to break through obstacles and land the job they want. Resources in This Episode: For more information on Dawn’s services or to grab her book, visit her website at https://www.drdawnoncareers.com/. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

Do you see sales as something that only certain jobs require? Does the thought of selling give you less than pleasant feelings? If so, Find Your Dream Job guest Matt Youngquist says you need to change your mindset in order to find a great position. The job market isn’t always fair, so learning how to market yourself successfully is equally as important as possessing the skills for the job. Matt shares the five sales mantras you can use to sell yourself more effectively in an interview. About Our Guest: Matt Youngquist (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattyoungquist/) is a Seattle-based career coach and job hunting expert with over 25 years of experience helping professionals navigate through today's uncharted employment waters. As President of Career Horizons (http://www.career-horizons.com/), he consults with clients at all levels on how to strategically manage their careers, explore their occupational options, and market themselves successfully to new opportunities. Resources in This Episode: For more information on the career services Matt offers, visit http://www.career-horizons.com. If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview, shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to ask for a higher salary. Go to https://salary.macslist.org/.  

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are a prevalent hiring tool, used by a vast majority of employers. If you want to get your resume past an automated system and into a hiring manager’s hands, there are some specific steps you can take. Keywords are important, but Find Your Dream Job guest Virginia Franco says you should avoid keyword stuffing so that your resume makes sense to both humans and computers. Virginia advises job seekers to use their networks to bypass the ATS and to write resumes that can be read easily on mobile devices. About Our Guest: Virginia Franco is a multi-certified executive resume and LinkedIn writer, coach, and storyteller who helps job seekers to land interviews (https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginiafrancoresumewriter/).  Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the membership site that Virginia is working on, and take advantage of your free offer, go to https://www.jobsearchsecretweapon.com/. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes. In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Go to https://resume.macslist.org/.

If you’ve been in a job where you were overworked and experienced mismanagement, you may need to take a break before looking for your next position. But what if you aren’t sure what that next job should be? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Stacey Rice and I discuss how to use your network when you don’t know exactly what you want to do next and how doing your homework can lead to a successful interview. Stacey also shares how to bounce back and even start over in your career after huge life shifts. 

Spending 40+ hours a week looking for a job can be a very draining experience. If you spend eight or more hours per day filling out applications, firing off generic resumes, and scanning job boards, you need to change your strategy, says Find Your Dream Job guest Paige Webster. Paige shares why focusing on 3-4 hours per day is better for you and how it increases your chances of finding the perfect position. Paige also recommends some specific questions to ask yourself and how to use your network to find the job that’s right for you.  About Our Guest: Paige Webster (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigewebster1/) is a professional certified career coach. Through her coaching work, Paige helps individuals define what they want and learn practical tools for making their career (and life) dreams come to fruition. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about Paige and the services she offers at https://www.paigewebstercoaching.com/ Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search, can help. Go to http://www.macslist.org/focus.

In any job interview, you need to be memorable. You have a much better chance of getting a job offer if the hiring manager remembers you. Find Your Dream Job guest expert Amy Davies shares how effective storytelling can help you stand out. Sharing stories leads to a stronger connection with the interviewer; you just need to know which stories to tell. Amy shares which stories are worth sharing and how to prepare them before the interview.  About Our Guest: Amy Davies (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviesamy/ is the founder of Reorg World (https://www.reorgworld.com/), the author of “A Spark in the Dark, (https://amzn.to/2CQZzlA)” and the CEO of First 30 Inc. (https://first30ready.com/). Amy works with organizations through reorganizations so employees feel empowered and the company remains profitable. Amy also works with select individuals through transition, enabling them to achieve their ultimate professional goals. Resources in This Episode: For help managing your career, get your copy of Amy’s new book, “A Spark in the Dark.” (https://amzn.to/2CQZzlA). Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Go to www.macslist.org/questions to download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know.

If you’re currently in a job search, you may be hearing the word “no” more frequently than you’d like. Is it possible to keep a positive mindset when dealing with consistent rejection of your resume or efforts to connect with employers? Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Borelli says yes, and the first step is to focus on making quality connections rather than submitting applications to as many job listings as possible. Elizabeth also shares how being clear about what you’re looking for, and sharing that with others, leads to fewer rejections and valuable long-term relationships. About Our Guest: Elizabeth Borelli (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethborelli/) is a certified career coach, curriculum developer, and motivational speaker. She's the creator of Career Builder Bootcamps, a set of interactive, online courses that fast-track clients to job search success. Elizabeth prepares job seekers to find the right new role, helping them to stay positive and engaged in the process. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to re-enter the job market, Elizabeth’s three-week Career Builder Bootcamp can provide you with the clarity you need to get the job you want: https://nextcareercoaching.com/visionbuilder-bootcamps/ Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online: https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast

Do you let things like job postings, layoffs, or irritations on the job drive your career decisions? If you’re ready to find more satisfaction in your next job or career move, Find Your Dream Job guest Bruce Hazen says you need a well thought-out strategy. You can find a job that aligns with your career goals by having a clear understanding of your skills, experience, and interests. Bruce also shares how to know whether it’s time to leave a company or if there are changes you can make that will make staying more beneficial.  About Our Guest: Bruce Hazen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/managementcoach/) is a career and management consultant and president of Three Questions Consulting (http://www.threequestionsconsulting.com/). He designs career strategies with the mission of reducing suffering at work, increasing career satisfaction, and helping people think ahead in their career approach. Resources in This Episode: Are you ready to stop finding “one job in a row?” Bruce’s book, “Answering the 3 Career Questions” (http://www.threequestionsconsulting.com/books/) will help you develop a strategy for your entire career.  Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help.

When you’re looking for your next job, patience is often in short supply. You may be tempted to send out as many resumes as possible. But going for quantity over quality won’t serve you well in your job search. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Alex Konopka (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-konopka-1859225b/) and I talk about how crafting a unique resume allowed him to focus on his skills and abilities, even for jobs he wasn’t 100 percent qualified for. Alex also shares why preparation before your interview is key to getting a callback or job offer. 

When you start a new job, you may think it’s best to wait for your boss to outline a clear focus. Find Your Dream Job guest expert Robert Moment says a better approach for the first 90 days is to be proactive about building relationships and achieving small wins in your first few weeks in a new role. Be prepared to ask questions of your manager or team members about current projects, specific challenges, and recent successes. Showing initiative in the early days demonstrates your ability to be a problem-solver and your capacity to make the company more successful as a result. About Our Guest: Robert Moment (linkedin.com/in/personalbrandingexpert/) the Get Hired Expert (http://www.howtoaceaninterview.com/), specializes in teaching everyone from recent college graduates to experienced professionals how to interview and helping job seekers stand out, get hired, and make more money. He also advises new employees on how to succeed at their new job in the first 90 days and beyond.  Resources in This Episode: If you want more help in your new job, check out Robert’s book, “Starting a New Job: Career Planning and Job Promotion Tactics for Motivated New Employees” (https://amzn.to/32X9X6z). Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (https://findingfocus.macslist.org/), can help.

Volunteering while in the midst of a job search might seem like a waste of time. After all, why would you work for nothing and waste your skills and expertise? But the fact is, volunteering might actually help you find your next job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Aaron Good. Volunteering can provide you with purpose and allow you to stay connected to other people. Those connections can sometimes turn into actual jobs. Volunteering may also uncover hidden interest in a field that you never considered.  About Our Guest: Aaron Good (https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarongood/) is a career counselor who focuses on career, purpose, and identity. As the founder of Trailhead Counseling (https://trailheadcounseling.net/), he works with individuals who want to improve their current job, find a new career more aligned with their values, or reaffirm the track they’re on. Resources in This Episode: Aaron offers a variety of counseling options in the Portland area. To make an appointment, go to: https://trailheadcounseling.net/services/ Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help.

Rachel Shields Ebersole recently relocated to the Portland area from Woodstock, Vermont. Upon arrival in Portland, Rachel did not have many professional connections in the Pacific Northwest. On today’s Find Your Dream Job, Rachel Shields Ebersole explains how she found a job here by attending local events, volunteering, and reaching out to leaders in her target industry.

If you’ve wanted to work with a recruiter but you’re not sure where to start, Find Your Dream Job guest Wendy Schoen offers solid advice on what steps to take first. Wendy recommends you start by updating your LinkedIn. You need to develop what Wendy calls a profile that is “full, and ripe, and juicy.” Embracing a “just the facts” approach with your profile is a great way to get skipped right over. Even if you aren’t currently looking for a job, building a relationship with a recruiter can be helpful for years to come as you grow in your chosen field. About Our Guest: Wendy Schoen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/schoenlegalsearch/) is the CEO and managing partner of Schoen Legal Search (http://schoenlegal.com/), and she has been in the legal search field since 1993. She places a wide variety of attorneys into law firms, corporations, and consulting firms. Wendy’s clients range from major international law firms to start-up companies to international Fortune 10 companies.  Resources in This Episode: To find out more about the legal recruiting services Wendy offers, visit her website at http://schoenlegal.com/. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

Automation is the most prevalent trend in the job application process. It’s highly likely that an Applicant Tracking System will decide whether you even get brought in for an interview. Should we be afraid that the robots are taking over? Not quite, according to today’s guest on Find Your Dream Job, Nicolle Merrill. Nicolle says you need to learn as much as possible about how artificial intelligence affects the modern job search to set yourself up for success. In addition, you should invest time and effort into your online presence, and continue to develop authentic relationships with professional connections. About Our Guest: Nicolle Merrill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicollemerrill/) is the founder of Future Skills (http://www.futureskills.blog/), a company that teaches professionals how to advance their skills and stay relevant in today’s rapidly changing working world. She is also the author of the upcoming book, “Punch Doubt in the Face: How to Upskill, Change Careers, and Beat the Robots.” (http://www.futureskills.blog/future-of-work-book/). Resources in This Episode: Want to know more about the future of work? Explore emerging careers and more at Nicolle’s website:   http://www.futureskills.blog/ Are you stuck in a mediocre job? Nicolle’s podcast, 50 Conversations (https://www.50conversations.com/), will help you make the jump into a career you can love. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

Building a tech career in Portland can be daunting, especially for newcomers. The good news is that Portland is an open and welcoming community, even if you are new to the tech field and lack experience. The key to breaking into Portland’s tech industry is networking and meeting the people who do the hiring here, says Find Your Dream Job guest Tim Butler. Tim says that if you put in the time and do the work, you’ll find others who can help you grow your career in authentic and meaningful ways. About Our Guest: Tim Butler (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbutler67/) is a technical sourcer at the Portland, Oregon office of New Relic (https://newrelic.com/), a software analytics company. Tim has been in the recruiting industry for eight years after spending 20 years in insurance. His passion is helping professionals find new career opportunities that align with their career interests and goals. His current focus is on finding talented software engineering professionals. Resources in This Episode: If you’re interested in working with Tim to find a job in Portland, head over to New Relic (https://newrelic.com/) for more information. The job market in Portland is competitive. My guide, How to Find a Job in Portland: 8 Steps to a Meaningful Career (https://findajobportland.macslist.org/), offers valuable tips and insights so you can find a job you love in the Rose City.

When you apply for a job, you expect to hear back from the employer. But all too often, employers avoid  getting back to applicants unless they plan to bring them in for an interview. And even then, you may go in for an interview and not hear back about the final hiring decision. While it seems like common courtesy for employers to respond to everyone who applies, Find Your Dream Job guest Jennifer Tardy says that some hiring managers are so inundated with applicants that they simply don’t have time to reply to everyone. Jennifer shares practical tips for following up with the hiring manager in a natural, casual way. She recommends being persistent, but kind and understanding in your communication with hiring managers so you don’t burn any bridges. About Our Guest: Jennifer Tardy is the founder and owner of Jennifer Tardy LLC, a diversity and inclusion consulting organization in Maryland. Through her work, Jennifer is on a mission to forge successful career opportunities between employers and members of underrepresented populations such as people of color, women, veterans, persons with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ, and millennials. She’s also the host of the But What About Me career podcast.  Resources in This Episode:  Check out Jennifer’s YouTube channel for new videos every week on all aspects of the job hunt. Tune in to Jennifer’s podcast, But What About Me, where she answers questions about the hiring process for those in underrepresented people groups. For more personalized help, join Jennifer’s group coaching program, where she walks you through every step of the job search journey, from revising your resume to celebrating your job offer.  Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search, can help.

The decision to make a career change can be full of challenges. Rejection, lack of focus, and ignoring networking opportunities can make the transition even harder. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Travis Puckett and I discuss his move from the food and beverage industry to data analysis. A desire for traditional work hours and a love of number-crunching motivated Travis to pursue an internship rather than a full-time, traditional position. Travis shares how he got clear about his goals and how faith in himself gave him the confidence to try something new. 

When you bomb a job interview, it feels terrible. Don’t get discouraged, it’s possible that it wasn’t entirely your fault. Maybe you expected to speak one-on-one with the hiring manager and you walked into a panel of people asking you questions. Perhaps you were prepared to answer behavioral questions, but instead you received off-the-wall questions you did not anticipate. Find Your Dream Job guest Pharoah Bolding says it’s perfectly fine for you to ask the hiring manager ahead of time what your interview format will be so that you can go into the conversation prepared. Pharoah also shares how to overcome pre-interview anxiety to ensure that you present your best self to the interviewer.  About Our Guest: Pharoah Bolding (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pharoahbolding/) is the human resources coordinator at Reed College (https://www.reed.edu/). He’s worked with everyone from the Portland Trail Blazers to nonprofit and technology employers. Pharoah’s work focuses on equity, diversity, and inclusion, mitigating bias, building inclusive work cultures, ethical recruiting, and facilitating professional and personal development trainings and discussions across the city of Portland. Resources in This Episode: If you're local to Portland, check out the Portland Business Alliance Events page to find out where to connect with other young and emerging professionals. (https://business.portlandalliance.com/events/catgid/24/) For more information about Pharoah Bolding, visit his website at pharoahbolding.com.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (http://www.macslist.org/questions).

If you’re looking to enter a career where you can serve others and work in a variety of positions, consider working in government. Even if you’ve never held a government position, you can land a fulfilling job with a few strategies. As with most jobs, networking is crucial when trying to land a government job. Find Your Dream Job guest Kirsten Wyatt says that while the application system for government positions can be outdated, you need to shift your focus to what government hiring managers need and outline how you can meet those needs.  About Our Guest: Kirsten Wyatt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwyatt/) is the co-founder and executive director of the  Engaging Local Government Leaders network (ELGL) (https://elgl.org/). It’s a nonprofit that engages the brightest minds in local government. She works on behalf of ELGL members to connect, communicate, and educate about local government public service, and is also co-host of the GovLove podcast (https://elgl.org/govlove/), sharing informative and unique stories about the people, policies, and professions that make up local government.  Resources in This Episode: Tune into GovLove, ELGL’s podcast that shares stories and information about local government work. Discussions range from policy issues that impact local governments, to interviews of the people doing the work and their career journeys, to the future of the government sector. (https://elgl.org/govlove) ELGL is hitting the road this fall for a series of hyper-local conferences. Find out more at elgl.org.  Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

When you begin a job search, it’s important to know what makes you stand out from the crowd of applicants. Knowing what makes you unique helps employers see how you can help them and allows you to figure out where you will thrive. But how do you discover what makes you unique? Find Your Dream Job guest Jen Anderson says you need to ask yourself some key questions. What are you good at? What do you do for fun? What do people ask you for help with? Employers hire problem solvers. When you step back and get clear on what sets you apart, you will be one step closer to finding a career that allows you to thrive. About Our Guest: Jen Anderson is a career strategist and coach. She teaches at Portland Community College and the University of California at Davis. Jen is also the author of the book, “Plant Yourself Where You Will Bloom: How to Turn What Makes You Unique into a Meaningful and Lucrative Career.” Resources in This Episode: Want to know if your next career dream is what you should actually pursue? Get a copy of Jen’s special offer, The Pillow Test (http://jenniferanderson.com/macslist/).  If you want to be happier in your career and find it more meaningful, get a copy of Jen’s book, “Plant Yourself Where You Will Bloom: How to Turn What Makes You Unique into a Meaningful and Lucrative Career.” Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help.

As a vice president or C-level executive, you need to find an executive search firm that understands your industry and your expertise. Even if you are not actively seeking a new  position, a good executive search firm will continue to build their relationship with you and keep you in mind for future opportunities. Finding an executive search firm can be a challenge, says Find Your Dream Job guest Roy Notowitz. You have to do your research up-front, and identify those people in your network with years of experience and many common connections. Most importantly, you have to know what you want and be willing to build relationships over time in order to find your dream job.   About Our Guest: Roy Notowitz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/linktoroy/) is the president of Noto Group (https://www.notogroup.com/), a purpose-driven executive search and consulting firm with expertise in recruiting for Director, VP and C-Level roles. Noto Group's executive search practice spans across business functions and channels within the outdoor, active performance, sporting goods, food and beverage, fashion and natural products industries. Roy started his career as a recruiter for Nike. Resources in This Episode: If you’re an executive who’s ready to connect with a purpose-driven, executive search firm, check out Roy’s firm, Noto Group (https://www.notogroup.com/). To hear more about today’s topics, but from a hiring manager’s point of view, listen to Roy’s new podcast, It Takes Talent (https://www.notogroup.com/podcast/).  Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help.

If you depend on job boards alone to help you find your next job, you are limiting your options. Only one in five hires are made through job board submissions. Job boards aren’t bad, says Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Rangel. But if you want to get hired, you have to start by reaching out to people. Lisa also shares why it’s important to have a goal in mind when you start your job search and how to use informational interviews to discover hidden opportunities.  About Our Guest: Lisa Rangel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisarangel) is the founder and managing director of two companies: Chameleon Resumes (https://chameleonresumes.com/), the premier executive resume writing service; and Job Landing Academy (https://joblandingacademy.com/), which teaches motivated job seekers how to find a great job fast. Resources in This Episode: Find out how to make your executive resume stand out at Chameleon Resumes (https://chameleonresumes.com/).  Learn how to land a job you love with help from Job Landing Academy (https://joblandingacademy.com/). You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resume.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. 

Your mindset not only affects how you see yourself, but it also affects how others see you. However, mindset is often confused with goals. Find Your Dream Job guest Angela Yeh explains that mindset is having a healthy awareness of your strengths, weaknesses, and what type of situations you thrive in. A healthy mindset about yourself, your career, and your abilities allows you to clearly identify what opportunities might be right for you. Angela also shares the importance of leaving behind limiting beliefs and adopting a growth mindset to successfully navigate a career pivot.  About Our Guest: Angela Yeh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaeyeh/) is the founder of two businesses: Yeh IDeology (https://www.yehideology.com/), a design recruitment firm, and Thrive by Design (http://www.thrivebydesign.today/), an executive coaching program. Through her work, Angela helps professionals navigate, curate, and sustain a successful path to accomplishing their goals.  Resources in This Episode: Find more information on Angela’s executive coaching program at thrivebydesign.today.  Angela’s firm, Yeh Ideology (https://www.yehideology.com/), provides services for employers and design professionals.  Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

If you’re considering enlisting a staffing agency to help you find your next job, you need to understand exactly how they work. Find Your Dream Job guests Heather Gordon and Moira Farnsworth join Mac this week to underline that recruiters are not career coaches. A recruiter works with both the job seeker and the employer, trying to find the perfect position for the job seeker and the right person for the employer. Heather and Moira also share the importance of having clear goals before reaching out to recruiters so they can help you identify the right role.  About Our Guests: Heather Gordon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathergordo/) is a senior recruiter and Moira Farnsworth (https://www.linkedin.com/in/moirafarnsworth/) is a staffing consultant at Boly:Welch (https://bolywelch.com/), a staffing agency in Portland, Oregon. With backgrounds in business development and HR, they now specialize in helping clients hire top talent and match candidates with jobs they love.  Resources in This Episode: For helpful career advice articles and other recruiting and staffing services, visit Boly:Welch.com.  Download this free essential road map of the most important steps you can take to find success in the Portland job market. Visit macslist.org/portlandjobs. 

Do you attend networking events but find yourself talking only to people you already know? Meetups and mixers can be awkward, especially if you’re shy or you don’t know anyone there. Find Your Dream Job guest David Burkus says you can confidently skip any event where the only purpose is a vague sense of connecting. If you do attend, David says, focus on conversations that delve into topics outside of work. And whenever possible, look for events that have a purpose, such as a charity drive or a shared activity that benefits others.  About Our Guest: David Burkus (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus/) is an author, speaker, and associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University. His newest book, “Friend of a Friend,” (https://davidburkus.com/books/friend-of-a-friend/) offers readers a new perspective on how to grow their networks and build key connections based on the science of human behavior.  Resources in This Episode: For tips that will help you do your best work, check out David’s website at davidburkus.com. David’s new book, “Friend of a Friend,” (https://davidburkus.com/books/friend-of-a-friend/) helps you better take advantage of the network that’s already around you.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (http://www.macslist.org/questions).

Networking is crucial, not only when you’re looking for a new job, but even before you find your first one. Your college professors can be a great resource for networking with leaders in your chosen field of study. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Liz Mead and I talk about how she used LinkedIn and her university contacts to find companies that reflected her values. Liz also shares how she began building up her list of connections at a young age and how she used those connections to get informational interviews that ultimately led to her dream job. 

No matter who you are or what you do, eventually, you will have gaps on your resume. It’s simply unavoidable. Whether you take time off to raise a family, get laid off, or you leave a job after a short period of time, you will have to deal with gaps. Find Your Dream Job guest Chris Villanueva says that how you deal with these gaps on your resume can mean the difference between getting a callback or your resume being thrown in the trash. Chris also shares how to positively reframe resume gaps and set yourself up for job search success. About Our Guest: Chris Villanueva (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-villanueva-cprw/) is the founder and CEO of Let's Eat, Grandma (https://www.letseatgrandma.com/). It’s a professional writing service for resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. Chris is also a certified professional resume writer. And he’s the host of the Career Warrior podcast (https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/career-warrior-podcast-lets-eat-grandma-ySov5k89Q-a/). Resources in This Episode: If you want your resume to stand out from the rest, you can find out more about Chris’s resume services by visiting his website at letseatgrandma.com. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resumemistakes.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume.

Recruiters receive dozens of cover letters and resumes every day. How can you increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters online and receive more job offers? Find Your Dream Job guest Blake Thiess offers a specific set of strategies. In order to get noticed online, Blake says you need to engage with recruiters in your chosen industry often enough to be recognized. Blake also shares the types of content you need to be posting online on a regular basis. About Our Guest: Blake Thiess (https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakethiess/) is the director of talent acquisition for Prestige Care. It’s a skilled nursing and senior care company with more than 85 locations in eight states. He’s passionate about training and development and all things recruiting, human resources, and job seeking. Resources in This Episode: If you’d like to know more about employment opportunities at Prestige Care, visit their website at prestigecare.com/careers. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast).

Switching job sectors can be challenging for any job seeker. But it's not impossible to make the switch, especially if you have a strong network of support around you. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Amy Chu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amynchu/) and I discuss how she went from a career in technology to a more fulfilling one in the nonprofit world. Amy also shares how she used networking and professional organizations within the nonprofit field to build up a significant support network that still supports her today. Learn more about Amy’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories). What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am the Data and Information Administrator for Sisters of the Road (https://sistersoftheroad.org/), a nonprofit Cafe in the Old Town neighborhood working to create systemic change that will end poverty and homelessness forever by providing accessible, nourishing meals in a safe, dignified space. How long did it take you to find this job? It took me about three months of active job searching to find my current job. I made it clear while I was job hunting that I was looking for meaningful work, and many people I knew in Portland suggested I apply at Sisters of the Road. Fortunately for me, they had an open position which I applied for and was invited in for an interview. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I found the job on the Sisters of the Road employment web page through word-of-mouth recommendations. I was also using Mac’s List, PDX Pipeline, LinkedIn Jobs, and recruitment agencies. Scheduling informational interviews with nonprofit professionals I found on LinkedIn helped me build a support network and learn more about the nonprofit sector. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? Deciding whether moving into the nonprofit sector would be the right transition for me after working in the technology sector was tough. Job hunting in Portland is also very different from job hunting in the Bay Area. The technology sector is smaller, and the creative and nonprofit sectors are more prevalent. I overcame this challenge by reading Mac Prichard’s book “Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)” while cultivating a support network. The book identified job boards I had never heard of, local nonprofit networking groups, and much more. I also landed more phone and in-person interviews once I started tailoring my cover letter and resume to each position that caught my interest. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Figure out what you are looking for in your next job and request informational interviews with individuals who have similar jobs (https://www.macslist.org/networking/6-tips-next-informational-interview). Why do you love your job? My job requires me to be the database expert, responsible for the input, tracking, and reporting of data related to revenue, as well as generating tax and gift acknowledgements. This is befitting because I enjoy working with software, analyzing data, and making sure the data is accurate. I also enjoy providing database training and support to our volunteers and staff because I like helping others learn new things. Last but not least, I believe that working towards building authentic relationships and alleviating the hunger of isolation in an atmosphere of nonviolence and gentle personalism that nurtures the whole individual, while seeking systemic solutions that reach the roots of homelessness and poverty to end them forever is a worthy mission.

Leaving your job sector for an entirely new industry can seem impossible, especially if you have been in your career for a number of years. It is possible, however, to transfer your skill set to a new sector, without having to go back for an advanced degree or specialized training.  Find Your Dream Job guest Minda Harts shares the three steps you need to take to convince a hiring manager that your current skills can easily transfer to the job you want. Minda says that the better you can articulate your career wins, the more you can set yourself up for success in a new industry. About Our Guest: Minda Harts (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindaharts/) is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. She’s the founder of The Memo (https://www.myweeklymemo.com/), a career development company for women of color. And she’s the author of the forthcoming book, “The Memo: What Women of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table.” She also hosts the weekly career podcast, Secure The Seat (http://www.mindaharts.com/secure-the-seat). Resources in This Episode: For more information on Minda’s company and the work she does, or to pre-order her upcoming book, visit her website at mindaharts.com. Want to learn more about the strengths you bring to work, home, and the rest of your life? Take the Clifton Strengths Assessment (https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/home/en-us/strengthsfinder). Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help.

Tech is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today, with a projected 5% growth on $4 trillion in revenue this year alone. There are many opportunities to break into the tech world, even if you have no background in technology or specialized degree. Find Your Dream Job guest Lida Tohidi says that the first step toward finding your ideal job in the tech field is figuring out the roles you are qualified for. Lida also shares why research is crucial when deciding where to apply and the importance of building relationships with fellow tech professionals and mentors. About Our Guest: Lida Tohidi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lidatohidi/) is an experienced digital marketer, program manager, and strategic planner. She’s passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in technology companies. Lida speaks regularly at technology conferences and runs a mastermind program for women in tech. Resources in This Episode: For more information on Lida’s masterminds for people wanting to break into the tech industry, visit her website at pidaar.com. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (http://www.macslist.org/questions).

Employers have several main goals for their companies and one of those goals is saving money. There are several ways they do this but one of the most frustrating for job seekers is through lowball salary offers. This doesn’t mean they only have their interests in mind; they’re simply making a business decision. Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Gates says that as a job seeker, you can be proactive by preparing for your interview, deciding ahead of time what your must-haves are, and taking the initiative to bring up salary early in the conversation.  Lisa also tells us how doing your research ahead of time gives you the information you need to ask for the salary you want. About Our Guest: Lisa Gates (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/lisa-gates) is a negotiation and leadership coach and co-founder of She Negotiates. Lisa helps women close wage and leadership gaps. Drawing on her work as an actor and storyteller, Lisa helps you land the job, get that raise and promotion, and hit your goals out of the park. Resources in This Episode: Find more resources for negotiation and interview coaching at Lisa’s website, shenegotiates.com. You can find comparable salaries for your area by visiting sites such as glassdoor.com and payscale.com. If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://www.macslist.org/cta-how-to-talk-about-money-in-an-interview), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to request a higher salary.

If you find yourself avoiding networking events, maybe you need to change your mindset around them. It’s normal to feel nervous when you don’t know anyone who will be there or you feel unsure of what to say or do. Find Your Dream Job guest Linda Van Valkenburgh says that preparation is the key when attending a networking event. Linda also advises putting together a one-pager to distribute rather than your resume, bringing business cards, and thinking through what you want to share before you get there. About Our Guest: Linda Van Valkenburgh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindavan/) is a certified executive career coach. She helps her clients plan, manage, and organize individualized career campaigns. Linda is a frequent speaker at networking and professional groups. She also has presented at the Yale School of Management and the University of Connecticut’s School of Business. Resources in This Episode: Visit Linda’s website (http://www.myexecutivecareercoach.com/) to take a career transition assessment. To get your own copy of the one-pager Linda talked about, email Linda at [email protected] Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help. Read the transcript of the entire episode at macslist.org/podcast

You’ve found a great job opportunity and you’re excited about the possibilities. It seems like the perfect fit for you. But is sharing your enthusiasm with the hiring manager enough to get you hired? Not always. Sometimes, the fit may be perfect for you but not for the company. How can you approach your job search keeping the company's needs in mind? Find Your Dream Job guest Susanne Aronowitz says you need to show the employer the value you can bring to the position. The more you can connect with the employer, the more likely they will be to see you as the right person for the job. About Our Guest: Susanne Aronowitz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannearonowitz/) is certified career coach. She’s helped thousands of lawyers and other professionals achieve career success. A former attorney herself, Susanne helps her clients with career exploration, transition, and growth. Resources in This Episode: For more information on how Susanne can help you achieve your professional goals, visit her website at susannearonowitz.com. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (http://www.macslist.org/questions). Read the transcript of the entire episode at macslist.org/podcast

You know that you need to ask for help when looking for a job. But what do you do when the people you reach out to don’t respond? How can you get people to vouch for your credentials and become your job search champions? Find Your Dream Job guest Lora Poepping says you need to make it as easy as possible for others to help you by having a clear and articulate message about what you’re looking for. It’s also important to show appreciation for the new connections that come from your career champions. About Our Guest: Lora Poepping (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorapoepping/) is the founder and president of Plum Coaching and Consulting (https://plumseattle.com/). Lora’s company helps clients around the world with job search, career coaching, resumes, and LinkedIn services. Every member of Plum’s 13-person team has been a recruiter and knows how hiring works. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the services Lora offers in HR consulting and job search coaching, visit her website, Plum Coaching and Consulting (https://plumseattle.com/). You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://www.macslist.org/podcast-cta-dont-make-8-killer-resume-mistakes). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume.

Every year, the “Find Your Dream Job” team asks listeners for their feedback on the podcast format, length, and topics. We discovered that 18 percent of listeners are interested in exploring the topic of career change, and 15 percent are interested in discussing job search strategies.  Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s listener survey, your feedback goes a long way towards making the show better! We greatly appreciate your support. We also received dozens of great questions from listeners about job hunting, networking, and career building. On today’s bonus episode, Mac and Jessica sit down to answer five tactical job search questions from listeners around the country. Listen in to find out how to move up in a company when you are not outgoing, and what’s the best practice for following up after submitting a job application.

If you’ve exhausted your personal network and run out of known resources, you may need to reach out to people you do not know online for the next step in your job search or career. But what if they don’t answer you? Find Your Dream Job guest Stacey Lane says that you need to make it easy for the other person to say yes. You do this by getting your ask in quickly without sharing too much backstory, not expecting too much of their time, and only sharing minimal context. Stacey also recommends finding someone whose thought leadership you appreciate so that you have common ground from which to initiate a conversation. About Our Guest: Stacey Lane (https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceylane/) is a nationally recognized career coach. She helps people with everything from networking to personal branding. Stacey is known for her candid career guidance. And her advice has appeared in local and national publications. Resources in This Episode: For free templates to help you connect with strangers online, visit Stacey’s website at staceylane.net. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast). From our Sponsor: The City of Portland is one of Oregon’s largest employers, and the organization responsible for keeping the city thriving is currently hiring. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov to learn more.

Before you send out your next job application, you need to research standard salaries for your industry and position. It’s easy to be so determined to land a new job that you don’t stop to consider what your career and financial goals are. Find Your Dream Job guest Anica John says that you need to enter a job search strategically, playing to your strengths and desires rather than settling for any role that you're offered. Anica also shares that talking to people who are hiring for similar positions at other companies can help you calculate an accurate salary range. About Our Guest: Anica John (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anicajohn/) is a federal litigator turned serial technology entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Level Up 90 (https://www.levelup90.com/). It’s a professional development platform for women who work in technology. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to level up in your tech career and find more fulfillment in your work, visit Anica’s website at levelup90.com. If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://www.macslist.org/cta-how-to-talk-about-money-in-an-interview), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. From our Sponsor: The City of Portland is one of Oregon’s largest employers, and the organization responsible for keeping the city thriving is currently hiring. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov to learn more.

Whether you realize it or not, you have a personal brand; something you are known for and that represents you in your career space. But if you are in the midst of switching careers, you may need to rebrand yourself. Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Lewis says that building a new personal brand begins with deepening self-knowledge and self-assessment. Developing authentic relationships with others is key to redirecting  your career goals. Lisa also shares how to tell your story in a way that invites the listener into a real conversation. About Our Guest: If there's a job out there, Lisa Lewis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamlewis/) has probably done it. Lisa is a career change coach and the CEO of Lisa Lewis Careers (https://lisalewiscareers.com/). She’s also one of only seven coaches in the world trained and certified in the Pivot Method. Resources in This Episode: For more information on working with Lisa to map out career transitions of your own, visit lisalewiscareers.com/macslist. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast). From our Sponsor: The City of Portland is one of Oregon’s largest employers, and the organization responsible for keeping the city thriving is currently hiring. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov to learn more.

If you’re returning to work after a long break, you need to prepare long before you start looking for that perfect job. Volunteering in your community is a great way to grow professionally while maintaining your skill set. You also have a chance to meet others who share your interests and values. Find Your Dream Job guest Anneliese Davis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliesedavis/) shares how she used volunteer work to not only keep her skills sharp but to decide what type of career she wanted. Anneliese tells us that approaching her job search with curiosity allowed her to switch careers and find a job she loves. Learn more about Anneliese’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I’m the part-time executive director (and first staff member!) for Rahab’s Sisters (http://rahabs-sisters.org/), a 14-year-old organization providing radical hospitality to marginalized women every Friday night on SE 82nd. We offer a homemade meal and hygiene supplies, but the real story of Rahab’s Sisters is the community our guests and volunteers build together. How long did it take you to find this job? My daughter started kindergarten in 2016, so I began to think about going back into the workforce. I kept an eye on what was out there, talked to a few folks, applied for a job or two, but couldn’t seem to get excited about anything until I saw the Rahab’s Sisters posting in April; I started in June. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I can honestly say I always skim Mac’s List, even when I’m not actively looking for a job. It has given me a good overview of Portland’s nonprofit sector and I learn about a lot of different organizations. This is the first time I have ever found a position from a job posting and not via my network, so it was different to introduce myself to people who knew nothing about me. I spent a lot of time on my resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile, though, I felt like I was able to accurately represent my skills, experience and values. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? I moved to Portland in 2013 and decided to be a full-time parent, so the last paid job on my resume was a few years back and in another city. I had been doing a lot of volunteer work here, though, and I decided to list my volunteer leadership roles on my resume (https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-include-volunteer-work-on-your-resume-2063297) in the same way as all my paid positions under the heading “Experience” with dates, key responsibilities and accomplishments. I made it clear I was a volunteer, of course, but it demonstrated that I was an active part of the Portland community. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job seekers? After I spent an evening volunteering with Rahab’s Sisters, I knew I really wanted this job. So the next day, I wrote a letter to the board sharing what that experience had been like for me and how much I wanted to be part of this work. It felt vulnerable to put myself out there like that and after I hit “send” I wondered how I would be perceived. But I knew if I wasn’t selected for the job, my disappointment would be compounded if I didn’t feel I had given it my all. What have you got to lose if you really go for it? Why do you love your job? I knew I would enjoy the intellectual challenge of building out an organization that has been doing good work for a long time. But the real joy and learning for me has been coming to know our community of mainstream and marginalized women. My heart is broken open a million times a night, and I am in awe of our guests’ resilience and our volunteers’ love and dedication.

New college graduates often struggle with networking. They may feel that they have nothing to offer or that they’re wasting time with informational interviews. But good networking leads to career success. Find Your Dream Job guest Shawn Lipton says that the best networkers have a methodical approach to meeting and staying in touch with people. They also network even when they aren’t looking for a job. Shawn tells us why most professionals actually want to meet with new graduates and how to make that initial contact. About Our Guest: Shawn Lipton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnlipton/) is a certified master coach. His company, The Trusted Coach (http://thetrustedcoach.com/), has helped thousands of professionals land jobs and develop careers. Shawn also is the author of “50 Proven Networking Tips for Career Development Success” and two other books. Resources in This Episode: Shawn offers strategies on developing your career and landing your ideal job. Find out more at The Trusted Coach (http://thetrustedcoach.com/?section=home). Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (http://www.macslist.org/questions). From our Sponsor: The City of Portland is one of Oregon’s largest employers, and the organization responsible for keeping the city thriving is currently hiring. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov to learn more  

Is it ever a good idea to apply for a job when you are overqualified? Perhaps you’ve moved to a new city or you’re trying to get a job at your dream company, and you’re considering taking a smaller role to get your foot in the door. Find Your Dream Job guest Phiona Martin says you can get hired for a job where you're overqualified, but you must be able to answer a hiring manager’s specific concerns about hiring you. Phiona shares the most common questions you will be asked, how to give genuine answers, along with tips on preparing for your interview and writing a great cover letter. About Our Guest: Phiona Martin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/phiona-martin/) is a registered industrial psychologist. Her work focuses on careers, talent, and leadership. Phiona's key experience has been in the consulting, education and corporate environments. As a thought leadership enthusiast, she provides expert opinions on career development on many media platforms, including her own career advice website. Resources in This Episode: Phiona is passionate about career and professional development. She shares helpful content for standing out in the workplace on her website, phionamartin.com. If you’re struggling with how to craft a compelling cover letter, we’ve got a free guide that can help. Download Simple Rules for a Winning Cover Letter (http://www.macslist.org/coverletter). From our Sponsor: Sneaker School is an online certificate program that lets you explore career paths in the footwear industry and learn from some of the biggest names in the business. Visit sneakerschool.com/mac to start mapping your career in the sneaker world.

If you spend most of your time during a job search filling out online applications and responding to job board listings, you may want to consider more active strategies such as informational interviews with targeted employers. Find Your Dream Job guest, Lesa Edwards, says that you need both active and passive strategies for your job hunt. Lesa also shares how to organize your time, based on where you are in your career, in order to make the most of both strategies. There is no wrong strategy; it’s simply a matter of what will get you the job of your dreams faster and easier. About Our Guest: Lesa Edwards (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesacareercoach/) is the CEO of Exclusive Career Coaching. She’s an expert in career management and job search strategies. She also hosts the weekly podcast, The Exclusive Career Coach. Previously, Lesa was director of university career centers in Georgia and Missouri. Lesa has a master’s in public administration from Columbus State University and a bachelor’s in music education from Florida State University. Resources in This Episode: Lesa’s website, Exclusive Career Coaching (https://www.exclusivecareercoaching.com/), offers high-achieving college graduates the help they need to get the job they want. Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (http://www.macslist.org/focus), can help. From our Sponsor: Sneaker School is an online certificate program that lets you explore career paths in the footwear industry and learn from some of the biggest names in the business. Visit sneakerschool.com/mac to start mapping your career in the sneaker world.

In the digital age, nurturing our human relationships matter more than ever. This also applies to your job search! Informational interviews are a great way to begin building those relationships and to develop your network. Find Your Dream Job guest Colby Reade says that you need to think of informational interviews like a business meeting. You should go into them with a clear goal, a set of specific questions to ask, and a plan for following up. These conversations can not only help you in your job search; they can create a network that can help your career for years to come. About Our Guest: Colby Reade's day job has been all about communication (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbyreade/). He first built a career in journalism before launching a second career in public relations. Colby also works as a career coach and advisor. He helps professionals find and thrive in careers they love. He shares advice every week on his own podcast, Coffee with Colby (http://coffeewithcolby.buzzsprout.com/). Resources in This Episode: On his podcast, Coffee with Colby (http://coffeewithcolby.buzzsprout.com/), Colby shares his own experience and research in the field of professional development, to help listeners feel more prepared to face workplace challenges. If you wish you had more podcasts like this one to listen to, I have good news for you: there are dozens of great business podcasts out there. But they can be hard to find if you don’t already know about them. That’s why I created the Top Career Podcast Guide (https://www.macslist.org/top-career-podcast-guide-2018). From our sponsor: Sneaker School is an online certificate program that lets you explore career paths in the footwear industry and learn from some of the biggest names in the business. Visit sneakerschool.com/mac to start mapping your career in the sneaker world.

When changing jobs or career paths, many people send out dozens of resumes, hoping that at least a few of them will result in an interview. If they’re lucky, they might even get a job offer. Before you send out a flood of resumes, however, you need to take some time to figure out your transferable skills and what you can offer to a company. Then use your network to discover jobs that may not have been posted or publicized. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Benny Kuo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykuo/) and I talk about how he used his connections to find his current job. We also discuss why having an undergrad degree in an unrelated field may actually be helpful on your job hunt. Learn more about Benny’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I work in the high tech sector as a product marketing manager for CRU, Inc (https://www.cru-inc.com/). I develop strategies for our business to grow and define the customer segments, research companies & markets, coordinate trade show events, and formulate strategies for product offerings to grow or create markets. How long did it take you to find this job? I started my job hunt about six months before graduation. My interview process with CRU took about two weeks, and I started at CRU a month after graduation. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? This was a hidden job! CRU connected with my school’s career center for a different position in the same department. I asked the professor that helped advertise this job if he could connect us. I sent in a cover letter and resume speaking to my experiences for that particular job and also what my latest work experiences exposed me to. This led to a discussion about expanding the position to fill other needs too. Overall, I used Mac’s List, the OSU and Willamette University career boards through HandShake, and my contacts. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? The most difficult part of the search was feeling productive and staying engaged. Finding the balance between taking a breather and productively searching for a job was a challenge. I overcame this by breaking the job search into segments and celebrating small wins, like meeting with the CEO of a company or learning more about a company I didn’t know much about. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job seekers? Seek out recruiters and stay connected with your network. I worked with two recruiters a few months before graduation to understand the job market in Portland and identify what my skills were worth. It was also helpful to hear what skills trends and hot markets they had seen the prior few months, so I could start working on any skills gaps for the specific market I was entering. Why do you love your job? I love the growth opportunities at CRU. I’m already engaged in several projects and utilizing what I learned in business school. In my second month, I had already presented an analysis at an all-hands meeting including the board of directors.   Want to learn more about Benny? Connect with him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennykuo/)!

As a culture, we are more disconnected than ever before. We move often and change jobs quickly. Many people don’t think about networking until they need help in finding their next job. It’s vital to stay connected to others and to nurture our network even when we don’t need help. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest, Karen Wickre, says a great network can provide you with many benefits other than a lead on a new job. Karen also explains how daily networking habits can keep you from feeling overwhelming and can make a real difference in your life and the lives of your professional connections.. About Our Guest: A long-time communicator and connector, Karen Wickre (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwickre/) has spent more than 30 years in Silicon Valley as an editor and collaborator. Her new book, “Taking the Work Out of Networking: An Introverts Guide to Connections That Count,” reflects her lifelong interest in making meaningful connections. An avid media consumer, Karen also serves on the boards of several organizations supporting journalism and news literacy. Resources in This Episode: Karen wrote “Taking the Work out of Networking: An Introvert’s Guide to Connections that Count” to help people get past their fear and dislike of “networking” in favor of a more authentic, friendly way to nurture connections with people you know and people you want to know. Get a copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Work-Out-Networking-Connections-ebook/dp/B07CL5ZWL9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545246526&sr=8-1&keywords=Networking%3A+An+Introvert%27s+Guide+to+Making+Connections+That+Count Discover more about Karen and the services she offers at her website, karenwickre.com. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online: macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast From our sponsor: Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount.

If you walk into an interview ready to answer questions but don’t have any of your own to ask, you are not taking full advantage of the interview process. You have a responsibility to not only answer questions but to ask them of everyone you talk to within the company, from the HR staff to the team members, to the hiring manager. The answers you receive will tell you a lot about how things really work inside the company. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, my guest Michelle Neal says that if you get conflicting answers to your questions, especially from the team and the hiring manager, that is your sign to run. It can be hard to walk away from a job offer if you’ve been out of work for a while but just remember, you can’t change people, and working in an unhealthy environment doesn’t benefit anyone. About Our Guest: Michelle Neal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelnealmpa/) is a career coach and the owner of Consulting with Integrity (http://www.consultingintegrity.com/). Her passion is helping people become successful through strategic coaching. Michelle uses her talents of honesty, openness, and empathy to guide individuals to a successful outcome. Resources in This Episode: If you are in a job transition or you need help planning your next career move, Michelle offers consulting and strategic coaching through her business, Consulting with Integrity (http://www.consultingintegrity.com/). Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) From our sponsor: Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount.

It’s natural to feel discouraged if you’re unemployed. But if you base your identity on what you do for a living, you may self-sabotage when looking for a new job. Feelings of worthlessness or desperation can lead you to apply for jobs that aren’t a good fit or cause you to bomb an interview because of your low self-esteem. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Kali Rogers says that one way to stay positive during a job search is to remain curious. Treat your job hunt like a research project. Kali also says that it’s a big mistake to not tell others when you are looking for a job; if people don’t know you’re looking, they can’t share with you possible openings they may know about. About Our Guest: Kali Rogers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalirogers/) is the founder of Blush Online Life Coaching (https://joinblush.com/). Kali helps women grow self-confidence, get over nasty breakups, and work on better relationships. She’s also the author of “Conquering Your Quarter-Life Crisis," (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072L3GC23?tag=thougcatal0c-20). Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to focus on your strengths, create positive habits, and build a game plan for your future, visit Kali’s website (https://joinblush.com/coach/kali/). Learn about the symptoms of the quarter life crisis and how to combat them in Kali’s new book,“Conquering Your Quarter-Life Crisis," (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072L3GC23?tag=thougcatal0c-20). Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast), a free course from Mac’s List. Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount.

It can feel frustrating to hear that you are overqualified for the job you want. Hiring managers may feel it’s a waste of both time and money to hire you if you have more experience than the job requires. There are ways around this, including doing your research to understand where the company is heading and taking advantage of any connections you have within the company. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Johnny Hartman (www.linkedin.com/in/johnanthonyhartman/) and I discuss how he tapped into his personal network to overcome two specific challenges in his job search: skills that were seen as being too specialized and being overqualified. Learn more about Johnny’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? From feature films to interactive virtual worlds, I’ve crafted media experiences both commercially for some of the biggest brands on the planet, as well as for entertainment properties. As a cross-platform or transmedia producer, I develop workflows and resolve technical issues while maintaining the project’s creative vision. As the Director of Research and Development for Elevate Pictures, I look to the future to understand the coming media landscape and develop solutions to address the problems of tomorrow. I am currently building out the Story Atlas – a storytelling platform and methodology that pulls consumers into the intersection of brand and entertainment, integrated with industry tools of the trade to improve workflow. The Story Atlas integrates transmedia and production planning with creative assets to maintain the canon of the narrative. It runs on cloud services and uses A.I. to optimize media and maintain narrative control and is a solution that allows your story to flow while holding true to canon. How long did it take you to find this job? Ten months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? My personal network led to this job. I started out consulting and then was asked to take this position. I used quite a few resources online in my job hunt but none were as powerful as my relationships. I did have success using Linkedin and was offered another position before this one but it would have required me to move so I turned it down. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? My struggle came from over-qualification and specialized media experience. More than once I was told that “they did not know what to do with me” or they were “afraid I would ‘get bored and find another job.’” I overcame this by embracing my experience and looking beyond the Northwest. I reframed the conversation to be about the BIG picture in media and got concise with my focus. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Do what you love! Follow your passion even if you have to learn more about it while you work your current role. Find the path to that passion and be specific about how you can achieve your dream. Why do you love your job? I love being able to create stories that reach and connect with audiences, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.  

If you are preparing to return to work after some time as a stay at home parent, you may feel unsure about where to begin. How do you explain the gap in your resume while also showing what you’ve accomplished during that time? Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Stephanie Smith says a smart job search strategy starts with getting your career documents in order. Stephanie also stresses the importance of using online tools like LinkedIn to help you stay in touch with industry leaders. And you should never underestimate the value of connecting with others through parenting groups or volunteer opportunities. Parenthood is a powerful experience that brings people together and those relationships can help you not only personally, but also professionally. About Our Guest: Stephanie Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieannesmith/) is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Livelipath (https://livelipath.com/#/index). It’s a software company that customizes your resume and cover letter for any job application. Prior to Livelipath, Stephanie created the concierge career services firm, Career Muse. And she ran multi-million dollar recruiting programs for Amazon and other Fortune 500 clients. Resources in This Episode: Stephanie’s company, Livelipath, provides customized resumes and cover letters to help you get back to work with documents tailored to the job you want. If you have been out of the workforce for a significant period of time, there are several resources available to help you. Companies like Power to Fly (https://powertofly.com/), The Mom Project (https://themomproject.com/), and iRelaunch (https://www.irelaunch.com/) serve parents who are returning to the workforce. Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://www.macslist.org/podcast-cta-dont-make-8-killer-resume-mistakes). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume.

One of the biggest challenges older job seekers face is connecting with younger hiring managers. Too many older workers look for jobs with the wrong employers and are not clear about the value of their experience. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Ruth Winden, says that if you have trouble working with younger hiring managers, you can fix it. Ruth encourages older workers to begin by focusing their job search on companies that hire people from multiple generations. She also says it’s important for older workers to emphasize management experience and any evergreen skills they have. As an older worker, it’s up to you to find ways to connect with younger hiring managers and to be prepared for your next interview. About Our Guest: Ruth Winden (www.linkedin.com/in/ruthwinden) is a career coach for professionals in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. She helps older workers overcome age bias and land new jobs with clarity, focus, and confidence. Ruth is also the author of the forthcoming book, “101 Ways to Overcome Ageism in the Workplace.” Resources in This Episode: If you’ve hit 50, 55, or 60 and you wonder where the time went, it’s not too late to follow your dreams and make a difference. On her blog, Older Yet Bolder (olderyetbolder.com/), Ruth shares articles and resources to help you figure out what’s next. Not knowing what to do next isn’t an excuse to give up at any age. Ruth offers personalized coaching for those who aren’t ready to contemplate retirement but who desire to continue working and interacting. Visit olderyetbolder.com/start-here I have created a free resource for those of you worried about facing negative stereotypes that employers have about older workers. It’s called How to Fight Ageism in a Job Interview. Download your free copy today at macslist.org/fightageism.

There are many reasons why you might stay in a job you hate. You may be worried about what others will think or perhaps you feel that you’ve invested too much time in the position to walk away. Quitting can be good for your career, however. It can be one of the tools you use to carve out the career and life you want. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Lynn Marie Morski, says that quitting your job can improve not only your career, but also your health and your relationships. In order to quit well, you need to understand the difference between quitting and giving up. Lynn Marie tells us how to quit in a thoughtful, strategic way. About Our Guest: Lynn Marie Morski (www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-marie-morski-md-esq/) is a physician, attorney, and speaker. She’s also a lifelong quitter. Lynn Marie is on a mission to help people carve out a successful life through strategic quitting. And she’s the author of “Quitting by Design.” Resources in This Episode: Major life change almost always requires quitting one thing to start another. Lynn Marie’s book, “Quitting by Design” (www.amazon.com/Quitting-Design-Lynn-Marie-Morski/dp/1641825375), is a step-by-step guide to quitting successfully and transforming your life. Lynn Marie’s podcast, Quit Happens (https://quittingbydesign.com/quit-happens-podcast/), provides listeners with concrete action steps to help them quit their way to success. Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search, can help. Download it today at macslist.org/focus.

If you have the skills and passion for a position that doesn’t yet exist, there are some specific steps you can take while you wait for that position to be created. Networking to build relationships, volunteering to keep your experience current, and finding a group of people who share your vision will allow you to be patient while you wait. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Julie Magers and I talk about how she worked to create a position that didn’t yet exist. It required patience, staying engaged in her profession, and building relationships every step of the way. Two years later, she is still loving the dream job she created for herself. Learn more about Julie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I work at OHSU’s Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry as their one and only Family Support Specialist. In fact, I am one of two total employees filling this role in the entire University! In this role, I am developing strategies to enhance and elevate the inclusion of Family and Young Adult Support Specialists across Oregon, specifically in two programs: the Emergency Department Diversion (EDD) Pilot Program and the Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA). People in these positions have lived experiences with navigating the systems of care that serve youth living with mental health conditions and/or developmental or intellectual disabilities. We help by walking beside the family, sharing what we have learned through experience, providing emotional and educational support, and helping them learn to advocate for their needs to be met. We also help to “translate” the communication among families, youth and their health/education/insurance providers in order to promote collaborative approaches to serving the child and family’s needs. How long did it take you to find this job? I was searching for this particular role for about eight months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? Because this is a somewhat newly emerging workforce, my best tactics and strategies to find this position included networking, serving in volunteer roles on advisory councils, researching the agencies and organizations that hire Family, Young Adult, and Peer Support Specialists, and being ready to submit my application as soon as the most favorable position was announced. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? I had been working as a Family Support Specialist at a local non-profit with a focus on mental health and developed one of the field operations for the EDD Pilot Program in that county. I was very interested in serving in a role to improve the support, training and inclusion of this workforce in all of the program sites across the state, but that position didn’t really exist. I think the most difficult part of this journey was being patient and waiting for the systems serving children and families to create the position. To overcome that challenge, I remained “plugged into” the work in any way possible and stayed in touch with industry leaders in the field. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Do what you have to do to have the income you need to pay your bills, while simultaneously pursuing your dream job! Why do you love your job? I have the honor to walk beside families who are in crisis with their children, spun around in a system of care (our mental health system) that does not readily guide them in getting their children access to critically needed care. When I was in a similar situation, I had a mentor who helped me learn how these systems work so that I could make them work for my daughter – now I get to pay it forward and share that knowledge with others. I also have the privilege to work with mental health service providers and bridge the communication with their clients, promoting family and youth driven care. Everyone wins when all parties are able to collaborate for the best possible outcomes for children and youth experiencing emotional and behavioral health-related challenges. Learn more about Julie on LinkedIn and her company website, or follow her on Twitter!  

Every job search requires references. You need people who can attest to the work you’ve done and the skills you possess. But did you know that many employers have a policy against giving references? There is also the possibility that you may have to handle a bad reference. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Vicki Lind, says that you need a strategy for dealing with references. The best reference is someone who supervised you closely and is a fan of your work. Once you choose your references, you need to coach them and keep in close contact with them. About Our Guest: Vicki Lind (linkedin.com/in/vickilind) is a career counselor and job search coach. She’s also the founder and owner of Vicki Lind and Associates (aportlandcareer.com). Vicki and her team help clients find the sweet spot where meaning meets money. And she’s the co-author of “Landing a Job Worth Having.” It’s a new book full of tips on how to use job boards, tailor your resume, and interview for your next job. Resources in This Episode: If you need help changing careers, finding a new position, writing a stellar resume, or achieving higher job satisfaction, Vicki and her colleagues are ready to help. Visit her website at aportlandcareer.com/services/ for more information. Vicki and her team spent a year doing research for her newest book, “Landing a Job Worth Having.” This book is full of tips from experts along with motivating stories to help you find the spot where meaning meets money. Visit aportlandcareer.com/books/ If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My new guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview, shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and possibly get a higher salary. Download your free copy today; go to macslist.org/moneytalk.

If you have the desire to work in local government, you may wonder what you can do to have the best shot at an open position. Some of these positions receive hundreds of applications and the hiring process can be grueling. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Serilda Summers-McGee, says that relationships matter more than ever when pursuing a local government job. She tells us that the first relationship you build should be with a recruiter. You also need to understand how the local hiring process works and be ready to face stringent deadlines. If you want to serve your local city or town, learn how to stand out from the crowd and what you can do now to help your chances of getting the job you want later. About Our Guest: Serilda Summers-McGee (linkedin.com/in/serilda-summers-mcgee-mba-m-ed-8222964/) is the chief human resources officer for the City of Portland. She has more than 15 years of experience in human capital management with expertise in a range of HR disciplines. She’s also the author of Change The WorkGame: Building and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce. Resources in This Episode: Serilda’s book, Change The WorkGame: Building and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce, contains strategies that will help any employer establish and maintain a diverse workforce throughout all strata of their business. Read more about Serilda’s work on the City of Portland website (www.portlandoregon.gov/bhr/26588). Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression with a free resource from Mac’s List. Visit maclist.org/wow to download “How to Wow and Woo Employers Online.”  

Your job hunt is going well, and you’ve interviewed for several different positions. You are offered one of the positions and you accept, only to receive a more lucrative offer, or one that’s a better fit for you. How do you tell that hiring manager that you’re going in a different direction? Or, let’s say you have been offered a job but the salary or benefits don’t meet your requirements. How do you turn down the offer without burning the bridge with that employer? Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, LaKiesha Tomlin, says that as long as you handle the rejection with professionalism, you should be able to move on and even apply for jobs at those same companies in the future if a great opportunity becomes available. About Our Guest: LaKiesha Tomlin (linkedin.com/in/lakieshatomlin/) is a career coach for talented leaders in science, technology, and engineering. She’s also a mechanical engineer who has worked as a manager in the aviation and technology industries. LaKiesha’s company, Thriving Ambition (thrivingambition.com/), helps clients improve employee engagement and retention, grow careers, and build five-star networks. Her work has been cited in Forbes, Self Magazine, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Resources in This Episode: Feel more satisfied with your career. Know that your skills, knowledge, and experience are truly being utilized and appreciated. Plus, learn how you could earn twice as much as you are currently earning, by visiting Thriving Ambition (thrivingambition.com/) to sign up for LaKiesha’s course, Dream Job (thrivingambition.com/network), which will be opening again in early 2019. Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, get clear about your own goals. Stop chasing every lead. I’ve got a resource that can help. It's called Finding Focus in Your Job Search. Download your copy today at macslist.org/focus.

Have you ever considered the fact that hiring managers have bosses too? They have to answer to a CEO or shareholders for the person they hire, which means you need to put yourself in their shoes when you go into an interview. Find out what problems the company is facing and what keeps that hiring manager up at night. Once you have that information, you can show them how you can solve those problems for them. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Joel Quass, says that telling a hiring manager what you can do isn’t enough; you have to demonstrate it through stories and past experience. Joel also shares how paying attention to your surroundings can help you make connections with the hiring manager. About Our Guest: Joel Quass (www.linkedin.com/in/joelquass/) is an expert in job interviews, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles. He’s also a manager with more than 35 years of experience. Spending more than 3 decades on the “other side of the desk” taught Joel that people don’t know how to be interviewed anymore. He built his website, Six-Second Resumes (six-second-resumes.com/), to provide resources for job seekers that will help them land their dream job. Joel is also a published author and a podcast host (six-second-resumes.com/podcast/). Resources in This Episode: Learn how to package your personal brand and use it to find jobs in Joel’s book, “Write This Down, You’ll Need it Later.” If you are a manager, Joel’s book, “Good Management is Not Firefighting”, will show you how helping your staff perform at their peak brings success to the whole company. On his website, Six-Second Resumes (six-second-resumes.com), Joel teaches interview skills, helps with career growth, and provides writing services for resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. Visit macslist.org/questions.

In years past, it was common to work for the same company from entry-level until retirement. But those days are long gone. There are no longer obvious ladders to climb or well-trodden paths to follow. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Bev Jones, says that if you want to be successful in your career, you have to behave like a CEO. This includes realizing that job hunting is a numbers game, and there will be losses on the way to the wins. Bev also shares how a mindset shift can help you bring new energy to your current job, and how to motivate yourself to do the things you don’t enjoy. About Our Guest: Bev Jones (www.linkedin.com/in/beverly-jones-coach-author/) is the author of “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO: 50 Indispensable Tips to Help You Stay Afloat, Bounce Back, and Get Ahead at Work”. She also hosts the NPR.org podcast, Jazzed About Work (www.npr.org/podcasts/524588388/jazzed-about-work). Bev helps professionals enhance performance, address career challenges, and continue to grow. She regularly writes and speaks about leadership, communication, and strategy. Resources in This Episode: For more ideas on how to be fully engaged in your current job, listen to Bev’s podcast, Jazzed About Work (www.npr.org/podcasts/524588388/jazzed-about-work). Bev’s book, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO: 50 Indispensable Tips to Help You Stay Afloat, Bounce Back, and Get Ahead at Work” offers practical ways to handle difficult situations in your workplace. If you wish you had more podcasts like this one to listen to, I have good news for you: there are dozens of great career-focused podcasts out there. But they can be hard to find if you don’t already know about them. That’s why I created a guide to the “Top Career Podcasts of 2018.” Download your free copy today by visiting www.topcareerpodcasts.com.

One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in a job search is leaving your job for a new one after only a few months of being there. Will the new hiring manager see you as a flight risk? How can you overcome the appearance of being a job-hopper? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Andrew Peters (www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-peters-6170929/) shares the strategies he used when leaving his job after only 10 months. Andrew and I also talk about how to use your network, including people you may not know very well, to get your resume in front of the hiring manager and how to build relationships so that you have connections to draw upon in the future. Learn more about Andrew’s path to career satisfaction below in this installment of our Success Stories (www.macslist.org/stories) series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? At different times, I’ve called myself a lobbyist, an advocate, and a policy professional. I started my career working with large philanthropic clients in health and health care, transitioned to a narrower focus on state law and policy for several years, and now am returning to work in philanthropy. I recently joined the team at Arabella Advisors, a certified B corporation that works with philanthropic clients to create social change across many sectors, including health, environment, human rights, education, and more. My role as a consultant at Arabella is to work with clients who are interested in making investments in advocacy and policy change. How long did it take you to find this job? It took me about about two months of searching to find this particular job posting, and then another three months to go through the interview process. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I am based in D.C., and I subscribed to a service called Brad Traverse Job Listings, which is an amazing site for government affairs, policy, communications, and government positions. Most of them are in D.C, but there are listings from all over the country. This is the second job I have found from Brad’s service. The job had also been listed on Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and a couple other places. After applying, I mapped my connections to Arabella Advisors on LinkedIn. I saw that two of my former colleagues were connected to people that had worked at Arabella, so I asked them for a connection to those people. I spoke with one former employee to get a sense of the organization, and a former colleague passed my resume to a current employee. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? One of the hardest parts of this search is that I had only been with my former job for about 9 months. It can be difficult to explain a short period of employment to prospective employers. There are lots of guidelines out there about how long you need to be at a job before it “looks good enough” on your resume to leave, many of which I had to ignore. I was honest in my interviews about my reasons for wanting to leave and my intention to find a better employment match. I praised my former employer in interviews, just noting that the role I had was not for me. Another challenge for me was being realistic with myself about the jobs for which I could solidly demonstrate expertise. Sometimes, you’ll look at a job description, tick through the qualifications, and, whether or not you have the experience to back it up, you’ll think, “yeah, of course I could do this.” That’s a rationalization trap I have fallen into and it has led to a lot of rejection. This time, I tried to put myself in the hiring manager’s shoes and ask whether my resume and cover letter spoke directly to the experience they were asking for. I admit that trying to get into a recruiter’s head might be a recipe for disaster, but thinking hard about whether a job was really a good fit is an important step. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Make sure your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile are all perfect: good design, concise bullets, no typos, and quality content that speaks to the position(s). Even with a perfect package, job-searching is a stressful and painful process. With each job I applied for I started to imagine what it was going to be like and what I’d do once I got it. I got emotionally invested, and I think that’s pretty natural. But that also means it hurt more when I didn’t get the job. It’s really easy to let your sense of self-worth get run down by rejections, especially if the process takes months or even years. My advice, even though it’s difficult, is to stay confident in your talent and abilities. Why do you love your job? I am a week into work at Arabella, and so far I really appreciate the passion that my colleagues bring to their work. They’re deeply professional and very motivated to help clients achieve positive social change. It’s exciting, and feels like a great fit. Want to learn more about Andrew? Connect with him on LinkedIn

If the word “networking” brings to mind an event held in a hotel ballroom consisting of meeting new people and shaking hand after hand, it's time to change your mindset. Do large events and small talk with strangers make you uncomfortable? If so, you might be an introvert. Learning how to engage with a variety of people in a genuine and sincere way can help introverts (and everyone else) build the strong connections to help further your job search. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Tammy Gooler Loeb, says you need to think of networking as research and look for the types of interactions that make you feel more comfortable. About Our Guest: Tammy Gooler Loeb (www.linkedin.com/in/tammygoolerloeb/) is a career and executive coach who focuses on job search strategies, workplace communication, and leadership development. Tammy is passionate about helping people find professional meaning and satisfaction. Through personal coaching, she helps her clients clarify their professional goals and take a more focused approach to achieve success. Resources in This Episode: For helpful articles and information about Tammy’s career coaching services, visit her website at tammygoolerloeb.com. Tammy’s new podcast, “Work from the Inside Out,” (tammygoolerloeb.com/podcasts/) focuses on people who have made significant transitions to a more meaningful and satisfying work situation.  Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression; visit maclist.org/wow to download “How to Wow and Woo Employers Online,” a free resource from Mac’s List.

Imagine that you are a candidate for a great job. You put together the perfect application, you nail the interview, and it looks like the job is yours on a silver platter. But in your thank you note, you misspell the name of the hiring manager. That simple mistake can mean that the phone call you’re waiting for, offering you the job, never comes. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Donna Svei, says that even the most experienced professional can make writing mistakes. Donna shares how to avoid these mistakes, the best way to present yourself when crafting a resume, and whether or not you need a cover letter. About Our Guest: Donna Svei (https://www.linkedin.com/company/donna-svei-executive-resume-writer/about/) is an executive resume writer and a former retained search consultant. She has read over 100,000 resumes in her career and seen the same mistakes over and over, even in the resumes of top CEO’s. Her company, Avid Careerist (https://avidcareerist.com/), helps clients craft interview-winning Resources in this episode: Visit Donna’s website, Avid Careerist (https://avidcareerist.com/), for several sample resumes, along with helpful articles, for job seekers to get an idea of what a professionally written resume looks like. If you tend to make writing mistakes, it could be helpful to work with an editor. Donna suggests online tools such as Grammarly (https://app.grammarly.com/) or opt for personal support with Editorr (https://www.editorr.com/). Avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my free resource, "Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes." In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Download it today at macslist.org/resumemistakes.

Some people never apply for jobs. Rather, they are approached by recruiters or called by employers about jobs that don’t get advertised. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Laura Gassner Otting, says this doesn’t happen by accident. These people have learned how to use networking differently than most of us. If you would like to have opportunities come calling at your door, listen in as Laura shares how connecting with others can bring your own opportunities. About Our Guest: Laura Gassner Otting (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauragassnerotting/) is a professional keynote speaker and author. She inspires audiences to push past doubt and indecision. She’s also is an expert in leadership, executive recruitment, and career change. Laura previously served in Bill Clinton’s White House, worked for a nonprofit search firm, and helped grow the startup ExecSearches.com. Her new book, “Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life,” will be out in April of 2019. Resources in this episode: Visit Laura’s website (https://lauragassnerotting.com/), where she helps readers align what they do with who they are in order to achieve their limitless potential. On her site, you can watch her TEDx talk, read helpful articles, and learn more about Laura’s books and speaking. Laura’s first book, “Mission Driven: Moving from Profit to Purpose,” helps job seekers learn how to take advantage of all the opportunities available in the nonprofit sector. Her new book, “Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life,” will be out in April of 2019 and is now available for preorder. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression, visit maclist.org/wow to download "How to Wow and Woo Employers Online," a free resource from Mac’s List.

It’s not enough to get an interview; you need to turn that interview into a job offer. There are several things you can do to close the deal, including preparing for the most common questions employers ask, drawing an employer out about the needs of the company, and sharing how you will meet those needs after you begin work. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Jan Melnik, shares her top strategies for clinching a job offer and her #1 secret strategy for standing out before and after a job interview. Learn how to show your value and why a specific call to action gives you a better chance of getting the job offer. About Our Guest: Jan Melnik (https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmelnik/) is a master resume writer and career strategist who teaches job seekers how to go from interviewee to employee. Jan is the author of “Executive’s Pocket Guide to ROI Resumes and Job Search” and is a frequent keynote speaker at industry conferences nationwide. She also makes regular appearances on both radio and television. Her company, Absolute Advantage (https://www.janmelnik.com/index.html), provides job seekers the absolute advantage when it comes to job search, resume and LinkedIn writing, and career management. Resources in this Episode: For help in creating a resume that demonstrates your value to potential employers, be sure to check out Jan’s book, “Executive’s Guide to ROI Resumes and Job Search.” If you are a job seeker looking for specific help in your search, you must read and implement Jan’s 3-part series on job search strategies: https://www.janmelnik.com/strategies.html  If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My new guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview, shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and possibly get a higher salary. Get your free copy today at https://www.macslist.org/moneytalk. We want to hear from you! Please share your feedback about our show in a short listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Visit macslist.org/findyourdreamjobsurvey and complete by November 20, 2018.

It can be discouraging to face dead ends and disappointment during your job search but knowing your skill set and being clear about your goals can take you all the way from defeat to your dream job. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Becca McCulloch (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-mcculloch-954810a/) and I talk about how to build rapport during an interview, how trusting your instincts can help you know when a job is the right fit, and how learning to go with your gut can help you make difficult career decisions. Learn more about Becca’s career journey below in this installment of our Success Stories series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am the Membership Coordinator at the Portland Business Alliance; the regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as being the assistant to the Chief Operating Officer. I wear many hats, including events assistant; in my role, I head a few of the committees within the Alliance, draw and negotiate trades with area businesses, and even get to utilize  my OLCC license to pour wine at our evening networking events. How long did it take you to find this job? Upon finding this particular job on Mac’s List, the process was very quick.  But the entire job searching process was a months-long, hair-pulling, should-I/shouldn’t-I, sleepless-nights endeavor. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? Knowing that things like Craigslist tend to lead to dead ends, I tried to mostly go with referrals from friends, which included applying for, interviewing for, being offered, accepting, and then backing out of a job in Minnesota when I realized I could not stand the thought of NOT living in Portland. I had checked out Mac’s List in past job search efforts but had never gone forward with applying for positions. This time, I couldn’t wait to check my inbox each Tuesday, knowing that that special gem might just be a click away. When the position at the Portland Business Alliance came through, my experience and skill set matched well enough that I applied. Within a few hours I had an interview set for the next Monday. I met my current boss, and was given the offer the next day.  A completely rewarding 4-day process! What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? The most difficult part of any job search, I think, is hitting dead ends. Not receiving a response from an application you have submitted can feel defeating; worse is interviewing somewhere you feel like you’d be perfect, only to not be offered the position. There is a lot of picking yourself back up, and being confident in the process – and hopefully learning from it along the way. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Definitely go with your gut, but also be open minded. If someone had told me I would not only be working full time as the “membership coordinator” for the Chamber of Commerce, but loving my job as well, I would not have believed them. Sometimes you have to take chances, and I am proof that can land you in an awesome position. Why do you love your job? I get to travel all over the city for our various networking events (150+ per year) , I go to venues and businesses which I would never otherwise have cause to go to – from attorney and architecture firms, to theaters and golf courses, and everything in between. I love meeting all of our great members, and learning more about this wonderful city we live in.  Plus, my coworkers are fabulous, and they make me laugh every single day.  

Job seekers who customize their resume for each individual job application have a huge advantage over those who rely on using a single generic resume. It takes less time than you might think to customize your resume and it’s not at all complicated. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Louise Kursmark, says that you have to be a great candidate on paper before you can be a great candidate in person. By using simple methods that include a yellow highlighter and a printer, you can customize your resume to make it stand out in the onslaught of resumes an employer receives for every job posting. About Our Guest: Louise Kursmark (https://www.louisekursmark.com/) is a 6-time “Best Resume” award winner and the first person worldwide to win the prestigious Master Resume Writer credential. While Louise feels strongly about customizing your resume for every application, she is also adamant about the need to network. Louise is a prolific author with more than 20 books published, including her latest, “Modernize Your Resume” and “Modernize Your Job Search Letters.” (https://www.louisekursmark.com/books-by-louise-kursmark/) Resources in This Episode: Read all about the latest trends in resume writing and career management in Louise Kursmark’s newest books, “Modernize Your Resume” and “Modernize Your Job Search Letters.” (https://www.louisekursmark.com/books-by-louise-kursmark/) Visit Louise’s website to learn more about how to tell your story, both for your next job, and your future: https://www.louisekursmark.com/  You can avoid making the resume pitfalls we consistently see jobseekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes. In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Download it today at macslist.org/resumemistakes. We want to hear from you! Please share your feedback about our show in a short listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Visit macslist.org/findyourdreamjobsurvey and complete by November 20, 2018.

It is critical to make a great first impression when job hunting. As soon as you walk in the door, you are being judged on your looks, speech, and behavior. However, being on your best behavior is only one aspect of making a great first impression. You also have to be aware of anything that may come up in a Google search of your name. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Merryn Roberts-Huntley, says that you need to pay attention to how others see you online. She also shares tips on body language, clothing, grooming, and the one place that all headhunters and hiring managers visit when checking out candidates online. About Our Guest:  Merryn Roberts-Huntley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/merryn-roberts-huntley/) knows how to help you land your dream career. With 17 years of business experience and 10 years of career coaching, many companies and young professionals call Merryn their secret weapon. Merryn founded Made To Hire (https://www.madetohire.com/) to help people reach their career goals faster. Her first book, Made to Hire; Market Yourself for the Career You Want, will be out in late 2018. Resources in this Episode: For tips on how to create and manage your brand, make fantastic first impressions, succeed in interviews and negotiate offers, look for Merryn’s brand new book, Made to Hire; Market Yourself for the Career You Want, releasing in Fall 2018. Visit https://www.madetohire.com/the-book/ to learn more and reserve your copy. Visit Merryn’s website, Made To Hire (https://www.madetohire.com), to sign up for her email list and while you’re there, check out all the valuable resources she has for job seekers.  Merryn's top 10 list for making a good first impression:  Clothing and accessories.   Grooming and makeup. Posture. Energy. Eye contact. Handshake. Questions. Manners. Being present. Being on time. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. Visit macslist.org/questions. We want to hear from you! Please share your feedback about our show in a short listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Visit macslist.org/findyourdreamjobsurvey and complete by November 20, 2018.

Are you nervous about making a good impression and standing out in an upcoming job interview? You don’t have to be! Scientific research shows that you can become the hiring manager’s friend, form a connection, and win over any interviewer with just a few simple steps. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Dr. CK Bray, says that by preparing ahead of time, you can overcome your fears and anxieties and learn how to form a bond with the hiring manager, doubling your chances at getting an offer. About Our Guest: Dr. CK Bray Dr. CK Bray (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drckbray/) is CEO and founder of the Adaption Institute (https://www.adaptioninstitute.com/), where they provide science-based solutions for organizations experiencing change. CK is also a career development expert. His first book “Best Job Ever,” was a USA Today bestseller. He hosts the podcast Career Revolution. Every week, CK shares advice on how to look for work, get promoted, and deal with being fired or laid off. Resources in this Episode: Dr. Bray’s best-selling book, Best Job Ever, will help you define your goals and dreams, and find ways to make them happen to help you find or create your best job ever.  Check out Career Revolution (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/career-revolution-dr-ck-bray-place-to-fix-change-or/id858358683), Dr. Bray’s podcast focused on helping listeners cultivate a career and life that provides purpose and fulfillment.  Learn more about Dr. CK Bray and his personal work at drckbray.com. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. Visit macslist.org/questions. We want to hear from you! Please share your feedback about our show in a short listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Visit macslist.org/findyourdreamjobsurvey and complete by November 20, 2018. Thank you!

Do you want to work in the nonprofit sector and still make money? There’s a common misconception that working for nonprofits means you have to give up a competitive salary in exchange for mission-driven work. Our guest this week on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Catalina Rojas, says that you don’t have to choose between a nonprofit job and competitive pay. By doing your research, knowing your worth, and advocating for yourself, you can have a fulfilling job and the compensation you want. About Our Guest: Catalina Rojas Catalina Rojas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/catalina-rojas-912b9a2/) is the host of the Social Change Career Podcast. Catalina is an expert on nonprofit salary negotiation. She says if you choose to work for a nonprofit, that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for a good salary. Catalina emphasizes the importance of being prepared and knowing what you want before sitting down to salary negotiations. Her advice is practical, actionable, and much of it applies to private sector jobs, too. Resources in this Episode: Listen to Catalina’s podcast, the Social Change Career Podcast, to hear how professionals in the social change field are changing the world while making a living and learn how to align your own passion with your purpose. Visit: https://pcdnetwork.org/the-social-change-career-podcast/  For global social change resources, visit the Peace and Collaborative Development Network: https://pcdnetwork.org/. Knowing the average salary of the position you’re going after will make you a stronger negotiator. You can find the true salary for positions in your area using online tools that compile this data. Catalina recommends Glassdoor.com. Learn how to negotiate for the salary you deserve. Download our free guide, “How to Talk About Money in an Interview,” at macslist.org/moneytalk.

Up to 80 percent of jobs are never posted online. So how are these positions filled? Through networking. Networking is essential to landing a fulfilling job you love, but most people feel icky doing it. Today’s Find Your Dream Job guest, Halelly Azulay (https://www.linkedin.com/in/talentgrow), shares what good networking looks like and how it can help you find your next role. Halelly says that networking is all about authenticity and service to others. Giving without thinking of receiving will build a strong community upon mutual respect, and those relationships will help you land your dream job. About our guest: Halelly Azulay Halelly is CEO at TalentGrow (https://www.talentgrow.com), a consulting company that develops leaders and teams. She’s an expert in leadership, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic networking. In her weekly podcast, Talent Grow Show, Halelly shares practical, tactical tips on how to overcome the ick factor in networking and find your next job as a result. Resources in this Episode: Learn more about Halelly’s work improving leadership and teams by visiting www.TalentGrow.com. Halelly has written two books: “Employee Development on a Shoestring” and “Strength to Strength: How Working From Your Strengths Can Help You Lead a More Fulfilling Life” for leaders wanting to strengthen their teams. Listen to Halelly’s weekly podcast, Talent Grow Show (https://www.talentgrow.com), for tips on networking and authentic relationship building. Halelly has a special offer just for listeners of the Find Your Dream Job podcast. Go to talentgrow.com/dreamjob for a free guide on Ten Ways to Become a More Engaging Communicator. Halelly encourages Find Your Dream Job listeners to learn how to build your network in just five minutes a day from the most networked man in Silicon Valley, Adam Rifkin. Read Adam's best tips in this Forbes article from 2013: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelsimmons/2013/08/22/how-the-worlds-top-relationship-builder-makes-introductions/#54186d7a38fd. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to leave a good impression with my free online course. Go to maclist.org/wow.

When you’re a recent college graduate, it can feel daunting to search for a job without previous experience in your field. The good news is, all you need to find a great job are: a good network, special skills that set you apart, and knowing how to use those skills. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Drake MacFarlane and I talk about how he used his strengths and interests to pinpoint and highlight his unique skills to land his dream job at Columbia Sportswear - and get promoted there within his first year of employment. Learn more about Drake’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am the new fraud analyst in Columbia Sportswear’s eCommerce department. I build statistical models to predict cyber fraud risk and make financial projections incorporating those results. Additionally, I do data analysis and reporting on eCommerce key performance indicators (KPIs). In other words, I stare at numbers all day—and like it! Since I’m bilingual, I also work with the French-speaking customer service representatives in the department. How long did it take you to find this job? It took me about ten weeks after graduating from Lewis & Clark College. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? My job search was two-pronged: plenty of applying for jobs found on Glassdoor and Indeed, as well as a series of informational interviews with contacts I had made. Although I found my current role from a posting on Indeed, most of my potential job opportunities came from contacting those in my network. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? The hardest part was facing rejection after making it through several rounds of interviews. It’s certainly disheartening and has happened to me a few times. I overcame this challenge by pounding the pavement. After each rejection, I’d send out at least three job applications and contact someone in my network. Rolling with the punches helped immensely and kept me on track, in addition to copious amounts of caffeine from coffee shops around town. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Job searching is a numbers game in the end. Although some strategies are more optimal than others in finding a job, it is simply about getting as many tailored and effective resumes out there as possible. I advise against spamming every company’s HR inbox with cookie-cutter resumes–but you should set a quota goal for each day and hit it. Whether that means you send three customized resumes out a day or to have two informational interviews a week, what matters is that you keep racking up those numbers. Eventually something will bite. Why do you love your job? First, I get to actually put to good use all the math classes I’ve taken over the years. I am afforded the opportunity to solve difficult problems through mathematical models I build with a ‘fail-fast’ mindset. If something works, great. If not, I scrap it and do something new. In addition, I’m able to put my mind to not just answering financial questions, but also towards predicting and deterring the actions of fraudsters and hackers. Finally, I’m lucky enough to have supportive colleagues and a great mentor within my department. The Columbia corporate culture is supportive towards personal career growth and collaborative success.

As a job seeker, what is the first thing you do when looking for your next job or career move? Do you get online, find jobs you might be interested in, and then go through the online application process? If so, you might be shocked to learn that you have a better chance of getting into Harvard than you do of finding a job you love through an online system. On this episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, career expert Austin Belcak tells you how to get around the online application system, how to build relationships with people on the inside, and how to find your own personal champion within a company.   About Our Guest: Austin Belcak Austin Belcak (https://www.linkedin.com/in/abelcak/) is the founder of Cultivated Culture (https://cultivatedculture.com/) and is an expert on how to find jobs in unconventional ways. He shares highly effective strategies for landing amazing jobs without traditional experience, without connections, and without applying online.   Resources in this Episode: Austin shares a detailed breakdown of his entire job process as his flagship course. Check out Austin's Dream Job System: https://cultivatedculture.com/macslist/  Rapid Resume Revamp (https://cultivatedculture.com/?s=rapid+resume+revamp) helps you create a resume that will help you build a relationship with the employer and beat applicant tracking systems. Get in touch with anyone with Hunter (https://hunter.io/): the easiest way to find someone's corporate email address. Austin has provided several free courses for Find Your Dream Job listeners. Visit https://cultivatedculture.com/macslist/. Need help getting clear about your goals? Check out Finding Focus in Your Job Search, a free resource from Mac’s List. Download it at maclist.org/focus.   

When preparing for a negotiation, especially about money, people are often told that their feelings don’t matter. We are warned to not get emotional at the negotiating table. Women are seen as emotional while men are seen as rational thinkers and therefore better negotiators. But are your feelings truly a weakness when it comes to negotiations? On this episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Jamie Lee helps us understand why we should pay attention to our feelings and why emotion has a place in business conversations. About Our Guest: Jamie Lee Jamie Lee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leejieunjamie/) is a leadership and negotiation coach. She has led hundreds of workshops on negotiation, self-advocacy, and transformative leadership. Her clients include leading organizations in technology, finance, and diplomacy. She also hosts the weekly podcast, Born to Thrive (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/born-to-thrive-with-jamie-lee/id1357660344?mt=2). Resources Shared in This Episode: Jamie’s free webinar series: Bolder, Braver, and Better Paid (https://sg429-a09a41.pages.infusionsoft.net/). Recommended Reading: Jamie encourages our listeners to check out this book written by psychiatrist turned negotiation trainer, Mark Goulston, “Just Listen,” (https://www.amazon.com/Just-Listen-Discover-Getting-Absolutely/dp/0814436471). More from our guest: To learn more about Jamie and access her free resources, go to jamieleecoach.com.

Do you think it’s a best practice to never call or write a hiring manager? Or that you should only apply for jobs where you meet 80% of qualifications? How about the notion that you must tell a hiring manager what you earned at your last job? Our guest Clark Finnical debunks these jobs search myths and unlocks the keys to finding more career satisfaction. About Our Guest: Clark Finnical Clark Finnical is the author of “Job Hunting Secrets (from someone who's been there)”: https://amzn.to/2MPx1PN. Clark worked in the corporate world for 30 years. And he knows firsthand what it’s like to look for a job. He’s done five successful searches himself. Clark is passionate about dispelling myths that put a job seeker at a disadvantage. He shares his career advice in frequent articles for LinkedIn. He also volunteers as a career coach. Resources Shared in This Episode: Get Clark’s book: “Job Hunting Secrets (from someone who's been there)”: https://amzn.to/2MPx1PN

If you're in the midst of a long job search, it can feel like you've exhausted every possible avenue to find a new job. Consider taking a closer look at your LinkedIn profile and connections, and revising your cover letter to find more success in your job search. On this bonus episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, I chat with Zerline Hughes Spruill, who is the Managing Director of Communications at the Advancement Project in Washington, DC about she used LinkedIn as a platform to grow her professional brand and attract attention from potential employers, and how she used her cover letter to refine her job search. Learn more about Zerline's career history below, in a Q&A featured as a part of our Success Stories series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am Managing Director of Communications for Advancement Project. I manage the strategic communications and outreach for a mid-size nonprofit that is dedicated to racial justice, particularly as it relates to voting rights, immigration and education. How long did it take you to find this job? Though I wasn’t actively looking for full-time employment, the process from start to finish took two months during the summer. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? LinkedIn really works! I wasn’t looking for a job, but heard with regular updates to LinkedIn, including weekly posts, comments and keeping your profile updated, that other users will notice you. This was the case with a headhunter who apparently found me on LinkedIn. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? Because I wasn’t actively searching, there was no difficulty in the hunt. However, being patient over the two-month period with the one employer was difficult. As a contractor, I was squeamish about taking on new contracts in the event I was, in fact hired. But I understood that the process was going to take time because the organization wanted the right person for this leadership role; it was summer and staff wasn’t readily available for panel interviews and they didn’t want to rush into such a big decision. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? When working with a search firm, ask them questions. Let them truly guide you by asking for their input on your resume, cover letter, interview input. They want you to succeed as much as you do yourself. Why do you love your job? I love my job because after only two weeks, I feel valued, appreciated and needed. I also love my job because I know what I’m doing – what we’re doing – makes a difference. Finally, I love my job because they hosted a staff retreat where staff really got to “retreat,” and relax, and team-build.

If you find yourself experiencing doubts about your current job position, look for warning signs that it’s not worth sticking it out. A toxic workplace culture, stagnant company growth, no room for career development and other indicators can be clear signs that it’s time to move on. Our guest expert Jessica Hernandez shares how to overcome obstacles as you face a career change. About Our Guest: Jessica Hernandez Jessica Hernandez is an executive resume writer and President and CEO of Great Resumes Fast. Resources Shared in This Episode: Go to https://www.greatresumesfast.com/ Fifteen Keys To Get Your Resume Through Applicant Tracking Software Systems: https://www.greatresumesfast.com/macslist

Today, the Mac’s List team marks a major milestone. This month marks the third anniversary of the Find Your Dream Job podcast. We’ve now recorded more than 160 weekly shows. Add the more than 50 bonus episodes, and that makes more than 200 podcast programs. To mark the occasion, the Mac’s List team gathered in the podcast studio to share their favorite career lessons learned and most impactful job seeker advice they’ve discovered along the way. Here’s a few of the big takeaways the team shares: Why taking action and making a commitment is an important first step How to ask your network about your strengths The importance of having focus in your job search Why you should always write a cover letter How to pay it forward and keep your career development moving even when you’re not actively job-hunting Listen in to this bonus episode as the Mac’s List team celebrates how the podcast has grown and looks forward to what’s next.

In order to find a job where you will thrive, it’s essential to determine if the company’s work culture is the right fit for you. Do you thrive in structured work environments or do you need to work remotely? During the interview process, ask tactical, specific questions about the company’s culture and determine if it fits your needs. Dorianne St Fluer, HR practitioner and diversity/inclusion enthusiast joins us to examine how to identify if a company’s culture is a good fit before you accept a job offer. About Our Guest: Dorianne St Fleur Dorianne is a HR practitioner, Diversity & Inclusion enthusiast and career and salary strategist based in New York City. She is also the creator of the online career coaching boutique, Your Career Girl as well as the host of the weekly career podcast called, Deeper than Work. Dorianne coaches, speaks and podcasts about how women of color can leverage their unique strengths to decrease the leadership gap in Tech and Finance. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Keep in mind these 7 warning signs before you accept a job offer, from Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/40585779/7-warning-signs-that-you-shouldnt-accept-a-job-offer Listener question: Alex Franklin, Portland, OR, is passionate about politics and frequently uses social media to discuss political issues. He asks, is it okay to be politically active when looking for work? More from our guest: Go to yourcareergirl.com Subscribe to Dorianne’s podcast, The Deeper Than Work Podcast: https://yourcareergirl.com/podcast/

It’s a common phrase when you’re looking for a job, “keep your options open.” However, keeping all of your options open and applying everywhere is typically not the best approach. Career coach Caroline Adams reveal why it’s in your best interest to be strategic, intentional, and laser-focused with your job search. About Our Guest: Caroline Adams Caroline is a career coach, writer, and business owner, helping millennial women design careers with purpose. Before becoming a coach, Caroline had a 20-year corporate career focused on organizational change. She began as a management consultant at Accenture and ended up as a Director of Anti-Money Laundering at Citibank, making some pretty cool pivots along the way. What she’s always loved most is helping people define their careers. She’s made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and ultimately get wherever they want to go. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Explore two new tools from LinkedIn that can help you make new connections ‒ Find Nearby (https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/75689?trk=tos-email-2017?trk=li_corpblog_TOS_Privacy) and QR codes (https://blog.linkedin.com/2018/june/27/turn-your-offline-conversations-into-onine-connections-with-linkedin). Listener question: Wayne Cramer, Las Vegas, NV “Is there any advantage to being one of the first people to apply for a job? When a new job listing pops up on LinkedIn or Craigslist, I sometimes feel the urge to apply as soon as possible. Does getting your application in early make any impact?” More from our guest: Visit Caroline Adam’s website: https://carolineadamscoaching.com/ Ask Caroline about any of your job search challenges - https://carolineadamscoaching.com/ask-me-anything Additional blog resources: 4 Steps to Take Back Your Life and Design a Career With Purpose (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/subscribe) The Right Way to Plan Your Career: A Roadmap: https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/the-right-way-to-plan-your-career-a-roadmap-for-millennial-women The Golden Rule of Career Change and Advancement (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/millennial-women-golden-rule-career-change-advancement) Exponentially Increase Your Career Options With This Simple Improv Trick (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/millennial-women-yes-and-career-options)

Every interview typically includes the classic opening line: "Tell me about yourself." Your answer to this introductory question can be a gamechanger. Career coach and job search strategist Kerri Twigg shares why your response needs to be prepared in advance to ensure that it’s conversational, enjoyable, and strategic. About Our Guest: Kerri Twigg Kerri Twigg is a Certified Resume Strategist with more than 15 years experience as a consultant and workshop facilitator. She holds an M.Ed in Humane Education and works with clients in industries that don't harm people, animals or the environment. Resources in this Episode: New tool: The Verge interviewed social psychologist Heidi Grant about why it’s so important to ask for help when you’re struggling: https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2018/6/22/17475134/heidi-grant-reinforcements-help-social-psychology Listener question: Shiva Acharya from Albuquerque, New Mexico recently graduated from college and is frustrated by the number of entry-level jobs that require 2-5+ years experience. Shiva wonders if employers will still consider him despite his lack of experience. More from our guest: Get Kerri Twigg’s full guide on how to answer the question Tell Me About Yourself in five simple steps: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tell-me-yourself-preparation-tips-kerri-twigg-m-ed-crs-/ Visit Kerri’s website: http://www.career-stories.com/

With today’s competitive job market, submitting your resume online to recruiters can sometimes feel like throwing it into a black hole. However, there’s a better way to highlight your skills, select strategic keywords, and build a better resume that will attract recruiters who are hiring. Tarunum Khan, certified career strategist shares how to get started. About Our Guest: Taranum Khan Taranum Khan, Ph. D is a Certified Career Strategist and Ambassador, Career Professionals of Canada. In 2017 she received the nomination for Award of Excellence as an "Outstanding Career Professional.” Her passion is creating a positive impact on career and academic journey of the lives she touches, locally and globally. Every conversation with her is uplifting and inspiring as she inverts the focus for you to rediscover the strengths within you! Resources in this Episode: New tool: False expectations can be holding you back from finding your next career. The Ladders shares 8 unrealistic expectations that smart people ignore: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/8-unrealistic-expectations-smart-people-ignore Listener question: Terry Williamson from Eugene, Oregon asks “Here's my job search pet peeve: When you're applying for a job online and they ask you to upload a resume. But then they also ask you to re-enter all of the information from your resume into separate ‘work history’ fields. Why do companies do this?” More from our guest: Connect with Taranum on LinkedIn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/taranumkhan) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TaranumNKhan).

Job searching can feel difficult if you’re approaching it alone. One way to go farther in your job search is to team up with friends, coworkers, and mentors to lighten the load, get their advice, and make your job search journey more bearable. On this bonus episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, I chat with Mariana Lindsay (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariana-lindsay-2582a71a/) who is the the urban rural connection coordinator at the American Leadership Forum of Oregon. Learn more about Mariana’s career and get her job search advice in her Q&A below, part of the Mac’s List Success Stories series. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I’m coordinator of American Leadership Forum (http://www.alforegon.org/) (ALF) of Oregon’s new Urban Rural Connection Program. At a time when our communities and nation feel acutely divided, ALF is leading dialogue and helping foster collaboration across differences. Throughout the 30-year history of ALF Oregon, the urban-rural divide has been a part of every class and it is an issue that affects each of our local communities. Through gathering community partners, funding, and staff capacity to bring together a diverse cohort of leaders to explore what’s causing the divide and what solutions can be generated, ALF works to better understand how the divide is defined, how it impacts communities, and when the divide is used as a weapon or as a tool. How long did it take you to find this job? 2.5 months How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I previously spent nearly 5 years at the Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) in Portland, and served as interim Executive Director during my last year. Once we announced new Executive Director, Traci Rossi, I felt comfortable scheduling coffee with colleagues to discuss my job search and what opportunities might be available. It’s easy to get stuck in a professional bubble, so having those conversations re-opened my perspective on the types of positions and sectors available. I’ve always been a believer in reaching out to people who I’ve worked with and learned from to get their best thinking and advice. And, on the flip side, I believe in trying to always be open and ready to return the favor when they reach out. There is so much that can be learned, accomplished, and built through relationships. I think we often times are discouraged from reaching out to learn from others (see: fake it till you make it), but we can’t be perfect at everything and by asking for partnership, we give another person the chance to shine and teach. ALF Executive Director, Kendall Clawson, has been a mentor and friend for 7 years, and we’d collaborated on projects and shared more time over coffee than I can count. Our history meant we’d developed a good sense of each other’s passions and professional backgrounds. She approached me about the new Urban Rural project and it being a fit for my skillset. I applied, and was fortunate enough to get the job, partly in thanks to some of my professional contacts (including the former CWL Board Chair Martha Pellegrino) who were ALF Senior Fellows and were generous enough to vouch for me. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? Above is the short and sweet version, but it doesn’t encompass the parts of the job search that weren’t slam dunks: applying for jobs that I didn’t get, contemplating moving to another job market, and the self-doubt of starting a new chapter. You can’t pursue it all, no matter how much you want to. There are only so many hours in the day, and not every job is right for you. Sifting through job announcements and figuring out which ones really fit my professional experience, values, and ambitions was time-consuming and often exhausting. I tried to go on a run most days and check in with friends – the time to reflect internally on a run and externally through friends helped me distill where I should be putting my energy. During the in-between time, I pursued contract work, which helped me stay active in my professional networks and eased my financial concerns. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? It’s hard to know which meeting, application, or random conversation will be the door that opens to the next career chapter. So be present where you are and with who you’re with in the moment. Job-seeking is usually a stressful season, so it’s easy for the mind to drift to the long to-do list and the seemingly omnipresent worries, but you can only be in one place at a time and you want to get the most out of the now. Why do you love your job? I love the daily chance to collaborate with leaders across regions and sectors who believe in an Oregon that thrives because diversity is welcomed, communities are heard and supported, equity is paramount, and the state is bursting with thoughtful innovation. My job affords me the chance to think deeply, feel passionately, and work with people who inspire me.

You might think that every job posting is a list of facts about the position. That’s a mistake, according to Justin Dux, CareerCloud Radio podcast host. If you learn to read between the lines you can become a more competitive candidate and stand out from dozens of other applicants. About Our Guest: Justin Dux Justin Dux hosts CareerCloud Radio, a podcast for job seekers that began in 2007. He regularly interviews job hunting experts who offer useful and actionable tips. And he is proud graduate of the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Vermont is offering $10,000 to remote workers who move to the state: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/vermont-is-offering-remote-workers-10000-to-move-to-its-state Listener question: Leonard Bryan from West Linn, Oregon asks: “A lot of people talk about finding an employer that offers a good work-life balance. How do you define work-life balance? What is your advice for finding employers who match your definition?” More from our guest: Go to careercloud.com Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindux/

Building a network is essential to finding a career in today’s competitive online job market. Today, the Mac’s List team explores how to build your network strategically with guest expert Sara Holtz. Find out how to develop a strategy for expanding your network and learn why the casual approach of asking your colleague for a chat over coffee may not be the best move. About Our Guest: Sara Holtz Sara Holtz is passionate about helping women succeed in the workplace. Sara launched the Advice to My Younger Me podcast to serve as a "virtual mentor" to help younger women navigate a sometimes confusing workplace. In each episode, Sara and her guest, another successful women who has "been there, learned this," provide clear, practical career advice. Sara comes to this podcast after a very accomplished career as a business lawyer, senior executive at Fortune 500 companies and as a nationally-recognized expert helping women lawyers achieve career success. She is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Get the book, “The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success” (https://amzn.to/2JXoPbO) by Nicholas Lore. Listener question: This week’s question comes from Jenna Paulson, a resident of Portland, Oregon. Jenna asks if hiring managers will knock her for being unemployed, despite it not being her fault. Her company’s unexpected downsizing is the reason for her unemployment. More from our guest: Visit Sara’s website to check out her podcast, Advice to My Younger Me: http://tomyyounger.me/ Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-holtz-688909/

If you’re looking for a new job opportunity, you may be weighing out the possibility of taking an internship. But you shouldn’t underestimate the value of internships. Internships can unlock new opportunities, forge new relationships, and create lifelong connections. Find out how to stand out as an intern and stay connected after your internship ends with insights from career expert Kirk Baumann. About Our Guest: Kirk Baumann Kirk Baumann is an experienced talent acquisition leader, connecting people to their purpose. As a career and leadership expert recognized globally, Kirk has helped launch thousands of careers for young leaders and thrives on building lasting relationships. Named one of the 100 Most Social HR Experts on Twitter by The Huffington Post, Kirk is the founder and author of the award-winning career advice blog, Campus to Career. Kirks advice has been featured in Business News Daily, Mashable, and US News & World Report. Resources in this Episode: New tool: “The Pay Gap Is Way Too Entrenched To Be Solved By Women Alone” (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-pay-gap-is-way-too-entrenched-to-be-solved-by-women-alone/) from Fivethirtyeight. Listener question: Colleen Smyth from Gresham, Oregon asks: “I know it's important to ask the hiring manager good questions in an interview. How many questions do you think is appropriate? In my last interview, I felt like I was asking too many questions and the interviewer was getting annoyed.” More from our guest: Get Kirk’s advice on Acing the 400 Hour Interview (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/acing-400hr-interview-kirk-baumann/) Read 4 Little Ways to Stand Out as Intern (https://campus-to-career.com/2017/07/25/4-little-ways-to-stand-out-as-an-intern/) From Campus to Career. Visit campus-to-career.com to read Kirk’s latest blog posts. Connect with Kirk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbaumann/.

If you’re feeling disconnected from your career, it may be because you’re not following your calling. This week’s guest expert Lisa Zigarmi says following your calling is key to unlocking a successful, rewarding and happier career. Find out how to identify your calling and and how it can help your job search. About Our Guest: Lisa Zigarmi Lisa Zigarmi is a leadership coach and growth accelerator. She partners with executives and entrepreneurs who want to relate more deeply, decide more efficiently and think with more creativity. Lisa helps her clients build leadership capacity by applying positive psychology, leadership science, and mindfulness practices. She regularly contributes to Forbes and her corporate clients include: Johnson & Johnson, Salesforce, Genentech and VMware. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Use this career roadmap from Rasmussen College to plot out your motivations, interests, goals and more (http://www.rasmussen.edu/career-center/career-research-hub/what-career-is-right-for-me/) and determine the best career path for you. Listener question: Daniel Willis, from New York state, recently finished getting his master’s degree. But he’s realized he longer wants to pursue a career in this field. He asks how he can explain this drastic change in career direction to prospective employers. More from our guest: Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisazigarmi/ Visit Lisazigarmi.com to find out more about Lisa’s upcoming projects.

On this bonus episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, I chat with Lori Aoki, physician recruiter at The Vancouver Clinic. Lori learned a lot from a year-long job search after moving to a new city. Though the search was discouraging at times, she found ways to build resilience while improving her networking strategy and her application materials. Then, when she was ready to move into a new role, her network came out to help, putting her in contact with a new organization where she gets to use the job search lessons she learned to recruit staff for The Vancouver Clinic. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I joined The Vancouver Clinic in April 2017 as a Provider Recruiter. How long did it take you to find this job? Not long; the job found me! The process took about three weeks from the time I heard about the job, applied, interviewed and was hired. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? A friend of mine told me about the position and recommended me to the hiring manager.  It proves to me that networking really works. It’s often who you know and not what you know that leads to success in the job market. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? When I first moved to Portland in 2013 it took me a year to find a job. I got a lot of leads from Mac’s List, I attended the networking events Mac’s List hosted, and read whatever I could about job hunting in Portland. I went on several first interviews, but didn’t have the right skill set to make it to the final round. I got a lot of practice with writing cover letters, tuning up my resume and interviewing, which was extremely valuable. Job searching can be downright depressing when you keep getting rejection letters. I read somewhere that 25% of people who are hired end up quitting in the first year. That’s what happened in my situation: I had been a finalist for the Physician Liaison job with Adventist Health, but I wasn’t hired. I continued to check the website for openings and saw that six months after I didn’t get the job, it was posted again. I applied a second time for the same job and got hired. I got a promotion while I was with Adventist Health that ended up not being a good fit. Once I recognized this, I put the word out to my network of colleagues and friends that I was looking for a new position and landed my current job. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Be resilient. Acknowledge that job hunting is hard. Learn from every stage of the job search process. Get support from friends and family. Why do you love your job? I hire people for a living and match them to their dream job. That feels really great. I’m also hiring people who are going to impact the future of my organization. It’s challenging to find the right skillset and cultural fit, but when it happens, it’s awesome.

Mentors can make an incredible difference in your career. A mentor can make introductions, give you advice, and provide you with a trusted reference. Our guest expert this week is Marci Alboher, vice president of Encore.org. Discover why mentors matter, how to find mentors and why you should be one yourself. About Our Guest: Marci Alboher Marci Alboher(https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcialboher/), a Vice President at Encore.org(https://encore.org/), is one of the nation’s leading authorities on career issues and workplace trends. A former blogger and columnist for The New York Times, her latest book is “The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.” (https://amzn.to/2HGMg73) Marci serves on the board of directors of Girls Write Now and as a mentor editor for The OpEd Project. Marci lives in NYC, with her husband Jay and their French bulldog Sinatra. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Online classroom Udacity has teamed up with Google to provide 12 free courses to job seekers across the globe. Explore the available courses:  https://blog.udacity.com/2018/06/udacity-launches-free-career-courses.html Listener question: Madeline Johnson from Eugene, Oregon knows that it’s all about who you know but feels awkward name-dropping in an interview. We explore how to talk about your connections authentically. More from our guest: Get Marci’s book:https://amzn.to/2HGMg73 Connect with Marci on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcialboher/

You may think that your most important tool for finding a new job is your resume, your cover letter or your references but that’s not the case. Our guest expert Nella Barkley shares how you can make a big difference in your job search by knowing your own skills, defining your goals and by actively advocating for yourself with clear evidence of your demonstrated achievements. Ask yourself what you can point to as impressive accomplishments and how to emphasize those achievements in the job interview. About Our Guest: Nella Barkley Nella Barkley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nella-gray-barkley-a405b5122/)  is the president and co-founder of the Crystal-Barkley Corporation (http://www.careerlife.com/) which helps people find their own personal career and life paths. She is a sought-after mentor, public speaker and coach. Her counsel is sought by Fortune 500 corporations, career changers, and international media.Nella is also the author of two books: “The Crystal-Barkley Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career” (https://amzn.to/2Mvejdq)  and “How to Help Your Child Land the Right Job: (Without Being a Pain in the Neck).” (https://amzn.to/2ygbWrY) Resources in this Episode: New Tool: If you’re introverted, don’t discount your abilities to connect with people on a deeper level. Read this guide on: “Why introverts might actually be better networkers” (https://work.qz.com/1277113/networking-events-why-introverts-might-actually-be-better-at-them/) by author David Burkas on Quartz.   Listener Question: Shelly Milos from Beaverton, Oregon asks: I’ve planned and paid for a vacation with my husband this summer. I’ve also FINALLY started getting interviews and don’t know when to bring up my trip with my potential employer. When’s the best time to bring this up and still get hired?     More from Nella Barkley: Nella’s company offers regular online seminars for professionals. Check out her Life/Work Design programs here. (https://bestworkinc.com/life-work-design/)     Visit bestworkinc.com (https://bestworkinc.com/) Connect with Nella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nella-gray-barkley-a405b5122/ Read Nella’s books: “The Crystal-Barkley Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career”  

Freelance work is trending, and it doesn't have to be an exhausting, feast-or-famine career. Rethink short-term gigs by learning more about portfolio careers. About Our Guest: Anne Pryor Anne Pryor (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annepryor/) is a globally recognized online brand strategist and top 10 LinkedIn trainer. She helps clients stand out, get found, and make meaningful connections for great jobs and profitable business. Anne had written more than 10,000 LinkedIn profiles and trained 100,000 people. Learn more about Anne on her website, annepryor.com (https://annepryor.com/). Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Shortly, even the CEO will be outsourced to an online labor marketplace (https://techcrunch.com/2018/03/05/shortly-even-the-ceo-will-be-outsourced-to-an-online-labor-marketplace/?ncid=rss) from TechCrunch. Listener Question: Kathy Rees of Portland, Ore. asks, “Is it better to list (or not list) some part time jobs that I have had since I was laid off in July? I do not want to look like someone who jumps from job to job.” More from Anne Pryor: Visit Anne’s website: www.annepryor.com (https://annepryor.com/).

In today’s world, applying for a job online means you’re bound to face some fierce competition. In some cases, you may be competing with an internal candidate. And in other instances, you may be competing with recruiters working for the hiring manager. Any number of online job postings may attract hundreds of applicants. How do you stand out from the crowd? Get expert insights from talent recruiter and owner of PDX Career Coach, Christine LaPorte. About Our Guest: Christine LaPorte Christine LaPorte has been a talent recruiter for Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Rejuvenation and R/GA. Today, as the owner of PDX Career Coach, Christine gives creative professionals the tools and strategies they need to connect with hiring managers and get competitive salaries. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Mango (http://mangoconnects.com) is a networking app that helps you navigate LinkedIn to deepen and grow your professional connections. Listener Question: Germaine Couldis from the Bay Area has worked for the same company since she graduated from high school. Fifteen years later, she’s ready to move on but is worried her lack of a bachelor’s degree will limit her job prospects. More from Christine LaPorte: Go to pdxcareercoach.com (https://www.pdxcareercoach.com/) to connect with Christine and learn her story.

Anyone who has gone through a job search can tell you that rejection is par for the course. Even the most skilled professionals have failed more than once. And even perfect candidates can lose out on a job because of something outside of their control. One of the keys to a successful job search is to maintain positivity and perspective in the face of regular rejection. To do this, you need to be vulnerable, share your feelings, and lean on your support network to maintain your confidence and keep moving forward toward bigger and better things. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we welcomed our first African female guest, author and career coach Añuli Ola-Olaniyi! Añuli explains how to manage failure in your job search and turn rejection into a learning opportunity. About Our Guest: Añuli Ola-Olaniyi Añuli Ola-Olaniyi is the founder of HEIR (http://heir.com.ng/), a social enterprise created to help young women build capacity and learn career skills. Añuli hosts the Hire Me Bootcamp (http://nigerianwomentrustfund.org/hire-me-bootcamp-iii/), a training platform for millennials. She is certified in project management, HR, and digital skills. And she regularly speaks, facilitates and writes about jobs and careers. Resources in this Episode:   New Tool: Inspiration for workers over 50 in a new report: 10 Advantages of Retaining and Hiring Older Workers: Lessons from NYC Small Businesses (https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/research/age-smart-employer/advantages-older-workers) from Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.   Listener Question: New college grad Kendra wrote in from Walla Walla, Wash. to ask if she should hide her tattoos during job interviews.    More from Añuli Ola-Olaniyi: Follow along as Añuli grows her business on Twitter at @heirwoman and @anuli

Julie Dalrymple moved to Portland from a small, tight-knit community in Napa, California. When she first moved to the Pacific Northwest, she missed that built-in network of connections. But from attending networking events, volunteering with local organizations and conducting informational interviews, Julie was able to build a solid network of contacts who opened up new opportunities for her career. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job; I talked with Julie Dalrymple about how volunteering opened up new possibilities for her career and helped her secure a job she loves. You can read more about Julie Dalrymple’s job search below in her essay for our Success Stories series. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I am the marketing & communications manager for Classic Wines Auction (http://www.classicwinesauction.com/) in Portland. We are a small but mighty organization that produces food and wine events to raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. My job involves creating and implementing the marketing and communications strategy, promoting our events via traditional and digital marketing methods, social media, and community outreach. I do a lot of hands-on graphic and web design as well. How long did it take you to find this job? The entire process from the first interview to joining the organization took about six weeks. However, it took several years of searching for the right job. I have a significant background in nonprofit marketing but had a difficult time getting my foot in the door after I moved to Portland in 2014. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? As many others will attest, networking is such a powerful force in the job market. When I moved here three years ago, I focused on cultivating connections by going to events, volunteering, and meeting new people through introductions from friends. Several people alerted me to this particular job opening because it was so well suited to my skills, experience and interests (of course, I had already seen it on Mac’s List). Before applying and interviewing, I researched, followed their social media, reviewed their website thoroughly, and read anything I could find in the media. My prior experience and volunteerism also helped with this position, as I was familiar with the unique nonprofit model of the organization. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? In the case of my longer-term search for the right job, the most difficult part was dealing with rejection. When I first moved to Portland, I interviewed for a number of organizations and seemed to always be the “runner-up.” I had to learn to not take these rejections personally. It’s hard not to doubt your worth when you don’t get that job offer, but a lot is happening behind the scenes that you may not know, and any number of factors can contribute to the final decision. Also, with every job application comes a good deal of vulnerability and energy. It can be difficult to jump through all the hoops of a job search – to put yourself out there – and not know if the effort will pay off. Many organizations require detailed projects, plans and personal analysis toward the end of the process, which can be exhausting. But it can also be the key to a life-changing career move (and you can learn a lot about yourself).   What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Find a way to get local, hands-on experience in your desired industry. And, if you’re new to an area, explore the region, meet people, volunteer and find new connections. I volunteered a lot when I moved here – as a tour guide at the Pittock Mansion (http://www.pittockmansion.org/) (which introduced me to new friends and helped me get acquainted with the city), as a committee member for the American Cancer Society’s annual gala (http://www.portlandhopeball.com/) (which provided valuable insight into the Portland nonprofit and event scene), and as a marketing consultant for other small nonprofits (which opened new doors). I can’t stress enough the value of volunteering. It was critical in building my foundation here in Portland. Why do you love your job? The people, the mission, the work… and the wine. The people you work with make all the difference, and I’m grateful for great colleagues and an awesome boss. CWA is making a difference in the community, by serving worthy charitable organizations and bringing people together through wine, food and philanthropy.  I’m excited to come into the office every day and do such great work. I’ve always loved creating memorable experiences for people, especially for a good cause, and I’m glad to be a part of an organization that shares that value. Want to learn more about Julie? Connect with her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliedalrymple/)!  

Connecting salary and success can be a losing game. Don’t equate the amount of money you make with how happy you are in life. Instead, know that your self-worth is more than your paycheck. And when you do negotiate for salary, focus on understanding the market value of your skills and ask for the pay that compensates the type of work you do. About Our Guest: Lauren McGoodwin Lauren McGoodwin is the founder and CEO of Career Contessa (http://www.careercontessa.com/), a career site for women. Previously, Lauren was a tech recruiter at Hulu and wrote her masters thesis on millennial women and career resources. Career Contessa launched in 2013 and now helps more than one million people with career development each year. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: How do Applicant Tracking Systems work? This article from Jobscan outlines four features of the most common ATS software. Read Taleo: 4 Ways the Most Popular ATS Ranks Your Job Application. (https://www.jobscan.co/blog/taleo-popular-ats-ranks-job-applications/) Listener Question: Doug Boxford of Anaheim, Calif. asked for tips about controlling his nerves during a job interview. More from Lauren McGoodwin: Check out the new Productivity Powerhouse (https://careercontessa.lpages.co/productivity-powerhouse-waitlist/) course from Career Contessa. Get Lauren’s script for asking for a raise. (http://www.careercontessa.com/advice/gimme-raise-mini-resource/)

What do you do when you know you need to move forward in your career, but you need some direction? Many people end up in career paths that aren’t a great fit for their natural talents and passions. If you’re looking for a better job fit, start to observe yourself at work, name your strengths, and rewrite your career story to show off your enthusiasm and ability. Portland-based career coach Mary Blalock joins us on this episode of Find Your Dream Job to share tips, tricks, and resources to learn about your strengths and find your best job fit. About Our Guest: Mary Blalock Mary Blalock (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryblalock/) is a Portland-based career coach and co-founder of Ladies' Night PDX (http://ladiespdx.com/). She helps women advance in their careers through coaching, classes, and events. Previously, Mary was a recruiter and worked with Amazon, Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, and many more. Learn more on Mary’s website (http://maryblalock.com/). Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Landit (https://landit.com), an online platform offering resources for professional women to guide their careers. Read more about how Landit started in this Forbes article, How This Founder Is Creating A Career Playbook For Women (https://www.forbes.com/sites/elanagross/2018/02/01/how-this-founder-is-creating-a-career-playbook-for-women/#6d21014a5590). Listener Question: Corey Wade of Portland, Ore. has a broad, general skill set. He asks for advice on how to show employers the value he offers as a generalist. More from Mary Blalock: Get Mary’s free guide, “Ladies' Badass Salary Negotiation Cheatsheet.” (http://maryblalock.com/salary)   More resources mentioned on this episode: Where Are the Boss Ladies (https://www.wherearethebossladies.com/boss-list) is an awesome crowdsourced list of women-owned and women-led creative companies. Austin Kleon’s (https://austinkleon.com/) book “Steal Like An Artist” has good advice on creative journaling to inspire your brag sheet.

Each new job on your resume presents new opportunities, new challenges and new setbacks. In this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we discuss the best ways to capitalize on your first few months in a new position with human resources executive and business coach Joey Price. We also dive into the six steps you can take to turn career setbacks into personal growth. About Our Guest: Joey Price Joey Price is an award-winning human resources executive, business coach, and professor. He’s the founder of Jumpstart:HR, a consulting practice for small businesses and startups. Joey Is also the host of Business, Life, and Coffee (www.businesslifeandcoffee.com), a weekly podcast, and the author of “Never Miss The Mark: Career Search Strategies Provided by HR Pros.”  Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Explore transformative resilience in your career with The 6 Steps to Turning Setbacks Into Advantages from The New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/smarter-living/six-stages-of-setbacks-help-growth.html  Listener Question: How do you hone skills to build the career you went to school for when your job has ventured into new territory? That’s the question of the week from Alex of Madison, Wisconsin.

What’s holding you back from the pay raises, promotions, and new work opportunities you really want? For many of us, it’s about a fear of being shot down when we ask for it. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, our guest Kate White encourages you to raise your hand at work. Ask your boss “what’s missing?” Volunteer for new projects. Document your accomplishments and build a case for the compensation you deserve. About Our Guest: Kate White Kate White (www.linkedin.com/in/katemwhite/) is the former editor-in-chief of five national magazines, including Cosmopolitan. She’s also The New York Times bestselling author of several career books, including “The Gutsy Girl Handbook: Your Manifesto for Success.” And Kate is also the bestselling author of 12 mysteries and thrillers! Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Top 8 Tools You Need to Use For Salary Research from The Job Network: www.thejobnetwork.com/top-8-tools-salary-research-012017/ Listener Question: Brooke Jacobs of Redmond, Oregon asks: "Is it OK to ask for a salary review shortly after starting a new job that is more demanding than advertised?"

You’ve heard it again and again: it’s all about who you know. Especially in a job search, experts encourage everyone to reach out to their friends and professional connections to find work opportunities through word of mouth. That’s the Hidden Job Market. But what does it look like in action? Doug Wells (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-wells-ba51696/) lays it out for us. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job; Doug explains how he reached out to his network with curiosity and openness to find new opportunities, including the job he landed, and loves, as a Director of Organizational Development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org/). Doug says it’s important to be patient, and discusses the pros and cons of being interested in everything. Listen to find out how he gained focus without losing variety in his career.   Read more about Doug’s job search in a post he wrote for the Mac’s List Success Stories series: https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/patient-relentless-doug-wells-job-search-success-story

Nobody enjoys a long job search. To speed things up, many candidates put more and more time and effort into the job hunt. Our guest expert this week is recruiter Jim Stroud. He says if you want to find your next job faster, you need to work smart. Jim says there are three steps you can take now to find your next job. About Our Guest: Jim Stroud Jim Stroud is the global head of sourcing and recruiting strategy for Randstad Sourceright. He has consulted on recruiting for such companies as Microsoft, Google, MCI, Siemens, Bernard Hodes Group and a host of startups. He’s also the host of the It’s All Recruiting podcast (audioboom.com/playlists/1268507-its-all-recruiting) and the author of “The Number One Job Hunting Book in The World: Job Search Strategies for Unemployed, Underemployed and Unhappily Employed People,” (www.amazon.com/Number-Hunting-Book-World-Underemployed/dp/1508741824/ref=la_B00M5CKX5S_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521743408&sr=1-4) Resources in this Episode: New Tool: 100 Top Companies with Remote Jobs in 2018, from FlexJobs: www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/100-top-companies-with-remote-jobs-in-2018/  Listener Question: Candace Thomas of Portland, Ore. asks, “Here's the good news: I just found my dream job posted online. Here's the bad news: the job was posted 3 weeks ago. Is it too late to apply?” More from Jim Stroud:  Jim recommends that job seekers set up more web pages to get found by recruiters. Setting up an about.me page is one way to boost your presence for free. For example: about.me/jimstroud

We can all learn from the success of those around us. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, our guest Polina Selyutin shares common themes she has heard in dozens of conversations with successful women who love their careers. From having an abundance mindset to approaching networking with the goal of creating real connections, these lessons will resonate for anyone feeling stuck or discouraged in the job search. About Our Guest: Polina Selyutin Polina Selyutin is the cofounder and host of the podcast, I Want Her Job (www.iwantherjob.com/podcast), with Brianne Perleberg. Previously Polina worked in operations and business consulting for tech companies in San Francisco's Bay Area. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Ageism in hiring is real. But do you know what’s protected and what’s prohibited under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act? Take the Age Discrimination Quiz from the AARP: http://aarptek.aarp.org/age-discrimination-quiz?intcmp=AE-WOR-W50-FLXSLDR-SLIDE3-RL1-WORKJOBS-ADEA2017  Listener Question: When talking to recruiters, listener Brenda Michel says she gets asked about where else she’s applying and interviewing. Should she show her cards to every recruiter who reaches out? Jessica shares advice, plus another resource from an insider: More from Polina Selyutin: Polina is launching a new podcast on relocating to new cities. Check out 'New Roots:' http://new-roots.launchrock.com/ Polina’s favorite books for job searching and building a career: “Designing Your Life,” by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans “Resilience,” by Eric Greitens “Road to Character,” by David Brooks “How Women Decide,” by Therese Huston “The Willpower Instinct,” by Kelly McGonigal “The Success Principles,” by Jack Canfield “First, Break all the Rules,” by Jim Harter “High Output Management,” by Andy Grove “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey “The End of Average,” by Scott Rose Polina’s favorite career podcasts: How I Built This A16Z HBR Ideacast Recode/Decode Running Through Walls Glambition Find Your Dream Job! The Tim Ferriss Show On Being, for a spiritual break Oprah’s Super Soul, for a spiritual break

  When you apply for a job, your competition is probably pretty similar to you in terms of experience, expertise, and credentials. But we all have something unique to offer, and that’s what you should sell in your professional bio. Tell your story in your bio! There’s no other story like it, and it will help you stand out from the crowd. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, William Arruda explains why your biography matters more than a resume. About Our Guest: William Arruda William Arruda is credited with turning the concept of personal branding into a global industry. One of the most sought after speakers on the topic, he has delivered hundreds of keynotes in 27 countries on six continents. Combining 25 years of branding experience with his passion for people, he founded Reach, the global leader in personal branding with representatives across the globe. William’s latest book, “Ditch. Dare. Do!” has been called the instruction manual for career success. He is also the author of “Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand.” Resources in this Episode: New Tool: The Cool New Way to Tell Your Story in Your Job Application is a new, free resume template from Prezi. Create your own animated, interactive “Prezume.” Listener Question: Listener Kelli Baldwin asks how she can separate her personal brand from a former employer with a bad reputation. More from William Arruda: New articles: Move Over Resume, You’ve Been Replaced and Six Things Beyond Your Resume That Will Land You the Job of Your Dreams.

Applicant Tracking Systems get a bad rap. That’s understandable, since job seekers receive competing advice on how to “beat” or “get through” an ATS screening. It’s difficult to determine the best way to work with an ATS, but our guest Marie Zimenoff says it’s important for job seekers to understand why and how employers use an ATS in the first place. Marie explains some of the common misconceptions people have about Applicant Tracking Systems. About Our Guest: Marie Zimenoff Marie Zimenoff is the CEO of the Career Thought Leaders Consortium and Resume Writing Academy. She trains career professionals around the globe in resume writing, career coaching, and business development. Marie has delivered hundreds of presentations for career service providers, job seekers, and business leaders. She is also a frequent presenter at national conferences and the host of The Career Confidante podcast. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Understand hiring tech and automation in this article, 'Dehumanising, impenetrable, frustrating': the grim reality of job hunting in the age of AI   Listener Question: Why do employers use vague, even misleading, job titles when they hire? That’s the question from Garry Rodgers of Medford, Ore. More from Marie Zimenoff: Two ATS Myths That Are Hurting Your Resume Results

On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mac announces the launch of the newest Mac's List resource: our Top Career Podcasts Guide for 2018. Each year,  Mac gleans Apple Podcasts for shows that can help people find meaningful, rewarding work. The Top Career Podcast Guide is the culmination of this work - a single directory with the best of the best programs for job seekers and active career managers.  This is our biggest podcast guide to-date, with 78 shows, many of them new to the list. With so many shows and diverse voices, you're sure to find great advice for any career-related challenge. To view the guide and download your free copy, visit TopCareerPodcasts.com.  

You probably already know that your LinkedIn profile should not be an exact copy of your resume. LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to help you tell your professional story. Shelly Elslinger says you can use your LinkedIn presence to establish yourself as a leader, shape and tell a compelling story, and make powerful new connections to advance your career. All through the power of storytelling!  Shelly visits the Find Your Dream Job podcast to share specific tips to tell your story on LinkedIn. About Our Guest: Shelly Elsliger Shelly Elsliger is a globally recognized LinkedIn trainer and the president of Linked-Express. Shelly brings a unique breadth of knowledge, as well as fun and passion, to all her workshops and speaking engagements. Her signature workshop “LinkedIn: Rise Up and Lead Online” has helped countless professionals maximize both personal and professional brands and social media influence. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Research confirms there’s hope for humanities majors. “The State of the Humanities 2018: Graduates in the Workforce & Beyond” Listener Question: Cheryl Jacoby of Vancouver, Wash. asks, How can I find an employer who will give me the flexible hours I need to take care of my family?

Returning to the workforce after a substantial break can be daunting. Leslie Yeargers managed this reintegration successfully, landing in a new role as an Intake Career Counselor, but she learned a lot, herself, along the way. Leslie credits her success to having clear goals and demonstrating how her volunteer work during her stay-at-home-parent years gave her valuable experience and skills for her new role. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, I talked with Leslie about how she honed in on her goals, navigated the ups and downs of her job search, and why her current job with Vicki Lind and Associates is so perfectly matched for her skills and interests.  Read the original article of Leslie’s Job Search on Mac’s List: www.macslist.org/success-stories/restarting-career-15-year-hiatus-leslie-yeargers-job-search-success-story Learn more about Vicki Lind and Associates: www.aportlandcareer.com/ Leslie Yeargers on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/leslieyeargers

Last year LinkedIn offered a new option. You can now check a box visible only to recruiters that says you’re open to new opportunities. Recruiters can now search and find people who use this feature. Our guest expert this week is Donna Serdula, a nationally recognized LinkedIn expert. She says you need to do more if you want recruiters to find and talk to you. About Our Guest: Donna Serdula Donna Serdula is an nationally recognized expert in LinkedIn profile optimization. She’s also the founder of Vision Board Media and LinkedIn Makeover (www.linkedin-makeover.com).  And she’s the author of “LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies,” (www.amazon.com/LinkedIn-Profile-Optimization-Dummies-Education/dp/1119287081/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8).  With more than 30 writers on her team, Donna has helped thousands of professionals and companies tell their stories and brand themselves successfully on LinkedIn. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Narrow down your career options with CareerOneStop’s SkillsMatcher tool: www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Skills/skills-matcher.aspx Listener Question: We hear from Thomas Weissenberg in Germany, who’s about to start a job search in France, where he once worked for more than decade. Thomas wants to know how he can get his C.V. in front of leaders who want employees who can work in different cultures. More from Donna Serdula: How to Let Recruiters Know on LinkedIn That You’re Open: www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-really-let-recruiters-know-youre-open-donna-serdula/ Find keywords to use on LinkedIn with 500 Keywords to Boost Your Resume, via Jobscan: www.jobscan.co/blog/top-resume-keywords-boost-resume/%20http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=685960&u=1287781&m=57041&urllink=www%2Ejobscan%2Eco%2Fblog%2Ftop%2Dresume%2Dkeywords%2Dboost%2Dresume%2F&afftrack=

We all know that LinkedIn is an important part of any job search. But too many people keep making basic mistakes on LinkedIn. Our guest expert Christie Mims shares four LinkedIn mistakes we can all avoid to improve the way we build and engage our network on LinkedIn. The key is the invest in your network before you need a favor.   About Our Guest: Christie Mims Christie Mims is the Founder and CEO of The Revolutionary Club (therevolutionaryclub.com), the number one destination for smart people who are unwilling to settle for anything less than career happiness. Her website has been named a Forbes Top 100 for careers, and she herself has been named one of the top 29 coaches to follow on the internet. Resources in this Episode: New Resource: How Job Listing Language Could Be Adding to Silicon Valley’s Gender Divide from KQED, explains how the words used in job descriptions affect the people who apply. Read the article: www.kqed.org/news/11642547/how-job-listing-language-could-add-to-silicon-valleys-gender-divide?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20180205 Bonus Resource: InHerSight (www.inhersight.com/) is a great tool for women looking to find a welcoming employer. Listener Question: Lisa Burns from Hood River, Ore. asks how you can find out about a company’s culture and show that you’re a good fit when you apply for a job. From Our Guest: Get Christie’s free workbook on finding your passion - visit revolutionaryclub.com to download.

Most professionals avoid rookie blunders in a job interview. We do the research, practice answering questions, and shake hands and make eye contact in the meeting. But hiring managers say even the savviest of professionals make some errors again and again. And many of these errors are based in a lack of communication and self-knowledge. Our guest this week, Thea Kelley, says you need to know what makes you stand out, and sell yourself to the employer in the interview. About Our Guest: Thea Kelley Thea Kelley is a job search and interview coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area who serves job seekers nationwide. She’s also the author of the Amazon best-seller Get That Job!: The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview. Resources in this Episode: New tool: Try The Big Five personality test. It’s scientifically-based! Learn more in Most Personality Quizzes Are Junk Science. I Found One That Isn’t. from FiveThirtyEight: fivethirtyeight.com/features/most-personality-quizzes-are-junk-science-i-found-one-that-isnt/?src=obsidebar=sb_1 Listener question: Jay Townsend of Portland, OR asks whether it’s a good idea to ask for an internal recommendation from a hiring manager who turned you down for a previous job.

Culture fit and team chemistry are important factors in hiring today. If you’ve got a job interviewer, the hiring manager probably knows you’re qualified for the job. What they want to find out is whether you’ll fit in and work well with their team. While you need to prepare to answer tough questions in a job interview, you also need to be friendly and win over the hiring manager. In this episode, our guest shares lots of tips to do just that.   About Our Guest: Dalena Bradley Dalena Bradley is a professional resume writer, interview coach, and career marketing specialist. Before launching her own practice (www.dalenabradley.com), Dalena worked in corporate communications, was an executive recruiter with Woodworth International Group and served as an outplacement consultant with Lee Hecht Harrison. Resources in this Episode Resource of the week: The Planet Money team explains a lesser-known jobs statistic that highlights worker confidence. Listen to the audio clip: Why Quitting is Awesome (www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/01/09/576829352/why-quitting-is-awesome) Listener question: Marjorie Alvarez asks what to do when you notice a typo in a resume you just submitted to an employer From our guest: Dalena shares an additional resource with our listeners. Check it out here: www.dalenabradley.com/findyourdreamjob  

Taking a leap mid-career can be scary, especially when you’re looking at new roles across the country. Stephen Marc Beaudoin made it look easy to land a new nonprofit leadership role, but he approached his job search with a clear strategy, support from trusted advisors, and “a long runway.” Stephen has simple-sounding advice for every job seeker to strive for: know yourself and make decisions accordingly. Listen in to this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job. I talked with Stephen about his job search and the job he landed in, Executive Director of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. Below, you can read Stephen’s essay to learn more about what he did to master his job search. Read the original article of Stephen’s Job Search on Mac’s List: https://www.macslist.org/success-stories/taking-mid-career-leap-stephen-marc-beaudoins-job-search-story Learn more about the Maryland Symphony Orchestra: www.marylandsymphony.org/ Stephen Marc Beaudoin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmarcbeaudoin/

The resume is evolving, but it’s not dead. While paper resumes are less ubiquitous, there’s an essential feature at the core of the resume that professionals still need. We needed resumes decades ago because they were a way to tell your professional story in a brief, succinct way. Today, there are more ways to tell your story through technology, but your resume - both paper and digital versions - is still important. Approach your resume as an important piece of your professional life. It works alongside your professional relationships, volunteer work, organization memberships, and more. About Our Guest: Chris Fields Chris Fields owns and operates The Resume Crusade (resumecrusade.com) and has a master’s degree in labor relations and human resources from the Ohio State University. He has been featured on Mashable, Monster Thinking, and Oprah.com. Resources in this Episode: New Tool: Top 500 Resume Keywords to Boost Your Resume: www.jobscan.co/blog/top-resume-keywords-boost-resume Listener Question: Are job fairs worth my time? asks Jayne Morgan of San Diego, California. The answer is yes, but only if you’re prepared. Guest Resource: Chris’s advice is featured in the new book, Rip The Resume.

Your professional references can make or break your chances of getting a job. Select, nurture and prep your people to give you the best possible reference when they get the call from your potential new boss! Our guest on this episode of Find Your Dream Job gives you practical tips to strengthen your references. About Our Guest: Daisy Wright Daisy Wright is chief encouragement officer at The Wright Career Solution, a certified career management coach and professional resume writer. She works with executives, managers and mid-career professionals to help them get hired faster. Daisy is also the author of two books, “No Canadian Experience, Eh? A Career Success Guide for New Immigrants,” and “Tell Stories, Get Hired: Innovative Strategies to Land Your Next Job and Advance Your Career.” Resources in this Episode: If You Want Something, Ask For It: www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/francis-flynn-if-you-want-something-ask-it A listener in Oregon asks for advice on relocating within the same state.  Get another take on references in this early episode of our show: How to Manage the New World of Reference Checking: www.macslist.org/podcasts/interviews/manage-new-world-reference-checking-ray-bixler

If you’re over 50, you’ve likely encountered ageism in your career. Older workers struggle in the job search and feel a disadvantage in competition with younger professionals. So what can you do? The first thing to do might be to rethink your entire job search strategy. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we discuss one strategy to overcome ageism in a job search: positioning yourself as a subject matter expert. About Our Guest: Kevin Kermes Kevin Kermes is the founder and a partner at Career Attraction, an executive talent agency. Since 2008, Kevin’s firm has helped open the doors for more than 15,000 professionals to find work they love and the compensation they deserve. Resources in This Episode Want to know if an employer welcomes older workers? Check out Retirement Jobs Employer Reviews. How can you use internal connections in a hiring process that’s being managed by an outside agency? Listener Ginny McDonnell asks and we answer. Kevin Kermes on LinkedIn Overcome Age Discrimination: The Biggest Missed Opportunity for Experts and Seasoned Professionals The Career Upgrade Roadmap: 90 Days to a Better Job and a Better Life Find Your Dream Job Listener Survey (Open through February 28, 2018!) Land Your Dream Job Anywhere

When you don’t make it to the second round after a decent first interview, you might be wondering what went wrong. On this episode, we talk to a seasoned recruiter, Will Thomson (linkedin.com/in/willthomson), about common mistakes applicants make in the first interview and how to avoid them in the future to get more second interviews, and more job offers. About Our Guest: Will Thomson Will Thomson is the founder and president of Bulls Eye Recruiting (bullseyerecruiting.net). He has worked with organizations including Dell, eBay, and Rosetta Stone. Will has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs and organizations grow their sales teams. He also blogs regularly about careers (bullseyerecruiting.net/category/bulls-eye-recruiting-blog), and his company’s website has received 20 international awards. Resources from this Episode Never Say These 11 Things During A Job Interview (Unless You Don’t Want The Job): www.fastcompany.com/40451728/these-are-the-phrases-you-should-never-utter-in-a-job-interview Listener Rick Bella of Medford, Oregon asks: “How do I translate my qualifications and experience from the jargon of the last job to something a prospective employer can appreciate?” Local TEDx organizations TEDxPortland (tedxportland.com) and TEDxMtHood (tedxmthood.com) have fun job titles for their team members - we share our thoughts on how to make them relatable on a resume. We reference previous guest expert Christina Canters' advice about 'How To Explain What You Do for a Living:' www.macslist.org/podcasts/networking/explain-living-christina-canters We want to hear from you! Please take our listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card: visit macslist.org/podcastsurvey and complete by February 28, 2018 (Thank you!)

None of us expect to do one job alone in the 40-plus years most of us will spend in the workplace.  But how do we make sure we don’t get left behind by the changing needs of employers? To future-proof your career you need to play to your strengths. And you always need to be learning. About Our Guest: Jane Barrett Jane Barrett is a guest lecturer at leading business schools in Europe and an executive recruiter. Her clients include banks, blue companies, and startups. She is also the co-author of 'How to Take Charge of Your Career' (www.amazon.com/If-Not-Now-When-Charge/dp/1408125056) and the host of the podcast Grow Your Own Career: thecareerfarm.com/category/podcasts. Resources in this Episode: Have your parents influenced your career choices? Read 'The Jobs You're Most Likely to Inherit From Your Mother and Father' from NYTimes: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/22/upshot/the-jobs-youre-most-likely-to-inherit-from-your-mother-and-father.html?emc=eta1 What do you do when you’re not satisfied with your job but the benefits are ideal for your life? The team shares advice for our listener Leonard Coyer. Get more resources to future-proof your career at careerfarm.com/summary We want to hear from you! Please take our listener survey and you'll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card: visit macslist.org/podcastsurvey and complete by February 28, 2018 (Thank you!)

Like it or not, we live in a digital age. Each of us has a digital presence, and the first impression we make for many job opportunities will happen online. Are you telling your story in the best possible way? This week on Find Your Dream Job, our guest expert Ryan Rhoten says a successful online personal brand has four parts, and he’ll break it down for us. About Our Guest: Ryan Rhoten Ryan Rhoten is a personal and digital branding strategist, a public speaker, and a podcaster. He is also the author of the book CareerKred: 4 Simple Steps to Build Your Digital Brand and Boost Credibility in Your Career (www.amazon.com/CareerKred-simple-Digital-credibility-career-ebook/dp/B06Y2M6Q1F). Resources in this Episode: A new app to help you connect with local professionals who share your interests, passions, and career path - Shapr is a mix of LinkedIn, Tinder, and a slot machine. www.shapr.co/ Listener Heather Fonseca of Los Angeles asks for advice on the best way to apply for a job when you have a contact “on the inside.” Do you still need to apply online? Short answer: yes, but use your connection for an additional boost; we weigh in with tips. Read more from our guest, Branding expert Ryan Rhoten, on his website: www.ryanrhoten.com We want to hear from you! Please take our listener survey and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card: visit macslist.org/podcastsurvey and complete by February 28, 2018 (Thank you!)

Expect the ATS! When you’re applying for jobs at large companies, your resume and cover letter are probably getting uploaded to an Applicant Tracking System. So how can you get through the ATS system? You might already know to repeat words from the job description in your application. But there’s more you can do to navigate an ATS successfully and hear back on more online applications. About Our Guest: James Hu James was a job seeker in late 2013 and experienced the pain of the resume black hole first hand. He founded Jobscan (www.jobscan.co), an online tool that optimizes resumes, to make the job search easier. Before Jobscan, James co-founded an award-winning carpooling startup and worked as a product manager at Kabam Games, Groupon, and Microsoft. Resources in this Episode: Ben shared an article testing the carpet-bombing application method on an automated scale. Read the whole story on Fast Company: I Built A Bot To Apply To Thousands Of Jobs At Once–Here’s What I Learned (www.fastcompany.com/3069166/i-built-a-bot-to-apply-to-thousands-of-jobs-at-once-heres-what-i-learned) James offered free resume scans to our listeners! Visit www.jobscan.co and use promo code MACSLIST to redeem. How are informational interviews different from networking? The team defines the difference and offers advice on making the most of informational interviews.

Ready to switch careers? Getting the right experience is key to finding success. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, our guest has actionable tips to build your experience. Start by taking on volunteer projects with clear objectives so that you can show your impact. Build a professional website that highlights your most important skills. Start to build your network while you’re currently employed, and you’ll be in a great position to make a leap! About Our Guest: Alexis Perrotta Alexis Perrotta is an editor and writer for Idealist Careers (idealistcareers.org). In her blog posts, Alexis offers job seekers, game changers, and do gooders actionable tips, career resources, and social-impact lifestyle advice. As a lifelong nonprofit professional, Alexis enjoys sharing her experience and insight with other passionate social-impact professionals. Resources in this Episode: How to Sell Your Soft Skills During Interviews: www.ama.org/career/Pages/How-to-Sell-Your-Soft-Skills-During-Interviews-.aspx Listener Nicole Larsen inquires about how to find the best opportunities and events to network in a new city? No easy answer but hone in on your intended/ideal industry and 1) look for a nationally recognized event in the area to start and 2) look to what organizations others in your industry are involved in by word of mouth or LinkedIn research. Learn more about guest expert Alexis Perrotta and read her blog at Idealistcareers.org

Don’t be nervous. Be prepared! This episode shows you how to negotiate your salary like a pro. With guest expert and negotiation consultant Kwame Christian, we learn what you need to do to prepare for your next salary negotiation, set a baseline for the salary you want, and convince your new employer to give it to you. About Our Guest: Kwame Christian Kwame Christian Esq., M.A. (linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian), is a business lawyer and the director of the American Negotiation Institute (americannegotiationinstitute.com). He also serves as a negotiation consultant for attorneys and for companies closing large business deals. And Kwame hosts Negotiate Anything, the top ranked podcast on negotiation in the US. In every episode, he interviews successful entrepreneurs and shares powerful persuasion techniques. Resources in this Episode: Employee Total Compensation Calculator: www.calcxml.com/calculators/total-compensation Get a free negotiation guide from Kwame: americannegotiationinstitute.com/guide/ Listener Peter Weiss asks about the best way to share publicly when you’re looking for a new job. Would you post about your unemployment on Facebook?

If you get a feeling of dread every Sunday night, it might be a sign that you hate your job. But even if you’re fantasizing about quitting, there are a few things to think about before you decide to leave your current job. About Our Guest: Jessica Sweet Jessica Sweet is a career coach and licensed therapist. She helps creative, midlife professionals and executives find work they care about and want to do. Jessica is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a contributor to Forbes.com and The Huffington Post. Her work has also been featured on CNBC, Business Insider and HayHouse Radio. Resources in this Episode: Don’t Like Your Job? Change It (Without Quitting) from Harvard Business Review. Listener Jon Hernandez asks if it’s OK to apply for multiple roles at the same company. The answer is yes, with a caveat. Learn more about our guest, Jessica Sweet, at wishingwellcoach.com.

Early career failures, frustrations, and delays can feel defeating. But the truth is, almost everyone struggles early on. On this podcast, you’ll learn about bridge jobs, and why they matter to your ultimate career happiness. Embrace new challenges in your first few jobs as opportunities to learn about yourself, and forge a path toward your dream job. About Our Guest: Mitch Matthews Mitch Matthews is co-founder of the Big Dream Gathering, a serial entrepreneur and bestselling author. His Dream Think Do podcast helps people to dream bigger, think better, and do more.  And this January Mitch publishes a new book, Dream Job: Redefined - The New Rules for Creating a Career That Matters & Doing Work You Love. Resources in this Episode: The Best (and Worst) Jobs of 2017 Listener Shabina Hussein asks why so many managers wear multiple hats at work. This begs the question: Are you a Hedgehog or a Fox? From our guest: Mitch talks about pivoting toward a dream job in this episode of his podcast.

Do things to help people in your network. Don’t expect anything in return. When you approach your career as part of a robust professional community, you’ll build goodwill with others who will want to help you in the future. Our guest shares tips for job seekers to use social media to better serve their professional networks.   About Our Guest: Tony Restell Tony Restell is the founder of Social Hire (https://www.social-hire.com), a specialist agency that helps recruitment teams leverage social media. Previously Tony built and sold a successful job board business in the United Kingdom. He’s a guest speaker at leading business schools across Europe and a published author. Resources in this Episode: Losing Job Search Momentum? Why You Should Help Others First: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/patrick-richard/losing-job-search-momentu_b_3087199.html  Read Tony’s article that inspired this podcast conversation: Career Success: Paying It Forward (https://www.social-hire.com/blog/candidate/career-success--paying-it-forward) Listener Don Fitchett asked for strategies to deal with age discrimination. Here’s a free resource to use as a guide: Fighting Ageism in a Job Interview (https://www.macslist.org/fightageism)

LinkedIn has tons of tools for the job seeker, but recommendations are one of the most powerful. Our guest shares step-by-step guidelines for getting and giving great LinkedIn Recommendations to help prove your value as a professional in the modern job market. About Our Guest: Viveka von Rosen Viveka von Rosen is co-founder of Vengreso (http://vengreso.com), the world’s largest full-spectrum social selling provider. She’s also the author of two best-selling books, LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day and LinkedIn: 101 Ways to Rock Your Personal Brand (https://www.amazon.com/LinkedIn-Personal-Brand-network-business/dp/153710537X). Resources in this Episode: Using the science of influence to look for a new job: https://ninjasandrobots.com/using-persuasion-to-find-a-new-job  How do you get the experience you need to get a job? That’s our listener question from Daniel in Portland, Oregon. More tips: How to Overcome the Employment-Experience Paradox (https://www.macslist.org/how-to-overcome-the-employment-experience-paradox)  Viveka shared the Social Selling Training Virtual Boot Camp: https://vengreso.com/services/virtual-social-selling-training-bootcamp   

Do you have a strategy for landing your dream job? Robert Cugno says you need to build the right relationships and craft a mission and vision for yourself to be ready when the right position opens up. Aligning yourself with key people will help you advance your career, whether you’re looking for a promotion or applying for new jobs. About Our Guest: Robert Cugno Robert Cugno is a career strategist who lives to inspire people to achieve their goals and have rewarding work lives. Robert is the founder of Future U Coaching (http://www.futureucoaching.com.au/), an online program that offers one-on-one coaching and courses that help people develop the skills they need to get that next promotion, a new job, or the career they want. Resources in this Episode: How to use an employer tool for your job search: Textio for Job Seekers (https://textio.ai/textio-for-job-seekers-7c62ab3b7492) Our listener question deals with whether or not you should disclose, and how to talk about, addiction in a job interview.

Ask better questions, be assertive, and create a conversation. These are the interview strategies that lead to job offers. Our guest Mark Babbitt shares tips and tricks to turn a job interview from an interrogation into a productive dialogue. All it takes is solid preparation and a few simple approaches to guide the interview in a positive direction. About Our Guest: Mark Babbitt Mark Babbitt is founder of YouTern (http://www.youtern.com/), a social resource for young professionals that Mashable calls a "Top 5 Online Community for Starting Your Career." Mark is also President of WorqIQ, a community that looks at the key factors that contribute to our collective workplace intelligence. And he’s co-author of the best-seller A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive: http://aworldgonesocial.com. Resources in this Episode: 10 Myths About Negotiating Your First Salary: https://hbr.org/2017/07/10-myths-about-negotiating-your-first-salary The team answers Kate Hendricks’ question about how to find a job before she moves: https://www.macslist.org/new-job-new-city-how-to-land-job-before-you-move/ 

Your resume is a crucial tool in your job search, but the process of creating and updating a resume feels outdated. This week’s guest expert, Titus Blair, shares techniques to use automation, analytics tools, and more to customize your resume and bring the job application process into the 21st century. About Our Guest: Titus Blair Titus Blair is the founder of A.I. Resume, a technology company that helps job seekers stand out, manage job applications, and see who really looks at your resume. Titus has built and run successful several startups. He also has been featured on major television stations and in national newspapers and magazines. Learn more: https://airesume.com/  Resources in this Episode: Listeners can enter to win a free version of Titus’s tool, A.I. Resume, including a personal resume consultation, at https://airesume.com/contests/macslist  How to Find Anyone’s Business Email Address. Read the full resource: https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/32812/how-to-find-anyones-business-email-address  The team answered a question about whether to list unrelated skills when customizing your resume for a job application. Tip #1: Identify your transferable skills! View the worksheet: https://www.pdx.edu/careers/sites/www.pdx.edu.careers/files/Transferrable%20Skills%20worksheet.pdf  Need to flesh out the skills on your resume? Here are some of the basic skills every employer wants. Learn more: https://www.hrbartender.com/2013/recruiting/10-basic-skills-every-employee-should-have/ 

One of the toughest parts of building a successful career is finding direction. By writing down what you want to achieve, you can make decisions that will lead you to the career you were meant to have. On this episode, we learn about career manifestos, why they can be helpful in a job search, and how to create one for yourself. About Our Guest: Maggie Mistal Through her coaching, speaking, and writing, Maggie Mistal has helped thousands of people find their ideal careers. She also helps leading corporations with employee development. Maggie has own her own podcast called Making a Living. Resources in this Episode: Maggie shared her blog post about creating your career manifesto. Is your future job here? 8 New Jobs People Will Have In 2025. The team answers a question from listener Heather Fonseca on transitioning from freelancing at home to landing a full-time job.

When you have a job interview coming up, it’s essential to be prepared. But where do you start? Our guest, recruiter and coach Revi Goldwasser, explains the basic steps you must take to be ready for every interview, including a phone screening. It starts with understanding two things: the company’s need and the unique value you offer. Revi explains more in her conversation with Mac. Learn more at https://www.macslist.org/podcast/   About Our Guest: Revi Goldwasser Revi Goldwasser is the founder and senior managing partner of Wall Street Personnel, a financial services staffing and recruitment firm. She also owns and operates JobsOnWallStreet.com, an online job board. And she hosts a podcast, Find a Job Like a Pro. Resources in this Episode Revi shared a special discount to our listeners, offering her online course on job hunting for $47. Use code FINDYOURDREAMJOB to access. 5 Things Every Employer Wants To Hear In An Interview The team gives step-by-step guidance on the age-old question from Chris Riviers of Clovis, New Mexico: How do I transition into a new career field without direct experience?  

Most job seekers use the same traditional approaches. To stand out from a crowd of applicants, you need to get creative! On this episode, we share experiences and ideas for unconventional job search hacks to differentiate yourself from the competition. And guest Nissar Ahamed offers unique tips to garner attention from employers when you’re looking for a new job. About Our Guest: Nissar Ahamed Nissar Ahamed publishes Career Metis, an award winning online community for job seekers. His site includes a blog, podcast, and other resources that help people get their dream job faster. Resources in this Episode: How to Make Yourself Stand Out From All the Other Perfect Resumes Will your career survive automation? Find out: Willrobotstakemyjob.com

The first step to finding your dream job is understanding what activities bring you joy. Our guest is Sally Hubbard, host of Women Killing It, a podcast for women who are advancing their careers and making a difference at work. Sally advises job seekers to pay attention to joy-inducing activities to help guide what you want to do with your career. About Our Guest: Sally Hubbard Sally Hubbard is an investigative journalist, lawyer, and creator of the weekly podcast, Women Killing It! She talks to women who are killing it in their careers about what has worked for them, how they got where they are today, and what they wish they knew sooner. Resources in this Episode: 139 Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stand Out. Do you have to include a photo in your LinkedIn profile if you’re worried about discrimination? The team weighs in on this question from listener Alison Geary of Tucson, Arizona. Sally shared the 7 Steps to Killing It Action Plan.

Our guest Anita Bruzzese explains why casting a wide net is a bad job search strategy, and she shares tips to help you decide what you want to do, set priorities for your next job, and be prepared to interview every time you send in a job application. About Our Guest: Anita Bruzzese Anita Bruzzese is an award-winning journalist specializing in workplace and career issues. She has written two career-advice books and has been quoted in publications such as O, the Oprah magazine, and has been on the Today show. Learn more about Anita on her website. Resources in this Episode Anita recommended StrengthsFinder and Bureau of Labor Statistics data tools for job seekers to find focus in their careers. Here’s a great strategy to answer “Where Will You Be in Five Years?” We talk about how to answer the 5-year-goal question when your goal is to have your interviewer’s job. Thanks to listener Katie Petit of Chicago, Ill. for the question!

Manners still count in the modern workplace. Whether you know it or not, the things you do - and don’t do - make a big impression on your boss, your interviewer, or your colleagues. Guest expert Lee Caraher shares essential reminders to make a great impression, and avoid disaster, by staying aware of basic etiquette in work environments. Our Guest for This Episode: Lee Caraher Lee Caraher is the CEO of Double Forte, a public relations and digital marketing firm. Her company works with top consumer and technology brands. Lee is the author of Millennials & Management, which shares how to get an intergenerational workforce to contribute to the larger goals of an organization. And her new book, The Boomerang Principle, shows companies how to build long lasting relationships with employees. Check out Lee’s books here. Ben’s Job Search Resource: How to Apologize Made a Mistake? 5 Steps to Saying "I'm Sorry" Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Salary In the Interview This week’s question comes from Sue Crawford, of Corvallis, Oregon: “I've come across several hiring employers who start the process with the question, "What are your salary requirements?". How do you address this? It seems like if you put a high number you will be cut immediately, and if you put a low number, you are selling yourself short and potentially leaving money on the table. What to do??” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On today’s bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, the Mac’s List team discusses a New York Times article, The Utter Uselessness of Job Interviews, which highlighted the flawed nature of using job interviews to make big hiring decisions. Surveys revealed inherent biases and blind spots for hiring managers in the interview process. So, if job interviews are useless, what’s a job seeker to do? It’s important to remember that an interview is only one part of a multi-stage hiring system, including the initial application process, background and reference checks. So what can you do to do well in a flawed interview system? Do structured research about issues the company may be facing. If possible, build relationships with employees of the company before your interview. Be proactive and fill in the gaps about important items not addressed by the interviewer. Recognize the interview process is imperfect and don’t take it personally if you don’t get the position. Learn more at macslist.org/podcast 

On this episode, guest expert Mandi Woodruff highlights the common mistakes she sees during a hiring process, illuminating innovative ways that job seekers can impress hiring managers and secure an interview from the first interaction. Our Guest for This Episode: Mandi Woodruff Mandi Woodruff is the cohost of Brown Ambition, a top 20 career and money podcast. She is also executive editor of Magnify Money, and has spent her career covering the ins and out of personal finance. Previously, Mandi served as a correspondent at Yahoo Finance and editor at Business Insider. She is a graduate of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at The University of Georgia. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Opposite Jobs What is your opposite job? Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Salary Answers This week’s question comes from listener Leah Pancheri in Portland, Oregon. “Oftentimes jobs will have a salary posted, but then they will ask either on the application or in the interview about salary "requirements" or ‘expectations’... how do we best answer this question when we clearly know what they posted? What if we feel we are worth a little more, or that the job sounds like it's worth paying a little more after the interview? I'd love some suggestions/insight on the most tactful and respectful way to answer the question.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Big risks can deliver big rewards for your career, whether it’s switching industries or asking for more money. While change is scary, it’s worthwhile to take smart risks in your career if you have a goal in mind. Joymarie Parker says you should be taking risks in your career, but only when you’ve done your research and have a solid plan. One risk you should definitely take: ask for more money when you know you’re worth it. Joymarie Our Guest for This Episode: Joymarie Parker Joymarie Parker is a marketer and the founder and co-host of Joblogues, a podcast and platform that offers candid career conversations with multicultural professionals and entrepreneurs. Originally from Maryland, Joymarie now lives in Brooklyn where you can catch her exploring the restaurant scene or planning her next vacation. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Are Pain Letters Over? Are pain letters on the way out? A pain letter is a different approach to a cover letter that addresses the employer’s pain point and outlines how the applicant can solve it. But Alison Green of the Ask a Manager blog says the pain letter is a “cover letter but with lots of added salesiness and a serious dose of presumption.” Read the whole post: Do Pain Letters Really Work? Find Your Dream Job Listener Question This week’s listener question comes from McKenzie O’Malley of Portland, Oregon, via email. “I would love to explore the possibility of potentially working at Under Armour’s recently established Portland-based office in some kind of administrative role (of which I have 3+ years of experience, primarily in nonprofit settings), but do not have any direct contacts or even potential connections via LinkedIn.  I was wondering if you had any additional advice, insights, or individuals in mind that I could possibly connect with to see if I could even get a small foot in the door with the company.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

Dawn Rasmussen, President of Pathfinder Careers shares her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. How effective is networking? If you apply for a job online you have a 2% chance of getting an interview. If you apply through someone you know you have a 50% chance of getting an interview. Direct networking is that impactful. Are you thinking, “but I’m not a type ‘A’ networker. How do I practice?" You should be proactive and put yourself out there by: Growing an informal connection with someone through continued follow-up. Taking the fear out of talking with unknown people by making them a known quantity. Getting involved or volunteering with a business or organization that interests you. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

If you're considering a career change, play to your strengths. Highlight what you’re already good at - those skills that will help you contribute right away - and show people that you’re willing to learn the rest! Guest expert Danna Redmond encourages career changers to create a plan, but also be open to opportunities that come up naturally over time. It’s important to be ready to go into something new without every step clearly outlined. Start with a couple best practices: Network! Let people know you’re interested in a new career path, and ask questions. Assess your skillset. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into your existing area of expertise. Think about the skills that make you an expert, and ask how you can apply those in other areas. Our Guest for This Episode: Danna Redmond Danna Redmond is hosts the podcast, The Career Cue. She has a passion for helping people turn career goals and dreams into reality. Danna is an accomplished business leader. She worked for almost 20 years for Fortune 50 Companies. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Career Change Tips Did you know that 93% of people who wanted to change roles ended up leaving their current employer to do so? Check out this research from Gallup: When Making Career Moves, Americans Switch Companies. And if you want to switch careers without switching companies, read the tips from Forbes in Career Change By Staying Put: How To Make A Lateral Move Within The Same Company. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Taking a Pay Cut? This week’s question is perfect for the subject of today’s episode. It comes from Nick Macchio of Holtsville, New York: “I listen to a lot of career podcasts and read a lot of articles and the one thing that's always missing is: how do you make that career change/pivot when you're established and have a family to support but can't afford a pay cut. I think that's one of the biggest challenges. It's actually the ONE thing that prevents me from switching careers in hopes of finding work I enjoy.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, freddytrujillo.com.

Many people take breaks during their career. People take breaks for childcare, elder care, travel, health, and more. When you’re ready to return after a multi-year break from work, it can be hard to make a plan to relaunch your career. The first step is to figure out what you want, according to career expert Carol Fishman Cohen. “From there,” she says, “everything else flows.” In this episode, Carol shares her personal experience with relaunching her career, and gives advice for job seekers who need a plan to reenter the workforce. One great tactic is to use strategic volunteering to beef up your recent experience. Carol shared a few resources to find opportunities, including Idealist and Catchafire. Our Guest for This Episode: Carol Fishman Cohen Carol Fishman Cohen is the CEO and co-founder of iRelaunch, a pioneering company in the career reentry space. She contributes regularly to the Harvard Business Review and her TED talk on relaunching has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Carol also hosts the 3,2,1 iRelaunch podcast. Ben’s Job Search Resource: How to Volunteer Abroad Volunteering abroad isn’t just for church youth groups and just-out-of-college peace corp cadets. There are a lot of opportunities for people with professional level skills to make a difference through volunteer work. You can use the education, training and experience you have to help people where such skills are less common. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Seasonal Jobs This week’s question comes from Wendy Lynn of Talent, Oregon. “I'm wondering to what extent job openings are seasonal? Are there better or worse times to look for a job?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

A career in the public sector can be incredibly rewarding. But government hiring processes from the local level to the federal level are often complicated and outright byzantine. This podcast listener exclusive bonus episode features Kirsten Wyatt, co-founder of Engaging Local Government Leaders, reading her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

There’s a lot to learn when you’re a young professional just getting started in your career. Blogger Kayla Buell wrote the book on climbing the corporate ladder during your early career, and she joined the podcast this week to share her advice for young workers. The key for professionals in their 20s is to show their boss that they’re ready to learn, willing to work hard, and answerable for the work at hand. Don’t be over-confident: Ask questions and offer help to your older colleagues. It’s up to you to reach out and get to know your new co-workers. Be willing to take on menial tasks for the good of the team. You’ve got to prove you’re not too proud to get coffee and make copies early in your career; it will show your boss you’re a responsible team player. Do speak up: Communicate with your teammates about your work. Let them know what you’re doing and that you’re delivering on promises. If you’re not feeling challenged, look for avenues to offer help. Once you’ve earned trust, it’s OK to tell your boss you’re ready to take on more responsibility. Our Guest for This Episode: Kayla Buell Kayla Buell publishes Gen Y Girl, a career and lifestyle blog for millennials. She is passionate about helping people in their 20s learn how to have thriving careers. Kayla is the author of Corporate Survival Guide For Your Twenties. And she uses her writing and social media skills at an advertising agency in Florida. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Cover Love Letters Need inspiration for your next cover letter? Ben has you covered with 12 Great Cover Letter Examples for 2017. No matter where you are in your career, The Interview Guys share a dozen unique examples to help you write a more effective cover letter. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: The DIY Career Coach The Mac’s List team answers a question listener Lori Bonante, from Washington, D.C.: “I’m interested in finding a career coach but I’m finding them all to be very expensive and it’s something right now that I just can’t seem to afford. So what I want to know is, what are your suggestions for doing similar things that you would get from a career coach that you can do on your own.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

When you submit a job application, you could be up against hundreds or even thousands of others. It’s hard to stand out in the crowd, but there are things you can do to improve your chances of getting an interview. This week’s guest expert is Jenn Swanson. Jenn reminded us of simple mistakes that can sink your job application: if you missed key details, didn’t follow instructions, or submitted your attachments in the wrong format. There are many reasons you didn’t get an interview. The top two: You’re just not qualified. You didn’t customize your resume and cover letter. Jenn also shared advice for applicants to figure out what the hiring manager really wants, how to write your resume to get through automated applicant tracking systems, and land an interview for your dream job. Our Guest for This Episode: Jenn Swanson Jenn Swanson is the host of the Communication Diva podcast and the author of What They See: How to Stand Out and Shine in Your New Job. Through her podcast, online courses, coaching, and book, Jenn helps you get the job, love your work, and  advance your career. Jenn also shared a discount for our listeners on her Resume Short Course! Get the discount here. Ben’s Job Search Resource: 41 Great Resume Formats Resume formatting is tricky. You want to show off your creativity and personality, but your resume also needs to be easy to read and scannable, both by human reviewers and applicant tracking systems. Ben recommends checking out The 41 Best Resume Templates Ever from The Muse to find resume inspiration and find a customizable template.    Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Resume Reword This week’s question comes via email from Juan Llera of Jersey City, New Jersey: “My question: do you know of any resources that you can share that can assist me in rewording my resume. I had a long career in the insurance industry and most recently with their IT department. I would like to look for a position in the non-profit organization. I would like to revise my resume from an insurance-IT to a non-profit focus.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you fantasize about reinventing your career? On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we find out what it takes to completely change your career path, and why so many people want to give up on corporate life and open a bed and breakfast. Guest expert Kathy Caprino shares a roadmap for finding the right direction for your career. Kathy takes a holistic approach to career change, encouraging people to understand themselves and their motivations, and to be patient. She shared 5 steps to a successful career change: Step back. Refocus on yourself, look at who you’ve been over the course of your life. Let go of thinking patterns and behaviors that keep you stuck. These cause you to self-sabotage. Say yes to your compelling vision. If there’s something you’ve always dreamed of doing, decide to take it seriously. Try it on. Try out your dream, talk to people who have done it, and get past the fantasy. Create it smart. This process takes time. Don’t rush. Have a plan, then hold yourself accountable. Our Guest for This Episode: Kathy Caprino Kathy Caprino is a career and personal success coach, writer, speaker and leadership developer dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide. She is the author of Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the founder of Ellia Communications, Inc. and the Amazing Career Project.  Kathy is also a contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post and LinkedIn. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Career Interest Survey Everyone has a different way to describe themselves and what they like to do. The  Career Cluster Interest Survey, created by Minnesota State University, lets you rate activities you enjoy, your personal qualities, and school subjects you like. Then you can see which career clusters are a match for your interests.You’ll answer 152 different yes/no questions about specific interests, activities, personal qualities, and education. It only takes about 10 minutes to complete because all you’re doing is checking off boxes for traits that relate to you. This process can help you get clear on the right career - or type of job - that works best for you. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Job Hunting in a New City This week’s listener question is a relatable one for folks looking to relocate. Becky and the team address this question from Seth Richardson, of New York City: “Hi, this is Seth from New York City. I am in the process of relocating to Portland. Can you give me some advice on how to get my resume noticed from across the country when I can’t always be there in person to make the face-to-face connection?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On this bonus episode, Don Raskin, author of The Dirty Little Secrets of Getting Your Dream Job reads his contribution to Mac's book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Knowledge is power and the key to interview preparation is research. You must do these three things before your next job interview.  Research the company. Go to the company’s website and social media profiles. Collect information you can use during your interview. Look for recent news items about the company, its competitors and the industry at large. Use this information during the interview to help you look in the know.   Know the job description Review the job description to understand the duties and responsibility of the job. Search Indeed.com and look at similar positions from other companies to compare job requirements and responsibilities. Find out about your interviewers LinkedIn is your go-to resource for finding out about your interviewers' expertise, background, and position at the company. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

We recorded our 100th episode live in our hometown of Portland, in front of about 100 of our closest friends, and it was a wonderful night. If you were there, reminisce with the full audio. If you missed it, you're in luck - we captured all the audio in this podcast!  Take a listen.  About Our Guest: Jared Mees Jared Mees is cofounder of Tender Loving Empire, a local-focused record label and collection of stores featuring handmade goods. Jared is a musician and art lover who turned his passion into his career. More from this episode: Crowd favorite and expert career coach Jenny Foss, a.k.a. JobJenny, spoke to Mac and soundly defeated Ben in a friendly round of career trivia. Live music and a chat with Freddy Trujillo, who wrote our podcast theme song. Real people got onstage to share their experiences with job searching, job loss, and more. The Mac’s List team recalled their favorite moments from the past 99 weekly shows.

Studies confirm that storytelling is the most powerful form of communication there is. By transforming your career history from a chronological list into a story with personality, you’ll leave a strong impression on the interviewer. Rob shared tips to tell your career story with a strong narrative arc in 5 steps: The Thread: Connect the dots of your history, and boil it down to one common theme. Disruption: Tell a story that impacted your career trajectory. Turning point: How did you decide to turn a corner. Conflict: Summarize a couple of impactful challenges. Resolution: Explain how you resolved the challenge and what brought you here. Our Guest for This Episode: Rob Biesenbach Rob Biesenbach helps organizations and individuals capitalize on the power of storytelling.  He’s an award-winning consultant to Fortune 500 companies, an engaging and informative keynote speaker, and a Second City-trained actor. Rob is also the author of two fun, practical books that use principles from the world of performance to help people communicate more successfully. And he’s now at work on a third book on storytelling. Ben’s Job Search Resource: LinkedIn Profile Mistakes   Recruiters shared the LinkedIn mistakes they see people make all the time. Whether your profile is outdated, you have a lame headline, or you’re not telling a coherent story about your background, this resource shares common mistakes job seekers should avoid on their LinkedIn pages. Read Recruiters Explain What the Worst LinkedIn Profiles have in Common on Fast Company. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: New Professional Potential This week’s listener question comes via email from Heather Rockwell in Newberg, Oregon: “I'm young, passionate, fresh out of college, energetic, and ambitious -  how do I get employers to take me seriously? I've had several interviews since graduation, and all of them left me feeling like I was too young, too optimistic, and too inexperienced for them. How can I show my potential as a young, early-career professional? I know I have what it takes to perform the jobs I'm applying to, but I need them to see it.” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

What makes podcasts such a great medium for sharing career advice? I share my love of audio storytelling, conversation, and helping people find great jobs with dozens of other podcasters. On this bonus episode, I talk about how great podcasts are for career development, and introduce you to my new guide, Top Career Podcasts of 2017.

Losing a job is tough; getting laid off unexpectedly is even harder. It's emotionally devastating when all of the sudden you lose your job, your paycheck, and the vision you had of yourself, all in one fell swoop. Career coach and guest expert, Sherri Thomas, shares her tips on how to bounce back from such professional setbacks. She recommends: Take some time to heal. Process and quiet the negative chatter in your brain before looking for a new job. Feelings of confusion and embarrassment will be noticed by hiring managers, so work through your emotions before embarking on your next job search. Identify areas for improvement. Try writing down what you and your previous manager could have done better. This exercise may highlight opportunities for professional growth. Emphasize the positives. If you are wondering how you should address your departure in conversations, Sherri recommends this recipe: share something you are grateful for from your last position, talk about an impact you made at the organization in quantifiable terms, and then own your story and relay it in a positive way. This Week's Guest: Sherri Thomas Sherri Thomas is Founder and Career Strategist of Career Coaching 360. She helps professionals think differently and proactively about careers. She is the author of two books, The Bounce Back: Personal Stories of Bouncing Back Higher and Faster from a Layoff, Re-org, or Career Setback and Career Smart: 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand. Sherri is also a Huffington Post columnist and keynote speaker. Her career advice has been featured in the WSJ, Time, and other publications. Sherri is offering Mac’s List listeners her video series, 15 Clever Ways to Get More Job Offers free. Ben's Job Search Resource: Unemployment FAQs Ben’s resource this week is FAQ’s about Termination from Employment from the website, The Balance. It consists of clear questions and concise answers to the most common questions you have if you are departing from a job. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: An Ethical Dilemma Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to J.L., from Chicago, Illinois. She asks, “Is it appropriate to ask an employer about their ethics during an interview?” Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macs_list. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, FreddyTrujillo.com.

Your resume is probably the most important document you use when looking for a job. It offers a great opportunity to tell your story and demonstrate what you can offer an employer. Guest expert Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter shares her top 6 list of what’s hot and what’s not in creating a great resume for today’s job market. What’s Hot in Resumes Focus — Make your resume format quick and easy to read and keep it employer focused. What's in it for the Employer — Research pain points the employer has and integrate your strategic insights about the issue. Creative Problem Solving Skills — Use specifics from your background to show how your critical thinking has solved problems. Leadership — Display your ability to help other push forward. Have a Career Portfolio — Have a skimmable resume, a meatier resume, and professional profiles.   Value-Focused Resume — Showcase the core values you would bring to an organization. What’s Not - And How to Fix It Brain Dump — Unless it directly benefits the employer, leave out the wordy details. Me, Me, Me —  Instead of focusing on yourself, look for ways to demonstrate that you work well on a team without minimizing your own accomplishments. Followership — Demonstrate your ability to take on the role of a leader when necessary. One and Done — It’s important to have multiple ways an employer can access desired information about your career. Just the Facts — Instead of listing your history, use storytelling to paint a more interesting picture of your professional career. Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Bio Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter owns and operates CareerTrend.net. She is one of just 50 master resume writers in the United States. Jacqui has crafted more than 1,500 career stories. She uses her bachelor’s degree in writing and journalism to apply a reporter’s eye to careers. Follow her on Twitter @ValueIntoWords. Jacqui is also in the process of rolling out a do-it-yourself resume starter kit. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Modern Career Economy Ben’s resource this week is Down and Out in the New Economy: How People Find (or Don’t Find) Work Today, by Ilana Gershon, an anthropologist at the University of Indiana. Thanks to Find Your Dream Job listener, Russell Terry. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Modern Job Search Strategies Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Marcia Callahan from Portland, Oregon. Marcia asks, “Is it worthwhile to drop off your resume at an office where you would like to work, or is there a more modern strategy to get in front of a hiring manager?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macs_list. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, FreddyTrujillo.com.

Dressing for work is especially fraught for women. This came to the fore nationally in July when a female journalist in Congress was turned away from the House lobby because her dress didn’t have sleeves. The story reignited our recent discussion about what “professional business attire” really means. For this bonus episode, we bring back Karla Miller, the Work Advice columnist for The Washington Post Magazine to talk about what Washington dress codes mean for the rest of us. How should business leaders address a vague dress code, and is there a tried and true rule for sleeves in the workplace? What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Informational interviews are a fairly recent strategy in the search for a new career. The application process and job searches of the past were more formal endeavors. As a job seeker, this new adaptation gives you more networking opportunities than were available before. Consider your existing network and divide it into two categories: Your strong ties — People you immediately think of as business connections. Your weak ties — People who are separated from you by a few degrees. Friends of friends, for example, can become a great career resource. When working to build your network, guest expert Kate Gremillion recommends asking your strong ties this question: “Knowing my interests and knowing what I want to be doing in my career, who would you suggest I speak with?” She says people genuinely enjoy helping other people, so this is a great place to start. Checking LinkedIn connections of people who have influence at a company you want to work for is another great tip. These “weak” ties can turn into strong connections if you approach them in a professional manner. Once you’ve landed an informational interview with a contact it’s important to: Allow the other person to chose the method of communication. Prepare 3-5 actions the person could do to help you if they ask. Take a genuine interest in the other person by listening more and talking less. This Week’s Guest: Kate Gremillion Kate Gremillion is Founder & CEO of Mavenly + Co.  Her firm offers group workshops, corporate training courses, and coaching programs. These services give young women the tools, resources and mindset they need to create careers and lifestyles with purpose. Kate also hosts the weekly podcast, Women, Work, and Worth. And her advice has been featured in publications like Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider, and HerAgenda. In her new program, Crafting Your Career, Kate works with clients to make their ideal career path a reality. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Great Networking Emails Ben’s resource this week is from the job research site The Muse. Here Are the Subject Lines That’ll Get Your Networking Emails Opened — Every Time. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: LinkedIn Signals Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Stephen Walden from Salem, Illinois. Stephen asks: “How do you redo your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new interests without drawing the attention of your current employer?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macslist. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, FreddyTrujillo.com.

Business casual means dressing for business, but in a casual way. Wait, is that a trick question? Clothing choices in the workplace can be frighteningly complex. In this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we tackle office fashion. Karla Miller writes about dress in the workplace for the Washington Post Magazine. In the episode, Karla shares tips for preparing your outfit for an interview or first day of work. Ask yourself these two questions, then build your outfit: What does the ideal worker at this company look like? What kind of clothes would they be wearing and how would they be groomed? Baby boomers and millennials may have a different idea of what dressing for work means. Always check out the company guidelines or employee dress code to get a baseline for what you should wear to work. If there are no specifics, look at how the people who are a level or two above you are dressing. Karla and the Mac’s List team also get into clothing taboos, including gender discrepancies, tattoos, and more. About This Week’s Guest: Karla Miller Since 2011, Karla Miller has offered advice on workplace dramas and traumas as the at @Work Advice columnist for The Washington Post Magazine. Billing herself as “the smart-aleck down the hall,” Karla tackles questions on annoying officemates, bullying bosses, and getting by in today’s job market. Karla also works full-time at an accounting firm in Washington, DC. And, she volunteers as a wife and mother. Be sure to check out Karla’s weekly column for the upcoming feature, “Are Dress Codes Unevenly Enforced?” in the June 18th edition. You can follow Karla on Twitter @KarlaAtWork. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Tools for Moms Ben’s resource this week is The Pregnancy Pause. Maternity leave is a full time job. So, on resumes and on LinkedIn mothers can cite the Pregnancy Pause as their employer. This tool educates others about the important work parents do when they take time off to raise children. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Recent Grad Advice Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Amber Tyus from Chicago, Illinois. Amber asks, “How does someone who is a recent graduate with limited experience quantify their experiences?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you know what is going to make you happy and fulfilled in your next role? On today’s bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Scott Barlow, Founder of Happen to Your Career and host of the Happen to Your Career Podcast, identifies the four key traits that lead to career happiness. Scott also illustrates how clarity in these areas builds a framework for a successful job search. The 4 Key Traits you must have to find happiness and fulfillment in your job are: Helping people — Most people want to know how the work they do helps others. Your basic needs must be met. Your work must be engaging, and you must have a clear understanding of how you are doing. You must have supportive co-workers and a leader. If you approach your career as if you are putting together a puzzle, and start with your strengths as the corner pieces, and then add the outside pieces, which are your wants and values, you will have the framework of your ideal career profile. Scott and his team at Happen to Your Career have put together “The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired.” Find Your Dream Job listeners can download this resource for free at Happentoyourcareer.com/macslist. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you search online and wait for your dream job to appear? It can be a tedious and unfulfilling task, since up to 80% of available jobs go unadvertised. Most positions today are filled by way of referral. So, get proactive and take control of your job search. Guest expert Katrina Collier encourages people to perform targeted searches and take a direct approach, by making the most of LinkedIn and corporate websites. She says most companies love being approached directly by people who tell them why their skills are a good fit for the organization. Companies benefit from your direct approach by saving recruiter fees and seeing your proactive interest. 5 Steps to Take Control of a Job Search Create a LinkedIn profile that includes your skills and recommendations from your peers. Proactively search for companies in your area that may have a role that fits your specialty. Look beyond recruiters and include department heads or hiring managers. Thoroughly research the company before you reach out to them. Call instead of email, follow up, and make the conversation about the company, not about you. Good old-fashioned networking may be what it takes for you to find your next job, and don’t forget networking includes social networking. Reach out to recruiters on Twitter and start a “get to know you” conversation. Katrina Collier Bio Katrina Collier is a global expert on social recruiting. She teaches people at corporations around the world how to use social media to recruit staff. Katrina is also a keynote speaker and the host of The Social Recruiting Show. You can find out more about Katrina at The Searchologist and follow her on Twitter @KatrinaMCollier. Katrina will be exercising her public speaking skills in the U.S. and London, training recruiters about candidate engagement. Ben’s Job Search Resource: LinkedIn for Veterans  Ben’s resource this week is from LinkedIn for Good Veterans Program and families of veterans. Recent veterans are not always able to do the networking necessary to transition to their next position. LinkedIn for Veterans provides video courses and tools to help veterans translate their military experience into business skills, and includes access to a veterans’ mentor network. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Jason Nieh from Portland. Jason asks: “What matters most to employers when hiring recent graduates?” For a deep dive into the topic, listen to our podcast with Don Raskin, Interview Secrets Every New Graduate Needs to Know.  Don is the author of the invaluable resource, The Dirty Little Secrets to Getting Your Dream Job. The Finance Career Launch Podcast from David Mariano is another great resource. These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Here’s how to join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

If you are an older job seeker, you have probably wondered if your age has been a factor in not getting an interview or a job offer for a position you wanted.Ageism is a very real thing, but not every rejection is due to age discrimination. Guest Jacob Share says being the right cultural fit for a position is the most important factor in your being invited into an organization. People want to hire people they will enjoy being around on a day-to-day basis.If you are finding it difficult to get an interview, Jacob recommends using LinkedIn as a tool to find other people who have similar characteristics and experience. Observe which companies have hired them and reach out to current and past employees. Ask for a copy of their resume so you know exactly what type of information the company is looking for. Many positions in today’s job market are filled by personal or professional referrals, so networking can be an important aspect of your job search.We discussed tactics you can try to squash common concerns a company may have about your age: Your experience may merit a higher salary than the company has budgeted for. During the interview, state how your experience can add up to cost savings in other areas. They may be looking for a long-term employee and think you could retire soon. Make it known you intend to grow with the company and describe your loyalty to previous companies. You may not be able to work for someone younger than you. Cite examples of how you are already working with younger people. This Week’s Guest: Jacob Share Jacob Share is the founder of JobMob, an award-winning blog that serves a global audience. His site offers straight-talking advice based on Jacob’s own experiences finding jobs in the United States, Canada, France, and Israel. Get Jacob’s resource, The Midlife Job Search Report, for free when you become a JobMob insider. Jacob is working on a new book and a group coaching service. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Comparing Cultures Ben’s resource this week is an alternative to Glassdoor.com and Salary.com. Comparably.com is a tool to help you find salary ranges by job title, location, and by employer. Comparably excels at figuring out the culture of the organization. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Getting Unstuck Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Michelle Stevens from Portland. Michelle asks, “How do I keep from getting pigeonholed into roles I do well but don’t want to remain in?” These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.  Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

Understanding who you are, the way you work, and your beliefs are all key to finding the right career for you. Core competencies and skills are important, but truly understanding what lights you up, and what you love doing, can propel you into your next career. Career coach Kylie Butler says it can also be helpful to look into your limiting beliefs and what may be holding you back. Practical Steps to Understanding Yourself Take the time to ask yourself these personal profiling questions. What do I enjoy? When am I in ‘flow’? What were my unique gifts as a child? Do personality assessment tests. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. DiSC profile assessment. Review your CV or resume with someone you respect Consider what excuses you have been making around reaching your goals. But before you leap onto the job boards you should create and develop a success mindset. It can mean the difference in finding the right job for you and finding it quickly. Key Tools to Help You Mentally Prepare for Success Take time to get a handle on your thinking. Is your mindset focused on success? Visualization — Imagine a situation in which you are successful. Affirmations — Daily mantras can help to keep you motivated. Meditation — To keep yourself calm and composed. Socialize — Hang out with people who inspire and energize you. Once you have captured a good understanding of who you are, and feel mentally prepared for success, you need to do research about the industry you want to work in, using niche industry websites and LinkedIn. This Week’s Guest: Kylie Butler Kylie Butler is a career coach, speaker and the owner of Inspired Careers. Her company helps people with smart job searching strategies, LinkedIn profiles, and career planning. Before starting Inspired Careers, Kylie worked in leadership positions in human resources for companies in Rome, London, and Dublin. Kylie has created online programs to help people get themselves ready for a job or a career change, and she has a LinkedIn profile writing site. For free job searching resources sign up with your email at Inspired Careers. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Virtual Job Shadow Ben’s resource this week is JobShadow.com. The creator of the site has put together over 500+ interviews from people in different careers. The interviewees talk about the likes and dislikes of their job, their salary, etc., to give job seekers an inside perspective of what it might be like to hold that position. Think of it as a try before you buy option. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Personal & Professional Beliefs  Becky, Ben, Jessica and Mac offer advice to Marissa Noland Lane from Tigard, Ore. Marissa wants to know: “What are the best ways to find where a company and its leadership stand on issues important to me?”  These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:      Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.      Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.      What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Since its starting date in October 2015 the Find Your Dream Job podcast has been downloaded 350,000 times, and it consistently ranks within the Top 40 Career Podcasts on the U.S. iTunes chart. Plus, we really enjoy making it. All that is something to celebrate.   Please join us for our 100th Episode Live Event at North Portland’s Fremont Theater. We will be celebrating this major milestone by recording our 100th podcast in front of a live audience.   We'll be joined by Jared Mees Co-Founder and CEO of Tender Loving Empire, the entire Mac’s List Team, special guest Jenny Foss, and you! There will be live music from Freddy Trujillo, real life stories from listeners who found their dream jobs, and a career trivia game. We can’t wait to meet you.   What: Live Taping of Find Your Dream Job 100th Podcast Episode  Where: Fremont Theater When: July 25, 2017.   Doors open at 6 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m.   Sign up for the event at macslist.org/live         *Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

If you’re ready to find a new job but want to stay in your current company while you look for a better opportunity, you need to engage in a thoughtful and sensitive “stealth” job search. You don’t want your boss finding out that you’ve already got one foot out the door! Recruiter, Bernie Reifkind, reminds job seekers to “trust no one” with their plan to seek employment elsewhere. Even co-workers who have become close friends should not know about your plans. If the information were to slip out, you could be terminated from your current position. If you are networking as part of your job search (and you should be!) Bernie recommends using certain phrases which subtly imply you are in the market for new opportunities. He also recommends asking others to respect your confidentiality. A confidential candidate resume is one way to send your resume to respective employers while keeping your personal data hidden. Make sure your resume is world-class, then replace your name with “Confidential Candidate,” set up a new email account and remove any and all personal information. During a stealth job search: Lock down your LinkedIn with privacy options. Keep your activities private from your current colleagues. Never use a company computer to search. Be cautious about responding to blind job postings. Our Guest for This Episode: Bernie Reifkind Bernie Reifkind is the founder of Premier Search, Inc. His company offers career counseling, strategic planning, and executive recruitment services for clients in healthcare and other industries. His clients include CEOs, mid-career managers, and recent graduates. Bernie is about to launch a new website for C-Suite executives. You can find out more by following @Guru2Interview on Twitter, or connecting with him on LinkedIn. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Employee Referrals Ben’s resource this week references one of the most powerful tools you can have while searching for a job: an internal referral. The U.S. News blog post, 7 Things You Should Know About Employee Referrals, describes why an employee referral increases your chances at getting the job. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: “Cold Resumes” Becky, Ben and Mac offer advice to Melody Dawn, from Portland, who wants to know: How can I make my “cold resume” stand out from the stack of applications? These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Everyone has distinct interests, skills and passions. But when it comes to work, most people are looking for the same general thing: a career that is meaningful, engaging, and (ideally) well-paying. Most of us want a balanced life full of work that brings happiness and prosperity.  On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Chris Guillebeau, author of Born for This and The $100 Startup, explains the three things that contribute to this sense of balance. To find the job you were born to do, you need to focus on: Joy: A job that makes you happy Money: A career that is is financially viable Flow: A livelihood that maximizes your unique skills You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Some people make success in the workplace look easy. Others struggle and fail in spite of great talent and ability. This week’s guest, Lolly Daskal, believes that they key to success is knowing your strengths and mindfully acknowledging your weaknesses. Successful people lead from their strengths and avoid getting stuck in their gaps. Your unique capabilities and your competencies are what give you confidence. Your self-doubt keeps you from mastering your leadership abilities. These self-doubts, or gaps, are what make you feel small or inadequate. Everyone, at some time, feels like an imposter. Awareness and a daily reflection practice can help you to assess the things you did well during the day and consider how you can improve on it in the future. Our Guest for this Episode: Lolly Daskal Lolly Daskal is the founder and CEO of Lead From Within. She’s an advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs and boards, and has coached the leaders of hundreds of companies, across 14 countries. Lolly has written online articles for many publications, including Inc.com, Fast Company, Huffington Post, and Psychology Today. She is the author of a new book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Transferable Skills Worksheet Ben’s resource this week is a transferable skills worksheet, developed by Portland State University. This sheet provides a structured way to identify your transferable skills, particularly if you are considering moving into a different field. Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Covering Resume Gaps Jessica, Ben, Beth, and Mac offer advice to Kim Morrison, from Portland, who wants to know: What to do on resumes that have gaps because of downsizing and layoffs. And, what to do in cover letters and job applications to explain the gaps. Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in: Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

There are a lot of reasons why you might resign from your job. Maybe you’ve outgrown the role and have found a new position that better fits your interests. Perhaps another organizations is willing to pay you more for the same work. Or maybe you’ve just had enough with your current employer. Whatever your reason for resigning, departing on a positive note should be your number one priority. This isn’t a time to air long-brewing grievances or slack off as you daydream about your next position. Instead, use this time to reinforce your relations with your supervisor, co-workers, and the organization as a whole. The best thing for your career is to ensure the the transition goes smoothly for yourself, your manager, and the company you are leaving. So says this week’s guest, Joseph Liu, a career coach and host of the podcast, Career Relaunch. Your behavior and attitude the last few weeks leave a lasting legacy. Make sure people remember you as someone who covered all the bases before leaving, not someone who burned bridges. This Week’s Guest: Joseph Liu Joseph Liu is a career consultant, keynote speaker, columnist, and host of the Career Relaunch podcast. He believes you must be willing to make a brave leap to create positive changes in your career. Tapping his previous experience as a global marketer, Joseph has helped hundreds of professionals and business owners build and relaunch their personal brands to pursue more meaningful work. Read a blog post and download a worksheet of Joseph’s 3-step Resignation Process. He is also launching online courses about designing and pitching a personal brand. This Week’s Job Search Resource Ben’s discusses an article by Liz Ryan on the ”Five Good Reasons to Quit Without Having Another Job.” Sometimes there’s a very good reason to quit before having another gig lined up! This Week’s Listener Question Jessica, Ben, and Mac answer a question from listener, Suzanne Van Amburgh “What is the best way to find out which staffing agency the company I want to work for uses?”  If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

LinkedIn is more than just a collection of professional profiles; it is increasingly a publishing platform where people share articles and ideas. With an audience of over 450 million users, LinkedIn has become one of the best tools for building your professional brand with insightful content. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Joshua Waldman, founder of CareerEnlightment.com and author of Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies, explains how you can use LinkedIn’s publishing tools for your professional advantage. Whether you’re sharing an interesting article, commenting on someone else’s post, or writing your own thought piece, adding new content helps you stand out from the crowd. You’re no longer just another lifeless, corporate profile. It shows you stay informed and that you have something to say! Plus, LinkedIn articles tend to generate a lot of reader feedback. This helps you to build your online network and supports your job search. Start by sharing an article with your own commentary included. It’s a simple way of growing your personal brand and getting your skills and ideas in front of others. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

As a job seeker, you need both a resume and a LinkedIn profile. These two documents shouldn’t be mirror images of each other. Each has their own particular purpose and, together, they function as a complimentary review of your work history.Your LinkedIn profile is a broad overview of what your professional value proposition is. Your resume should be customized around particular job opportunity. It’s important to use keywords from the job posting in your resume so when the hiring manager knows you are familiar with the language and the culture of the opportunity. Our guest expert this week is recruiter and career coach, 
Ed Han. Ed says you need to be consistent when talking about yourself online and in your resume, but that you need to customize each piece. Here are two areas where your resume and LinkedIn profiles should differ: Keywords: On LinkedIn, you should use industry-specific keywords. (What search terms would an average recruiter or hiring manager be searching for when they’re looking for someone with your skills. In your resume, mimic the keywords and language found in the job description. (The terms that are most likely to get you past the company’s applicant tracking system.) Accomplishments: In LinkedIn, you should list your biggest accomplishments in the summary section or headline, as these are the most commonly read parts of your profile. On your resume, each accomplishment should be associated with the relevant job. Ed also recommends having a master resume with a complete inventory of your work, educational experience, and accomplishments. It makes customizing a resume for a specific opportunity easier, and you can see all of your amazing accomplishments at a glance. This Week’s Guest: Ed Han Ed Han is a recruiter with a passion for networking and helping people put their professional best foot forward, especially on LinkedIn. His own career includes stints with a major Wall Street firm, an international fashion brand, and a publishing company. You can find Ed Han on LinkedIn or at his Land Faster job search and support Facebook group. This Week’s Job Search Resource Ben’s shares a blog post from LinkedIn: 101 Great Words to Use in Your Resume (and 5 to Avoid) by Mike Figliuolo. This Week’s Listener Question Jessica, Ben, and Mac answer Darroch Cahen’s question: “How do I pursue a dualcareer, both professionally and on LinkedIn?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

It’s the first question in a majority of all interviews: “Tell me about yourself.” While it seems like a simple prompt, it can make or break the rest of your interview. Mess it up and you’ve ruined your first impression with the employer. Ace the question and you’ll set the tone for the rest of the meeting. The question is so important that job coach, Katherine Burik, has written an entire book on how to craft a winning answer. Katherine shares the “Cliffs Notes” version of her strategy this week on the podcast.   The foundation of Katherine strategy is to is to plan ahead. Think about what the interviewer wants to hear, and share ideas and experiences that speak to their needs. You’ve got to be honest, but you can shape your experience in a way that will resonate with the employer. To ace the “Tell me about yourself” interview question, Katherine offers a five step approach: Provide a short, high-level overview about yourself. Highlight a specific accomplishment you are proud of--preferably one that is related to the position to which you are currently applying. Share five flattering (but honest) words to describe yourself, starting with “I am…” Explain why you are interested in this specific position. Tell the interviewer why they should hire you. The trick is to communicate everything above in a concise and direct way. Your entire answer shouldn’t take more than two minutes. The best way to ensure you have a tight, well-tuned response is to practice, practice, practice! This Week’s Guest: Katherine Burik Katherine Burik is a partner at The Interview Doctor. She works with both job candidates and employers, and speaks frequently about career development and successful job search methods. Katherine has published three books on job hunting, as part of The Job Seeker Manifesto. Her a fourth book, Talent Search Marketing Plan, is in the works. This Week’s Job Search Resource Ben shares a list of 10 Jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago to highlight why you have to be flexible and adaptable in your career. You can’t predict the new career opportunities that will emerge in the future (or which jobs will simply disappear) so you have to stay informed and open to change. This Week’s Listener Question Jessica and the team answer a question from listener, Andrew Cameron: “I’ve heard feedback on a number of my interviews that I’m overqualified. I’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts on what that means, and what I might be able to do about that.” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

At some point in your career you’ll need to negotiate. Maybe it’ll be for the salary you deserve. Or for better benefits. Or for some extra time off for a special vacation. Whatever your ask, you’ll probably need to negotiate with your boss to get what you want. When people think about negotiation, they tend to imagine a haggling session, where each side makes demands—one high and one low—and they eventually meet somewhere in the middle. According to Jeff Weiss, author of Harvard Business Review’s Guide to Negotiating, this kind of linear, zero-sum thinking limits your opportunity to find creative, win-win solutions. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jeff shares four strategies to improve your negotiation skills and get better outcomes. His tips include: Know your “why’s.” Understand the underlying reason you’re asking for more time, money or benefits. This can open up more opportunities for a mutually beneficial solution with your employer. Don’t fall into stereotypical thinking.  Don’t fall for the zero-sum-game approach to negotiation. Both sides can “win.” Avoid emotionally driven ultimatums. Negotiation is stressful and people sometimes say things they don’t mean. Steer clear of manipulative language and subjective standards. Take the lead. Be proactive in your negotiation. Don’t wait for the other side to act first. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

A job search can be an emotional rollercoaster. The process of sending out resumes, getting excited about opportunities, prepping for interviews, and waiting for feedback can be stressful. And, if you don’t get the job you want, it can be a painful blow to your ego. This week’s guest expert, Alison Cardy, argues that job search stress stems from a couple basic dynamics: Putting deadlines on things we cannot control. Job seekers have limited influence on the speed of the hiring process, so setting arbitrary expectations that you’ll find a job in two weeks--or even two months--is a recipe for future upset. Internalizing rejection. Failure is the norm in the job search process; you need to be able to accept rejection without taking it personally. Don’t let one bad interview, define who you are and the value you can bring to an organization. Putting all our eggs in one basket. Don’t focus all your attention on a single interview or opportunity. Continue your job search activities so that you have fallback options. Alison urges job seekers to maintain perspective and stay in reality. Remember who you really are and what you are capable of doing. You should also make sure you’re not investing all of your time and energy into a job search. It’s important to take care of your whole self so that you remain resilient during this difficult period of your life. This Week’s Guest: Alison Cardy Alison Cardy is the Founder and CEO of Cardy Career Coaching. Her international team guides people through career changes. Alison’s firm focuses on that crucial step before your job search begins: Helping you figure out what it is you want to do with your life. She’s also the author of Career Grease: How to Get Unstuck and Pivot Your Career. If you are having trouble which direction you should focus your job search, Alison’s book is a great resource. This Week’s resource Ben shares a post from ThoughtCatalog: 27 People Reveal The Most Ridiculously Crazy Things They Have Said At Their Job Interviews. This is a list of funny and creative answers people have given before they have been offered a job. This Week’s Listener Question This week, Kristin Schuchman, career coach at A Portland Career, joined the Mac’s List team as a fill-in guest host. Kristin, Ben, and Mac answer Stephen’s question: “How do I explain to an employer I am interested in a job I am overqualified for?” Stay up-to-date with the Find Your Dream Job podcast. Here’s how: Get an answer to your job-related question on the air! Email your question to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Share a job resource you think everyone should know about. Email [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like the show, please rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

The interview is your first, and sometimes only, opportunity to make a positive personal impression with an employer. You don’t want to wing it or walk into the meeting unprepared. You need to have a solid game plan and good talking points to make the most of this opportunity. However, it’s important to note that all interviews are not created equal. Every organization has its own needs and internal culture; every hiring manager has a unique personality and history that you need to consider. This is why it is so important that you research an organization and the people you’ll meet before you walk into an interview. Don’t use your one-hour meeting as discovery session. Instead, do your homework ahead of time and come in as an informed candidate with some ideas of how you can address the employer's challenges. This week’s guest expert, Jessica Smith, lays out a plan for how you can best prepare for your next interview. Read the company’s website, find commonalities between the job description and your skills, and view the LinkedIn profiles of the internal recruiter or hiring manager you’ll be meeting with. Figuring out who the company likes to hire, and knowing the organization’s buzzwords gives you instant credibility, When it’s time to answer the tough interview questions, Jessica recommends looking through your background to find a project with a clear objective or goal, and one with a discrete beginning and end. If you are unsure what project to choose, use the company’s job description as a guide. Then, describe the project using the STAR method Situation — Describe the situation.Task — Describe the task you were given.Action — Describe what you did.Result — Describe the outcome. Jessica also urges job seekers to always discuss past accomplishments in the first person singular--saying “I” instead of “we.” Job seekers often want to be modest and credit a team approach for their accomplishments. But speaking with an “I” perspective better conveys that you had an active role in these projects. This Week’s Guest: Jessica Smith Jessica Smith is a career and wellness coach for 20-somethings. Her coaching philosophy centers around the idea that everybody has an internal voice of wisdom that can help you live with more flow, confidence, and joy. Jessica is the author of the forthcoming book, Your Twenties, which is scheduled for publication later in 2017. She is also the host of the weekly podcast, Career Coaching with Jessness. Jessica has free career success guide for listeners on her website, Jessness Required. This Week’s Resource LinkedIn has a new feature that allows users to quietly signal recruiters that they are looking for new professional opportunities. This is a great option if you currently have a job and don’t want your employer to know you’re looking. To turn on this feature, go to the “Jobs” tab of LinkedIn, and toggle the “Open Candidate” button. This Week’s Listener Question: Jessica, Ben, and Mac answer Chris Mitchell’s question: “How long should I wait after a job interview to follow up with a hiring manager?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Your cover letter is one of the most important elements of your application--perhaps as important as your resume. This is where you outline your passion for the position and make the case for why you are the best candidate for the job. Unfortunately, too many job seekers undervalue and underthink their cover letter. Sometimes they fail to include a cover letter in their application. More often--but equally detrimental--they use the same generic, cookie-cutter cover letter for all their applications. This simply doesn’t cut it. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jenny Foss, founder of JobJenny.com, shares how your generic cover letter reads to a hiring manager.  Her entertaining, “what-not-to-write” cover letter hits home with insights on how you can improve your own cover letter right away. When you read your cover letter from a hiring manager’s point of view it starts to read differently than when you are reading it for yourself. Jenny reminds us not to regurgitate the content of our resumes into our cover letters and to not waste the hiring manager’s time with worn out cliches like “detail-oriented” and “proven track record.” You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Studies show that many women don’t negotiate for salary as often as men during the hiring process. Guest expert Ashley Milne-Tyte says women leave money on the table all the time. Salary gaps between men and women often start at the beginning of their careers, because young men are more inclined to negotiate their salary, while women tend to accept the company’s initial offer. Cultural conditioning and stereotypes are at the center of this problem. Talking about money can be very uncomfortable for many women, whether it’s due to lack of education about finances or fear that they’ll come off as greedy or “bossy.” Hiring managers, both men or women, may consider women  pushy or rude while the same behavior from men is seen as normal. However, there are various studies that show women negotiate very well when they are negotiating for someone else. So how can women take those skills and go to bat for their own benefit? Ashley recommends a book that has become her “negotiation bible: it’s called Ask For It, by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever. It can change a woman’s view when it comes to negotiating. Techniques to help women ask for and get more: Do your research. Find out what people in similar positions are making, pulling both national and local salary ranges. Be calm and understand expectations. Know going in that you may get different reactions. Be calm, firm, yet friendly in your ask. Don’t accept the first offer. It’s common practice to take a day to consider an offer. Use that time to come up with a reasonable counter-ask. Have options in your ask. Whether you offer flexibility in payment schedule or other compensation instead of cash, be open but don’t roll over. Women leave money on the table all the time. By understanding bias, doing your homework, and presenting a well-informed ask, women can negotiate for better compensation. This Week’s Guest: Ashley Milne-Tyte Ashley Milne-Tyte is a podcast host and radio and print reporter based in New York. She has reported extensively for Marketplace, the public radio business show, as well as local stations and smaller shows. Ashley teaches at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Her podcast on women and the workplace, The Broad Experience, has been featured on best podcast lists in The Guardian, Fortune, and Entrepreneur. Ashley will focus on conservative women in the workplace, and Executive Assistants, on her upcoming podcasts. This Week’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is an article from Inc. entitled Why You Should Tell Your Coworkers How Much Money You Make. The article tackles the touchy subject of discussing salaries in the workplace, and considers salary transparency as a tool for  uncovering unfair wage gaps. This Week’s Listener Question: This week, Kristin Schuchman, career coach at A Portland Career, joined the Mac’s List team as a fill-in guest host. Kristin, Ben, and Mac answer Samantha Marshall’s question: “I've been working at my job for several years, and they have told me several times that they would pay for me to go to grad school, but when I bring it up, they push back or say they have to consider it. I really want to go to grad school, but I can't afford to do it on my own so this would be a really great opportunity — but I'm worried it will strain my work relationship if I keep asking. How can I advocate for myself and for this opportunity, while maintaining a good relationship with my managers?" Stay up-to-date with the Find Your Dream Job podcast. Here’s how: Get an answer to your job-related question on the air! Email your question to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Share a job resource you think everyone should know about. Email [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like this show, please rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Losing your job—under any circumstances—is a painful, embarrassing experience, and it’s natural to be upset. You may feel like you’ve lost control of your life, or that you’ll never find another job.  Plus there’s the stress of managing your financial responsibilities on a diminished income. While it’s natural to be anxious after a layoff, you shouldn’t let panic drive you to rash decisions. So say this week’s guest, Jane Jackson. Instead, give yourself time to heal and figure out the next step in your career. Jane suggests that you reach out to trusted friends and professional contacts to help you avoid catastrophic thinking and maintain perspective. These people can help clarify where you are where you are in life and what options are available. Only after you’ve properly dealt with the emotional aspect of a job loss, should you create a plan to find your next gig. If you jump too quickly into the job search process, you’re likely to come across as desperate or needy to potential employers—a dynamic that will only lead to more frustration on your part. This Week's Guest: Jane Jackson Jane Jackson is a career and life coach who has worked with thousands of clients across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Europe. She is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller, Navigating Career Crossroads: How to Thrive when Changing Direction. Jane also hosts the Your Career Podcast. Jane is excited to be speaking about branding and networking, at an upcoming CFO conference in Cannes. And, she recently launched the online career transition program, The 7 Steps Careers Program. This Week's Resource Ben’s resource this week is the blog post, After Being Fired, Answer the Job Interview Question: Why Did You Leave Your Job? from Job-Hunt.org, The post recommends starting with a positive statement and then explain the circumstances around your being fired in an honest, flattering light and then pivot to a positive takeaway from the experience. Listener Question of the Week Joining the Mac’s List team as a guest-host is Andrea Gerson, Portland-based career coach and principal at Resume Scripter. Andrea, Ben, and Mac answer Jasmine Ward’s question: "Should I send a cover letter even when the employer doesn’t specifically request one in the job posting?" If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Women are much more likely than men to leave the workforce to raise children or assist elderly family members. Unfortunately, after a prolonged time off, it’s not easy to on-ramp back into full employment. There simply is not much infrastructure to help women step back into the workforce. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared before you take your hiatus. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Farai Chideya, author of The Episodic Career: How to Thrive and Work in the Age of Disruption, explains what women should to before they take time off to lay the foundation for their eventual return to the workforce.  Her suggestions include: Document all the work you have done. You're less likely to remember everything if you wait until you're ready to return to work. Sit down with your current supervisor and ask them to itemize your accomplishments and highlight your skill sets. Ask for the document to be added to your personal file and keep a copy for yourself. Call upon your current network to let them know you are taking time off and you plan on returning. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

We say it a lot here at Mac’s List: networking is the single best thing you can do for your job search—or your career, in general. But attending a single networking event probably isn’t going to land you a job right away. Networking is about building mutually-beneficial, long-term relationships, not making awkward demands for a job. In fact, according to this week’s guest, Abby Kohl, the single biggest mistake you can make in a networking event is to ask for a job. Another fatal error is beginning a conversation by announcing your unemployment. Both actions are deadly mistakes for the same reason: they make networking all about you and your needs. Such an approach is more likely to scare people away than to lead to a constructive conversation. Instead, Abby recommends that you always focus on how you can help the person you’re talking to. Listen to their ideas, try to identify their challenges, and ask how you can help. This positions you as a solution provider—the kind of employer every organization wants. It also builds goodwill with your contact, increasing the likelihood that they will assist you in your job search. Abby’s other networking tips include: When you’ve made a good connection, ask for a follow-up meeting over lunch or coffee. Find a “job search buddy” who is looking for similar work. Always have business cards available. Never say you’re unemployed. Instead, say that you are “between successes.” This Week's Guest: Abby Kohut Abby Kohut, founder of Absolutely Abby, is a recruiter who has filled more than 10,000 jobs. Through her website, books, and talks Abby shares hiring secrets other recruiters won’t tell you. Abby is on a mission to help one million job seekers. She is now driving across the United States on a nationwide tour to accomplish the goal. If you have a job search group, contact Abby on her website to create an event in your town. Meet Abby offers a free teleseminar, “Interviewing Ingenuity.” This Week’s Job Search Resource Ben’s resource this week is from the PBS segment, "How to Make a Personal Connection with an Employer Even if the Job Listing Forbids It," by headhunter, Nick Corcodilos. Most job postings explicitly say ‘no calls please.’ Nick recommends finding an alternative way to contact the hiring manager and discussing their problems in a constructive manner. This Week’s Listener Question Joining the Mac's List team as a guest-host is Andrea Gerson, Portland-based career coach and principal at Resume Scripter.  Andrea, Ben, and Mac offer advice to listener Megan Smith, who wants to know which format she should use for her resume. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

The traditional hiring process is broken and everyone knows it--both job seekers and hiring managers. The over-automated, keyword-driven, impersonal way most organizations hire is a relic of software systems built 40+ years ago. As such, playing by the rules is more likely to land you a stress headache than a job offer. This week's guest, Liz Ryan, offers a ray of hope, with strategies and techniques that will help you rise above the rest when reaching out to employers. She encourages job seekers to break the rules of the system. Instead, she urges people to proactively reach out to the organizations where they most want to work--and where they can create the most value. In practice, this means: Ignore the formal hiring process. Decide where you want to work, and have an idea of how they can help the company. Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to find the person who would be your boss if they were to get the job they wanted. Send a pain letter to that person at their place of employment. A pain letter is a letter that focuses on your contact's specific challenges and highlights how you can help with these problems. The first sentence should be the hook to pique the person’s interest. Include a story which highlights the pain or problem the manager may be experiencing, and end the letter with a soft and respectful, “I’d be happy to start a phone or email conversation with you.” This Week's Guest: Liz Ryan Liz Ryan is the founder and CEO of Human Workplace, a think tank and publishing firm whose mission is to reinvent work for people. Liz is the author of Reinvention Roadmap: Break the Rules to Get the Job You Want and the Career You Want. She writes for Forbes.com, LinkedIn, and other publications. Liz is a highly sought-after keynote speaker who has hired over 10,000 people. Liz’s work in 2017 includes empowering workers and reinventing corporate work environments in an effort to move them away from a mechanical mode and back into a human mode. Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is a blog post from Allison Green titled, Gimmicks Won’t Get You a Job. Allison has an entire page of zany and outlandish things people have done to try and land a job. Favorites include a spouse who advertised her job-hunting spouse on a billboard and a person who sent a framed picture of themselves to a hiring manager. Listener Question of the Week Jessica, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Nicole Wilson, who wants to know guidelines for using unlimited paid-time-off (PTO) offered by some employers. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Often, when busy professionals receive a request for a networking meeting, time is the deciding factor as to whether or not they accept it. If you want to improve your chances of meeting an important contact, make it clear that you only want twenty minutes of his or her time. In this bonus podcast episode, Nathan Perez, executive career and job search coach, as well as co-author of the 20-Minute Networking Meeting, shares his advice on how to organize and execute a short, focused informational interview.  Here are his key tips: Have a focused agenda prepared in advance. Give your contact context about your professional background.  Ask a short set of targeted and strategic questions. Know the background of the person you're meeting with and understand how they can help you with your job search. Listen and stay actively engaged in the conversation. Preparation and focus allow you to have an informative and powerful conversation. If you master the art of the 20-minute networking meeting you will quickly build a network that will advance your job search. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Volunteering is an important component to any job search, and can benefit the job seeker in myriad ways. So says this week's guest, Mark Anthony Dyson. While most volunteer gigs won't lead to a formal job offer, Mark argues that giving your time and energy as a volunteer helps you stand out from the crowded field of job seekers. Here some of the many benefits to volunteer service: It's a great way to network within an industry or an organization you want to work for. It shows value-alignment between you, your peers, and target organizations. It allows you to showcase your professional skills or learn new skills It give you a chance to help others, who may, in turn, be able to help you It can fill in employment gaps in your resume. It can make you feel better about yourself and your job search. This Week's Guest: Mark Anthony Dyson Mark Anthony Dyson is a career consultant who helps unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated job seekers. Mark’s advice has appeared in U.S. News & World Report, Monster, Fox Business and TIME magazine. He’s also the founder of the award-winning career blog and podcast, The Voice of Job Seekers. This Week's Job Search Resource Ben’s resource this week is the website VolunteerMatch. It matches volunteers with organizations in search of volunteers and vice versa. The are thousands of volunteer opportunities in a hundred different cities and even virtual volunteer positions. This Week's Listener Question Jessica, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Mary Anne Rice who wants to know if she should be her authentic self in a job interview. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Many people believe retirement means working until a certain age and then enjoying a life of leisure. The problem with this thinking, says this week's guest expert, Nancy Collamer, is that most of us are facing the 40/30 dilemma. After working (only) 40 years in a full-time career, 30 years of retirement can be too many hours to fill, and too many years to fund. That's why Nancy urges people to make retirement more than just gardening, grandkids, and golfing. You can also use this time to explore a second act career.  A part-time job to supplement our income, or a volunteer position may be just what the doctor ordered. A Second Act Career A second act career is the work we do after our primary careers. In general, the work is more fun, more flexible, and more fulfilling than our previous work. Nancy notes that many people find it daunting to plan for their second act career, so she suggests three steps to help with the process: Introspection —  Think about what you want, and how you want to do it. Idea Generation — Get out there, and research your options. Experimentation — Try things out, to see what fits. The sooner you start this process, the better! Finding your encore career earlier in life, may allow you to quit you unfulfilling 9-5 job before you otherwise expected. A second act career can also mean you don’t have to dip into your savings as early. You can delay accessing your Social Security, and that is a financial gain. Bucket or Chuck It? Nancy recommends planning for your retirement hours with a bucket list and a chuck it list. A bucket list is a way to make sure you get in everything you’ve ever wanted in life, while a chuck it list allows you to say goodbye to those things you never really liked, such as traffic and spreadsheets. This Week's Guest: Nancy Collamer Nancy Collamer is an expert on second-act careers, semi-retirement and boomer career trends. She writes a career blog for Forbes.com and the PBS website NextAvenue.org. Nancy is also the author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit Your Passions During Semi-Retirement and a contributor to Not Your Mother's Retirement and 65 Things To Do When You Retire. Nancy publishes her free newsletter on My Lifestyle Career and she is working on a digital product to help people jump start their second act career planning process.   Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is the Huffington Post — Reinvention Section. This entire section is for those lucky people who are 50+ are interested in reinventing their life, career or location. There are some great articles here and some not so great, so browse around. Listener Question of the Week Jessica, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Ryan Wilson who is looking for guidance about to talk about himself and his accomplishments, without coming off as boastful. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

It is against the law for employers to discriminate based on age. Yet, ageism is an undeniable truth in the modern workforce. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Kerry Hannon,  author of Love Your Job: The New Rules of Career Happiness, shares her tips on how you can overcome age bias when looking for a new job. Employers can be skeptical about hiring older workers because they worry: You don’t have the stamina for the job. You may not be up to speed or willing to learn new technology. Your salary demands may be too high and your health benefits cost more. You won’t be able to answer to or take direction from younger bosses. To fight back against this perception, Kerry suggests the following: Don't get stuck in the past Get a career coach Don't get caught up on salary Study up on technology Use social media Focus on networking Volunteer Join (or create) a job-hunting group Do your homework Believe in yourself You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

"What do you do for a living?" It's a question you probably get often, especially when meeting new people. What you say matters a lot, says this week's guest expert, Christina Canters. Your answer may lead to your next job or it can help you move up in your career. Because the question is so common, however, most people don’t give it much thought. They simply spit out their title and then stop. Christina says a title doesn’t give the other person anything to respond to. A better answer to "what do you do" can be a starting point to a more engaging conversation. Christina offers these tips when sharing what you do: When speaking with people outside your field, explain your job in language and metaphors that are easily understandable. Explain who you help in your job--and how you might be able to help the person you're speaking with. Add a fun fact about your work just after your title. If you're currently unemployed and looking for work, use the "what do you do" question as an opportunity. Put a positive spin on your situation by saying “I’m looking for new opportunities at the moment. I’m looking to help or do…” Christina also emphasizes the importance of confidence when explaining your job.  If you don’t come across as confident in yourself, why would anyone else be confident in you? Her tips for projecting confidence include: Get into a positive state-of-mind before you arrive at an event or presentation. Do power poses to put yourself in a positive physical state. Watch your language and remove the words “just a” before your title. This Weeks Guest: Christina Canters Christina Canters is a communication skills speaker, coach and host of the podcast, Stand Out, Get Noticed. Her website, the CMethod, helps ambitious professionals become more effective and confident when they speak, present and pitch. An engaging speaker, Christina has wowed audiences at organizations and conferences around the world with her passion, humor, and the occasional ukulele song. Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is the blog post Why Are Job Titles Important to Your Career? from The Balance. Titles are an important part of the compensation management system. The article includes common job titles and descriptions of what the job title includes. Listener Question of the Week Jessica, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Abbey Pendley who is looking for guidance about mentioning ongoing freelance work to a possible new full-time employer? If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Build it and forget is not a good strategy for your LinkedIn page, especially if you are job hunting. Job seekers need a strong, robust presence to demonstrate their capabilities, and communicate what makes them stand out above other candidates. If your profile is not updated, it may appear you are out of touch with the new world of work. Tips for Writing Your LinkedIn Content Provide the information your intended reader will be looking for. Make it as easy as possible for employers to know what you need them to know about you. Blend your soft skills with your hard skills to tell a good story about yourself. Use your personality to differentiate yourself and communicate what you have to offer. This week’s guest expert, Meg Guiseppi says making use of the Awards section and other rarely utilized sections can elevate your profile by way of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Completing these sections gives you more content, more searchable keywords, and it passively promotes you. Meg advises users to post on LinkedIn’s Pulse Publishing Platform. Writing posts and sharing them, can benefit a job seeker by demonstrating their areas of expertise and thought leadership. If you are a person of interest, hiring managers may search for your name, and interesting posts will make you a more viable job candidate. This Week's Guest: Meg Guiseppi Meg Guiseppi is the CEO of Executive Career Brand. She helps C-suite and senior-level managers with executive job searches. Meg is the Personal Branding Expert at Job-Hunt.org and is the author of several books, including 23 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search and How Your Brand Will Help You Land. Resource of the Week: Ben’s resource this week is from Portland’s own Tripwire. The article, "A Guide on 5 Common LinkedIn Scams", helps prepare you for the dark underbelly of America’s most popular professional networking site. It’s worth your time to review this article because no one wants to be the person falling for a Nigerian Prince who just wants to get them a job. Listener Question of the Week Jessica, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Kellie Goodman who recently graduated with a Master’s Degree and wants to know what tips the team has to help her land her first gig. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice.    If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

The most important—and most difficult—part of any job search is finding focus. You need to have some idea of what you actually want to do in your career. Without a focused job search goal, it’s almost impossible to sell yourself to potential employers. Aubrie De Clerck, of Coaching for Clarity, says the best way to find focus is to explore your natural gifts. In this bonus episode, Aubrie reads her contribution to our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, in which she explains how you can identify your “better than the rest” qualities. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

Job interviews can be dry and intimidating. They normally have a set format in which the interviewer and interviewee go back and forth, over and over. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our guest this week, Jeff Altman, suggests that job seekers have the power to turn any interview into a dynamic conversation between equals. He believes you can do this by asking one question as soon as you begin the conversation. The question is simple: "Tell me about the job as you see it, and what I can do to help?" This question is a game-changer because it sets you up with all the information you need for the rest of the interview--specifically, what the hiring manager sees as the biggest challenge for the organization. Plus, you level the playing field with the interviewer and set yourself apart from the competition. Jeff discusses how to interpret the hiring manager's reaction to this question, and other workplace dynamics you can infer from how he or she responds to your prompt. This Week's Guest: Jeff Altman Jeff Altman, known as The Big Game Hunter, has helped organizations find leaders, employees, and consultants since 1971. In this role, he’s evaluated almost 700,000 people and filled more than 1,200 positions. Jeff also publishes the No B.S. Coaching Advice newsletter to help job hunters, HR professionals, and business owners make better staffing decisions. And, he’s the author of eight books about job hunting and the host of the Job Search Radio podcast. Jeff’s site, Job Search Coaching HQ, is a great resource where Jeff helps people find work more quickly. Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week was written by the nicest member of the Mac’s List team, Ben Forstag, and is titled: "The Questions You Should Be Asking at Your Next Interview". Listener Question of the Week Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Kristen Pfeiffer who is looking for guidance on applying for a job if the salary listed is too low or isn’t included in the posting. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

LinkedIn is the dominant social media platform for professional networking, and employers have taken notice. Nearly 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates.  They are searching for specific skills and when they find the right fit, they won't hesitate to reach out--even if the person isn't actively looking for work. If you've never been contacted by an employer on LinkedIn, you might not be using the right job titles and keywords in your profile. This week's guest expert, Marc Miller, argues that you've got to optimize your LinkedIn profile to make it easy for employers to find you. He explains how to use keywords in your job title, summary and headline that an employer would use is key. Marc shares how to use tools like Tag Cloud or Wordle to identify the keywords that most resonate with prospective employers. Then he identifies explains exactly where to use these keywords in your LinkedIn profile. His most important point: take advantage of all the available space in your 120-character headline and the 180-character job title. These are the most searched fields on LinkedIn. If you're leaving white space in those areas, you're missing a huge opportunity! This Week's Guest: Marc Miller Marc Miller has worked at IBM, taught high school math, and had a near fatal bicycle accident that changed his perspective forever. Marc credits his varied career with teaching him a vital lesson: Most people don’t know what makes them happy. Marc now helps others — especially Baby Boomers — find careers that they can grow into for the decades that lie ahead on Career Pivot. Marc’s updated Repurpose Your Career book is available for pre-order on March 15, 2017, and his Repurpose Your Career Podcast episodes are released every Monday. Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is the article titled, "LinkedIn Profile: First Person or Third Person?" There is no empirical data on which is the correct version, but the Mac’s List team, and many people on LinkedIn, prefer the use of first person on the social media platform. Listener Question of the Week Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Gregory Rouse who is looking for guidance on how to talk about being fired. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

"To apply, contact Human Resources."  These words are enough to induce a groan from many job seekers. For many people "HR" is an impermeable, mysterious gatekeeper, standing between them and the job of their dreams.  But sometimes you simply can't avoid working through a human resources department--especially in larger, most formal companies. And, if you play your cards right and get HR on your side, you have a strong advocate within the organization. In this bonus episode, Melissa Anzman, CEO of Launch Your Job, shares her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. She takes a scientific approach to working with HR and her advice will help you move along in the hiring process. Here are Melissa's three keys to success: A personal value proposition - Know what value you bring to the table and put your best marketing and showcasing efforts forward. Networking and outreach - The HR person needs to be interested enough in you to want to meet you in person. Understanding your audience - Your conversations with HR should be high-level in nature and save the nitty, gritty details for later.  You can find more useful job search insight in our new book Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Have you ever had a prospective employer ask about your desired salary? Or inquire about your salary history? Companies ask these questions to weed out applicants and (sometimes) get the upper-hand in pay negotiations. This week’s guest, Jim Hopkinson, argues that your response to salary questions can be the difference in whether or not you get an offer and how much leverage you have in future pay discussions. The employer does not necessarily hold all the cards when it comes to negotiating salaries. Jim recommends finding out all the facts about the job before you even start discussing salary. You may find there are job responsibilities which warrant a higher pay scale. And if you are the right fit for the job, you can enter the salary discussion knowing you have something of exceptional value to the company. Here are Jim’s recommendations if you are required to enter your desired salary in an application: Respond with a phrase like “negotiable,” or, “To be discussed during interview.” Try adding a nonsense number like “$0” or “$1,000,000” to show you are purposely not answering the question. If the system doesn’t allow a nonsense number use a numerical range. If you are unsure which salary range you fall into, Jim says there are five different ways to research how much you are worth: Go to salary sites. (Glassdoor.com, Payscale.com, etc.) Look at industry salary guides. (Robert Hath) Go to job sites and search your title. Internal networking with people you know. External networking with people you don’t know. Pro Tip — Job seekers should be spending 4 out of 5 days at job fairs and other face-to-face networking events. This Week's Guest: Jim Hopkinson Through his Salary Tutor website, Jim Hopkinson teaches people how to negotiate their salaries, and get paid what they are worth. He’s the author of Salary Tutor: Learn The Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You, and the co-author of How To Quit Your Job - The Right Way: A 5-Step Plan To Ditching Your Day Job. His free introductory course, The Negotiation Mindset, is available on his website. Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is a blog post, How to Respond to Salary History Requests, from the U.S. News and World Report Careers Blog by Alison Green. He also shares a related news story from the New York Times entitled Illegal in Massachusetts: Asking Your Salary in a Job Interview. Listener Question of the Week Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Jeff Croxford, who asks: “What current platforms and skills would be transferrable to most IT careers?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about email it to [email protected] or call at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

What do you want to be when you grow up? It's OK if you are still unable to answer this question, argues guest expert, Srinivas Rao. There's always time to change paths and find a more personally rewarding career that resonates with your passions. Most people try to create a linear career path; each new job is a stepping stone to ever increasing levels of responsibility. This thinking is driven by the chase for money and the expectations of others. But the real problem is that a linear career doesn't always lead to interesting jobs. Our interests change as we age, so we need to create opportunities to explore new directions in work. Choosing a job you enjoy allows you to thrive. You may get paid less, but you will be more productive, engaged, and happy. Of course, money is an always an issue. When planning a career, consider what jobs may increase your long-term earning potential, even at the expense of short-term salary. If you are a recent college graduate or have been let go from a position, use the time to evaluate what matters to you and prepare yourself for the job you want. As Srinivas says “sometimes it takes a disruption to initiate change.” If it feels like you are being herded in a particular direction to go along with the crowd, get a decent-paying job and settle in, it’s because you are. Social norms often dictate what people with normal jobs do. To find a compelling interesting career, you need to break the mold and focus on your own personal passions and interests. This Week's Guest: Srinivas Rao Srinivas Rao is the host and founder of The Unmistakable Creative podcast where he’s interviewed more than 600 thought leaders and people from all walks of life.  He’s also written multiple books including the Wall Street Journal bestseller The Art of Being Unmistakable. Srinivas is currently working on his second book, which is about the creative habits and the creative process. He says, “it will be a map of how to create in a distraction-driven world.” Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is the article "The 21 Most Valuable Career Skills Now" put together by Money Magazine and Payscale.com. The authoritative list includes which skills generate the highest increase in pay. They found employers willing to pay more for the ability to make sense of big data, the ability to manage the bottom line, the ability to leverage new technology and strategic thinking skills. Listener Question of the Week Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Anne-Marie Sheridan, who asks: “How do you know if a company reaching out to you on LinkedIn is a scam?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

In this bonus episode, certified career coach Hallie Crawford reads her contribution to our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, the complete Mac's List guide to finding work you love.  Hallie urges all job seekers to start their search with some deep personal analysis. This begins by building a "Career Contrast List" to figure out their true career wants. This helps in two ways: People realize there may not be as many barriers to their career path as they initially thought. It helps job seekers become more rational and practical about what they need to do next. Next, she has people construct an ideal model for their career. This means: Exploring career values and enjoyments of job seekers.  Confirming (and sometimes attaining) the qualifications needed for the dream job they are considering.  The goal of these exercises are to complete a comprehensive analysis the job seeker can use to take action in their job search. You can find more useful job search insight in our new book Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

This episode is about explicitly about first jobs, but the lessons we share can apply to just about any job, no matter how established you are as professional. The average worker will have 8-11 jobs over the course of their lifetime. Each position can (and should) be a stepping-stone to a bigger, better opportunity in the future. But to make this happen, you need to do more than just show up and collect a paycheck… you need to network! Our guest expert, David Mariano, recommends building relationships within your company, both inside and outside of your immediate job environment. These connections will benefit you immediately with additional understandings of how the piece parts of your organization work together; they will also prove beneficial to your future endeavors. Getting to know people in various positions is a tried and true networking technique. Today’s middle manager could be tomorrow’s VP. If you consistently treat people the way you want to be treated, you will gain influence. Also, asking for help and asking a lot of questions can lead to great insights. You will find people are willing to help if you have an honest motive. It is advisable in today’s work environment to find a mentor. Look for someone with the character you want to have when you reach a level you want to someday attain. It may be someone outside your current organization. To further your business acumen, listen to podcasts and read leadership books. Pro Tip — Many companies have groups or clubs during non-work hours, find an event you can attend. David Mariano Bio David Mariano is the founder of Finance Career Launch, a career development site that includes a podcast, course, and other resources. He is also a director with Western Reserve Partners, a middle market investment bank. In his career, David has worked with company owners, CEOs, and CFOs, as an advisor, part-owner, or executive. Sign up for a free 7-part video course, The Seven Pillars of a Successful Career in Finance. The content includes skills, habits, and mindsets found in the most successful people. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is from Adweek. The post entitled "6 Common Mistakes Recent Graduates Make and How to Avoid Them," by Molly Folse is applicable to any worker at any age. Failing to negotiate, impatience about paying dues, gossiping or griping to fit in are common mistakes. Check it out to see if you have made any or all of the blunders, and how you can avoid the mistakes you haven’t made yet. Jenna’s Listener Question: Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Taireez Niswander, who asks today’s Listener Question, “What are the skills and knowledge necessary to know to prepare me for future employment?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Successful job searches require time and effort. Spending time customizing job applications, targeting a job search, and a goal-oriented personal brand, will help job seekers find success more quickly, says career advice expert, Amanda Augustine. She advises job seekers to pick one goal for their job search, and then make sure all materials they create reflect that goal. In today’s world, a professional resume is not enough. Job seekers also need to have an online presence that tells a consistent story. 90% of employers research job applicants online before deciding to interview them. This means social media accounts should have the proper privacy settings and your LinkedIn profile should closely match your job search goal. You are selling the most important thing you will ever sell in your life, which is your experience and your talents. Even if you are considering a short-term job to pay the bills, look for the jobs that make the most sense for your long-term goals. If you are overqualified or underqualified for a job, but have reasons for pursuing it, utilize a cover letter to explain your reasons. Amanda suggests leveraging your network. A Career Crossroads study found job seekers are 10 times more likely to get a position, when an application is accompanied by a referral from an employee. Mix these 3 methods of job searches for best results: Online job listings. Leverage a personal and professional network. Outreach to recruiters. Applications and resumes will more than likely go through a piece of electronic software known as an applicant tracking system. The systems are designed to screen and rank resumes before sending them to the recruiter or hiring manager. If your resume is not formatted to make it through the system, a human may never read it.  Do online research to make sure you include the right keywords to pass the initial gatekeeper system. Pro Tip — Make sure the must-haves of a job description match your qualifications closely. Amanda Augustine Bio Amanda Augustine is the career advice expert for TopResume. She gives job search and career guidance to professionals who want better careers, and to find the right job, sooner.  Amanda blogs regularly about career advancement on the TopResume website and also contributes to The Huffington Post. Her blog post, 7 Important Questions Every Job Seeker Should Ask Themselves inspired today’s podcast episode. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is Cold Turkey. Cold Turkey is commitment based software that blocks websites you use as diversions, such as Facebook or other social media. The program includes a timer and once you set the timer you are unable to access the websites you submitted for up to 8 hours. Job seekers can use this to block notifications from job list websites that send out hourly notifications. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Thomas Ewing, who asks today’s Listener Question, “Should a recent college graduate go directly to graduate school or get job experience first?” Listen to this podcast resource for additional information on the topic: How to Transition from College to Career with Satya Byock If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview, and more. Join the pre-publication list and get the first chapter of this useful resource free. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Tweetables: “Find the right job, sooner with the Mac’s List Land Your Dream Job Anywhere book.” “The sooner you have a targeted job search, the sooner you will get a specific type of job.” “Your job search is a sales job, and the product you are selling is you."

In this bonus episode, the Mac’s List team reacts to a recent New York Times opinion piece, Quit Social Media. Your Career May Depend on It, written by Cal Newport. Mr. Newport, who acknowledges that he's never had a social media account, argues that tools like Facebook and LinkedIn can hurt your career. He bases his argument on three general ideas. Interesting opportunities and useful connections are not scarce. Therefore, social media is not needed to find them. Social media is not harmless--it takes time and energy away from other things you should be doing  Social media is a passive approach to professional advancement Mac, Ben, and Jenna, respond to each of these points and try to find some practical guidelines for optimizing your use of social media.  If you found this analysis interesting, share your thoughts with the Mac’s List team on our Facebook page. Then, sign up to get the first chapter of Land Your Dream Job Anywhere for free and early bird access to the entire book on its launch date, February 1st. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Contrary to popular belief, women don’t need to be coders or programmers, to get a great job in the tech industry, says guest expert, Allison Esposito. The tech industry is full of sales, marketing, and engineering positions that need to be filled. Even if a woman has never worked in the tech industry, she has transferable skills that apply to tech jobs. Breaking into the tech field can be difficult because big tech companies have so many competitive applicants. It can be hard for a person to stand out, especially if they don’t have any experience in the tech field. Allison suggests women apply to smaller startups, to gain experience and to build their resumes. The gender gap in the tech world is quite large. It can be seen in small startups, all the way up to big companies. Big companies report a ‘Pipeline Problem,’ which means they don’t believe women are out in the job market, or that their skill level is not up to par with the men applying for the same positions. Allison doesn’t believe it’s a pipeline problem, she thinks it is a connection problem. To see where you might fit in the tech world, consider what you are already doing, and see where your skills fit. To make the switch to a career in tech: Make sure you are using the product or service of the company you wish to work for. Jot down what you would do differently if you worked for the company. Join online groups, and follow people who have the type of jobs you want. Absorb as much as you can in the media and at meetups. Women can often be intimidated to attend IT meetups because they don’t feel they fit the traditional mold of young, male IT employees. Allison says if you go to a networking event with small goals and low expectations it will be less intimidating. Pro Tip — Make a list of the companies you want to work for, and start building your network within those companies. Allison Esposito Bio Allison Esposito is the founder of Tech Ladies, a community that connects women with the best jobs in technology, and companies with the best women tech makers. Allison is also a branding and marketing expert, who has worked for Google, Foursquare, and other tech firms. In 2017, Allison will be gearing up her product roadmap and event calendar for ever-evolving Tech Ladies Community. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is the blog post, Top 8 Signs an Employer is Family Friendly. Ben consistently receives questions from parents about how to find out if a company is family friendly before they apply for a position. This article is loaded with tips, including look for a company with a high percentage of female executives and female employees. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Mindy Hoffman, who asks today’s Listener Question, “How to ask for a raise without seeming pushy, yet maintain your assertiveness?” The Mac’s List team recommends Ramit Sethi’s Ultimate Guide to Asking for a Raise and Negotiating Salary, the podcast episode with Jeff Weiss, 3 Steps to Take in Any Job Negotiation and the Josh Doody episode, How to Get Your Next Raise.If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. Join the pre-publication list and get the first chapter of this useful resource free. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Tweetables: “Get the first chapter of the Mac’s List Land Your Dream Job Anywhere book free.” “You don’t have to code or be a programmer, to get a job in the tech field.” “‘Salary negotiation,’ and ‘wing it,’ are two phrases, which should never be linked together.”

When you are looking for your dream job everyone always says, “You need to go to a networking event!” This is great advice. But it's not enough simply to show up at an event and hang out at the hors d'oeuvres table. To make the most of a networking event—and really kickstart your job search—you've got to use this opportunities to meet and connect with fellow professionals.  It can be difficult to make these connections, especially in a crowded room where it can seem like everyone already knows each other. One tool that can help you break the ice and quickly connect with others is a killer elevator pitch. If you don’t have an elevator pitch—or even know what one is—then this podcast is for you! A focused elevator pitch is essential for a job seeker who wants to leave the best impression of themselves in the shortest amount of time, says this week's guest expert, Jeff Kleid. Jeff argues that a good elevator pitch gives you have the best shot at positioning yourself for a job. The basic elements of good elevator pitch are: Telling the other person who you are. Telling the other person what you do. Telling the other person what you have to offer. People stand out if they have a connection with the job they are seeking. And, leading with an anecdote or a true story about the type of person you are helps to position you for the job you want. In less than 60 seconds you should relay: What you do — "I’m a …" Who you are — "My name is …" What you are able to accomplish — "I like working …" Make it memorable — "Like the time I …" To feel confident when delivering your elevator pitch, Jeff recommends three things, Practice, practice, and practice. Practice in front of a mirror. Practice with other people. Practice your pitch in front of an objective person. Most importantly, be authentic! Wear your transparent and open; honesty is the best policy. Pro Tip   Be sure your pitch works for different audiences.   This Week's Guest Jeff Kleid is a motivational speaker who delivers workshops and online training classes that teach businesses how to engage, connect, and grow. He is also the author of the book, Networking with the Cards You Are Dealt.   Resource of the Week Ben’s resource this week is "30 Brilliant Networking Conversation Starters". This blog post from the Muse can really help you if you are nervous at networking events, but want to make the most of your time. Ben, Mac, and Jenna share their favorites.   Listener Question of the Week This week's question comes from Jacob Arnold, who asks: “I am changing careers. What are some potential red flags I should avoid on my resume or in interviews?”   Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like the show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. I appreciate your support!   Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo.

Mac Prichard, Founder of Mac’s List and co-host of Find Your Dream Job Podcast was a featured guest expert on Episode #91 of the Finance Career Launch podcast, How to Use Informational Interviews and Networking to Find the Best Jobs Because They Aren’t Posted Anywhere with Dave Mariano. In this podcast, you learn from real finance professionals and other Subject Matter Experts as they discuss Do’s, Don’ts and everything you need to get ahead. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you have a clear vision of where you want to go with your career? If not, you may be wasting precious time, as tasks related to job searches can become overwhelming. Today’s guest expert, Anna Runyan, says there are three main obstacles for job seekers searching for their dream job. They are: Time: Consider what job searching tasks can be batched to save time. Plan out priorities on a calendar. Put extra effort into networking. Fear: Job seekers may fear of applying for jobs they don’t think they are qualified for. Job seekers should surround themselves with supportive network groups such as Facebook, Masterminds, and industry forums. Job Seekers need to get over the fear of networking with people they don’t know. Direction: Figure out your ideal career fit. i. Look at your previous career experiences. ii. Make a list of things you love doing, and things you do not want to do. Determine your ideal work day, and then map it out. Pro Tip — Informational interviews with people already working in the field you want to work in, can help you determine the next steps of your job search. Anna Runyan Bio Anna Runyan is the founder of Classy Career Girl, named by Forbes as one of the 35 most influential career sites of 2014.  She helps women design and launch their dream careers, businesses, and lives. Previously, Anna worked for Booz Allen Hamilton and was a professor of management at DeVry University. Anna is excited to be working on her new membership site, Love Your Career Formula. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is the Harvard Business Review. It reads as an academic business journal but has a cornucopia of interesting and useful articles. You can read up to four articles a day without a subscription. There is a lot of valuable organizational management information on this site. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Jenna, Ben, and Mac offer advice to Julie Williams, who asks today’s Listener Question, “What is appropriate attire to wear to an interview in the Pacific Northwest?” Julie attended the Career Change Communications networking event put on by Mac’s List and the Oregon School of Journalism. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017) or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Have you sent out 50 resumes, only to get 50 emails from automated system replies? If so, your resume might not have what it takes to get the attention of the hiring manager. Pete Mockaitis says the main reason resumes are ignored is because job seekers don’t put in the proper time, effort, or consideration into these vital documents. Often, people send out the same resume for each job opportunity. To truly enhance your resume, Pete says you need to spend the necessary time to hone your story message, to match exactly what a potential employer is looking for. Helpful guidelines to follow when overhauling your resume: Move away from listing previous responsibilities and showcase your achievements. Quantify your achievements with numbers and percentages. Bullet points should share results first and then relay how the result was obtained. If you’ve got it flaunt it, a resume is no place to be shy. Remove the objective. A two-page resume is acceptable if you are seeking an executive position. A resume should be in chronological format unless you are recently out of school, if so, a functional format may highlight your talents efficiently. Pro Tip — Recruiters may have a specific profile in mind when they are filling a position so make sure your resume fits that profile. Pete Mockaitis Bio Pete Mockaitis is an award-winning trainer who has served clients in over 50 countries. His work has enhanced Fortune 100 corporations, high-growth startups, and major nonprofits. He began his career at acclaimed consulting firms The Bridgespan Group and Bain & Company. Pete is also the host of the podcast, How to Be Awesome at Your Job, and the author of the book, Team Up: Becoming Accountable to Your Dreams. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is "Searching for Work in the Digital Era," from the Pew Research Center for Internet, Science and Technology. There are three trends highlighted by the report, and they are, the Internet is the primary form of research for job seekers, mobile phones are the primary job search tool, and social media is a growing research resource for finding jobs. The report is supported by quantifiable data. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Jenna offers her advice to listener Brett Williams, who asks: “How do you learn the typical salary local employers pay in your field?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017) or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

What is your light-up, crazy, talk about it for hours passion? Does your dream job consist of you getting paid to do it every day? If so, Mac’s List Community Manager, Jenna Forstrom shares three very important questions to help you figure out what your passions are in the new Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. A book that allows you to get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs that never get posted, ace your next job interview, negotiate the salary and benefits you’ve earned and take charge of your career now and into the future. Jenna is passionate about her job. She is fascinated by how technology changes consumer behavior and how social media can be used as a storytelling tool. These things may not compare to drinking craft beer, serving the homeless or her dog, Bullet but the reality is Jenna gets to help people find their dream job using the technology and social media she is passionate about. If you enjoyed this excerpt from Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, sign up to get the first chapter for free and early bird access to it on February 1st, 2017. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Did you just spill your coffee all down the front of your shirt? Or, did you forget to turn the ringer off your phone before the interview started? Today’s guest expert, Dan Miller says the good thing about interview fails is that they are easily remedied. The number one thing Dan sees in interviewees, which hurt their chances at a position, is a lack of enthusiasm and energy. He says job seekers who want to show their enthusiasm should: Walk briskly Sit up straight Speak from their diaphragm Convey a lot of energy These actions show the interviewer that you have something to offer, and as an employee, you are someone who will do more than expected. If you are an introvert, you don’t need to change who you are naturally, but show a lot of energy during a job interview. Dan says job seekers should be prepared with a two-minute answer to the 20 most common interview questions. Interviewers want to know how a job candidate will handle a conflict or how they go about solving a problem. So, candidates should also prepare for a few behavioral questions. An interview is a time set aside by a company to see if a job candidate is right for their organization. On the flip side, an interview is a time set aside by a job seeker to see if a particular company is right for them. Interview Do’s and Don’ts: Do ask the interviewer about the company at the end of the interview. Don’t ask about the compensation for the job too quickly. Do send a thank you as a follow-up immediately after the interview. Do make yourself more memorable with a handwritten follow-up. Do bring every ounce of enthusiasm you can muster to the interview. Pro Tip — Preparation matters! Know the company’s mission statement and at least one thing about the person handling your interview before the interview starts. Dan Miller Bio Dan Miller is President of 48 Days a company that specializes in creative thinking for increased personal and business success. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, 48 Days To The Work You Love, No More Dreaded Mondays and Wisdom Meets Passion. Dan has been a featured guest on CBS’s The Early Show, MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews and the Dave Ramsey Show.  Dan will soon be introducing a seminar to accompany his book, 48 Days. Get a free copy of Dan’s 48 Days Goal Setting Workbook for 2017. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is a social media site specifically for job seekers. Jobcase is the networking equivalent of Linkedin but for people who are unemployed. It is a community for people who are looking for work. The forums are moderated by guest experts who are able to answer tough job-search-related questions. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Today’s question comes from Rachael Smith, who asks, “How long should I wait before following up with an employer after an interview?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017) or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

After you have fully processed what happened, your next step is to look at your budget to find your unnecessary expenses. Pull out large recurring expenses that may provide you enjoyment, but aren’t providing any tangible benefits. A cable bill is a good example of this. Every dollar you have saved becomes important if you are unsure of how long you will be without work. Other expenses which should be cut are things you can make at home for a lesser cost, such as coffees and meals. Your financial accounts should be used in the following order: Checking — Use this fluid money first. Savings — Banks pay little to no interest in these accounts. Stocks — Sell off stocks if they are outside of a retirement account. 401K/IRA — Use this option only as a last resort. Do you have student loans? Eric says no matter which type of student loan you have, federal or private, you should notify the lending institution that holds your loan. Many times, during hardships these institutions offer deferments, which lower your monthly loan payments, but the company continues to earn interest on the balance. Ignoring health care coverage is a big no-no. In fact, under the Affordable Care Act, it is a requirement for individuals to have current health care coverage. Your previous employer is bound to offer you COBRA, which will allow you to keep your current level of coverage, but you must pay the employer’s previous contribution amount. If you do not have enough money saved to last for at least 6-months consider a part-time job to make ends meet or to avoid going into debt. Pro Tip — If you do spend money during unemployment, invest in something which will help you to get your next job! Eric Rosenberg Bio Eric Rosenberg is a finance writer who publishes the Personal Profitability Blog and the Personal Profitability Podcast. He has helped countless people clean up and fix their finances. Eric is proud to announce he has finally broken through the $10K a month threshold through his side business!  Find him on Twitter @EricProfits. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The site allows job seekers to search through 575 different professions. It includes a comprehensive job review, job requirements, and a job feasibility outlook through 2024. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Today’s question comes from Dennis Mace, who asks, “How can I best utilize the Mac’s List website?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017) or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you have what it takes to turn your entrepreneurial spirit into a small business? If you can answer yes to just one of three questions you are probably ready to go out on your own. It doesn’t matter if you come from a family of entrepreneurs or if you have been a full-time employee for your entire career. If you know how to run successful projects and want to make every day meaningful and leave the office with a deep level of satisfaction. You may be ready to branch out and start your own business. Mac Prichard of Prichard Communications and Mac’s List shares his personal story and the resources he used to develop and grow two successful businesses. He had never thought of himself as a small business owner before launching Prichard communications but he was confident about his skill set and the work sounded exciting. Learn how Mac landed his dream job and more with the latest book from Mac's List, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, available February 1, 2017.  Sign up for our email list to be the first to know about the book release and get a copy of the first chapter right away. Find Your Dream Job is sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book is launching February 1, 2017, sign up and get the first chapter now! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Most people leave a job interview and are no closer to knowing if they will be offered the position than when they sent in their resume. Even if they feel the interview went well they realize they forgot to ask about the company or the next steps in the job process. Waiting for the company to call with feedback can be agonizing. Mac’s List listeners can avoid uncertainty by following the steps provided in this episode. So, what do you say when a hiring manager asks if you have any questions? Guest expert, J.T. O’Donnell says to ask open-ended questions and to use the job interview to find out as much about the company as possible. If you don’t, you are missing out on an important opportunity to get to know the company better. This can help you to know you are making the right choice if a job offer appears. The employer is expecting you to ask questions about how you can serve them and how you can earn the money they would be paying you. If your first questions are about you, it can come across selfish and self-absorbed. They want you to focus on them first. Prove that you have done your homework and demonstrate you want to learn more about the company in order to build trust and respect. J.T. O’Donnell guides us through her 4C Strategy, which ultimately benefits both the job candidate and the employer. The 4 C’s and helpful open-ended question a job seeker should ask are: Connect “How did you come to work here?” “What do you like most about working here?” Corporate Culture “Who is the most successful person hired in the last year?” “Who has been the least successful person and what went wrong?” Challenges “What is the company’s biggest challenge this year?” “How can my skills help you to overcome the challenge?” Close “Is there anything about my candidacy you would change to make me a better fit for this job?” “What are the next steps in the hiring process?” Pro Tip — Hiring Managers hire based on personality, aptitude, and experience. J.T. O’Donnell Bio J.T. O’Donnell is a career strategist and workplace consultant who helps American workers of all ages find greater professional satisfaction through courses on her website, Work it Daily. She is the author of Careerrealism: The Smart Approach to a Satisfying Career. And with Dale Dauten, she writes the career advice column "JT & Dale Talk Jobs", a nationally syndicated career advice column, that appears in more than 130 newspapers. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is the blog post, "What Colors to Wear to a Job Interview". It includes wardrobe basics and an in-depth look at the psychology of different colors. The article states that a black suit may come across too strong, but dark blue or dark gray will leave the right impression. Check it out. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Today’s questions come from Allison Rhinechisel who asks, “When transitioning from being a college student to an employee, what investment options, insurance options, and financial benefits should be considered?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017) or a Mac’s List Coffee Mug, your choice. Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, ace your next interview and more. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Are you a person who is thinking about the question you are going to ask more than you are thinking about the person who will be answering the question? Have you considered how your question or problem sounds to the other person? Guest expert Julie Broad says “People often think about themselves when they are communicating, when they should be carefully considering what matters to the other person.” Considering what perspective the question should be framed in so it matters to the other person, can make it a very different conversation AND increase your credibility. Job seekers should know that their vocal pace, vocal tone and body language, can erode their credibility when communicating. Julie encourages job seekers to not worry so much about what they say and to focus on how they are saying it. Making a confident statement can elevate your message. If you are not sure how you are communicating, try recording your side of a business conversation, or ask a trusted colleague to critique you during a networking event. Your Cadence Matters: Talking too fast may make it difficult for people to understand you. Talking too slow may be perceived as lower intelligence. Too many filter words (ah, umm, like) may derail your credibility. The most important things about your communications are that your message comes through clearly, and you demonstrate you know what you are talking about. Listen to the podcast to find out how the company you keep, and your appearance may also affect your credibility. Pro Tip - Dress in a way that makes you feel confident! Julie Broad Bio Julie Broad is a successful entrepreneur, speaker, and workshop trainer.  Her company, Have More Influence, helps people build personal brands that get results, and move forward in their careers and businesses. She is the author of the Amazon best-seller,The New Brand You: Your New Image Makes the Sale for You, which helps people get comfortable with communicating and attract the business they want to attract. Ben’s Job Search Resource: In today’s job market, employers are not only looking at your resume but your entire online presence. Ben’s resource this week is a Mac’s List original. The completely free, 3-session online course How to Wow and Woo Employers Online details easy tips and tested tactics for making your personal brand, and getting the most out of your online and social media presence. With 87% of employers checking into you online, it is best to be prepared by using this efficient Mac’s List tool. You can also visit the Mac’s List Facebook page to see a video of our listener LinkedIn upgrades. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Today’s question comes from Susan Parson. Susan asks, “What is the current wisdom about the elevator pitch, and if you want to be authentic, is the elevator pitch still feasible?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, so register today but hurry because the course closes on December 1, 2016. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

With engagement season fast approaching, the Mac's List team (Publisher, Mac Prichard; Managing Director, Ben Forstag; and Community Manager, Jenna Forstrom) sat down to talk about Bruce Hurwitz's LinkedIn post, "When interviewing for a job, lose the ring!"   This article was published on August 12, 2016, and caused a bit of media frenzy with over 1,403 comments and 1,020 shares.  Hurwitz specifically calls out women who wear large engagement rings as being "high maintenance" and thus hiring managers aren't willing to give them a job offer.  Mac Prichard makes a good point that it's illegal to make hiring decisions based on marital status.  While it's hard to prove that this is happening, chances are, if you are interviewing for a job that has some questionable hiring practices, you wouldn't want to work there anyways.  Ben chimes in that some hiring managers might see a wedding ring on a young woman's hand and assume that they are going to leave the job to raise a family or need time off for maternity leave.  Jenna adds that there are some places, like in food service, where no jewelry is allowed, in that case, it's not worth wearing a ring.  Mac continues the conversation by pointing out that visibly pregnant women also struggle finding employment for similar reasons.   Discrimination is real when it comes to job hunting, but the data points to it being more of a gender issue versus an engagement issue. What has your experience been?  Have you ever felt like wearing an engagement ring has hindered your chances of getting a job?  Leave a comment below. Find Your Dream Job is sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, until November 30, 2016 so sign up today! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Did you know there are jobs shared on Twitter every day? If you know how to look for the jobs you want, Twitter provides you with an opportunity to connect with the person behind the posting. Twitter should be looked at as a real time job search engine and communication channel, says guest expert Chris Russell. The best way to search Twitter for jobs is by using keywords and hashtags (#). In the Twitter search bar, simply enter # plus your career field (e.g. #marketing) and then your location to see all the latest Tweets about jobs in your area. Hashtags help filter your results so you only get the tweets that pertain to your query. Also, if you click on a hashtag, you will see all the other Tweets from those who have used your same keyword. Recruiters are actively posting jobs on Twitter. A job seeker can even find job boards and save past searches to access search results at a later time. Popular hashtags with job seekers and recruiters are: #Job #Jobs #Hiring #Career #JobAlert Twitter gives you the ability to have a one-to-one, personal conversation with a recruiter representing the company you want to work for. You can use it to rise above your job search competition, to promote yourself as an expert in your industry or to establish your personal brand. If you would like to build a relationship with a recruiter on Twitter try: Retweeting their posts Making them a favorite Asking them the best way to apply for a job Being nice Pro Tip — Don’t ask for a job right away. Start a simple dialogue first! Chris Russell Bio Chris Russell is the Founder of CareerCloud.com. Widely considered to be the 'mad scientist of online recruiting, Chris has been connecting job seekers to employers since 1999. When he's not running Career Cloud, you can find Chris on his kayak or biking his local rail trail. Chris has provided a list of career tools at tools.careercloud.com, which includes a job board list for every state. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is Jobvite’s Recruiter Nation 2016 Annual Social Recruiting Survey. The data and infographics included cover general hiring trends, tips for job seekers and how employers find job candidates. The report was compiled from 1600 different recruiters. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Today’s question comes from Sierra Winegarner who attended our Career Pathways and Doing Good Event. She asks, “Is it OK to have a multiple page resume?” *The difference between a resume and a CV is: A resume is roughly one to two pages and a CV includes everything in your professional career. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, so register today! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Can your resume engage a human resource manager and make them want to read more? Or, does it just blend in with all other task-oriented resumes they receive? This week’s guest expert Andrea Gerson has seen thousands of resumes, and shares her best practices to help you get the attention of your intended employer. She says, “It can be challenging for people to quantify what they have done, and to brag about their contributions.” Most people are encouraged to be humble and not to boast about their accomplishments, but a job seeker can miss out on a great career opportunity, if they don’t properly quantify their competencies and qualify their contributions on their resume. Use these resume tips to help you get an interview: Use the primary real estate (top third) of your resume to engage your reader. Add quantitative information about your high-level accomplishments that pertain to the job for which you are applying. Include your goals and intentions, and how they may benefit the prospective company. Add pertinent information in bite-sized pieces, and in concise bullet points. Use the S.T.A.R. Framework, and be consistent when formatting your resume. You have one chance to make an impact to get the job you want. Make the most of it! Andrea Gerson Bio Andrea Gerson helps professionals find clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of energy in their work. Andrea is the founder of Resume Scripter. She has created and edited resumes and cover letters for more than 3,000 people. And, her client’s organizations have included Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, the United Nations, and The Red Cross. Ben’s Job Search Resource: Ben’s resource this week is from Epic CV’s resume section and is titled "10 Pros, 4 Cons and 5 Risks of Graphic Resumes". 9 out of 10 people do not benefit from a non-traditional resume, but if your job description includes graphic design or creative director, a graphic resume may give you an advantage. If you are applying for a job and you know your resume will go through an automated keyword based system, do not, don’t, never ever and refrain from submitting a graphic resume. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Heath Padgett’s question, “How do you support members of your family while they look for a job?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, so register today! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

The U.S. presidential election wrapped up last week, but politics remains a charged and potentially divisive issue. This brings up an interesting question for job seekers: how much of your own political beliefs should you share online and with prospective employers? How much politics is too much politics? This is part of a larger conversation about balancing your values against how those values impact your job search. It's important to be yourself so that you can find the right organizational culture fit. At the same time, you need to know that nearly any political posture may limit your job search options. Tips from the Mac's List Team: Remove any inflammatory political statements from social media. Know your Facebook privacy settings.  (Need some help with this? Check out our free course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online.) Practice restraint. "Don't be the crazy uncle at Thanksgiving Dinner." Don't write anything that you wouldn't want to be seen as a headline on a major newspaper. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

In the past, hiring managers using a telephone to solicit feedback from job references yielded a low, 50% return rate. Today, online reference tools and surveys boast a reference return rate of 85-90%! For job seekers, this makes furnishing quality referrals to potential employers a necessity. “Feedback is accumulated by various ways,” says guest expert, Ray Bixler. Metrics evaluated by employers include the number of references a job seeker offers, how long it takes an applicant to enter the reference names and what feedback the references supply. Job seekers can improve their results by being prepared with complete information about their references and entering the information as soon as the prospective employer sends the email. Tips for Job Seekers: Meet with your references to ask their permission to use their name and to let them know what is expected of them. Have your references ready in advance, as the reference process is moving ahead in the hiring process; sometimes references are requested before the first interview is granted. Give five references, with at least two being former managers. Fill out an employer’s reference request completely, and as soon as possible after receiving it. Remember, a prepared reference has time to think about all the great things you have done! Ray Bixler Bio Ray Bixler is CEO of SkillSurvey, an online reference checking technology firm that helps organizations recruit, hire, and retain talent. Ray has more than 20 years of human resource and career development experience. Ray’s organization has just launched the new solution, Source. Source gives references an opportunity to become applicants with the employer requesting their input. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a blog post from Main St entitled "5 Job Reference Myths That Can Destroy Your Chances and Reputation." The content includes common occurrences job seekers frequently overlook. Be sure to listen to Mac’s List bonus episode about ”How to Deal with a Bad Reference,” with Vicki Lind. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Paul Frazier’s question, “How to negotiate salary, benefits and time off when you fear an employer may rescind the job offer.” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course is now live, so register today! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

The “glass ceiling” is a concept that a woman who tries to progress in her career may only reach a mid-level position, says guest expert Elisa Doucette. The phrase, “glass ceiling,” denotes that a woman is able to see men, through a pane of glass, in positions above her own, but she is not able to break the glass, to reach a higher level in the organization.  Elisa says corporations have adopted a set of values towards women (or men) who are not willing to put aside their career or personal values and sell their souls, to make money. And although the concept has evolved since the 1970’s, the glass ceiling still exists -- just in a modified form. Elisa says corporations have adopted a set of values towards women (or men) who are not willing to put aside their career or personal values and sell their souls, to make money. And although the concept has evolved since the 1970’s, the glass ceiling still exists -- just in a modified form. Women need to understand the paradigm and know that corporations aren’t out to get them just because they are a woman. A woman needs to understand what motivates her employer and use actions -- not just words -- to show her value. If a woman can show how she will impact the company’s bottom line, she can start owning her own trajectory within the organization. Three tips women can use to show their employer how amazing they are: Quantify your accomplishments with hard numbers, to show the value you bring to an organization. Make sure your voice is heard, and be willing to defend your opinions. Understand your priorities, both business and personal. Move past “What can I do about it?” and start developing your iron will and thick skin! Elisa Doucette Bio Elisa Doucette is a freelance writer and editor.  Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Small Business, The Huffington Post, and Brazen Careerist. She runs the online editorial agency, Craft Your Content, and hosts the weekly podcast, Writers’ Rough Drafts. Elisa is also responsible for the syndicated column, Shattering Glass, on Forbes.com. She can be found on Twitter, @elisadoucette, and on Instagram, @elisa_doucette. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a list of 250 Flexible Jobs for 2016, which can be  found at FlexJobs 250: Companies with the Most Flexible Jobs. A flexible work schedule can benefit any employee, but traditionally women tend to take more responsibility in caring for older relatives and children. Flexjobs can include telecommuting, part-time work, and freelance opportunities. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Dan Reifenberger’s question, “How do I attract a company I want to work for if it isn’t currently hiring?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected], or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or, if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course in now live, so sign up today! If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, the Mac's List team, Mac Prichard, Ben Forstag, and Jenna Forstrom talk about the single biggest mistake most job seekers make. They spend too much time and energy on job boards! Job boards can be a great resource. But did you know, 8 out of 10 jobs never make it on a job board?  That's employers prefer to hire candidates they already know and trust.  If you are looking for a job only on job boards, chances are you are missing out on 80% of the job opportunities you might be interested in.  As a business owner - even one who owns a job board site - Mac uses the hidden job market to hire his employees. If you are looking for a job only on job boards, chances are you are missing out on 80% of all job opportunities! Want to learn more about this hidden job market?  Today, we launched the Hack the Hidden Job Market online course.  It's a 12-part video course, where Mac walks you through the entire job hunting process. It's full of practical tips for job hunting, strategies for networking, and is completely inspired our community's questions that we've been hearing at Mac's List for years. In Hack the Hidden Job Market, we remove the curtain of confusion when it comes to job seeking.  Help you get focused on your career goals, which allows you to job hunt effectively.  Plus, we've got tons of additional bonus materials, podcasts, PDFs, website resources and a private Facebook group with monthly mastermind meetings with the entire Mac's List team. Interested in learning more?  Sign up for Hack the Hidden Job Market is available now at www.macslist.org/course.  Find your dream job faster and with less frustration!

The days of working for the same company for 30-years and retiring with a full pension are a thing of the past. Today, people have a powerful sense they need to consistently consider what their next career or job change will be. There are even employees who are worried about what hiring managers will think about a long stint at just one company. Guest expert New York Times Columnist, Rob Walker, says hiring managers look more for applicable skills or a major red flag than time on job titles. He says it’s important to stay on top of what is available in the job market and to periodically conduct informational interviews so you know what your value is in the marketplace. Checking job boards can also help a job seeker to understand what additional skills they could acquire before they might need to find other employment. Keep your resume current if opportunities for growth arise in your current environment. And, be proactive about changes you can make in the workplace. Signs it might be time to move on: Issues in Business Sector. Your responsibilities are diminishing. Someone starts taking over your tasks. If you do get a new job when departing your current company: Follow the rules of the organization. If they request two-weeks notice, give two-weeks notice. Don’t try to settle scores during your exit, no matter how angry you are. Your skills are valuable! Make sure you know what you are worth. Rob Walker Bio Rob Walker writes the "The Workologist" column for the Sunday business section of The New York Times and blogs for Design Observer.  He’s the author of four books and has written for such publications as Slate.com, New York Times Magazine, Money, and The American Lawyer. You can find out more about Rob at RobWalker.net. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is the list of The Best (and Worst) Jobs in 2016 from CareerCast. The list is based on factors such as salary, work environment, and job prospects.  It may not be as awesome as puppy watching or Crayola Color Girl, but being a Data Scientist tops the list of the best job on the planet. You may not want to know what the worst job on the list is, just in case it is what you are doing right now. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Karl Borton’s question — “How do I market myself to employers in states other than my own?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st . If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Did you just land an interview? Congratulations! Now, it’s time to prepare. The interview stage is the time to show an organization how you will fit into the culture and how you can solve a company’s problems. It is the first time the organization will see you, hear your voice and get an impression, so make it impactful. Guest expert, Caroline Dowd-Higgins, shares her professional tips on how to land your dream job through great interview techniques. Caroline says research before an interview is imperative but it’s something many people fail to do. To prepare, first, print out a copy of the job description, highlight the attributes the company is looking for and write down a compelling story and/or an example of how you embody these points. Using the job description to help the interviewer understand why you are a good fit shows initiative. Storytelling Tips: Practice. If you don’t have a specific skill, find something that is relatable. Start with “I’d like to tell you a story.” Make your stories natural and authentic. Chemistry and culture are a huge part of whether or not an applicant will fit into an organization. Given the amount of time we spend with our work families, it is vital that we not only fit into an organization but fit well. Show your true self during an interview so the hiring manager can get a clear picture of what you will be like at work. Pro Tip - Take a video of yourself practicing for your interview. Use appropriate body language. Remember, a strong voice exudes confidence, eye contact makes a connection, and filler words can be eliminated with a little practice. And, if for any reason you do not feel you were able to share your skills and abilities completely during the course of the interview, use closing remarks to summarize why you are a good fit for the position. Go Get ‘em Tiger! Caroline Dowd-Higgins Bio Caroline Dowd-Higgins is executive director of career and professional development for the Indiana University Alumni Association. She’s the author of the book, This Is Not the Career I Ordered and she has a new book, Thrive! Where You Are, coming out in 2017 . Caroline also hosts the podcast, Your Working Life, and the online video series, Thrive! And she’s a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, Ellevate Women’s Network, The Rouse, and The Chronicle newspaper. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a post from the Recruitloop blog. It is a list of 75 hypothetical experience-based questions that draw from past experiences in an effort to anticipate future reactions. 75 Behavioural Interview Questions To Select The Best Candidate. What makes this list special is that it is designed for recruiters. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Katherine Moore’s question — “How can I persuade my employer to pay for my continuing education?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st .If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On an earlier podcast, guest expert, Hannah Morgan, spoke about how to nail your next phone interview.  While wrapping up the interview, she suggested informing the hiring manager you are still interested in the role and asking the question, "Would you think of any reason why I wouldn't be moved forward in this process?"  We thought this was a great question, that required a little more in depth conversation.  On this podcast bonus, Mac, Ben, and Jenna sit down and talk about the pros and cons of asking, "Why wouldn't you hire me?" Have you asked this question before?  Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

If you are between jobs you may find yourself with an abundance of unstructured time on your hands. Trying to make the most out of your day will be frustrating if you don’t know how to effectively manage your time. Guest expert, Matt Kepnes, aka Nomadic Matt, shares his tips and processes for accomplishing large and small tasks, even if you are on the road. Creating artificial constructs within your day can force you to complete assignments and is more effective than making a list. Lists are great for the grocery store but if you want to make sure harder tasks are tackled, create a schedule for yourself. One method to create an artificial construct is batching. Batching is restricting blocks of your time for one specific task. For example, batching emails for one hour means you will only read and respond to emails within hour you have blocked. Distractions can kill productivity. Social media sites, phone calls, and unplanned interruptions are things we all get distracted by. To reduce the level of distractions during your work time Matt recommends job seekers: Create routines. Familiarity lowers the chance of interferences. Use the Self-Control app to block distracting websites during your work hours. Schedule projects in advance and then follow the daily schedule. Go to a coffee shop with wifi to get away from distractions when working from home. Schedule a block of time to polish up your resume! Matt Kepnes Bio Matthew Kepnes runs the award winning budget travel site, Nomadic Matt, and wrote the New York Times bestseller, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. After a trip to Thailand in 2005, Matt decided to quit his job, finish his MBA and head off into the world. His original trip was supposed to last a year. Over ten years later, he is still out roaming around and teaching others how to do the same. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a free online tool to save job seekers from the embarrassment of typos and grammatical errors. Grammarly can be used online or as a plugin and it identifies over 250 types of writing errors, many of which Microsoft Word doesn’t catch. Grammarly’s versatility allows it to function on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. when added as a plugin to the Chrome browser. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Kelly G.’s question — “How do I market my soft skills?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Employers may use phone interviews to save time, get a sense of an applicant’s personality and test their skill level. This phone screening saves an employer time allowing them to weed out those who may not have essential skills needed for the open position. Job applicants do not always know when a hiring manager or recruiter will be calling to conduct an interview. If you are caught unprepared or your situation is not ideal to respond to their questions,  it is perfectly acceptable to ask the interviewer to reschedule the call. But, be sure to ask for their number, so the follow-up task belongs to you — not the interviewer. Guest expert, Hannah Morgan says it is a good idea to do your homework and research the company and job posting thoroughly before the phone interview. She says it is best to prepare yourself with stories and examples of times you succeeded in completing similar tasks required for the job and focus on the positive outcomes. Use the company’s website to find out about its mission statement and who its customers are. The more you know the more relaxed you will be during the interview. Background research also helps you to prepare a list of questions to help you gain insights about your possible future employer. Pro Tip: Your questions should be different if you are speaking with a manager in the division you wish to work in than if you are speaking with a person in Human Resources. Non-verbal body language is important during a phone interview. Try these tried and true techniques: Stand up or walk around during the interview. This opens up your diaphragm and projects your voice. Smile while speaking. It enhances your voice. Don’t talk over the interviewer. Take a moment before answering questions to ensure you don’t interrupt. Dress in business attire. Studies show people feel more confident when they are dressed up. Always end the conversation with questions about possible timeframes for filling the opening, when you should expect to hear back from the employer and  anything else you don’t want to be left wondering about. Hannah says some job seekers will even end with a trial close. The question “Can you think of any reason why you wouldn’t move me forward in the process?” allows applicants to clarify any possible misunderstandings and to overcome objections. Show courtesy and always send a thank you note! Hannah Morgan Bio Hannah Morgan is the founder of Career Sherpa.net Her talks, blog posts, and books offer no-nonsense, actionable advice to active and passive job seekers.  Hannah writes a weekly column for U.S. News & World Report and is the author of The Infographic Resume, published by McGraw-Hill Education. For additional career-related information follow Hannah on Twitter @careersherpa. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a blog post titled, Can I Turn Down a Skype Interview and Suggest a Phone Call Instead?, from the Ask a Manager blog which is managed by Allison Green. The article suggests it is OK to request a phone call based on the available technology. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Nathan Brennan’s question — “Is there a good way to respond to an unsolicited salary rate a recruiter presents to you over the phone?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On August 30, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, talked with Angela Copeland, career coach and founder of Coaching Copeland, a website that has been helping job seekers for over 10 years.  On top of that, Copeland is a Career Corner newspaper columnist and author of "Breaking the Rules & Getting the Job."  She also runs Copeland Coaching Podcast, where she interviewed Mac. In this podcast episode, Mac shares his secrets to hacking the hidden job market, to mastering informational interviews, and how long your job search should really take. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you have a personal website, a personal business card or a folder of compliments you have received? If not, you should, says this week’s guest expert, Michelle Ward of When I Grow Up Coach. A person is more than their current job title. And often, personal projects and hobbies tell more of your story than your job description does. If you want to stay in the driver’s seat of your career, you should consistently keep up on what is working for you and any wins you have. Create a separate folder (online or on paper) and add any kudos or accolades you receive throughout the course of a year, and update your resume accordingly. This will save you time and frustration during your annual performance review and you will be ready in the event that an unexpected opportunity arises. These resources make it easy to: Track your accomplishments online with Evernote Share information about yourself with About.me Give hiring managers a reason to be interested in you with Branded.me Michelle also advises job seekers to create an elevator pitch about themselves. You are much more than your field of work. When someone asks you what you do, expound on your job title by adding your skills set. This is extremely useful if you are attending a networking event or conference. Remember, conferences are opportunities for learning and connecting. Don’t dread your work! Michelle Ward Bio Michelle Ward has been offering career guidance for creative women as “The When I Grow Up Coach” since 2008. She is the co-author of The Declaration of You, published by North Light Books. Michelle also teaches a class, Create Your Dream Career and Ditch Your Day Job, on CreativeLive.com. Michelle is excited to be launching her new program, 90 Day Business Launch at the end of October. You can find out more about Michelle Ward and all of her programs on her website When I Grow Up Coach. You can also sign up to get access to her free monthly interview series. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a job search app for your mobile phone called Switch. It’s a quick and easy way to see what jobs are available in your area and if they are of interest to you. Switch has been dubbed the Tinder of job searches.    Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Matt Cundill’s question — “How do you know if it is time to leave your industry for a new sector and how do you successfully make the change?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

If the purpose of networking is to build relationships, then why would you only network when you are job hunting? Guest expert, Angela Copeland says it takes time for someone to get to know you, so start networking now. If you are unsure of  where to find information about networking events, Angela suggests to look online for associations or groups in your field of work, contact the local Chamber of Commerce or go to Meetup.com. You may feel more comfortable at a networking event that is a good fit for you. It’s advisable to target events where you have a decent chance of meeting people in your field, you can really connect to. Pro Tip — If you are looking to change fields, have business cards made with your contact information, leaving off your current field of work. It’s okay if you find professional events awkward and scary, everyone else who is there feels the same way. Angela recommends going to networking events alone and being on the lookout for someone who is also there alone. If a person is deeply engaged in conversation with another person, you are less likely to make an impact if you approach. If you do approach someone, ask them personal questions. Personal questions can open people up and help to form a deeper connection. Remember, the person who lands a job is not always the most qualified. It is the person the hiring manager likes the most or has a connection with. Networking Event Do’s: Do have a pitch about yourself in case someone asks. Do make a positive first impression through body language, a smile and being properly dressed for the occasion. Do make sure to be pleasant and authentic. Do ask personal questions instead of business questions. Do learn something new. Do follow up with an email or LinkedIn connection with every person you meet. Networking Event Dont’s: Don’t talk about your job search. Don’t just talk with the person who attended with you. Don’t forget networking and relationship building takes time. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t make a connection at the event. Shake everyone’s hand firmly and be pleasant! Angela Copeland Bio Angela Copeland is the CEO of Copeland Coaching. Her firm helps people at all stages of the job search process, including finding the right job, interviewing for a position, and negotiating an offer. Angela is the author of Breaking The Rules and Getting The Job. She also hosts the Copeland Coaching Podcast and writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column on careers. If you would like to follow Angela on Twitter, @CopelandCoach is her handle. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a LinkedIn post from Melissa De Witte Do-It-Yourself Headshots - And You Can Even Use Your iPhone. The article includes the exact steps and settings you will need to get a professional looking headshot, which is essential for your LinkedIn profile. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Pat Guiles’ audio question — “How should I inform my previous employer about my new job?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On July 14, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, talked with Terry Starbucker, cofounder and publisher of Built Oregon, a monthly online magazine that serves to tell Oregon entrepreneurial stories.  Built Oregon also has a podcast called, Making Oregon, this podcast brings you Built Oregon conversations with innovators, makers, doers, disruptors, foodies, dreamers, and groundbreakers from all across the state of Oregon.  These entrepreneurs talk about the inspiration and ingenuity it takes to make Oregon the best place they know to build and sustain a prosperous lifestyle. In this podcast episode, Mac and Terry talk about the Mac's List story and how to find a career driven by purpose. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

There is a structure or blueprint to being a successful person but there is no perfect formula. The design differs for everyone, as guest expert Don Hutcheson explains. It is necessary to dig into who you are and what you are supposed to be doing before attempting to be successful at any one thing. The first quality all successful people have in common is they take full responsibility for their own self-knowledge and self-awareness, and they avoid mindless conformity. If you start with a solid base of knowing who you are on the inside, you eliminate the guessing which leads to reactions and unsatisfactory career choices. Other things successful people have in common is they are all on a lifelong journey of learning, and they surround themselves with like-minded people. They read educational resources about how to use their individual talents and how to strengthen their emotional intelligence. People go through what Don calls “turning points” every 6 or 7 years. If they have a continuous mindset to keep getting better, these turning points will enhance their already honed abilities. To be successful: Do research about yourself and your abilities Set goals for yourself Surround yourself with the right people Accept failure and learn from it Be disciplined Trust your instincts Make strategic decisions, not knee-jerk reactions Don’t be miserable Journal about your experiences Seek out people who have the same values! Book Resources from Don: What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson What Color Is Your Parachute? by Dick Bolles Don’t Waste Your Talents by Don Hutcheson & Dr. Bob McDonald Don Hutcheson Bio Don Hutcheson is a lifelong entrepreneur, inventor, author and coach. He hosts the daily podcast, Discover Your Talent — Do What You Love and has interviewed over 350 successful people. By the end of 2016, he will be offering membership groups and courses, which will include experts on topics such as emotional intelligence, salary negotiations and exposing natural abilities.  Don has never had a boss. Instead, he has created six companies in advertising, publishing, coaching and career planning over the last 40 years. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares the blog post How to Tell People What You Do—and Be Remembered by Alexandra Franzen on TheMuse.com. The post is about how you can communicate what you do in simple terms, which begins with the Maya Angelou quote “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Sue Black’s question - “Is there a great career coach for young, recent college grads?” Jenna recommends career coach Satya Byock from Quarter-Life Counseling in the Portland area and Stacey Marie Ishmael’s BuzzFeed podcast, Another Round. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/itunes). We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Did you know 90% of women who opt out of the workforce will return at some point? The most common reason women decide to opt out is to take care of their children, and in the case of the Generation X-ers to care for elderly parents. While most companies are keenly aware of the necessities of a family, a woman  who is planning to take a career break should plan for her future. Guest expert, Jennifer Gefsky, advises women to start a log of everything they do during their time off. This planning will make the process of reintroducing themselves into the workforce easier. Women do a lot of unpaid work and gain skills, which can be used when transitioning back into the workforce. It’s important to document any work or accomplishments earned in Mom’s groups, in their children's schools or from  volunteering in their communities. Tips to make a transition back into the workforce easier: Keep your professional network alive Strategically consider what you want to do Educate yourself towards your passions Dive into your personal networks Learn to brand yourself The resume gap scares many people. It’s best to own the gap! Don’t explain it away―address it up front because when you show the employer how it can translate back into their business, it won’t need to be justified. Do not be afraid to fail! Jennifer Gefsky Bio Jennifer Gefsky formerly worked as deputy general counsel at Major League Baseball, where she was the highest-ranking woman on the “baseball” side of the business. Jennifer left baseball to raise her three children, and after her career break, she decided not to return to the business of baseball. Jennifer co-founded Après, a digital recruiting site that connects high-caliber women, who want to re-enter the workforce, with great jobs. The website is full of information and you can find @AprèsNYC on Twitter and on Facebook at Après. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares an amazing online resource this week. Skillshare is an educational site that job hunters can use to acquire additional technical skills. These skills can be used to enhance a current skill set or as a resume filler―to help you get the job you want. There is a cost for courses but many are priced as low as $.99. There are thousands of courses available, along with a global community of learners and teachers who are pursuing work they love. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Erin, from Oregon, on her question - “What is the best way to present her time off to raise her children on her resume and in person? ” Watch the Mother’s Job Description Hallmark Video Jenna refers to in the podcast. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/itunes). We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On July 14, 2016, Ben Forstag published a blog post on Mac’s List, “Why Employers Don’t Include Salaries in their Job Posts (and What You Can Do About It).” This sparked a lengthy and lively discussion in the comments section. We decided to continue the conversation on this week’s Find Your Dream Job podcast.  Mac, Ben and Jenna discuss why employers don’t post a salary range in a job posts and share tips on how you can work around this all-too-common practice. Our tips include: Researching other job postings by the company. Using Glassdoor.com to come up with an estimate. Asking the hiring manager, recruiter or personal contact you know at the company. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Keeping a record of career accomplishments is an employee’s own responsibility. If a manager is accountable for ten people, they may not remember the special thing one team member did ten months ago. A person can make it easier on themselves and on their manager by keeping track of their accomplishments, and by letting managers know, specifically, what those accomplishments are. This becomes a powerful tactic when a juicy promotion becomes available. Self-promotion and managing your career is part of your career. An employee should want to gain as much as they can during the course of their career, says guest expert Dan Rust. Self-promotional strategies should be genuine, positive and occur during the course of a normal workday. Tactics to help you toot your own horn at work: Have a response for your boss when they ask how things are going. Make the most of your annual review. Make them see you sweat, BUT meet your deadlines. Offer to help others and tell your boss about it. Promote others. The key is to not be anonymous. Make your ideas or insights known, during a conference call or meeting, even if the idea is incomplete. A study found that those who are willing to step forward with an unpopular idea, leave other people with a higher perception of them. Furthering your career path is a game you can win! Dan Rust Bio Dan Rust is the founder of Frontline Learning, a publisher of corporate training resources. He regularly speaks on employee engagement, productivity and career management. Dan is also the author of a new book, Workplace Poker: Are You Playing the Game, Or Just Getting Played?, and more information can be found at his website Workplace Poker. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Keeping track of accomplishments is useful for many reasons, including resume creation or updates, annual reviews, and for realizing one’s value. Finding the time to pull all of your accomplishments together can be a difficult task in itself. This thorough article, Tools and Techniques for Brainstorming and Tracking Accomplishments from Livecareer.com includes information on journaling techniques, organizational apps and third-party validation ideas. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Brenda Somes’ question - “How does a super-qualified candidate get a serious employer to even talk to her?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/itunes). We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Does your manager fail to notice your accomplishments at evaluation time? If so, it is because “managers are busy” says salary negotiation expert Josh Doody. In addition to managing people, managers are also responsible for running the business and making a profit. Many companies only consider giving employees raises during a focal or anniversary period which can be the most politically challenging time for an employee to ask for a raise. The best way to get a raise or to maximize your salary is to start by doing your homework. Employees should start building their case for a raise 30-60 days before a review and make the process as easy as possible for a manager. To build the best case when asking for a raise you should: One:  Have a target salary in mind which is based on your market value. Use online resources such as Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com or Salary.com. Two:  Put a case together with proof you deserve what you are asking for. Ask for a specific raise amount. Outline the quantitative accomplishments since your current salary was set. Show which activities you have performed and the result they have made to move the business forward. Prepare a list of accolades or social proof from others who have recognized your work. Three:  Show how you are improving the company and how your results align with the goals of the business. When building a case employees should not include reasons which do not carry a positive result for the business such as, buying a new house, kids in college, etc. Remember to make the process as easy on your manager as possible! Josh Doody Bio Josh Doody is an author, consultant, MBA, and engineer who writes about salary negotiation, career management, business, job interviews, and self-publishing.  He is the author of Fearless Salary Negotiation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Paid What You’re Worth. His current focus is in reaching people directly through one-on-one coaching programs and his Free 7-day course on how to get promoted quickly. You can follow Josh on Twitter @JoshDoody. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Anyone can use Payscale.com to way to find out what jobs are worth based on job title, location, company and experience. Advantages to using the site are targeted salary research, such as, how your salary compares with others who have the same job title and nuanced information on how individual skills can affect your salary. It also includes a comprehensive compensation review so job perks can also be added to the equation. The site is user-data-driven so you may want to limit the amount of personal information you supply. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed, honest feedback Shannon Cleary’s situational question - “There is a philanthropic organization that I have applied to 2 jobs to over the last 10 months. I am about to apply for my third. After my last application, I had a phone interview. When I got the rejection email, I replied and asked for time to chat (with my interviewer) or suggestions for things to work on for my next application. I never heard back from her.  So my questions: Should I reach out directly to her and ask for coffee again OR just send in my application as directed by the job post?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course, which starts November 1st. Visit the link above to lock in early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jenny Foss, owner of JobJenny.com shares her tips for how to touch base with potential employers (without being a pest) after you’ve had your initial interview.   She reads “The Best Ways to Follow Up After The Interview”, her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Here are Jenny’s top tips to stay top-of-mind with employers: Know the next steps. Ask the employers about the process and timeline so you know the best way to follow-up. Send thank you notes. A simple, but often ignored way to be remembered, especially if you send them to the right people. Connect on LinkedIn. Create a reason to connect on LinkedIn so you can have ongoing dialog with the interviewer. Just don’t make rookie mistakes when you connect. Follow-up by email. Know when and how to reach out for updates. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Did you know that your body language is responsible for 60% of your communications and that first impressions are nonverbal? Vanessa Van Edwards, from Science of People, shares some best practices for acing a job interview based on her team’s scientific research.     Body language research shows us that the first thing an interviewer sees is called a ‘glance test.’ Humans used to use this first glance to determine if an approaching person was a friend or foe. It is an instinctive response we still use today, even though we may not be aware of it. To make the most out of our time in front of an interviewer Vanessa offers up these tips... During a job interview applicants should: Nail the first impression by using expansive body language and making their hands visible. Shake the interviewer’s hand at the beginning and at the end of the interview. Demonstrate competence by aligning your body with the interviewer's body, nod to show you are listening and speak naturally. Use your portfolio or leave behind a document to open up an interviewer's closed body language. End the interview with a lean-in handshake and good eye contact. Walk side by side with the interviewer on your way out of the office. If you feel like a winner and have a winner’s posture you will come across as a winner! Vanessa Van Edwards Bio Vanessa Van Edwards is a published author, behavioral investigator, and Huffington Post columnist. Her specialty is science-based people skills. Vanessa runs the Science of People, a Human Behavior Research lab and her unique approach has been featured on CNN, Forbes, NPR, BusinessWeek and in the Wall Street Journal. You can help further Vanessa’s research experiments by visiting the website and clicking on something that interests you. Ben’s Job Search Resources: The free, online tool Apply Mate is Ben’s job research tool of the week. This tool allows job applicants to enter details about jobs which interest them and the Apply Mate database keeps track of the entire process in an intuitive and useful manner. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed, honest feedback to answer Haley Twist’s question - “Should job hunters ever consider applying for positions they don’t necessarily want, but are qualified for, to get their foot in the door at a company they really respect?” These segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course, which starts November 1st. Visit the link above to lock in early bird pricing now. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

It pays off to prepare yourself before asking an employer to make your job virtual. Most employers will want to know what’s in it for them before allowing an employee to work from home full-time. A professional way to address your employer’s possible questions and concerns is to make a list of the objections you think they will have, and then build a mini business case around each issue. Showing an employer a value proposition is your quickest way to a yes. Employers appreciate when you can show them: How your productivity will be increased How you plan to hold yourself accountable How your creativity may be sparked The absence of workplace distractions Logistical cost savings When your employer agrees to your proposal of setting up a virtual office, you need to start preparing yourself for success. Melissa says that it is best to be honest with your work style and be sure you can spend long periods alone. Also, you should not consider working from home a substitute for child care. If you want to continue working virtually, you should have other means for your child to be cared for during your work hours. With focus and determination, you can do this! Resources for virtual office information: Harvard Business Review Blogs Fast Company Mashable Virtual Agency Realities Group on LinkedIn FlexJobs Melissa Mathews Bio Melissa Mathews is the founder and president of The Mathews Group, a strategic communications agency built on an entirely virtual, flex-work model. The Mathews Group supports Fortune 100 corporate clients, with a team working from home offices, coffee shops, horse barns and soccer sidelines across the U.S. and international time zones. Melissa believes that if you hire great people and give them the freedom they need to live and work, they’ll exceed your expectations. Learn more at Mathews Group. Ben’s Job Search Resources: This is a simple and free online tool which has revolutionized the ability to connect with people by email. Job seekers can use this tool to contact with hiring managers, to bypass Human Resource Departments or to make sure their email goes to the intended party. Email Address Verifier is very simple to use and allows the user to know if the email address is valid. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed feedback to answer Eric Stachon’s question―“Is it possible to make a great second impression if your interview didn’t go as planned?” These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course and Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

On February 4, 2016, the New York Times published an article, “Walt Bettinger of Charles Schwab: You’ve Got to Open Up to Move Up,” in which the CEO revealed a very interesting interview tactic. Before hiring an executive-level candidate, Bettinger takes them out to breakfast. The trick? He pre-arranges for the restaurant to mess up the food order so he can see how the candidate reacts. What would you do if you were the candidate in this situation? On this seven minute bonus episode, the Mac’s List team talks about the unorthodox interview tactic. From food allergies to how you want your potential boss to view you - Mac, Ben and Jenna cover it all. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com

Do you know how to get a job you love? It’s OK if you don’t. Most people do not believe it is even possible. A traditional job search includes scouring job postings and identifying with skills an employer is looking for. Today’s conversation turns the table on tradition and encourages job seekers to first identify and then search for a job they will love. Guest, Scott Barlow uses putting a puzzle together as an analogy for identifying which type of job you will probably love. Signature Strengths are your inherent qualities which give you a natural and unfair advantage over another person. These strengths can be seen as the corner pieces of the puzzle as they are easy to recognize. Identifying these strengths is the first step in the process of finding a job you love. To assist you in figuring out what your strengths are, try: StrengthsFinder 2.0  Get Feedback from those who know you well enough to give you a truthful answer to the question “What do I do well?” The ideal work environment for you is a company which values the same things you do. Think about a workplace you would flourish in. These are the edge pieces of the puzzle, the framework of what you should be looking for when you search for a job. If you pre-identify the companies which closely match your ideal work environment, you can make contacts within the organizations before a job is posted online. You can place yourself first in line when a position becomes available. Go after the things you are great at and focus on the things you place the most value in! Scott Barlow Bio Scott Barlow is the founder of Happen to Your Career, a company that helps you stop doing work that doesn’t fit, figuring out what does fit and then teaching you to make it happen. Scott has been helping people develop their careers and businesses for more than 10 years. Scott is also the host of the Happen to Your Career podcast. Visit the Figure Out What Fits site to obtain the 8-day video series for creating career change. This is a FREE gift for Find Your Dream Job podcast listeners. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Apres Group is a community-based website for female professionals who have taken a career break and are looking to re-enter the workplace. The site is designed by Jennifer Gefsky and Niccole Kroll. The site’s resources include coaching, success stories and employers who are looking to hire. The site is free for women who want to register and perform job searches. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed feedback to answer Leta Muncie’s question - “What is the general career path a person might have before becoming an Executive Director of a nonprofit?” These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Now available in all formats! If you would like the team to answer a job-related question send it to [email protected]. Or, if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Networking events can be, for an introvert, a worst case scenario. This is why introverts need to be prepared, strategic and have a clear goal of what they want to accomplish before attending a conference or event. Today’s guest expert, Trina Isakson says that introverts gain energy from being alone and a common misconception is to think of introverts as socially awkward or shy. In business today, most networking events are designed around the ‘spray and pray’ method of handing out business cards to a copious amount of people. Introverts may see this exercise as a vampire slowly draining their energy levels, both mentally and physically. Trina shares her tips which allow an introvert to make the most out of a conference or live event. And, she reminds us the true goal of networking events should be to build meaningful relationships which add value to our lives and the lives of others. Tips for introverts to get the most out of networking events: Attend the same conference year after year The conference topic must be interesting to you Focus energy on building deep and meaningful connections Identify people who can be a beneficial strategic connection Be generous to those who hold less power than you Have a purpose by volunteering for a position at the conference Stay in touch with purpose Trina stresses that quality contacts matter more than the quantity of contacts you make. Introverts who may feel they are bothering their newly made contacts can maintain a professional relationship with a quick email in place of a meeting. Trina Isakson Bio Trina is a strategist and researcher who works with nonprofit leaders and social innovators. As founder and principal thinker at 27 Shift, her clients include government, higher education, and national nonprofit organizations. She has also taught university courses on community development, leadership and management, and is the founder of the Quiet Changemaker Project, the Quiet Change Maker FB Group and the Do Good Better Podcast. Thank you, Trina, for contributing to this Introvert’s Guide to Networking podcast. Ben’s Job Search Resources: The Introvert Entrepreneur is the work of consultant, Beth Buelow. The site is designed to assist introverts by amplifying their strengths. The accompanying The Introvert Entrepreneur Podcast has been ranked one of the Top 10 Business Podcasts. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide their feedback to answer Jonathan Chambers’ question “How do I set myself apart from college grads when I have 7 years experience running a successful company but no paper degree yet?” These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Now available in all formats! If you would like the team to answer a job related question send it to [email protected]. Or, if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo,www.freddytrujillo.com.

Freelance writer, Jen Violi, shares how to make genuine connections in Oregon - or anywhere. Even if networking makes you queasy, you can make connections with others on a personal and professional level.  We say this at Mac's List all the time, 80% of jobs are never posted, so chances are you're next dream job will be found by networking with someone in your field.   Check out Jen's simple tips for making connections in a new city--from volunteer opportunities to fiestas. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

A job loss due to layoffs or conflicting interests can be a shock to our system. A person may feel thrilled to be apart from their previous employer at first but a flood of emotions generally follows shortly after. Today’s guest, Career Coach Marsha Warner, shares tips and techniques to transform your first days of unemployment. If you find yourself in this situation Marsha advises: Don’t start to market yourself for a new position immediately. Take the necessary time to equalize your emotions. Just breathe. Be prepared to tell your story pragmatically and end it with a statement of moving forward. Friends and family can serve as a much-needed support system. Only after rectifying your emotions should you align yourself with possible new employers. Statistics from the Department of Labor anticipate each US worker will have six job changes from age 30 to age 55.  Understanding you may find yourself transitioning jobs more than once makes a good case for having a high-level, personal career plan. Taking personal responsibility for your skill set and keeping a larger perspective empowers you when your job search begins. Remember to: Stay engaged with your existing networks! Take a class to enhance your skills!    Marsha Warner Bio Marsha is the owner of Career Factors (www.careerfactors.com). She is a coach, resume writer, and recruiter. Her clients range from college students to senior executives. Marsha is a popular educator and speaker at career events and a frequent contributor to career blogs and podcasts. Thank you Marsha, for contributing to this How to Cope with a Job Loss podcast. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac chime in to provide Jonathan Chambers expert advice when answering his question “How do I transition from being an entrepreneur to a 9-5 employee?” Ben’s Job Search Resources: Career One Stop (www.careeronestop.org) is a U.S. Department of Labor website designed specifically for the unemployed job seeker. The online tool  provides customized information for your specific situation and includes guides on how to file for unemployment benefits. Mac’s Pro-Tip: Unemployment benefits are NOT tax free. Set aside a portion of your earnings to offset the taxes due on April 15th. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Now available in all formats! If you would like the team to answer a job related question send it to [email protected]. If you found a job resource you think everyone should know about send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo,www.freddytrujillo.com.

Do you want to work at home?  Thanks to the Internet, jobs that used to require you to sit in an office can now be done online.  Our guest expert this week, Sean Ogle, teaches people to a make a living online. Remote work opportunities can offer flexible or part-time schedules. And that can be important for people who need time for family or other interests. But how do you get started? You can look for employers who hire online workers. Or you can create your own job.  Whether you’re an online freelancer or a corporate worker looking for a more flexible work arrangement, Sean’s tips will help you ideate, start and grow a profitable online business. In this 30-minute episode you will learn: How alternative career choices can provide a valuable income stream How to overcome roadblocks like inconsistency, time management, and fear of launching The three steps to launching an online business that makes money How to find a mentor who will  help you grow Why you don’t have to be an expert, just a relative expert (and what that really means). This week’s guest: Sean Ogle (Twitter | LinkedIn)Owner, Location Rebel Portland, Oregon In 2009 Sean’s life sucked. So he quit his job, moved to Thailand, built a business, and started living life the way he’d always wanted. Location 180 documents the journey and teaches you how to do the same thing. Listener question of the week: Do you think it’s appropriate to change your job title on a resume? - Teresa Peltier Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: The 25 Best Sites for Finding Remote Work Barnes & Noble Location Rebel BreakingEighty.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Mike Russell, owner of Pivotal Writing, shares how to hook your readers attention with that first sentence of your professional bio.  We all know Portland loves quirky, colorful personalities, from “Keep Portland Weird” to “Keep Portland Beered” to “Keep Portland Bearded”.  Hiring managers are no different.  Whether it’s your bio statement on your website or your LinkedIn summary.  In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mike Russell shares his tips on how to make a strong first sentence to hook your reader’s attention right away. If you’re looking for more advice on how to network, check out our book, Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond. You’ll find everything you need to get a great job whether you’re in Portland Oregon, Portland Maine, or anywhere in-between. For more information on Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond, visit macslist.org/book. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

  Job hunting take a lot of time, energy, and attention to detail. It’s a job in-and-of-itself!  You might start your day reading several job boards. Then you complete and send a job application.  Next you email requests for informational meetings. And that’s followed by writing thank you notes.  After all that? Perhaps you have a job interview. But your day isn’t over. Your evening may include a networking event, too. How do you juggle all this activity while keeping your energy and enthusiasm high? Above all, are you using your time as best you can?This week we’re talking with Mike Vardy, a productivity expert. He’ll share his best tips for how you can use your time to get the results you want. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: Why batching your time to specific tasks is key to productivity Why “To Do” Lists might not be the best way to accomplish daily tasks How to use a calendar effectively How a Daily M.A.P. (Mode - Action - Project) can help you plan out your day How digital trackers and analog journals can help you manage your daily plan. Why reflective journaling is a key to increasing your daily productivity Tips on how to avoid burnout through time management This week’s guest: Mike Vardy (Twitter | LinkedIn)Owner, Productivityist Victoria, BC, Canada Mike Vardy is an author, speaker, and productivity and time management strategist (or 'productivityist') based out of Victoria, BC, Canada. His company is Productivityist, and the company's mission is to help people stop 'doing' productive and start 'being' productive through a variety of online and offline resources that he facilitates. Listener question of the week: I have some great experience in my industry, but I’m a graduating senior. How do I convince an employer that I’m worth a job and not an internship at their company? Should I apply to both positions (intern and a job position) or just the job position? - Hannah Alkad Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Productivityist.com RescueTime Susan Rich Episode ToDoList Asana Trello DayOne Journey Evernote BeyondProductivity.com MikeVardy.com/now World Domination Summit Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

We talked in an earlier show about what you can do to prepare for and nail a job interview. But what happens next after you’ve impressed your interviewers?  The steps you take next can make the difference between getting a job offer or a terse rejection letter. This week we’re talking about what you need to do after you leave the interview room. Our guest this week is Deena Pierott, founder and CEO of Mosaic Blueprint. Deena provides recruitment and on-boarding services for employers, and she knows what companies are looking for in candidates. She discusses what you can do after your in-person interview to improve your chances of landing the job. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: Unusual ways that organizations determine whether you are a good fit for the office culture Why you absolutely must send a handwritten thank you note after your interview How many times you should follow-up after an interview Why you need a champion and advocate within the organization The fine line between being persistent and being a pest How to get feedback when you didn’t get the job This week’s guest: Deena Pierott (@deenapierott | LinkedIn)Recruiting, Onboarding, Diversity, and Inclusion ConsultantOwner, Mosaic BlueprintPortland, Ore. Deena Pierott is the CEO of Mosaic Blueprint, a boutique firm that specializes in recruiting and on-boarding, multicultural communications, outplacement services and career counseling. She is also the founder of iUrban Teen and has been named a champion of change by the White House and included in Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 list. Listener question of the week:  A prospective employer has asked for references from my last three jobs. The problem is, I haven’t told my current boss that I’m looking for other work. Should I tell my boss now--even though the new job isn’t 100% in the bag--or ask the prospective employer to not contact my current place of work? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: The Receptionist is Watching You | Wall Street Journal Mosaic Blueprint iUrbanTeen Wonder Women in Tech Conference | July 15-17, 2016 Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Many job seekers are interested in a nonprofit career as a vehicle for rewarding, socially-impactful work. But landing a nonprofit job isn’t easy. Competition is fierce – particularly for the most desirable positions. And the nonprofit sector itself is sometimes quite insular, with the the most plum jobs going to well-connected candidates. Finding a nonprofit job requires a strategic approach, solid networking, and a clear understanding of what you have to offer social impact organizations. On February 28, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, explored these issues on the Non Profit Hour, a radio program produced by the Portland-based Media Institute for Social Change. Mac discussed the history of Mac’s List, the unique challenges of finding rewarding work, and his own experience as a job seeker. He also shared some of his favorite work-themed music. (Spoiler alert: Mac loves Dolly Parton!) In this bonus episode you will learn: Why connection is the key – organizations hire candidates they know trust How to recognize and communicate the value of what you have to offer others Why online job boards are only a small part of the job hunt How hiring is a two way street – for the potential employee and the employer Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

You don’t need to live in Los Angeles or have a hit song to have a successful career in music.  Across the country, tens of thousands of people make good livings as musicians and singers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  And the federal government predicts the number of such jobs will go up in the years ahead. The pay can be good, too. The average wage for musicians was almost $50,000 a year in 2015. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we explore how you can build a great career in the music industry. Our guest, Mark Powers, is a professional drummer who knows all about how to make a living in music. Mark shares his experience building a career as a performer, writer, and music educator. His advice to aspiring artists: create your own opportunities through diversification and building good relationships. In this 29-minute episode you will learn: Why diversification is the key to success in a music career The importance of ROCK: Repetition, Opportunity, Commitment, and Karma Why music royalties are a small (but important) part of the income model for musicians Why you should put yourself in situations where you are the “weak link” How to build an online presence as a musician This week’s guest: Mark Powers (@MarkPowers | LinkedIn)Percussion Artist and EducatorAuthor, I Want to a DrummerOwner, PowersPercussion.com and DrumItInAMinute.comPortland, Ore. Percussion artist and educator Mark Powers has shared the stage with everyone from Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen, Devon Evans (of Bob Marley and the Wailers), and the Rolling Stones saxophonist Tim Ries. Mark now offers video drum lessons on his educational website, DrumItInAMinute.com. He is the author of several percussion textbooks and a past contributor to Modern Drummer Magazine.Fun fact: Mark is a former co-holder of the Guinness World Record for Longest Drum Roll by a Group. Listener question of the week: I love music - but I’m not musically talented.  What sort of jobs are out there in the musical field for me? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: The Top Jobs In 10 Years Might Not Be What You Expect | FastCompany DrumItInAMinute.com PowersPercussion.com Mbrascatu I Want to Be a Drummer The Weekend Resume Makeover Course | JobJenny.com If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Have you ever thought about putting everything you own into a moving van and taking a new job in a new city? The typical American moves 11.7 times in a lifetime. From across town to across the country, you’ll face common challenges with job hunting and settling in a new city. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we talk about how to kickstart your career in a new city. Our guest is Terry St. Marie, who knows all about starting over. In the midst of a successful business career, Terry made the big jump from the the East Coast to the West Coast in 2011.  He’ll share his best tips for building rebuilding a career--and a professional network--from scratch. In this 41-minute episode you will learn: How to create a community after you move to a new place How to research new locations and opportunities to determine where you should move Networking tips for out-of-staters, from LinkedIn to email Why shared connections - from sports teams to donut preferences - can help build connections and strengthen relationships How a city’s culture affects the way you network How making an effort and putting yourself out there will help you secure an informational interview This week’s guest: Terry “Starbucker” St. Marie (Twitter | LinkedIn) Co-Founder, BuiltOregon.com Portland, Ore. Terry “Starbucker” St. Marie is a writer, consultant, entrepreneur and startup investor living in Portland, Oregon. Before moving to the Rose City in 2010, he had a successful 23 year tenure as an executive in the cable television industry.  Terry has extensive experience in business operations, customer care, strategy and financial management. For the past 10 years he has also published a popular blog featuring his “More Human” leadership philosophy, TerryStarbucker.com, and was recently cited by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts”. He’s also the co-founder and publisher of the online media company focused on Oregon entrepreneurs, BuiltOregon.com, which launched in December 2014. Terry is also an investor in the Oregon Angel Fund, and is on the boards of the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, and Social Venture Partners Portland. Listener question of the week: I’m moving to a new city for a job.  Any tips on how to make sure my professional life doesn’t completely take over my personal life? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Weekend Resume Kit TerryStarbucker.com BuiltOregon.com Bushwackers GlassDoor's Best Cities for Jobs Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) – On sale through Today! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

You’ve survived years of schooling, finals, group projects and finally have a hard-earned degree in your hands.  You’re still looking for full-time work and your career route is an open road in front of you.  While catching your breath, you get this question, “What are you going to do with your life?”  It’s an overwhelming question for mid-career professionals. So how do you answer that question just a few weeks after graduation? Satya Byock, founder of Quarter-Life Consulting has three tips for you to thrive during your transition from college to career. If you’re looking for more advice on how to network, check out our book, Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond. You’ll find everything you need to get a great job whether you’re in Portland Oregon, Portland Maine, or anywhere in-between. For more information on Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond, visit macslist.org/book. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Google the words “cover letter” and you will find lots of opinions on the best tactics: which format to use, the right salutations, and to whom you should address your letter. Our guest expert this week, Susan Rich, author of How to Write a Kick-Butt Resume Cover Letter, says people are missing the most important point of all: an employer has a problem that needs to be solved.  The applicant who shows she or he can solve problem has a huge advantage. Susan shares her advice how to focus your thoughts into to key talking points that address the employer’s needs. A dynamite headline and a powerfully structured cover letter showcases your skills in a way that is uniquely appealing to employers looking for help. In this 26-minute episode you will learn: How to frame job seeking as a business transaction Why being a problem solver is the key to your job search How to organize your thoughts to focus in on your key points for a cover letter The elements of a strong cover letter headline How to structure a cover letter that actually gets read This week’s guest: Susan Rich (Twitter | LinkedIn) Author, How to Write a Kick-Butt Resume Cover Letter Portland, Ore. Susan Rich deliver results, not promises. People call her an idea refinery, always creating a new way forward. She is widely recognized for her strategic business and marketing savvy, her internal & external communications strategies. She is an expert speaker and trainer, and professional journalist with more than one million words in print. Listener question of the week: “With email as the primary form of application these days, how formal do cover letters need now?  Do I still need to include the employer’s address?” - Beckie If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Weekend Resume Kit The Muse's 185 Powerful Verbs That Will Make Your Resume Awesome RichWriting.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) – On sale through June 15! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about negotiation, a vital skill, especially at work. Maybe you’re considering a job offer. Perhaps  you’re about to ask for a raise. Or you’re chasing a  promotion. Whatever your ask, it will require negotiating. Many people treat negotiations as a win-or-lose situation for the parties involved. If you get what what you want, it’s at someone else’s expense. It doesn’t have to be this way.  We speak with Jeff Weiss, author of the Harvard Business Review’s “Guide to Negotiating.” Jeff will share his tips for how you can move from a game of concessions and compromises.   He’ll also talk about how to use collaboration and creativity so that you get better results and good working relationships with others. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: The three negotiating mistakes most people make The questions you should ask when you’re told “no” The importance of understanding “why” you want a raise How to find creative solutions and compromises in your negotiations Why systematic preparation is key to great negotiating - from asking for a raise to managing contractors. This week’s guest: Jeff Weiss (Twitter | LinkedIn) Author, Harvard Business Review’s Guide to Negotiating Cambridge, Mass. Jeff Weiss is a founding partner of Vantage Partners, a Boston-based consulting firm that works with Fortune 500 companies on improving how they negotiate.  Jeff has published extensively on negotiation is the author of the “Harvard Business Review Guide to Negotiating”.  He is also a member of the faculty of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In July 2016, Jeff will become the ninth president of Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Listener question of the week: “When should you bring up salary when interviewing?” - Ben If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Weekend Resume Kit Harvard Business Review’s Guide to Negotiating Vantage Partners IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com Glassdoor.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) – On sale through June 15! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Networking and coffee often go hand-in-hand; inviting a professional contact out for coffee is one of the easiest ways to score an informational interview or stay in touch with your network. Chances are, before anyone accepts your coffee invite they are going to check out you out on social media. So it is vital that your social media profiles are a true reflection of who you are as a professional. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Joshua Waldman, author of Job Searching with Social Media for Dummies and founder of Career Enlightenment, shares his advice on how to keep your online presence and profiles up-to-date and professional during your job search. His top tips? On top of having a stellar LinkedIn profile, consider giving your new contact more information about yourself with a simple About.me website. If you’re looking for more advice on how to network, check out our book, Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond. You’ll find everything you need to get a great job whether you’re in Portland Oregon, Portland Maine, or anywhere in-between. For more information on Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond, visit macslist.org/book. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Ever think about quitting your job? A vast majority of people do. One survey cited by CBS News found that 84% of Americans want to switch employers. Yet most of us show up for work every Monday even when we want to be somewhere else. There are many reasons we don’t quit our job--even jobs that make us unhappy. Top concerns people cite include: family, money and opportunity.   But what if you walked out of your office today without lining up your next job? Does that sound crazy? This week on Find Your Dream Job, we speak to author Tess Vigeland, who makes a case for why you should quit your job now - even if you don’t have a “Plan B.” In this 34-minute episode you will learn: Why leaving a dream job might be the best move you can possibly make How to know when it’s time to quit your job How to review, understand, and present your employable skills How to discover who you are outside of your traditional career role This week’s guest: Tess Vigeland (Twitter | LinkedIn) Author, Leap: Leaving a Job with No Plan B to Find the Career and Life You Really Want SE Asia Listener question of the week: “How does one brand themselves in the midst of a career / industry transition?” - Chris Be sure to leave a comment on our Facebook page to be entered to win a special prize!  If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Weekend Resume Kit Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Outlook Leap: Leaving a Job with No Plan B to Find the Career and Life You Really Want TessUntethered.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) – On sale through June 15! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

It’s graduation season and a time to celebrate the great accomplishments of our graduating high school students. It’s also a time for those students to make some big decisions about their future. Should they continue their education? Enter the workforce? Take a gap year? Or perhaps sign-up for service? “What to do next” is  a big question and one that can causes teenagers and parents a lot of stress. It’s also choice on many people’s minds as graduation season nears. This week on Find Your Dream Job podcast, we talk about how to help teens choose what to do after high school so that they build a solid foundation for their career. Our guest is Dearbhla Kelly, author of Career Coach, a book to help parents and teens with career planning for young people. In this 31-minute episode you will learn: How influential parents are on career choice for teens Why parents need to guide (not lead) teens when it comes to career management skills How open ended questions can help teens make good career choices The importance of informational interviews, job shadowing, volunteering, and career day opportunities This week’s guest: Dearbhla Kelly (Twitter | LinkedIn)Career CoachAuthor, Career CoachDublin, Ireland Listener question of the week: “How do you stay challenged in your job while helping others?” - Cheryl Curry Don’t forget to leave your question (or comment) on Mac’s List Facebook page!  If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Career Coach The Weekend Resume Makeover online course Good.co Mobile App  SkillShare Luminosity Strength Finders 2.0 DearbhlaKelly.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - On sale through June 15! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

When it comes to interviews, your wardrobe matters. You want to pick the perfect outfit for your interview--one that is professional, but which also honors the existing office culture that you hope to join. Doing so creates a good first impression with the hiring manager and signals that you might be a good fit for the organization.  On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Cecilia Bianco, former community manager at Mac's List, shares her advice on picking the right interview outfit. Learn the do's and don'ts of professional attire, as well as tips for customizing your outfit to accomodate the organization's internal culture. If you're looking for more advice on how to ace your interview, check out our book, Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond. You'll find everything you need to get a great job whether you're in Portland Oregon, Portland Maine, or anywhere in-between. For more information on Land Your Dream Job In Portland and Beyond, visit macslist.org/book. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Are you happy at your job? Unfortunately, most people aren’t. According to Gallup, unhappy employees outnumber happy ones, two to one. There are many reasons people end up with jobs they don’t like. Some workers take the first job offered in order to pay bills. Others stick with an employer because they aren’t clear what they want to do next. And some worry if they say no to a job offer another one won’t come. What would it take for you to be happy in your career? This week on Find Your Dream Job we explore this issue with career expert Hallie Crawford. Hallie shares strategies for finding your professional calling and tips for taking control of your career. In this 26-minute episode you will learn: Career fulfillment: what it means and how you can achieve it Tools you can use to pick a career you’ll love How fulfillment plays a key role in your professional career Why you should listen to your gut when making career decisions How a career contrast list can help you focus on your career path The eight elements of the ideal career model to identify your career values This week’s guest: Hallie Crawford (@halliecrawford | LinkedIn)Certified Career Coach and Job Search ExpertFounder, Create Your Career PathAtlanta, GA Listener question of the week: What is the difference between a resume and a CV?  Which one is appropriate to use when job hunting? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Unhappy Employees Outnumber Happy Ones By Two to One Worldwide Jenny Foss’ Weekend Resume Makeover Create Your Career Path Hallie Crawford’s Blog Dream Job Coaching Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Maybe you’re looking for your next job. Or perhaps you want to stay on top of your career. Whatever your goal, you know you need to go to professional events.  It’s one of the best ways to meet others in your field. But does the idea of walking into a room of strangers and striking up a conversation fill you with horror? This is a common fear many jobseekers have—and it keeps them from making vital professional connections. This week on Find Your Dream we’re talking about how to work a room, with an expert on the subject, Susan RoAne. Susan’s best-selling book, How to Work a Room, teaches you everything you need to know to become an expert networker. In this 26-minute episode you will learn: Why face-to-face networking is still happening in the digital age The difference between working a room and networking Why showing up is key to a positive personal brand image How customizable introductions are key to making connections at events Why ice breakers and small talk are valuable forms of communication This week’s guest: Susan RoAne (@susanroane | LinkedIn) Author, How To Work a Room San Francisco, Calif. Listener question of the week:  How can I support my friend during their job hunt? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Networking for Introverts SusanRoAne.com Sign up for Susan RoAne’s newsletter & get her free e-book Nuances of Business Networking How To Work a Room Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

The question every college student dreads but can't avoid: "What are you going to do after graduation?" It's graduation season and university students across the country are preparing for the next phase of their lives. For most, that means a job--or at least a job search. Others may explore graduate school or an alternative learning experience. Regardless of what's next, this transition can be a time of great stress for new graduates.  On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, we share tips on how to smooth the transition from college to "real life." Gabrielle Nygaard, a Fulbright Scholar and Linfield College graduate, reads "Hello College Student, I’m Talking to You!", her contribution to our book Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this shoe, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

Every time you switch jobs, you have the opportunity to redefine your career—to pursue new challenges and find new meaning in your work life. Most workers have ample opportunity to change career paths; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the typical American will have 10 different jobs before the age of 40.  Yet many of us struggle to make the big choice of changing professional direction. Knowing what you want to do in life often means conquering your fears. You may have to shed old ideas. Or find the strength to let go of a safe job. Put simply… it takes courage. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about how you can plan your career instead of letting just happen to you. Mac talks with Katie Kelley, an executive coach, motivational speaker, and author of the new book, Career Courage.  Katie shares her tips on how to discover your passion, step out of your comfort zone and create the career success you want. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: How the FOG (Feedback – Opportunities – Gut Instinct) model helps you make career decisions What you should stop, start and continue doing in your career How to evaluate other careers that interest you What the “career success circle” looks like and how it can point to your next steps How to reflect on career plateaus and move forward from them Why permission to be different is the key to having career courage This week’s guest: Katie Kelley (@katie_c_kelley | LinkedIn)Professional MentorAuthor of Career CouragePortland, Ore. Listener question of the week:  When it comes to creating (or updating) my resume do I really need to include my home address? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Signed Copy of Career Courage Dan Ariely’s TEDx Talk Katie Kelley’s Facebook Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

To have a great career, you need passion. But you also need a solid plan.  Specifically, you need to know how your passions and ideas will be marketable in an ever-evolving job market. This week on “Find Your Dream Job” we’re talking about career management and how to build a plan for a remarkable long-term career. Mac interviews professor and author Larry Smith, whose provocative TED talk, “Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career,” has attracted more than six million views. Larry urges his students to explore their passions--but also to think about their ongoing relevance in the job market. In this 35-minute episode you will learn: Why passion is a prerequisite to a great career--but not enough in-and-of-itself. How to market yourself and your ideas How to discipline your passion as part of your overall career management plan Why everyone needs a 50 years career management plan Why even non-creative professionals need to be creative when managing their career This week’s guest: Larry SmithAdjunct Associate Professor, University of WaterlooAuthor, No Fears, No Excuses: What You Need to Do to Have a Great CareerWaterloo, ON, Canada   Listener question of the week:  Everyone tells me to “do what I love” for a job. But how am I supposed to know if I like something before I do it? There are so many different jobs out there. I feel like I will be limiting myself if I pick a direction too early in life! If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: "How to Find Your Passion" | Seanwes’ Podcast, Episode 101 "Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career" | Larry Smith's TEDx Talk Larry Smith’s Facebook Page No Fears, No Excuses: What You Need to Do to Have a Great Career Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

All too often people only think about career management when they are actively looking for a job. This is a big mistake! Ongoing, proactive career management while you are employed can pay huge dividends next time you are looking for work. Don't wait to lay the foundation for your next job search! On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Marsha Warner, owner of Portland-based Career Factors, shares professional regrets she's heard from her clients. She reads “Lessons Learned By The Recently Unemployed”, her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Avoid future regret! Here are Marsha's tips for help you prepare for your next job search: Keep your own file of reviews and accolades Don’t wait until you’re unemployed to start networking Keep your LinkedIn profile active When your job ends, take time to mourn the loss and acknowledge your emotions, then let it go Teaching is a great source of career satisfaction Proactive career management means stepping up to a challenge Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!   Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Transcript Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. On today's bonus episode we're sharing exclusive content from our new book. Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) compiles all of our best job search tips and career management tools into one simple, easy-to-read guide. It's the definitive tool kit for anyone looking for meaningful work. The book also includes special contributions from an array of job search experts and today you'll hear from one of them. Here's Marsha Warner, owner of Career Factors, reading her contribution Lesson Learned By the Recently Unemployed. Marsha Warner: Recently, a client shared what he wished he'd done before he found himself on the job hunt. Here's a list of best practices for career maintenance that are applicable to everyone. He said, "I wish I'd kept of copy of my performance reviews." Lesson: Keep your own file of reviews and accolades. They are helpful to promote accomplishment statement, review for interviews and remind yourself of achievements when doubts creep in. He said, "I wish I'd continued to network and develop outside contacts." Lesson: Don't wait until you're unemployed to start networking. Stay in touch with colleagues, classmates, ex-bosses, other parents, fellow volunteers, and so on. He said, "I wish I'd joined LinkedIn earlier on." Lesson: Keep your LinkedIn profile active. It's a tool for recruiters, a way to stay connected and a source of information for professional development. Spend at least an hour a week updating your profile, reconnecting, joining interest groups and staying current. He said, "I wish I had not taken it so personally. I let this lay-off really get to me." Lesson: When your job ends, take time to mourn the loss and acknowledge your emotions, then let it go. Evaluate the job market, then take up your career toolbox, and go forth. Know that when you're part of a reduction in force, it's a business decision not a personal decision. Take charge of your career with a personal marketing plan. Manage what you can control, and let what you cannot go. He said, "I wish I had reached out and passed on my professional knowledge to younger colleagues before I left." Lesson: Teaching is a great source of career satisfaction. Some companies have formal programs for knowledge transfer. Seek them out. The effort will be worth the reward you'll feel in sharing your knowledge with others. He said, "I wish I had paid more attention to my own development and taken advantage of challenges that would give me more exposure." Lesson: Proactive career management means stepping up to a challenge. Volunteering for projects and committees or getting trained for new skills are ways to grow. They'll get you noticed by your boss and bring greater satisfaction to your daily work. Ask yourself at the end of each day, what did I learn today? He said, "I wish I'd ask for help early on in my job search. Things have changed so much, I feel a bit lost." Lesson: Feeling isolated and lost is common. A career coach can offer expert information and advice about the job market and how to put your best foot forward. Portland is blessed with great career resources including local colleges, private coaches and job search support groups. Help is available. Be wise, and ask for it. Mac Prichard: If you're looking for more expert advice and insider tips like what you just heard, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). You'll find everything you need to get a great job whether you're in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. The 2016 edition includes new content, and for the first time ever, it's available in paperback, as well as in an array of e-reading devices including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. For more information on Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) visit macslist.org/book.

Do you know someone who has the perfect job and is getting well paid, too? It might seem that this happened by stroke of luck. In fact, it has nothing do with chance. People with dream jobs have clear goals and plans to accomplish them.  And when you find that job or career, it feels so right, it’s like you were born to do it. But to get there you must first choose among what can seem like an overwhelming menu of career options. This week on “Find Your Dream Job” we’re talking about how to find the work you were meant to do. I talk to Chris Guillebeau, author of the new book, “Born for This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do.” In this 35-minute episode you will learn: How knowing your personality traits can help you find a job that plays to your natural strengths Why it helps people think as an entrepreneur Why making mistakes and taking risks is part of a successful career What “working conditions” are and how they help you find your career path How joy, money, and flow matter when figuring out your career goals Why asking “Did today matter” is an important tool for evaluating your career This week’s guest: Chris Guillebeau (@ChrisGuillebeau)EntrepreneurPortland, Ore.  Listener question of the week:  My ultimate career goal is to own my own business. I’m not ready to make the jump now, so I’ve been interviewing for positions at established firms. Should I share this goal with prospective employers? Will it make me look like I’m not dedicated to the job? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Ep. 007: Getting Clear about What you Want from Work Free Myers Briggs Personality Test – 16Personalities Chris Guillebeau’s Book Tour “Born for This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do” Chris Guillebeau’s World Domination Summit Chris Guillebeau’s blog “The Art of Non-Conformity” Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.    Full Transcript Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job. A podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I’m Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac’s List. Do you know someone who has the perfect job and is getting well paid too? It might seem that this happened by a stroke of luck. In fact, it has nothing to do with chance. People with dream jobs have clear goals and plans to accomplish them. When you find that job or career, it feels so right it’s like you were born to do it. To get there, you must first choose among what can seem like an overwhelming menu of career options. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about how to find the work you were meant to do. Ben Forstag has a free online test that can help you get clearer about your goals and your strengths. Jenna Forstrom has a question from a listener who wants to start a business one day but wonders how candid she should be with employers about this. I talk to Christ Guillebeau, author of the new book Born For This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do. Our show is brought to you by our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the updated edition that we published on February 1st, go to macslist.org/book. We’re excited to have Jenna Forstrom, our new Community Manager, join us here in the Mac’s List studio. Jenna, welcome aboard. Jenna Forstrom: Thanks. I’m excited to be here. Mac Prichard: Yeah, it’s terrific to have you not only on the podcast, but I know listeners who go to the website will be seeing on the blog and people here in Oregon will be seeing you at community events. I got to ask Jenna, because I know our listeners are curious, why did you want to work at Mac’s List? Jenna Forstrom: I started to want to work at Mac’s List a couple years ago when I was looking for a job and my friends recommended it as a resource. I’ve been using it for the last couple years doing freelance work and apply for jobs and it’s just a really great website and resource. I think that it’s amazing because of the people behind it that put in all the love and passion. When you and me were speaking about the opportunity, it just seemed like a natural place for me to show up and I want to help make it great too. Mac Prichard: It’s a pleasure to have you here. You bring to the job so many great skills and experiences but I think you really put your finger on it. It’s the fact that you’re part of the Mac’s List community that I think is a very special asset. Welcome to the studio and welcome to the show, and we look forward to working with you in the months ahead. I also want to say thank you to the four career experts who filled in as our special co-host during the last two months. Those people are Aubrie DeClerk, Dawn Rasmussen, Jenny Voss, and Michelle Hynes. All four are nationally recognized experts and they are very busy people. I’m grateful to each of them for making the time to join us on one or more of the last seven episodes to answer questions from you, our listeners. If you haven’t done so, please check out the websites of these exceptional people. We’ll be sure to include links to their pages in the show notes. Ben Forstag: Hey Mac, Ben here. Mac Prichard: Hey Ben, how are you? Ben Forstag: I’m doing great. One of our most popular episodes on the podcast was Aubrie DeClerk on how listeners can get clear about what they want from work. You know Aubrie has been a frequent guest on the podcast and she was also a contributor to our book. Mac Prichard: Yes, she was. Her podcast actually is our second most popular episode. The topic, you may recall Ben, was how to get clear about what you want. This is a topic that comes up a lot when we talk to listeners. People who do dive into our book will find a couple of key topics that can help. There is information about how you can do the analytical work you need to do to be clear about goal setting. Tools like strength finders and what color’s your parachute. There are also, in the book, tips about how to get to know yourself and your strengths and your challenges. Tips about why you need to pay attention to your emotions and how to build a community. These are all things that can again help you get clear about what you want to do with your career. Jenna, Ben, when in your careers have you two felt like you were doing something that you were born to do? Ben Forstag: I think like a lot of people, there are days or periods in any job I’ve had where I felt like this is perfect. I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m on top of this. I feel in control. The one experience where I felt like that was kind of always the case was way back in the beginning of my career when I worked as an outdoor education facilitator for a YMCA camp. I put so much energy in respecting the traditions of that summer camp. It just felt like a very special place to be and I was really invested in the job. Mac Prichard: I’ve had that experience a number of times. I’m actually having it right now running both Mac’s List and Prichard Communications. Throughout my career, I’ve really felt like I was doing my best work when the things that are expert. This week we’ll talk about joy, work, and flow all lined up. In other words, there were jobs I had where it was just a pleasure to go to work. I had the skills and the experiences that allowed me to thrive in that position and I just was experienced in what the psychologist called flow. That state of mind where you lose yourself in the task that you’re involved in. For me, in addition to the work I’m doing now, it’s happened on political campaigns, it happened when I was working for a human rights organization early in my career. It’s a very pleasant state to be in. How about you Jenna? Jenna Forstrom: When a job feels like it was a great fit and you were born for it, it’s when it plays to your strengths. For me, that comes into play because I feel like my strengths are being on the fly and being creative under pressure. When I volunteer at Night Strike and we have bumps in the road, we can’t find the keys to the trailer, that’s where it’s like I kind of step up and get animated and I’m like, okay we’re going to problem solve this. You guys go find the peanut butter and jelly and we’ll just focus on that while the leadership figures out the solution. How do we get keys or how do we break the lock to get into the trailer. Small problems that come up and hiccups is when I feel like that’s my strength. I think I learned that when I was a lifeguard when I was like 15. You’re managing a pool and something happens, you have to direct people to different locations to take care of an incident. Mac Prichard: Jenna, do you want to talk a little bit about Night Strike and your work there? Jenna Forstrom: Sure, on top of being a community manager here at Mac’s List, I volunteer every Thursday night with a program called Night Strike. Which is an urban humanitarian group here in Portland, for those of you who don’t know but hopefully you are interested in moving to Portland or you live here. We have a huge homeless crisis so we do immediate felt needs. Mac Prichard: Thanks for sharing that. Jenna Forstrom: Yeah. Mac Prichard: Let’s move onto Ben who every week brings us a resource that you all can use. Ben, I know you’ve been looking diligently around the internet for the last seven days. What have you found? Ben Forstag: In the past, we’ve talked about different ways to help people get clear about what they want. You mentioned Aubrie’s episode earlier, and I believe in that episode, my resource was the strengths finder test. Which is a book you can buy. One of the other well-known tests out there to help you find out what your natural strengths are or what your personality type is, is the Myers Briggs Personality Test, also called the Myers Briggs Type Indicator or MBTI. My resource this week is actually a free version of this test that you can do online and it’s available at www.16personalities.com and that’s 16 with one-six, not written out like a word. The name of this site actually comes from the MBTI itself, which speculates that there are 16 basic personality types out there. The science behind the MBTI is actually pretty old. It originally comes from the work of Karl Jung who is a psychoanalyst back at the turn of the century. It stipulates basically that there are four general preferences that determine your personality type. Those are mind, how you interact with your environment. That’s whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. Energy, which is where you direct you mental energy. That basically is are you guided by intuition or observation. Nature, how you make decisions and cope with emotions. In layman’s terms that’s are you a thinking person or are you a feeling person? Then tactics, how you approach work, planning, and decision making. Are you a prospector or a judger? This test is about 30 different questions and it presents a bunch of questions and you answer across a continuum of strongly agree to strongly disagree about whether the question pertains to you. It’s a lot of interesting questions. Questions that you might not ask yourself on a regular basis. I wrote down a few of the ones that I really like such as, for you is being right more important than being cooperative when it comes to teamwork? Or, do your dreams tend to focus on real world and its events? Or, as a parent would you rather see your child grow up kind or grow up smart? You have to pick one or the other here on a spectrum. I took the test. It takes about twelve minutes. The result I got was that I am an INFP, which means I’m an introverted intuition feeling perceiving person. What the MBTI says is a mediator. I’ll be honest, this doesn’t feel like me. I don’t think that I’m introverted, or a super feeling person. What do you think, Mac? Mac Prichard: That sounds right to me. Ben, I know we’ve only worked together for seven months now but I see you, as somebody who smooth’s the waters. Ben Forstag: Okay, far be it from me to question an online personality test. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Jenna Forstrom: I took the test as well and got ENFP which is extroverted intuition feeling and then perceiving. I think that was a pretty good summary of me because I’m extremely outgoing. Ben Forstag: Yeah, I think the extroverted piece really speaks to you. Jenna Forstrom: I think it does great for our roles because we balance each other out. Ben Forstag: Yeah, and I think that brings up an interesting point here. There’s no normative stance on whether a personality type is good or bad. I think most people who look at these things would say for any organization, you need people who compliment one another. Right? Jenna Forstrom: Yeah. Ben Forstag: My introverted nature compliments your extroverted nature and vice versa. I think what this test really gets at is there are going to be certain types of roles or responsibilities or jobs that your personality type is going to fit into. You might do better at an organization that’s more hierarchical or one that has less organization around it. You want to find a job that fits that type of personality. The one real cool thing about this site is not only is it free but it produces a really comprehensive write up about each personality type and how that personality type might impact your life from relationships to parenthood to your career. It provides situations and strategies for specific roles that fit your personality type. Definitely worth taking a look at. Probably spend an hour doing this, or you can spend just twelve minutes and get the baseline information. Real good site, real great resource. The website is www.16personalities.com. That’s 1-6 personalities dot com. Mac Prichard: Thank you, Ben. If you have an idea for Ben, we’d love to hear from you. You can email him. His address is [email protected]. Now it’s time to hear from you, our listeners. Our community manager Jenna Forstrom joins us to answer one of your questions. Jenna, what do you hear from the community this week? Jenna Forstrom: This week our question is, “My ultimate career goal is to own my own business. I’m not ready to make that jump now so I’ve been interview positions at established firms. Should I share this goal with perspective employers or will this make me look like I’m not dedicated to the job?” I think that’s a great question. I think it also depends a lot on what kind of work you’re looking for. We know that the typical job length is four and half years for any person. Companies know when they hire people that they’re probably not going to stay forever. Also, they want to hire people that will last a little while. Like a year or two. If you’re looking to start a job within the next six months to a year and you just want a job to pay your bills, pay rent, maybe not share that information. I think if you’re looking to really gain a lot of information and grow into an organization, then maybe take that as a springboard platform, sharing that with hiring manager. Or maybe once you’ve gotten the role, find a mentor who’s maybe doing something on the side or something similar. I think that’s super acceptable. Ben Forstag: Most organizations I think when they make a hire know that they’re not hiring you for life and that you have bigger aspirations at some point. I think it’s fair to say, well like down the road in five years I was thinking maybe I’d like to start my own business, to an employer. I think that actually could speak well to you as a candidate, saying that you have an entrepreneurial attitude, that you can take calculated risks, that you want to take responsibility on for things. I think it’s all about timing. Are you looking to cover rent for the next year or are you going into this opportunity at hand with really an intent to see through your commitments and honor those commitments and your bigger picture of creating your own business is down the road some place? Mac Prichard: Good advice. Thank you Jenna and if you have a question for Jenna, you can email her. Her address is [email protected]. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We made our book even better. We added new content and now we’re offering it in the format you told us you wanted. For the first time ever, you can find our book in a paperback edition or download it on your Kindle, Nook, or iPad. Our goal is the same, whatever the format. To give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work that makes a difference. For more information visit macslist.org/book. Now let’s turn to this week’s guest expert, Chris Guillebeau. Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times best selling author of the Happiness of Pursuit. The $100 start up in other books. During a lifetime of self-employment, he visited every country in the world. 193 in total before his 35th birthday. Every summer in Portland, Oregon he hosts the world domination summit, a gathering of creative remarkable people. Chris, thanks for joining us. Chris Guillebeau: Hey Mac. Thanks so much for having me. Mac Prichard: Yeah, it’s a real pleasure. Chris, you’ve written a book about start ups. You put together an annual event called the world domination summit. I’ve attended and people come out of that event inspired. Many of them to quit their jobs and work for themselves. Now you’ve written a book about job hunting and careers. Tell us about that. Why this topic? Chris Guillebeau: The goal of the book is essentially to help people think entrepreneurially, whether they want to be entrepreneurs or not. Obviously, from my background I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I was a terrible employee. My bias is to help people essentially forge their own destiny, forge their own path. Maybe I’ve learned a little bit along the way that a lot of people can find the work they were meant to do, their dream job in a company or an organization. For example, I talked to a lot of people for this book like I do for all my books and one person in particular … I talked to a woman who 20 years ago became the first female fire fighter in Mississauga, Ontario. I told the story of all the challenges she had to overcome and she’s actually been in that job for more than 20 years now. She believes it’s the work she was meant to do. This is a good example of someone who if you want to be a fire fighter, which is a very noble profession. Saves lives. Does lots of good work. You can’t just be an entrepreneurial fire fighter. You have to go through the structure. You have to be a part of a team. I’m looking at people, helping people find the work they were meant to do, and whatever capacity that is. It may even change over time. It maybe you’re working for yourself. You’re working in a company. You’re doing a little bit of both. It’s all that. Mac Prichard: Now with reading the book, one of the points you made that struck me early on was that we’re all asked what we do for a living. You say the better question we should ask someone is what lead you to do what you do? Why do you think that’s the better question, Chris? Chris Guillebeau: I look at a lot of people who have been successful and they talk about this dream job concept, which I know you’ve done a lot of work with as well. They use phrases like I’ve won the career lottery. I love my job. I would go to work even if I didn’t get paid for it, but fortunately I do get paid for it. What I saw in tracing back their history is most successful people, and again success can be however you define it, but most successful people in careers actually haven’t followed a very linear path. They actually didn’t know necessarily when they were six years old this is what they want to do with their life. They’re going to go to college along this trajectory. Then their first job and their second job is all leading to something. They’ve actually gone down a bunch of different paths. They’ve usually even made some mistakes. They’ve made mistakes because they were willing to take risks and some things don’t work out so they go back and they turn around and eventually they find this thing. The reason I look at the whole process is because it’s not as simple as just saying okay here’s what I want to do. I know what that is. Now I’m going to make that happen. I think there’s always a process of discovery. There’s always this process of exploration along the way. Mac Prichard: I think that’s an important point to make because so many people that I chat with and my colleagues as well about careers, they think that if they try something and it’s not quite what they expected that that was a failure or a dead end. The point you’re making is that, it’s an experience you can learn from and it helps you get closer to where you want to be. Let’s talk about career success. In your book you say that we’re taught these conventions, you actually call them scripts, about what conventional career success looks like. These scripts are just plain wrong. What are these myths, Chris, and why should people ignore them? Chris Guillebeau: I looked at a lot of wisdom that’s traditionally accepted and handed down. You might have touched on something just a moment ago, when you said lots of people who are successful have actually turned back and been willing to do like a 180 and try something different. This is contrary to the traditional Western manifest destiny, never give up, perseverance is the most important quality. A lot of successful people actually are willing to give up. They’re willing to give up, not on their dreams, not on their life vision, but on any particular strategy or expression or job or attempt at starting a business. I talked to this one guy for example who had started eight successful businesses in his life. I asked him … it said eight successful business in his bio, so I said, were there any other businesses? It turned out he had a ninth business, which was actually the very first one. The first one was apparently unsuccessful. He had tried it for three years and it just wasn’t working. If you had gone to that guy in the beginning of his entrepreneurial career and said never give up. Keep going. You must make this a success. That would have been the wrong advice for him. The best advice was to give up, turn around, and start over. All these other things came later. I looked at that. I looked at a lot of different things and tried to test them in a real world model to say okay this is like the so-called wisdom of the ages, but does it actually work? How does that actually apply and what can we do to increase the odds in our favor? Mac Prichard: One of your points in the book is that there is one script that we should consider following. There’s more than one way to work. You don’t have to [niche 00:19:55] down or be a CEO or you only have one chance at a job for example. If you say no to this opportunity you’ll never have as good one again. Talk to us, Chris, about that script that you encourage people to follow. That there’s more than one way to work. Chris Guillebeau: I think we put so much pressure on people. Especially young people, but even people of all ages. We have so much pressure that you’re supposed to know what your life purpose is at age 20, or when you choose what to study, or when you go into your first job, or even later. It’s like you’re supposed to have this crystal ball. You have to make all these decisions with limited information. One of the things I saw was when people think about work, when they think about making a change or a career, they always think in terms of profession. They think about being a web developer or a doctor or a designer or whatever it is. What I saw was actually just as important as the work itself was what I called working conditions. Working conditions are things like how you like to spend your time. How much you like to work with other people versus work on your own. How you’re incentivized. How you’re motivated. How you like to be rewarded. You can start to understand this about yourself. You can actually make decisions a lot better. You may not have all the information but we’ll help you as you go forward. There’s more than one path. There may be one thing that you’re born to do but I think there’s more than one way to get there. Mac Prichard: Three things that you identified that you say we all want in our work are joy, money, and flow. Tell us about each of those and why they matter in not only picking your next job but in finding that work overall in a career that we feel like we’re born to do. Chris Guillebeau: I saw that, regardless of what profession people went into and regardless of what working conditions were most optimal for them, most people are happiest when they can create this intersection or convergence between these three qualities that you just named. The first two are pretty self-explanatory. Joy essentially is happiness. It’s something that you take joy in doing. You like your work. I think that’s an important goal. Money also self-explanatory. I’m not talking to people about a hobby. I’m talking to them about their career and your career has to be financially viable. Your work has to be something that you love to do, or at least it should be, that’s the goal. It should be sustainable. It should be viable. Then the third quality was something that I had to learn a little bit more about myself and that’s this quality of flow, which I essentially think of as using your unique skills. Doing something that you’re really good at. It may be something that comes naturally to you but it’s actually really challenging for other people. It’s the kind of work where you can get lost in it. You can have hours go by and you don’t realize because you’re so emerged in this particular work. When you find all three of these qualities … Of course it’s a journey. It’s a process. I think that is the goal. I think that is what we’re essentially working toward in finding the work that we were born to do. Of course, at different times in our life we have to make compromises. We might have to settle in some way. When I was 16, I delivered pizza. That was fine. It was a job. I don’t think it was the work I was born to do. It was something that I did at the time to accomplish a goal and we have to do that at different times in life. If we’re working towards something that if we are interested in self-development, if we do want to advance not just our career but our life, we’re going to make decisions with that model in mind of joy, money, and flow. Mac Prichard: Let’s talk about career development. You identify sub-skills that whatever occupation someone wants to pursue, we all need to have to get the work we want. What are those skills, Chris, and why do they matter? Chris Guillebeau: When people think about skills, most of the time they think about what I call hard skills. Hard skills are technical skills. They’re the skills that you learned in your specific training in your job or your degree. If you’re an engineer, it’s those engineering skills or those programming languages or whatever that is. What I saw was that in career advancement, whether you’re trying to get promoted, whether you’re trying to find your dream job, create your dream job in an organization, or go out on your own, what I call soft skills are actually just as important if not more important. Soft skills are basically areas related to communication essentially. Communication. Being able to facilitate a conversation or a meeting well. Follow up and follow through. Being that person in the room or in the meeting where there’s lots of good ideas being discussed but sometimes you can discuss good ideas and nothing happens … If you become that person who makes things happen and everyone starts to look to you and everyone’s like oh Mac should do this because he’s going to follow up on it. That’s a very very valuable skill regardless of your profession. This is not something that’s really taught. You don’t really take a class on this in college. It’s something that’s very valuable and I think it’s something that anyone can learn to improve and it’ll help them regardless of their specific career. Mac Prichard: Our listeners and I imagine a lot of your readers struggle with getting clear about what they’re good at. What they offer an employer. How do you recommend people do that? Chris Guillebeau: Very good, it’s always a process. The example we just gave a moment ago. We were talking about you’re working in a group and sometimes the members of the group, sometimes other people around you are actually better at identifying your strength or your skills than you are yourself. If you’re ever in one of these situations where tasks are being divvied up and everyone looks to you and says oh so-and-so should do this task. It’s almost like the group is affirming this skill. They’re recognizing it for you. That’s one way. Another way is simply just trial and error and experimentation. We put a lot of pressure on people to know at a young age, this is what I want to do. This is how I’m going to develop myself and advance myself. Very often the initial decisions that we make are incorrect because we don’t have all the information. Again, a key point is if it’s not working, try something else. Over time you are going to figure out, okay this is actually what I enjoy. You can ask yourself at the end of the day, looking back okay what did I do today that gave me energy? What did I do that drained my energy? Just focusing on that day-to-day. How can I do more of those things that I actually enjoy? The things that we enjoy tend to be the things that we’re also good at. Mac Prichard: Many people are reluctant to chase a dream job or career because of risk. What are your suggestions, Chris, about how people can manage career risk? Chris Guillebeau: Risk is a big thing. What do we mean by risk? I feel like risk is a topic like fear. People are like how do you overcome your fear? What sort of fear are we talking about? How does it affect our lives? What are the strategies that we can navigate to help us with that? I think maybe the first thing is a question of defining risk and saying if I’m thinking of making a career change, is this really risky? Maybe it’s actually more risky for me to remain in my current position because the current position isn’t good for me. Even if it’s good for me, I need to somehow create more opportunities for myself because in this day and age I have to create my own security. I wrote about this concept of being a self-employed employee where essentially you’re working in a job but the way you view it is I’m leasing out my talents to this company or organization. I’m going to do a great job for them, of course. I’m also going to continue to develop myself. I’m going to improve myself. That will allow me to go somewhere else or to be more valuable in my current position. When I think of risk, that’s the very first thing I think of. Let’s count the cost. Let’s see what really is risky. Then maybe also as you make changes, your confidence tends to increase. I think this is true with any goal in life. It’s not just a career thing. I had this project of going to every country in the world. I didn’t have that project when I hadn’t traveled anywhere. I went to maybe 30 different countries. I lived in Africa for a while and then I started thinking what could I do with this? Then I had a goal of going to 100 countries. As I got closer to that, I was like let’s raise the stakes. Let’s go to every country in the world. As you get better in making these kinds of decisions and taking what you might call risks, then I think you become much more comfortable in taking more of them and raising the stakes even further. Mac Prichard: We’re kind of the close the interview. Chris, what else would you like to add for the listeners? Chris Guillebeau: We talked about joy, money, flow. I just gave that example of at the end of the day maybe ask yourself where did I get energy? Where is my energy drained? This isn’t meant to be like a woo-woo thing. This is meant to be very practical. This is meant to give you data that you can then base decisions on in the future. Here’s a really simple thing that you can also do. At the end of the day, you get out a little notebook and you answer this question: did today matter? You know the answer to that question. If you think back, you’re going to be able to say okay I actually … Yeah, today was good. I made some progress toward a goal or an objective that I believe in. I invested in the relationships that I value. Whatever those matrix or those goals are. Or you’ll be able to say, actually today wasn’t that great because I got stuck in something. I got sucked in. I spent my whole day responding to things instead of creating things. I want to do a better job. The whole goal is essentially in life, let’s get closer to more and more days that matter. If we have days that aren’t mattering, that we look back and say that wasn’t good, what can we change? Small and big ways. Mac Prichard: Well, terrific. Tell us, Chris, what’s coming up next for you? Obviously, you have the book and I believe you’re starting … Tell us about the launch date and your book tour. Chris Guillebeau: I’m really excited about the tour. The book comes out April 5th. You may be listening to this later, in which case the book is out. I’m doing a 30 city tour across North America. People can find out about that at bornforthisbook.com. Of course, we’ve got world domination summit coming up in the summer but at the moment it’s all book all the time. Mac Prichard: Terrific. To learn more about Chris, visit his Twitter account and his blog as well as the website about his book. We’ll be sure to include links to all of those sites in the show notes. Chris, thanks for joining us. Chris Guillebeau: Awesome, thank you so much Mac. Mac Prichard: We’re back with Ben and Jenna. What do you two think? What were some of the most important points you heard Chris make? Jenna Forstrom: The biggest take away for me is that successful people don’t have linear paths. It’s just a good reminder for people who are thinking about changing their career or are unhappy in their current career and think they are locked into this path in this American dream and how really big successful people all over the world have done 180s in pivots and made really awesome successful life stories out of that. To think about that and meditate on it and make your own changes. Ben Forstag: As Chris pointed out, that runs so counter to this narrative that exists out there. Think of all the kids in college who, you have to go study X so that you can get out of college and get job Y and then you can progress up the ladder to point Z at the end. It really doesn’t work that way. I think about all the stress I put on myself or that all the young people put on themselves to figure out what they want at the age of 18 or at the age of 16 when you first meet with that college counselor who is trying to get you into the right school. It’s a little bit crazy because people’s careers don’t play out in that linear way. The point I liked was near the end. That very simple question of did today matter? There are days with any job, even with this job Mac where some days I walk out of the office and I don’t feel good about things. The day didn’t matter and I wasn’t happy. It’s sometimes things that I had control over. Some things I didn’t. The goal is to get more aware of the things that you can control and try doing things that do make you feel like today mattered. Fortunately, I think at this job, most days do feel like that. Mac Prichard: Well, good. Ben Forstag: That’s good. I think that’s just like an easy check to ask yourself every day to make sure whether you’re on the right path or not. Mac Prichard: I agree with both of you. Something that stood out for me was acknowledging that you can learn from failure. For me, I think I’ve talked about this before. I’ve worked on … I’ve lost count of how many losing political campaigns over the years but from each of them I’d learned something and I got something from the experience. I benefited from it and so did my employers down the line. Thank you both and thank you, our listeners. If you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and rating at iTunes. This helps others discover the show and helps us serve you all better. We’re also celebrating a big milestone this week. Over the weekend, we reached 50,000 downloads since we launched the show on October 17th. That’s more than 10,000 downloads a month. We continue to rank in the top 40 in the iTunes career chart. Thank you all, our listeners, and thank you for letting your friends and colleagues know about the show. We know we’ve grown largely by word of mouth. I also want to share a review we’ve received on iTunes. It’s from Nathan Cole Howard who writes, “Find Your Dream Job is the go-to podcast for millennials in search of their first job or their next job. I’ve recommended it to entire departments at colleges in Oregon and to at least a dozen friends. Definitely subscribe if you’re on the look.” Thank you Nathan, and thanks to the scores of other listeners who’ve left a review. Take a moment and leave your own comments and rating. Just go to www.macslist.org/itunes. Thanks for listening and we’ll be back next Wednesday with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job.

College graduation season is just around the corner and departing seniors will find themselves in a strong job market. According to the Wall Street Journal, the class of 2016 may experience the best job market ever for Millennials. A survey cited by the Journal says that this year employers plan to increase hiring of new college graduates by 15%.  That’s good news for this year’s new graduates. But no matter how low the unemployment rate, you still have to interview successfully to get the job... This week on “Find Your Dream Job” we’re talking about what recent college graduates need to know to nail their job interviews. Mac talks to Don Raskin who has written a book aimed at new and recent graduates that shares interview secrets and other tips you can use in a job search no matter where you are in your career. In this 35-minute episode you will learn: Why knowing your key facts (including salary requirements) is key in interviewing How to position yourself in an interview and why you are the best candidate Why knowing your objectives and sticking to them helps focus your job search How to use LinkedIn as part of your pre- and post-interview process How to follow-up after an interview This week’s guest: Don RaskinSenior Partner, MMEAuthor, The Dirty Little Secrets of Getting Your Dream JobNew York, NY Listener question of the week: I graduated college in a couple of months, but have done almost nothing to prepare for what comes next. I’m feeling overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start a job search. What is the one thing I should focus on first? If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: JobScan.co MichelleHynes.com The Dirty Little Secrets of Getting Your Dream Job MME.net Find Your Dream Job, Ep. 024: How to Return to Work at Any Age Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Image is an important part of a job search--and career management, in general. You always want to present yourself as a competent, talented and, enthusiastic professional. But it's also important that your brand reflects who you are. Ultimately, authenticity matters more than professionalism. Your brand, no matter how polished and practiced, is worthless if it doesn't reflect your genuine personality. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Portland-based marketing professional, Brittany Bennet, shares her experience learning the importance of authenticity. She reads "Get Ahead in Portland by Being Unprofessional", her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). While Brittany's comments are specifically about her experience in Portland's casual professional culture, her lesson about being authentic will resonate no matter where you are. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

It is illegal for an employer to discriminate based on age, but many job seekers over the age of 50 will tell you it happens every day. Older workers stay out of work longer and may earn less than in previous jobs when they do return to the workforce. According to AARP the average period of unemployment for people 55 years and older is 54.3 weeks, almost twice as long as the 28.2 weeks younger workers spend job hunting. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we explore the challenges of job hunting when you're 50+. Mac talks with Kerry Hannon, a career and personal finance expert who has written extensively on the subject. Kerry shares practical, actionable tips older jobseekers can use to overcome age bias and find a job they love. In this 34-minute episode you will learn: The reasons employers are hesitant to hire older workers How to overcome age stereotypes when you're looking for a job Simple ways to prove your technology savvy to prospective employers. The importance of networking and volunteering for older job hunters Why an accountability buddy (or support group) can help you maintain optimism while job hunting. This week’s guest: Kerry Hannon (@KerryHannon | LinkedIn)Personal Finance Expert and AuthorWashington, D.C. Listener question of the week:  My current employer assigns “homework” to job applications that make the shortlist. This is a small task that reflects the kind of work they would do on the job. Do many organizations do this? Is it a growing trend? Answering our question this week is our guest co-host, Michelle Hynes of MichelleHynes.com. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager, at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: iRelaunch.com KerryHannon.com Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy... and Pays the Bills Getting the Job You Want After 50 For Dummies,Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness What's Next?: Finding Your Passion and Your Dream Job Michelle Hynes | Michelle Hynes.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director, at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live and work in a foreign country? More people than ever are living and working outside the country where they were born. According to the United Nations, the number of international migrants now stands at a record 232 million people. That’s a significant increase since 1990. For many of these people the move to a new country is permanent; for others, it may be a temporary stay for a year or two. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we talk about how to find work outside the United States. Our guest is Marcelle Yeager a career coach and recruiter with deep experience in international employment. Marcelle shares tips for how to find and land work opportunities throughout the world. In this 35-minute episode you will learn: First steps in looking for a job overseas. Networking tips for overseas opportunities. Cultural challenges you may face when working abroad. The most high-demand jobs for American expats. This week’s guest: Marcelle Yeager (@careervalet | LinkedIn) President, CareerValet Washington, D.C. Listener question of the week:  I want to move across country, but I can’t afford to relocate without first having a job lined up. Do you have any advice on how to “woo” employers from 2,000 miles away? Answering our question this week is our guest co-host, Jenny Foss of jobjenny.com. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact Jenna Forstrom, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: Find Your Dream Job Podcast: Remote Work, Telecommuting, and Digital Nomads Nomadic Matt's "Working Overseas" JobJenny.com RileyGuide.com InternWeb.com IHIPO.com CareerValet.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. — Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

In all likelihood you've had at least one negative experience with a past employer or supervisor. Many of us have. Whatever the cause, these experiences can have a lasting impact on your career in the form of a bad professional reference. Any prospective employer will want to talk to your past supervisors. So how do you overcome a potentially negative reference when you're on a job hunt? On this 6-minute bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Vicki Lind, career coach and principal of Vicki Lind and Associates, shares a comprehensive strategy for how to minimize the impact of negative feedback from a past employer. She reads "How to Deal With A Bad Reference", her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Do you need more practical and proven job search tips to find a job you love? Check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The updated Mac's List guide teaches you everything you need to get where you want to be in your career.    Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

LinkedIn is a vital part of any serious job search or recruitment. Smart job hunters use LinkedIn to tell a compelling professional story, document accomplishments, and show what they can do for others. A vast majority (94-97%) of recruiters and employers use the platform to find candidates who have the right skills, experience, and connections. This week on “Find Your Dream Job,” we talk with Arnie Fertig, a career coach and LinkedIn expert, on how to use this platform to find a job. Arnie knows what recruiters on LinkedIn are looking for. He shares practical tips for building a compelling, eye-catching profile, as well as strategies for building rewarding professional relationships on LinkedIn. In this 35-minute episode you will learn: Tools for making your LinkedIn profile look polished and professional How recruiters use LinkedIn and what they’re looking for in your profile Strategies for attracting recruiters and potential employers with your profile Why you need to be speaking in the first person (using “I”, “me”, and “my” on LinkedIn) What NOT to include in your LinkedIn profile This week’s guest: Arnie Fertig  (@jobhuntercoach | LinkedIn)Principal, JobHunterCoach.comBoston, Mass. Listener question of the week: What should my LinkedIn title be if I’m currently unemployed? Answering our question this week is Dawn Rasmussen, Chief Resume Writer at Portland-based Pathfinder Writing and Career Services. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact us at [email protected]. Resources from this week’s show: JobHunterCoach.com Find Your Dream Job Ep. 017 - The Social Media Job Hunt World Bad LinkedIn Photo Day | Mathys+Potestio 7 Tips to Make Sure Your LinkedIn Picture Is Helping, Not Hurting, Your Prospects | Entrepreneur.com The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Image Sizes | Social Media Examiner Pathfinder Writing and Career Services Your Career Begins With What You Wear | LinkedIn Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is find your dream job a podcast that helps you get hired and have the career you want and make a difference in life. I am Mac Prichard your host and publisher of Mac’s List. Our show is brought to you by Mac’s List and by our book Land your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we published on February 1, visit macslist.org/book. Ben Forstag: Hey Mac been here I have a question for you. Mac Prichard: Fire away Ben. Ben Forstag: We have an audience for a podcast that goes across the country and indeed around the world. Mac Prichard: I understand we are huge in China. Ben Forstag: We are big in China and we even have some listeners in Iran and I’m going to put out my call again if you’re listening to us in Iran please send me an e-mail I would like to hear your story. The reason I bring this up if I’ve gotten e-mails from several of our listeners asking whether our book is only appropriate for people looking for a job in Portland. Mac Prichard: That’s a great question we are Portland is our home town and we are very proud of it. Much of the information in the book is aimed at Portlanders it reflects our strength. You’ll find that if you do read the book that it’s valuable to anybody looking for work. There are eight chapters and they take you through what you need to do in any job search whether you’re in New York, Austin, Portland or even Tehran. The questions that you will find that we answer in the book include how do I find a well-paying engaging job. What can I do to stand out from other applicants. How do I learn about jobs that are never publicly posted. What do I need to do to get started in a new field. These are common problems for all job seekers and the advice you will find in our book will help you no matter where you live. LinkedIn is a vital part of any serious job search or recruitment. Smart job hunters use LinkedIn to tell a compelling professional story, document accomplishments and show what they can do for others. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find people who have the skills, experience and connections that employers want. In a recent show episode number 17 with Joshua Waltman who is the author of Job Search and Social Media for Dummies. We touched on the importance of a LinkedIn account and the basic elements your page must have. Now that you’ve taken that first step it’s time to do more. After all of as of last year there was almost 400 million LinkedIn members. What will you do to stand out in such a crowded field? This week on find your dream job we will tell you how to make your LinkedIn profile irresistible especially to recruiters. I speak to our guest expert Arnie Fertig former headhunter who has helped hundreds of people create great LinkedIn profiles. Ben Forstag has seven practical steps you can take now to shine on LinkedIn and our guest co-host Dawn Rasmussen will answer a question from a listener. Joining us again this week is our guest co-host Dawn Rasmussen a pathfinder career and writing services. Dawn thanks for coming into the studio. Dawn Rasmussen: Thanks for having me, it’s good to be here. Mac Prichard: It’s great to see you again. Dawn, Ben when you two think about your LinkedIn profile what’s the one change that you’ve made that has produced the best result for you? Dawn Rasmussen: I would say making your profile as robust as possible. So many people they just do a very cursory just one liner about their work or whatever. You really need to go in with a fine tooth comb and add as much relative content as possible. Making sure that you keep track of those keywords because that’s how people search for you and for me, my clients find me through keywords on LinkedIn. You have to pay attention to those things. Mac Prichard: Okay good tip. Ben? Ben Forstag: For me it’s just updating my profile regularly instead of one big massive edit I try to go in there and tinker with it every couple of weeks or so. The thing that does is it puts you out there in front of your contacts, they see the changes you’re making and it is just a trigger for a conversation with contacts. I remember during my last job search I made some change on my profile and I got two or three people who reached out to me and said oh hey Ben it’s been a while since we talked tell me what’s going on what are you looking for what’s the good word. I think that’s a good habit to get into just so you’re always up there with folks. Dawn Rasmussen: I was going to say one other thing I actually publish articles too and I had one unexpectedly went viral there’s no magic formula for things going viral. It was kind of a controversial thing I said what you wear determines your career. It was talking about how people should dress for interviews and things like that. It really sparked a pretty big conversation on LinkedIn, I think I got over 117,000 views on that article. It’s just interesting because that brought a lot of people to my profile too because they were checking me out. That is a great publishing platform is to Ben’s point is to have some content that’s constantly coming out that’s refreshed about yourself too. Mac Prichard: I remember that post that you wrote Dawn and the attention you got from it, that’s a great point. It’s actually related to my tip which is there’s a status update section and even if you’re not creating original content to publish on LinkedIn you can take blog posts for example that you’ve already written for your company blog or an organization blog and write a little status update about them there and draw people to them blog. It gets to your point Ben about having a dynamic site that engages people and attracts the attention of others. Now let’s turn to Ben Forstag our managing director who is out there every week exploring the Internet and he’s looking for blogs, podcast, books all kinds of tools that you can use in your job search. Ben what do you have for his this week? Ben Forstag: This week we’re talking about LinkedIn and I want to share a couple of resources around one of the most visible aspects of your LinkedIn profile. That’s the photo you use and I know it seems a little silly to be talking about a LinkedIn photo on a podcast, but it’s amazing how many bad LinkedIn photos there are out there and what a turn off this is for prospective employers. Mac Prichard: Are you looking for nominations right now because I have one I could share? Ben Forstag: Well you know lets hear it. Mac Prichard: I got an e-mail from somebody who wanted an informational interview, good guy and I went to his LinkedIn profile and there was a photograph of him with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Dawn Rasmussen: I had an executive client who had a LinkedIn profile that had him in a water ski flotation vest with a woman’s hair cut off at the shoulder. It was pretty bad. Mac Prichard: That’s hard to top I guess if he had been wearing Speedos. Dawn Rasmussen: It was shoulders up thank goodness. Ben Forstag: I know our friends over at Mathis and Potestio which is a recruiting firm here in Portland and we actually had Steve Potestio on an earlier episode of the podcast. They had a bad LinkedIn photo contest where users could submit their own bad LinkedIn photos which is well intentioned and well hearted little contest. I’ll see if I can find the link to that and include it in the show notes. On past shows we talked about the importance of having a professional looking photo on LinkedIn. Our specific advice for those photos has been fairly high level. No spring break photos with a woman’s hair in the background. No photos of your cat etc. I thought I would get a little more into the weeds today and offer some more specific tips for taking the perfect LinkedIn profile pic. I’ll be showing two different blog posts today. The first is from the website entrepreneur.com and is entitled seven tips to make sure your LinkedIn picture is helping not hurting your prospects. These are all quick and dirty rules for having an appropriate LinkedIn photo and I will go over them real quickly. One, appear approachable, friendly, smiling and looking at the camera. Two remember this is about you don’t include other people distracting backgrounds etcetera. Three make sure your photo is up to date and they have a great quote here. “If your professional headshot isn’t old enough to buy a drink in the bar it’s time to get a new one.” Look the part, clothes and grooming matter no wrinkled shirts, shorts et cetera, this speaks to your point earlier Dawn. Five, skip the Facebook esk photos. LinkedIn and Facebook are different platforms with different audiences so you want to get a photo that’s appropriate for the LinkedIn. Six, no selfies allowed this is a big one I think especially for Millennials. Selfies tend to be lower quality and it’s clear that you’re taking a selfie of yourself and the image itself is often pretty hazy. Seven, Photoshop with caution, a little bit is great but too much is bad. Mac Prichard: It’s important to invest in your career and your job search and getting a good quality headshot from a professional photographer might set you back $50 $100. Again it will pay so many dividends down the road. Ben Forstag: Increasingly at professional conferences I noticed the organizer of the conference will bring a photographer as part of your registration you will get a headshot. If you’re at an event and that’s an option certainly take advantage of that because that’s gold for your career. The first part of the equation is taking a good photo. The second part is formatting that image so it looks great on your profile. LinkedIn recommends an optimal image dimension of 400 pixels wide by 400 pixels tall. Meeting those recommendations is important to make sure that your photos are crisp and clear. On LinkedIn you can tell when someone has uploaded a profile photo that is too small because their photo will be highly pix-elated or blurry or sometimes it appears like a little small picture with a blurrier version of a picture behind it. Here’s the rub though, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and all of these other social media platforms all have their own optimal image dimensions. They always seem to be changing those dimensions every 12 to 18 months. For the second resource I want to share today, it’s a cheat sheet for keeping up to date with those optimal image sizes. It comes from a website called Social Media Examiner and it’s titled the Ultimate Guide to Social Media Image Sizes. This is a resource I use on a regular basis when I’m posting articles for Mac’s list, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and so forth. I’m not going to delve into all of the numbers here but I definitely suggest you check it out. Let me add there is a benefit here beyond looking good in your profile photos. When you’re adapting your images to each social media platform you are so showcasing your familiarity with that service. This is a great way to show your employees that you know how social media works. That you know how to connect with different social media audiences and that you have a higher level of attention to detail, all important skills when you’re talking to a prospective employer. Mac Prichard: Thank you Ben, if you have a suggestion for Ben, he would love to hear from you. You can e-mail him his address is [email protected]. Now it’s time to hear from you our listeners, we are going to turn to our guest co-host Dawn Rasmussen from Pathfinder Career and Writing Services. She joins us here in the studio to answer one of your questions. Dawn Rasmussen: The question from a reader reads what should my LinkedIn title be if I am currently unemployed. Hint, unemployed is not a job title it is not gold. Unfortunately a lot of people do that. Mac Prichard: The other variation I see of that is currently seeking opportunities in _________. Dawn Rasmussen: Or looking for my next opportunity that’s not helpful. Mac Prichard: Right what do you think of those? Dawn Rasmussen: That’s not helpful, that’s not specific. I always say you don’t want to draw attention to the fact that you’re unemployed. When you’re thinking about your LinkedIn title you want to think about the job title that you eventually want to have and so that’s the first thing anybody is going to see and they’re going to put you in a bucket. What bucket do you want to be put in. You don’t want to be put in the unemployment and you don’t want to be put in the looking for the next opportunity bucket. You need to be aligning yourself with your target and that will help your audience understand you. Mac Prichard: Lets just pause there for moment Dawn, why don’t you want to be in the unemployed or seeking opportunity bucket? Dawn Rasmussen: It raises a lot of questions and it brings up negative before positive in my opinion. I think you should be optimistic and looking forward instead of ruminating about what just happened and so it’s just a bad place to be in my opinion. Mac Prichard: I agree and I would also add that there’s research that shows unfairly employers tend not to hire people that have been unemployed for a long time. Dawn Rasmussen: That is true, that is true. One thing that you do you want to do along this whole process it’s a fine line but you want to come up with a headline that’s accurate and speaks to your experience but also focuses on your next opportunity that you want. For example, if you’re in the field of journalism your title should either include journalist or reporter or whatever your specialist is. To make it clear what types of jobs you are interested in or what you’ve had. That will help make you more searchable and getting back to the keyword thing you always need to have keywords in your profile. It’s important to really kind of think forward like I said not look backwards. Ben Forstag: I have a follow up question here. In previous episodes we talked about the importance of being open about your employment search and letting people know especially your own personal contacts like hey I’m out there I’m looking for a new opportunity. How do you balance your advice about not being upfront with it with earlier advice about also being open and letting people know that you’re available for new opportunities? Dawn Rasmussen: That’s a very good question Ben and my suggestion is to take your summary section use that as a way to talk about your forward thinking and what you bring to the table. Then towards the end of your summary section say if you could benefit from someone who has this type of expertise contact me. Ben Forstag: That’s great. Mac Prichard: Thank you Dawn. If you have a question for us please [email protected]. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We’ve made our book even better we added new contact and we’re offering it in the formats that you want. For the first time ever you can read Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond as a paperback book or you can download on to your Kindle, Nook or your iPad. Whatever the format our goal is the same we want to give you the tools and tips that you need to get meaningful work that makes a difference. For more information visit macslist.org/book and sign up for our special newsletter. You will get updates about the book not available elsewhere as well as exclusive content and special discounts. Now lets turn to this week’s guest expert Arnie Fertig. Arnie Fertig is the founder of JobHuntercoach.com. where he helps people master the nuts and bolts of job hunting to find their personal brand and shorten the time until they are hired. He is a former executive recruiter and a leading expert on LinkedIn. Arnie also writes a weekly column for the on careers blog for US News and World Report. Arnie is a graduate of the University of Vermont, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the Hebrew Union college-Jewish Institute of Religion where he was ordained as a rabbi. Arnie thanks for joining us on the show. Arnie Fertig: My pleasure. Mac Prichard: I know you think long and hard about LinkedIn because you were a recruiter for many years and now you help job seekers. I know our listeners are very interested in hearing about how they can make their LinkedIn profiles most appealing to recruiters and employers. Let’s start Arnie by telling us how recruiters use LinkedIn. Arnie Fertig: I just interviewed a recruiter last week and he told me his entire practice was focused on LinkedIn. He uses it to advertise jobs, he uses it to search in a Google like way within LinkedIn to find candidates based on very complex searches. He looks at what people write in their groups and what their qualifications are and reaches out to those people that he thinks would be good fits for the searches on which he’s working. Mac Prichard: Arnie I know you talk to recruiters all the time and other career counselors as well. In your experience is that uncommon that a recruiter spends all of his or her day on LinkedIn and uses the tool that extensively? Arnie Fertig: The latest I’ve seen is somewhere between 94 and 97% of all recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates. That’s virtually everyone at this point. More than that, it’s used by HR departments and hiring managers in the sourcing and the vetting of candidates as well. Mac Prichard: It’s interesting that figure of almost 100% is so high and just this week I’ve looked at a report from the Pew Research Center which said that about half of adult Americans are on LinkedIn. Perhaps as much as half of the workforce isn’t where recruiters are. Tell us Arnie when recruiters are trolling LinkedIn profiles what are they looking for? Arnie Fertig: They are were looking for keywords to match critical elements of a job description or a position description that they’re looking to fill. They will look at the requirements of the job. They will look at specific skills. They will look at things that would be relevant to the particular employer for example, distance to the job. They might look for the university training that one has had. Certain employers are fond of hiring people from a certain set of universities. They can search to see who has a particular degree from a particular university in a particular year located in such and such a place. They will get very granular with their searches and so that means that you need to have all of that information filled out so that you can come up as the response to a detailed query when a recruiter makes it. Mac Prichard: Listeners obviously cant control now where they went to school or where they live but they do have the ability to plug in key words, not only in their LinkedIn profile but in the skills section. What advice do you give people in thinking about those keywords and what is the strategy behind choosing them and how many should they choose? Arnie Fertig: I don’t think it’s a question of how many to choose and I don’t think it’s a question of just cramming your profile with keywords at this point because recruiters are more sophisticated than that. What they want to see are accomplishments and what they want to see are accomplishments that match up to the kind of expectations that employers have for the role that is to be filled. I would suggest that somebody take a look at several different job descriptions of positions that they might like to fill. Whether they are local or not whether they’re actually going to apply or not but the kind of position that makes sense for your next job. Plum those job descriptions for the key words for the skills that are called for, for the educational background that’s called for, for the verbs that talk about what you’ll be doing in that job. Make sure that you use those words in the way that you describe what you’ve accomplished in your current and former roles. Mac Prichard: Don’t talk about duties or tasks but about accomplishments and think strategically about the words you use in describing those accomplishments. Arnie Fertig: Exactly right. I think a resume is about telling a story it’s about giving a context or a challenge in which you encountered about the actions that you took to confront that challenge and what the results were in each little resume bullet. But in a LinkedIn profile you want to focus less on the responsibilities and more on the accomplishments. Make it much more personal, active and engaging. Because LinkedIn you have to remember is a social medium and it’s fine to use the word I and it’s fine to talk about what you’re passionate about and what really you’re proud of in terms of what you’ve done in your professional roles. Mac Prichard: That’s an important point you’re making because I think many people reflectively treat their LinkedIn profile like a resume and I think the challenge, it’s challenging for them to use the first person to say I rather than put everything into the third person. Why is that more effective why do recruiters like that? Arnie Fertig: I think it’s a question of being personable and showing that this is a social medium and that you can connect in a social way back and forth and interacting. When I’m interacting with you and your profile it’s you as a person not a resume that speaks about you in the presumed third person. LinkedIn is about ultimately not just looking for jobs and saying I’m out here look at me I want a job. It’s about creating relationships and it’s important to create the relationships with the recruiters even before you’re looking for a job so that you know the kind of people that are looking or the kind of recruiters that are looking for people like you. Mac Prichard: Let’s talk about that Arnie, we often hear from people here at Mac’s list who want to get in touch with recruiters and are uncertain about how to approach them and then once they do make a contact how to manage that relationship. What’s your advice about how to connect with recruiters through LinkedIn and how to keep that relationship going Arnie Fertig: It’s fairly simple to do a search an advanced people search on LinkedIn and look for people who have the title recruiter and do a geographic search based relatively close to where you are in terms of your zip code. Do a sub search on that to see who is recruiting in your industry or for people with your particular skill set. Narrow it down to a relatively small handful of recruiters. Then begin to reach out to them just in a sense of saying hi I’d love to have you know who I am, Id love to be of help to you in the searches that you’re conducting and would it be possible for me to have 10 minutes of your time to talk with you. A lot of people will be more than happy to be approached even if it isn’t in the context account of saying I know you’re looking for so and so now please consider me. Mac Prichard: When you get that appointment what kind of expectation should you have as a job seeker when you sit down with an executive recruiter either in person or perhaps over Skype for 10 minutes. How should you approach that meeting and what kind of results should you expect to get from it? Arnie Fertig: As an internet working meeting it’s about building a relationship and building a relationship isn’t just you’ve got, I need, therefore give me. It’s about what can I do for you. It’s about trying to understand the prospective and the needs of the other person. You want to find out what kind of searches the recruiter does, what kind of people does he or she look for on a regular basis. Offer to make connections for them when you can. At the same time the recruiter will likely ask you that’s great I really appreciate that and tell me also about you. Then you want to be able to succinctly provide in a nutshell, in a sentence or two, your own personal branding statement. Hi I’m a _______ ________ career person and I’m particularly adept at doing such and such and my proudest accomplishments are such and such. Stop let the recruiter then come in and ask more questions and find out more about what it is that he or she is looking to find out for you. Mac Prichard: Think about what you can do for the recruiter and how you can be helpful, be clear about what you can offer in terms of your experience and skills and then listen and engage the recruiter in a conversation about how you might work together. Arnie Fertig: Exactly it’s about building relationships, having conversations not just capturing 10 minutes of somebody’s time and haranguing them with your story and expecting them to help you. Mac Prichard: What’s your best advice Arnie about how to keep that relationship going after you have that conversation? Arnie Fertig: From time to time you might want to introduce somebody to that recruiter. Check out their website and see what they’re looking for and see if you know somebody that could be helpful to them. Either somebody who was a thought leader in the field or somebody who actually might be looking for a job who actually meets the criteria of the recruiter is looking for. Mac Prichard: Let’s bring it back to LinkedIn, we talked about the things that people should do and how to leverage LinkedIn into connecting with recruiters. Thinking about people’s profiles Arnie what do recruiters don’t want to see on your LinkedIn page? Arnie Fertig: They don’t want to see a non professional picture. It’s really critical to present a good headshot of yourself with a contrasting solid background so it doesn’t look like you’ve got a tree coming out of your head. Whatever it might be in the background. You don’t want to see children or pets or you standing on a mountain in a distance. You want a good professional headshot first and foremost. You then want to have a good solid title up at the top of your profile. What it is that you do for example, I see on Dawn’s profile, Dawn Rasmussen’s profile she has labeled herself as a CMP certified resume writer. It tells you in a nutshell who she is and what she does. That’s a very good use of the profile the same way you can say here’s what I am and give a job title or give a description of what it is you do. Mac Prichard: What are some of the biggest missed opportunities that you see that things people should know how to do and just don’t take advantage of? Arnie Fertig: There are few things, number one to recognize what people see and what they don’t see. Many recruiters have a paid recruiting package that enables them to see all kinds of information. But some don’t, some have a free account and you never know who’s who. You want to make sure that if you come up as a third degree connection to somebody else’s search where your name and your contact information will be blocked you want to make yourself find-able. The first thing you want to do in your summary is to give your name and your e-mail address. Not your address, not your phone number, not your social security number, and not your visa number. Just your name and your e-mail address so that somebody if they’re interested in what they see in you will be able to reach out and to contact you directly. You then want to make sure as you go through the rest of the LinkedIn profile that you fill in all of the possible fields, all of the possible sections of your profile. You can list up to 50 skills you should do that. You can list your publications and your certifications and your experience and when you come to talk about the positions that you currently have and you had in the past you want to focus on giving people a sense of the size and scope and scale of what it is you’ve done and the accomplishments that you’ve made. You want to feel it in you don’t want to just leave your company and job title, otherwise nobody knows what you do or how you compare to anybody else who works in a similar company or has a similar job title. I think it’s very important for people to understand that using LinkedIn isn’t just about putting out a profile. It’s also about being active on it. Using it as a networking tool online to create relationships. It’s about interacting with the people that you’re already connected to and continuing to build your network. It’s important to understand that there are multiple ways to find jobs on LinkedIn. Not only on jobs tab which is essentially a paid job board but also in your home page on your scroll on the homepage as you’re connected to a lot of people especially recruiters and people who tend to do hiring. HR folks you’ll see that they will often just put a a simple post up that they’re looking for so and so or such and such and those come scrolling by so it’s important to check that. It’s important to check out the jobs that are listed in the various groups that you might belong to. Again you can be in 50 groups you should be in what I think of as a basket of basket of groups. There’s groups based on your locality, groups based on your title or your industry. Groups based on your skill set, groups based on your outside interests or your alumni groups from colleges and universities that you’ve attended. There is all different kinds of groups and you should be in some of each of those kinds of groups. Within each group there is a job tab to look at that and see what jobs are posted there. Those jobs are not necessarily going to be found on the large job tab at the top of the LinkedIn portal. Those jobs are just to be seen by the people in the group and often it’s a way that recruiters and HR people have of finding just a very small talent pool of highly qualified individuals for the specific search that they’re doing. They don’t want to be bothered by having to go through 500 resumes that everybody else is sending in. Mac Prichard: There is a whole universe of niche job boards out there at LinkedIn that are just hiding in plain sight and they are not that hard to find but you do have to know where to look. Arnie Fertig: Right. Mac Prichard: Well thank Arnie, tell us what’s coming up next for you. Arnie Fertig: I’m putting out an eBook, it’s available actually to people who are listening to this podcast on how to booster interviewing skills to get a job. I’m going to be publishing that soon but as an advance to that anybody who is listening to this podcast can get that free and immediately. Mac Prichard: Great and the URL for that which you were kind enough to send me before the show is info.jobhuntercoach.com/dreamjob. We will be sure to include that in the show notes. To learn more about Arnie visit jobhuntercoach.com, you can also connect with him on LinkedIn. You accept LinkedIn connections you told me Arnie. Arnie Fertig: Absolutely. Mac Prichard: We will include those links in the show notes. Thank you Arnie for joining us. Arnie Fertig: It’s been my pleasure thank you Mac for inviting me. Mac Prichard: Welcome back to the Mac’s List studio. Dawn, Ben what were some of the key takeaways for you from my conversation with Arnie? Ben Forstag: I think Arnie had a lot of good points, the one that I thought that was really astute was including your name and your e-mail address in the first line of your summary. I know I use LinkedIn a lot to find people and to reach out and if you can find that e-mail address especially if you’re not already a contact with that person it’s so valuable and it makes reaching out so much easier. Mac Prichard: I agree, I’ve been frustrated so many times trying to reach people who have a public LinkedIn profile and there’s no way to contact them other than through LinkedIn and many people don’t check their LinkedIn mail accounts regularly. It can be weeks even months before you hear back from them. Ben Forstag: We’ve all played the game of trying to reverse engineer an e-mail address based on the company URL and maybe it’s their last name, maybe it’s the first initial and last name. If you can avoid that frustration and just make it very clear how to reach out to you that’s the best. Mac Prichard: Make it easy for people to find you. How about you Dawn, what were some of the key points you heard? Dawn Rasmussen: He hit it right on the head this is a social media forum and you have to write and compel the audience, make them want to pick up the phone or type out a special e-mail to you. Make them want to reach out making it personal is the biggest thing. It really also just craving a constant stream of meaningful content and you can use that to connect to recruiters. I think Arnie mentioned that once you make that connection to the recruiter you can send them people, why not send them articles that might be helpful. You could become a helpful resource to the recruiters but then also show traction within your own profile that makes people want to reach out to you. Mac Prichard: I agree and for me the key point is one I keep running across again and again, people still think of LinkedIn as some kind of online resume book as if it’s an electronic binder and you put your resume inside it and magic things will happen you just have to sit and wait. That’s not how it works and there’s so much more as you say Dawn that you can get out of that platform. Dawn Rasmussen: I use the euphemism that this is a garden and you reap what you sow, if you only plant one or two seeds then you only get that amount back. You have to look at LinkedIn as sort of a garden that keeps … it needs nurturing, it needs to be watered, it needs to be tended to, then you reap and sow what you put into it. Mac Prichard: Good advice, thank you Dawn and thank you Ben and thank you our listeners. If you like what you hear on the show you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. It just takes a moment and it helps others discover our show and that helps us serve other job seekers. Here is an excerpt from one of the reviews we received recently. It’s from wildiris2008, that’s her iTunes name and she writes, really impressed with the quality and relevance of this podcast series particularly the guest speakers. I’ve listened to several shows and episode two about staying marketable in the absence of job security stands out. I’ve fallen into that trap of slacking off on professional development and networking when I get comfortable on the job and Dawn Rasmussen who is with here today offers concrete practical suggestions for how to stay focused on the long-term journey, says wildiris2008. Highly recommended for novice and seasoned job seekers alike. Thank you wildires2008 and thank you to the scores of other listeners who have left a review. Please take a moment to leave your own comments and ratings just go to www.macslist.org/iTunes. Thanks again for listening and we will back next week with more tools and tips that you can use to find your dream job.

These days none of us need to be told that change is the one constant in the workplace. Our job responsibilities change regularly--and so do our careers. The old model of climbing the corporate ladder or sticking with one profession for life is giving way to more fluid, transient, and cross-sector careers. Just 27% of college graduate have a career related to their major. And the average American worker switches jobs--if not entire careers--every 4.4 years. So how do you create career stability in a constantly changing job market? By pivoting. This week on “Find Your Dream Job,” we talk about career pivots with with Jenny Blake, a coach for professionals and organizations looking navigate change. Jenny defines a career pivot as “a methodical shift in a new related area, based on what’s already working” and encourages job seekers to continually refocus on their strengths and passions. In this 31-minute episode you will learn: Why changing jobs every few years is the new normal Why you should be doubling down on your professional strengths How to manage your pivot in four phases: plant, scan, pilot, and launch How to avoid professional stagnation and career crises Why even unsuccessful career pivots lead to unexpected, positive rewards This week’s guest: Jenny Blake (@jenny_blake | LinkedIn)Principal, Jenny Blake EnterprisesAuthor of Pivot: The Only Move that Matters Is Your Next and Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You WantNew York, N.Y. Listener question of the week: I've recently had an interview with a prospective employer but after several weeks, I haven't heard back from them. How do I appropriately follow-up with the company? Answering our question this week is Dawn Rasmussen, Chief Resume Writer at Portland-based Pathfinder Writing and Career Services. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact us at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: 14 Ways to Tell if It’s Time To Quit Your Job | Forbes.com Pivot: The Only Move that Matters Is Your Next Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want JennyBlake.me Strengths Finder 2.0 Pathfinder Writing and Career Services Pivot Podcast Mindset: The New Psychology of Success If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- Transcript Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's list and by our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we published on February 1st, visit MacsList.org/book. Ben Forstag: Hey, Mac. Mac Prichard: Hey, Ben. How are you? Ben Forstag: I'm doing great. As our listeners might now, the book comes in 3 editions. We've got a paperback, a digital version for your Kindle, iPad, or Nook, and we've got a PDF version that you can view online. I'd mentioned before that the paperback version is our best seller, but the PDF version is really popular, too. Mac Prichard: What I hear from our readers who buy the PDF is they not only enjoy the book, but they get with it a set of videos, an audio interview, and tips sheets and checklists that you can use to turbocharge your job hunt. You can find a complete list of all the extra resources that come with the PDF on the website, but they include things like a salary negotiation checklist, 10 steps to success, or a fact sheet about how to work with recruiting agencies as well as video and audio interviews with career experts. Again, these are available only to people who buy the PDF version of the book. You can learn more by going to the website. These days, none of us need to be told that change is the one constant in the work place. Our job responsibilities and the skills required change regularly and so do our careers. One estimate says Americans now average 4.4 years in a job. Just 27% of college graduates have a career related to their major. The old model of climbing a corporate ladder or sticking with one profession for life is giving way to the career pivot. Today, we're talking about career pivots, what they are, and how you can make them. Ben Forstag has a website that will help you figure out whether it's time to leave your job. Dawn Rasmussen, our guest co-host, answers a question about how to follow up on an interview once you start pursuing your next career. I talk to this week's guest expert, Jenny Blake, author of the forthcoming book, "Pivot: The Only Move that Matters is Your Next One." We're in the Mac's List studio, and joining us this week as our special guest host is Dawn Rasmussen of Pathfinder Career and Writing Services. Dawn, it's great to have you back. Dawn Rasmussen: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it, Mac. Mac Prichard: Yeah. You were one of our first guests here on the show. I have to give you a shout out. Your episode remains one of our most popular in downloads. Dawn Rasmussen: Wonderful. That's great to hear. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Let me ask you 2, Dawn and Ben, have you ever made a career pivot? Dawn Rasmussen: Boy, have I ever! Mac Prichard: Tell me about that, Dawn. Dawn Rasmussen: Oh, gosh. Well, let's see here. How many? I started out in television actually. I switched over to the hospitality industry. Then, I switched over into education and teaching. Then, I switched over into sales and marketing. Then, I switched over to owning my own business, so which one would you like to talk about? Just kidding. We don't have 5 hours. Ben? Ben Forstag: I've done a couple, as well. I started off in outdoor education, which is a pretty niche field, and then got into nonprofit management, and recently made the move from nonprofit to the for-profit space, working here at Mac's List. Mac Prichard: I've done the same. I stared out working for human rights organizations in Washington D.C. and Boston, and made the switch to politics, government, and political communications. Then, went to work at a university, and then eventually started my own businesses almost a decade ago, now, so a lot of change. We're going to be talking more about those changes and how people can make them with our guest expert, Jenny Blake, later in the show. First, let's turn to Ben, who is always out there on the internet looking for tools you can use, blogs, podcasts, books, and other resources that can be helpful in your job search. Ben, what have you uncovered for us this week? Ben Forstag: On today's show, we're talking about making a change in careers. I'm sure our guest, Jenny Blake, will provide a lot of insights on how to make that specific career pivot. For my resource this week, though, I want to focus on one of the first steps that we have to think about when you're making that change, which is deciding to leave the job or the career that you've already got. Quitting your job is a scary thing, especially if you don't have a clear picture of what you're going to do next. I know there have been times in my life where I've been generally unhappy in my job, but I didn't leave either because my unhappiness wasn't acute enough or because I was too afraid to move. I think the big thing for me when I was a younger person was I was just really passive about my career. I know in one specific job, I got stuck in a pattern where I would reach a breaking point with my position, and then they would offer me a pay raise. That would buy me off for a couple months, and I'd be happy. Then, 2 months later, I'd be right back at that same breaking point. Instead of leaving that job, they would just offer me another raise, and I would stay there. I probably stayed there a couple years too long because I got stuck in that cycle. Mac and Dawn, have you ever had a job where you weren't entirely happy, but you also weren't sure it was time to move on? Dawn Rasmussen: Yeah, I have. It was a difficult situation because the job that I was in, I had just started it actually. I realized that they hadn't really told me all the details about what the job involved. I don't tell this to many people. Why not tell it to 10 thousand people? Anyway, there was one aspect of job I had no idea how to do, and I'm a pretty resourceful and smart person. I remember going to a conference that was discussing about how to actually execute that portion of my job, and I broke down and started crying. I don't like giving up, but I just knew at that point that was not the right job for me because one half of my job, no problem. It was done. I was making changes. The second part I had not a clue, and it hadn't been really told to me in the interview about that emphasis. I had to make a change because I realized I just could not do it. It was hard. It was scary, too. Mac Prichard: For me, I think of an organization where I work that was getting off the ground and growing. It was experiencing dysfunction. It was not a place that worked well. Because of that, there was a lot of conflict, and it was not a happy place to go to work. I had only been there a number of months, and I just thought, "I need to stick this out." I hung on for almost 2 years before I found another opportunity. It did get better, but the lesson I took from that experience was if it's not working after 3 to 6 months, you probably should move on. Ben Forstag: Yeah, I think one of the themes that you hear in each one of our stories is that sometimes, there's a virtue to quitting. Oftentimes, we're told, "You never want to quit. Quitters never win. Winners never quit." Sometimes, it isn't the right fit for you personally, or it isn't making you happy. There's a virtue in quitting. My resource this week is a cheat sheet to provide you some perspective on when you migth want to consider leaving your job, when it would be a virtue. It's a post from Forbes.com, and it's titled "14 Ways to Tell if its Time to Quit your Job." It's a real long article, and they go into depth with each one of these points. I'm just going to read the kind of top lines here. Here are the 14 things you might want to think about: 1. If you're miserable every morning. I've been there. That's a tough one. 2. If your company is sinking, like Mac's experience. 3. If you really dislike the people you work with and/or your boss. 4. You're constantly stressed, negative, and/or unhappy at work. 5. Your work-related stress is affecting your physical health. 6. You don't fit in with the company culture and/or you don't believe in the company anymore. 7. Your work performance is suffering. 8. You no longer have good work/life balance. 9. Your skills are not being tapped. 10. Your job duties have changed, increased, but the pay hasn't. 11. Your ideas are not being heard or used. 12. You're bored and stagnating at your job. 13. You are experiencing verbal abuse, sexual harassment, or are aware of any other illegal type of behavior. 14. You're just generally not happy. I think all of these are good points to think about. The one caveat I would throw in here is that there are times in every job where you might feel like this for a little bit, and it's about differentiating whether this is a temporary feeling or it's been going on for 3 to 6 months, as you pointed out. Mac Prichard: It's important for people to remember that they do have choices. Sometimes, you have to stay with a job because you have bills to pay, and the pay check is important. You do have to do that, but that doesn't stop you from also thinking about what your next move is going to be and where you might go, and taking steps to do that while you continue to work in a job that, frankly, isn't meeting your needs anymore. You do have choices. Ben Forstag: Yeah. Obviously, some of these are a bit more of a deal-breaker than others, right? If you're being sexually harassed, verbal abuse, or there's something illegal going on, it's probably best to leave as soon as possible. Others, where your work/life balance is suffering, that's one of these things where you might look for a long-term trend. Is it trending towards getting worse or getting better? You've got to make those decisions, and like you said, you've got some flexibility in how you direct your career. Mac Prichard: Well, thank you, Ben. If you have a suggestion for Ben, please write him. His email address is [email protected], and he may share your idea on the show. Now, let's turn to you, our listeners. Our guest co-host this week is Dawn Rasmussen of Pathfinder Career and Writing Services. She joins us here in the Mac's List studio to answer one of your questions. Dawn, what are you hearing from our listeners this week? Dawn Rasmussen: Well, this week, we have a question from listener BJ [Roshanich 00:10:13]. BJ writes in and says, "I've recently had an interview with a prospective employer, but after several weeks, I haven't heard back from them. How do I appropriately follow up with the company?" Well, that's a toughy. You have to try to get ahead of this situation. Probably the key thing you need to do is during the interview, before it concludes, is you need to actually ask and set the stage for a follow up process, instead of just leaving it dangling. First of all, if you can proactively say, "What's the next step? When are you making a decision," that kind of thing. Then, if you do forget, sometimes people get a little nervous in interviews, so you should be following up. When you have a sense, maybe a week or so after they are done interviewing people, it's good to send an email. You should send a thank you right away, either by email or by snail mail. That's always a good business process to follow, but really, it's getting ahead of the 8 ball and understanding how their process operates so that you can actually respond accordingly. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Excellent advice, Dawn. This is a question we get a lot, and the best way to answer it is to do exactly what you recommended, which is to ask at the end of the interview, "What's the next step? How's your process going? How can I follow up?" They'll tell you. Thank you, Dawn. If you have a question for us, please email us at [email protected]. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." We've made our book even better by adding new content and offering it in the formats that you want. For the first time ever, you can read "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond" as a paperback book, or you can download it onto your Kindle, Nook, or iPad. Whatever the format, our goal is the same: We want to give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work that makes a difference. For more information, visit MacsList.org/book and sign up for our special book newsletter. You'll get updates there that aren't available elsewhere, including exclusive book content and special discounts. Now, let's turn to this week's guest expert, Jenny Blake. Jenny Blake is a author, career and business strategist, and international speaker. She helps her clients through big transitions, often to pivot their career or business. Jenny is also the author of 2 books, "Life After College," which is based on her blog of the same name, and "Pivot: The Only Move that Matters is your Next One," which will be published in September. Jenny, welcome to the show. Jenny Blake: Mac, thank you so much for having me. It's an honor. Mac Prichard: Yeah, it's a pleasure to have you. What is a pivot, and why does it matter? Jenny Blake: I define a career pivot as a methodical shift in a new related area based on what's already working. What I noticed was that in my own career, I kept bumping up on this really confusing question of what's next, every few years. I thought, "There must be something wrong with me. I'm only supposed to have a mid-life crisis and a quarter-life crisis. Why is this happening every 2 years?" For a while, and we see a lot of shame and blame around millennials. We call them job-hoppers and entitled. I had been working at Google, and I thought, "I must be one of those because every few years, I'm feeling really confused about what's next." It wasn't until I realized 2 things: One, this is accelerating for all of us. It wasn't just me. As I started to talk to more people, I realized we're all experiencing this shift more often. Then, two, the thing that really got me out of it, because I thought, "This is so inefficient. I can't go through a life crisis every time I need to shift my career." I realized that it wasn't until I looked at what was already working and doubled down on it that I was able to move more seamlessly in the next direction. Rather than thinking about big leaps, I started to examine what was already right underneath my feet. That's where I got the idea of a pivot, like a basketball player who has one foot firmly grounded. That's your strengths and what's already working. Then, they scan the horizon for opportunity with their pivot food. Mac Prichard: I think that will be very reassuring to many of our listeners because a lot of people believe that changing jobs every few years is a problem, and there must be something wrong with them if they're doing that. What I'm hearing you say, Jenny, is that's the new normal. Jenny Blake: Absolutely. In fact, research shows that the average employee tenure is 4 to 5 years. Among people 25 to 35, it's now about 2 to 3 years. What I noticed in writing the book over the last 3 years was almost none of the people I interviewed at the beginning were doing the same thing by the time I went to fact check. Even what I had seen in the research, I thought, "Okay. People are shifting every 3 years or so, maybe 3, 4, or 5." That was not even the case with the people I interviewed. I couldn't keep up. Even now, as I'm getting ready to send the book off to press, I cannot keep the stories current. I'm going to put something on the website with what people are up to, but it was shocking to me. Not all of this is by choice. It's not all people who are saying, "I'm bored. I want something new." In many cases, they were laid off. Their company was acquired. Maybe their company was acquired, and then they got laid off. They started their own business, realized it wasn't for them, and went back to employment. There were so many reasons for these career pivots that I think for everyone listening, the message is just don't beat yourself up. If you're at a pivot point, it's totally normal and has to be expected, whatever the reason. Mac Prichard: Recognize that change is normal. It will come every few years. It's not only about changing jobs. It's about changing careers. Let's talk about how people manage that process. What are some basic tips that you give people who are considering a career pivot? Jenny Blake: I do want to add that some people pivot within their role, so it's not always about pivoting career. Sometimes, it's just about defining, "I'm hitting a plateau in my role." A lot of these people who I interviewed are really high achievers. They just want to make sure that they're learning, growing, and ultimately, making an impact. In that case, it can be a good exercise no matter where someone is who's listening right now to say, "Okay, what's my one next move? What would be really exciting?" That's where I recommend people start is I have this 4 stage process: plant, scan, pilot, launch. Plant is about look at what's already working. What are you enjoying most, even if it's only 10% of your current day-to-day work? What's the 10% that you love? When do you feel most in the zone? What are your biggest strengths? What did you love to do as a kid? One year from now, what does success look like? A lot of people get overwhelmed by that question because they don't know. They don't know the exact job, company, or even industry or location. Start broad. Just say, "How do you want to feel a year from now?" What kind of environments energize you? About how much do you want to be earning? If you can even start to paint a broad picture, it's like putting a pin in your maps app. Now, you know a little bit of where you're going, and you can scan for people, skills, and opportunity that will help you get there. Then, the third stage, pilot, is about running small experiments. Take the pressure off to solve your whole career conundrum in one fell swoop and instead look for tiny experiments that you can run. At Google, we had 10 and 20% projects. Anyone in their career can think of it the same way. My blog started as a 10% project on nights and weekends and later became the foundation of my business, but I had no idea that's what it was going to become at the time. Mac Prichard: Last stage is launch, so people have gone through those first 3 steps: the plant, the scan, and the pilot. How do you see people launch? Jenny Blake: You can cycle through plant, scan, pilot continuously, over and over, until you feel ready to launch. The first 3 stages are a cycle. It's about reducing risk, seeing what's out there, getting more comfortable, and someone could plant, scan, pilot, and be doing that for years. There's no time crunch. I've worked through this entire model with someone in 10 minutes. With my coaching clients, maybe it's 3 or 4 months, but if someone's generally happy, plant, scan, pilot, they may not need to launch. Launch is typically when we see the all-in moment. If someone is going to quit a job, start their own business, or move to a new city, the launch moment is when they really pull the trigger and move in the new direction, fully in the new direction. With launches, there's not a guarantee that it's going to work exactly as you have planned, but by reducing risk through piloting, experimenting, and grounding in your strengths, the launch becomes less panic-inducing. That's really the goal. Mac Prichard: Let's talk about risk for a moment because many people, while they recognize that change is a constant, they're uncomfortable with change and the risks involved. What are some of the ways that you see people manage risk as they go through this process or make a pivot. Jenny Blake: One of the diagrams in my book is called The Risk-ometer. It's taking the temperature of where you currently are on an inner feeling of risk. Someone could either be in their comfort zone, everything's fine. Their stagnation zone, that's where they're hitting a plateau, actively bored, or sometimes manifesting as physical symptoms. Then, in the other direction, we have a stretch zone. Something feels edgy and exciting. A panic zone, downright terror. When a lot of people think about risk as it relates to career, career change can be very scary because it seems to threaten our most fundamental needs on Maslow's hierarchy of food, clothing, and shelter. This is how we earn a living and pay for our life, so the thought of rocking the boat can be panic-inducing. The goal in the pivot process is look for activities that put you in your stretch zone but not your panic zone. That's up to each individual to assess moment-by-moment. If they're getting overwhelmed, and they're kind of paralyzed, that's usually a sign that they're thinking too big and that the next steps they're considering are in their panic zone. Try and chunk it down smaller and smaller until you're squarely in your stretch zone. Similarly, to have some awareness around are you comfortable right now, or is it approaching stagnation? The idea about pivoting is that it's really a mindset. It doesn't have to be these huge crisis points in our lives the way that it was for me for a long time because by monitoring and noticing when we start to fall into this stagnation zone, we can then take the steps to come out of it. The first step is that awareness. Mac Prichard: One of the points you made earlier was about the importance of playing to your strengths. Can you talk about the advantages of doing that because sometimes I think people think that they have to take risks or put themselves in places where they're constantly uncomfortable. Why do you recommend that people start by playing to their strengths, Jenny? Jenny Blake: When I reverse engineered what factors led to my most successful career pivots and then I started to study this for dozens if not hundreds of other people, I noticed that there was always a connecting factor. That was either their strengths, so ways in which they had become an expert or things that they really were good at, or people that they knew. Your network can be part of your strengths, as well. Usually, it's both. People you know are not going to offer you a job unless they know that you're really good at something. It was never looking at their weaknesses and trying to fix them that led to the next opportunity, and I'm not saying that's not a good thing to do. I'd recommend, if those of you listening haven't already, to check out the book "Strengths Finder 2.0," either as an assessment, so you can get your top 5 strengths. In the introduction to that book, Tom Rath talks about how much more effective we are when we emphasize and invest in our strengths rather than trying to fix our weaknesses. Particularly when pivoting, one of the biggest pitfalls is people tend to obsess over what they don't like, what they don't have, and what they don't know because of the fear factor. A lot of times in career change, I'll even say to a coaching client, "What does success look like a year from now?" They'll say, "Ah. I don't want to be so stressed out every day. I don't want to be bored. I don't want to dread going to work." "Okay, that's kind of a start, but it doesn't put fuel in the gas tank." That's going to keep the car spinning its wheels in mud. By looking at strengths and what's already working, now the person can figure out how to double down on those and shift methodically in the new direction, whereas just minimizing weaknesses doesn't really propel someone forward. Mac Prichard: One of the things that you wrote about in your blog about pivots is that sometimes, people go down this road, they make a pivot, and they unexpected results. Can you tell us more about that, and how people should manage that? Jenny Blake: Well, unexpected results could be one of 2 things. One, the results surpass your wildest dreams. I've seen so many people who once they were clear that they were ready to make a change, and they started taking those first courageous steps, the universe, whatever someone's kind of spiritual beliefs are met them halfway. Opportunities seem to fall out of the sky. Part of that is I call it the universe rolling out the red carpet. For every courageous step they took forward, another roll unfurled on the carpet, meaning a person showed up, an opportunity, one next clue on their path. The other side of a pivot unexpected is things might not work out exactly as you planned. Nobody I talk to, and there are many people, Mac, who came to me when I was fact checking. They would say, "Oh, don't bother putting my story in the book. I pivoted again." Almost as if they were discouraged that their first pivot didn't work. Nobody regretted making their launch decision. Even, I had 2 friends who quit their job, very high earners on the stock, the open outcry pits on Wall Street, they quit to start an urban farming business, and a year later, they folded it. They both went and found other work, but they don't see it as a failure. They felt so alive. That time really taught them a ton about themselves and about business. Even though they pivoted again, it still all was in a positive direction, which I call up and to the right, like a revenue chart. Most of these experience, we learn from then. Even if what seems like a quote "failure" from the outside is still up and to the right in terms of our fit and what's best for us. We're never really done. Anybody who loves learning, growth, and making an impact, there's always this sense of exploration and risk. Part of it is just learning to embrace that uncertainty and not take it personally, like it's some kind of shortcoming. Mac Prichard: Good. That seems like a good place to stop. Jenny, tell us about what's coming up next for you. Jenny Blake: Right now, I'm finishing up the very last edits on the book, which is exciting. That's my big pivot, is the book will come out in September, which I'm thrilled about. In the meantime, I'm having a lot of fun with the pivot podcast, trying to interview experts on how to be agile in this economy. If change is the only constant, how do we get better at it? Mac Prichard: Great. We'll be sure to include links to the podcast and to your blog, which I know has information about your book, "Pivot: The Only Move that Matters is Your Next One," coming out from Portfolio Penguin Press in September. Jenny Blake: That is correct. Yep, you got it. Mac Prichard: Well, thank you for joining us, and you can learn more about Jenny, her work, and her books at JennyBlake.me. We'll include links to all of those sites in the show notes. Thank you, Jenny. Jenny Blake: Thank you so much, and a big thanks to everybody for listening. Mac Prichard: We're back in the Mac's List studios with Ben and Dawn. Ben, Dawn, what were the most important points you heard Jenny make? Ben Forstag: I really like the central pieces of her book, which is that you can make small changes throughout your career regularly. Back in my grad school days, when I was studying political theory, there was this idea of path dependency, that if you went too far in one direction, you were stuck there, and you couldn't make choices anymore. I think some job seekers think that way, as well. "I studied accounting in college, so I can never do anything else besides accounting for the rest of my life." I like the idea that she has that you can gradually transition to other things, no matter where you are in your career. It might take a little bit of time to go from your accounting background to becoming a professional actor, but you can gradually make that transition if you make the right steps. Mac Prichard: There's a book I think we've mentioned before on the podcast called "Mindset" by Carol Dweck, who is a professor at Stanford. She talks about how people often get stuck thinking they're only good at one thing, and that many people who enjoy early success are afraid to take risks because they worry that if they try something that they don't excel at, they'll jeopardize their success. They just don't continue to grow in their careers. They get stuck in one place. I think what I heard Jenny say was how important it is to have a mindset where you're not only open to change, but you learn how to navigate it because it's coming. It's coming early and often throughout your career. Dawn, what were your reactions? Dawn Rasmussen: I had sort of a interesting thought while she was talking. I think her idea of taking it one digestible chunk at a time is a great one, but there's also the problem of analysis paralysis. Because there are so many choices out there, there's, number 1, the fear of failure, number 1, but then number 2 is like, "Well, there's so many choices. What do I figure out what to do?" Many years ago, there was a company based here in Portland that let people try out or test drive their dream job. It was an opportunity for you to see if you like it and get sort of the inside scoop on what does this job really involve so you know if you want to move in that direction or not. I'm just looking it up on the internet, too, and it seems like there's been a proliferation of other organizations starting to offer the same thing. I think it's a brilliant stroke of genius, really, to come up with these test drive opportunities really to see, "Okay, is this something I want to do?" It helps with the comfort level too because if you don't know quite exactly what it entails, there's a lot of unknowns. If you actually get in there and get a taste of it, you have a better sense of what you're getting yourself into, whether it's going to feel right or not. Mac Prichard: That's a great point. I think experimenting and trying new roles is always helpful, and it gives you a change to try something before you commit. Dawn Rasmussen: Before you buy. Mac Prichard: Yes, exactly. Well, thank you, Dawn. Thank you, Ben, and thank you, our listeners. If you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and rating at iTunes. This helps others discover our show and helps us serve you all, our listeners, better. One of the reviews we received recently is from Spring Rocks, who writes, "I find the very perspective of the hosts interesting. Their advice is actionable, and the tone is encouraging. Also, they stay on topic, and the show title's and notes make it easy to decide which episodes to focus on." Thank you, Spring Rocks, and we do our best to stay on task. If you haven't discovered our show notes yet, please go to the Mac's List website. You'll find not only highlights from every show and links to recordings, but transcripts of not only the interviews, but all the content on the show. If you do have a moment, we would be grateful if you'd leave your own comments and ratings. Just go to www.MacsList.org/itunes. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job.tools and tips you can use to find your dream job.tools and tips you can use to find your dream job.

A dream job is one that perfectly fits your abilities, passions, preferred working habits, and lifestyle needs. As such, the first step in finding the perfect job is understanding yourself and knowing exactly what you're looking for in your career. On this 5-minute bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Linda Williams Favero, career coach and program director at the University of Oregon Alumni Career Services Office, shares the questions you should ask yourself before you start looking for a job. She reads "It's All About You, Knowing Yourself is the First Step in the Job Search Process", her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). If you’re looking for more advice on how to stand out as a stellar job candidate, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The updated Mac's List guide gives you all the tools you need to identify, find, and land rewarding work.  Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! --- Full Transcript Mac Prichard:    This is Find You Dream Job. The pod cast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. On today's bonus episode, we're sharing exclusive content from our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond compiles job search tips and career management tools into one simple easy to read guide. It's the definitive tool kit for anyone looking for meaningful work. The book also includes special contributions from an array of job search experts and today you'll hear from one of them. Here's Linda Williams Favero, program director at the University of Oregon Alumni Career Services Office reading her contribution, It's All About You, Knowing Yourself is the First Step in the Job Search Process. Linda Williams Favero:  I encourage you to answer the following questions to begin your own self assessment process. First, what do you do best? What are your skills, knowledge and competencies acquired through education and experience of all kids, whether it's employment, volunteer work, life experience and so on? They represent your principle assets in the job market. So, an important part of communicating your value is correctly identifying and labeling these skills. Also, your personal characteristics or adaptive skills are inborn or developed early in life. They can include abilities, talents or predisposition to certain career directions. Third, your accomplishments or the things you've done that you are most proud of. Next, what do you like to do? Your interest should help shape your professional objective which should be something you are interested in as well as something you are good at. In addition, your values or your core beliefs about what is the most important in life that usually evolves slowly and may change across your life. Next, consider what are your priorities in life. These are your personal preferences or things that might relate to location, schedules and income. Your professional objective should be consistent with your career vision and lifestyle needs. Also, your motivation. Consists of the drivers or needs that propel you along in your chosen career direction such as a sense of accomplishment, the satisfaction of being part of a team or the desire to travel. Next, where do you fit? Although you may appreciate a good wage, you should also consider many other factors especially when you're working in Portland. First, culture. Do you want a clear line of command or something less hierarchical? Wellness. Does the company offer yoga, encourage noon time runs, discount at gym memberships? Global opportunities. Do you like to travel to the far reaches of the planet or hang close to home? Workspace. Have you dreamed of the corner office or prefer an open environment with beanbag chairs? Flexibility. Do you need an office to stay focused or enjoy the opportunity to work from home? Professional development. Do you want an MBA or the chance to travel to conferences in sunny spots? It does get awfully grey here sometimes. Explore your strengths and weaknesses in other ways. Sometimes more tangential approach can yield productive insights and results. What's most important is to really that you are important in this decision making. It's important for you to consider what you do really well, what you enjoy doing, what are your priorities and what is the most important fit when you think about next job, your next career, your next move. Mac Prichard:  If you're looking for expert advice and insider tips like what you just heard, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. You'll find everything you need to get a great job whether your in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. The 2016 edition includes new content and for the first time ever, it's available in paperback, as well as in an array of e-reading devices including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. For more information on Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond, visit Macslist.org/book.

Most Americans begin work full-time after high school or college and hope to retire at age 65 or older. That doesn’t mean, however, that we remain in the workplace continuously for 40-plus years. Along the way, many of us will stop working outside the home to care for children, parents, or other family members. You may also choose to take time off for yourself, to explore the world, or get clear on what you want from life. Whatever your reason for putting your career on hold, one day you will likely be ready to go back to work. Jumping back into the professional world after a prolonged absence can be difficult; and the challenge grows proportionally to the time you've been away from the workforce. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about how to return to work at any age. Our guest is Kristin Schuchman, a career coach who works with professionals in transition, whether they’re changing careers, starting businesses, or re-launching into the workforce. As a mother who returned to school after age 40, she is especially attuned to the needs of midlife professionals in transition. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: How your professional priorities may shift and change when you take time off work How to talk about and frame time off with prospective employers Why volunteering is a crucial part to stepping back into the workforce How to manage expectations when going back to work Tips for getting clear about what you want to do when you return to work This week’s guest: Kristin Schuchman (@aportlandcareer | LinkedIn)Career Counselor and Solopreneur Marketing CoachVicki Lind & AssociatesPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week:  I paused my career for several years to raise my children. How should I explain that gap on my resume? What’s the best ways to frame this experience with a potential employer? Answering our question this week is Aubrie De Clerck, principal at Portland-based Coaching for Clarity. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact us at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Reboot Your Life: Energize Your Career and Life by Taking a Break Find The On-Ramp | Working Mother Vicki Lind & Associates Strong Interest Inventory Myers Briggs Type Indicator Never Eat Alone, Expanded and Updated: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time Aubrie De Clerck | Coaching for Clarity Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- TRANSCRIPT BELOW: Mac Prichard: This is Find your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and buy your book, Land your dream job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the book and the updated version that we published on February 1st, visit macslist.org\book. Ben Forstag:: Hey Mac, so, I've been involved in this iteration of the book and I know that you had a first edition that was out before I started working at Mac's List. I've always kind of wondered, what inspired you guys to write this book? Mac Prichard: It was our readers of our blog that really drove this Ben. We wanted to share our best advice from the blog, especially the insider tips from more than dozen local experts. We had readers tell us they didn't have time to weigh through three of years of blog post. We as you know, because you added the blog now, there are three to five posts every week. We wanted to make all of our best work available in one easy to read book, and that's what readers will find, eight chapters, a hundred and twenty pages. They'll find in the book insider information you won't find anywhere else. Most Americans begin work full time after high school or college and hope to retire at age sixty-five or even older. That doesn't mean however that we remain the workplace continuously for forty plus years. Along the way, many of us will stop working outside the home to care for children, parents or other family members. Sheryl Sandberg author of Lean In estimates that forty-three percent of highly qualified women with children are leaving careers for a period of time. The Huffington Post says that there are more than ten million Americans older than age fifty who are caring for aging parents. Whatever your reason for putting your career on hold, one day you will likely be ready to go back to work. This week on Find your Dream Job, we're talking about how to return to work at any age. Ben Forstag has a book that shows you how to plan a break from your job and return to employment when you're ready. Aubrie De Clerck answers a listener's question about how to explain a gap on your resume when you stay at home to raise your kids, and I talk to this week's guest expert, a career counselor who helps people return to the workforce after a long absence. We're back in the Mac's List studio, joining me are Ben Forstag, our managing director and our guest co-host this week, Aubrie De Clerck of Coaching for Clarity. All of us are employed full time right now, but I'm wondering have either one of you taken time out from your career either to care for children or other family members or for another reason? Ben Forstag: I've never taken a prolonged period of time off. I did take a month off when my son was born a few months ago. My wife though, she graduated from law school, worked for one year and has not worked for the last three years as she's been taking care of our children. Managing that dynamic of a professional taking time off, being home and trying to balance family responsibilities with a desire to do something with her career, that's something that we face everyday. Mac Prichard: That's a lot to juggle. How about you Aubrie? Aubrie De Clerck: I haven't taken any specific time off. I have had a period of my time in my work life where I used the flexibility from an employer to its maximum amounts. My mum has MS and there is a time where with her illness she needed a lot of support and care, and I was really fortunate to have a company and a manager that supported me in going and coming whenever I needed to, trusting me to get my work done, which I did. I have felt the pull between family needs and also work needs. Mac Prichard: Yeah, I'm glad you had that support and you were able to have that time with your mum. Let's turn to Ben who is always out there doing research every week between shows, he's looking around the Internet for blogs, podcasts and other tools you can use in your job search. Ben, what have you got for us this week? Ben Forstag: This week, I want share a book that I read actually about a half a year ago and it's called Reboot your Life, Energize your Career and Life by Taking a Break. It's by Catherine Allen, Nancy Bearg, Rita Foley and Jaye Smith. This book is all about the value of taking time off from work, which I admit is an odd topic for a podcast that's all about getting a job. I thought there were some really valuable insights in this book that I wanted to share with our listeners. I think most folks recognize that many professionals if not all professionals today are genuinely overworked. The scope of this problem is probably bigger than we often recognize. Not just corporate big wigs are being overworked, it's everyone really.If you think about how we take our work home with us now in ways we didn't five, ten, fifteen years ago, it's really clear. The authors write, "Today, we rarely have time for rest, we have lost even our short breaks as technology, pagers, PCs, laptops, the Internet, cell phones, Blackberries and smart phones beckon us to be on 24/7. Even when we're supposedly off on weekends or in the evenings, we're on and it's taking a toll." The solution according to the authors is to create more time and space away from work, which gives us not just an opportunity to relax, but also a chance to examine and think about the challenges we face in the workplace. This last point is really important as one of the underlying premises here is that of all the hours we're logging in the office each day and all the emails we're responding to, the truth is we're really not that productive in our day to day work lives. This is a classic quantity over quality issue where we're doing more, we're just not doing it as well as we used to do or could be doing. The big push by the authors here is to take full sabbaticals, three to six months out of the office. The book is full of testimonials from people who've taken those kinds of sabbaticals and about the value it's brought to their lives. It reduces stress, it encourages creativity, and upon returning to work, these people report dramatic increases in productivity. The authors provide a fairly comprehensive list of tools to help you prepare for a sabbatical including financial planning and how to manage things like health insurance and retirement savings. Here is the bottom line, not everyone is going to be able to take three to six months off of work. In fact I'd venture to say that most people can't, I include myself in that. That being said, I think there's some important lessons in this book that can apply to most people's work experiences, and that's really what I want to focus on here. The first lesson is the importance of stepping away from work even for short periods of time. As the authors say, this provides perspective, it reduces tension and it generally improves the contentment you have with your job. When we operationalize this idea, it doesn't need to be big prolonged times away from the office, but things like turning off your email when you leave for work at the end of the day, or taking weekends off or stepping away from a project if you have eaten your time line to do so, so you can get some clarity about that project, think about in a way that's not time line driven or deadline driven. I know I have a problem with this as well. Mac, you're a great boss and you don't demand that I'm checking email over the weekends, but I have a hard time not checking email and part of that is just I don't want to be ambushed by a negative email on Monday morning kind of mentality. I know that the more I can step away on the weekends, the more fresh I am and the more productive I am on Monday morning coming in and addressing things at a more creative way. The other nugget of information I want to take out of this is that they talk a lot about the gift of time. That we need to give ourselves time to decompress from work, to think differently about work. I actually read this book when I was unemployed and the value I got from it was not taking a sabbatical, I was already kind of on a sabbatical but, treating that unemployment time as the gift of time, that because I didn't have a job, I could use this opportunity to think differently about what I wanted to do with my career, or think differently about projects or courses or issues or workplace dynamics that were important to me, or new ways to approach the kind of work that I knew I wanted to do. Taking advantage of that unemployment and that gift of time to reset my professional clock and my way of thinking. It's a really interesting book and again, I encourage everyone to read it whether you're working or looking to take time off or maybe you already have time off, there's a lot of good insights there. Again, the book is called Reboot your Life, Energize your Career and Life by taking a Break, and I'll include a link in the shout outs. Mac Prichard: Great. Thank you Ben and kudos to you for during your time of unemployment seeing that period as a gift of time. I certainly struggle myself, I got two long periods of unemployment in my career with just the anxiety that comes with not knowing where your next job is going to be. Intellectually, I think personally I was aware that well, I should take advantage of this time off but, I, myself found it hard to do because I thinking about how do I get that next job. Ben Forstag: Don't sing my praises too highly Mac, I panic just about everyday. It's this unfortunate reality that you either have time or you have money but rarely do you have both of them together. After a month of actively searching and driving myself nuts during unemployment, I came to this realization that I can use this time not just to find a new job but, to do other things with my life and kind of reframe how I think about things. Mac Prichard: Okay. Thanks. Well, do you have a suggestion for Ben? A book or a website or a podcast that has been helpful to you with your career or your job search? Write him at [email protected] and you may hear your suggestion on the show. Let's turn to you our listeners, our guest host this week is Aubrie DeClerck of Coaching for Clarity. She joins here in the studio to answer one of your questions. Aubrie, how are you? Aubrie De Clerck: I'm very good. How are you Mac? Mac Prichard: Good. What did you hear from our listeners this week? Aubrie De Clerck: Well, this is what we have this week. I paused my career for several years to raise my children. How should I explain that gap on my resume? What are the best ways to frame this experience with a potential employer? This can be a really painful question for a lot of people, that the gap is something where they have a lack of confidence, they put a lot of time and attention on this gap. One of the things I wanted to mention is there's a great article on Working Mother called Find the On-Ramp. On-Ramping is a phrase that's used a lot in these scenarios. It talks about speaking about that time regardless of whether you talk about that in terms of volunteer work, in terms of the work that you did at home, but doing that with confidence and not going into a lot of detail. I love that suggestion because we want to focus on what's going to open the doors for someone rather than go down this detailed trail around what that time at home was about. I think also looking at what was going on during that time and thinking about relevancy around the skills set and the contribution of the things that did happen, so that's the time at home or the time during volunteer work or connection around the community or doing part time which a lot of people dismiss, but has a lot of validity during this time. Making sure that the conversation and the threads that pull those things together relate directly to what an employer is asking about. That's one way of addressing with an employer let's say in a verbal context a lot of times, during an interview. When we take a look at the resume, there's a couple of choices that are there. Some people state they put something in specifically about their time at home that covers that gap so there isn't that an empty spot. You can fill that in with the things that I was already mentioning like the community involvement, the volunteer work, part time work or connection to the skills. A lot of times if people are home schooling their children, there's a lot to be said about the skills set that takes to do that in application to a future work. Mac Prichard: I think that's terrific advice Aubrie as a job seeker, when I've been unemployed for more than a few weeks, I've used my volunteer experience and plugged that into my resume. Then as an employer, when I'm reviewing resumes, I think that volunteer experience is certainly a valid use of time and I've also seen applicants talk about spending time at home caring for parents or raising kids and just having an explanation of some kind makes all the difference. Everybody has a parent or many of us have children, we're all going to sympathize and understand why people take that time away to do it. Aubrie De Clerck: Yeah, I think that's one of the things I'm looking forward to hearing Kristin talk about is what's an employer reaction to this kind of thing. I think we have a tendency and we are thinking about things that we perceive it's going to be difficult or challenging to tell a story about what employers response is going to be, "Oh, it's going to go like this. They're going to toss my resume out at the very beginning." I'm not saying that those things don't happen, I'm just saying that there's many different stories around the way that employers feel about their kind of experience and the values that they have and the connection like you're talking about Mac, to their own lives. And the willingness to have conversations about what that means for someone and see those connections between what that person's life experience has brought them and what that life experience can bring as a value to where they're working. Mac Prichard: Okay, good point. We'll certainly explore that in the interview Kristin. If you have a question for us, we'd love to hear from you. Please email [email protected]. These segments with Aubrie and Ben are sponsored by the 2016 edition of our book, Land your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We've made that book even better, we've added new content and now we're offering it in multiple formats, including the paper back and Kindle editions. For the first time, you can download it on your Nook, iPad, Kindle or buy it via us or Amazon as a paperback. Whatever the format, our goal is the same, to give you tools and tips you need to get the meaningful work you want that can make a difference. For more information, visit our website www.macslist.org\book and sign up for our special book newsletter, and get updates not available else where, exclusive book content and special prices. Let's turn to this week's guest expert, Kristin Schuchman. Kristin Schuchman works with professionals in transition, whether they're changing careers, starting businesses or relaunching into the work force after an absence raising kids or returning to school. Before focusing on career counseling, Kristin run a branding business and a women's magazine Nervy Girl. As a mother who returned to school after age forty, she's especially attuned to the needs of mid-life professionals in transition. Kristin, thanks for joining us. Kristin Schuchman: You're welcome. Thanks for having me. Mac Prichard: Yeah, I appreciate you making the trip downtown and coming to the Mac's List studio. We're talking today about returning to work at any age. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: I think for many of our listeners, that means time spent at home often raising a family or caring for a parent or other family member. What do you find in your work? What do people need to do first when they're ready to come back to the workplace after a long absence? Kristin Schuchman: Besides the obvious things around getting your resume in shape and what not, I think what's important to remember is to maybe be willing to be a little bit humble about what your expectations might be about going back into the workplace. Maybe take something not entry level but maybe a step behind of where you were before. It's not always necessary, but it's just willing to sort of be open to that. Mac Prichard: Tell us more about that because I think I've certainly been in periods in my career where my pride got the better of me and I thought, "Oh, no, I'd moved beyond that." Obviously, the show is not about me but I know that some people might think, "No, I'm senior enough," that I shouldn't have to take a step back. Why can that help people in the long run Kristin? Kristin Schuchman: Because I think it's important to remember that even if you have to take a step back that a lot of companies are willing to move you up pretty quickly, once they see that you have a drive. I've heard that New Season does actually really good about that, that if they know that you have a lot of potential and that you're really committed to their values and being a part of their family so to speak, that they will move you up within weeks, not just months or years. So, just to be open to that. I hate to say this but I find that it's harder for men to believe that than women sometimes. Mac Prichard: I can see that, yeah. Kristin Schuchman: Yeah, that they might have to ... I've heard that about that when the economy took a hit that it was easier for women to accommodate to that because of that, because women were willing to take less senior positions and yeah. Mac Prichard: Yeah, okay, so people have gotten their resume in order, updated their LinkedIn profile and they're looking for opportunities, they're ready to go back and they're mentally prepared to take a position a step or two below where they were when they last stepped out of the work force. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: What else should they think about? Kristin Schuchman: They should think about strategically volunteering and by strategically volunteering I mean volunteering in a way that is going to put them on the path to their career. A lot of times people when they come back to the work force after taking a break from like you said either parenting or care giving or what have you, an illness sometimes, they want to change because their priorities change, right. Those are the best examples of times when it's maybe a good opportunity to find an organization, and it doesn't have to be a non-profit, it can be, those are awesome places to volunteer and to get strategic volunteering experience. I like people to also think about community projects that they might not think of like if you hear that a farmers' market is getting started in your neighborhood, jump on board with that and you'll meet people from all walks of life and you'll pick up skills from not just the people that maybe are supervising the project but, but all around you. A lot of people join those projects who have given skills but they want to give back, so to be open to that. Mac Prichard: I'm a big fan in volunteering that I can imagine some of our listeners, friends and family might say, "Well, you know what you really need to do is start applying for jobs, and sit down and start looking at job boards or for the very old-fashioned, look in the newspaper." Kristin Schuchman: Sure. Mac Prichard: Why shouldn't that be the logical first step? Why can volunteering help you more perhaps when you're coming back into the workforce? Kristin Schuchman: If you're ready to jump back in, I think that's great. I think sometimes when you're in a period of transition where you're not sure if what you're next step is, stepping back and volunteering for a while can be great because it can give you the opportunity to not only explore the realms that you might not have explored before and see what that's like, and why not take advantage of that. Also, it can give you a chance to grow skills that may not be open to you in the workplace or like maybe grant writing might be a good example of that. You can't just go out and necessarily and go ahead and say, "I'm going to be a grant writer." Even if you've taken a couple of classes. In most cases, you're going to have to write a grant for someone to prove that you can win some grants or at least have some writing samples to prepare to other employers. That's what I would say to that. Mac Prichard: Okay, that makes perfect sense. What about people who say, "Well, gosh, I want to return to that professional I was pursuing, and I've got ten, fifteen, twenty years experience before I stepped out of the work force." Why does volunteering make sense for me now? Kristin Schuchman: It's not as competitive as it has been for the last several years but it's still competitive and you just going to want to show up those resources and get those recommendations, references that you're going to need when you go back into the work force. It doesn't mean you can't take a two pronged approach, apply for jobs by all means but also think about places where you might volunteer to get that experience that are going to put you on the right path. Mac Prichard: Not only the experience but the relationships ... Kristin Schuchman: The relationships, the networking exactly, growing your network and yeah. Mac Prichard: And the recommendations. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: You talked about expectations, Kristin about perhaps thinking about applying for a position a little more junior than the one you might have last had. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: What other expectations should people have when they're getting ready to go back to the workplace after a long absence? Kristin Schuchman: Things change and things seem to be changing more now than even with technology and things like social media that some people have different feelings about, let's put it that way. At the same time, there's sort of these things that are changing and there's [agism 00:21:14] and what not. Remember that you do have a lot to offer, you have years of experience that you can bring to the table and not to forget that and that can be, it can be really easy to feel kind of minimized in a youthful centric culture that we have. Remember that you do have experience and a lot to offer. I encourage people to remember that. Mac Prichard: Good. We were talking earlier in the show, we had a question from a listener about how to describe a period like this when you're out of the work force for some years, how to best describe it on you resume. The three of us were saying that we think that employers generally understand, they're just looking for an explanation. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: What's your best advice about how to not only talk about in your resume but in interviews about an absence from the workplace. Kristin Schuchman: Kind of what you just said, it's realizing that people do understand but, then also being ready to talk about it, being ready to maybe role play before your interview and talk about your absence and why it happened, and not to get plastered. We can often feel if we're taking care of kids for years at a time or parents or we're like ill and spending time doing things in coffee shops so we feel like our brain is rotting or what not. If you're able to speak about it succinctly and actually talk about the skills that that experience taught you, that being a mother taught me to multitask and taught me to prioritize, taught to make decisions quickly. Those things have value. Not every employer is going to get that and that's okay. The right employer for you, the one's that going to understand your lifestyle because it's probably pretty likely that you still have kids in the household if you're going back to work, or that your illness to recur, it's an illness that took you out of the work force. You're going to need a workplace that's going to understand that and be accommodating for you, so you're going to want to work for somebody who's not too hard nosed about it, if that makes sense. Mac Prichard: That makes perfect sense. I know you work with a lot of people who are making this transition back into the workplace. What are some of the most common concerns you hear? Kristin Schuchman: Just the idea that their priorities have changed, whether it's because they got divorced or because they experienced having kids and that changes you or this illness, an illness can be a life changing thing, taking care of a parent, all those things can make you reassess your earlier priorities. Often, I just hear people, "I just can't go back to that. I can't go back to managing data," or whatever it is and they want something that's going to be sort of more life affirming. Mac Prichard: As people go through that process Kristin of discovery, how do you see them get clear about what they want to do next and what steps do they take? Kristin Schuchman: We do a lot of self-exploration so we do things around looking at our values, a values assessment sort of sorts that we do with cards actually, and we look at skills in the same way, like what do you want to do for fifty percent of your day, what do you want to do for twenty-five percent of your day? What do you want to be a minor role in your day? That has a way of sort of just helping people to clarify. Things like the Myers Briggs is another tool we use to help people get some self-understanding. You might have heard of the strong inventory, we do that as well. Sometimes I have some other exercises I have people do. This one's a little bit more person specific, if they tell me they're a writer or they like to write, I like them to write their own obituary. It sounds a little morbid but it's a great exercise for determining what do I want to be written on my tomb stone, what do I want to have achieved in my life. Mac Prichard: I think that's a great exercise and it's actually the one I'm doing myself. Kristin Schuchman: Have you? Mac Prichard: Yeah, so it is very illuminating when you think about what you want to be remembered for. Kristin Schuchman: Right, and vision boarding is another thing that I've added recently that is really fun for people to do, yeah. Mac Prichard: Yeah, so what I'm hearing you say is that it's common for people to think about a different goals when they come back to the work force because ... Kristin Schuchman: That's right. Mac Prichard: ... Of an experience they've had with family or an illness or a parent. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: They need to be prepared to address that and get clear about what those goals are. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Part of that self-exploration is also determining what do you want your workplace to look like, do you want it to be a small startup? Do you want to go back into like a fast paced busy environment? Some people like that. Determining what you want that to look like. Mac Prichard: What are some other points you like to make when people are returning to the work force after a long absence? Things they should think about. Kristin Schuchman: They should be patient that it might take some time and to really not under emphasize the aspect of networking and a lot of introverts really get kind of freaked about that. What I say is I go back to that the never eat alone guy. Mac Prichard: Oh, Keith Ferrazzi. Kristin Schuchman: Yeah, I know it's an Italian name. Mac Prichard: Yeah, I think it's Keith Ferrazzi. I've actually got that book on my book shelf. Kristin Schuchman: Yeah. Mac Prichard: Never eat lunch alone again. Kristin Schuchman: Yeah, and just the idea that you ... Don't necessarily go to sort of dry, boring networking events that leave you feeling like standing in the corner. Go do things that like to do, go kayaking and network with your book group and also let people know even your friends that you're looking and you're exploring and people want good things for you so they want you to be linked up with opportunities. Mac Prichard: Good. What are some mistakes you've seen people make that our listeners should avoid? Kristin Schuchman: I think maybe the high expectations too soon. Being wanting that great job that they had before they left, again that $130,000 job, they want to get back into that right away and they might have to be patient and wait. Or wanting the great pay but they don't want a long commute, they don't want to work long hours. If you're working for a six figure job, you're probably going to be working long hours. Mac Prichard: Yeah. We need to start wrapping up Kristin, anything else you'd like to share with our listeners? Kristin Schuchman: Just, that I want to maybe add that I am really prepared to help people with more the solopreneur aspect of things too. A lot of people come to me and they end up at the end of it, particularly if they've been out of the workforce for a while, deciding that they want to start a business, so that's something that's ... I like people to just really think of that too, that it is an option and there's a solopreneur boom going on right now and to not dismiss that instinct that you might have to start a business. Mac Prichard: Yeah, self-employment isn't for everybody but I think the point you're making is a really important one which is that there are more opportunities to do that I think than there ever have been in the past. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: Depending on your goals, especially if they have changed, can make it be a very smart option. Kristin Schuchman: Right. Mac Prichard: Great, well, Kristin, thanks so much for joining us. Tell us, what's coming up next for you? Kristin Schuchman: Well, I'm getting in the spirit of entrepreneurship. I'm getting some groups started in the next month. One is going to be for people starting a business, and it will be about five people kind of a sounding board for people to come and put a bounce ideas of each other and work through their concepts. In some cases, a few people will be welcomed who don't quite know what they want to do. If they do know what they want to do, they would get started on getting a business plan started for them. Another group is more for creative people who have a business who have been doing it for a while but also want that sounding board, wanting that group of people to work with that will give them feedback and keep them motivated. Mac Prichard: I imagine people can find out more about that on your website. Kristin Schuchman: They can. Mac Prichard: Okay, terrific. You can find Kristin Schuchman online at www.aportlandcareer.com. Kristin Schuchman: That's right. Mac Prichard: All right. Kristin Schuchman: Thank you Mac. Mac Prichard: All right, thank you Kristin, thanks for joining us. Kristin Schuchman: Okay. Mac Prichard: We're back in Mac's List studio, Aubrie, Ben, what were some of the most important points you heard Kristin make? Aubrie De Clerck: The point that resonated with me most and I know will resonate with the listeners is this notion of when you take some time off that priority shift and change, and allow yourself sometime to re-evaluate what that might mean for your career. I think a lot of times we're in a rush to move from one thing to the next and transitions have their own natural flow and their own natural unfolding and so I appreciated the space that Kristin talked about, in creating one's own desires around what they want their work to look like and also patience with what happens after that. Mac Prichard: People for all the right reasons want to rush immediately to the application process and they start applying to job boards and positions they hear about online and if they're not clear about their goals and what they want, there could be a lot of ways to differ. Ben, how about you? Ben Forstag: Well, Kristin hit on one of our recurring themes on this podcast which is networking, networking, networking and how important networking is to finding a job. I liked her point about not just the formal go to industry events or mixers kind of networking, but the just putting yourself out there and letting your friends and your colleagues and your Facebook acquaintances and your kayaking club know that you are looking for work, because you don't know the kind of connections those people have and I know many, many people who found work through those kinds of connections. Mac Prichard: Yeah, word of mouth is a powerful to learn about job openings and you do that through networking. It doesn't have to mean going to an event where business cards are exchanged, it can be as simple as just chatting with your neighbors and friends or people you meet while walking your dog. Ben Forstag: Yeah, the key is just putting yourself out there and being open about what you're looking for and why you're looking for it and people are happy to help. Mac Prichard: Well, thank you both and thank you our listeners for joining us. We hope that you'll come back next week. In the mean time, visit us at macslist.org, where you'll find hundreds of jobs. You can read our blog and learn more about our new book, as well as get show notes and transcripts for this and other podcast shows. If you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. This helps us discover our show and helps us serve you and other job seekers betters. One of the reviews recently we received is from Pap RV who writes on our iTunes pages. "The folks at Mac's List are offering information, guidance and support for efficiently finding the right work in this economy. The traditional popularized approach is a dysfunctional game of chance says Pap RV. Spraying resumes and cover letters and praying for results works well only for the very few. These folks know what works and share it." Great contributions to the community, thank you. Thank Pap RV and thanks to the scores of other listeners who've left a review. We hope that you will take a moment and leave your own comments and ratings, just go to www.macslist.org\iTunes. Thanks for listening and we'll be back next Wednesday with more tips and tools you can used to find your dream job.

More than 10 million Americans work for nonprofits today. Even the Great Recession couldn’t stop growth in this sector. According to the federal government, the number of nonprofit jobs increased by 18% between 2000 and 2010. And that trend shows no sign of slowing down in the near future. And while the demand for skilled nonprofit workers is huge, it’s often be difficult for established professionals to transition into this sector. It can be a challenge to frame skills developed in the profit world in a way that resonates with nonprofits. Plus, there’s a huge amount of diversity within the nonprofit space. This week on Find Your Dream Job, Mac talks with Marcia Ballinger, an executive recruiter for nonprofit organizations and co-author of The 20-Minute Networking Meeting. Marcia shares her tips for how professionals in the private sector can make the jump into a nonprofit career. She believes it’s all about fit; you need to find the type of nonprofit--and a role within that nonprofit--that aligns with your skills, passions, and professional narrative. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: Why so many people want a nonprofit career The multiple paths into the nonprofit sector How to find the best “nonprofit fit” for your professional background Why you need to get specific and focussed in your nonprofit job search How to manage salary and benefit expectations when you move into the nonprofit space The role of passion and values in a nonprofit career This week’s guest: Marcia Ballinger, Ph.D. (@marciaballinger | LinkedIn)Co-founder and Principal at Ballinger | Leafblad, Inc.Co-author, The 20-Minute Networking MeetingMinneapolis, Minn. Listener question of the week:  I’m currently hunting for a job in the nonprofit space. I’ve recently saw an opening where the job duties perfectly align with my skills and professional interests; unfortunately I’m not really passionate about the organization’s mission. How should I address the “passion” issue during my interview? Answering our question this week is Aubrie De Clerck, principal at Portland-based Coaching for Clarity. If you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode, please contact us at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership Ballinger | Leafblad, Inc. The 20-Minute Networking Meeting Aubrie De Clerck - Coaching for Clarity Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.     

Among human resources professionals, it is commonly held that at least 85 percent of all resumes “suck.” Most resumes are are poorly written and formatted, and–most importantly–they don’t showcase the candidate’s value to the prospective employer. Where does your resume fall? Is it in the mediocre majority or the awesome, “non-sucky” 15%? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Dawn Rasmussen, president of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, shares her advice on crafting a resume that stands out, grabs employers’ attention and lands you the interview. Dawn reads from “The Secret Sauce of Kick-Butt Resume”, her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). If you’re looking for more advice on how to stand out as a stellar job candidate, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The updated 2016 edition is an A-to-Z reference guide for how to find and land the perfect job.  Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is Find You Dream Job. The pod cast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I’m Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac’s List. On today’s bonus episode, we’re sharing exclusive content from our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond compiles job search tips and career management tools into one simple easy to read guide. It’s the definitive tool kit for anyone looking for meaningful work. The book also includes special contributions from an array of job search experts and today you’ll hear from one of them. Here is Dawn Rasmussen, President of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, reading her contribution, The Secret Sauce to a Kick-Butt Resume. Dawn Rasmussen:  Ask any Portland area human resource manager, recruiter, hiring manager, or headhunter, and believe it or not, he or she will tell you that at least 85% of all resumes suck. I know. I’ve asked them. The good news is that there’s really a simple solution to this common problem. It’s all about shifting your perspective. You may think this document is all about you, but the truth is, it’s really about them. Them being the employer who’s reading your document. With this staggering statistic in mind, in order to get into the top 10% of awesome resumes, your goal and mission is to start thinking about what you’ve done in the past and start positioning your accomplishments as value. That means not simply including your job duties beneath each employer. You’ve got to do better than that. Now is the time to start keeping track of on-the-job accomplishments. What have you done to make it better? What problems have you solved? How have you helped the company reach its goals? Have you helped make money, save money, or save time? Fear not, you who have not kept track of such important things. Many times the answers to these questions lie in performance reviews, plans of work, staff reports, kudos letters, and many other recaps. If you don’t have access to these documents, then your best guess is your best guess, but always be honest and also be conservative. The same thing goes for quantifying your results. You should always try to put a number on your accomplishment statements that helps answer the question the employers have been thinking about when reading a candidate’s resume. Based on what this person did for the previous employer, what is he or she going to be doing for me? That’s the secret sauce to a kick-butt resume, when you can win them over with results not fluff. Mac Prichard:  If you’re looking for expert advice and insider tips like what you just heard, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. You’ll find everything you need to get a great job whether your in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. The 2016 edition includes new content and for the first time ever, it’s available in paperback, as well as in an array of e-reading devices including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. For more information on Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond, visit Macslist.org/book.

Every day we bring to our jobs unique talents and ideas that nobody else has.  When we have the opportunity to put that creativity to good use, our work becomes more rewarding and our employers and the customers we serve benefit. It is a myth that a creative career means a lifetime of poverty. Nearly 1.4 million Americans work in creative occupations. And while only a small number of those become famous household names, a vast majority maintain successful and rewarding creative careers. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking all about creative careers. We’re joined by Cory Huff, an actor, writer, and expert on the business of being a creative professional. Cory’s website, TheAbundantArtist.com, provides resources for creative professionals looking to better  market and sell their products and services. Cory shares tips on how to start and maintain a strong, independent, and financially sustainable creative career. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: Why a creative career doesn’t mean you’ll be a starving artist Why "business" and "marketing" can't be dirty words for a creative professional How to build a solid artistic career without being famous or “anointed” The irreplaceable value of relationships for creative professionals This week’s guest: Cory Huff (@AGoodHusband | LinkedIn)Actor and Owner, The Abundant ArtistAuthor, How To Sell Your Art OnlinePortland, Ore. Listener question of the week:  I really want to work for a specific company. I'm thinking about taking a lower level job to get my foot in the door, in hopes I’ll be able to move into the job I want. Is this a good idea? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to [email protected].  Resources referenced on this week’s show: Pixlr TheAbundantArtist.com Bohemians of the Latin Quarter: Scenes de la Vie de Boheme Matt Richards - Ekko Mobiles Chris Cornell How To Sell Your Art Online The Abundant Artist Conference | July 1-2, 2016 in Portland, Ore. Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Gender unfortunately matters in the workplace. Women, on average, earn less than men in virtually every single occupation. In 2014, female full-time workers in the United States made only 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21 percent. That pay gap has barely budged in 10 years and, at the current rate, it won’t close for decades to come. Women also struggle to move out of middle management and break through the glass ceiling into the highest level of leadership.  This week on Find Your Dream Job, we discuss how women can win in the workplace. We explore the dynamics behind gender discrimination and discuss tactics woman can use to overcome systemic hurdles. We’re joined author and journalist Farai Chideya, who has written extensively about race and gender in the workplace. Her newest book, The Episodic Career, explores the future of employment, identity, and personal satisfaction. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: The myriad factors that drive down pay for women Why you should “be your own archivist” and document your accomplishments before leaving a job How to strategically “lean in” when negotiating for salary or other benefits Why the most valuable professional leads can come from people you don’t know well Why gender discrimination is about more than just pay This week’s guest: Farai Chideya (@Farai | LinkedIn)JournalistAuthor, The Episode Career: The Future of Work in AmericaNew York, N.Y. Listener question of the week:  How can I position myself as an industry leader or expert in my field? And how important is it to do this? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to [email protected].  Resources referenced on this week’s show: AllBusinessSchools.com | Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today Farai Chideya MomsRising.org The Episode Career: The Future of Work in America Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation--and Positive Strategies for Change Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired at the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show was brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we published on February 1st, visit macslist.org/ebook. Gender matters in the workplace. Women on average earn less than men in virtually every single occupation. In 2014, for example, female full-time workers in the US made only $0.79 for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21%. That pay gap has barely budged in 10 years and at the current rate it won't close for decades to come. Women also struggle to move out of middle management and break through what's called the glass ceiling. Even though women hold more than half of the professional jobs in the United States they only make up 34% of middle managers, 14% of executive officers, and a mere 4% of CEOs. This week on Find Your Dream Job our topic is how women can win at work. I talk with author Farai Chideya about the factors that push down wages for women and how you can negotiate better with your boss. Ben Forstag has an infographic that gives you the facts about the gender gap and other problems women face in the workplace, and Cecilia Bianco answers a question about how you can position yourself as an industry leader. Ben, Cecilia, it's good to check in with you. Let's talk about this week's topic. What examples in your careers have you seen of gender discrimination. Cecilia Bianco: Not necessarily in my career, but I remember when I was in high school I had a friend whose mom was a news anchor and she had found out that her co-anchor was earning a lot more than her. It was a pretty big debacle and it ended in her leaving because she wasn't able to get the money she deserved from that company. It was in the media and it felt like a huge deal at the time. I don't think things have changed much since then, so it's a big topic for us today. Ben Forstag: Let me share a story from my wife's career. When she was out interviewing she happened to be visibly simple fact is they didn't want to hire someone who was going to take 3 to 9 months off to take care of a child, but those are pressures that many women face. Those are situations that many women see themselves in, and so finding ways to work around that is certainly key to helping women achieve equality in the workplace with men. Mac Prichard: A story that comes to mind for me is when I was in high school I had a job working at a restaurant at a hotel. I was in the morning shift with another person, a woman in her 30s. I was 17. It was a summer job for me and I enjoyed it, but she and I, I learned, made exactly the same amount of money, which to me was even, that kind of wage at 17 seemed extraordinary. It struck me for a lot of different reasons, but one was that for me it was a part-time job and I was saving for college and spending a lot of my income on things that teenagers buy. Music, fast food, putting gasoline in a car. For her, it was her whole income. I remember we didn't make a lot, just a little more than minimum wage, and she had to save for several months just to move from one apartment to another. That made a big impression on me. Ben, let's turn to the resource that you found for us this week. You're out there every week looking for blogs, podcasts, and books. What do you have for us? Ben Forstag: I want to start off this week with an infographic I found all about women in the business world. This comes from the website allbusinessschools.com and it entitled Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today. I'll admit it's a little bit odd to talk about an infographic, which is decidedly a visual medium, on a podcast, which is a audio medium, but I'm going to try to do this anyway. I'm a big sucker for a good infographic. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, and this one is particularly good. It's super in-depth and it makes what you're seeing easier to comprehend. Mac Prichard: I certainly love visuals too. If you ever visit us here at the Mac's List office you'll find an infographic on the refrigerator. Ben Forstag: What I really liked about this infographic was that it nicely frames both the accomplishment women have made in the business world as well as the lingering barriers they face. For example, in 1965 only 1.2% of graduates from the Harvard Business School were women. Want to take a guess of what that number's going to be in 2017? Cecilia Bianco: I hope that it's a lot higher, but ... Ben Forstag: You are right. It's going to be 41% female, which is still not on par with men but certainly a huge jump. This is representative of a general overall trend of women excelling in terms of higher education. Right now women have 60% of all the undergraduate degrees, 60% of all the graduate degrees, and 45% of all advanced business degrees, which is really exceptional. The infographic also includes information about the highest paid female executives and other benchmarks of success for women in the workplace. Of course we all know that women face a lot of professional challenges, and to be blunt the playing field is not equal at all. Across all levels of employment, as Mac mentioned earlier, women only make about $0.79 on the dollar compared to men. Things are slowly getting better, but there's a lot of room for improvement. One of the most shocking facts I found in this infographic was this, that at the current rate of progress, women won't achieve pay equity with men until 2058. Cecilia Bianco: Wow. That's way too long. Hopefully that doesn't play out in reality. Ben Forstag: Are you willing to wait, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Not really, no. Mac Prichard: Not to be gloomy, but it is a gloomy number. When I got out of college, Cecilia, I remember going to an event and someone there had a button that said $0.63, and this was way back in 1980, 35 years ago now. I said, "What's that about?" She said, "That's what a woman makes compared to a man." I thought that number, "Oh, that can't last. That's going to go up." Here we are 35 years later. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. We're crawling at this pace. Ben Forstag: It's bizarre because this is such a political issue that gets brought up over and over again, but we just don't see a whole lot of movement on it. The other shocking status in this infographic was that women are significantly underrepresented in the highest levels of executive management, as Mac brought up. The one stat I pulled out that I thought was crazy is that women are only 16.9% of board members at fortune 500 companies. That's just shocking. I mean, most of these companies at least 50% of their customers are women, but the folks running the organization are not, which is insane. If this is a topic you're interested in, and I think we all should be, I'd suggest you check out this infographic. It's "Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today." I'll put the URL in our show notes. I also want to do a quick plug for an organization that I've a friend who works for that is doing a lot help close that pay gap and helping women in the workforce. The organization is called momsrising.org. One of the reasons that women face so many barriers in the workplace is because they have most of the burden of taking care of children. That means watching the children on a day-to-day basis from 9-to-5 when many people go to work. That means taking maternity leave for young children. That means taking time off when your child's sick, and frankly a lot of organizations don't offer paid sick leave, maternity leave, or any childcare benefits as part of an employment package. MomsRising works with local governments and state governments to try to implement mandatory paid sick days, mandatory maternity leave, issues like that. If, again, this is an issue that you find important and that you want to do something about, I certainly suggest you check out their website. It's momsrising.org. Mac Prichard: Thanks, Ben. Ben loves to do research, but he also welcomes your help. If you have an idea for him or suggestion, a favorite website, book, please write him. His email address is [email protected]. Now let's turn to you, our listeners, and to Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. Cecilia, you're here with us every week to answer our listener's questions. What do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: This week I had a reader tweet at me and ask, "How can I position myself as an industry leader expert in my field, and how important is it to do this?" When I think of industry leaders and experts, I think of people who have a strong and present voice in their field. Having a voice these days typically starts online through platforms we all have access to and can use, blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and really any platform where your voice is going to reach many people. If you want to position yourself as an expert or leader, you want to get your voice out to as many people and groups as possible and find ways to prove your credibility. Writing's a good place to start since it's an easy way to share your thoughts, especially online, and build a following of people who agree with you. Speaking at professional or industry groups in your sector is another great way to prove credibility because 1, someone has endorsed you and your voice in order to book you to speak, and 2, you're growing your network through new people in the audience. Mac, you're seen as a community leader in our field, how do you think others can position themselves as experts or leaders? Mac Prichard: A strategy that could work for anybody is to be generous and share what you know. You've laid out specific strategies that people could follow to do that, Cecilia, whether it's sharing their ideas through blogs or social media posts, I think that would serve anybody well. I would just add in addition to being generous in sharing your expertise, be consistent. You don't have to publish on the hour every hour, but if you are going to commit to, say, doing a blog, commit to a schedule. It could be as little as once a week, or if you're going to run a social media account or post, say, to your LinkedIn page, find a schedule that works for you and then stick to it and people will come to expect to hear from you. They'll look forward to it as well. Ben Forstag: I'll just echo what Mac said. I think it's so important to help other people in your field. When you help others you really position yourself as a leader and as someone with integrity. I think if you can match subject matter expertise and integrity you can't lose. Cecilia Bianco: To answer the second part, as far as how important this is to be and industry leader, I think that really depends on what level you're at in your career. Obviously entry-level people can and should mimic the actions of leaders in their field, but it's unlikely at that stage that others are going to look to you as an expert or a leader. Once you're at a higher level, it's a little bit easier because you likely have years of experience that back up your opinions and your ideas. When you're just starting out I don't think it's a priority to be seen as an expert or a leader. It's more important to focus on getting that experience that you need. Once you're further along, making an effort to become an expert in your field can go a long way towards career stability and future success. Do you guys agree with that assessment? Ben Forstag: Absolutely. I think it's important that being an expert in your field, it's more than just style. Frankly, you see a lot of folks in the online world who, they produce a lot of content and a lot of style behind it but there's not much substance behind it. I think unless you really have mastery of your subject and you're new to the field, trying to position yourself as an expert is probably not going to work. You need to get a little bit of experience before you can really sell yourself as that expert. Cecilia Bianco: Right. I think that has to do a lot with proving your credibility before you try to be a leader in that field. Ben Forstag: Absolutely. Mac Prichard: I agree. One way to get that experience and then acquire that knowledge is buy curating content that others create. One of the biggest challenges that we all face is that we're overwhelmed by information. Somebody who sifts through what's out there in a particular field and presents the best ideas that they're seeing is doing a great service and building relationships and providing value and serving others along the way. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I definitely agree. Mac Prichard: Okay. Well, thank you Cecilia. If you have a question for us here at Mac's List, please email us at [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better. We've added new content and published the book on multiple e-reader platforms. Now that we've launched the revised version of the book on February 1st, for the first time you can read Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond on your Kindle, your Nook, or your iPad. You can also order a paperback edition. Up until now you've only been able to find it as a .PDF, but whatever the format, our goal is the same: to give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. To learn more visit macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our newsletter. We'll send you special publication updates, share exclusive book content, and provide you with great prices. Now let's turn to this week's guest expert. We're pleased to have with us Farai Chideya, who is an award-winning author, journalist, professor, and lecturer. She has a new book out. It's called The Episodic Career: How to Thrive at Work in the Age of Disruption. I had the chance to read it over the weekend. I highly recommend it. Definitely add it to your Amazon wishlist. Farai currently teaches at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She also frequently appears on public radio and cable television. She's a graduate of Harvard University where she earned a BA. Farai, thanks for joining us. Farai Chideya: I'm really delighted. Mac Prichard: It's a pleasure to have you, particularly to talk about this week's topic, how women can win at work. I think when many listeners think about the subject, the first thing they go to is the pay gap. We talked about that earlier in the show. What are some of the factors, Farai, that drive down pay for women? Farai Chideya: One of the most prominent ones in our day and age is the life cycle of women versus men. Women are much more likely, even now, than men to be involved in hands-on care giving. Of course immediately we think about children and women leaving jobs or not going on a fast track at a career because they have to, and want to, spend time with their children. There's also elder care giving, there's any number of moments at which people of both genders are asked to step up and women are somewhat expected to step up. I think that there's certainly a lot to women wanting to be a part of care giving, but there's also a cultural expectation around it. There's also, unfortunately, not a lot of infrastructure when it comes to women being able to step out of the workforce and then step back in. That's one of the biggest problems is that when women take that time for care giving or for other reasons and try to reenter the workforce, they find it very difficult to get back in. Mac Prichard: Let's pause there for a moment, Farai. What advice do you have for women who are about to take that time away from the workforce and for those who want to get back into it? All of us here at Mac's List, we hear from a lot of job seekers. This is a common issue and people are looking for successful strategies that they can use to make that transition. What have you seen work? Farai Chideya: I definitely think networking is the biggest solution. The reality is that most people have some set of close network ties. That is not actually what is most likely to get you a job. It's the weaker ties of people who are on the outer edges of your circle who have very different life experiences, sometimes than you, and they're seeing you through a little bit more of a remote lens. They're not your best friend. Maybe they're that person you went to college with and you see at a reunion every now and then. It's really important to go to those people to expand your vision of what opportunities are available to you. Also, as long as there's a good base for the relationship, even people who are not deep personal friends of yours will give that much needed recommendation and say, "You should really hire Jane or you should really hire Keisha. This is someone who I can vouch for." That very specific, personal, "I'm vouching for this person," is the way to go and often is a way for women to reenter the workforce. There's also great job training programs available to some people, not everyone. In the book I profile people who have switched careers through federal job retraining programs, sometimes by teaching themselves, so self-taught computer programmers or people who teach themselves even something like scrapbooking, which now is a skill that you can market to other people. People hire professional scrapbookers to help them organize their memories. There's also sometimes a transition where you can work part-time in a new field while raising children or while care giving, and then work your way all the way into a full-time job. Mac Prichard: Okay. If you're getting ready to get back into the workforce, think about how networking can help you. I agree completely with your point about the value of weak ties. It's surprising how sometimes the most valuable leads and recommendations can come from people that you only know slightly. I'm also hearing you say look into job training programs that might be available through state or federal government. There might be opportunities there. Then think about reinvention about new careers or opportunities. Those are good strategies for people getting back into the workforce. What about people who are getting ready to leave to care for a parent or a child, a woman, what should she think about before she leaves with an eye towards that reentry, which might be months or even years later? Farai Chideya: First of all, there's an increasing tendency of people to do exit documentation when leaving a job. This is obviously leaving a job under friendly circumstances. Let's say that you're pregnant or you are taking time out for a family leave and you know that you're probably not going to come back for a while. Sit down and say, "I want to just document the work that I've done over the past year and the skill sets I have. I'd like us to produce a document that I can take with me." You have to be delicate about it. If you're not planning to leave the company permanently you can say, "I'd love you to put this in my personnel file." Also keep a copy for yourself because workplaces change. If you know that you're really not coming back, but you're on good terms with who you're working with, you just say, "Well, you know I know there's probably not going to be a job for me by the time I'm ready to work again, but I'd love you to write a permanent documentation and recommendation that I can take with me when I either come back to this company or go elsewhere." You have to basically be your own archivist. You have to document your own career, you have to have people sign off on things, and don't just go back to someone 5 years later and expect them to know what you did. Take care of that beforehand and take it with you. Mac Prichard: Yeah, that's a great idea. An even more tactical suggestion I've seen people follow is just getting something as simple as LinkedIn endorsements or recommendations from supervisors and co-workers before you leave a position. Whether you're moving onto a new organization or you're going to leave the workforce for a period. Let's talk about pay. You mentioned how the life cycle, how it influences wages for women, what about negotiating salary? What advice do you have for salary negotiations? Farai Chideya: Well, this is a huge hot issue right now because women have been told to lean in. Then women have been told you can't lean in, that's fiction. Really, you have to be strategic about how you lean in. There's a professor at Carnegie Mellon, Linda Babcock, and she wrote a book, Women Don't Ask, Negotiation and the Gender Divide. Basically, she has done all these studies that show that when women make a direct ask in a negotiation like, "I got this job offer from these other people. Can you raise my salary?" Companies react fairly badly to that for women only. Men are allowed to say, "This is my market value. I'm laying it on the table. What can you do for me?" Women are viewed as disloyal. It's a very gendered and emotionally fraught workplace culture around women and negotiation. You have to make a case as a woman for why your advancement or your higher pay or whatever is good for the company, good for everyone. Women are being asked to make a group argument, whereas men are allowed to make a bit more of a unilateral argument. Just understanding that allows you to frame things. Mac Prichard: Money matters a lot in negotiation about pay. What are some of the other measures of success that women should consider when going into those conversations? Farai Chideya: Certainly women and men should also consider, "How am I going to be evaluated?" Some companies unfortunately really look at productivity as just hours in the office. You may not be that great, but if you're there for 8 to 10 hours you are amazing. I co-authored a book previous to this about women in the technology industry and this one woman talked about how she was told by her boss that she was working "mommy hours." She worked the same number of hours as men, but because she was raising a child she wanted to start earlier in the day and leave earlier in the day. She was working just as hard doing just as much work, but she was working "mommy hours." She left the company. She was like, "I'll never succeed here if people don't recognize how hard I'm working." One of the things you need to ask is, based on my needs, what is my desired schedule and can my company accommodate that? If the company can accommodate it, you need to be very clear and say, "I'd like to come to work at 5:30 in the morning. I know most people won't be here. I'll do my heavy duty project work there. Then when people come in we'll do our collaborative work and I'm going to be gone by 3:30 in the afternoon and go home and be with my family." If you get a negative reaction to that, you have to think about it. I also don't want to pretend that it's just something that women with children need to think about because again there are many different factors. I have friends who are serious athletes well into their 40s and 50s, and they play in ... One of my friends actually is the reigning Golden Gloves champion, "senior champion," which just means that she's in her 40s. She's a female boxer. She's married. She has 2 kids. She's got a great, happy life, but boxing is important to her, and so she has a schedule where she can go and be this amazing national champion boxer. You may have any number of reasons for asking for a specific schedule, but scheduling is really important. Mac Prichard: Certainly that's an issue that comes up a lot when employers talk about millennials in the workforce wanting to have flexibility. I think your point here is an important one. It's all age groups and women and men that are increasingly look for that kind of flexibility. The glass ceiling is real. It exists in the workplace. What advice do you have for women who are seeking promotions and how they can move up? Farai Chideya: I do want to point out although we've been talking about the life cycle, which is how I framed things initially, that according to studies at least 12% of the pay differential between women and is due to "other factors," which basically means sexism. It's a polite way of saying sexism. When you control for everything, women still earn less. I definitely feel like when it comes to looking at the big picture of pay, time, advancement, you have to seek out people who you trust and then if they slip in that trust you have to remind them of the kind of social contract that holds you together. Like, "Well, I don't want to be annoying about this, but when Jason asked for so and so, he got such and such." There's a precedent for this, or if there isn't a precedent for something you're asking for in your workplace you can acknowledge that and say, "I know no one has ever done this before, but based on my record of productivity, blah, blah, blah." When you're talking about whether it's salary, scheduling, all of the other factors that are important, you have to really seek out people you trust, but also be willing to give them a little nudge if they're not acknowledging your skills. Mac Prichard: Right. Be clear about what you want and have a clear ask. Farai Chideya: Exactly. Mac Prichard: We need to start wrapping up, Farai. Tell us about what's coming up next for you. Farai Chideya: Well, I'm touring with this book The Episodic Career. I'm doing some dates in various parts of the country. For me, I just did a date in New York and it was at the Harvard Club of New York, and so one presumes a very educated crowd and a white collar crowd. Let me tell you, everybody there was focused on the anxieties of the modern workplace. Whether I'm talking to people who are more middle income, higher income, everyone is anxious right now. I'm really doing a lot of active listening as I get to enjoy going around the country and talking to people about this book. I'm really listening to what people have to say because there's a lot of anxiety and fear. One of the things I really want to stress to people is that we all deserve to lead good lives. Work should not be a constant fly in the ointment. If your work is a fly in the ointment, you really need to think expansively about what kind of work you want and how it fits in with your life and look towards those personal factors of satisfaction and being in a good, comfortable zone with the choices you've made. We all make choices. Not all of them are comfortable for us, but you have to at the end of the day say, "I made the choice that's right for me." It's about self evaluation. In the book I have a tool called the work-life matrix that really tries to integrate the personal with the work because at the end of the day it's not just about a pay check, it's not just about advancement. It's about what kind of life you get to lead. Mac Prichard: I was impressed by the number of tool and tactics that you had in your book. They're practical things that people can do to act on those choices. I encourage people to dig into it. Good, and I imagine the dates of your book tour are on your website. Farai Chideya: Yes. If you go to farai.com, F-A-R-A-I.com, you'll find both the dates of the book tour and some press that we've gotten and a few different excerpts of the book. There's a lot of material there and hopefully I'll be getting to a lot more cities over the course of the coming months. Mac Prichard: Good. I know people can also find you on Twitter. Your handle is @farai, F-A-R-A-I. We'll be sure to include that, the website, and the books you've mentioned in the show notes as well. Farai, thank you so much for joining us and it's been a pleasure having you on the show. Farai Chideya: I have been so delighted and I really think the work that you're doing is critically important. Thanks so much. Mac Prichard: We're back in the Mac's List studio. Cecilia, Ben, what are your thoughts after hearing Farai? Cecilia Bianco: I thought she had a bunch of really great information and tips for how to navigate your work life. I loved her point about being your own archivist because I think a lot of people forget to do that and then they regret it later on. That was an important takeaway for me. I just liked how she made work more about what type of life you want to lead and now just what type of job you want to be doing. I think that goes a long way towards your work life balance and your happiness overall. She had great tips. Mac Prichard: Good. What are your thoughts, Ben? Ben Forstag: My blood is still boiling over that mommy hours response that one of her clients got at an employer. That's just ridiculous. Obviously, I'm not a mother myself, but I am a father, and I understand the value and importance of getting home and spending time with your kids before they go to go bed. Any employer who doesn't recognize that, I can't think of anything nice to say about those kind of organizations. In terms of tactical advice what she gave, the most important thing is being clear with your ask and with your demands of an employer. Unfortunately you can't just expect employers to give you what you want or to respect the work-life balance, so you need to go in with targeted requests and say, "Here's the value I'm bringing to the organization and here's what I expect back in return." Hopefully you've got reasonable employer who will meet those requirements that you have. Mac Prichard: I think having a clear ask is just vital. I think I've made this point before on the show. There's an old lobbyist I know, or experienced lobbyist I should say, who says the definition of a failed meeting is when you get up from that appointment and there's no clear next steps. That happens because people don't have a clear ask. It's great advice. Thank you all for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. If you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. This increases our standing in the iTunes career chart and helps us reach more people and help more job seekers. We have 2 reviews we'd like to share with you this week. Ben, would you like to share one? Ben Forstag: Sure. This one comes from [boney girl 00:32:16] who writes, "This is really valuable stuff. It kind of smashed old assumptions and expectations and offered a totally new approach that is energizing and exciting. Thanks for the wake up kick in the butt." You're welcome. Glad you found value there. Mac Prichard: All right. I have a review from [red dirt girl 00:32:33] who writes, "I will be graduating with my Bachelor's degree in 1 year and this is giving me so many helpful tips and recommendations that I'm already putting to use." Thank you red dirt girl for sharing that and we hope that you'll take a moment and leave your own rating and review. In the meantime, thanks for listening.

Few people's careers play out exactly as planned. Changes of interest, new opportunities, and life in-general all interfere with the perfect, linear career plans we made with high school guidance counselor. But even if you don't know exactly where you career is going, you can still control its direction. The key is being clear about what's important to you as a person and a professional. You don't need a detailed roadmap--just some guiding principles. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ben Forstag, Mac's List managing director, shares the fundamental concepts that have driven that have animated his career. Ben reads "Four Principles to Guide Your Career", his contribution to Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). If you’re looking for more advice on building a meaningful and rewarding career, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The updated 2016 edition will help you get clear about your professional goals and provide you with actionable steps for getting where you want to be. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! -- Full Transcript Mac Prichard:    This is Find You Dream Job. The pod cast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. On today's bonus episode, we're sharing exclusive content from our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond compiles job search tips and career management tools into one simple easy to read guide. It's the definitive tool kit for anyone looking for meaningful work. The book also includes special contributions from an array of job search experts and today you'll hear from one of them. Here's Ben Forstag, Managing Director of Mac's List reading his contribution, Four Principles to Guide Your Career. Ben Forstag:  Four Principles to Guide Your Career. Careers develop continuously over forty or fifty years of our working lives. They're subject to both internal forces, like family dynamics and changes of interest and external ones like the economy and the local job market. Accordingly, I've always been dubious about mapping out an entire career in advance. The linear progressions of model career development, law school, clerkship, federal prosecutor, night circuit, supreme court, rarely play out so cleanly in real life. I've certainly worked to navigate my career's direction. However, rather than targeting a predetermined destination, I focus on the journey itself. My career plan is less a road map, than it is a set of four practical guidelines. Here they are. Do what you're good at. We've all heard the dictum do what you love. This is great advice if you have strong passions and a clear vision for how to monetize them, but sometimes, the things we love most don't translate into a job that pays the bills. At least, not right away. In these situations, I urge people to focus first on their skills rather than their passions. Do what you do well. Skills can transfer to different jobs, industries and interest. Focusing on professional strengths gives your career flexibility while also eliminating potential avenues to work in the field of your choice. Ultimately, passion and skill are two sides of the same coin. There's a reason you're good at some things and not others. Your skill set is a reflection of the interest and enjoyment you derive from doing those activities. In this sense, doing what you're good is actually a way to do what you love. Keep learning. Taken by itself, the do what you're good at rule could lead to a monotonous and boring career. That's why it's important to stay curious and explore new interests and skills. Read books and blogs, take classes, network outside of your field. Do anything that exposes you to new ideas. You may discover professional interests that you never imagined. Throughout my own career, I've tried to say, 'yes' to learning opportunities whenever they appear. As a result, I've gained new passions for statistics, data analytics and coding. A surprising development for someone who went out of his way to avoid math classes in college. Stay balanced. It's good to be passionate about your job, but it's also important to have passions outside of the office. One of the best things you can do for your career is to have a healthy work/life balance which provides an escape valve from the stresses of work. It can also insulate you from the inevitable down periods of your professional life. Live your own dream. This is the final rule, but perhaps the most important. You have to evaluate your career according to your own criteria, not anyone else's. Measuring yourself against other people's success is like trying to live their dream rather than your own. Try to focus on what you want in life to do. Without worrying about what others may think. Remember, professional contentment is neither objective nor relative. The only question is whether your job and career path bring you happiness. Mac Prichard:  If you're looking for expert advice and insider tips like what you just heard, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. You'll find everything you need to get a great job whether your in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. The 2016 edition includes new content and for the first time ever, it's available in paperback, as well as in an array of e-reading devices including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. For more information on Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond, visit Macslist.org/book.

Everybody knows that changing jobs regularly is the new normal. The days of working for just one or two employers through your adult life are long gone. But what about switching not just jobs, but careers? Most of us will be in the workplace for four decades or more, so it’s a choice each of us will face. In fact, we may have three or four distinct careers over the course of our working lives. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about the challenges and benefits of changing your career. Our guest expert is Michelle Hynes a career coach who specializes in helping people in the midst of work transitions. Michelle has, herself, gone through several career changes. She shares her insights on how to reinvent yourself, not just to improve your marketability, but also to increase your happiness. In this 30-minute episode you will learn: Why everyone--no matter your age--needs to plan for career change How changing careers can empower you as a professional and improve your life How to use informational interview to guide your career change The importance of continuing education, training, and certification How to manage the uncertainty involved in switching careers Resources for older professionals looking for an “encore career” This week’s guest: Michelle Hynes (@mhynesPDX | LinkedIn)Principal, Michelle Hynes ConsultingPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week:  What advice do you have for working professionals who would like to shift careers to a new field? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Michelle Hynes: Coach, Consultant Growth Guide Encore.org: Second Acts for the Greater Good The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life Encore 2016 Conference: February 9-11, 2016 The 20-Minute Networking Meeting Laura Carstensen: The Longevity Dividend Laura Carstensen: Older People Are Happier Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.  

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to do something different in your career? The list of changes you seek in the next 12 months could include a raise, a promotion, or a new job. Or maybe you want to improve your professional skills by stepping up your networking, increasing your industry knowledge, or adopting new work habits.   Whatever your goal, you’re not alone. More than 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, according to some estimates. (Alas, research suggests only about 8% of people stick to those resolutions.) So what are you doing to ensure your professional resolutions turn into a reality? This week on Find Your Dream Job, Mac talks with Victoria Crispo, career development expert and manager of career content at Idealist. Victoria shares her advice on how to set and attain achievable career goals so that 2016 is a year you move closer to your dream job. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: How to unpack your big career goals into specific and measurable objectives Why you need an accountability partner The biggest mistakes to avoid when you’re setting career goals Tips for making big (and possibly scary) career choices This week’s guest: Victoria Crispo (@_AskVictoria | LinkedIn)Manager of Career ContentIdealistNew York, N.Y. Listener question of the week:  Should people who want to relocate move before they have a new job lined up? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Ten Questions You Should Ask When Facing A Tough Career Decision The Scientifically Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears IdealistCareers.org Stickk.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT   Mac Prichard:   This is "Find your Dream Job," the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of "Mac's List." Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, "Land your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, on February 1st, actually, visit MacsList.org/ebook. A new year means a new start, and as 2016 beings, you're probably making resolutions to something different in your career. The list of changes you want to see in the next 12 months may include a raise, a promotion, and a new job, or maybe you want to improve your professional skills by stepping up your networking, increasing your industry knowledge, or adopting new work habits. Whatever your goal, you're not alone. More than 40% of Americans make New Years resolutions, according to some estimates. In spite of those good intentions, however, most of us don't have much success in keeping our promises to ourselves. Researchers at the University of Scranton found that only 8% of Americans achieve their goals. This week on "Find your Dream Job," we're talking about resolutions, why most of them fail, and why those that stick work. We're recording this in January, but the issues that we're talking about and the information we'll share with you today you can use in any month. Our guest expert this week is Victoria Crispo, who will tell us what people who are successful at keeping their resolutions do differently. Cecilia Bianco, our community manager, has advice about what to do if you're thinking about this is the year that you move to a new town. Ben Forstag, our managing director, has 2 blog posts you can use to make difficult career decisions. All right, Cecilia, Ben, let's talk about your New Years resolutions before we move onto our guest expert and our resources this week. What's on your list? Cecilia Bianco:  Well, for me, I try to make my resolutions based on something I learned in the previous year. Last year, I learned that if I don't keep up with having all my work organized, then I kind of start to fall apart. In the coming year, I want to make a huge effort to stay organized throughout the entire year. Ben Forstag:     For me, I want to be better about getting out there networking on a regular basis, going to industry events, and just social mixers here in town, just so I can meet other professionals in Portland and in other areas. In the past, I've always done that sporadically, and my goal now is to set a regular schedule, a modest schedule, maybe once or twice a month, but have a schedule and go do that consistently. Mac Prichard:    Good. For me, I've found in the past that I have the most success when I just focus on just one or two things, so one of my resolutions last year was to publish the Mac's List book. We brought that out as a PDF this year. The 3 of us have talked about the new e-course that we hope to introduce in the second half of the year, and that's on my to-do list. I'm curious, before we move on, are there tips that you have for our listeners about once you make those resolutions, the things you do that you find make it more likely that they'll happen? Cecilia Bianco:  I find that if I set aside time on my calendar to actually meet that goal, then I'll end up doing it. Setting a weekly reminder on Fridays, or something like that, "It's time to get organized," will keep me on track. Mac Prichard:    I'm also impressed, Cecilia, we share our calendars as a team, when I see that you blocked out time on your calendar to do certain tasks. That prevents the rest of us from interrupting you by scheduling meetings or appointments. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, it helps. Ben Forstag:    I think for me it's about setting realizable goals for yourself. There's always this inclination, when you set a resolution, to say, like, "I'm going to go from not running ever to running a marathon this year." That's a nice audacious goal, but sometimes it's just too much. It's really hard to reach that goal. The moment you find that you're not on the right step in the progress, you just give up. I would say for me, my goal is not to go to a networking each week. It's once a month, right. It's a modest goal. I can do it. It's achievable, and if I can do that for the next 6 months, then maybe I can adjust my plan and say, "It will be twice a month, now, or 3 times a month, or once every week." Just setting realistic goals that you know you can hit, but that are going to create a real effective change in your life. Mac Prichard:    Keep it realistic. Put it on your calendar, and those are ways you can make it happen. Speaking of resources, let's turn to Ben, who is out there all the time looking for tools you can use. What have you found for us this week, Ben? Ben Forstag:   This week, we're talking about career resolutions. Resolutions, as you know, often involve some kind of change, taking a new job position, going back to school, confronting your professional challenges, and things like that. Change can be scary, right? Especially if we're talking about taking a step into the unknown, something that you're unfamiliar with, taking that new job, where it's a big question mark of what it's really going to be like. This week, I'm sharing 2 blog posts that I've found that can help you manage your fears and make the right career decisions, the right career decisions for yourself, that is. The first post is from the Life Hack blog, and it's titled, "10 Questions You Should Ask When Facing a Tough Career Decision." The author provides some good, high-level questions you should think about whenever your career is at a fork in the road. I'm going to kind of cover this broadly, here. It's a post I'd suggest you go through and read because the author does go into each of these questions in detail. In general, his questions are: Are you willing to learn new things? Will you learn about yourself? Does this new opportunity scare you? Does a new opportunity change the way you think about success? For example, have you been thinking about success solely in terms of money, and then this new opportunity re-frames success as fulfillment, social good, or something like that? Does it excite you to talk about it? Does it affect people in your life, and how does it affect them? Is it fiscally responsible? Does it elevate your skills? In other words, how does this position position you for future career choices you have to make? Is it an advancement in skills and opportunities, or is it stepping back? Is it in line with your brand? Does it provide value? In other words, does it solve major problems or improve the quality of life? Simply, these aren't clear yes-no questions. This is not the cheat sheet for making decisions in your life. These are really more open prompts. They get you thinking about the full impact, cost, and benefits of a prospective change. I love how each question frames the decision-making process around your own needs as a professional. I'd really suggest you check that out. Again, it's, "10 Question You Should Ask When Facing a Tough Career Decision," and it's in the Life Hack blog. I'll have the URL to that in the show notes. Mac Prichard:    That's a great list. One thought that occurred to me as you were talking, Ben, is a question I saw posed on a different blog, which is: When you think about how you want to be known professionally, whether it's as a manager, speaker, or a writer, ask yourself: How are you spending your time doing those things, and does your calendar reflect that? If it doesn't, then something's out of whack. Ben Forstag: Yeah. I think these questions are kind of the micro way of getting at that general, big question in there because I think sometimes that's a little bit too big of a thing to figure out or to put into your mind. This really gets at that. I particularly like the question about, "Does it fit with your brand?" That's just a fancy way of saying, "Does this fit with who you see yourself as and who you want to be as a professional?" Sometimes, people make decisions that don't fit with their brand. I think, at the long run, that's typically a bad decision. It's something you want to think about when you're making that big career change, whatever kind of change that is. The other blog post I want to share is from the Muse. It's called, "The Scientifically-Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears." I'll admit, this title is a little bit click-baity, but I think the content in here is really good. We can excuse that title. We all know that sometimes fear immobilizes us and makes it almost impossible to make a good career decision. I know this has been true for myself in the past. I was once in a job that I was miserable at. Every day was painful to go to work. I didn't like it here at all. I didn't leave because I had this voice in my head that says, "What happens if you leave? You'll never get another job. You'll be destitute on the street." That's all just crazy talk in your head. (laughter) Mac Prichard:    I think we've all had that, that vision. Ben Forstag:    So we're all a little crazy, right? Mac Prichard:    Mine involves sleeping in a cardboard box. Ben Forstag: Okay, well maybe we can be neighbors, when we meet. I like this blog because it shares some tips on how you can overcome that knee-jerk fear reaction that you have, which is often not based in anything real. The author borrows from some controlled exposure strategies that psychologists use to treat other fears, like the fear of flying, or arachnophobia. Basically, it's a 3-step process. 1: Analyzing the fear, figuring out where that fear comes from, what it's costing you, how it manifests, and so forth. 2: Creating a plan to slowly expose yourself to that fearful situation so that you can give yourself a little leeway and test the waters without jumping right into something that you find scary. Then, 3: Executing on that plan in a meaningful way. I also like that the examples the author uses here about fears in a workplace situation. It's not just about switching jobs, which is a great unknown out there, but also about issues like how to confront a boss that you have issues with, which can be a very scary situation, or the fear of meeting personal professional expectations, which is one I, frankly, struggle with. Again, that blog is, "The Scientifically-Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears." It's on the Muse blog. Again, the link will be in the show notes. Mac Prichard:    Thank you, Ben. If you've got a suggestion for Ben, please let us hear from you. You can write him to his email address. It's [email protected]. Let's turn to our inbox, the high-tech mailbag, and hear from you, our listeners. Cecilia joins us to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what are you hearing from listeners this week? Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, this week our questions is, "Should people who want to relocate move before they have a new job lined up?" That's a great question. I don't necessarily think there's a general yes or no to this question. It really just depends on your circumstances and how much of a risk it's going to be for you to relocate without first having a source of income. That being said, I do think it's easier to get a job once you're in the city that you want to work in. If you're able to relocate without taking a huge financial or personal risk, I would probably suggest it. Ben and Mac, you've both relocated more than once. Did you move before you had a job? Ben Forstag:    Well, I've done both. Back in the early aughts, I was living in Spain. My visa in Spain ran out. I had to move back to the States and didn't have time to find a job beforehand. Without a job, I moved to Washington D.C., somehow convinced an apartment building to let me move in without any provable income. It took me a while to find a job there. It was scary, but in that situation, I didn't really have many other choices, so I did that. When I moved to Portland, I actually got a job lined up before I moved out here. I think that was a unique situation, though, because first, it's pretty rare, but second, I had a very strong case to make that I was moving to Portland whether I had a job or not. I think that reassured the employer that this wasn't just some flighty application. In the case of moving to Portland, I said, "My wife and I already have plans to move to Oregon. Here's the move date. We've already lined up housing and everything else." The employer knew that I was a real candidate. I wasn't just someone from Washington D.C. applying for a job. Mac Prichard: I've been lucky enough to have a job to each city I've moved to for the first time, Washington D.C., Boston, and Portland. I will say when I went to D.C., I had just graduated college and was coming off a political campaign. I had a promise of a job for 4 weeks, and it turned out, once I got there, I stayed at that position for 2 years. I didn't think twice about getting on the Greyhound bus from the Midwest, and I think it was just youthful optimism, not something I'd recommend to everybody. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. It sounds like good experience. I do want to mention that while it is probably easier to find something once you've moved, we've actually heard plenty of success stories from people who have moved before having a job. We actually just published a post featuring a woman who found a job within a week of moving because of the preparation she did beforehand. If you don't have a job, but you want to move anyway, there are things you can do, like she did, to make it a smoother transition. Doing research on local organizations that you want to work for and getting connected to people who currently work there, that's a great way to start. You can also use social media as a tool to get a pulse on the local job market. On Twitter, it's always worth checking for a hashtag that covers what jobs are available. Then, Facebook and LinkedIn, there are tons of job groups in each city that you can join. You can also follow local companies, which often post if they're hiring on those 2 sites. One more note: I think if I was planning to relocate, I would probably reach out to recruiting agencies in the town I wanted to live in because they're always looking for talent. They can really help you make the connections you need to before you move. Any other thoughts or suggestions? Ben Forstag:   I have a question for you. In the past, when I've applied for a job when I was out of state, I've thought, "Well, if only I had like a P.O. box that said 'Portland' on it when I applied to this Portland-based job." Do you think there's any value in that, or is that just disingenuous? Cecilia Bianco:  I don't think it's a good idea to make that up. I think that there's little things you can do, like changing your location online. On LinkedIn, if you change your city, that's a great thing to do. If employers are looking, they'll see, not that you're in that city necessarily, but if they're looking to hire in that city, if you're there, they can find you. Ben Forstag:       You've publicly committed to moving to that city. Cecilia Bianco:  Right, right. Mac Prichard:  I like your suggestion, Cecilia, about connecting with a temporary agency because not only can you make good connections that could lead to a permanent position, but if you do come to a town and you don't have a job there, that's a way of getting work right away, beginning to meet people, and make those connections that you can't do from afar. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. I think that's really important. The quickest way to find a job is through people you know, so doing what you can to make those personal connections in advance is the best thing. Ben Forstag:     I'd just throw out there as well that, from what I know about employers and how they work, if they think you're the right person and you're going to solve their problems, they will wait for a couple weeks or a month until you are able to relocate to the town for them. Obviously, the location differences create a barrier, but it's not an insurmountable barrier. It puts just a little more onus on the job seeker to prove that they are the absolute, unique, right match for that position. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, definitely. Mac Prichard:    Thanks for that great information, Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, please email her. Her address is [email protected] . These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better. We're adding new content and publishing the book on different e-reader platforms. On February 1st of this year, 2016, you'll be able to access for the first time "Land Your Dream Job in Portland" on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, and other digital devices. You'll also be able to get, for the first time, a paperback edition. Whatever the format, our goal is the same: to give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. For more information, visit macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our e-book newsletter. Once you do, we'll send you publication updates and share exclusive book content, as well as provide you with special pre-sale prices. We're recording this in mid-January. We encourage you to get out there soon because there are great deals coming. Now, let's turn this week's guest expert, Victoria Crispo. Victoria Crispo is manager of career content at Idealist Careers and author of the "Ask Victoria" advice column, where she answers questions for social change job seekers and career changers. Before joining Idealist.org, Victoria helped non-profit job seekers as a resume writer, career coach, and in higher education. Victoria, thanks for joining us today. Victoria Crispo:   Thank you so much for having me, Mac. Great to be here. Mac Prichard: It's a pleasure to have you on the show. We're recording in January, and a topic that is on many people's minds are resolutions for the new year. It's also a subject that I think has relevance throughout the year. Let's talk about New Years resolutions, Victoria, and let's go straight to the dark side. Why don't most New Years resolutions work for job seekers, career managers, and just people in general? Victoria Crispo:   Sure. I think that there are a couple of important points to keep in mind, actually even before you even start to make the resolution, which will then cause it to be a lot easier to keep. One of those aspects that I think can really help is making sure that the goal that you craft, the resolution that you're trying to achieve, is something that is very specific and also measurable. The measurable piece is important because you want to be able to have a way to know that you're progress and that you are actually making change and seeing improvement. That's definitely one area that is really important as you think about not just keeping your resolution, but the first part is how to create a resolution that you will be able to keep and the other things that are involved in that. Mac Prichard:   Let's unpack that for our listeners, because I imagine many people are thinking, "Okay. This is the year I want to get a new job." They write that down. How do they make that measurable and specific, Victoria? Victoria Crispo:    Actually, almost just what you said, unpack it a little bit. What are the other details that are going to be involved in getting that job? That might require doing a little bit of research and reflection. First, figuring out what type of job do you want? Beyond that, what are the things that you need in order to get that job? It might involve taking a look at job descriptions that relate to that type of work. What are the responsibilities that are involved? Have you done that type of work before? What are the skills that are necessary? Do you have those skills, or do you have other ones that might be able to serve as a supplement? In regards to having something that's measurable, it might require having some additional steps before you get to that main resolution of, "I want a new job for 2016." For example, if you see a job description that you're really interested in, and there is a requirement for a certain skill, whether it's computer skills, social media management, whatever it might be, if it's a skill that you don't have, start thinking about what is it that you need to do to get yourself on track and make sure that the resolution that you've developed for yourself is something that you can actually achieve in the time frame that you've given yourself. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Define what that job is, find out what the typical title might be, look for examples of specific job postings that you might see online on job boards or elsewhere, then identify the skills that are required to do that work, and think about the gaps that you might have than employer might see and how you might address those gaps. Victoria Crispo:    Absolutely. Mac Prichard:   Okay. You need to be clear about what you want. What are some of the other steps that people need to take in setting these career resolutions? Victoria Crispo:     Absolutely. Be clear about what you want and the steps that you may not have thought about beforehand that you'll need to get there. I think it's definitely helpful to build in smaller tasks along the way, things that you can use as milestones, reasons for celebration. You are your best judge as to what that means for you. I can certainly give some examples, but it might be gaining entry into a specific area by volunteering and maybe developing a really great relationship with your volunteer manager, which perhaps then leads to an informational interview with someone else, who can take you to the next step. Having a good idea of what success might look like and also knowing that it might not be the exact picture of what you might think, and how to really determine that you are staying on track. Developing some little, smaller tasks that kind of show you that green light of, "Yes. I'm on the right path. I'm getting someplace," are things that you can celebrate, those little, the small victories that you can celebrate and feel good that you're getting to where you want to go. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. Baby steps can pay off. As you move forward, even though it might be in an incremental way, you'll see the progress. Reading your blog before the show, I know you've talked a lot about the importance and the value of having accountability partners. Tell us about the difference an accountability partner can make in setting these kinds of resolutions or in job hunting in general. Victoria Crispo:  I know, for myself personally, I love having someone who I can speak to about the things that I'm looking to do, and someone who is giving me that metaphorical tap on the shoulder of, "Oh, hey. Did you ... ? How are things going with x, y, z?" It is so, so helpful to have someone there in your corner who is able to just be a person who you can check in with and help you evaluate whether you're still on-task. Of course, it doesn't mean that you're going to necessarily take a lot of time out from this other individual. It can be very quick emails. Let's say you, as well, are a writer, and one of your goals is to develop a personal/professional portfolio that showcases the type of work that you do. You might, for example, share a link with your accountability partner. It can be a very informal, yet scheduled arrangement, where maybe you check in once a week or once every other week, but that there is someone there who can attest to, "Yes. You said you were going to do x, y, z, and you did it." I have definitely found that to be helpful in the past. In fact, there are sites that exist, I don't know if you're familiar with Stikk.com? Mac Prichard:    No. Tell us about that. Victoria Crispo:   Sure. It's actually Stikk with two k's. It is a way for individuals to set a goal, set the time that they are expecting to complete that goal, and they can set up a referee. That would be, in essence, you accountability partner. If you like, you can also have financial stakes in the game for when you accomplish your goal. I believe it's set up so that you can have that money go to a charity, the charity of your choice. You can also do the opposite, so if you miss your goal, you can have it sent to a charity that you really don't want to support. Therein lies and even deeper blow. (laughs) Mac Prichard:    All right. Well, that can be motivating. Victoria Crispo:   Absolutely. Mac Prichard:  Yeah. I've certainly had good experience with accountability partners. I remember during one job search, there was a friend I would call. This was a long time ago because we were still looking at newspaper classified ads. When the Sunday paper came out, we would call each other and say, "Okay. I saw this position. I saw that position. I'm going to apply for this one or that one." Just that weekly call was very affirming, and it was nice to have that connection. I'm sure you've had this experience too. I've had colleagues who've had good success with job support groups, groups of people who meet together to just keep each other updated on their progress, but also to set goals and exchange tips and other information. Victoria Crispo:    Definitely. It's so helpful to have that. I know there are some local job search support groups around here that have been really beneficial for the members. If there's not an in-person group in your area, there may be one online that you can join. That, too, can be effective, if it's a place where you can check in via email or in an online group. I definitely recommend that, as well. Mac Prichard:   Okay. Let's talk about mistakes you see people make that they should avoid when setting New Years resolutions for their careers. What stands out for you, Victoria? Victoria Crispo: I think the main things that stand out are again, not really doing that leg work beforehand of really discovering whether it's something that you can achieve in the time frame that you've given yourself. In some cases, it might be that there are, again, additional steps that you need to take in order to get to where you want to see yourself next. I think that that is definitely one of the bigger quote mistakes that I see, is not really factoring in some of the other things that might come into play as you're doing the work. I think the other mistake is, while it's great to have a goal, definitely building in some leeway for yourself and not beating yourself up too hard if you don't in fact make it by your set time. Job search is only one part of life. In fact, it's all of the other aspects of living. If you look at it in a holistic way, all of the other things that affect life, your relationships, your health, et cetera, do have a place in what happens in your job search as well. Sometimes, the drawback that a job seeker may have when they're trying to meet a resolution that they've set for themselves is forgetting those other aspects that come into play and that sometimes you may need to account for unexpected things that come up in life. Just because you haven't necessarily met your goal exactly doesn't mean that you haven't gone any distance whatsoever. I think that seeing those changes and improvements in your life, even if you haven't necessarily gone exactly where you expected to be is something that should be considered, too. Mac Prichard:    In summary, be specific, break your tasks down into small, manageable pieces, and be kind to yourself. Realize that you're not going to get it done in one day or one month, but you will make progress if you're focused, over the course of a year. Victoria Crispo:  Definitely. Mac Prichard:    Victoria, what's coming up next for you and your organization, Idealist.org? Victoria Crispo:                  Sure. Next month, we will be running an email-based course called find your fit. I definitely encourage anyone who might be interested in exploring their passions and figuring out where they want to go next professionally to sign up. It is a free course, and we will be making the announcement on our site, IdealistCareers.org, and also, of course, on our email list, which you can subscribe to on IdealistCareers.org. Mac Prichard:   Thank you, Victoria, and it's been a pleasure having you on the show. Victoria Crispo: Thank you very much, Mac. It's been great talking with you. Mac Prichard:    To learn more about Idealist, there are 2 great web pages you can explore. The first one is IdealistCareers.org, that's all one word. IdealistCareers.org. When you go there, you'll find career resources and tools. Idealist has a wonderful job board with, actually, thousands of listings. You can find those at Idealist.org. Victoria is on Twitter, and her Twitter handle is @AskVictoria. We'll be sure to put all of these links in the show notes. We're back in the Mac's List studio. I'm sitting here with Ben and Cecilia. What did you 2 think of the conversation with Victoria? What were some of the key takeaways for you? Cecilia Bianco:  Well, the main takeaway I got, I really like her point about breaking down your goal into steps so you can really determine if it's unrealistic or realistic for you to achieve that goal, and then edit it from there. Ben Forstag:   I thought her point about accountability partners was so important, not only so that you've got someone providing some oversight for you and making sure you're staying true to yourself and your goals, but also just so you're not doing this by yourself, right? Sometimes you need another person to share your frustrations or your triumphs with. I think having an accountability partner like that is a great idea. Mac Prichard:   I agree. One of the things that I think is surprising to many job seekers, particularly people who have been unemployed for a while, and I certainly have been there. I've gone through 2 long periods of unemployment, is in my case, I'd began to think I didn't have a lot to offer. We all have a lot to offer. We all have lots of experiences and skills, and helping somebody else by being that accountability partner is one of the most important things I think we can do. Okay. Well, thank you all for joining us and holding us accountable to our weekly production schedule. We'll be back next Wednesday with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, please visit us at MacsList.org, and you can sign up for our free newsletter there. It's published every Tuesday, with more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. I've recently read that more than 80% of podcast listeners find shows on iTunes. By leaving a rating and review, you help us rise in the iTunes rankings, get in front of more job seekers, and help more people. Thanks for your help, and thanks for listening.  

Government jobs are always tough to land. Mastering the oft-byzantine formal application process takes practice and insider know-how. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mac Prichard shares his experience applying for government jobs. Mac has worked in multiple departments for the State of Oregon, as well as for several local and state-level elected officials. Mac reads "How To Get An Oregon Government Job", his contribution to the Mac's List book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). And while he speaks primarily about his experience in Oregon, the practical lessons Mac shares are generally applicable to any government job, whether at the federal, state or local level. If you’re looking for more advice on developing a brand that attracts employers, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The 2016 edition, available February 1, includes new content and will be available on a wide range of e-reading devices, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. You will even be able to order a paperback edition! To learn more, sign-up for our ebook mailing list at www.macslist.org/book. When you join this list, we'll send you publication updates, insider ebook content, and special pre-sale price discounts. Make 2016 the year you land your dream job! -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!  

You will find competitors in whatever career you choose. No matter how small or niche your field, some people always stand out in your profession.  Education, experience and other advantages contribute to these people’s success, but how you lead you work life can makes a huge difference, too. One of the best ways to stand out in your field and in your career is through creative collaboration. Embracing mutuality--sharing of your strengths, acknowledging your weaknesses and partnering with others with complementary skill sets--strengthens your professional credentials in an increasingly interconnected economy. And people who can facilitate collaboration are best positioned to solve employers’ most pressing challenges. This week on Find Your Dream Job, our guest expert is Kare Anderson, Emmy-winning journalist, TED presenter, and author of Mutuality Matters and Moving from Me to We. Kare believes that collaborative problem solving is the key to a dynamic, engaging and impactful career. She shares her thoughts on how to improve mutuality and the value of team collaboration. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: Why collaboration is a valuable, in-demand skill in the modern workplace How to leverage your professional networks to facilitate collaboration How to embrace mutuality as a tool for networking and job-hunting Tips for improving your teamwork skills--even if you’re an introvert Communications tools to facilitate collaboration This week’s guest: Kare Anderson (@KareAnderson | LinkedIn)Journalist and SpeakerAuthor, Moving from Me to We, Mutuality Matters, and moreSan Francisco, Calif. Listener question of the week: Is it a bad idea to accept a job working for or with family members or friends? What should I consider before accepting? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: The Life Hack Blog - The Ten Things Good Team Players Do Differently Psychology Today Blog - The Introvert’s Guide to Surviving Teamwork The Big Interview Blog - Answering Behavioral Interview Questions on Teamwork Say It Better with Kare Anderson Moving from Me to We Mutuality Matters Slack.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:  This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)." To learn more about the book and the new edition that we're publishing February 1, please visit macslist.org/ebook. Whatever career you choose, you'll find competitors, no matter how small or crowed your field may be, some people always stand out in your profession. Education, experience and other advantages play a part in these people's success, but how you lead your work life can make a huge difference, too. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we're talking about how you can advance your career by combining your strengths with the complementary skills of others. Our guest expert this week is Kare Anderson. She and I will talk about specific steps you can take in your professional life to break out of the pack. Ben Forstag has several online tools you can use to improve your teamwork skills, and Cecilia Bianco tackles the question that comes up in every workplace: Should you hire family and friends? We're in the Mac's List studio, and I'm here with Cecilia and Ben. First of all, Ben, welcome back from your paternity leave. Ben Forstag:   Thank you. Mac Prichard:  Congratulations on the new son. Ben Forstag:  Thank you. Little Fox, as we call him, is doing very well. Mac Prichard:    I love that acronym. Well, it's a pleasure to have you back. Now, when you two think about peers you've had, either at school or in the workplace or elsewhere, who've stood out, what have you seen them do? Cecilia Bianco: I think the biggest thing that stands out to me is how engaged someone is in their field. If someone's really focused on attending events, workshops, and joining the right groups for their career, I think that goes a long way to making them stand out. Ben Forstag:    One thing that I've seen that I really like is people who maintain active and high quality blogs. I think this is so important because it shows a dedication. This is something you do weekly or on a regular basis. It positions you as a subject matter expert regardless of how big or small that subject is. It's quite notable when you are the subject matter expert on it. Third, it is a showcase for good quality writing. I think those things are so important, and it's just a great way to position yourself with employers and other professional prospects. Mac Prichard:    I think the common denominator that runs through both of the examples that you two have shared, and they're great examples, is a topic that our guest is going to talk about this week, which is the importance of giving to others. She has a book that we'll talk about, "Mutuality," but the idea is this that by helping others and being part of a community, whether it's by writing a blog or participating in professional groups and/or going to events, you're giving of yourself, and you're thinking about the needs of others and how you can help. First, let's turn to you, Ben. I know you have a resource for our listeners this week. What have you found? Ben Forstag:     This week I want to share three blog posts all about the importance of teamwork. When I say that word I know some people are rolling their eyes, and other people are getting great big smiles. Teamwork is one of these clichéd words that really divides people. What do you think Cecilia? Are you a teamwork person, or a work alone person? Cecilia Bianco: I'm more of a teamwork person. I think, as you said, it's become really important in today's work market. Almost all of our listings have that listed as a qualification: How do you work on a team? Mac Prichard:   I enjoy teamwork, too. I have to say when I was in graduate school, I got a lot out of that experience. One of the most important gifts I got was they had us work in study groups, and I had not done that as an undergraduate. That gave me the experience to work with others and helping others in the group, and I found I got a lot more out of my education as a result. Ben Forstag:  I'm of two minds when it comes to teamwork. Part of me really sees the value in it. It's undeniable that this is a skill that employers are looking for. I would guess that ninety-five percent of every job description that we get here at Mac's List includes teamwork as one of the things they're looking for. At the same time, when I was in graduate school, team projects were always those projects where I thought, "Oh man, now I've got to do extra work to cover up for other people." It's something that I'm always working on, and I know I can improve on. That's why I thought this was an interesting topic. It also feeds into what we talked about earlier about working with others and giving to others in a team environment. The first post I want to share comes from the Lifehack blog, and it's called the "10 Things Good Team Players Do Differently." As Cecilia mentioned terms like teamwork and team player are often used so much they lose all of their meaning. I really liked this post because it outlines some basic behaviors that make someone a good team participant. Here are the ten attributes of team players according to the blog: They're reliable. They're unafraid of failure. They share information. They say what they think. They don't dominate meetings. They stay positive. They understand and respect team dynamics. They know when to say "no." They are adept at problem solving. They go the extra mile. This all sounds great, Mac, right? This is exactly the kind of person you want to hire. Mac Prichard:   Right. Ben Forstag:    If I had any criticism of this blog piece, it might be that this sounds like the ideal person. A good team player is a just a great listener, does everything right. I do like it because they are concrete things to think about, and how you behave in the office, and how you work with your colleagues. Just things to keep in the back of your mind about how you could improve your relations and your productivity with others. If you heard that list and you thought that doesn't sound like me at all, my next resource is for you. This is a post entitled, "The Introvert's Guide to Surviving Teamwork, and it comes from the Psychology Today blog. As I mentioned earlier, I actually consider myself something of an introvert, and I know how difficult it can be to assert yourself in a group setting. I like this post because it outlines some mindsets and skill sets and deliberative practices you can use to become an effective team leader. The general idea here is that introverts play an essentially role in effective teams. You're needed for the team to be effective, and the role you play as an introvert is being the level-headed listener, the aggregator of good ideas, and the implementer of group decisions. I love this quote from the blog. The author writes, "Extroverts love to talk, but are much less enthused about having to walk away and do the work. This is the introvert's chance to shine. You can be the one who puts your hand up and to work on a project offline." I think that's an important thing to keep in mind because teamwork requires different kinds of people. If it's just a bunch of talkers, nothing is going to get done. Lastly I want to share a blog for how you can talk about your teamwork skills with a prospective employer. As I was thinking about this subject yesterday, it really struck me that what a challenge it is to illustrate your skills as a team player in the interview process, because in most of the things we're doing in an interview is trying to show how great ... like you're the number one guy, you're the expert in everything, you have all the answers, and teamwork is not one of these skills where being the guy with all the answers is an asset. That's often a liability. This post had some interesting answers on how you can answer behavioral questions related to teamwork. It comes from the biginterview.com blog. I'll have the URLs for all these blog posts in the show notes. It's a very long post, but it includes some sample interview questions around teamwork, discusses why employers are asking these questions, and provides some strategies on how you can best answer these questions in a way that shows the skills you have as a team player without bragging, without going over the top, and really presenting yourself as an ideal candidate for their needs. Cecilia Bianco: Your point about focusing on behavioral interview questions I think is really important because if you're trying to act like a team player in an interview, the best way to do that is through examples, so being prepared with examples that show you're a team player is a great way to go. Mac Prichard:    I think your point, too, Ben, about how in interviews there's a tendency to try to please the prospective employer by saying I can do everything and I'm a star in everything. I think smart employers know they're not going to get a hundred percent of everything that's in a job description, and a candidate can't do everything. I think it's important for candidates to remember that, because if they are hired, they will be part of a team. They will have strengths that they can bring to that group, but they can't do everything. If they're managers themselves or they become managers one day, they're going to recognize the value of being able to identify strengths in others, and draw people out in those strengths, and give them opportunities to display them. Ben Forstag:       Really, that's the value of teamwork essentially. It's a way to maximize people's strengths and cover up their weaknesses by combining compatible strengths and collaborating that way. Before I leave I just want to share this one awesome quote that I came across. It's about the value of teamwork, and this comes from Bill Gates. He said, "Creativity is less of an individual characteristic than it is an emergent property that surfaces when people convene around a problem." I think that kind of gets at the heart of why most employers nowadays want you to be a good team player because it helps you come up with unique, good solutions to problems that individuals by themselves can't figure out. Mac Prichard:  I think together a team is stronger and an organization is better for it. Well, thank you Ben. Ben is always looking for suggestions, and he's always thrilled when he hears from people who have ideas for him, so please write him. You can reach him at [email protected]. Now let's turn to you, our listeners. It's time to hear from Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. She's going to reach deep and far into the mailbag, and pull out this week's question. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: Actually our question this week came from Twitter, not the mailbag, and it's, "Is it a bad idea to accept a job working for or with family members or friends? What should I consider before accepting?" I personally worked at a family business, and I know it can definitely create tension among other employees. There's a lot to consider and talk about before you accept the job. The most important thing you can get do is set boundaries with the family member or friend before you actually take the job. Ben, I know you've worked with family before, too. What ground rules did you have in place to make it a successful experience? Ben Forstag:   A few years ago I was working at a nonprofit, and my father actually got hired by the nonprofit as a consultant to do some sales work for them. It was a tense situation, but we made it work, and mostly because we had a couple informal rules. One of them was when he started I made it clear that I had no managerial authority over him, and he had no managerial authority over me. We worked in two separate departments and had two separate people that we reported to, which helped. I also removed myself from pretty much any decision that had to do with what he was doing. You're not always able to do this in an organization. Fortunately in the organization I was with there were enough other people that could pick up the slack, and I could step out of some conversations simply because I just didn't want to be involved with that piece. Then the third one, and I think this is the most important, is I made a deal with my father. We weren't going to talk about work when we weren't at work. I think it's important to have a work life and a private life. If your private life turns into a second work life because all the same people are in both camps, you lose that area to decompress and to relax. Off hours we didn't talk about work. If he had a complaint about work or I had a complaint about work, we didn't talk about it to each other. We just pretended that that didn't exist. It was a unique situation, and we made it work. I think it really depends on your own specific circumstances, though, of whether it's a viable option. Cecilia Bianco: Those are all great suggestions. I think the most important main thing to consider is if you're confident that you and the family member or friend in question can treat each other as you would any other coworker or boss. Knowing everything you know about them, as I'm sure you know your father very well, are you going to be able to put aside that knowledge and treat them unbiasedly? Especially once office conflict comes up or any situations arise, you want to be able to treat them like you would a coworker that you haven't known your whole life. Mac, have you ever worked with a family member? Mac Prichard:   I have. My dad had rental properties from many years. He would hire my brother and I and I think my sisters as well to paint apartments, move tenants and put up wallpaper. I wasn't good at any of those things. My sister, Katie, is a star at wallpaper, and she is still papering walls decades later. We all had jobs, but we tended to ... After a stint with my dad, I worked in restaurants or in other places. Cecilia Bianco: Was it a good experience or a bad? Mac Prichard:  It was a good experience. He was basically a small business owner, running his rental properties. Being part of that, going with him, watching him work with tenants, deal with leases, purchase properties, work with realtors, he brought us all along, and we got to watch that firsthand and participate in it. I think we learned some valuable lessons as a result. Cecilia Bianco: In that situation it sounds like it was beneficial because you were probably given a little bit more opportunity to learn since it was your father who was the boss rather than maybe another boss. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. I certainly learned from my other jobs in high school and college, but I think a family member is always going to take more of an interest in a relative, a child or other relative. Many families, I think, want to see their kid succeed in that business as well, and so they want to make that happen. Cecilia Bianco: That makes sense. Two different situations but the same answer. It's okay to accept a job from a family member. Our main point of advice is just to sit down, and get those ground rules in place, and make sure you're on the same page about how you want the work relationship to go. Mac Prichard:  Well, thanks Cecilia. If you've got a question for Cecilia, you can send it to her via Twitter and also by email. Her email address is [email protected]. Cecilia, for the benefit for our listeners who on Twitter, how can they reach you via your Twitter handle? Cecilia Bianco: They can tweet @Macs_list, or they can tweet me personally @Ceciliamfbianco. Mac Prichard:    These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)." We're taking a complete Mac's List guide and making it even better. We're adding new content, and we're publishing the book on multiple eReader platforms. There's a new version of the book coming in February of this year, February 1 actually. For the first time you'll be able to access "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)" on your Kindle, your Nook, your iPad and other digital devices. Up till now it's just been available as a PDF. Now for the first time you'll be able to get a paperback edition. Whatever the format, our goal is the same, to give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. To learn more, go to our website. Visit macslist.org/ebook, and you can sign up for our eBook newsletter. We sending out publication updates now, and we're sharing exclusive book content. We're also providing pre-sale prices that are available right now. Let's turn to this week's guest expert. Kare Anderson is a public speaker, author of "Mutuality Matters" and other books, and an Emmy award-winning, NBC and Wall Street Journal reporter who now writes for Forbes and Huffington Post. Kare's TED talk called The Web of Humanity: Becoming an Opportunity Maker has attracted more than 1.7 million views. Her diverse set of clients includes Salesforce, Novartis and Skoll Foundation. Kare, thanks for joining us. Kare Anderson: I'm honored. We share an interest in making our work serve the greater good. Mac Prichard:    I appreciate having that bond with you. I've been very impressed reading your blog over the years about your writing about the importance of human connection, and how much it matters to us all, and what a difference it can make in our careers. One of the topics that you've addressed is how people can stand out in their job search, at work, or in their career by making the most of their social connections. Tell us more about that Kare. Kare Anderson:    I believe it not only makes your life more nourishing, but you stand out when you cultivate relationships with people who have adjacent talents to yours and when you cite and praise the thought leaders and the people in your line of work, your profession, your industry or company. Whenever you shine a spotlight specifically praising people for actions they took, especially in front of people who matter to them, you shine too. I think people notice you. It's always nice to have people offer you a job before you're looking for it even if you don't want it, and that's one way to do that. Mac Prichard:  I think many people will hope that will happen, that someone will approach them and offer them a job. That might happen by posting a resume or a profile on LinkedIn, or getting in touch with an executive recruiter. They just have to sit back and wait for that call, but in your writing you have a different perspective. You say that you can make that happen but there are steps that people have to take. Can you tell us more about that? Kare Anderson:   One of them is I believe in clarity and specificity. The more you're clear and specific on your talents, and the flip side where you're not, the more you might see situations, markets that people are trying to serve, new markets they might be entering, what's missing in their company that might leverage more value or visibility to their current customers and prospects. Then when you do that writing about those situations, if you're prone to writing, is helpful or citing them. When you're talking to customers say, "Just as so and so does this and this company does this, we fill in the gap in between, and we think we want to meet the high standard they do," specifically citing the benefits of companies that you might want to be in or how [to serve 00:19:30] situations makes people more aware of you. I think it's good to also be proactive and be on the lookout for leaders of companies that you admire and say, "That's a company I like. I like what they're doing. I like the way they do that. I wonder if there's a way my talents could serve them." So there are ways to be proactive, but also, of course, ways to be clear and concrete and specific when you're being interviewed. Mac Prichard:    Tell us more about examples of that. If someone goes to a professional association, they see people who are those kinds of leaders you described a moment ago, and they think they can be of help to them, or they're not sure how they can be of help. Let's break that into two parts. First of all, they know they want to be of service to someone. How can they figure out how they could be beneficial to them, and then how might they do that? Kare Anderson:   First of all, learn a little bit about ... that person does well or something where you think there's a gap for them, and when you're at a conference or a social gathering say, "I've long admired your capacity to do this. I wonder if we could talk a bit about it because I have a shared interest in serving that market or in that situation, and I want to give you some suggestions and see what you thought of them. I'd love your candid advice frankly." What if ...? If they say that, say, "What about this? What if we did that?" Recently I'm a big fan of analytics [geeks 00:20:56] for example. I think there's certain occupations where there's growth, and they're certainly one of them. If they say "I notice you have a great product. I notice that you get a lot of good testimonials. That shows that you're doing a lot of things right. Would you be interested in exploring how to understand more deeply the profile of the kind of customer you serve, the traits they have in common both as it relates to your product but also in other parts of their life?" For example, I found out a team I work with of analytics geeks that surgeons happen to like fine wine and male surgeons especially. They also like certain lines of clothing when they're out of the hospital. So when the analytics said we've found this out about the profile of the customers you're serving, these surgeons, can we propose that we join with your marketing people to find efficient ways to reach them in other unexpected places and to perhaps partner with some of the organizations that reach them in those situations so you can stand out more? So they were coming at it differently. Or thinking about a nursery. I'm working with a nursery. There's five outlets. I suggested to them stand out, not only sell plants but offer three options to keep your business growing. Offer to sell the service of people who will plant the plants for them, whether it's for an individual organization or to create a landscape design that can go with the plants and/or provide regular maintenance plus suggestions of when to add what kinds of plants to their business landscaping or their home. That way the person offering that, they may be a landscaper, they may be someone who's just seeking more work at a basic level planting plants. I admire the people saying, "Let me help you differentiate your product by what I can do to help you. So that was just two examples. Mac Prichard:    Those are great examples. What I like about those as you were talking is that you're thinking about the needs of the person you want to help. Kare Anderson:  Yes. Mac Prichard:    You have the services they might require. Whether it's you're running a business and you're trying to identify the needs of potential or current clients and how you might need them, or you're looking for work and you want connect with a potential employer, it all comes back to the needs of the person you want to have that relationship with, and how you can help meet them. Kare Anderson:  That's very well put. I call it triangling, triangle talk. First referring to you, say, "Is this an interest of yours?" or "I noticed you're doing this. Am I on target? May we talk about something a way I think ...? I know a person who could help you or I could." So it's you, me and then us, which is increasingly rare in our culture by the way. Mac Prichard:   I think making those connections with others and being a kind of broker can make a huge difference. You've written about the work of Adam Grant, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, about the value of giving to others without any expectation of getting something in return. You've talked about that in your book, "Mutuality." Can you tell us more about the book, the main idea? I know you've got some practical steps in that book that you share with readers about how they can act on that idea. Kare Anderson:     I'd be glad to. One of the things that's important about Adam is he said givers are among the least and most successful, so it's how you give. Because one of my hot buttons, which I'm trying to work on, are people who are unhelpful givers. They give something that clearly demonstrates they don't really know you, and so you try to act genial back. But in "Mutuality Matters" I believe the future in our increasingly connected world is to cultivate relationships with people of complementary talents around sweet spots of mutual interests. The more you do that you'll have more lenses on a situation. You can innovate faster. You can see an opportunity or solve a problem better. In that attitude you don't do it just when there's a crisis. You do it ahead of time. You can, in effect, becomes what Joe Calloway calls a 'category of one,' where you're the only person that combines a strength, that's somewhat unique, with a network of people where you can call on them, and they will call on you. It's not quid pro quo, but it's an ebb and flow of mutuality over time. Thus you can stand out wherever you are at any level of a large company or small one. That's why I like intranets, by the way, for companies because an intranet is a internet within a company. A lot of them ... badly designed so it looks like more work, but when it's done right, and this just makes my heart sing, when you can ask for help internally from each other, you see who keeps asking for help but doesn't ever get asked for help, and you see who's the most helpful. Again going back to Adam, he said it's not leaders we should look for in an organization, but who offers the most helpful assist most often. They provide the assistance that people want. They add the missing link. They help become the glue that holds groups together. That, I think, is increasingly what individuals need and organizations need to stay agile. Doing that is in your enlightened self-interest. I also think it makes for less conflict and more conviviality when you're speaking to a part of someone saying, "You can do this." Like I'm a fast thinker. My business partner's a slow thinker. Doesn't mean one's smart and dumb. I'm an extrovert. In some situation he's an introvert. We're now realizing the reverse may true. But we can do and see things that the other person can't and vice versa. That's my wordy way of saying why I like mutuality. It also makes it fun because you say, "Oh my gosh, I never would have thought of that. Mac Prichard:  Our skills and our weaknesses can complement others when we're part of a team. I wanted to get back to your book. You had talked about specific ways in the book that people can promote mutuality. Can you tell us more about some of those steps? Kare Anderson:  I think the first thing in promoting mutuality is to speak to the side of someone you most like and admire, especially when they're not demonstrating it, because it's not how people feel about us when they first meet us. It's how they feel about themselves. I think [citing 00:27:47] to two or three other people, one of my favorites, a thing that three unexpected allies could do together around a sweet spot means they often will like the experience they have on one action, and they'll like you for making it happen. Those are two ways to spur mutuality and where they're more likely to be pulled toward you and think of you. If you give enough other people what they need in their life, you often get what you need, even before you know you need it, from people you sometimes didn't think could provide it. I think that makes for a productive and satisfying life [in 00:28:20] mutuality. Mac Prichard:    I think that's well said. Well, we'll include links to your book and to the two authors you mentioned as well. Thank you for joining us today, Kare. Kare Anderson:    I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I love your notion online of work backwards. I call it reverse engineering. Have that end goal in mind for you and your team. Mac Prichard:   Well, thank you. You can find Kare online at her blog, Moving From Me To We and at her website sayitbetter.com. We'll include links to both of these sites in the show notes. Thank you again for joining us today, Kare. Kare Anderson:    I was honored Mac. Thank you and thank the team. Mac Prichard:   We're back in the Mac's List studio with Ben and Cecilia. What do you two think? What are some of the important points you heard Kare make? Ben Forstag:  I really liked the idea that she put out there that there's a huge professional value to networks, and not just for advancing your own career but as a service in and of themselves. One of the key ideas here is that your unique skills and your ability to bring in other people with their own unique and complementary skill sets, that's a huge asset for a professional for solving problems on the fly. It's something, frankly, we don't think about our networks like that very often, but we should. Mac Prichard:  I agree with you Ben. I think each of us is a kind of impresario or broker person who knows lots of people with skills and can bring folks together to solve problems. When we do that, it does create opportunities for us. Ben Forstag:    And there's a value-added for being that person who can bring everyone else together. Mac Prichard:   Right. Cecilia Bianco: Your last point, that's what I took away from the most, thinking about who's the most helpful around you. If you are that person that's providing the most value and help, then you really stand out and are someone people are always thinking about. Ben Forstag:   I liked her point also about ... she called it intranets, and a lot of organizations have those, but there's also a lot of communications tools out there. One is called Slack. It's like a chat tool that organizations use so their teams can collaborate openly. The idea that when you put it out there into your network that, "I need help with problem X" and other folks jump and address that problem for you, that mutuality there, that give and take of each person contributing their unique skills, that's where the magic happens. The more we can facilitate that process through technology and through our own willingness to embrace that, the better results we're going to have both professional, personally and for our organizations. Cecilia Bianco: I agree. As Kare said, it definitely makes your work life a little bit more fun. Mac Prichard:   Well, thank you both, and thank you our listeners. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find that dream job. In the meantime visit us at macslist.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter. It comes out every Tuesday, and there are more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on the show, please let us know by taking a moment to visit iTunes and leave a rating and review. The benefit of that is that it helps us help others because the more ratings and reviews we receive, the higher we rise in the iTunes charts, and the more people learn about the show. Thank you for listening.

According to one estimate, 80% of employers Google candidates before inviting someone in for a job interview. What will people see when they Google you? Photos from your college spring break trip to Mexico or an up-to-date LinkedIn page? What impression will you create online? That you’re the life of the party or an accomplished professional? Using social media in your job hunt isn’t only about playing defense. Facebook and other personal accounts can make a big positive difference in your career. This week on “Find Your Dream Job” Mac talks with Joshua Waldman, CEO and founder of Career Enlightenment, about how to use social media in your job search. Joshua is the author of Job Searching With Social Media For Dummies, and he’s also written for Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable and the International Business Times. Joshua’s career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Reader’s Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. When he’s not writing, Joshua presents keynotes, trainings and breakout sessions around the world. In this 28-minute episode you will learn: Why your online profiles matter Tactics to leverage LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in your job search and career How to improve your online profiles and use them effectively Common mistakes professionals make with social media How to appropriately send “cold call” requests on LinkedIn A free tool to clean-up your social media accounts This week’s guest: Joshua Waldman (@joshuawaldman | LinkedIn)CEO & Founder Career EnlightenmentPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week: I'm thinking about asking to connect with someone on LinkedIn. The problem is -- I've never actually met them. Is this ok to do? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Scrubber.social Viral cat video (Psycho Cat Beats Up On Vet) from former colleague, Jennie Day-Burget CareerEnlightenment.com Job Searching With Social Media For Dummies Free InMail Templates LinkedIn Profile Grading App “Nasty LinkedIn Rejection Goes Viral” Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

“Wing it” and “job interview” are two phrases that should never go together in the same sentence. Before you walk into an interview, you need to prepare yourself, do your homework, and practice what you will do and say. But how do you prepare responses when you don’t know the questions? And what, besides having good answers, contributes to a successful interview? This week on Find Your Dream Job we talk about the interview process and share tips on making a great in-person impression with a prospective employer. Mac chats with executive recruiter and career coach, Janet Brumbaugh, of Janet Brumbaugh and Associates. Janet helps her clients hone their interview skills by video-recording them in mock-interviews; she then reviews the tape with the jobseeker, to identify mistakes and opportunities for improvement. In this episode, Janet shares her expert advice on how to your own interview performance and outcomes. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: The specific research you should do before an interview What employers are looking for during the interview process How to make the interview less of an interrogation and more of a back-and-forth conversation The questions you, as the candidate, should be asking at the interview How to respond to oddball interview questions This week’s guest: Janet Brumbaugh (LinkedIn)PrincipalJanet Brumbaugh and AssociatesWest Lynn, Ore. Listener question of the week:  What questions should I ask an employer in an interview? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: 10 Weirdest Job Interview Questions of 2015 GlassDoor.com Janet Brumbaugh and Associates Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We hope you all had a festive holiday season and that you're staring 2016 re-energized to build the career of your dreams! To kick off the new calendar year, the Mac's List team is sharing a bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, featuring one of our most popular guests, Aubrie De Clerck of Portland-based Coaching for Clarity. In this 3-minute episode, Aubrie reads "Portland's Threads--and Yours", her contribution to the Mac's List ebook, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). If you’re looking for more advice on developing a brand that attracts employers, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The 2016 edition, available February 1, includes new content and will be available on a wide range of e-reading devices, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. You will even be able to order a paperback edition! To learn more, sign-up for our ebook mailing list at www.macslist.org/ebook. When you join this list, we'll send you publication updates, insider ebook content, and special pre-sale price discounts. Make 2016 the year you land your dream job! Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, we're bringing back one of our most popular guests, Aubrie De Clerck of Coaching For Clarity. Aubrie is included as one of the local job search experts in Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond), and in today's episode, she'll share her contribution to the book with you, our podcast listeners. Here's Aubrie De Clerck reading "Portland's Threads--and Yours", from Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). Aubrie DeClerck: In any search, it's up to us to tell our story: Who we are, what we can do, and how we stand out in doing it. Our story is not simply about identifying transferable skills. To find fulfilling work, we need to communicate our threads, the things we're best at, the things we can't stop doing even if we try, the things we do naturally are gifts in a way that creates confidence in ourselves and shows our value to an employer. Take Portland as an example. We all know about keeping the city weird, but what is consistent about the town that filters into all the community does? What are Portland's threads? Here are two: unrestrainable creative self-expression, and ongoing commitment to environmental protection. How do we know with confidence that this is truly what Portland is about? If we were writing a resume for Portland, we would give specific examples. For unrestrainable creative self-expression, think about our food and drink: Microbreweries, coffee roasters, adventurous, award winning restaurants and farmer's markets. As for the arts, International Film Festival or Jazz Festival, Tango Fest and monthly art walks. Our annual events that include the Bridge Pedal, the PDX Adult Soap Box Derby, Tour de Coops and Time-Based Art Festival. Then our iconic local businesses: Powell's Books, food carts, Hollywood Theater, and Voodoo Doughnuts. As for our ongoing commitment to environmental protection, we have compost at the curb. Sixty-three percent of all of our waste is recycled. Investment in public transportation, including our new MAXX Orange Line, strong urban growth boundary, buffer bike lanes, LEED certified buildings and more. With clear examples identified, how do you assign value to them? What do these threads mean about Portland? To me, they create a great quality of life and keep our community vibrant, essential components for a city I choose to live in. As you create your personal brand, ask yourself: What are my threads? How do they give value to others? Mac Prichard:   If you're looking for more expert advice and insider tips like those that Aubrie just shared, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). This is the definitive guide for finding meaningful work, whether you're in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. We're making the book even better. The 2016 edition will include new content and be available on a wide array of e-reading devices, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks, as well as a paperback edition. For more information, visit www.Macslist.org/ebook.

How do you get a nonprofit job? This is a big question that we hear from all kinds of job seekers: recent college graduates, corporate employees who want to switch careers, and government workers who want to continue to serve the public. Like the question, the nonprofit sector is big. Almost 11 million Americans work for nonprofits in all kinds of jobs, from running soup kitchens and serving Girl Scouts, to managing organizations with billion dollar budgets. Starting and maintaining a nonprofit career can be challenge. There’s a lot of competition for social good gigs, and professionals in the private sector may perceive cultural barriers to entry into the nonprofit space. Plus, there’s the question of how to making a living while working for a nonprofit.   This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with a nonprofit expert: Allison Jones, Marketing and Publications Director at the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network. Allison previously worked at Idealist.org and as a career-focused journalist. In this episode she discusses the different pathways to entering the nonprofit sector and her tips for building a rewarding social good career. In this 34-minute episode you will learn: Why you need to get specific when you think about a nonprofit career Different ways that people enter the nonprofit space What nonprofit hiring managers are looking for in new employees The most enlightening questions you can ask in nonprofit-focused informational interviews Why language matters when you apply for a nonprofit job Salary and benefit expectations for the nonprofit sector This week’s guest: Allison Jones (@ajlovesya | LinkedIn)Marketing & Publications Director Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN)New York, N.Y. Listener question of the week:  How important is volunteer experience when applying for nonprofit jobs? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: CharityNavigator.org GlassDoor.com Salary.com Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN) NYU Wagner Career Tracks Exercise Idealist.org Craigslist.com National Council of Nonprofits - Find Your State Nonprofit Association Heather Krasna - Jobs that Matter Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)." To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, visit macslist.org/ebook. One of the most common questions we're asked at Mac's List is this, "How do I get a nonprofit job?" It's a big question, and we hear it from all kinds of people. Recent college graduates, corporate employees who want to switch careers, or government workers who want to continue to serve the public. Like the question the nonprofit sector is big, almost 11 million Americans work for nonprofits in all kinds of jobs, from running soup kitchens to serving Girl Scouts. We don't have all the answers for you today, but we can help you get started. Joining me as our expert guest this week is Allison Jones. She's the Marketing and Publications Director at NTEN. That stands for Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network. We also have the Mac's List team Ben Forstag our Managing Director and Cecilia Bianco, our Community Manager, and they have resources and answers to questions about the nonprofit sector. Let's get started and begin by checking with the Mac's List team. Cecilia, Ben, how are you two this week? Ben Forstag:       I'm doing awesome. Cecilia Bianco:  Doing really good Mac. Mac Prichard:    Good. Well let's talk about nonprofits jobs. Now tell me, have either one of you worked in the nonprofit sector? Ben Forstag:       I spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector, in Pennsylvania, in Spain, in DC and most recently here in Portland. Mac Prichard:    Okay, and do you have one big lesson from that experience you want to share with our listeners about your time in the nonprofit world? Ben Forstag:       I think the big thing that I share with people is that a lot of times there's a stereotype that nonprofit careers, you can't do well in them. That you have to be the starving artist of sorts, but I think nonprofits are becoming increasingly professionalized, and you can have a career in which you do well for yourself and do good for the public as well. It's a really rewarding career. Mac Prichard:    How about you Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco:  I haven't worked for a nonprofit previously, but through my work at Mac's List I've met a lot of people who are in that sector, so I'm pretty familiar with that, and I would agree with Ben, that that's a big misconception that's starting to change. Mac Prichard:    I've worked for one nonprofit directly and like you Cecilia worked with a lot of different nonprofits as a vendor and partner, and I have seen a professionalization of the sector throughout my career and it's a good sign to see. Let's turn to Ben, who every week is out there exploring the internet looking for resources you can use, whether it's a blog, a podcast, or other tool. Ben what do you have for us this week? Ben Forstag:       So because we're talking about nonprofits this week, I wanted to spend a little time talking about the website Charity Navigator, and how it can be a resource for people who are looking for jobs in the nonprofit sector. Charity Navigator as I'm sure you know is mostly known for its scoring system for charities, foundations and other registered nonprofits. Each year they review the public filings for thousands of local, regional, and national nonprofits, and they award stars based on each organization's financial viability, transparency, program spending, and other factors. These stars have become quite a big thing in the nonprofit community, as a star rating can have a major impact on potential donors. I know in my own experience, one organization I was in went from three stars to two stars. It raised a lot of questions from our donors about what's going on. Mac Prichard:    It's a tool that Charity Navigator often comes up in the media when it releases its information about the percentage of a budget a nonprofit spends on fundraising, and there are organizations out there that spend far too much on development and not enough on services, and that's one of the facts that Charity Navigator tracks. Ben Forstag:       I should say that Charity Navigator is not without its challenges. There's some serious questions out there in the media and in the nonprofit community about how exactly they give these ratings out, but for today's purposes this is the big site that people go to for evaluating nonprofits, so we're going to use that as the source. While Charity Navigator's primarily a tool for donors, it can also be very useful for job hunters. You might recall that several weeks ago we talked about the website Glassdoor.com, a website with salary, hiring, and internal culture information about different employers. At the time I mentioned that Glassdoor didn't have a lot of information about nonprofit organizations, particularly smaller nonprofits. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah that's definitely true. Ben Forstag:       Yeah and that's a function of a lot of nonprofits tend to be smaller to they have fewer employees and ex employees to fill out Glassdoor evaluations. Well Charity Navigator does have a lot of this information that Glassdoor's missing, giving potential job seekers a great sneak peek into how those organizations operate. They do this by pulling information from each organization's 990 Form, which is a public financial document that nonprofits are required to file each year by the IRS. On Charity Navigator you can find out fairly detailed information on the nonprofit's financial and management history, which is really important when you're looking for a stable workplace. You can also see roughly how much money you spent on programming versus administrative or fundraising expenses as Mac pointed out, and what programs received the most support within the organization. Cecilia Bianco:  Ben, can't you get a lot of that information just from the nonprofit's website? Ben Forstag:       Good question Cecilia. Sometimes you can. While it's generally a best practice to include this kind of information on an annual report on the company website, not all organizations do this. You know, everyone's trying to put their best foot forward when it comes to their website and their public presence. In general I think the information on Charity Navigator tends to be a bit more impartial and data-driven, omitting a lot of that marketing jargon and cheerleading that you might find on those organization's own website. You can also get a sense of what the salaries are within a given nonprofit. If you go to the full 990 Form, which is available on Charity Navigator, you can see the organization's annual budget and the salary of top leadership. It's not going to tell you everyone's salary, so don't go looking for what the secretary's making, but from this information you can infer a general salary range for other positions in the organization. For example if the Executive Director is only making $45,000 a year, it's probably unlikely that a Program Director is going to be making the same amount. This kind of benchmarking I found really valuable when I was looking for nonprofit jobs. I had a real firm minimum salary requirement, and many times the nonprofits I was interested didn't list their salaries on their job postings, and a quick check on Charity Navigator told me if it was worthwhile applying for a particular position in that organization. If you're looking for nonprofit jobs I'd really encourage you to spend some times exploring the opportunities available on Charitynavigator.com, and I'll have the link in the show notes. Mac Prichard:    Great, well thank you Ben. If you have a suggestion for Ben, write him directly and we may share your idea on the show. Ben's address is [email protected]. Now it's time to turn to you, our listeners. Cecilia Bianco our Community Manager is here to answer one of your questions. Cecilia what do you hear from our community this week? Cecilia Bianco:  Our question this week is, "How important is volunteer experience when applying for nonprofit jobs?" We get this question a lot because volunteering, a lot of people don't necessarily want to do it, but it can be really worthwhile. From the people I've talked to, I think volunteer experience can be a bit of a leg up when you're applying for a nonprofit job. When there's a large pool of applicants who are all saying that an organization's cause is their passion. Showing that you've donated your free time towards this cause is definitely going to help you stand out, but the importance of volunteering also depends on what type of work experience you already have. You might have already worked in that nonprofit's area, so volunteering isn't as important because you're already showing that you're passionate enough to pursue a career in it. What do you two think, do you think volunteering is necessary? Ben Forstag:       I don't think it's necessary but I think it's a good idea. I think this is a form of networking that doesn't get employed enough. When you volunteer for an organization you shouldn't do it to get a job, but it certainly gets your name out there and you get to meet other staff members and other people in the community, and in doing so I think you improve your brand and your standing within that community and within that organization, so that if or when a job opening does become available you're a known commodity and someone that they know and trust with that position. Mac Prichard:    It's also a way of covering gaps in your resume. You can volunteer for a position at an organization that you want to have experience with to make those contacts, and obviously you do it in order to be of service, but while you look for work having even a part-time position, volunteer position within an organization, gives you a credential you can use to plug those gaps because sometimes, particularly for people mid-career, job searches can take three, six or even nine months. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah definitely. I think if you're unemployed and looking for a nonprofit job, volunteering is a win-win because you're adding to your resume and showing how much you want your work to support a certain cause, and as Ben said it's a great way to meet people who might be able to advocate for you when you go to apply at a certain organization. They might know someone who knows someone who works for your dream nonprofit and it can be really beneficial to volunteer because of this. I know I've heard plenty of stories of this happening in our nonprofit community, so it's definitely a win-win. Mac Prichard:    Good. Well thank you Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia please email her. Her address is [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)." We're making the complete Mac's List Guide even better by adding new content and making the book available on multiple e-reader platforms. When we launched the revised version in February 2016, you'll be able to access "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)" on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, and other digital devices. You'll also be able for the first time to order a paperback edition. Whatever the format our goal is the same. To give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. For more information visit Macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our ebook newsletter. We'll send you publication updates, share exclusive book content, and provide you with special pre-sale prices. Now let's turn to our guest expert Allison Jones. Allison is passionate about making the world a better place. As a proud nonprofit geek she has built her career in the sector, helping organizations leverage communications to fulfill their missions. Currently Allison is the Marketing and Publications Director at NTEN, and that stands for the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network. Before that she worked at Idealist.org where she launched and managed Idealist Careers, a publication for purpose-driven professionals. Allison thank you for joining us. Allison Jones:    Thanks so much for having me. I'm excited about this conversation. Mac Prichard:    I know our listeners are too. We talked earlier about this in the show. We get this question a lot at Mac's List, how can I get a nonprofit job. With our listeners thinking about that, what do you encourage them to consider when they look at a career in nonprofits? Allison Jones:    Sure. My first gut reaction is to say well be more specific, right, because I think a lot of folks when they decide that they want a nonprofit job they usually coming from a place of ... Maybe they have a personal moment, that made them want to enter the social sector so maybe they noticed something in their community, they have something happen in their personal lives, maybe just like, "I want my work to be different," or perhaps they met someone who seemed to have a really awesome career in a nonprofit and it made them think differently about what their own career could be, which are all great starting points, but I think the nonprofit sector is so big that to say that you want a nonprofit job doesn't actually get you very far in terms of finding a job that you want. The first thing I would say is to be a bit more specific. Mac Prichard:    That's a great point. What steps have you seen people take to get specific? How do people narrow down on a particular goal? Allison Jones:    There are a couple things you can do there. If you're completely new to the sector and you're not quite sure where to start, I actually encourage folks to just look through job descriptions. Get a sense of what's out there by seeing what's out there, and that might sound a little tedious but there's an activity from NYU Wagner where they encourage you to do exactly that, to collect at least 50 job descriptions and then analyze them for patterns. You're drawn to this organization because of it's cause, so you notice that you really like organizations that focus on poverty or the environment or what have you. You're drawn to this job because of the work itself, so perhaps you notice that you really enjoy writing and a lot of the jobs that you point out are jobs that require writing, or even you're drawn to a job because of where it's located. You're passionate about certain areas. Looking for patterns in the things that you're drawn to. If you feel as if you're just completely coming at it with fresh eyes for a new career, I think that's one way to start. Another way to start is to actually talk to people who seem like they have interesting careers in the nonprofit sector in the form of informational interviews. I give a lot of informational interviews and I've gone on a lot of informational interviews, and they've been really, really helpful for me and my career. Mac Prichard:    We're big fans of informational interviews here at Mac's List, and I want to return to your point too about job postings. There are a lot of job boards out there aimed at nonprofit careers. Do you have any favorites that you want to give shout-outs to? Allison Jones:    I used to work at Idealist.org. Mac Prichard:    One of our favorites. Allison Jones:    I was there for three and a half years and even before I started working there that's what I used to find opportunities so definitely Idealist being one of my top favorites. Mac Prichard:    Great, and it pains me to say this Allison but I know there are people out there who haven't heard of Mac's List or Idealist.org. Could you tell people about Idealist and why it's such a great place, because we're big fans of it. Allison Jones:    Sure. Idealist.org is a global nonprofit that connects people to resources and opportunities in the community they need to take action on causes they care about, so what this means is we're really not well known for our job board, and I haven't checked the stats lately because I don't work there anymore but when I left there were well over 12,000 nonprofit jobs. Actually not just nonprofit jobs but 12,000 jobs in nonprofit social enterprises and government agencies, listed around the world, and there are also thousands of volunteer opportunities, thousands of internships, and if you're curious just about organizations, if you just want to know what kind of organizations are out there doing work in causes that you care about, I think there were over 100,000 organizations using the sites so you could look up profiles of organizations just to get a sense of who's doing what, so it's a really great place to just go and start looking for ways to get involved. Mac Prichard:    Great, and to your earlier point it's a great place to find those job postings and begin to identify those posts, look for those patterns. Any other sites you want to give a shout-out to before we get back to informational interviews? Allison Jones:    Other then Idealist, this may sound really strange but I've heard good things about finding opportunities on Craigslist. It's another way, particularly for smaller cities I think that tends to be a go-to for a lot of people posting opportunities. Mac Prichard:    Good. One other suggestion that comes to my mind is I know every state has a nonprofit association. Sometimes they have different names. Many of them do operate job boards. Allison Jones:    Yes. Also add to that NTEN also has a job board. Particularly if you're interested in opportunities in tech. I think one other way is to look for organizations that have a very specific focus, either in a cause or a profession, so if you're interested in social work looking at social work associations, if you're interested in technology looking at NTEN, that kind of thing. Organizations that act as associations or gatherings for folks in specific places. They tend to also list opportunities as well. Mac Prichard:    Okay good, so people have taken the time, they've looked at job postings, they've identified positions, they've discovered those patterns that you've described, now they're ready to go do informational interviews. What are your top three informational interview tips for people who either want a career in the nonprofit sector or want to make a mid career switch into the nonprofit world? Allison Jones:    I think the first is to just prepare. Thinking of what you want to get out of the interview and craft some really great questions. For example, my favorite question is, "What do you wish someone had told you before you got into this field? Where were you before you got to this organization and this position?" Finding out about people's career paths I think is a great way to let you know the different ways that people arrived in their work, and that can give you insights in terms of the kind of skills that you need to brush up on. If you're having these informational interviews and everyone's telling you for example, "Yeah if you want this role grad school is really important," then you know that perhaps grad school is a step that you might want to take. For me I think these informational interviews are also very surprising in the sense that in quite a few fields people have various pathways they take, and I think that that's something that makes the nonprofit sector somewhat unique in the sense that there's no ... If you want to work in a nonprofit sector this is the specific path that you must take. Of course that varies depending upon certain roles, but I think you'll in informational interviews and the kinds of roles that you're looking for you can really get a sense of the different pathways to finding a great career and getting insight as far as what people in your chosen profession have to do, what certain kinds of organizations are looking for, and their candidates. Preparing for informational interviews to get a sense of pathways and honestly what it takes to excel in a certain role is a really great way to make a use of them. Mac Prichard:    One question I hear from listeners when I encourage them to do informational interviews is they say to me, "How do I know that was a successful meeting? What should I expect to get out of that conversation?" What do you tell people when they ask you that question Allison? Allison Jones:    I think you get what you put into it, but I think for me, when I've gone on informational interviews, I tend to go in with a very specific need, and specific questions, and I feel successful at the end if I'm able to take another step towards what I came to the informational interviews for. For example, you never go into a informational interview asking for a job. That's just sort of ... You can ask about people's paths, what it takes to build a career in this field, what hiring managers might look for, but it's generally known that you don't ask for a job right then and there. What I found in my experiences of going on informational interviews is I felt comfortable ... I usually end up with clarity or a way to take action on something in my career. That has looked like, "Oh I thought I wanted to work at this kind of organization but I actually don't anymore," or, "I thought that I wanted to go to grad school but I don't anymore," or, "I've just learned there are plenty of opportunities in this particular field that I didn't consider before and I want to add that to my search list." It gives me clarity and I think that a successful informational interview gives you clarity and makes it easier for you to take another step toward where you want to be. Mac Prichard:    I think you're making an important point because often people tell me they want to stay open to all options and one of the benefits I see from informational interviews is it provides that clarity, that direction, and gives you insights into what doors you should continue to knock on and those that maybe that you want to keep closed. Allison Jones:    Exactly. Mac Prichard:    I bet you get this question a lot about profit jobs, I hear it to. What about salaries? What expectations should people have if they want a career in the nonprofit world, or they're thinking about moving into that sector? Allison Jones:    I think a couple things. One is to know ... How do I say this. I think at first it starts with you being clear about what your non-negotiables are, right. If there's a limit, if there's a minimum that you must have in order to take care of yourself it's okay to turn down jobs if they don't reach that minimum or they don't meet that minimum. The reason why I bring that up first is because I've found that people tend to be a bit more, you know if they're committed to a cause and want to make a difference they tend to overestimate their ability to deal with a certain salary, and they end up getting very frustrated, especially when you're working on something that doesn't necessarily have an end in sight. If you're working on eradicating poverty you may have milestones and goals over time, but obviously you're not going to see the end of poverty at anytime over the course of working at an organization. Being clear about what you need in terms of salary and in terms of other benefits is very important. I also encourage folks to think, and I just mentioned this, to think in terms of total compensation. If the salary issue comes up and its not what you'd like it to be, it meets what you need but not what you want perhaps, in my experience I've found folks are very open to different kinds of benefits and to just having that conversation. All that being said I actually believe that you can have a great salary in the nonprofit sector, you just have to look and you have to ask, and that can be really tough. You can do research. There are some websites like Salary.com. You can look at an organization's 990s and 990s I think only tell you folks who are making over $100,000 at the organization if I'm not mistaken, but that can still give you a sense of, if you are going for an executive position or if you want to get a sense of the top salaries that does give you a good picture of what that looks like. There are ways to get a sense of what salary options are in terms of your research but definitely going in with a sense of what you need is very important. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. What are some of those other benefits besides salary that you can get from the nonprofit world or that you should ask for? Again, I think people are reluctant to ask for things and when they're in a negotiation for a position that's when they have that opportunity and I think they're either reluctant to step up and ask or they don't know what to request. What sorts of things can people ask for in addition to money? Allison Jones:    Vacation days. And sick days, I've definitely seen that. Any other ... Help with transportation, so if folks depending on where you live, covering gas or your public transportation cost is another thing. Professional development support and resources. What funding is on the table for you to go to conferences and get the PD that you need to excel in your work. There are a bunch of different things and you can definitely do some research on that, but just again the point is to be very clear about what's most important to you. Mac Prichard:    Okay. People come to nonprofit work often because they have a calling or they want to make a difference. They feel a sense of purpose, but the job search basics still matter don't they? Allison Jones:    Absolutely, absolutely. Mac Prichard:    What are the ABCs that you can't ignore, whether you're looking for nonprofit work or any kind of job? Allison Jones:    I think first of all following directions is really important and it's funny, when I worked at Idealist, I was able to talk to quite a few hiring managers and I hired some folks from my team as well, and it's surprising how many folks don't follow directions, whether it be, "Answer these three questions in your cover letter," and people just aren't doing it. Stuff like that. Not following directions is not just a matter of the hiring manager's trying to test you, but also it's more of a matter of this actually helps us read applications and select candidates easier and faster if you follow directions. Making sure you do what's being asked of you. Tailoring the cover letter and the resume to the job itself and that in and of itself can be a bit of a conversation but what that really means is you're looking at the job description, what are they looking for the candidate to do, what kind of candidate are they looking for, not just in terms of qualifications but also in terms of attributes and characteristics. Are they saying they need someone who can thrive in a fast-paced environment, or are they saying that they need someone who's collaborative? Being able to indicate not only your successes as they pertain to the needs of the job but also your ability to fit in in terms of the attributes and characteristics that a person will need to do in that work. Focusing on your accomplishments. This is something that I've seen in a lot of resumes where it's just like, "I worked at X place and I did X things," versus, "I worked at X place and did X things which resulted in increasing revenue, decreasing turn-over," whatever have you, but making sure it attaches to some key accomplishments. Being clear about why you want to work there should be in your cover letter. For organizations that are mission-driven, who their entire purpose is to have an impact I think being clear about why you want to work in that cause, why with that organization, and not just because it seems like a cool place to be but really something specific is important. Finally just proofreading. Error free, easy to read, decent margins, those are also really important things. Mac Prichard:    We're coming to the end of our interview, but there is one question I want to raise that we get a lot. It's from people who have been in the private sector for five, ten, fifteen years and they want to make the transition into the nonprofit world. They tell us they struggle, they're not sure how to describe what they've done and make it appealing to nonprofit managers and hiring managers. How have you seen people address that Allison? Allison Jones:    In a few ways, and first I actually want to ... There's someone in particular who I just thought of, Heather Krasna. She's a dean at Columbia University School of Public Health. She is brilliant at this sort of thing, really working with sector-switchers so I definitely recommend her as a resource. Mac Prichard:    Let's get a URL from you and we'll put her in the show notes. Allison Jones:    As far as just making the sector switch, first I think networking is really important. I think having people who can give you an inside look as to what's required to work in a nonprofit because I think in some ways there is some suspicion of private sector folks. Are you coming here because you want a break? Are you coming here because you think it will be easier? There's some suspicion I think from nonprofit folks. Not all the time and not in every case, but just the wondering of ... You need to be able to answer that question of why. Why are you making this switch and being very honest about that. I think making language tweaks in your resume, cover letter, so instead of saying things like, "client or customer," you might want to say, "community or constituent," or something like that where it makes the most sense to do so. The transferable skills are important as well, so things like if the job you're going for requires you to be a great public speaker, that's something that you can call out in your resume and cover letter as things you've done in different contexts so it's a skill that you don't necessarily need to have developed in the nonprofit sector. You could have developed it anywhere. But you want to make sure you pull that out or call that out rather in your materials as something you have done in different contexts and they've still resulted in great things. Finally getting nonprofit experience where you can. Obviously finding a full time job is awesome and ideal, but if you've been on a board, if you've volunteered, if you've offered your consulting services pro bono, those are all experiences that are valuable because they indicate that you've done some work before trying to apply for a job, that you have some experience with a nonprofit sector and that you're not just coming at it blind. Mac Prichard:    Great. Well I think that's the perfect place to stop. Thank you Allison so much for joining us. Allison Jones:    Oh no problem. Thanks for having me. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. You can find Allison on Twitter. Her Twitter handle is @ajlovesya, and she also has a LinkedIn profile. We'll include links to both her Twitter account and her LinkedIn page in the show notes. Thank you Allison Jones. Allison Jones:    Thank you. Mac Prichard:    Okay we're back with the Mac's List team. Cecilia, Ben, what are some of the key takeaways from our conversation with Allison? Cecilia Bianco:  What I took away was that no matter where you're at informational interviews in the nonprofit world are the best way to get connected, and I think she made a lot of good points about how to go about that and why it's so important, because we know from talking to the Mac's List community a lot of people are getting jobs through meeting people in the community and the easiest way to do that is through informational interviews. Mac Prichard:    Good. Ben how about you? Ben Forstag:       I liked her point about how important it is to follow instructions in a job posting. It reminded me of a job I used to work at where as part of the hiring process they would put in slightly anachronistic rules into that job posting and one of the ways they weeded out if the applicant was detail oriented, was, did they follow the rule. Things like, "Put this as the subject line in the email when you email in your resume and application." They wouldn't even open up an email unless it had the right subject line in it. I think it's important to really read through the application, make sure you're following all the instructions they give, because there is a reason behind those instructions and oftentimes it's just to winnow out the numbers of applicants. Mac Prichard:    Yeah, I thought she had good practical suggestions both on informational interviews and the application process that would apply not only to the nonprofit world but the private sector as well. Ben Forstag:       Yeah, definitely. Mac Prichard:    Yeah, so good stuff. Well thank you both, and thank you our listeners. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime you can visit us at Macslist.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter with more then 100 new jobs every week, and if you like what you hear on the show please help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. This helps others discover the show and helps us help more job seekers. Thank you for listening.

Millennials, the 54 million Americans born after 1980, now account for more than a third of the workforce in the United States. Perhaps more than any generation, millennials stand out for wanting meaningful, purpose-driven careers. And they have brought new ideas about decision-making, management style, and work-life balance into the workforce. Millennials face challenges, too. Many started work in the middle of the Great Recession, which may result in up-to $100,000 of “lost” wages during their lifetime. Those lucky enough to find jobs were often overqualified. And there’s a stereotype that millennials are high maintenance and overly demanding. This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with Paul Angone, an author, career coach, and advocate for millennial workers. Paul has dedicated himself to helping millennials overcome their fear of insignificance and find purposeful work. He believes that the secret to a great job is building your “signature sauce”--aligning your strengths, skills, and values around a need or problem that can be solved. In this 34-minute episode you will learn: The myriad motivators for millennials workers (it’s not just about a paycheck!) Why failure can help clarify your passions How to build genuine relationships when you network The recipe behind your own “signature sauce” Why you should watch out for OCD--“Obsessive Comparison Disorder” The best thing millennials can do to get a job they love This week’s guest: Paul Angone (@PaulAngone | LinkedIn)Founder, All Groan UpAuthor, All Groan Up: Searching For Self, Faith, and a Freaking Job! and101 Secrets For Your TwentiesSan Diego, Calif. Listener question of the week:  How can I stand out as a recent college graduate? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Answering the Three Career Questions: Your Lifetime Career Management System AllGroanUp.com SignatureSauce.com All Groan Up: Searching for Self, Faith, and a Freaking Job! 101 Secrets for Your Twenties Twentysomething Problems--as Told By Eggs Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is Find Your Dream Job, a podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). To learn more about the book and the updated edition we're publishing in February, come to our website. Just visit macslist.org/ebook. Millennials, the 54 million Americans born after 1980, who came of age in the New Millennium, now account for more than a third of the workforce in the United States. Perhaps more than any generation, Millennials stand out for wanting meaningful careers, and lives that balance career and family. They are also the first generation digital natives. Millennials face challenges, too. Many started work in the middle of the Great Recession, and entering a labor market during a recession can mean up to a hundred thousand dollars in lost wages during a lifetime. Those lucky enough to find jobs were often overqualified, and there's a stereotype out there of Millennials as high maintenance workers who are overly concerned with titles and status. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we're talking about Millennials and the search of meaningful work. Joining us for our interview segment is Paul Angone. He's an expert on Millennials and the author of 101 Secrets for Your Twenties. Ben Forstag has a book for us that any generation can use to map out a career for meaningful work, and Cecilia Bianco has a question from a new college graduate just beginning a career. But first, let's check in with the Mac's List team. I think we have all three generations represented here. Ben Forstag:    I think you might be right. Mac Prichard:  For the benefit of our listeners, do people want to self-identify? Cecilia Bianco:  I'm a Millennial. Mac Prichard:   Okay, good. Ben? Ben Forstag:   I was born in '79, so I'm right at the cusp between Generation X and Millennial. Mac Prichard:   I'm a solid Boomer. I was born in 1958, so we have good representation here. Let's move on with our topic this week. Ben, you're out there every week looking around the internet and what have you found for us this week? Ben Forstag:       Mac, can you hear this sound? Mac Prichard:   That's very analog of you. Ben Forstag: It is, yes. I'm sure they have this book in digital format as well, but this week I'm talking about the physical book, and it's called Answering the Three Career Questions: Your Lifetime Career Management System, and this was a book that was recommended to me by Russell Terry, one of our long time listeners. The book is by author Bruce Hazen, and it's a really interesting read. The author has a very clear goal with this book, and it's to help people avoid the one-job-in-a-row trap. Too often, people see their career as simply the narrative of all their jobs, one after another, and you sometimes see that in their resume. Hazen says that people should really see their career as something different than the sum of their jobs. It's really a holistic narrative about what you find important, what you find interesting, engaging and satisfying as a professional. In a sense, he's flipping this on its head. The career should dictate what jobs you have and not vice versa. This is a concept I know we've talked a lot about in the podcast. In episode 2, Dawn Rasmussen called your career "the stream that runs beneath your current job", and even some of the practical tips we've provided around branding, resume building and interviewing, you can see this recurring theme of your career being a driving narrative behind your professional life. In his book, Bruce Hazen frames career management around three questions that professionals should regularly ask themselves. Those questions are: One, is it time to move up? In other words, do you need a development strategy to progress in your current organization? He makes a really interesting distinction between promotion and progression here. Promotion is about moving up in an established organizational hierarchy; getting a promotion essentially, while progressing is about improving your own subjective satisfaction with your job. He has this great quote: Up has dimension and not just direction, so moving up could mean adding complexity or authority to your work, enriching the job you've got, a lateral move to a job you like more, changing location, or even in some cases, moving down the hierarchy to a job that you prefer. Mac Prichard:    I think as people think about their goals, it's important to remember titles alone aren't going to bring you satisfaction. Sometimes I think people think the only change that's a good one is one that has you moving up the hierarchy of your organization, but sometimes you might have other goals. I think for example, when I was working in the governor's office, I had an opportunity to take a position in politics with a group of state legislators and I turned that down to work for the State Purchasing Bureau. People said, "Why would you do that? Isn't that a step down?", and it was actually what I needed at that time, which was steady work, well-paying work, and it was a great opportunity for the year that I did that. Eventually it led me to another position in communications, which has been my career, but people I think here, Ben, shouldn't get hung up on just always moving up and up and up. Ben Forstag:  Yeah, and I know in my own career, there have been a couple of times when I've taken a step down the hierarchy, or at least as it looked on paper or as it played out in my paycheck. At the time, a lot of people scratched their heads and I even questioned that, but in the long run, that ended up being the best possible move I could make because I ended up liking the new job more, and it helped me transition into new fields that I might not have been able to do so otherwise. The second question here is, is it time to move out? Is it time to move to a job that better aligns with your interests, passions and needs? Do you need a strategy to transition into this new organization or field? The question here is really fit. Does your current job or organization fit with who you are as a person? Hazen provides different tools to ascertain fit, with a lot of tests around measuring work values and ethics and things like that. He also outlines strategies for professionals who realize their current position isn't a good fit for who they are. Cecilia Bianco:  I think this one's great and it would be so good if people would sit down and do these tests before they start looking for a job and interviewing, because if they know what they want as far as fit, they're going to have a much easier job search. Ben Forstag:  Yeah, I think fit is so important, and I know I've been in jobs where I just haven't been a good fit for the organization and it wasn't my fault or the organization's fault, it just wasn't an alignment. If you can get clear about what a good fit is before you start the job, that's clearly a benefit. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. Ben Forstag:     The third question here is, is it time to adapt your style for greater success? That is are you in the right position, but not getting the right traction or the right results in that position? This question is really aimed at people who have the right technical skills to succeed, but need a new approach to their colleagues or to their organization. Hazen shares a couple of different strategies for using your skills in interacting with others, all with the intent of improving your productivity and satisfaction with your current job. When I talked to our listener Russell about this, I asked him why exactly he liked this book so much, and this is what he said: "I found it helpful to break things down to three basic questions and to emphasize that through our careers, we keep coming back to these same three questions." I really, really liked what Russell said here, and I totally agree with him. I think the strong point about this book is that it does bring all these questions back into the center of the conversation over and over again, so I strongly suggest to anyone who is looking at career management tools, check out this book. Again, the book is called Answering the Three Career Questions: Your Lifetime Career Management System, and it's by author Bruce Hazen, and we will have a link to the book in our show notes. Mac Prichard:  Thank you, Ben, and thank you, Russell, for that suggestion. Do you have a book or a podcast or website that has been helpful to you in your job search or managing your career? Let Ben know about it. You can write him directly, and his email address is [email protected]. Now let's turn to you, our listeners. Cecilia Bianco, our community manager is here, and she answers one of your questions. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, our question this week is how can I stand out as a recent college graduate? I personally think the best way to stand out as a recent grad is to have an established and strong personal brand, so your goal should be, if an employer looks online for you, are they going to view you as a professional or a college student? Obviously, the goal is to look like a professional, even if you haven't graduated yet. Are they going to be able to tell what your career interests are based on what they find about you online? Something I was required to do in my college program before I graduated was to create a personal website that showcased my experience and my goals for the future, and this was a great way for me and my classmates to really stand out. It made us look a bit more polished and prepared to start job searching because it forced us to figure out the type of job and industry that we could realistically apply for and have a good chance of getting. Beyond just building your personal website, your social media profiles, your resume and cover letter and your business cards should all fit with this personal brand that you're building for yourself. One girl in my program I was very impressed with. She created a logo for herself and used it to build a template for her website application material and it really made her stand out. She had no trouble getting interviews because her branded materials made her look like a seasoned professional rather than a college student or a recent grad. Mac and Ben, what are your thoughts on how college grads can stand out? Ben Forstag:   I think the number one way that anyone can stand out, whether you're a college grad or an established professional, is good writing. It is so rare to find someone who can write concisely and clearly nowadays, and anyone who does that is a real valued commodity I think in almost any organization, so whether that writing shows in your portfolio or the writing sample you submit as part of your application or even the language you use on your website, the more you can showcase good writing ability, the more you'll stand out with employers. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, that's definitely true, and building a personal website is one way to get your writing and your message about yourself really clear. Ben Forstag:   Yeah, and definitely good writing is part of the brand that you present about yourself. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. Mac Prichard:   Yeah, I think good writing is always effective, no matter what your age or what stage you are in your career. For recent college graduates, it's a tactical tip, but one thing that can make them stand out I think, Cecilia, is just having a business card. It's old-fashioned, but it fits in with your earlier point about having a strong personal brand. When I meet recent college graduates, often they don't have cards, but they either ask for mine or would I offer them a card. There's an opportunity there to be on equal footing by sharing a card of their own. It's easy to do and is a way of distinguishing yourself. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, definitely. The people in my program, since we all had cards, when we would get sent out to networking events, we would talk about how some of the employers, they would be shocked when we handed over a business card, and we hadn't graduated yet, so that's definitely really important. Ben Forstag:    Two points about business cards: One is they do make you feel like a professional when you have them and you start handing them out. You feel like hey, I've made it. The other one is you can get business cards really cheaply online, like ten dollars will buy you five hundred business cards, so it's definitely a good investment and a really cheap investment as well. Mac Prichard:  Yeah, and you can get them for free. There's services that do that, but they're branded by the company that produces them, and I think spend the five or ten dollars it takes to get one with your own personal brand. Ben Forstag:  Definitely. Mac Prichard:  Okay, well, thanks, Cecilia. That was a great question. If you have a question for Cecilia, you can email her. Her address is [email protected]. I noticed today on Twitter, Cecilia, one of our listeners was tweeting at both of us, and she said that she'd sent you several questions. Cecilia Bianco:  Oh, yeah, I already got her questions. Mac Prichard:    Terrific. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better. We're adding new content and we're making the book available on multiple e-reader platforms. In February, we'll launch a new version of the book, and you'll for the first time be able to access it on Kindle, Nook, iPad and other digital devices, and for the first time, you'll be able to get a paperback edition. Thank you, Ben, so whatever the format, our goal's the same. We want you to have the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. For more information, go to our website. Visit macslist.org/ebook. You can sign up for our e-book newsletter, and when you do that, you'll get publication updates, exclusive book content, and we'll provide you with special pre-sale prices. Now let's turn to this week's guest, Paul Angone. Paul is a leading voice to and for millennials. He loves helping millennials uncover their unique signature sauce to find where their passion, purpose and career collide. Paul is a best selling author of 101 Secrets For Your Twenties and All Groan Up. He's also a national speaker and the creator of AllGroanUp.com, which has been read by millions of people in more than 190 countries. Paul, thanks for joining us today. Paul Angone:      Oh, thank you for having me. It's an honor being here. Mac Prichard:   Yeah, it's a pleasure to have you on the show. Now Paul, millennials stand out for a number of reasons, but what is most striking I think about this generation is their desire for work that has purpose. Why do you think it's such an important value for millennials? Paul Angone:     Yeah, that's a great question. You're right. When I look at all the research I've done over the years, all the blog articles I've written, all the emails I've received from millennials, really all over the world. I don't think this is just solely in the United States where we're at, but I think this is worldwide. If I distill it down I think one of millennials' greatest fears is insignificance. Is this feeling of I'm doing work that has no point and my life is kind of meaningless. I'm just showing up everyday going through the motions. I think millennials are truly at their core for the most part really driven by trying to find this meaningful work. Trying to find purpose and trying to do something that feels like man, this really means something important to me and I'm not just getting a paycheck or working for the corner office. Millennials really aren't wired that way. They have different motivators than just a pay hike. They really want to find work that is drenched in purpose. Mac Prichard:  How do you see millennials get clear about that purpose? What do people who are successful at chasing their purpose do? Paul Angone:   That's the million dollar question, isn't it? That's the tough one. It can become very difficult. I know for myself it was a very frustrating process in a sense because I loved hearing about I want to follow my passion, I want to do work I'm passionate about, but I was really struggling with how do you figure that out. How do you find what you're passionate about? I didn't have a clue. I was going through college doing all the right things, getting the good grades, trying to pick the right major, pick the right internship, taking these steps. I felt like if I just kept taking the right steps up there somewhere was going to be success. Up there somewhere was going to be my passion. Yet when I got up there I still felt as lost as ever. Maybe even more lost because I didn't know what my passion was. For me, and I think for a lot of millennials going through the same kind of process, is that it is a process. It takes time and it takes one thing in particular that I don't think a lot of us think about or want to think about, but I think one of the really big clarifiers to finding your passion is failure. I didn't really want to hear that or understand that when I was searching for my passion, but I think failure becomes that great clarifier. Because when you've failed at something but yet you want to keep doing it, well then you've found something, there's something there that you're really truly passionate about. Mac Prichard:  Let's explore that because I think that's one thing that many of us are taught to avoid at all costs is failure. Paul Angone:      Exactly. Yeah. Mac Prichard:   Why do you think it makes such a big difference for people who are trying to find their purpose? Paul Angone: I think it's easy to say that you're passionate about something or you're excited about something that you are achieving a lot of success in. Or maybe you're getting accolades for or getting good grades or you're getting money to do it, but when those externals start going away or in my case I really wanted to write a book. I was passionate about wanting to help specifically twenty-somethings that were struggling in kind of the what now of life after college. Yet for years I couldn't get a publisher to say yes to anything I was writing. I couldn't get people to return emails. I thought my email was broken at one point because I couldn't get anybody to return an email of mine. I quickly realized that I was truly passionate about this topic, about helping twenty-somethings, about trying to write and speak to them because even through all the no's and rejections I still kept showing up and I kept writing and I kept pursuing it and hammering away at it. I really figured out that that was something I was truly passionate about. Where other ideas that I had, other pursuits, business ideas, things that I did when I hit those first couple of obstacles like all of us will, I quickly quit. I quit that dream. I went another way because really I wasn't in it for the right reasons. I wasn't truly passionate about that endeavor. Like I was when I was writing and trying to really reach twenty-somethings. Mac Prichard:  Okay, so there's a big difference between enthusiasms and passion. Tell us how can you figure out what is your passion. Does it require failure or is there a shortcut? Paul Angone:   Well, I think we'd all be lying to ourselves if we thought failure wasn't a part of it. You know? Mac Prichard:  Okay. Paul Angone:  Just like any good entrepreneur, and I've actually tried to infuse more of this in my lifestyle, I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur before, but I've kind of become and entrepreneur through circumstances. I'm trying to develop more of what I call an entrepreneurial mindset. I think what entrepreneurs are really good at and what they understand is that failure is just that learning process and when they release products even in the business realm they beta test products. They release version 1.0. Basically they release something that they know is not complete, that they know is not perfect, that they know in some respect will fail and that's kind of the point because they know that they'll learn so much through the process and the feedback and the test groups and those kinds of things that when they create version 2.0 it's going to be better. I think for all of us, whether we're an entrepreneur or not, when you're pursuing something and you feel like yeah, this is something. I feel alive when I'm pursuing this. I feel passionate, these words that we say. It's not having that fear that you're going to fail. Because the possibility for greatness and embarrassment both exist in the same space. You really can't have one without the other. Mac Prichard:    Okay. For millennials who want to pursue their passion, and I meet many every day who do, they should expect fear and that failure will be part of that process. It's a good feedback mechanism. It shows you that you're on the right path particularly if you persist and you keep getting up even when you're knocked down. Now, once people have figured out they need to follow that passion and be persistent about it, what are some of the other career challenges you see for millennials? Paul Angone: Yeah and I think following your passion and pursuing that, it's such a big overwhelming word. Mac Prichard:    It is, yeah. Paul Angone:      I even have to break it down. That's why I love talking about this metaphor of finding your signature sauce because it gives me a great mental image of what I think the metaphor looks like. When I talk about finding your signature sauce I mean the blend of ingredients that are coming together within each person to create that kind of flavor, to create that passion, to create that signature sauce that they want to serve to the world so to speak. I think even in this idea of finding your passion, I think we can unpack that even more for millennials or for really anybody and break down I think some key ingredients that go into that. For one of those as millennials are pursuing their career and trying to find jobs that align with that, one I think it's really a simple way is finding something that your strengths and your skills align with. I think for a lot of us we become passionate about something and we want to keep pursuing it when we feel like we're good at it, when we have some skill sets that resonate with that, that we have some strengths that we really lend to this arena that makes us feel good when we're doing it because we're achieving some sort of success in that endeavor. It doesn't have to be all about failure, you know? There is the skills and strengths that are a part of that. Then another crucial ingredient I think that aligns with that is your values. Mac Prichard: Lets talk about values and the difference they can make, Paul. Paul Angone: Yeah. Yeah, to make it personal for me and when I started realizing this is I felt like a strength of mine, and this can be up for debate and your listeners can debate this if they want, but I felt a strength of mine was communication. I felt like I loved speaking, I loved writing, I loved communicating ideas. I always thought I should try to do a sales job because then I'd be in front of people, I'd be speaking, I'd be using that strength of communication. Yet I took a couple sales jobs and I was absolutely terrible as a salesman. I was just terrible and I hated it. I didn't enjoy it. I started realizing that I had a value of being authentic. Authenticity was a really crucial value of mine. Actually in a couple sales jobs when I felt like I was selling something that I didn't really believe in and I felt like I was being inauthentic it actually kind of undercut my strength. My strength was no longer that strong because my value was more important to me. Really it was that value of authenticity aligning with my strength of communication and then that was where my sweet spot was. When I really get passionate about something like helping people, helping twenty-somethings, giving them hope and truth and hilarity, I get excited about that because I really believe in it. It really ties in with my value. Mac Prichard:   Okay, so I want to move onto some other topics, but before we leave this idea of the secret sauce and the ingredients, you talked about the importance of skills and strengths and recognizing values. Are there one or two other key ingredients you want to share with people? Paul Angone:     Yeah, I think another really big one that was really the driving force behind me pursuing and pushing through obstacles is I think people when they find a passion and when they talk about something they're passionate about, a lot of the times it directly relates to a need or a problem that they really want to fix. We see needs and problems very differently depending on our background, our story, where we're at, the way were raised. All the different intricacies that make us us. Even you and I mac, we might see problems and needs in a very different way. I think for all of us, when you're pursuing something that is bigger than yourself, and it doesn't have to be huge. You don't have to be changing the world here. Maybe it is, but maybe it's even a problem that you see in your current job. Maybe you see something that can be optimized and could run smoother. Or maybe it is that you see homeless people in your community and you see that as a huge need that you want to do something about. I think sometimes when we take our strengths and our skills and we take our values and then we align those with really serving or trying to solve a need or a problem, man, I think that will push you through more obstacles than anything. That's really what my story was about was pursuing a need and a problem where I felt like there was a lot of people that needed this information and needed kind of this hope and insight. Even if I was getting rejected I felt like this is such a big issue, I'm going to keep doing it because if I'm not going to do it, who else is? I have to keep hammering away at this. I think something will work out. Mac Prichard:   I think that's excellent advice both from a strategic point of view, but for job seekers in general because when employers are looking for help they've got a problem. They have a need that has to be addressed. Understanding that need and knowing how your strengths and your skills can help solve that problem I find puts candidates who can do that at the front of the crowd. So excellent advice Paul. Paul Angone: Exactly. Mac Prichard:  Let's talk specifically about millennials and maybe some tactile things. Is there one thing that you recommend every millennials do to get a better job? Or just a job. Paul Angone:     Yeah. Yeah, there's so much nowadays and I guess I'll hone in on one thing. Typically when we're talking about the job search and all this it can be very overwhelming, but we all know that a lot of job opportunities, we've seen the stats, they'll come through networking or through relationships. I know for myself, networking was always challenging for me because again, it's kind of that value of authenticity, but I think a lot of millennials feel this way where it can kind of feel inauthentic. Or you're going to a networking event and maybe you feel like that used car salesman that's pushing your business card to everybody and trying to get an opportunity or trying to make a pitch, your elevator speech so that you can get that job. Really for me, when I started thinking about it more as what I call relation-shipping, so not networking per se, but relation-shipping. Why I call it that is because I feel like when you're focused on building just relationships and giving to people and adding value and when you're meeting people you're not just pitching them on your elevator speech about how amazing you are, but you're just asking them questions about how amazing they are for the first five minutes. You don't say anything about yourself. That becomes such a more effective way to build relationships, but also in a turn, a byproduct of that is people like you more. They want to help you. Now when they have a job opportunity maybe they think about your first because people love being able to talk about themselves. If you can ask them good questions and focus more on relation-shipping, building value added relationships, man, I think that's really going to set you apart instead of talking about yourself and being a me monster at a networking event. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. I think that goes back to your earlier point, Paul about thinking about the needs of others and their problems and how you can help solve them. Paul Angone:      Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mac Prichard:    Not thinking just about your own needs. Paul Angone:    Exactly. Mac Prichard:  Yeah. Well, your first book was 101 Secrets For Your Twenties. Can you do a lightning round of those secrets for us? Paul Angone: Oh sure. Yeah, there's 101 of them so it's always hard to pick my favorites. I think one of them that has resonated with a lot of people is to watch out for what I call the new OCD. Which it's not the OCD as we typically think of, but it's obsessive comparison disorder. I think for a lot of millennials especially this is so prevalent nowadays, especially through social media. I think for any of us that is going through transition, that is maybe trying to change jobs or you feel like well, I'm not doing my passion right now. I'm working in a coffee shop or I'm selling insurance. I'm not really that excited about my life. It can become very hard when you're looking at social media and you're looking at the perceived amazing-ness of everybody else's lives and what we're showcasing on social media. Which isn't always the most accurate truth that I think most of us know, but it doesn't feel that way sometimes. Watch out for what I call obsessive comparison disorder. Because if you're always measuring yourself up to the images that people are putting up on Instagram or are on Facebook, you're always going to feel lacking or you're always going to feel like I'm not enough. I think that's a really big one. Mac Prichard:   Okay. Excellent advice. We're coming to the end of our interview, Paul. Tell me, what's next for you? What do you have coming up? Paul Angone:   Yeah, for me I'm really excited actually about an online course that I've started called Finding Your Signature Sauce. I just took my first group of students through it just now and it's been amazing to be able to walk through this process with people and go on a deeper level than just through blogs or books, but actually have a personal relationship and get to know a lot of people. That's probably the thing that I'm most excited about right now is just refining that and really helping people through that process of finding your signature sauce and all that entails. Mac Prichard:  Great. Well thank you, Paul. Tell our listeners how they can find you online. Where can they learn more about you, your books and your work? Paul Angone:     Yeah, they can find me at my main website is AllGroanUp.com and groan is spelled like you're groaning in pain, All Groan Up. I like to say that it's pun-derful, is my go to joke. Yeah, All Groan Up. They can find me on Twitter at Paul Angone, A-N-G-O-N-E or they can find me at SignatureSauce.com. Any of those websites or through Twitter. Reach out if you have questions. Id love to connect with you. Mac Prichard:    Great and we'll be sure to include those links in the show notes. Thanks for joining us this week, Paul. Paul Angone:  Thank you, Mac. Mac Prichard:   Well, we're back with Cecilia and Ben. Tell me, what do you think we're the most important points you heard Paul make? Cecilia Bianco:  I really liked his point about how to tell what your real passions are. He mentioned that if you fail at something and you keep doing it because you enjoy it so much, that's how you can tell that you're passionate about it. Following that I think is really key when you're a millennial trying to find the career you want. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. I identified with that too. In my 20s and 30s I worked on a lot of election campaigns. I worked on a lot of losing campaigns and I kept showing up every election cycle. We won some, but I was so passionate about that work and the opportunity it offered to make a difference I kept signing up for campaigns even when we lost. Ben Forstag:       I liked his point about finding a problem that needs to be fixed. I know for me personally that resonates because I find the most enjoyment in my work when there is this problem. It doesn't need to be a giant problem. It could be how to increase the open rates on an email for example, but having that problem to explore and to test things out, that really animates a lot of where I find enjoyment in work. Mac Prichard:   Good. I think that was good advice not only for millennials, but for any generation. Well, thank you all for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime visit us at MacsList.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter with more than 100 new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. This helps other job seekers discover the show. It helps us help more people. Thank you for listening.

When you hear the phrase “technology sector” you probably think of multi-billion dollar companies like Google, Apple, or Facebook. But you don’t have to be in Silicon Valley to work in tech. There are opportunities across the globe, both in offices and in working at home. It is one of the fastest growing labor sectors, and the jobs pay above average salaries. And it’s not just for startup founders, engineers, or coders. The experiences, skills and values that serve you in one field--whether it’s marketing, sales, communications, HR or anything else--can be used in the diverse tech field. This week on Find Your Dream Job, Mac chats with Albert Qian a high-tech digital marketing and product marketing manager, and founder of the tech-centered job community, Albert’s List. Albert has helped professionals around the country find rewarding work in the technology space. In this episode, he shares tips on how you can make the jump into big tech. In this 34-minute episode you will learn: Backgrounds and skills that help people thrive in the technology sector How networking makes all the difference in landing a tech job How you can use your humanities degree to find a technology job The benefit of code training academies and what to look for in technology bootcamps This week’s guest: Albert Qian (@albertqian | LinkedIn)Founder, Albert’s ListAuthor, The Social Media EcosystemOrange County, Calif. Listener question of the week:  I have an upcoming interview, and I’m curious how I should prepare my online profiles. What are employers looking for when they Google my name? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: GlassDoor.com - Highest Paying Jobs In-Demand Hongkiat.com - To 10 Websites to Learn Coding (Interactively) Online Code Academy TreeHouse CodeTree Khan Academy Albert’s List Coursera U2Me Workbridge Associates Tech In Motion Events Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, visit macslist.org/eBook. Thanks for joining us today. When you hear the phrase "technology sector" you probably think about multi-million dollar companies like Google, Apple, or Amazon. You don't have to be in Silicon Valley or Seattle to work in tech. It's no wonder many people move to these places to work for technology companies, however. This sector grows faster than the rest of the economy and the jobs pay above average salaries, but there are opportunities across the globe, not just California or Washington state. It's a field not just for startup founders, engineers, or coders. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we're talking about tech jobs. Ben Forstag has an online site you can use to find the highest paying jobs in the sector. Cecilia Bianco has answers for what you need to do when any employer googles you. Finally, I'll talk to an engineer who helps people find tech jobs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. First, though, let's start as we do every week by checking with the Mac's List team. Ben, Cecilia, how are you two doing? Ben Forstag: I'm doing great. Cecilia Bianco: Doing really good, Mac. Mac Prichard: Good. It's great to have you both here in the studio. Now, tech jobs. Before you all came here, did either one of you work in the technology sector? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I actually had an internship at a startup in college. It was called NOUO and it was a database for everything going on at the university restaurants, bars, and what to do on the weekend. It was an interesting experience. Ben Forstag: When I was in college, I was an intern at Compuware in Detroit. They are a software services company. I was in the marketing department so I wouldn't call it a tech job per se but it was where I first learned how to use HTML which has been a great skill for me. Mac Prichard: I have not worked in the tech sector. I had the good fortune, way back in the early 80s when IBM first introduced their PC's, to work at a non-profit that actually bought them. That was, in those days, bleeding edge technology. I learned all about floppy disks and Wordstar 3.0. Speaking of discovery, let's turn to Ben who's out there every week looking for resources that you, or listeners, can use. Ben, what have you learned for us this week related to technology? Ben Forstag: Mac, since today we're talking about technology I wanted to share two different blogs that I found, specifically blog posts, around technology. The first one comes from Glassdoor.com which is a resource we talked about last week. This comes from their blog which is around all kinds of workforce issues. This blog is the 25 highest paying jobs in demand. It's a list of the highest paying jobs that there's a huge demand for, as you would guess. The key takeaway of this job post is that almost half of the jobs listed were in the tech sector. I wrote out the top tech jobs. They are software architect, software development manager, solutions architect, analytics manager, IT manager, data scientist, security engineer, hardware engineer, database administrator, and software engineer. I don't know what most of the jobs do, I'll admit, but these are all jobs where the average salary is well over $100,000 a year. There's clearly a lot of money and opportunity in the tech sector. Thirty years ago our parents or grandparents might have been urging us to go and be doctors or lawyers because they thought that's where we were going to make a lot of money and take care of them in their old age. Nowadays, parents are probably urging their kids to go off to Silicon Valley and become software engineers and analytics managers because that's where all the money's at. Mac Prichard: That's an impressive list. I know we'll include that in the show notes, too. Ben Forstag: I'll include this specific URL to this blog post in the show notes. The key, I think, here is knowing the coding languages that are most in demand, if you want to get into the tech sector. I did a little bit of googling and what I found were the most in demand languages were SQL, Java, JavaScript, C#, C++, Python, Ruby on Rails, and iOS Swift. Cecilia, I saw you shaking your head when I read that list. Do you know any of these coding languages? Cecilia Bianco: (laughs) No, I don't. I did recently discovered that Mac's List runs on SQL. While I have no idea how to run it or anything about it, I know what it's called. Ben Forstag: You know we've got it. How about you, Mac? Mac Prichard: I'm doomed because I don't recognize any of these languages. I have some Spanish but I don't think that's going to cut it. Ben Forstag: Ten years ago, I thought I was really advanced because I know HTML. No, I don't know any of these either so I'm doomed as well. Here's the good news for all of us in this room and all of our listeners, you can learn almost all of these languages online, in your home, in your pajamas, and often for free, which brings me to my next blog resource for the week, which is a blog post on a website called hongkiat.com. That's H-O-N-G-K-I-A-T .com. (I don't know where these names come from!) The blog is the top 10 websites to learn coding, interactively, online. There are a lot of different websites out there where you can take courses, where you can learn just about any one of these languages, and other tech skills. Some of these websites you may have heard of before, Code Academy, Codetree, Treehouse, or Khan Academy. Khan Academy, I know, has been making the news a lot recently because they teach just about any subject you want to learn. The really cool thing about this is most of these sites offer at least some free training. You can scale up and pay for extras, but the baseline on most of them is free. The one reason I really like this hongkiat.com blog post is it gives a good summary of what each site teaches in terms of what languages you can learn, price point of what you can get for free and what you have to pay for, the teaching methodology, and the difficulty level for each online course. They have a matrix at the bottom of the blog post that displays all this information in a really easy and intuitive way. I would suggest you check out this blog post. It's, again, the top 10 websites to learn coding, interactively, online. I will have the URL in our show notes. Mac Prichard: Great. I know that our listeners will look forward to seeing that. Thanks, Ben. If you have a suggestion for Ben for a resource you think would be valuable to our listeners, write him. His email address is [email protected]. Let's turn to you, our listeners. Cecilia, our community manager, is here to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what are you hearing, this week, from our listeners? Cecilia Bianco: This week our question is, "I have an upcoming interview and I'm curious how I should prepare my online profiles. What are employers looking for when they google my name?" I think they're looking for a few different things, but the main reason an employer is googling you is to check your credibility. They want to see what pops up when your name is googled. Are you saying who you say you are? Do your online profiles align with what you've said about yourself thus far in your cover letter, resume, and any other correspondence you've had with them. Especially if you're applying for a tech job, this is important because you want to make sure what's popping up in a google search, that whatever comes up shows your credibility in your field. Are you a part of online tech groups? Online communities that are having conversations around the technology sector? Are you tech savvy and active online in social media, and with tech writing? Firstly, I think to prepare you should start by googling yourself and seeing what pops up. From there, you can focus on what you need to improve. Mac and Ben, I know I've googled my own name before, have you googled yours? Ben Forstag: I have. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I've got a last name that is not very common and it's probably the case that I know, or am immediately related to, any Forstag out there in the world. If you are a Forstag and you don't know who I am, please give me a call so we can chat. I have googled myself. I get the usual mish-mash of old posts that I've written for Mac's List, or other websites, my social media profiles, press releases I've written for other organizations. I would like to make one quick addendum to your suggestion, though. When you google yourself, I think it really helps if you're in blind mode or user mode on your browser because Google remembers a lot of your search history, and that doesn't show you what everyone else out in the world is looking for or finds when they type in your name. If you use, I think it's called "Guest Mode" in Chrome, or Blind Mode in other- Mac Prichard: I think it might be called Incognito. Ben Forstag: Incognito Mode in Chrome. That cleans the slate and shows you what everyone else in the world sees when they google your name. It's a good way to see what other folks see. Mac Prichard: I have googled myself and it is a good practice because you want to see what others will see about you. I made a deliberate effort some years ago to make sure I filled out online profiles for common sites like LinkedIn, Yelp, Facebook. Those are the ones that pop up. Cecilia Bianco: I saw a lot of the same stuff when I googled myself. Past work, past blog posts, and all my online profiles came up, which I think is a good thing. After you google yourself, you want to figure out where you can improve what's popping up on Google. The first and most important thing to focus on is LinkedIn because you can get the most value out of an employer looking at your LinkedIn profile and it's really common to want to see that. If your LinkedIn profile isn't popping up, what you want to do is change the URL on your LinkedIn profile to include your full name. That way, it'll make you a little bit more searchable. That's pretty easy to do. You just hit edit profile and you'll see it pop up so you can make a change to that long URL.LinkedIn is very important to make sure that's popping up. It's good to have your profile setup and ready to go for an employer to see before you even apply for the job, because they might google you right when they see your resume. You want to be prepared for that. Once LinkedIn's taken care of, you want to see what other social media accounts of yours are popping up, if they are. You want to make sure you don't have anything on those accounts that you don't want an employer to see. If you're using Twitter and Facebook, you want to make sure your privacy filters are set to only show things to strangers that you want them to see. They can be great tools to support your credibility because if you're showing on all your social media platforms that your interests and passions and things you like to talk about are the same in what you've said in your job application, that demonstrates that you're a credible applicant and that they're going to trust you more. You want to make sure those are all cleaned up before you apply. If you don't have time to clean them up before applying, just make sure your privacy filters are locked tight with just what you want them to see. Mac, we've talked about this before. I know you've googled past job applicants. What were you looking for when you did that? Mac Prichard: Two things. One, I wanted to see that track record of accomplishment or experience in the area for the job that they were applying for. I think you're making a really important point, Cecilia, about the importance of showing rather than telling. People can say that they're interested in a topic or they have experience in an area, but if you go online and you see that they've actually done work and there are examples of that work then that's very powerful. The second thing I'm looking for is what clients and colleagues will see when they google that person because if I do higher than candidate, as an employer, they're going to become part of the time. The image that they're projecting to the world becomes part of our company's brand. I want to make sure that that aligns with the values and the mission of our firm. Cecilia Bianco: That's definitely really important. One last tip, the more profiles you're active on and feel comfortable with an employer seeing, the better. This gives you the most control over what's going to pop up into the Google search and what they're going to see when they google you. Overall, the easiest way to control what an employer will see if they google you is to google yourself and then determine where you can improve. Mac Prichard: Good. Well, thank you, Cecilia. That's excellent advice. If you have a question for Cecilia please email her. Her email address is [email protected] segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better by adding new content and making the book available on multiple eReader platforms. In February of next year, we'll launch the revised version of the book and you'll be able to access Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond on Kindle, Nook, iPad, and other digital devices. You'll also be able to get, for the first time, a paperback edition. Whatever the format, our goal is the same, to give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. For more information, visit macslist.org/eBook and sign up for our eBook newsletter. We'll be sending you publication updates, share exclusive book content, and provide you with special pre-sale prices. Let's turn to our expert guest this week, and that is Albert Qian, who is a high tech digital marketing and product marketing manager. He's originally from Silicon Valley and he now works in Orange County, California. He's also the founder of Albert's List, a Facebook Jobs Community with more than 10,000 members that includes recruiters, hiring managers, job seekers, and more. Through the use of social media, Albert has helped fellow group members find work at companies like eBay, Google, and GoPro. Albert, thanks for joining us. Albert Qian: Thank you for having me on, I really appreciate the time. Mac Prichard: It's a pleasure to have you on the show. Let's talk about tech jobs. When people think about technology they think, "These jobs are in Silicon Valley, they're for coders, engineers. If you don't have a degree in electrical engineering you're out of luck." What's been your experience? Albert Qian: My experience is that when you look at the entire technology and high tech ecosystem for what's out there, there's actually a lot of opportunities available even for people who aren't engineers. I was out at the Golden State Warriors basketball game on Sunday and I ran into somebody who is a designer, so User Interaction Designing, UI, UX, that kind of thing, which is a really hot field right now in the area of high tech. You have a lot of people who need to design their websites, their web applications, there mobile applications. When I asked her what her background was she said that she was somebody who had gotten a degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis on education. I've seen similar stories where people who have psychology backgrounds also get jobs where they're in project management, PMP roles where they're working on, and with, engineers on getting a lot of products to market. There's a lot of different areas. Mac Prichard: Let's pause there for a moment, Albert. I can imagine our listeners thinking, "I've picked up my BA in Psychology. How do I make the leap into design work and doing user experience testing?" How do people make that journey? Albert Qian: I think the journey is made where you think about a product as just an end user, right? Many of us have smartphones today. We, no doubt, use a bunch of different applications whether it's on our phone, or on the web, we're all Facebook users, Twitter users, Uber users, things like that where we're using all these different apps. The way where we can apply a Humanities degree into a technology job is by applying our very own experience. Obviously, there's a little bit of knowledge in needing to know how some of this technology works and domain knowledge will always set you apart, but because we're all the end user of so many different types of technology today, we can always have the power and the ability to share these with the technology teams that we work with, and take those ideas into fruition into a product. Mac Prichard: Technology matters but so does human experience and understanding human behavior is always a marketable skill in technology. Albert Qian: Right now, you see a lot of technology that's out there on the market, a lot of prospective users. It takes a keen human eye to be able to look in-between, where you have the ability to use that technology, the solution to be able to really get users to come and user the product and stay using the product. Mac Prichard: For people who don't have psychology degrees, I know there are a lot of other opportunities in technology. Can you talk a little bit about that and the kinds of backgrounds and skills that help people thrive in this sector, outside of engineering. Albert Qian: I've seen people who have English degrees get jobs where they're doing things like technical writing, they are marketing specialists where they focus on writing collateral, or doing blogging content for a lot of technology companies that realize that they need to find a way to reach a broader audience. There are folks who can go into technology sales. If you're able to speak the language and also use your charisma in being able to sell technology products to others, that works as well. There's everything along the lines of the post-engineering process. Once you create a product, you've got to find a way to sell it. Selling the product includes everyone from product marketers, to sales folks, to people who manage social communities, to people who do the accounting/finance stuff in high tech, and really everything in-between. Mac Prichard: How do you see people break into that world, Albert? Whether it's after they've graduated or perhaps they're mid-career and they experience in another field but they want to break into technology. What do people that stand out or are successful at that do? Albert Qian: I think understanding the important of a particular domain is important to start out with. I think knowing what and why the technology is important is something that people are always looking for. Even though we live in such a technologically connected world a lot of people are great at using the technology but they don't understand why the technology is important from a business perspective. Mac Prichard: Albert, when we're talking about the domain, explain that for our listeners? Albert Qian: A domain would be a technology area. For example, one that I'll use is cloud computing… Mac Prichard: There's a lot of opportunity there and it's important to know the field that you want to focus on. What about training if you want to break into technology, there are code academies out there, online training schools, how helpful can those be to people who want to work as programmers, particularly those who didn't have that training in college and, maybe, want to make a career switch? Albert Qian: I think it's an interesting way to go about switching from one career into another. I've spoken to people who have taken these courses and people who are naturally interested in programming and they see people in these courses ... I've seen the example where these types of courses can really be beneficial for somebody who is interested in coding. One of my friends from college decided to go and take one of these 12 week boot camp courses. Now, he leads a technical team at a startup out in Santa Barbara. That's an example of where it is successful. Another one of my friends took one of these courses as well and now she has transitioned from an account management sales role into a product management role for a company out in Boston, Massachusetts. Have there been successes? Absolutely. I think, on the other hand ... I've spoken to programmers, as well, who look at this type of audience and they question whether they really get a lot of effective training out of it. On one hand, while you do know how to code, your ability to be creative within this coding knowledge is somewhat limited because you're working from a very limited perspective where, maybe, understanding coding isn't necessarily a natural forte of yours. This goes back to the original point where within technology and the technology sector, there is not necessarily a need to just become a programmer and that's just technology in its whole. As we've discussed throughout this podcast ... If you have the skills to be able to write, you can be a marketer, you can be a technical writer. If you're a person who can talk to people and to a very good job on that, you can be a salesperson. You can be an account executive, you can be a business development individual within any of the companies that work in tech out there. If you have in degree in, say, accounting or finance, you can go work in a money perspective in many of these different companies. You can do very well for yourself. Programming doesn't have to be the end-all, be-all. However, there are a lot of different resources out there for people who want to pursue that path. Mac Prichard: When does it make sense for people to get training in programming? If they want to be a programmer? Can that be an asset if they want to be a project manager or work in marketing or sales or communications in tech? Albert Qian: I certainly think that being technical is very helpful, especially in an area where you might interface with a lot of engineers. If you are a web marketing individual and you want to launch a product, being able to talk about the interactive features of a website may help a lot. Being able to talk about how something can be marketed as a product marketer when you're interfacing with your social media manager who may know how to code can be really helpful once in awhile. A lot of the jobs these days are merging together. Your technical writer may need to know how code works and write about how that works from purely a writing perspective. Mac Prichard: Coding can help, and other skills matter a lot, too. If someone is thinking about getting training in coding, and you mentioned your two colleagues that have had a positive experience, what advice do you have for people who are shopping around for either an online course or a boot camp or a code academy? What should they look for? Albert Qian: For the boot camps that exist in 8 to 12 week increments, a lot of them have interesting payment plans where either you give them the $15,000 to start and they put your through that process. Or, there are ones that take a portion of your salary when you start. That's one pricing model that exists out there. Another model out there that exists are the massive open and online courses, the MOOC's, that exist. You can go to websites like Coursera, or Code Academy, or U-2-me.com and you can pay for anywhere from $30 to $200 to $300 course where you can do self-directive learning on coding. I think when you're doing the coding learning process, it's always important to have a project in mind that you're doing.If you're just doing the code to learn how to code, you don't really get much out of it. If there's a website that you'd like to make, or a business that you have that you'd like to improve upon and develop a web application, or a mobile application, I believe that's usually the best way to take and the best course of action to approach with when it comes to learning how to code and gaining technical knowledge. Mac Prichard: Have a project that engages you and actually produces a result. Stepping back to shopping for a course, you mentioned 3 different options, and they have 3 different price points, obviously, but are there any warning signs that people should look out for when they're considering signing up with one of these boot camps or an online course? Albert Qian: There's a lot of financial consideration. For example, there's a lot of these coding academies that have popped up in the last couple of years that have already seen their doors close. If you're learning how to code and you go to one of these coding academies that ends up closing after you leave, you may be no better than where you began. I think name recognition counts a little bit. I think understanding the practical outcomes of what you're learning is also important as well. If you're going in and you know you want to do front end web development, knowing the right types of languages that you're going to be taught is a very important first step. That's one thing as well. Looking at reviews from students who have attended in the past and seeing where they've landed and going with that as well. Mac Prichard: Look for companies that have a track record, have good reviews, and can talk about their outcomes and how they've helped students. Albert Qian: It also doesn't hurt ... If you do want to go on Coursera or u2me and you find yourself a $15 course that teaches you how to code, you can't really lose with that. Having a little bit of extra knowledge never hurts. Mac Prichard: Let's move on. In our earlier conversation before this interview, what struck me was when we were talking about how people find tech jobs, you brought up a lot of techniques that I hear about any job search. One point you made that stuck with me was that networking still matters. Can you talk more about that and how networking can make a difference in getting a tech job? Albert Qian: Networking can make a difference because you put yourself in front of a live person. If you email people, they have the option to ignore you. If you call people, they have the option to never return your voice mail. Putting yourself in front of another individual and putting your best foot forward is always a plus. Humans respond very well when they see somebody that impresses them. Going out there and giving out your business cards in a reasonable method, obviously, and immersing yourself in front of a lot of people who speak tech, perhaps even a lot better than you do, is really a great way to start. If you're in a major metropolitan area around the country, there are quite a few, actually, events one can attend on a bi-monthly basis. They can meet up with people who work in technology. Mac Prichard: Ours is a national audience. I know you're in California, but are there groups that you see that operate across the country that our listeners might want to check out? Albert Qian: Yeah. One major one that I've gotten to know a little bit here in my time in Orange County is called Workbridge Associates. They host an event in all major cities across the country called Tech In Motion. Tech In Motion is a monthly networking event. Sometimes, they have content, sometimes they don't. Various technology professionals in technology marketing, people who program, all get together to share insights, exchange business cards, and get to know each other. I think, just from my understanding, they've got people in Seattle, Portland, the Bay Area, LA and Orange County, Chicago, Tampa Bay, New York City, Austin, Texas, and so many more. Mac Prichard: Excellent. We'll be sure to include that in the show notes. We're coming to the end of our interview, Albert. What else would you like to share with our listeners? Albert Qian: I'd like to invite any of your listeners to look at joining Albert's List. We, are you've mentioned, are that marketplace where we bring together job seekers, recruiters, and numerous opportunities. Like what you do with Mac's List. We have a main California group that you can find under Albert's Job Listings and Referrals. We also have groups that cover Seattle, Austin, Chicago, and New York City. We invite you to join. You can go to our main Facebook group at bit.ly/findyournextjob. That's B-I-T . L-Y / find your next job. All one word. You can also visit us online at albertslist.org. We currently just have a signup page for our email list. We send out emails every 2 to 3 weeks which includes everything from an update on the jobs report that the US Labor Department sends out every month to highlights of jobs that have been posted in our group, to upcoming live networking events, mainly available in the San Francisco Bay Area, where you can meet other professionals and get referred, and just get to know the people in your community. Mac Prichard: We'll be sure to include both of those links in the show notes. Albert, thanks so much for joining us this week. Albert Qian: Definitely. Thank you, again, for having me. Mac Prichard: Great. We're back with Ben and Cecilia. Now, what did you two thing of the conversation with Albert? What were some of the most important points you heard him make? Cecilia Bianco: I really liked what he had to say about applying for a tech job just with experience with human behavior and human experience and what a user experiences on a website. I think that's good to have in your mind going into an interview at a tech job. I think it can be a lot more valuable than I ever thought it was from what he said. Mac Prichard: I think you're right. Working the technology sector isn't just about coding. The experiences and values that can serve you in one field, whether it's marketing, sales, project management, human resources are also valuable in the technology sector. What about you, Ben? Ben Forstag: I think Albert went back to one of the golden rules of job searching which is networking and how important it is to network within the field that you're interested in exploring. I like the way he put it when you show up at a networking event, it's really hard for people to ignore you. It's an opportunity for you to present yourself in a positive light in front of people who matter and decision makers at companies. Mac Prichard: I agree. It doesn't matter what the sector might be. Human connection still matters. People always will tend to hire people they know or people that are recommended to them by people they trust. Well, thank you both, and thank you, our listeners, for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, visit us at macslist.org where you can signup for our free newsletter with more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, you can help us by leaving a review and rating at iTunes. This helps others discover our show and helps us help more job seekers. Thanks for listening.

Have you ever thought about striking out on your own? Maybe you want to start a nonprofit, a private company, or a consulting practice. Perhaps you want to be “solopreneur”--a one person startup. Whatever road you choose, you need think about carefully about the road ahead. Being a founder offers many benefits, but you should be clear about why you want to do it and understand what it takes to succeed. This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with serial entrepreneur Russ Finkelstein. Russ was co-founder of Idealist.org, as well as several other nonprofit and social good ventures. He also mentors entrepreneurs who are working to build their own startup organizations. Russ has experienced success and failure as a founder and shares his experience with our listeners. In this 37-minute episode you will learn: The good (and bad) reasons for starting your own organization The importance of mentors, advisors, and people whose opinions you can’t ignore The different stages of the startup process, and how the role of the founder changes When to go it alone and when to partner with a co-founder The three questions you must answer when starting a new organization This week’s guest: Russ Finkelstein (LinkedIn)Founder and Managing Director, Clearly NextAdvisor, The Talent Philanthropy ProjectCo-Founder, Idealist.orgPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week:  I'm thinking about self-employment but not sure if I’m ready. What are the big issues I should consider to make my decision? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: ChrisGuillebeau.com Pioneer Nation World Domination Summit The $100 Startup ClearlyNext The Talent Philanthropy Project Idealist.com Ashoka.org Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is Find Your Dream Job, a podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I am Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and our book, "Land your dream job in Portland and Beyond." To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, visit macslist.org/ebook. Thanks for joining us today. This week on Find your dream job, we're talking about how to be a founder. Have you ever thought about striking out on your own? Maybe you want to start a non-profit or a private company or a consultant practice. Whichever option you chose, you need to think carefully about the road ahead. Being a founder offers many advantages but you need to be clear about why you want to do it and understand what it takes to succeed. Our expert desk this week, Russ Finkelstein has helped start two organizations. One was quite successful, the other one failed and now he's part of a third start-up. Later in the show, Russ will share his story and his dos and don'ts for founders. But maybe you don't want to start your own organization. Maybe you want to be a solopreneur, a one-person start-up. Ben Forstag will join us and he'll discuss a book and resources you can use to launch your own venture for $100 or less. Cecilia Bianco, as she does every week, answers our listeners' question and this week, she'll share with you five key questions you need to answer before you leave your day job and start your own show. So how about you two, have you ever thought ... Ben and Cecilia about after Mac's list perhaps starting your own organization? Cecilia Bianco:  I don't know if that would be the right thought for me, seeing all the different blogs and articles we see about it. I just think I'm not ready for all that risk. I can't think about it yet. Mac Prichard:    Okay. You think about the risks that's involved. Yeah, I can sympathize. And Ben? Ben Forstag:      I want to work for you forever Mac! No, I fantasize sometimes about starting my own business but there are a lot of risks there and at this point of my life, I'm not quite ready to take those risks. Mac Prichard: I'll share with you. I've been self-employed now for eight years and when I first started out on my own, I had a day job that kept me busy half-time and then the other half, I was running my public relations company, [inaudible 00:02:30] Communications. People would say to me in those days, "How does it feel?" And I would say, "It's like standing on a dock and you got one foot in a row-boat and it's slowly drifting away from the dock and I've the other foot on the dock and I can't decide where I should shift my weight," and eventually I chose the boat and here we are, eight years later. Ben Forstag:       Thanks for making that decision. Mac Prichard:    It's great to be here. Ben, let's take it back to you. I know you have a resource of the week you want to share with us? What have you discovered for us this week? Ben Forstag:       Since we're talking this week about going out on our own and doing your own things, starting your own business, being your own boss, I thought this would be a good time to talk about Chris Guillebeau Portland-based entrepreneur, business writer and motivational speaker. Chris is a really interesting guy. By his own admission, he's never held a regular job. Instead he is consistently found ways to turn his ideas into income, so that he can avoid the regular 9-5 lifestyle. What his real passion is, in addition to business is travel and he probably talks about and writes about how he's been to all 175 countries on earth all before the age of 34. So my resource this week is actually going to be Chris' website which is chrisguillebeau.com. His last name is French, as you might be able to tell and that's spelled Guillebeau and I'll have the URL in the show notes. His website is the place where you can access all of his products that he makes available. He's got a blog where he talks a lot about work productivity. To some extent he is a what they might call a productivity ninja about how you can be more effective with email and in working in your office, working in your own business and other writers contribute to his blog as well and write about the same thing and almost everyone there ... the way they support this lifestyle is through their own start-up companies and they're all solo entrepreneurs. Chris also has written several books. A lot of them are pretty well known. Mac referenced one earlier, it's called "The Hundred Dollar Start-Up," and this outlines a general business model for how you can start your own business starting with a blog around a very focused subject and building off from that. He also wrote a book called, "The Art of Non-Conformity: How to live on your own terms by exploring creative self-employment for radical goal setting, contrary in travel and embracing life a constant adventure," and a third book, this one I've actually not heard of. It seems interesting. It's called "Born for this: How to find the work you meant to do." All these books are available on his website and you can check him out there. He also coordinates several big events and I know, Mac you've been to some of these and Cecilia and I just got back from one. He hosts one called “Pioneer Nation” which is focused around small businesses and improving how you do things, how you launch, how you market yourself. Cecilia and I went to this about a month ago, got a lot of good stuff out of it. Then he has one of the best named events I have ever heard called, "World Domination Summit" every year. I've not being to that one. I know you have Mac. Mac Prichard:    I have. Ben Forstag:   Can you talk a little bit about it? Mac Prichard:    I have been twice and it takes place over a weekend and there are both speakers who talked to a large group and smaller sessions as well and it's very inspirational. I think it offers a lot of benefits. The two that stand out for me are that it provides a weekend that helps you get to think about your goals and purpose in life and where you want to go and provides some ideas about how to get there. Then the second benefit is the community that it brings together and I've stayed connected as many people have who have attended World Domination Summit with what other people call themselves WDSers and they've had some good friendships and good professional relationships come out of both of those. Ben Forstag:    Yeah, and one of the recurring themes throughout the events and the books and the blog and this is something we've talked a lot about on our podcast here is really getting focused and knowing what you want to do, what you want to deliver and why you want to want to deliver it. Getting to why is what they talk about a lot. So, his website, chrisguillebeau.com is really the portal to the books, the blog and the events and I'd suggest our listeners to check it out. I'll have the URL in the shout outs. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Thank you Ben. Let's turn to Cecilia. Cecilia is our community manager and she joins us every week to answer you questions. What do you have for us this week Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco:  Our question today is, I'm thinking about self-employment but not sure if I'm ready. What are the big issues I should consider to make my decision? First off Mac obviously has a lot more insight into this question as a business owner but I'll give my best answer and then we can hear your input Mac. In my opinion, you need to start by asking yourself these five questions to determine if your really ready. Do you know what you want to do and who you want to serve? Do you know what your main source of income will be and have a plan in place to effectively promote and sell it? Do you have a support system of professional contacts, mentors, family, friends and other resources to help you as you get on your feet? Are you prepared to take on the risks associated with running your own business? Clearly I mentioned earlier, I am definitely not. Lastly, do you have a backup plan or financial cushion should your business fail? Mac, how did I do? Did I miss any big issues? Mac Prichard:  I think this is a great list and I think you had almost all the main points. One thing I wrestled with is when I was going through this process was mindset. I had always worked for other people and I never saw myself as an entrepreneur and I think in the popular culture, people think business owners are people who are kind of born into it, maybe they have a family that runs a small business or they are going to Silicon Valley and they're going to start a tech company. I think I would challenge our listeners just to think about experiences they've had in their careers where perhaps they've organized events or helped a non-profit keep going or they've involved in school groups and those all require entrepreneurial skills and when people think of themselves in that light, I think it makes it easier for them to make that leap. In my case ... I think I've talked to both of you about this. I have been involved in a lot of political campaigns over the years ... Electoral politics is a passion of mine and a campaign is the ultimate start-up because it takes place over a short period of time and requires investors and there is the product, the candidate and you know on election day whether or not you have a sale. That would be the only thing I'd add is mainly a mindset. Cecilia Bianco:  Okay, great. Each of these questions, they take a lot of thought and planning to address but once you do, I think you'll have a clear path forward and be able to see if your mindset is in the right place as you mentioned. One last thing, there's also a ton of resources out there to help you as you think through these things and today you mentioned a great book and two amazing events that are great examples of ways to get help figuring it all out, so looking for those opportunities in huge before you get started and if it's possible, talking to people like Mac and other entrepreneurs and business owners and seeing how they got started, what problems they encountered and things they wish they would have know before jumping in is a great way to evaluate yourself from hearing about their experience. Mac, Ben, anything to add? Ben Forstag:       I would just go back to what I mentioned two minutes ago which is really getting to the question of why. Why are you doing this. One reason for any entrepreneur is going to be income. They need to pay rent and they want to take care of their family but hopefully there is some bigger why behind it animates what you do and the clearer you are about why you are doing this and why you are taking this road less traveled, that's really going to give you the guidance you need when you have a rough patch in your business or when you're struggling. That's going to provide you clarity and inspiration moving forward. Cecilia Bianco:  Definitely. Mac Prichard:    I think that's spot-on Ben. Thank you Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, you can email her. Our email address is [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. We're making the complete Mac's list guide even better by adding new content and making the book available on multiple e-reader platforms. Now, when we launch the revised version of the book in February of 2016, you'll be able to access Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond on your kindle, Note, Ipad and other digital devices and for the first time, we'll have a paperback edition. Whatever the format, our goal is the same. We want to give you the tools and tips you need to get in vogue. For more information, visit macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our ebook newsletter. We'll send you a publication updates and share exclusive book content and provide you with special pre-sale prices. Now it's time to hear from our expert guest. Joining us this week is Russel Finkelstein who is managing director of Clearly Next which helps people of all incomes build life-long fulfilling careers. He is also a senior advisor to Tel Misanthropy which increases investment by funders in the non-profit and social change work force. Russ serves on the national board of the young non-profit professionals network and he was a founder and associate director of idealist.org. Russ, thanks for joining us. Russ Finkelstein:  Thanks for having me. I'm very impressive on paper. Glad to chat with you. Mac Prichard:    Yeah, it's a pleasure to have you here. So, starting your own gig. Let's talk about that. What should people think about? Whether they want to create a non-profit or perhaps a consulting practice or a private company. Russ Finkelstein:    I think I always start with the reasons why people want to begin something. I think very often people when they are thinking about making any kind of transition, there is a lack of clarity as to the rational for why they want to do that. So very often someone is like, "I have got the worst boss and I'm going to go and I'm going to make ... I'm sick of having bosses because all bosses are awful. I'm going to go to some other place and start up my own thing and life is going to be easier and plentiful. I'll have my own schedule." I think there is a notion that ... sort of a simplistic notion that that's going to happen. I think the starting point is understanding, one, why you want to do it and then given that, what's the reality of making that kind of transition. Mac Prichard:    So don't flee from something. Actually be working towards something. Russ Finkelstein:  Yeah. You have to do your best not to be reactive. It's being proactive to stuff that's taking place in your life, in the given workplace but also understand the kind of lifestyle that you want and how it connects to what it would mean to start-up another endeavor. Mac Prichard:    Okay. So you've been through this process several times now. What are common steps that worked for you that listeners should consider taking as they think through whether or not they should strike out on their own? Russ Finkelstein:     One of the first things, it just comes down to research. It just whatever the en devour is, whether it's in the non-profit sector or consulting or for profit. It's understanding what the void is, what is the thing that you are going to fill. Are you credibly in a position to go and fill that? How easy is it to develop business? How risk averse are you around having to be a rainmaker. A lot of it is really doing internal work to understand what you want and then the other thing because we do wonderful jobs we'd be lying to ourselves. Like we are an amazing at lying. One of the things when I was working on the start-up that didn't go ... one of the things that's I've always told myself is that, if you work hard enough you can work through anything. And it was one of those things where I reached at a point where I realized with all your possibilities which was the start-up that I hated working on my own. I felt very isolated and even though I had advisors. One thing I would always recommend to people is, have a conversation with people you trust. I always call them people of standing which are people that you communicate well with, you trust and you're not going to be dismissive of. Very often we reach out to people that we're comfortable with, so our parents, our partners, our best friends, sibling ... but it's also very easy for us to dismiss that and dismiss their opinions. That for me is a really important thing and even in the start-up mode, I had some people that I trusted but I realized actually more than just checking things out and having them vet for me, I had to feel like someone was all in the way that I was. It was just hard for me to do that and I had to learn that. Mac Prichard:   So first get clear about the void or the problem. The void you're filling, the problem you're solving but then be clear about what you want out of the experience and turn to trusted advisors to help you think that through. Russ Finkelstein:    Yeah. The people who know you best who can push both on your ideas and can give you real feedback on how sustainable those ideas are and then given what they know of you, how realistic it is for you to be that person moving ahead. Mac Prichard: How do you find those people Russ? Are these co-workers or ... Obviously they're probably people already in your life or maybe they're not. What have you seen work well and not wanted for yourself but for others in both identifying these trusted advisors and then building a relationship with them? Russ Finkelstein:      Sure, I think people get hung up on this awful word known as mentor. My least favorite words because people have this notion that there is going to be this one person that has all the answers for everything and that they're going to make an official request of someone to be their mentor and they will sit at their feet and learn everything. In fact what happens is, in life you interact with who have expertise on specific things that you might need ... instead of thinking about one person giving you feedback, it's just really thinking back on the people that you've worked with who have built a relationship with, who trust you that you communicate well with and they may not be able to give you feedback on the totality of something, but they can give you the feedback on pieces of it. There is a woman I'm working with in Chicago who is working on a start-up and when we've chat about it, she's classic case of the great cutting away of the good. The challenge of I'm afraid of sharing a thing for fear that it might be good enough. With her, I've mentioned a couple of people that she can start with. Like two people who are safe people who are really smart so she can feel really comfortable that, one if they've read through something, it's likely to have been well vetted and two, the other challenge a lot of people have is who are they to do this thing. Who am I to be the founder of this thing. In fact that's going to come up later on when it's time for funding or other kinds of support, that who are you will certainly come up. But initially, I think very often when people struggle with that, one of the things that I will often tell people about is, think about your friends, think about those people that you really respect and you know that those individuals can chose who they are going to spend time with, who they are going to make themselves available to and if you respect and think highly of those people, then that in itself as a sign that you are onto something, that you are someone who has merit in the world, your ideas have merit in the world and sometimes it's just sort of the latter of confidence and you've got to build a solid initial foundation of sharing with a couple of people and kind of build from there. Mac Prichard:    You touched on this. I think some people think a mentorship has to be a formal relationship with an agreement or regular meetings and I've certainly been approached and I know you are often with people who have a specific question about a particular problem and I might not hear from those folks again for months or maybe even several years but I feel good about having that conversation because they've approached me about something I can actually help them with. Russ Finkelstein:      And even as a mentor ... There is a gentleman I work with who graduated from MIT early and therefore bright and is working on something that I barely understand. Like I can get maybe 30% of what he's talking about but I can help him with the structure of what he's doing. His ability to get your toaster and your refrigerator talking to one another is completely beyond anything I'll ever be able to grasp but I understand what he needs to move this thing ahead and to feel confident about it and to prioritize things. So it really is just to understand that different people have different traits but also that he and I communicate really well in terms of process. Mac Prichard:    Who shouldn't be a founder? Are there people that should just take themselves out of the running right from the start? Russ Finkelstein:  I don't know that there is anybody who shouldn't ever be a founder. I think that it's just a question of understanding the reality. So if you're somebody who for example, doesn't want to ever have to deal with raising money, getting clients any of the associated things that are involved with being a founder, that's going to be difficult. Maybe you look into co-founder-ship which is a whole other thing given your skill-set. I think you have to ask yourself how comfortable I am playing the kinds of roles that are necessary for that work and just again be really clear about the lifestyle because if someone could decide that I'm going to begin my own consultancy and say, "Okay. I'm going to keep my job. I'm going to do it on the side." Some things are slow build and some things require you to be all in very early on. I think it depends on the nature of that thing and what again, I keep using this lifestyle word but what’s you're mortgage like. How you're taking care of ... you have a family to deal with. What does that take care of in terms of your hours, what does your partner do if you have one in terms of dealing with the bill. A lot of this stuff involves a lot of other relationships and you're making very specific choices. There was a start-up that we never have mentioned to you. When I was an idealist in the first five or six years into idealist I had been thinking about an idea that since nothing has ever really happened with it. I'm never going to do it. It was in New York City and it was developing something that would be for LGBTQ non-profits. It was going to be an organization that both built the capacity of the organizations and also run as a volunteer center within that community. I was interested in it and I spoke with people who wanted to be on the board and I was able to do some perspective fund raising and then I got to the point ... I got to the tipping point of defining, am I going to go and be that person or not and I decided do I want that to be who I am, Do I want to be the person who is in front of the cameras, who is doing interviews and that shapes who I want to be in terms of a public person. Even now with Clearly Next, I'm at a moment where I'm doing this podcast but by large, my preference is a lot of one to one conversation of working with founders, to build big things. I love one to one career conversations but I'm not necessarily the guy who's looking to be the big public speaker. I'm not necessarily somebody who wants to go and have to be heavily published and I'm in a moment where I probably going to have to start doing that which makes me a little bit uncomfortable but I'm working through it. Actually you can see by virtue of my speaking into this microphone. Mac Prichard:    Okay. It's good to have you work through that and I'm intrigued by your point earlier about co-founders. When does it make sense to invite co-founders and what do you look for when you're doing that? Russ Finkelstein:  It is so messy. I think the challenge is distrust. The challenge is if you use someone who ... If there are two people who have come together, who organically have developed in that way, I think that's fine. But if you use someone who is taking a running start at something and you've said, "You know what, I need to have someone with more technical jobs, programming jobs." Very often you'll see there is an idea person who is maybe comfortable with sort of fund-raising and some elements, I really need to have someone who can code or can do certain types of tech and those kinds of people are very difficult to find because they are very much in demand. But I'd say that the challenge is an equal report in interest in the work itself and developing the trust. Like early on, with Idealist for example, I remember maybe the first six to nine months in, I had a conversation with Amy and I said ... So my thing is no one will ever work harder than me. I don't ever like it when anyone is working harder than me at any project. We would work from 8AM till 2AM many night during the initial phase of idealist and somewhere I said, "I need you to share power more because I can't continue working this hard and not feel like I have ownership." I think it can be really challenging for people on the ownership side and depends on the personality of the person who is founding and what they're founding but I think the trust thing that was really huge. There isn't one place to find it. There isn't sites like founder dating or other kinds of sites but it really is, there is a level of trust there and I've known lots of guys speak to founders all the time and that challenge of trust and a lot of people start something but what happens is people ... There is usually a person who's in it way more than the other person. The other person is testing out several things and deciding which one is going to move. So you're always going to feel ... Basically everything ... I think everything is like dating. You're ready to make a committed relation, you're ready to have a committed relationship, you want to get married and she's like, "You know, this might be good but I want to date five or six other people. Let's see like whether there is attraction and let's see where there is movement," and I think that can be really hard when you're committing and you're there and you're just like, "Well, if she's not available, If I want to do this things that's he's not producing them." The gentleman that I was chatting about from MIT for example, he gets hit up all the time from people who want to do projects because he can code like crazy. Mac Prichard:    So think about trust, and it can be messy and I guess I want to dig in a bit for us because what's the difference between looking for a co-founder and just hiring somebody to help you? Russ Finkelstein:   I think the difference is always around relationship. The thing that I was mentioning with Idealist, the notion that someone is really committed in the same way, it could just feel different. It could feel like, you're paying me a salary of X and by the way, the other challenge of course is very often start-up mode whether there is a salary to draw from even. It's always one big issue versus equity or other things. But I'd say that I think that's a big part of it is the notion of how invested that person is in that work. I think it could just be really difficult. One of the reasons I ended up doing so much senior advisor stuff is I need a lot of people who are starting things and I can go emotionally from zero to sixty on people's projects. I love ideas, I love concepts so if someone starting something that they're really interested in and I naturally gravitate towards, "Okay, let's think about that," and I'm interested in both the programmatic thing but also the emotional well being of the founder because very often founders are pretty emotional sort of fragile states because they have to always offer up this image of "I'm on top of it. I know everything. I'm smiling," and I think that weighs on them quite a bit. That notion of having to be just to know everything. I was at a fellowship retreat not so long ago with a group of founders of stuff and we had our cohort met and two thirds of the group of ten were just crying over this issue of like how difficult life was and how hard it is to try to always have to have this sort of mental of perfection, of being bright and shining and on top of things and impressing funders and donors and staff. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. It can be challenging to keep the game face on but I think you're making an important point not only for people who are thinking about founding their own organizations or practices but just people in the workforce in general. We don't all have to be perfect. For the benefit of our listeners, you're first start-up was idealist.org and I know that many of our listeners are big fans of that website where it provides positions for people interested in non-profit work around the world. Then you were involved in another organization called "All you possibilities" and that didn't go so well. We've all had our failures and I certainly have and now you're involved in a new group. Just quickly Russ, can you take us through those three organizations in just a few minutes. Let's start talk about Idealist. How did you know that was going to take off? Russ Finkelstein:   I didn't know it would take off. We never do ... Mac Prichard:    But in some point, you open the doors and then you've worked hard and then it wasn't a start-up anymore. It was a successful organization. Russ Finkelstein:    After four or five years, we finally had gotten to a place of being desperate for money and we started charging people to post jobs. We had no choice and that took off. But for a very long time, every single time we would see a new big non-profit sector website appear. We would be like, "Oh my God. That one looks way better than ours. That one is going to just kill us. We're never going to be able to last." I'd say it took us a very long time to feel really comfortable with that. We got to a point ... you get to a point where you start to feel a little bit more [inaudible 00:29:11] in terms of how people are very aware of you in certain places. You start hiring people of course, but you feel anxious much of the time and even now and every single one of the things that I participate on this side, you never take for granted that thing is going to take off. You just don't know. You see too many things come and go to be sure of that. So I think that's one of the challenges. I think with all your possibilities, part of it was I just kept waiting for a sign. I got to a place with Becker and [Green 00:29:47] where I was a finalist. It didn't happen. I was like, "Well, I guess that's my sign." But it was more just like this emotional difficulty of moving ahead. Mac Prichard:   I want to talk a little bit about that because we ... I think we all whether we're starting an organization or we're involved in a project at some point we have to make a decision to let go. Tell me when you decided ... First of all what was all your possibilities and very quickly and when did you reach a point where you thought it wasn't just going to go forward? Russ Finkelstein:      The idea was that it was an opportunity to go and offer mentorship and locational opportunities advice for LGBTQ young people. I really like the idea of that and connecting people geographically and letting people find based on certain ways that this helps identify whether location or faith or background et cetera. I've done a lot of work thinking about it. It was a very good idea and I just wasn't at that moment equipped to deliver on. It's one of those things that remains in my head as a thing that I come back to. Conceptually, I tend to have these flashes of ideas of things that I have to do and will sort them out and share them. I got to a place where I was just like, "Why am I having difficulty moving this thing ahead?" Actually as that was happening, and I was struggling, Elliot who is at Clearly Next, he and I ... Mac Prichard:    So he is one of your fellow co-founders at Clearly Next. Russ Finkelstein:      He is one of the founders for Clearly Next. That was three of us, Bill as well. We've been introduced about the year and a half prior to a second conversation. The first conversation, it was 20 minutes of him talking at me and then 20 minutes of my talking to him. "Okay. It was great chatting," and it will follow. Just like we both had a piece and then we were done. Then a year and a half later, a funder said, "You two should talk," and then a year and a half later another someone from a [inaudible 00:31:48] one of those places said, "You guys really should talk," so we spoke again and we were just at different places emotionally. We realized that we were just ... we needed to have another person that we could work with to move ahead. Mac Prichard: And this is how you got Clearly Next off the ground. Russ Finkelstein:   Yeah, that's how we started really working and he also had previously been a founder and was a recipient of the Ashuka. He had also been accomplished. The other thing that happens ... I mean this is not a conversation about what happens or you could be a one hit wonder, that's a whole other thing. But I think there is this notion of you've start an organization. Do you have another thing ... Is it an idea that matters enough, is it a thing that you care about enough that you want to go out and you have the energy to do it again. So when I was at Idealist, I was in my 20s and I had just ridiculous energy for stuff and it wasn't ... There is a thing about social capital. You're less nervous earlier on like "Am I going to look bad or am I going to embarrass myself in front of people," and actually move along further along your career, you have more in clarity about that. So you're more aware than, I think that was another part of the endless possibilities. I was like, "Either I personally do this." When I talk to people about founding a thing, I always will sort of say, "Here are the three questions," which will be what's the void you're trying to fill, how are you going to sustain this long-term and then I'd say, "Everyone is going to ask who the hell you are to do this." If you can give me those three things, that will take us a long way towards seeing if this makes sense. What's the void, how do you know it's a void, what's the research you've done, how you're going to make sure this is going to continue going long-term, is there a market whether a non-profit or consulting or for profit, how do you know there is a market, how do you reach to that market and then when people look at it at some level, they are going to say, "Why should I listen to you versus the other people?" I think you should always have to come up with the responses to that and that's challenging. Mac Prichard:    Those are great questions though and I think that's a great point to close the interview. Thanks for joining us Russ. You can find Russ online in two websites; Clearly Next and Talent Philanthropy. Those URLs are clearlynext.com and talentphilanthropy.org. We'll be sure to include both sites in the show notes. Thanks Russ for being here. Russ Finkelstein:   Awesome. Thanks for having me. Mac Prichard:    All right. Take care. We're back in the studio. Cecilia, Ben what you two think? What are the two take always you got from that conversation with Russ? Cecilia Bianco:  The main point it brought home for me is that some people are just suited for this type of path and one way to figure that out that Russ talked about was being okay with not knowing where it's going to go and being okay to take that risk, work really hard and see if it pays off or not because some people just can't be in that type of mind sets so I got a lot from the interview that was probably the main thing for me. Mac Prichard:    So don't be afraid to take the risk and go down the road but also recognize that you may find as you do that that it's not the right path for you. Ben? Ben Forstag:    I really liked his point about having a support system around you, whether that is a mentor or a advisor or maybe a board member if you're starting a non-profit. Having a group of trusted people that you can bounce ideas off of and that you can listen to and who can't ignore. I think it's so important because having a support system around you, people who can listen to you, validate your ideas or sometimes play the devil's advocate and say, "That's not a good idea. That is so important to success. Mac Prichard: I agree. I think that's excellent advice. Whether you're thinking about starting your own gig or thinking about you're next job.. Well, thank you for listening. We'll be back next week with more tips and tools you can use to find your dream job. In the mean time, please visit us at macslist.org or you can sign up for our free newsletter with more than a 100 jobs every week and if you like what you hear on the show, you can help us by leaving a review and a rating at Itunes. This helps others discover our show and helps us help more job seekers. Thanks for listening.

You may want a gig with a cool corporation like Nike, Google, or Apple. Perhaps you’ve targeted a big government agency or a nonprofit. Or maybe your goal is to land a job with small employer. Wherever you’re going, one day you will send your resume to a human resources (HR) department. For many job seekers the human resources department can seem like a black hole–a place where applications disappear without a trace. But there is a science to working with HR; and, when you know how the process works, a human resources department can be your gateway to a great job. This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac gets the inside scoop from long-time HR professional, Melissa Anzman. After 13 years in corporate human resources, Melissa started a new career as a career advisor, author, and business coach.  Melissa shares her tips on how to navigate the HR hiring process and make it work to your advantage. In this 38-minute episode you will learn: How to get your foot in the door with an HR department What HR is looking for in candidates, resumes, and cover letters How your interview with HR is different from your interview with the hiring manager How to make HR representatives your advocate in a job search Why you shouldn’t try to work around the proscribed HR hiring process This week’s guest: Melissa Anzman (@melissaanzman)Principal, Launch YourselfAuthor of How to Land a Job: Secrets from an HR InsiderCopper Mountain, Colo. Listener question of the week:  How should I prepare to negotiate my salary? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: GlassDoor.com Salary.com Launch Yourself Tips for Writing Post-Interview Thank You Notes How to Interview For your Audience STAR Interviewing Response Techniques How to Land a Job: Secrets from an HR Insider Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard:    This is "Find Your Dream Job", a podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and our book "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, visit macslist.org/ebook. Thanks for joining us today. This week on "Find Your Dream Job", we're talking about how to work with an employer's human resources department. You may want a gig with a cool corporation like Nike, Google, or Apple. Perhaps, you've targeted a big government agency or a nonprofit or maybe your goal is to land a job with a small employer. Wherever you're going, one day you will send your resume to a human resources, or HR, department. Many employers rely on human resources staff to advertise, accept, and screen all job applications. Before you get to see a hiring manager, you may have an interview with someone in human resources. Should you try to go around the human resources office and talk to a hiring manager directly? What do you do if the HR people never call you back? This week, we'll talk about these and other questions with longtime human resources insider, Melissa Anzman. She'll share her secrets for what you need to do when working with an HR department, but first, let's start as we do every week by checking in with the Mac's List team, Ben Forstag and Cecilia Bianco. How are you two doing this week? Ben Forstag:       I'm doing good, Mac. Cecilia Bianco:  Doing really good. Mac Prichard: All right. It's good to see you both. Now, in your careers, have you two applied for jobs through human resources departments? What happened next if you did? Ben Forstag:       I remember back before email when sometimes on job listings they would say, "Hand deliver your resume and cover letter to the human resources department." I remember a really cold winter afternoon in Cleveland, Ohio where I went downtown, went into a big office building to drop off a resume, and I got to the human resources department. No one was there. The door was open. There was a counter, the lights were on, but no one would respond when I was asking like, "Hello? Anyone here?" I ended up just leaving my resume on the counter and walking out. Mac Prichard:       You didn't write at the top, "One we must interview"? Ben Forstag: That would have probably gotten me better results than I got. Mac Prichard: Okay. Ben Forstag: The results I did get were ... No one ever called me back. Mac Prichard:   Oh. Well, that sounds like a pretty lonely place. Ben Forstag:      Yeah. Maybe it was good that I missed that opportunity. Mac Prichard:   Yeah. How about you, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. I've done some online applications to HR departments, but I've never really heard back from them and I never get contact back until I've tracked down a hiring manager on LinkedIn or however you can find 'em. Mac Prichard:   Yeah. I've had the most success with hiring managers. As Ben was telling his story, a memory that came to mind was going Downtown before a deadline on a Friday afternoon and dropping off my application. It was at the reception desk. The receptionist had two large boxes and they were filled with dozens of resumes and packets. I never heard back from them, either. Ben Forstag:   Was one box labeled "Yes" and the other one labeled "No"? Mac Prichard:    No, they were kind enough to wait until the doors were closed to do the sorting. We'll talk about human resources departments because there are ways you can work with them effectively. Melissa knows how to do that and she's going to be sharing that with us. First, let's turn to you, Ben. Every week, you're sharing with us different resources you've found. What have you located this week on the internet? Ben Forstag:    Today, we're going to be talking about the website Glassdoor.com. Now, I know we've mentioned this in passing last week, but I think this resource deserves a little bit more attention. We're going to spend a few minutes just chatting about it. Mac and Cecilia, have you guys ever used Glassdoor.com in your own job search or for some other research purpose? Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. I actually look at it all the time. Sometimes to see what employers are posting on Mac's List and making sure they're legitimate. It's just a great resource overall to find out about your local job market. Mac Prichard:   I've looked at it too as part of my research to figure out what are good salary ranges for the Portland market. As you know ... In addition to Mac's List, I run a public relations company and I want to make sure that I'm offering the best and most competitive salaries I can. Glassdoor is a great way of helping to determine that. Ben Forstag:       Sure. Like many things, Glassdoor has its pros and its cons. I want to sort my conversation today around the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good thing about Glassdoor.com is this is an opportunity to get a sneak peek inside the culture, the salaries, the benefit plans, and the general office environment in lots of different companies. You can go onto the site, you type in a company name, you type in a city, and it spits out a lot of information about what people are getting paid at the organization in general terms, whether they like their office environment, whether they would recommend the job to a friend or a colleague and so forth. You can see the salary ranges for different job titles both nationally and specific to your city. As we know, the same job title could have vastly different salaries in New York City versus Portland, for example. You can learn about the hiring procedures through people who have been interviewed, find out what the interview process look like in terms of ... Was it a phone interview? Was it in person? Were they grilling you with real hard questions or was it a "get to know you" kind of process? You can find out how candidates were recruited, whether it was through sending in an application online or they were recruited by a recruiter or at a job fair and so forth. That last piece is really important because if you want to work for an organization like Nike, for example, you might find that sending in an application through their HR system is really not the best way to get a job there. The best way is through a job fair or to talk to a recruiter. Even if you're not looking for a job, you can use the salary tool to see what other people with your job title are getting paid. As we just mentioned, this is really valuable if you're looking to negotiate for a starting salary or for a pay raise. You can show what your comparables are and say, "This is what the market rate is." Mac, you just mentioned using those comparables to set salary ranges, so it sounds like this is something that you're familiar with job seekers doing. Mac Prichard:    It is. Employers, as I mentioned earlier, look at it too because ... When you're hiring staff and you want to keep people onboard, the old role is true: You get what you pay for. You want to make sure that you're offering the most competitive wages and salaries you can and doing this kind of research will help you do that. Ben Forstag:   That was the good part. Now, we're going to be talking about the bad part. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Ben Forstag:     Glassdoor.com ... It really works best for larger organizations. It's not much help if you're applying to a small organization with just a handful of employees. I took the liberty of looking up Mac's List. We're not on there. I looked up Prichard Communications, your other firm, Mac. They're not on there. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Ben Forstag:     Nike's on there, Intel's on there ... A lot of big Portland firms and firms all around the country and the world are there. The reason for this is because all the data they have is submitted by actual employees or former employees. The larger your workforce, the more likely you're going to have people submitting information about you online. Also, Glassdoor is not great for nonprofit organizations. I looked up several nonprofits that I've worked with and only one of them was listed there. If you're looking for nonprofit backgrounds, probably a better place to start would be on the 990 forms that you can find on places like Charity Navigator. That's how you would find out what the executive director is being paid, what other high level executives are being paid within organizations. Mac Prichard:    Why do you think that's so, Ben? Is it a reflection of the size of many nonprofits? Is that why we're not seeing them pop up on this site? Ben Forstag:     I'm guessing so. A vast majority of nonprofit organizations are pretty small. We're talking less than five employees. The same rule that applied to the for-profits: The more employees you have, the more likely you're going to have reviews online? It applies for nonprofits as well. Much of the data, as I mentioned, is provided by current and former employees, so the data tends to be a little bit skewed either very positive or very negative. Not a whole lot right in the middle. You ready for the ugly? Mac Prichard:   Sure. Ben Forstag:  Okay. The ugly is, if you spend too much time on Glassdoor, you start finding that some of the reviews are very, very negative. People really slamming their former boss or the former organization. They had a bad experience at a company and so, they just want to take revenge. All the reviews are anonymous, so people feel that they can go out and just write whatever they want. Now, one organization that I worked with in the past was listed there. It was a small organization and there was a very negative review of that organization. There was enough data in this anonymous review that I knew who wrote it. I would suggest if you have something negative to say, think twice before you write anything on Glassdoor.com, especially if you work in a real small organization. You don't want to burn bridges if you don't need to. If someone can identify you through any information you leave on that site, that really destroys any kind of professional credibility you have moving forward. Certainly you can't use that organization as a reference anymore. That's the good, the bad, and the ugly of Glassdoor.com. Mac Prichard:   Thank you, Ben. Do you have a suggestion for Ben? Write him and we may share your idea on the show. His email address is [email protected]. Now, it's time to hear from Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. Cecilia is in touch with you, our listeners, throughout the week and she joins us to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? What's the question of the week? Cecilia Bianco:  Oh thanks, Mac. Our question is, "How should I prepare to negotiate my salary?" The main piece of advice I have for this is to do your research and go into a negotiation extremely prepared and knowledgeable. Ben's resource this week is actually a great place to start. Glassdoor, Salary.com, and other websites like these allow you to see what other people in your role are making. You can compare your offer to the local market and see how it matches up. As Ben mentioned, you can search nationally and locally, so always try to narrow it down to salary specific to your city. Sometimes they don't have enough information to provide an average, but it's still a good practice to always check. Then, an easy to get good local information is to ask your peers, family, friends, really anyone you're comfortable discussing this with in your professional network. That can help confirm or support your online research, too. Ben and Mac, I'm curious if you've used research like this when you've negotiated in past jobs. Mac Prichard:    Well, I have to say ... As the two of you speak, I'm just reflecting on the fact that you both have anniversaries coming up after the holidays. Ben Forstag: Speaking of which, Mac ... Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. Mac Prichard:    As your employer, I better check out these sites and get ready for those meetings after the Christmas holidays, but seriously ... I am serious on that. I have used research like this in negotiating with employees or when I've had jobs myself and have approached employers. It's good to have the facts in your corner when you're making the case for either a higher salary for starting a position or for an annual adjustment. How about you, Ben? Ben Forstag: I haven't. I wish I had this data like three or four years ago. When I moved from Washington DC to Portland, I really struggled because I got a job offer, but because the cost of living is so different between those two cities, it was really hard for me to evaluate what my value was. I was making one amount in DC and for the comparable job in Portland, the job offer said the value was significantly less than what I was making in DC. I just didn't have the data behind me to justify whether that was a good offer or a bad offer. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, definitely. It's really important to know the local market. Then beyond that, I think it's important to think about the job you're negotiating for specifically. Reflect on how competitive the applicant pool was and if the employer's been hiring for the position for a long time. Basically, the harder it was for the employer to find you and hire you for the job, the more negotiating power you're going to have. I know negotiating can feel really uncomfortable, but it's important to get paid what you believe you deserve. Just prepare yourself to really make it easier because the more prepared you are, the more confident and ease you're going to feel when you start negotiations. Mac, from your point of view as an employer, what types of research or negotiation tactics do you feel are effective? Mac Prichard:  I always find it persuasive when someone shows me data for salaries for comparable positions in the local market. It could come from the websites that you cited. I also hear from readers all the time that they often look at Mac's List not because they're looking for work, but they're curious to know what jobs like theirs are paying. Visit websites and job boards to pull those kinds of figures and I think you'll be much more effective in making your case. Something else I want to say about negotiating salaries ... There's research out there that shows that men are more likely to ask for higher salaries when they are negotiating for a job for the first time or for raises than women. I think the employers expect to hear those requests, so I encourage you whatever your gender. Do your homework. Take some time to study negotiating techniques. It'll pay off because once you're in a job, you're setting a base, a foundation, that will likely be that, a base, for several years upon which annual increases will be made. Don't be afraid to be assertive. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. That makes sense. I think that one thing we commonly see is that people undervalue what they bring to the table, especially after a long job search or they're just afraid to miss out on an opportunity because of what they want to be paid. Really, as Mac just said, it's better to talk it through in negotiations with an employer rather than accept the job at a salary that's going to make you feel undervalued through each raise because you're not going to get a twenty percent raise ever, likely. It's better to do it when you're just starting. The worst that can happen is that they say no and you have to compromise. Don't forget that you can also negotiate for better benefits if the salary you want is really just out of reach. Mac and Ben, anything to add? Any last tips? Mac Prichard:    I think ... Any candidate is at their most attractive to an employer when there's an offer on the table. That's the time to ... As you say, don't be afraid to ask. The worst thing you're going to hear is no. If you don't ask, you won't get it. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. That's true. If you're interested in more tips on figuring out how to talk about your value to an employer, you'll find several blog posts on Mac's List if you search for "salary negotiation". Mac Prichard:    Well, thanks, Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, you can email her. Her email address is [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better by adding new content and making the book available on multiple e-reader platforms. When we launch the revised version in February, you'll be able to access "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond" on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, and other digital devices. You'll also be able to order a paperback edition. Whatever the format, our goal is the same. To give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. For more information, visit macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our e-book newsletter. We'll send you publication updates, share exclusive book content, and provide you with special pre-sale prices. Now, let's turn to our expert guest, Melissa Anzman. Melissa is a certified executive coach who helps people get on the right career track and enjoy success in the workplace. She's worked with hundreds of people to grow their careers to the next level. Before starting LaunchYourJob.com, Melissa spent thirteen years in the corporate world as a human resource leader. She's also the author of "How to Land a Job: Secrets of an HR Insider". Well, Melissa, thanks for joining us today. Melissa Anzman:   Thanks so much for having me, Mac. It's always fun chatting with you and your team. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. It's a pleasure to have you here. Well, let's turn to our topic today "human resources departments". I have to say, Melissa. When I was doing my homework, I was looking online on this subject and words like "guards", "gatekeepers", and "black hole" kept popping up when I was searching under "human resources" and job hunter-ing. Why do you think human resources departments have that reputation? Melissa Anzman:      Yeah. It's definitely one that's unfortunately common and not very flattering of a distinction. Human resources departments get a bad rap because they really are sort of the face of a lot of behind the scenes work. When you're applying to a job, there's one person in HR that you'll talk to usually when you need help with the application, another person in HR takes care of it and then, there's that comp, compensation person, who does sort of the ... What your offer'll be and so on and so forth. A lot of times, HR gets a bad rap when it comes to the hiring process because they are the gatekeeper in that they're the first line of defense to get your foot in the door at a company. As you've learned in a previous podcast with Jenny, with Job Jenny I should say, Jenny Foss, the first step is usually the online application system. A lot of times we blame HR, who are people, for things that something a system may have kicked in or kicked out. Mac Prichard:    I'm glad you brought that up because HR departments aren't going away, so we have to work with them whether we're hiring managers or applicants. Let's talk about how you do that and some effective strategies. Let's start. How do you recommend listeners approach an HR department? What's a good way of getting started? Melissa Anzman:     Absolutely. There is a science to working with HR. Unfortunately, the science is going to be tweaked a little bit depending on the company and the size and all of that fun stuff. There's sort of three ways that you can work really well with them in order to get your foot in the door, in order to move along in the hiring process, and so on. The most important one is understanding and realizing your own personal value proposition. HR ... If you sort of put your feet in their shoes, HR gets a ton of resumes. Lots of qualified candidates particularly for super cool awesome jobs, right? They're also getting those resumes and applications from people who are cream of the crop. Top tier, high potential, great talent. It's up to you to market yourself and really showcase for them. Make it easy for them to say yes to you. Know what value you bring to the table and tell them that early and often and repeatedly during the process. Mac Prichard:    What are some practical ways that people can do that? I'm an applicant, I'm not afraid to bang my own drum, or toot my own horn, rather. How can I do that? I've got to fill out a form, I may not be able to get somebody on the phone. What have you as being on the other side of that door inside an HR department seen work well? Melissa Anzman:     Your resume is your first tool if you're going to go blind. I would say the thing on your resume is I don't want to read a bullet point list of skill sets you have. That doesn't help me as an HR person. What I want to understand ... I want to see results driven, metric driven information on your resume of what you've done. That whole "show, don't tell me" is so important when you're applying. Another way you can do that is how you follow up. That's sort of the second thing of networking and outreaching. How you follow up, you have to consistently reinforce your value proposition. This is why you have to meet me before you move any further in the process. If you can convince an HR person to do that, you'll go far along because they are sort of that gatekeeper. To do that, you just have to showcase who you uniquely are. It's your approach, it's leveraging all the tools in your toolbox. If you're online, making sure that you're positioning yourself as a subject matter expert in that field. If you're using just a resume, it's super detail oriented, data driven, metric driven information, so that the HR person is not guessing your capabilities. You also have a great platform on LinkedIn. LinkedIn allows them to research you whether it's for a first time or they're just looking or they're a sourcer or maybe they're following up on a resume. You really want that to be a good calling card for you as well. Mac Prichard:    Know your value, document it with metrics, facts, and figures, and put that in your application, but don't stop there. Look at the other opportunities you have online to make your case through your LinkedIn profile as well as demonstrating your expertise, your leadership, in the field through blogging or participating in forums. Tactics like that. Is that step number one? Melissa Anzman:   Absolutely. That is step number one. I would just like to say one more thing on that. When you're writing anything that goes towards your value proposition, make sure each sentence answers the question, "So what?" Why would the resume reader or the HR person care about that sentence or bullet point or metric or whatever that is? Get really tight on your messaging because you don't have a hundred times to make an impression. You really have one. Be super clear and concise and efficient with your words and answer "So what?" every time. Mac Prichard:  Great advice, Melissa. Now, what's the next step? The application's in, the online platforms are in good shape. What should an applicant be doing next to connect with HR and get beyond them and in front of the hiring manager? Melissa Anzman:             Yeah. The second step is one that I personally dreaded for a long time myself. It's kind of the tried and true step, but it's about networking and outreach. I think the word "networking" in this instance is a terrible fit because what you have to do is you kind of have to pursue or make some outreach or try and get on a first date essentially, right? You're trying to get this HR person interested enough in you that they want to date you, that they'll ask you out. To do that, you don't just send an email to someone. Although now, you probably do less than that with all the apps out there, but when you're talking about work, you have to follow up. I don't mean you send an email to the [email protected] website. You spend ... It takes ten minutes or so on LinkedIn and Google to find the email address of a hiring manager or find the email address of the recruiter. You send them a note and you express your interest. You think about your value proposition and you show it to them in your email super short and sweet. Let them have their contact information. You've sort of opened the door for a first date. Mac Prichard:  Melissa, I just want to pause there because I can imagine some listeners saying, "Okay. All I have is [email protected]. How do I find the name of the recruiter or the hiring manager? I can figure out how to get their email address once I know the name, but what's the secret to getting that name?" Melissa Anzman:   Yeah. I mean, getting the name is hard and I have some suggestions on a post that you can definitely include in the show notes, Mac. Essentially, you have to think like a researcher here. This is kind of a skill that went to the way ... I'm going to sound really old now ... Went to the wayside with the internet and Google. You need to do your research. That's about searching for the company ... Here's how I'd do it on LinkedIn. I'll search for the company and I'll put sort of the company and the department that I'm interested in, or the department and recruiter. Then, you'll see a list of names that pop up that fit that thing and you want to filter it down to "current", etc, etc. When you start looking at profiles, LinkedIn gives you some suggestions on the right-hand side. I tend to find the suggestions to be super helpful because good recruiters in particular usually have their "I focus on this area at this company." You can usually find pretty easily the recruiter's name by just narrowing it down on LinkedIn in that regard. Mac Prichard:  Good. That's step number two. You've found the person you want to connect with, you've thought about ways to network with them and reach out to them directly, and make that case. What do you do next, Melissa? Melissa Anzman:       The next thing is something that people forget. Just completely forget. That's really understanding and knowing your audience. Not all people on the hiring process timeline or the candidate experience are created equal. When you're dealing with a front line, so the first point of contact recruiter, they don't know details about the job you're trying to do. What I mean by that is they don't know the nitty gritty details of the technical aspects of your role. They have fifty, sixty ... I don't know, hundreds sometimes, at some companies of requisitions open across their table. Their expertise is to recruit, not to know your department. When you talk to them, they are looking for culture fit, your personality ... They're trying to understand if you have the basic skills for the role, so you're using the right jargon and words that describe the position as someone else has described it to them. They are not at all interested in knowing about the super nitty gritty details that make no sense to anybody outside your industry or your position much less, during that process. As soon as you start talking to that person around things that make no sense to them, you've lost them. They're already tuning out. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Technical skills matter, but save that for your conversation with the hiring manager. I just want to clarify, Melissa. When we're talking about recruiters, we're talking about people within an HR department who are tasked ... Whose job it is to recruit people for that company. We're not talking about headhunters who might be under contract working outside the company. Melissa Anzman:               Absolutely. Sorry for that. Yeah. When I say recruiter, it's always that internal resource within HR that's responsible for getting people in the door for the role. Mac Prichard:  Okay. Now, I'm often asked, what about just bypassing HR altogether? I think sometimes people think, "If I could just go around the HR department and get in front of the hiring manager, all my problems would be solved." What's your reaction to that? Melissa Anzman:   Well, it's hard. There isn't a one size fits all there. I would say be very careful if you do that, right? You're not going to be creating any friends or anything of that regard to do that. Also, at most companies particularly in different states and just sort of what state laws are and all of that fun stuff, you do have to go through the official hiring process to get an offer. I am all for you making that first connection, that first introduction, that first outreach, whatever it is with the hiring manager directly, but you should also instantly get on the right train. What I mean by that is get onto the process that the company wants you to go through. If you're a great candidate and you're sort of someone that that person, the hiring manager, loves anyway, it's going to make no difference other than the fact that you're going to actually walk into a company with friends instead of having HR as an enemy. Mac Prichard:    Okay. I also hear from people who ask me, "What can I do after I've applied for a job and I get a rejection letter from HR? Should I call the human resources department? Should I still try to reach out to the hiring manager?" What options do people have at that point in the process? Melissa Anzman: Well, I think it depends on how far along in the process you got. If you just applied and got an auto-generated email or even a personal email saying, "Thank you for your application. We're going in a different direction", that's where the conversation should end. There's nothing you can glean from it. Maybe it was an internal candidate that they hired, maybe you were too late in the process. I mean, there's just so many things and they're not going to tell you. That would be that case. If you're further along ... Let's say you've been interviewing with them. You've seen somebody in person or you've talked to someone in person. I don't really recommend that you continue the conversation unless something odd happened. Maybe you're just sort of not feeling like you got closure or an answer or something like that, that would be the only case where I would say continue. Usually, they are restricted by some laws to tell you what went wrong in the interview process, right? They are going to be very careful if you ask them that question. They're not really apt to helping you improve your interviewing skills going forward unless you created a good rapport with that recruiter. Mac Prichard:   Okay. Now if you are invited in for an interview, often you start with the human resources department and then, advance on to a conversation with the hiring manager. Are those two different conversations and should people prepare for them in different ways? Melissa Anzman:  Absolutely. They are night and day different conversations, or they should be. If they're not ... Take a step back and level set yourself going forward. When you're interviewing with HR ... You need to talk about you and yourself and your personality and your strengths. That kind of focus. Really high level, "I'm a fit for this organization." When you move to a conversation with the hiring manager, they're thinking about different things. They want to know ... Can you do the job? They're going to ask themselves what a pain or not pain you will be to manage. I know I'm not supposed to say that, but it's true, right? When we're trying to hire someone, we're like, "How much work is this going to be for me?" You want to make sure your conversations are geared in that regard. They also want to understand more about you as a person. What makes you tick, what motivates you, if you would fit on the team that's already there, as well as those technical skills. It's a very different conversation with the hiring manager than it should be with HR. Mac Prichard:  What's the best way to follow up on those separate conversations? Melissa Anzman:    I always believed in a thank you note. I have a little template on my site which, again, feel free to include, of when to send an email thank you versus when to send an actual thank you note and when in the process. Any time you talk to or meet with somebody, you absolutely need to follow up. Email is a little bit more instantaneous, so that's great for a lot of different situations, but there are definitely some levels and some roles that you want to write an actual handwritten thank you note. Mac Prichard:    We'll be sure to include a link to that page in the show notes. We're coming to close of our interview, Melissa. What are some other things that our listeners should think about? Melissa Anzman:  Yeah. I would just say when you're interviewing, we have a tendency as we're very nervous in an interview to ramble on. It's a skill you can absolutely learn and get better at. I always recommend that you practice what I call "STARS". That's a pretty typical term, but it means everything that you answer, every single answer in a interview conversation can be framed around a specific situation or task, the action that you took, and the result to the company for it. That's only three sentences if you want to be super efficient to get your point across. By doing so, not only are you adding a lot of value to the conversation and making that HR person or the hiring manager love you because they know you know what you're doing, but you're also keeping them engaged in the conversation, which has a lot longer of a tale for your winning, I guess, through the process ... Through your success through the process, I should say. Mac Prichard:  That's terrific, Melissa. I know that we've been talking about human resource departments, but ... Would you have different advice if an agency doesn't have an HR department, particularly, the smaller employers? Are there things that would be appropriate to do that you haven't described here? Melissa Anzman:  Yeah. I mean, I think when an organization is smaller and don't have the HR resources, usually the hiring manager or someone else is managing the process. You're almost cutting out a middleman a lot of the time, which is great, which is in the favor of the candidate every single time. Instead of following up with HR, go directly to the person that you should be working with or outreach directly to the hiring manager because you have that opportunity. I would still say make sure you know your audience in the interview process. It may not be an HR person, but maybe you're meeting with a finance person who's going to care a lot about a lot of different things than your hiring manager. Just keep that in mind, but it will play out a little differently by cutting out a middleman. Mac Prichard:    Great. Well, thank you, Melissa. You can find Melissa online at LaunchYourJob.com. You can also buy her book "How to Land a Job: Secrets of an HR Insider" at her website and on Amazon.com. We'll be sure to include links to your website and your book in the show notes. Thank you again, Melissa, for joining us. Melissa Anzman:  Thanks so much for having me, Mac. Mac Prichard: We're back with Ben and Cecilia. What did you two think? What were some of the most important points you heard Melissa make? Cecilia Bianco:  I got a lot out of that. I think she has ... An inside view that we don't hear a lot, particularly about not going around HR. Sometimes we hear it's a lot easier if you can get straight to the hiring manager, but clearly that will do more harm than good in the end if you get the job. I thought that was a really important tip. Ben Forstag:   I liked that she outlined the process to work with them because I think, in my perspective, it's always been if you send your job application to "careers@", it is the black hole. Nothing's going to happen to it. I've just stopped doing that in my own job searches, but it does sound like there is a process and that if you follow the right steps, you can get some traction going through HR. Mac Prichard:    Yeah. I think that's an important point and to know the process. There's a leadership talk I attended once at a conference. The one thing I remember ... It was delivered by a retired US Naval Officer. He said, "Learn the system and make the system work for you." Having that insider perspective, Cecilia, I agree is really important. Knowing that process and doing the homework to uncover it and understand it can pay benefits for you down the line. Good. Well, thank you all for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, visit us at macslist.org. You can sign up for our free newsletter there and you'll find more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, please help us by leaving a review and rating at iTunes. This will help others discover our show and help us reach more job seekers. Thank you for listening.  

If you want a job that lets you make a difference in the world you’ll likely consider a career in public service.   A government job--at the local, state or federal level--can offer you the opportunity to address issues that matter, such as education,  the environment, and homelessness. You can find positions suited to every interest and skill, from art history to zoology. And the work itself can be gratifying. But getting your first government job can be challenging. The application process usually requires patience and persistence. And managing a career in public service requires thoughtful planning. This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with Kirsten Wyatt, assistant city manager of West Linn, Oregon, co-founder of the organization Emerging Local Government Leaders, and host of the GovLove podcast. Kirsten is passionate about helping talented professionals enter the public service sector and shares her tips for anyone looking to get a job in government. In this 38-minute episode you will learn: How you can explore your passion (and help others) with a government career Tips for building a network to help you transition into a government job New tools and protocols for applying for government jobs What the government interview process looks like Creative ways support your government job search This week’s guest: Kirsten Wyatt (@kowyatt & @elgl50)Assistant City Manager, West Linn, Ore.Co-Founder, Emerging Local Government Leaders?West Linn, Ore. Listener question of the week:  What's the best way to start my job search? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Nonprofit Organization of Oregon Hatch Innovation Lab GlassDoor.com BestPlacesToWork.org StrengthsFinder Emerging Local Government Leaders GovLove Podcast Josh’s Job Search Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is "Find Your Dream Job", the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". We have a new edition of the book. It's coming out in February and you can learn more about it by visiting macslist.org/ebook. Thanks for joining us today. This week on "Find Your Dream Job", we're talking about government work, how to get it, and how to manage a public service career. If you want a job that lets you make a difference in the world, you're likely to consider a career in public service. A government job can offer you the opportunity to address issues that matter such as education, the environment, and homelessness. You can also find positions suited to every interest and skill from art history to zoology and the work itself can be very gratifying. Getting your first government job, however, can be challenging. The application process usually requires patience and persistence and managing a career in public service requires thoughtful planning. If you're thinking about applying for a federal job, Ben Forstag has a website that you'll want to check out. It uses employee surveys to tell you which agencies are the best places to work for different groups, including veterans and women and others. Not sure how to get started pursuing a career in public service? Cecilia Bianco has a set of steps you can follow to get clear about what you need to do next. Then, we'll turn to this week's expert, Kirsten Wyatt. She's the co-founder of a national association for government professionals. Kirsten will share her advice about how to navigate the government application process and she'll tell you what you need to do to have a successful public sector career. Before we get started, I want to give a big shout out to Cecilia, who last night wowed a crowd here in Portland that was interested in finding work in the nonprofit world. Cecilia, what were some of the ... Did you have a good experience? Cecilia Bianco: I did. Yeah. It was a great experience and it was a good crowd. I think they were really engaged with learning about how Portland is different and how you can get a nonprofit job specifically in Portland, which as you know, is mostly through networking and informational interviews. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Any other key takeaways you want to share? Either from your presentation or your conversations with people afterwards? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I think the biggest takeaway for me is that people know they need to network, but they don't know how to get started. I think talking about that with them and giving them practical advice was the most important part of the night. Mac Prichard: Good. Ben, I know you and Cecilia organize these events throughout the course of the year. Can you tell our listeners more about them and how they can learn more about it? Ben Forstag: Sure. Each year, Mac's List organize four different events on our own. They're quarterly based. These tend to be focused around specific topic areas. How to get a job in communications, for example. We also partner with the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and a local incubator group called Hatch Oregon to put on a series of presentations called "Career Pathways to Doing Good in Oregon". That's what Cecilia was speaking at last night and that also happens four times a year. Mac Prichard: Good. Well, visit the website if you'd like to learn more about those events and let's turn to this week's regular segments. Every week, Ben is out there exploring the internet looking for blogs, tools, and podcasts that you can use to help in your job search. Ben, what have you discovered for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac, I am so excited to share the resource this week. This is a website I found about three months ago, but I've been holding onto it just for today's podcast. I'm super excited to share it. Mac Prichard: I can see you vibrating in the seat. Ben Forstag: Yeah. This combines two of my favorite things. One is public service jobs and the other one is data. As you and Cecilia know, I love data. I love looking at spreadsheets and all that kind of stuff. Mac Prichard: Yeah. You're definitely a number cruncher. Ben Forstag: The resource this week is a website called bestplacestowork.org. This is like a Glassdoor website specifically for federal government agencies. If you are interested in working for the federal government, this is a website you can go to to learn about the internal culture of the government agencies. Mac Prichard: Great. For the benefit of our listeners who might not know about Glassdoor, it's a website that has information from employees of companies who share insights into supervisors' styles ... Good bosses, bad bosses, basically, as well as information about salaries. Ben Forstag: Yeah, and so this is specifically just the federal government. Each year, the Office of Personnel Management, which essentially manages the entire federal workforce, conducts this survey of all federal workers across three hundred and eighty nine different federal organizations. I mean, they ask a series of questions related to employee satisfaction, employee commitment, and other topics that would measure how good of a workplace this is. The questions they ask are things like, "Do you recommend your organization as a good place to work? Are creativity and innovation rewarded in your agency? How satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affect your work?" These are really kind of getting at what is the day to day experience for workers in these agencies. From these responses, they assign employee satisfaction scores to each federal agency and then, rank the agencies against each other. Best Places to Work is where the public can go to review all of these scores. Agency rankings are sortable by multiple demographic groups. For example, you can look for the best federal workplaces for women or the best agencies for veterans or the best places for younger workers versus those for more seasoned employees. All these rankings come from the employees themselves saying what their experience there is. Mac Prichard: Were there any surprises when you looked at the data or agencies that stood out, Ben? Ben Forstag: Well, I was actually going to ask you and Cecilia here what you thought of all the federal agencies out there, do you want to take a guess at which agency had the highest employee satisfaction score? Cecilia Bianco: Oh, that's tough. I think I'm going to pivot to Mac on this one. I have no idea. Ben Forstag: Okay, Mr. Government Work. Mac Prichard: I'm guessing it's not the Veterans Administration. Ben Forstag: It is not the Veterans Administration. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Okay. I give up. Ben Forstag: Top ranked for the last three years is NASA, which is awesome. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Ben Forstag: They're loving sending people up into space. That's good. Mac Prichard: Well, I know we may be dating ourselves here because these podcasts will live on for a long time, but if you've seen "The Martian", that is like a love letter to NASA. It's one of the few movies coming out of a Hollywood studio I've seen in recent years that shows government doing a good job, government actually working. Ben Forstag: Hmm. Interesting. I'll have to check that out. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Ben Forstag: Do you want to take a guess at what the worst ranked agency is? Major agency? Cecilia Bianco: Mac, any ideas? Mac Prichard: I don't want to disparage any agency, but- Cecilia Bianco: Yes. Mac Prichard: Guessing and that not being correct. Ben Forstag: Well, I'll go out there. I thought it was going to be the IRS. Mac Prichard: Oh. Ben Forstag: It's not. It's actually the Department of Homeland Security. Cecilia Bianco: Hmm. Ben Forstag: Again, this is all from the employees themselves voting on their own experience. One of the interesting things here is they rank all these different organizations, the large agencies, the mid-size agencies, and the small agencies. One of the things I really liked about this website because I am a dork like that is all of the small little sub-agencies that exist out there.For example, the top ranked small agency, or sub-component, was the Surface Transportation Board, which I've never heard of. The worst rated government agency of all the categories for every demographic group? This one scares me a little bit. The Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board. Cecilia Bianco: Yikes. Ben Forstag: The folks who are working there are not happy. Cecilia Bianco: That's not good. Ben Forstag: No, it isn't. Mac Prichard: What's scary too is I've actually heard of the Surface Transportation Board. I've worked for three transportation projects in my career, so I'm familiar with that one. Ben Forstag: Okay. If you're interested in working in the federal government, you should definitely check out bestplacestowork.org to get a feel for the culture in each agency. Even if you're not planning on working for Uncle Sam, I think you can find some good value on this site. Check out the methodology section and the questions included in the employee survey.I talked about some of those questions earlier. There's about fifty four of them that they ask. These are the kind of questions you should be thinking about when you're evaluating your own work situation or perhaps, a prospective employer. It really gives you a sense of what the culture might be in those organizations. Mac Prichard: Good. Well, thank you, Ben. Do you have an idea for Ben? You can reach him at his email address [email protected]. He's waiting to hear from you and he may share your idea on the show. Now, it's time to hear from you, our listeners. Cecilia Bianco, our community manager, is here to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what's your question of the week?Cecilia Bianco: The question today is, "What's the best way to start my job search?" This week, I know we're talking about government jobs, but I'm going to give you some basic and important tips to get your job search started that will be applicable to whatever field you're interested in. Because I speak with so many people who are looking for work, I pick up the most common problems that they're dealing with. What I've been hearing a lot lately is people are starting their job search before they actually know what they really want to focus on and what job they really want to be in. This is making it a much longer and more painful process for them. Mac, I know you talk to a lot of people as well. Have you noticed this? Mac Prichard: I have. I see it not only in conversations I have with people who tell me about their job search, but frankly, I've experienced it myself. Early in my career, I struggled with goal setting and being clear about what I wanted and probably spent far more time than I needed to on different searches as a result. I'm glad you're bringing this up. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. It can make it really hard. My first suggestion to people having this problem is, before you even start your job search, take some inventory of yourself and what you really want from a career. The easiest way to start thinking about this is to really figure out your main strengths and your main goals for what job you want right now. With your strengths, I don't mean thinking about a mental list of your skills, which we see people do all the time. I mean knowing how to talk about your strengths to a potential employer before you start applying to jobs, so being prepared with examples and past evidence that show your strengths rather than listing them off. As you guys know, almost every job on our list is asking for writing and communication skills, but employers don't want to see a resume or cover letter or hear you in a interview just say, "I'm a strong communicator." They want you to show them rather than tell them. If you're prepared and you know your strengths and you know how you can prove them, that's the best way to nail down what type of job you're going to be good at. For this example specifically, you want to really think about any past awards you've received, successful campaigns you've been a part of, if you've increased an online following or even revenue through communications work that you've done. That's one main way to narrow down what your real strengths are is by being able to prove them. Another reason it's important to know your strengths this well is because you want to find a job that you're going to be good at. Ben, you've touched on this in past episodes. Can you reiterate your thoughts on why people should be in jobs that really fit their strengths? Ben Forstag: Yes, Cecilia. I think no one likes going to work and being unsuccessful day in and day out at their job. Any time you can get a job where you're exercising your strengths, you're always going to end up being more productive and probably happier at the end of the day. I talked about the strengths finder test several weeks ago on the podcast and I think what's so great about that is it helps people reframe some of their personality types around strengths and gives them tips on operationalizing how they could use those strengths in the workplace. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, definitely. I've found that to be true in my current job. I know my strengths are the skills that I need to excel at it, so it makes me happier throughout the day as I'm getting things done. Mac Prichard: I'd like to add, Cecilia. I so agree with your point about the importance of showing rather than telling because when people do that, they have a terrific advantage, particularly in the interview process. One thing I've seen candidates do when I've been on interview panels that allows them to show rather than tell is they ask questions about the needs of the employer.They say, "What are your biggest problems?" What happens when that the employer responds is that you get an opportunity to think and reflect about how you have approached that problem before and to tell a story. Not to say, "I've got great communication skills", for example, but "I had an experience like that earlier in my career. Let me tell you how we approached it and how we solved that problem." That's a very unique thing to be able to do and helps you distinguish yourself from the other candidates in the process. It's to your point about the importance of showing rather than telling. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I think the way to get good at that is by knowing your strengths really well. That's really the starting point. Mac Prichard: Absolutely. Cecilia Bianco: The next thing I want to talk about is really knowing your goals because that is really, really crucial. I don't mean long-term where you want to be in ten years. I mean your goals for your career right now and what type of job you want to be in. You want to think about the company culture that you're going to enjoy the most, the impact you want to be making, and what your day to day responsibilities are going to be that you really want to be in charge of and you're going to enjoy day in and day out. If you think about these things and you have them nailed down, when you go to look at a list of three hundred jobs, it really makes it easier to focus in on the ones that are a right fit for you. When you go into an interview or write your application for a job you know you're the right fit for, we've found that you appear more genuine and you're more likely to get the job because the employers can pick up on that. It's important to be authentic and show you really are the right fit. You're not just saying you're good at this, you're good at that. You really are good at this and you really are good at that and you really want to be at a company that supports a certain type of environment. Those are my main tips for how you can get started. Mac and Ben, anything to add? Ben Forstag: I just want to reiterate your focus on being focused and knowing what you want to be doing for a career. We talk to a lot of job seekers and I completely understand the mentality of "I don't want to close off any options, so I'll do anything" or "I'm open to any opportunity". I understand that. I've been there.At the end of the day, I think employers really want someone who's focused and committed to certain types of work instead of the person who'll do anything or the jack of all trades. It really does shorten the job search process when you do find focus and passion behind that focus. Mac Prichard: Yeah. I think that's a very important point you're making, Cecilia. This idea that you really do need to be clear about what you want because employers will pick up on that. They'll pick up on your energy, as you say. You just make it easier for employers to say yes to you when you focus on your strengths and what you're good at and what your passionate about. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. That's definitely true. Also to Ben's point, when you're focusing really hard on a specific type of job, it makes your next steps easier, which the next steps when you're starting a job search is to target organizations and people you need to talk to that can help you. Really overall, just get some focus before you start. Mac Prichard: Okay. Well, that's very good advice. Thanks, Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, please email her. Her address is [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". We're making the complete Mac's List guide even better by adding new content and making the book available on multiple platforms. When we launch the new version in February, you'll be able to access "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond" on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, and other digital devices. You'll also be able to get a paperback edition for the first time. Whatever the format though, our goal is the same. To give you the tools and tips you need to get meaningful work. To learn more, visit macslist.org/ebook and sign up for our ebook newsletter. You'll get updates, exclusive book content, and we'll provide you with special pre-sale prices. Let's turn to our expert this week, Kirsten Wyatt. She is the co-founder of ELGL, an acronym that stands for Emerging Local Government Leaders. ELGL is a national organization with chapters across the country that connects, communicates, and educates about public service. Now, Kirsten writes frequently about government for the ELGL blog. She also hosts the GovLove podcast and serves as the assistant city manager in West Linn, Oregon. She studied politics at Willamette University and earned a master's in public administration from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Kirsten, thanks for coming to the Mac's List studio and joining us today. Kirsten Wyatt: Thanks. It's great to be here. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Let's start with some broad questions. Why should somebody consider a career in government? Kirsten Wyatt: Well, I think the thing that's amazing about a career in government, especially local government, is that no matter your interest or no matter your passion area, you can find a job. As I was getting ready for this podcast, I was poking around on the county website. They're hiring dentists, they're hiring engineers, they're hiring levy experts, they're hiring budget analysts. Really whatever your passion is, government has a place for you. I think that's really exciting because then you get to have a career where you're exploring your passion, but you're also doing something to benefit the greater good. To me, a local government career is tremendously rewarding. You have a lot of abilities to learn new things and grow your career and grow your personal self. To me, that's why I've pursued a career in local government and why I always encourage other people to look to local government. Mac Prichard: Good. If someone is at the start of their career or they're thinking about entering into public service, what are some of the issues they should think about as they lay the foundation for a career in state or local or the federal government? Kirsten Wyatt: Well, I think it's important to remember that sometimes you don't just get to walk into a job. This is true in all industry sectors, but in government, often there are going to be minimum requirements related to getting a job. It's important to make sure as you are finishing your college career or building out your resume that you find some ways to get your foot in the door and get some of that relevant experience that government wants you to have when they're hiring. Mac Prichard: Let's get tactical for a moment. What are some steps that people can take to get that foot in the door? Kirsten Wyatt: One of my favorite stories is of people who decide they want to make that jump into government and so they take time on their own and volunteer at the local level, be it on a city budget committee, on a local planning commission. Using that, their free time, to get that experience that local government wants to see on a resume. You may be coming out of undergrad and you maybe have a lot of really theoretical or philosophical perspectives, but you don't have that kind of boots on the ground perspective. Taking some time, your own time, to get those relevant skills is really important. I love hearing the stories about someone who dedicated a year of Tuesday nights volunteering on a historic resources board because they really wanted to become a historic planner or something like that. I think that those types of things take a little bit of effort, but it really pays off in the end. Mac Prichard: I've seen that happen in the world of politics, too, where people who are active in their neighborhood volunteer for a committee and then, end up working for an elected official at city hall. Kirsten Wyatt: Absolutely. That's a great example, too. Mac Prichard: Yeah. What advice would you have for somebody who wants to get their foot in the door and maybe they want to make a mid-career change? Kirsten Wyatt: That's a tough one. I think one thing we've found from ELGL is finding a way to build a network in local government or in government is a really critical way to make sure you're building out those connections, so people can start to realize that the skills that you have built up over the years in the private sector are transferable to local government. That may mean building a network where the city manager of a certain city knows that you are a top notch communications expert. Maybe you've only worked for a consulting firm or a private company, but you're able to take those skills and make that transfer over to government. That's what we really try to promote through ELGL is making those sincere real connections regardless of what industry you're in. If you have an interest in public service, we want to help you make those relationships. Mac Prichard: Let's talk about the hiring process. When I talk to people who are interested in breaking into government whether they're coming out of college or graduate school or they want to make a mid-career switch, they tell me that they're intimidated. The process seems opaque, hard to understand. Break it down for our listeners. How do government agencies hire and what should people keep in mind when they're starting that application process? Kirsten Wyatt: Government hiring processes are horrible, but they are getting better. It was just as recently as two years ago that my own city, we created our first fillable form for our job application. Now, I'm proud to say that our local government as well as many others in the region are adapting a standardized application aggregator called NEOGOV. You can just fill in all of your information and then, use it to apply for many government level jobs. I was listening to your earlier podcasts and I am also a font snob. What I have found in local government that's hard is that they want you to put your application materials into a standardized format. That doesn't give you a lot of room for creativity or to show your flair. It's also aggravating because you may fill out an application for one city and then, you have to go in and fill out a whole other application for another city, typing in the exact same information. You don't get to go and pass out a resume. There's a different process and approach and that's just because government wants to be standardized across all of our hiring processes. It can seem more tedious, I think, than just uploading or submitting a resume. Mac Prichard: Once people ... If they're fortunate enough to live in a community where you can actually apply online or whether they print out a form and fill it out by hand, what are some strategies and tactics they should keep in mind when they do that? Kirsten Wyatt: Well, my number one advice is to understand the form of government that you're applying to. I have seen so many people contact the mayor about a job that they're interested in in a council manager form of government, which is just entirely inappropriate because the elected officials have no role in hiring. Same thing with really wanting a job, but not looking at the hierarchy or the way the organization is structured. When you're making that call to say, "Hey, I'd love to learn more. I'd love to buy you a cup of coffee and talk about this job", you're calling the entirely wrong person. I think that sometimes just having that really basic self awareness of the job that you're applying for and then, how you go about building that connection or that ... Show your involvement with that organization, you really need to be aware of what you're doing because you can just shoot yourself in the foot right off the bat. Mac Prichard: Okay, so don't call the mayor. Kirsten Wyatt: Don't call the mayor. Mac Prichard: Don't call the city counselor. Kirsten Wyatt: No. Mac Prichard: Who might you call? Who would it be appropriate to reach out to? Say you see a job at the local parks department and you're very excited about it. You're Leslie Knope. You want to be there. Kirsten Wyatt: Well, I think, first and foremost, you reach out to your network. Mac Prichard: Okay. Kirsten Wyatt: You reach out to that network you've already established and maybe there's someone that works in the adjacent city parks department. You reach out to them first and you say, "Give me the scoop on this job." Then, once you've realized that it's a really healthy and stable environment, then you potentially reach out if your person in your network advises you to to the hiring manager and just say, "I'd love to pick your brain. Learn more." You also need to be careful and make sure you don't overstep and seem like you're trying to sidestep the actual process that's going on, which again, gets back to why having that network is so important. A great example. In Tualatin recently ... Which is a really well run organization. They have one of the best city managers in the nation. It's one of those places where you want to work. They recently had two jobs come open in a very short span of time. It became really widely known in the local government community before they even advertised those positions. A lot of that is because Tualatin has put themselves into the center of a network where they're sharing information constantly about the work they're doing and the opportunities they have. Once you're able to insert yourself into that network, you're going to find out about things before they're even posted or advertised. Mac Prichard: Networking matters. We had another guest on the show, Kirsten. Jenny Foss talked about applicant tracking systems that are very common in the private sector. These are automated processes that look at resumes or other application materials identifying keywords. Is that a practice in government as well? Kirsten Wyatt: As we become more sophisticated and we're using tools like NEOGOV, it's becoming more possible or more likely that you're going to see an application screening process that's going to look for those keywords that were in the job description. Kind of echoing what she had mentioned in the podcast, making sure that you're tailoring your resume to that job description that's in that system is key. I mean, but that's kind of common sense. You don't want to just blanket the world with resumes.You want to make sure that if you're applying for a specific job, that you're tailoring your skills and abilities to match. Sometimes with the volume of resumes and applications that are coming in, there needs to be a rational nexus between your application and the job that is being advertised. I think that that's just ... That's not rocket science. I mean, you can go through the job description and find those keywords and make sure that you pull out the talent skills and abilities that you have that match those. Mac Prichard: I think that's very sound advice. When I first started applying for jobs in Oregon government when I came to Portland many years ago, I didn't have much success. Someone coached me about the importance of including keywords in my application materials and it made all the difference. I found I started getting interviews after I did that.When people after they've done the networking, they've gotten the lay of the land, maybe they've gotten their name in front of the right people, they've filled out the application materials. Now, they're walking into an interview. What should they expect when applying for a government job? What's different about this world and how can they prepare for it? Kirsten Wyatt: I'm seeing a rapidly changing way of interviewing in local government. I think a lot of this is because we're seeing more of a community interest, especially in certain level positions, to make sure that it's not just that that person is going to fit well with the existing staff, but how are they going to interact with their citizen advisory groups or citizen groups that they are expected to work with? In West Linn, I've seen interview panels that have been comprised just mainly of the supervisor and maybe one or two key staff people. When we get to that department head position or higher, I'm seeing panels, two or three panels, that take a good portion of the day. We're having citizens come in and sit on a panel, we're having peers that have the same position from other local government agencies sit on another panel, plus the department head team really trying to make sure that that fit is there. I think local governments are becoming more aware that when you make an investment in an employee, you need to make sure you get it right the first time because it's a really expensive mistake when you hire a bad fit. I've seen local governments become stronger at building out a panel or an assessment center-type situation that really helps identify who's going to become a key part of the team. I've also started to see for more technical positions, more testing and assessment, which I personally am a big fan of. When I was originally hired as a budget analyst in Virginia, I had to do a pretty extensive Excel test. At the time, I was a little surprised by that. In retrospect, it really helped them weed out people who didn't have just higher than average Excel skills. I'm a big fan of that, using those types of tests for finance positions and things like that. Mac Prichard: Just to go back to interview panels, Kirsten. When you served on those panels or you've talked to colleagues who have led them, what kind of candidates stand out? What do they do to break out of the pack and stand out as a candidate? Kirsten Wyatt: Well, with local government, it is so intensely unique. Every local government likes to think that they are amazing and the only local government that has the best library in the world or the best parks and rec department. They're proud of their history or their historic district or their urban renewal district. The candidates that stand out have done a healthy amount of research.It doesn't mean that they can sit there and recite every fund balance in every account, but it means that they have a real understanding of the community's values. Then, they weave that into their answers. If a community has a strong belief in their historic area, trying to make sure that your answers relate back to that value or that principle that that community holds dear, I think is important. It shows that you've done some research. It shows that you understand the audience that you're talking to. A really easy way for candidates to do that, especially for those higher level positions, is just go to the budget document or the council goal list. Find out what the priorities are for that year and then, really tailor your responses in your interview to what you're read in those documents. Mac Prichard: What kind of role can an online presence play when someone is applying for a job? How can people use online tools to be successful? Kirsten Wyatt: This is something I find very fascinating because for a long time, I think those of us in government felt like we shouldn't have an online presence. That we needed to kind of be these really kind of stiff and boring bureaucrats. Lately, I'm hearing from more and more recruiters that they want to see people who have an online presence that reflects their passion and their interest in public service. One recruiter even told me that they'll look through a Twitter profile. If you're sitting in an interview and you say, "I am passionate about economic development. Economic development is the most important thing and that's why I want this job." Then, they look at your Twitter feed and they realize that all you tweet about are the Kardashians and funny cat pictures, they start to question are you really talking the talk when you are applying for this job. One thing that I've seen and that I've been very proud of from an ELGL perspective, but just also from seeing how, especially younger people are getting their foot in the door in local government, is using platforms like the Mac's List blog, like ELGL, to write and share information about their job hunt or about their career interests and then, parlay that into opportunities. One of my favorite stories, and I know we've talked about Josh before, but a young man out of the University of Oregon wanted to work in government, but he had no experience. He had a ... I think just a general maybe political science degree. He needed to get his foot in the door and so, he started writing about informational interviews that we set up for him. ELGL would set him up with different people in the region and he would sit down with them and kind of pick their brain about their job. It was his chance to kind of get some background about all of the different roles that local government can play. In the course of doing that and writing about it, he had an informational interview with the City of Portland. The woman at the City of Portland was very impressed with his writing ability, also his poise and his presence. She offered him a temporary job and then, that temporary job led to a full-time job. Now, he's getting his master's in accounting and he has a lifetime of local government accounting in front of him, which may not sound that exciting, but I think it's really exciting for him. It's exciting for me to think about someone with that talent and that drive putting themselves out there and then, parlaying that into a full-time local government job. Mac Prichard: I remember that blog series very well. I think it was two or three years ago now. Kirsten Wyatt: It was. Mac Prichard: Can you remind me? What was the title? Was it "Josh is Looking for a Job"? Kirsten Wyatt: It was "Josh's Job Search". Mac Prichard: Right. What so impressed me about it was, I mean, he did the informational interviews and he wasn't afraid to reach out to some high level people. Local mayors and senior people in state government, but then, he went an extra step. He did something I hadn't seen done before, which was to write about it. By doing so, he just grew his circle of contacts and his network exponentially. Kirsten Wyatt: Well, and I think and as you've discussed in your podcast series "Writing Skills" ... It's something that we all want our employees to have, but sometimes it's really hard to measure because when you submit a writing sample, you submit the very best. When you're doing something where you're actively blogging or sharing information using some of these platforms that we have regionally, you're really showing that you can communicate clearly on the fly. That you're a great communicator. We had another guy who graduated from one of the top MBA schools in the nation. He moved out to Portland with no job, which many people do. He took a job as a seasonal worker with the parks and rec department in Tigard. Then, by building out his network, by making sure people knew that he had skills and abilities beyond cleaning bathrooms and mowing lawns, he was able to find full-time work using his network that he built through ELGL with the City of Beaverton. I think, again, it goes to show that sometimes you have to put yourself out there, maybe take a job that you think is beneath you or not exactly what you want. In the process, you're really showing that you're willing to work hard, get the experience you need and then, step into that role where you can make the difference. Mac Prichard: Okay. Well, I think that's a great spot to stop at. Our listeners can find Kirsten online at elgl.org. Also, at Twitter: @elgl50. Again, you'll be able to find these links in the show notes. Thanks for joining us today, Kirsten. Kirsten Wyatt: Wonderful. Thank you for having me. Mac Prichard: Take care. We're back in the Mac's List studio with Ben and Cecilia. Tell me what do you two think were the most important takeaways that you got from our conversation with Kirsten? Cecilia Bianco: I really liked her story about Josh. I think it was a good story to show an example of how someone can show the writing skills that they have and communication skills while building their professional network, which is clearly key no matter what field you're in. Mac Prichard: I like that story, too. I remember reading those blog posts and Josh's personality really shone through. I found myself looking forward to the next installment in the series as it unfolded. How about you, Ben? Ben Forstag: I was excited to hear that governments are modernizing their application systems through the NEOGOV site and other automated tracking systems because I know that government hiring ... It's a really difficult process to navigate if you're not familiar with it. All that being said, even with the new systems, I know it's a difficult field to get into and so, I think Cecilia's point about networking is really important. Mac Prichard: Yeah. I also appreciated her points not only about networking, but just the picture she drew of the process and the different things you could do in reaching out to people, growing your network, how to manage the technical parts of the application. Again, I think I meet people who are interested in working for government, but getting started and navigating that process can be challenging. I think Kirsten has given our listeners a road map for how to move forward. Well, thank you all for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, visit us at macslist.org. You can sign up there for our free newsletter with more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, you can help us by leaving a review and rating on iTunes. We have almost seventy ratings now and more than fifty comments. That's helped us stay in the top ten in the iTunes career chart. Thanks for listening.

53 million Americans--one out of three workers--can be classified as freelance entrepreneurs. A career as a freelancer offers lots of advantages. You work when and where you want. You set your own prices and keep the profits. You choose your clients and your coworkers. (And yes, you can work at home in your pajamas!) A career as a freelancer has its challenges, too. You have sole responsibility for finding clients, project management, business operations, contracts, taxes, marketing, scheduling, and everything else in what is, essentially, your own small business. This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac chats with Rebecca Shapiro, an artist, illustrator, and career freelancer. Rebecca has worked with the Portland Freelancers Union and is the author of Work Independently & Live Connectedly: 52 Steps to Freelancing Freedom. She shares her experience in the gig economy and offers advice for starting and maintaining a successful career as a freelancer. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: The importance of community, relationships, and collaboration in freelancing The mindset and technical skills you need to thrive as a freelancer How to shift out of the “worker” mentality, into the “freelancer” mentality Why you need to set healthy boundaries with clients How to find customers for your freelance services Income expectations when you become a career freelancer This Week's Guest: Rebecca Shapiro (@rebeccashapiro)Principal, Rebecca Shapiro Art and Rebecca Shapiro IllustrationAuthor, Work Independently & Live Connectedly: 52 Steps to Freelancing FreedomPortland, Ore.You can also connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn and Instagram. Listener question of the week:  Do I need both an e-portfolio and an actual (physical) portfolio? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: DoubleYourFreelancing.com The Business of Freelancing Podcast Wordpress SquareSpace Rebecca Shapiro Illustration Rebecca Shapiro Art Portland Freelancers Union CreativeLive SkillShare Work Independently & Live Connectedly: 52 Steps to Freelancing Freedom Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com -- Full Transcript Mac Prichard:    This is find your dream job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List. Your best online source for rewarding, creative and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You'll find hundreds of great jobs, a blog with practical career advice and our new book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". Thanks for joining us today. This week on Find Your Dream Job we're talking about freelance work. If you see three random people walking down a street in the United States, one of them likely does freelance work. Thirty-four percent of Americans, 53 million people in all, are freelancers according to a 2014 survey. Now, a career as a freelance worker offers lots of advantages. You work where and when you want. You set your own prices and you keep the profits. You choose your clients and your coworkers and, yes, you can work at home in your pajamas. A career as a freelancers has its challenges too. You do all the administration and marketing for your business and this could take up to 25% or more of your time. You can't bill those hours to your clients. You also have to produce more revenue. Charging an hourly rate that equals your old annual salary won't cut it because now you have to cover your own sick leave, vacation, benefits, and payroll taxes. This may mean that you have to earn two to two and a half times the amount of your former salary. In the next thirty minutes we'll address these and other important issues for freelance workers. Whether you're about to strike out on your own or you've been working for yourself since the Carter administration, Ben Forstag has found a website with ideas you can use to make any freelance business more efficient and profitable. If you're a freelance worker who is an artist, designer or film maker I don't have to tell you the difference a portfolio can make in landing your next gig. One reader asked us however, "Can I just present my work online or do I need a printed portfolio?" Cecilia Bianco has the answer. Let's start as we do every week by checking with Mac's List team; Ben Forstag and Cecilia Bianco. Cecilia, Ben how are you two doing this week? Ben Forstag:   I'm doing awesome. Cecilia Bianco:  Doing good Mac. Mac Prichard:    Good. Well, it's a pleasure to see you here in the studio. This week we're talking about freelancing and I have to ask you both, have either one of you worked as a freelancer? Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: No, I haven't but I've definitely considered it and I know a lot of people who have. Mac Prichard:    There are no freelance babysitting jobs in your past? Cecilia Bianco:  No. Mac Prichard:    Okay. I haven't worked as a freelancer myself. I have taken the odd contract job while I look for a permanent position. Like you, I haven't worked as a freelancer. How about you Ben? Ben Forstag:   I've taken odd contract jobs between permanent positions, but when I think of freelancing I think of the folks who are doing this as an ongoing career. I've never done that. Actually, my wife is a freelancer and she has a rule in our house that one of us has to have a full-time, permanent stable job. Since she's already got the freelancing gig that leaves me to come into work everyday. Mac Prichard:   Yeah. Well, we're glad to have you. My wife, too, is a freelancer and we have the same arrangement. I imagine when we talk to our guest expert this week we'll hear more about how that can help a couple because often when one member of the couple has a permanent job they bring benefits, health insurance and other advantages to the table that help freelancers get going. Let's turn to our regular feature with Ben, who every week is exploring the internet looking for podcasts, books and other tools you can use in your job search. Ben Forstag:    Let me say up front that I don't know a whole lot about freelancing as a permanent career. In preparing for today's show, I reach out to some of my friends who are freelancers and asked them for suggestions about what blogs they read, what podcasts they listen to and so forth. Today, I want to recommend a blog and an accompanying podcast that are designed to help people address some of the challenges that are inherent when they're running a freelancing business. The blog is called doubleyourfreelancing.com and it's written by Brennan Dunn, a long-time freelance software designer. The blog tackles questions like how to find clients, how to market yourself, how to price your services, how to manage projects and workflow, how to do your estimated quarterly taxes which I know is a challenge for my wife, and other basic tips on how to improve the efficiency of your freelancing business. Brennan only posts a handful of times each month, but each entry is really nicely written, well thought out and comprehensive. Some of the posts are almost long form in their length. You could spend fifteen, twenty minutes going through some of these posts. I particularly like the post entitled, "The best networking hack I've ever used." I'm not going to share with you what that hack is. You'll have to go and read the blog, but I thought it was a really interesting approach in how to make lasting connections with professional contacts. In his case, this is how to make connections that will turn into future business. Brennan's blog has an affiliated podcast called, "The Business of Freelancing" which is available on iTunes. The focus here is on interviews with fellow freelancers and the discussions surround how to improve clients relations and business practices. It's a well produced podcast and they release episodes every two weeks or so. I suggest you check out these two resources. The blog is doubleyourfreelancing.com and the podcast, available on iTunes, is "The Business of Freelancing". Mac Prichard:    Thanks Ben. I had a chance to look at that website this week when you flagged it for us. I was impressed by the quality of the information and the large number of articles. I know people like to get content in different ways, so not only are there articles but there's a podcast. For those who like structure, there's also a course with a curriculum that looked very useful as well. Now it's time to hear from you, our listeners. Let's turn to Cecilia Bianco our community manager. It's time for her to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco:  Our question this week is, "Do I actually need an e-portfolio and a printed portfolio?" Personally, I think everyone should have an online portfolio. It's a more in depth and visual version of LinkedIn where you can expand on your skills, your past work and your personality. It's a great tool to show a potential employer why they want to interview you before they actually meet you. It's a brief look into who you are as a professional and it can be really important in securing an interview. Ben Forstag:   Cecilia, let me interrupt here. I know LinkedIn has a projects section, can you do most of what you're talking about on that tool? Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah, you definitely can do most of this on LinkedIn but an online portfolio is more of a personal website where you can showcase your brand and your personality in a more creative way. There's easy ways to do this using WordPress or Squarespace. Both platforms are super easy and low-cost. I think I pay $30 a year for my customized site. I think that being able to create a well put together personal website shows your skills as far as creativity and visual storytelling, which is another bonus to it. It's another thing for when employers Google you, because we know they all do, it adds something to Google when your name's searched and it's a great tactic to control your online reputation. Mac Prichard:    What about printed portfolios, Cecilia? I know most employers are going to Google people and look at their LinkedIn profile, but when you have a meeting with an employer do you think it makes sense to bring one in? Cecilia Bianco:  I think it depends on what field your in. Printed portfolios are really only necessary, in my opinion, for people in a visual field like photography or graphic design. Otherwise, it's really challenging to make it appealing to an employer. To bring in a portfolio full of written content is not that fun to look through and it's not that fun to create. In my senior year, we were required to make one and I majored in public relations, so a lot of my work was news releases and written content. Printing that out and arranging it nicely in a portfolio was pretty difficult and it just doesn't seem necessary in a written field when you can display that information online in a more appealing way. I think printed portfolios are necessary for some fields and not for others. Well, what do you think about that actually Mac because you run Prichard. Are you impressed when someone brings in a printed portfolio? Mac Prichard:   Generally, it's someone who is a designer and they will have a book with samples of their work. I do enjoy going through the book with them. The advantage of that is they're telling a story and they're sharing examples of their work to make their points about that story. I have seen those portfolios at a university that writers have used and I think there is some advantage in, again telling that story, it's a way of doing it but it's not the only way. The short answer to your question, Cecilia ,is I think it's a must for designers and photographers. There could be some value for writers, but I think there's so many opportunities to do that online and there's only so many hours in the day. I agree with you. I would give precedence to an online portfolio. Cecilia Bianco:  Yeah. I agree. Mac Prichard:    Thank you, Cecilia, and if you have a question for Cecilia you can email her day or night. Her email address is [email protected]. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's Lists Guides, publisher of our new book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond". The Mac's Lists Guide can be the tools you need to get the job you want. We show you how to crack the hidden job markets, stand out in a competitive field and how you can manage your career. The book has eight chapters and in each one experts share job hunting secrets like how to hear about jobs that are never posted and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. To download the first chapter of the book for free visit macslists.org/macslistsguides. Now, let's turn to this week's expert. Rebecca Shapiro is the author of, "Work Independently and Live Connectedly: 52 Steps to Freelancing Freedom". She's also a former regional organizer for the Freelancers Union and a fine artist, illustrator and community manager. Rebecca offers experiential art in public spaces and for events and she also makes custom illustrations for medical textbooks, e-books, murals and cards. Rebecca, thank you for joining us here today. Rebecca Shapiro:   Thank you. Thank you for having me. Mac Prichard:    Yeah, it a pleasure to and thank you for coming to the Mac's List studio. Let's start with freelancers in general. Is there a typical freelance worker out there in America today? Rebecca Shapiro:  Well, actually there's 53 million of us in the United States right now. One out of three workers is an independent worker, so they're a freelancer whether they're working part-time or full-time. There is a typical freelancer out there and I think there's a bunch of us because we are finding ways to create livelihood for ourselves. Mac Prichard:    Okay. I think when people hear freelance they think a writer, someone in the creative field. What other kinds of careers might lend themselves to freelance work? Rebecca Shapiro: Well, that's a really good point because when I first started working with Freelancers Union I always considered myself an entrepreneur because I couldn't find any other word to describe what I was doing. I thought freelancers applied to copywriters and maybe a graphic designer, but really it's anybody who's working independently for themselves, like I said full-time or part-time, so it could be taxi drivers, babysitters. It could be somebody who is a copywriter, I've worked with a lot of copywriters, illustrators, web programmers. It's everybody. Anybody who is creating income for themselves is considered a freelancer. Mac Prichard:    Now, you're the author of a book about freelancing and you have practical tips in that book about what freelancers can do, in fact, one for every week of the year. What's striking about your book is its emphasis on community, relationships and collaboration. Can you tell us more about why you focus on those themes? Rebecca Shapiro:  Probably because if you don't have relationships you basically have yourself and you're unemployed. You need those relationships to have partnerships with other people so that you can work on projects together, to have clients and healthy robust relationships with those clients so they keep coming back. Then, the other relationship that I think is really important is the relationship with yourself. You really have to know yourself. I joke sometimes that working for yourself is almost like a spiritual path because you have to have so much awareness about who you are, the way that you work and what you like and what you don't like in order to have a healthy freelancing business. Mac Prichard:   Now, every time there's a recession I think when people lose work they think, "Well, maybe this is the time to strike out on my own." Is there a particular kind of mindset you need to be successful as a freelancer? Rebecca Shapiro:    Absolutely. You and I spoke about this earlier, I really have a soft spot for the people that have been laid off and have either been so discouraged that they can't find work or just kind of give up and they decide to go into freelancing. I think it's really important when you find yourself in that position, or if you're just choosing to go out on your own, that you find a community of freelancers in which to participate because you can have conversation with people and find out what's working and what isn't for them and build experience for yourself and figure out like, "Okay, this piece might work well for me. This piece isn't going to work so hot." You can put together, cobble together, this business for yourself so that you're successful. Mac Prichard:    Learning how to be a freelancer it's not only a mindset, but it requires a set of skills. I run two small businesses, Mac's List as well as a public relations company, and I had worked for large organizations for many years; non-profits and public agencies. I needed to learn how to create and run a business and that was different from the technical skills I had. Do you find that successful freelancers have to go through a similar process? Rebecca Shapiro:     Absolutely. In fact, the learning curve is really pretty big. That again is why the relationship building piece is so important that you sort of find your tribe or your educational group or your mentors that are going to help you be successful with your freelance business. Part of that is also finding your support team. For example, taxes is something I'm not interested in nor am I very good at so I see my relationship with my CPA as a collaboration. It's a very good one and he makes sure that I don't get into trouble and that I save a lot of money on my taxes. That's one example. If you can find ... I think it's really important for you to to be able to realize if you're going out and becoming a freelancer or starting out look for communities that you can jump into and then definitely look for ways that you educate yourself on as many things as possible. Some good places to look would be the classes at CreativeLive or on Skillshare. They have a lot of entrepreneurial business freelancing type classes that they teach as well as specific skills that you might need. Let's say that you wanted to go into graphic design but you were kind of wobbly in one area of it. You could look for some specific classes that would help you build up your skillset. Mac Prichard:  Okay. There are resources out there to help you with your technical skills, whatever service you might be offering to clients, but you also need to connect with others in the community to work on your business as well. Rebecca Shapiro:   Absolutely. I think the more support that you can get for setting up a healthy structure for your business the better. If you can learn how to do things like time management ... At lot of times when people ... And this is a key point, a lot of times when people are leaving their desk job they try and recreate that environment working on their own and it's not a very efficient way to work. Learning how to shift out of the worker mindset into "I actually run my own business mindset", there's a difference between those two. When you can go to groups, for example Freelancers Union has I think sixteen cities around the country where freelancers of all different types get together and they communicate and talk about their businesses. Then, you can learn from those people that are doing it well. Also, a lot of them are very honest about the mistakes that they make. I think that's really valuable. These conversations are part of having a healthy freelance economy in each of our cities so when we can have these honest conversations about what works well, but also what kind of mistakes to avoid and personal stories about what went wrong can really help you figure out how to run your business better. Mac Prichard:  As you talk about learning those skills, I'm reminded that old habits die hard. When I was in my early thirties I had the good fortune to go to graduate school full-time and I worked in government for almost ten years. It was a masters in public administration program. It took about a month, there were a group of us who had worked in government, even though classes didn't start until 9:30 we all showed up at school at 8:00. We just were trained to do that and it took us a while to get into the student mindset. I imagine it's challenging for people to get into that freelance mindset if they treat it, as you say, just like a job. Rebecca Shapiro:  It is. The more that you can read ... There's so many great blogs out there including Freelancers Union. If you just Goggle freelancing resources there's a lot of great information out there that will help you start to think about running your freelance business differently. It helps you start to shift your mindset so my recommendation is read as much as you can and talk to as many freelancers as you can and it'll start to get you changing those habits that you talked about. Mac Prichard:    You have a book and it has actionable steps, and we'll be sure to mention it in the show notes, but Rebecca of those fifty-two steps are there two or three that you always recommend that people can use if they are starting out as freelancers or maybe they're experienced freelancers and they just want to take their business up a notch. Rebecca Shapiro:   One that I frequently run into, especially when I was working with freelancers, is to set healthy boundaries. That's part of taking care of yourself, but also it's also part of taking care of your business. When you can set healthy boundaries and let your clients know that you are not available 24/7 every single day of the week, you don't end up resenting them and you end up being able to take care of your time so that you have time away from your clients and doing actual work. It also helps your clients know that you value them and that you also take your business seriously. Setting up those healthy boundaries is really important and an easy way to do it is just to have a policy where you talk about your payment policy and when you're available and all that sort of stuff. You can put that on your website. You can put it in your contracts. You can have it in your face to face conversation when you're talking with a client before you get started because so many freelancers make the mistake of bending over backwards. Especially when they're starting out, they'll do everything for their client. What you've done is you've successfully trained your client to realize that you're going to go two hundred extra miles for them. You can't sustain that and then you end up screwing up later on down the road. Everyone gets really frustrated and disappointed so it's better to just set healthy boundaries right in the beginning. Mac Prichard:  I think that's excellent advice. I work with other public relations agency owners and small business owners and they all tell me that they expect vendors, whether they are freelancers or small businesses to have contracts and scopes of work and to send out invoices at a certain time. I would say to freelancers or people who are thinking about doing this who are listening, this is how business is done. It's normal. Your customers won't be surprised when you do set those boundaries or set those expectations. Rebecca Shapiro:  One of my boundaries, and I've had to turn away work, is I use a contract. I always use a contract. There have been some high profile people that have said, "I don't want to sign a contract." I've actually stepped away from the work. It's a hard decision but it's a policy that I have because I know that the contract ... So many things change over time of the project, it's hard to remember where you started and the contract is a way to protect yourself as well as the relationship with your client. I'm really glad you brought that up. Mac Prichard:   I, running my own small business, made the mistake once of not having a contract and we can share horror stories about that after the show. Rebecca Shapiro:  Yeah. All it takes is one time. Mac Prichard:   Yeah, you learn. I'm conscious of the fact that our time has come to a close and just thinking about our listeners who are thinking about doing this and they may have very practical questions. Why don't we just go through a short list? Rebecca Shapiro:   Okay. Mac Prichard:    Your best advice for people who are thinking about getting started, what are one or two things they could do right away or they should address? Rebecca Shapiro:   Okay. The first thing that they should do is they should go find a group. Go find their tribe. Whether it's Freelancers Union or maybe it's a co-working space, there's a lot of co-working spaces that have a community component and an educational piece to it. Get online and in person and look for those types of communities. That would be the first thing that I would absolutely do. Then, the second thing I would do is get really clear on what it is, what is the product or service that you want to provide for somebody? Then, look for other people that are doing something similar in your community that you could actually sit down and just talk to them. Find out how their doing it. You know, it's funny it's really hard for us to ask for help, but I've found that almost everybody wants to help. It's kind of a nice way for people to realize that you're not invincible and that you're accessible. Ask for help and people ... I've actually have never found somebody who's said, "No". Mac Prichard:  That's been my experience too, but I'm glad you're bringing that up because I think a lot of people hear that advice and think, "Well, why would a potential competitor give me advice? Why would they be helpful?" What's been your experience there, Rebecca? Rebecca Shapiro:    I'm a big advocate of collaboration versus competition. In the traditional business realm it's more like you have to be bigger, better, faster, badder than your competitor. When you're a freelancer you're both a person and a business and so this can feel contradictory. I find that going to your competitors, even when they're working in the same field you each have different strengths, and you may find that you can create a relationship where you can work together. I've had that happen to me several times and they've turned out to be really satisfying working relationships and even a couple of them have turned into personal friendships. Don't be afraid to go talk to people that are in your field. Conversely, I encourage freelancers, because we like to hang out in our field especially when we are networking, to step out of that comfort zone and look in different fields and pick one person every once in a while that you can work with that's vastly different that you are. What you can do is look for strengths in that person and strengths in yourself and see where you can meet up. Mac Prichard:   That's how you get started and collaboration is very important. Don't be afraid to reach out to competitors for advice. What about finding customers? How do people find customers who've never done this before? Rebecca Shapiro:  Gosh, that is such a good question. There's a couple ways. One, of course, is to have an online presence. You guys have talked about this actually in some of the past podcasts that you've listed that I found was really a great resource. Also, again when you go to these networking events ... Don't let the word networking make you blanch and kind of shy away, just reframe it as an opportunity to make friends and meet interesting people. Most of my work has been through word of mouth and so going to these events, going to conferences, meeting up with people for coffee it gives you a chance to get to know one another. You never know. It's what I call building a reciprocal network. You never know where that relationship is going to lead. Again, I've found most of my clients through word of mouth and through other people, so that relationship piece is one of the key ways that I find my work. Mac Prichard:    What about people who have had a traditional job and they want to match their old salary. Is that realistic in the first year? How do you do it? Is it something that you have to invest time in? What do you see out there? Rebecca Shapiro:   That's a really good question. I see both. Every once in a while there's that unusual person who just, they do fabulously well. When I was at the Ted conference earlier this year, there was a gentleman who was talking about businesses and whether they flew or didn't fly. It was all about timing. The ones that really took off, it was just perfect timing. It didn't matter if their brand was spot on or anything, it was just timing. I think sometimes that plays a really huge part in somebody being massively successful. I would encourage, this has been my experience as well, it takes a while. Be patient and definitely plan for unexpected contingencies like new relationships or maybe you have kids or maybe there's unexpected events that happen, people die, or there's accidents or things like that that may have an impact on your work. You want to plan ahead for those, but I think it's really important to look at this as like this is a long term relationship that you're having with yourself and what kind of things you want to put out in the world and your business. It takes a while to build that up. Especially if you're just starting out. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Well, thank you Rebecca. Anything else you'd like to add? Rebecca Shapiro:  Just that I am really pleased that you all are doing this. I think it's a really great resource. One of my favorite things to do is to look at other business models and ideas and lift them and apply them to my own life, and so even though some of the former podcasts have been about more traditional job finding, there's been some really terrific suggestions and tips in there that I've been able to apply to my freelancing work. I really appreciate the resource that you guys offer. Mac Prichard:   Thank you. I appreciate you being here and sharing your wisdom with our listeners. You can learn more about Rebecca at her website, it's rebeccashapiroart.com. You can find her book on Amazon. The title again is, "Work Independently and Live Connectedly: 52 Steps to Freelancing Freedom". We'll also include links to these two resources as well as Rebecca's LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter accounts in this week's show notes. We're back with Ben and Cecilia, so what did you two think? What were the most important points you hear Rebecca make? Cecilia Bianco:  I really liked her points about networking and having the mindset that you're just going to a party to make some new friends and not looking at it as an awkward business gathering. I thought her points about that were really great. Mac Prichard: I agree Cecilia. When people hear networking I think they break into a cold sweat sometimes. It's about relationships. We're all human beings and we all enjoy and get energy from connecting with others and that's what happens when you network effectively. Ben Forstag:      I think the key point was that when you're freelancing you're essentially running your own small business. When you're making the decision of whether you want to go in the freelance direction or not, thinking about all the other pieces that have to be wrapped around that; the accounting, the business practices, the invoicing, the contracts. All of that. It's kind of the whole small business package so it's a big task. Mac Prichard:    It is. I do find in large organizations there are people who have spent their careers in jobs but they have an entrepreneurial bent. They know how to set goals, build teams, collect resources. I say that because if there are listeners out there who are thinking to themselves, "I don't have the skills it takes to run a small business." Take a second look at your experiences and your background and what you're doing, even if you're in a large organization. You may surprise yourself. Probably, if you are successful, have many of those entrepreneurial skills. Ben Forstag:    Definitely, and I think it has to be said that this is a direction the labor market is going in in general. You hear people talk about the Uberization of the economy, that we're all turning into essentially gig workers where we kind of do the patchwork, DIY career thing. Having these skills and having the backbone to engage in that "I'm going to do it on my own approach." I think that's a real asset you could have. Mac Prichard:   Okay. Well, thanks. Well, thank you all for listening. We're grateful to the scores of people who've left ratings and reviews for our show on iTunes. This helps others discover the show and helps us help other job seekers. If you have a moment, please visit us on iTunes and leave a rating and comment. We'll be back next Wednesday with more tips and tools you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, visit us at macslist.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter with more than a hundred new jobs every week. Thanks for listening and we'll see you next Wednesday.

Local radio station KINK 101.9 recently interviewed our very own Mac Prichard, founder of Mac's List! Host Sheila Hamilton spoke with Mac about how Mac's List started, what we offer today, and key job-hunting tips in today's local market. The broadcast originally aired Sunday, November 15, 2015. We want to share this interview with you, our podcast listeners, as the material covered in the broadcast is broadly applicable to all job seekers--whether you are based in Portland or anywhere else. In this 14-minute episode you will learn: The story of Mac's List from its early start to today Do's and dont's of the modern job search The 80/20 rule to follow as you look for work Resources to aid your search in Portland Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like the show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!   FULL TRANSCRIPT John Sepulvado: This is “Find Your Dream Job,” the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I’m John Sepulvado, producer of the podcast. I’ve temporarily taken over hosting duties for this special bonus edition of Find Your Dream Job.  You see, our usual host, Mac Prichard, has turned into a radio star! On Sunday, November 15, Mac was interviewed on a local Portland radio station, KINK 101.9. He chatted with the host, Sheila Hamilton, about the local job scene and shared several job-hunting tips. We want to share this interview with you, our podcast listeners, as we think the material covered in the broadcast is broadly applicable to all job seekers--whether you are based in Portland or anywhere else.   So sit back and enjoy this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job. Sheila Hamilton: It is such a pleasure to welcome into my studio, Mac Prichard, who is a long-time friend, the author of "How to Find Your Dream Job in Portland", the author of the Mac's List, the CEO of Mac's List I suppose you call yourself- Mac Prichard:    I'm the publisher, yes. Sheila Hamilton:  And a person who really is so important, so key in knowing if you want to work in Portland because you seem to have tentacles all throughout our community. It's so good to see you again. Mac Prichard:    It's terrific to see you again, Sheila. Sheila Hamilton:  Why did you ... I knew you back in City Government, we were both covering City Government a long long time ago, why did you decide to move into employment and helping people secure their dream jobs? Mac Prichard:    Well, I went down to Salem after City Hall when you and I worked together, and I after working for the governor and as a spokesman for different state agencies, I took a position with Portland State and I wanted to stay in touch with my colleagues in Salem. We all get job postings, they all cross our desks occasionally, so in order to remain connected with people I just started forwarding the postings I got to a few dozen people in Salem. As the years went by, and Mac's List is a 14 year overnight success, I started hearing from employers I didn't know and people I didn't know who said, "Add me to your list". It grew slowly, at the end of eight years we had less than a thousand names but right now we have more than twenty thousand, and we have about eighty thousand people who take advantage, visit Mac's List, the website, the social media accounts, and the newsletter, and the podcasts. Sheila Hamilton:  Now, I noticed your strength seems to be in non-profit and government work, but you're also doing private business now it appears, right? Mac Prichard:  We are and I think you know, Sheila, I run two small businesses. One is macslist.org, which is the online community for people looking for rewarding creative work in Oregon and beyond, and the other is Prichard Communications, it's a public relations company that works with foundations, non-profits, and other social change organizations, and my career- I'm in my fifties now, has always been about making a difference on issues I care about or in the community where I live and work, ideally both, and I have used my communication skills to do that and what also connects both companies is we're really good at connecting people because we find when we connect folks, whether it's through our public relations work at Prichard Communications or at Mac's List, great things happen. Sheila Hamilton:  If a person's coming to Portland and they want to know what the variety of jobs that are available, do they need to sign up for your list? Mac Prichard: Yes, we have a free newsletter. It goes out every Tuesday at 2PM Pacific Time, and they're typically about a hundred new jobs there every week, and you'll find three or four hundred on the website which is also free at macslist.org, but the newsletter comes out every Tuesday. Sheila Hamilton:     And then are you actually connecting people with jobs that you think that you're like, "Your profile looks to me like you'd be really good over there", or are you leaving that up to them to do? Mac Prichard:    We're leaving it up to the job-seeker. As we've done this work, we've learned an old lesson which is ... And I had this experience too. Most people, including me at the start of my career, we don't know how to look for work, and so it's not a skill that's taught in schools or universities, and we learn it by trial and error. That's certainly what I did, and so in addition to the job listings, we have a blog, a book, and a podcast that shares the tips and tricks people need to not only find their next job, but have a great career. Sheila Hamilton:   What I loved, and I just listened to the podcast a couple of weeks ago, is you're providing content on that podcast that isn't just applicable to Portland, you're providing job-seeking tips and tricks of the trade that's applicable to anyone seeking a job in any part of the country. Mac Prichard: And that's by design because we do hear from people across the United States and the information that we're sharing can be used by anywhere. Sheila Hamilton:  On your podcast you have structured it in a really interesting way. You kind of do the state of the job thing, you divide it into little specific tips, what people do wrong. What have you found to be the most popular segments on the podcast? Mac Prichard:  Right now we're hearing great things about the expert interviews, people are hungry for that knowledge. Connecting people with those experts has been popular. We've also had good feedback about the information that my colleagues share, Ben Forstag every week shares blogs or books or websites that people can use in managing their career, and Cecilia Bianca, our community manager, she hears from listeners and readers all the time and she every week answers one of their questions. Sheila Hamilton:    I want to get in to some of the do's and don'ts of the modern job search. It's so interesting because I haven't had to look for a job in almost ten years, but I'm constantly reading blogs and journal articles about job searching. I don't know why, it's just an area of interest to me. It seems to me that the old adage of being personally connected is still very true. Mac Prichard:    It is and we strongly encourage people to follow an 80/20 rule. There's an estimate out there, nobody knows for certain, but up to 80% of all jobs may never be advertised, and it's not because there's some giant conspiracy, it's because it's human nature. People hire people they know, or they hire people who are recommended to them by others who they know and trust. Your challenge as a job-seeker is to crack that hidden job market, and the best way to do it is to spend up to 80% of your time networking, volunteering, doing informational interviews, so that you're building relationships and people are connecting with you. Sheila Hamilton:    And the other 20% of the time? Mac Prichard:  Look at job boards and there are many boards out there. Mac's List is one, lots of niche boards, whatever your professional, there's undoubtedly a niche board connected to it. There's also don't ignore traditional newspapers and whether online or in print because positions do get posted there, but most people because they don't know otherwise, they spend 100% of their time responding to job boards and newspaper ads. They really should only be spending about 20 to 30%. Sheila Hamilton:     Wow. I want to talk about the generation of kids that just came out of college, 2008 to 2012, I just heard dismal statistics about their ability to actually find meaningful jobs. Have those improved at all in the last two years for that section of graduates who came out of college with a lot of debt and not a lot of hope in terms of the economy? Mac Prichard:  There's research out there Sheila, which you probably seen that says whatever your generation, if you graduate during a recession, that's going to have a long-term affect on your earnings, and so that timing can be unfortunate. Your challenge if you're in that generation or graduating during the middle of a recession is to get really good about your job hunting and career management skills to make an extra effort because the market is always competitive, but it's especially competitive when the unemployment rate is as high as it was several years ago. Sheila Hamilton:     There's another segment of job-seekers that I'm really concerned about and that's people in their fifties who end up getting laid off from a job and then they're highly skilled and yet seen as perhaps too expensive, perhaps getting into an age when they might use up medical resources, is there any advice you could give to that segment of job-seekers? Mac Prichard:    I'm in that demographic group myself, I'm in my mid-fifties, and again mastering job hunting and career management skills is going to serve you very well, and it is challenging. Again, there's research that shows it's harder for people at that stage of life to find a next opportunity and that means you need not only to work harder, but you need to work as smart as possible. Sheila Hamilton:  When most people are thinking about job searching, it's when they lose a job. Mac Prichard:  Right. Sheila Hamilton:  Do you advise people to be searching for your next job while you still have a job? Mac Prichard:  I do and again, I speak from personal experience. Twice I've collected unemployment at different points in my career. Once I exhausted my benefits and it wasn't because I was sitting on a beach in Thailand. I was out there looking hard, and so I know how scary it is when you cash that last check and you're not sure what might happen next. From that experience and they both happened once in my twenties and once in my early thirties, it reinforced for me personally how important it is to think about career management and it's just from my father's generation, somebody who graduated from college in 1952, you really would go to a company and stay there most of your life, but for my generation and young adults now it's not true. Making career management part of your professional life is just essential. Sheila Hamilton: Is there an advisor that you can hire. I know that you can join your list, that you can read a lot of books, but should you have a professional in your corner? Mac Prichard: It can help a lot and you have a lot of options, so for those who went to college, connecting with your university career service office while you're both a student and an alumni can be very helpful. The first time after I cashed my last unemployment check in my twenties, my wife was working at Northeastern University in Boston and someone in the career services office agreed to meet with me. It was so helpful, Sheila. She took me through a goal-setting process, taught me the basics of networking and informational interviewing, and with that coaching I landed a job in about two months. Sheila Hamilton:       That's fantastic. Mac Prichard:   There are professionals out there who do this as a living, resume writers, career coaches, and as with any vendor you should shop around and be clear about what your needs are and interview people and get references, but they can be very helpful. Sheila Hamilton:      Lastly, I just want to talk about Portland as I'm seeing it and I kind of try to pay attention to what's happening here. We are still really strong in the cultural creative realm where young people are coming and starting their own very small businesses. We're not that strong in terms of big companies coming here and developing a Fortune 500 and hiring hundreds of people. Is that model gone? Do you think that model is not really going to be the thing that drives Portland jobs anymore? Mac Prichard:  Well, who knows if there's a Jeff Bezos or another CEO in Portland today who's going to create that company, so a lot of it depends on the community and the people within it, but I think small business have always been the largest employers overall. That's not a change and I think that is one of Portland's strengths actually compared to other regions. It's a place where I hear from employers and I experience this as an employer myself where you can start things and when I moved here from the East Coast in 1991, I was impressed by how open the political system was. People would make time to talk to me and I hear from other people in other fields that keep having that experience, and I think that's one of our biggest assets both economically and culturally. Sheila Hamilton:  Mac Prichard is our guest today. I want to take the time to allow people to find the podcast, find the list, find all the resources, so why don't you talk about those spots now. Mac Prichard:  Visit macslist.org/KINK, we've set up a special landing page, Sheila, for listeners who and if you visit that you can download a free chapter of our book. You'll also find links to the podcast. Every Wednesday morning we post a new episode. The list, the podcast, the blog, which is at macslist.org, they're all free and we would love to hear from people. Sheila Hamilton:  You also have it available on iTunes as well, right? Mac Prichard: We do. Sheila Hamilton:  Called? Mac Prichard: "Find Your Dream Job". Sheila Hamilton:  "Find Your Dream Job". Mac Prichard, it's been so good to see you again. Congratulations on the new endeavor. Mac Prichard:  Great. Thank you, Sheila.

Writing a winning, stand-out resume can feel like a roadblock to overcome in your job search. Often people experience what we call “resume writer’s block” when applying to a job, especially when dealing with online application systems. To simplify the process, look at your resume as a marketing document that is used to sell yourself to a potential employer as the best fit for the job.Is your resume “smack in the forehead” obvious? Will it get you an interview--or even better, hired for the job? This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with Jenny Foss, a longtime recruiter, job search strategist, and voice behind popular career blog JobJenny.com, which has been named among the Top 100 Career Blogs by Forbes magazine. She also is the author of several job search books, including the Ridiculously Awesome Resume Kit and the Ridiculously Awesome LinkedIn Kit. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: Why it’s so hard to write a good resume and what you can do to make it easier How to beat automated applicant tracking systems The difference between your resume and LinkedIn profile What to include in your resume: Hobbies? Interests? Employment gaps? This week’s guest: Jenny Foss (@JobJenny)Founder, JobJenny.comPresident, Ladder Recruiting GroupPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week: Does my resume have to be one-page? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: 12 Horrible Resume Mistakes Spell Check Won’t Catch Six Words that Make Your Resume Suck Can You Find All the Mistakes on This Job-Seeker Resume? “We Don’t Serve Your Type Here”: How to Pick the Right Resume Font JobJenny.com Ridiculously Awesome Resume Kit Ridiculously Awesome LinkedIn Kit Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide Special offer: The latest book from JobJenny.com recently launched, and she’s offering a special deal for all “Find Your Dream Job” listeners! Use discount code “Macslist” when you check out for $15 off the cost of JobJenny’s new book The Ridiculously Awesome Career Pivot Kit, as well as all the guides in her online shop! If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.   FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW:  Mac Prichard:                      This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List, your best online source for rewarding creative and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You'll find hundreds of great jobs, a blog with practical career advice, and our new book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." Thanks for joining us today. We all learn about job openings in different ways. Maybe a headhunter calls you out of the blue or you may find a perfect gig on a job board, or even the old fashioned way, in the classified ads of your local newspaper. However you discover an opportunity, you can be certain you'll be asked to send your resume. What you do next can make a huge difference in your success. Should you write a custom resume for every job? Do employers want to see one or two pages? What format makes the most sense, chronological or functional? Maybe, just maybe, the Reese Witherspoon character in the movie Legally Blonde was on to something when she printed her resume on pink scented paper. After all, it got her into Harvard Law School, didn't it? This week on Find Your Dream Job, we're talking about resumes. We'll start with the mistakes that can send your application straight to the wastebasket. Ben Forstag has three cool resources you can use to avoid resume disasters that even seasoned professionals make. Cecilia Bianco tackles a resume question we get time and time again here at Mac's List, one page or two. Later, we'll be joined by our guest expert, Jenny Foss, founder of JobJenny.com and the author of The Ridiculously Awesome Resume Kit. First, let's check in with the Mac's List team, Ben Forstag and Cecilia Bianco. Crew, how are you doing this week? Cecilia Bianco:                     We're doing good. Ben Forstag:                          Yeah, having a great week. Mac Prichard:                      Good. We had a lot of fun earlier in the week. For people who are in the Pacific Northwest, you may be [inaudible 00:02:12]. We do events occasionally, about eight times a year and we had one this week on Careers in New Media. Cecilia Bianco:                     Mm-hmm (affirmative), how to start or restart a career in communications. Ben Forstag:                          Yeah, it was a great event. We had a 160 people there, a great panel of experts in the field, a lot of great networking. It was real fun. Mac Prichard:                      For people who can't make the trip to Portland, I think there is a recording, isn't there, Ben? Ben Forstag:                          There will be and we'll put that on our website once it's available. Mac Prichard:                      We're not encouraging you to plan your next vacation around the Mac's List schedule, but- Ben Forstag:                          Why not? Mac Prichard:                      -But if you are headed to the Pacific Northwest or you're just here in Portland or working in state or Oregon, pay attention to our blog. You'll see plenty of notice about events. Again, they happen about eight times a year and we would love to see you there. Let's turn to this week's topic, resumes. Okay, Ben, what resources do you have for our listeners? Ben Forstag:                          Mac and Cecilia, have you ever typed resume tips or resume advice or resume help into Google. Cecilia Bianco:                     Oh, yeah. Ben Forstag:                          Mac? Mac Prichard:                      I have, yeah. Ben Forstag:                          You get like a bazillion results? Mac Prichard:                      Yes. Ben Forstag:                          They all say different things? Cecilia Bianco:                     Yup. Mac Prichard:                      Yeah. Ben Forstag:                          Or sometimes they say the same thing, just in different ways? Mac Prichard:                      Right, a lot of conflicting advice out there. Ben Forstag:                          Yeah, so what I've done this week is I picked that three blogs that I thought were particularly good around resume advice and I'm going to briefly talk about each one of those. The first one comes from the Monster.com blog and it's called Twelve Horrible Resume Mistakes Spell Check Won't Catch. The thing I like about this is it's very concise, tight, and pretty conservative list of things you should watch out for. I'm not going to go into each one of the mistakes they say you can make. I'll leave that for our listeners to discover, but I think this is a good list to start with. The other thing I like about this is even though they frame it as horrible mistakes, a lot of these things are tips you can do to write a better resume. It's not all negative. There's some positive spin on it as well. Mac Prichard:                      You have to have a favorite typo that you saw though in that blog post. Did one stand out? Ben Forstag:                          It wasn't typos as much. My favorite piece of advice, and this is just a personal irk I have is using Times New Roman font, which is the default font on Microsoft Office products, or at least it was back in the day. One of their suggestions is just don't do that. Pick another conservative font but not Times New Roman. It's just too standard. Mac Prichard:                      Well, my favorite typo happened when I worked in the governor's office and we had a news release about public health. Somebody left out the L in public, so there's much hilarity after that. Fortunately, the governor had a great sense of humor. Ben Forstag:                          I don't get it, Mac. Just kidding. (Laughing) Okay, the … Mac Prichard:                      We'll let our listeners puzzle over that one. All right, so Twelve Horrible Resume Mistakes Spell Check Won't Catch. Ben Forstag:                          That's on the Monster.com blog. Mac Prichard:                      All right, and that will be in the show notes. Ben Forstag:                          All of these will be in the show notes because I'll spare you the long URLs. The second one I wanted to point out was Six Words that Make Your Resume Suck. Now, these aren't dirty words or swear words, but they are mundane expressions that litter a lot of mediocre resumes. Let me go back. This is from the Squawkfox blog which is primarily a personal finance blog, but the writer put quite a few blog post together about resume writing. Let me just go through quickly these words, they're actually phrases, that make a resume suck. There's things like, the phrases, "Responsible for," "Experienced in," "Excellent communication skills," "Team player," "Detail-oriented," and "Successful." Now, the author's issue with these is not that the concepts are bad; it's just that you're telling people about what you do instead of showing experiences that display those skills. Her emphasis is don't tell people you are responsible for something, just tell them what you did. Don't say that you're a great team player. Show an experience that shows that you're a good team player. Employers can read between the lines and figure things out. The last blog post I want to share about, this is one that I particularly liked because I'm someone who learns best through practice and I like this post because it gives me a chance to apply the do's and don'ts of resume writing. It's Can You Find All the Mistakes on this Job-Seeker Resume? This is available on the Quint Careers blog. Essentially, they give you a resume and challenge you to go find all the problems with it. Mac Prichard:                      This is like finding Waldo in your resume? Ben Forstag:                          It's a little bit easier than finding Waldo. Some of them are really clear. Like at one point, I think they used Comic Sans as the font. Cecilia Bianco:                     Oh no, not Comic Sans. Ben Forstag:                          I see you're a type snob. You're just like me, Cecilia. Cecilia Bianco:                     Yup. Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mac Prichard:                      Yeah. Let's dig in to that a little deeper. I didn't know you were so passionate about Comic Sans. Cecilia Bianco:                     Oh yeah. I wrote a blog post about how you should not use Comic Sans. It's just the worst font ever. It just looks like so unprofessional. It's comical to me. Ben Forstag:                          Yeah. Unless you're like writing a poster for a lost dog or something or the carnival is coming through town, don't use Comic Sans. Mac Prichard:                      All right. Ben Forstag:                          In this sample resume, some of the mistakes are really easy to find. Some of them take a little bit more investigation. I believe the author said there were 15 different mistakes in the resume. I only caught 14. I think it's worthwhile to go through and test what you've learned through reading the other materials that's on the Internet and what you hear today. That's again on the Quint Careers blog. I'll have the links for all three of these blog posts in the show notes. Mac Prichard:                      Great. Let's be sure to link to Cecilia's post- Ben Forstag:                          Of course. Mac Prichard:                      -Of Comic Sans. That one must have slipped on me because I don't remember it. I look forward to reading it. Well, thanks, Ben. If you have a suggestions for Ben, and I think you are hearing from listeners now where this is Episode 9 that we're recording. Ben Forstag:                          Yeah. I want to give a quick shout out to our listener Russell who was the first person to reach out to me with a suggestion for a resource. He suggested a book which I will definitely be reading and share my thoughts on at a later date. Mac Prichard:                      Okay. Ben is standing by his computer. We've heard him on the keyboard before so if you've got an idea for the show, his address is [email protected]. Now let's turn to you, our listeners. Cecilia, let's talk about resumes and what's your resume question of the week? Cecilia Bianco:                     Yeah. The question this week is "Does my resume have to be one page?" We get this question all the time and people are always Googling this. I don't really think that resumes have to be one page. I do think that aiming to keep it to one page is a good tactic to help you focus your resume to each job that you're applying for. Lately, I've been reading a lot of articles about this and they're saying that the one-page resume rule is dead. While that's hard for me to believe because previously people were saying resumes longer than a page are thrown out, not even read. I think that it might be true. Would either of you throw out a resume if it was two pages long? Ben Forstag:                          I don't know if I'd throw one out. I do know that if it was a hard and fast rule, you can't have a two-page resume, I would never have a job. My resume is two pages and I think it's a pretty focused resume at that. I try to put only things in that are germane to the job I'm applying for or have been applying for. The best thing I've heard about this, I think it was actually Job Jenny who said this. That the important thing is the quality, the focus of the material in that resume, and you can't imagine any employer saying, "This is the perfect candidate for resume," but their resume is two pages long. No. That doesn't happen. Cecilia Bianco:                     Yeah. Mac Prichard:                      I'm in the two-page resume camp. Mine personally has been two pages, in part, because I'm much farther along in my career. I agree with Ben that if you've got the background and the skills and the experience to justify it, two pages is okay. Cecilia Bianco:                     Yeah, I agree. I don't see an employer throwing a resume out for this reason, especially if all the experience is valid. I think the one-page rule is more for new graduates and students, because I think they're the groups that will tend to list more things on their resume that they need and just add duties and responsibilities that aren't really helpful to them. I think it depends what your background is, but it's definitely not a hard and fast rule anymore. Ben Forstag:                          I can see that making sense for a new graduate, somebody who doesn't have a whole lot of experience. Cecilia Bianco:                     Yeah, definitely. Mac Prichard:                      Okay, so two pages is okay, but think carefully about your content and make the best case possible. Cecilia Bianco:                     Mm-hmm (affirmative). Mac Prichard:                      Great. Thanks, Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, her email address is [email protected]. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's List Guides, publisher of our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. The Mac's List Guide gives you the tools you need to get the job you want. We'll show you how to crack the hidden job market, stand out in a competitive field, and how to manage your career. The book has eight chapters. In each chapter, expert shared job hunting secrets like how to hear about jobs that are never posted and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. You can get the first chapter of the book for free. Just go to macslist.org/macslistguides. Now, it's time to hear from our expert and we have a terrific expert joining us today. Jenny Foss is a long time recruiter, job search strategist, and the voice behind the popular career blog, JobJenny.com. It's been named one of the Top 100 career blogs by Forbes. She's also the author of several job search books including one we're going to talk a lot about today, The Ridiculously Awesome Resume Kit. Jenny, thanks for joining us. Jenny Foss:                             Thank you for having me. Mac Prichard:                      Yeah, it's a pleasure. Now, Jenny, a resume is a short document. Whether it's one or two pages and our listeners heard earlier we're on the two page camp here at Mac's List, but it ranges between 500 to 1,000 words. Why is it so hard to write one? Jenny Foss:                             It's hard to write for a lot of reasons. Number one, a lot of people have a level of discomfort to say the least when it comes to writing about themselves in a way that's going to properly market themselves to whatever audience that they're trying to go after. It feels awkward. We've been trained as we grow up not to brag, not to boast, and frankly, this is exactly what you need to do in a strategic way when you're constructing a resume. Then the secondary challenge is we don't understand how the game works a lot of the time. We don't understand how resumes can exhaust our works and what it will be your resume is going to be reviewed on and how to get it through the system, how to make it enticing to the human reviewers. It's so hard for a lot of people, even people who are exceptional writers because there's just so much to consider when you're constructing one. Mac Prichard:                      Okay, you flagged a lot of good points there. Let's separate them and break them down a bit. Let's talk about … Jenny Foss:                             Let's break it down. Mac Prichard:                      Yeah. We'll put it into short manageable chunks, which I think may be one of the tactics that you recommend in resume writing. I want to go back to a point you made about strategy. I think sometimes people think a resume is just about reciting facts. Jenny, tell our listeners why a "just the facts, ma'am" approach is usually not effective when you write a resume and the advantages of making strategic choices. Jenny Foss:                             Because it's a marketing document. It's a marketing document that you're using to try and entice an audience, a decision maker. It's not an autobiography. It's not a list of every last thing you ever did. It's a marketing document and therefore you have to figure out what does my audience care about or what will they likely care about or be looking for and how can I position myself as a logical match or as a great solution for those things that I know that they're going to care about. Yes, please lose the list mentality when it comes to a resume. Mac Prichard:                      Okay, so think about your audiences, their needs, the problems they have, and how you can solve them. You mentioned earlier automated tracking systems and automation is everywhere in the workplace including the human resource office. When computers review our resumes, what can we do to stop a machine from sending our resume straight to the slash pile? Jenny Foss:                             In a perfect world, you bypass the machine all together and you get right to the decision maker or somebody in the HR team. However, I know that that's unrealistic in a lot of instances. If you are intending to send your resume through an online application process, you have to assume that's going to go through an applicant tracking system, which is the database that sits at the front end of the recruitment process and looks for best matched candidates. Primarily, you want to make sure that your resume is robust in keywords that are common and specific to the type of job you're pursuing and also that you've got standard headers, you've got straightforward formatting because the system won't easily read and parse if you've got a resume that's got wild graphics or an unusual font. Mac Prichard:                      Again, think about your audience and strategy and think about the automation or the algorithms that might be scanning your resume. What about when people get stuck? You talked about how people should approach writing, but are there tips and tricks you have for people who just can't get started or are spending way too much time in their resume? Jenny Foss:                             One of the best things to do if you can't figure out what to highlight is to study three, four job descriptions that are very appealing to you, lay them out side by side and figure out what are the overlapping requirements or preferred qualifications that keep coming up on these job descriptions that are attracting me. That's probably a very good indicator of what these decision makers are going to be looking for and what the scanning software is going to be reading for. Make sure that you position yourself as a solution or as a match to those things. If you're feeling stuck, it might just be time to review some job descriptions before you make yourself crazy trying to figure this all out. Mac Prichard:                      Now, in addition to your books and working with job seekers as a counselor and coach, you've worked as a recruiter. You talked to employers a lot. When you speak to employers, what do they say about resumes that stand out? What do people do to make their resume stand out and what are some of their complaints that they share with you about resumes that they don't take a second look at? Jenny Foss:                             The most basic rule of thumb as to what makes a great resume, and this comes from feedback from my corporate recruiting clients or corporate decision makers and from the work I've done for the last several years as Job Jenny, is the easier you can make it for your target audience to make a quick connection between here's what we need and here's what Mac Prichard can walk through our doors and deliver, the better the odds are that they're going to invite you in for an interview. That's all you're using this resume for is to land an interview. You want to make sure that you make perfect sense and from a reviewer stand point, they want to quickly scan your resume and see how and why you are a good fit for that job. They're not going to deduce that for you. They're not going to say, "Oh, well, he's done this. Maybe he can do this. Oh, he's got this background. Perhaps he'd be able to go do this." You've got to make it what I call smack in the forehead obvious why you're there and why they should contact you. Mac Prichard:                      We've talked about strategy, audience, content. What about layout and design? How much time should people spend not only looking a thing about topography, but rules and colors and paper? Jenny Foss:                             Well, it's an interesting question because the answer depends on if you are intending to apply for jobs through an online application or if you're always going to get that resume to a decision maker directly via email or handing it over. The reason there's a difference is when you're giving it to somebody directly, you've got plenty of latitude in how you can design it, how much layer you can have on it if you're using color and graphics and things like that, because it's not going to go through the resume scanning software. However, most of us, at least some of the time, are applying for things online and so you have to be very mindful to make it straightforward in layout, common PC fonts. You've got to save it in a doc format and you need to understand how the scanning software works because then you can make sure that you're laying this thing out in a way that's actually going to be applicant tracking system friendly. You know what, Mac, I understand. Like everyone might be sitting there thinking, "Well, that sounds like a big pain in the butt." Yeah, it is, but it's a bigger pain in the butt if you aren't getting through the resume scanning software over and over and over again because you've got some layout issues or formatting issues. Mac Prichard:                      A lot of our listeners apply for jobs at smaller organizations, non-profits or public agencies or private employers, how widespread is the use of automated tracking systems in resume review? Jenny Foss:                             Very. I think it's 70 to 80 percent of companies and recruiting agencies are using some form of software to help them manage their recruitment process. In smaller companies, say you see something on Craigslist or Mac's List and that gives you a direct email address to send to a human, then you can use your stylized format resume and save it as a PDF so it will retain the design elements no matter what platform the other person is looking at it from, but then it's less of an issue. If you don't know or if you are applying for something through an online application as opposed to emailing it to someone, you should probably assume that there is some kind of scanning software at play. Mac Prichard:                      We're talking today, Jenny, about resumes, but you can't manage your career or look for your next job effectively without having a LinkedIn profile. Talk to us about the difference between a resume and a LinkedIn profile. Jenny Foss:                             Well, for job seekers, the main difference is with LinkedIn, you're trying to entice a recruiter or a hiring manager to get to your profile and then once they do, to learn enough about you to whet their appetite to contact you whereas with the resume, you're telling it all. I don't want to say at all but it's a more comprehensive view of you.       LinkedIn, I use the analogy often, if your resume is your Wall Street Journal version of you, LinkedIn is more the USA Today style. It's a little bit more bite-sized, a little bit more conversational because the platform is designed to facilitate conversation, and … This is important to remember … no recruiter wants to scroll until the end of time to get to the bottom of your profile. They're going through a lot of LinkedIn profiles every single day. You want to find that balance between giving them enough information so they know what you're about without torturing the reviewer with a really super long LinkedIn profile. Mac Prichard:                      You mentioned that a resume should be more comprehensive. What kind of personal information should people include in a resume in your experience? What should they say about hobbies or interests, travel, that kind of thing? Jenny Foss:                             I think some of that is dependent on the type of industry you're in and the type of role you're gunning for. For instance, if you're a high level executive, chances are you don't need to include a lot about, "I like listening to music with my kids." I mean that's just weird. If you're applying for, say, a role in a lifestyle company which we have plenty of those out in the Oregon market, maybe you include that you're a kayaker or you do dragon boating because that could actually be a great conversation starter. I would say you always want to gauge and certainly never include anything that could be controversial or polarizing. I mean generally speaking, like political and controversial clubs, associations, things like that, probably best to leave them off. Mac Prichard:                      We're coming to the close of our interview shortly. I want to though move into a rapid fire round, Jenny. Jenny Foss:                             Okay, yeah. Mac Prichard:                      Ask you some common resume questions that we get at Mac's List. Jenny Foss:                             Yeah, go ahead. Mac Prichard:                      Cecilia and Ben and I hear this a lot at our events and our one-on-one meetings with people. What's your best advice about how listeners should address the following: gap years. Jenny Foss:                             Your best defense is almost always a good offense. If there's a quick and easy explanation that you can add to one or the other of the jobs, the earlier one or the one that preceded it, say like, "Following a family relocation to the Pacific Northwest, accepted a role as blah, blah, blah" or "Following a full-time enrollment in the XYZ program …" What you're doing is explaining the gap without apologizing for it. Mac Prichard:                      How about time spend raising children or caring for a parent or family member? Jenny Foss:                             Again, best defense is a good offense. "Following an extended illness or caretaking assignment for an ill family member, blah, blah, blah" or if you have 6, 7, 10 years that you haven't done anything in the workplace but maybe you went back to school for a while, sometimes it's better to rearrange the sections of your resume, put the education at the top and the experience lower so that instantly when the reviewer looks at it, they understand that you've actually been a student for the last 3, 4, or 5 years. It eases the gap and it gets that right in front of their eyeballs high up in the resume. Consider the order if you have some time off. Mac Prichard:                      Okay, speaking of order, strategic objective at the top or not at all? Jenny Foss:                             Not at all. I would do … Well, because we all know that your objective is to find a job and most every objective is just fluff and no stuff. Why not use that area at the top of your resume to do more of a career summary that highlights who you are and in what you specialize with your specific target audience in mind. You have a perfect opportunity to showcase you as a solution to those very things that you know your future employer is looking for in a summary section. Mac Prichard:                      For people who are sending their resume electronically, PDF or Word file? Jenny Foss:                             Word. Mac Prichard:                      Why not a PDF? Jenny Foss:                             Some applicant tracking systems, particularly those that are old and/or way less robust, so you're thinking small organizations, they have a difficult time reading and parsing the information in a PDF into the correct data fields. Your best bet is to go with a doc file. Mac Prichard:                      Final question, Jenny. A lot of our listeners are interested in career changes. What's your advice about how to write a resume as people prepare to make a career pivot? Jenny Foss:                             Well, you need to not only make yourself make sense for the new industry that you're going into, in whatever way you can, but if you have some background that actually might make you even more advantageous of a candidate than somebody who perhaps has taken a linear path through that industry that you're trying to break into, spell out how that equation works; like X + Y equals an even more appealing candidate. For instance, say you've been an engineer and you're trying to break into accounting and maybe you have been doing the books at your wife's photography business for the last 3, 5 years. First of all, you make sure you showcase that prominently on your resume. In that summary section, you spell out that you've got the engineering experience plus the bookkeeping experience and then what does it equal. Find some way in which your experience as an engineer or as whatever you've been in the past actually has given you some background that will make you better at what you're doing as an accountant than maybe somebody who's just taken that linear path. Mac Prichard:                      Okay. Well, thank you, Jenny. It's a pleasure to have you on the show. For people who want to learn more about Job Jenny and her books and her services, visit JobJenny.com. Jenny, I know when you and I talked before the show, you have a special offer for our listeners that you want to tell us about it? Jenny Foss:                             Sure. We have just recently launched our latest book which is The Ridiculously Awesome Career Pivot Kit. As you mentioned, we also have a couple of other titles including The Ridiculously Awesome Resume Kit. We have set up a discount code or a promo code which is simply Macslist, all one word, and any of the listeners who would like to have a $15 discount off of any of our books which are in the shop, just use the Macslist discount code at check out and you'll get $15 off through the end of December. Mac Prichard:    Great. We'll be sure to include that in the show notes along with the instructions about how to take advantage of that offer. Thank you, again, Jenny. Jenny Foss:           Thank you. You guys have a good one. John Sepulvado:                 Hi, I'm John. I'm the producer of Find Your Dream Job. I want to encourage you to go iTunes and rate the show. You can leave a comment because when you do this, you help others find out about Find Your Dream Job. People like PDX Media, that's their username, she says, "I'm skeptical of podcasts that take my valuable time repeating information I've already read on the web, but this show is exactly the opposite. Mac and his team have created an essential job seeking tool with valuable tips, advice, and analysis in a perfectly sized show. Bravo!" PDX Media, thank you. You can join her and more than 50 others who've left comments. Go to macslist.org and find the link to our iTunes page. Do it now and share this with your friends because everyone should have a chance to find their dream job. Now, we return back to the show. Here's Mac Prichard. Mac Prichard:    We're here in the studio with Ben and Cecilia. As you two reflect on the interview, what were some of the key takeaways for you? Ben Forstag:        I think the big one for me was keeping your resume in the Word file format. I had always thought that the PDF format was best just to keep the formatting stable when you mail it. That was a new one for me. Cecilia Bianco:   Yeah, same. That was interesting. I also thought probably her most important point was that a resume is a marketing document and it's now somewhere you're going to list everything you've ever done. You need to be strategic with it and not just have an autobiography. Mac Prichard:    Yeah, I so agree with you, Cecilia, because I do think people think it's a kind of laundry list of career responsibilities, not even accomplishments. To your point, the more strategic someone can be and to think of it as a marketing document, I think the more successful they'll be. Cecilia Bianco:   Yeah. Mac Prichard:    Okay. Thanks for listening. We're grateful to the scores of people who have left ratings and reviews for our show on iTunes. This helps other discover Find Your Dream Job and we appreciate it. If you have a chance, please visit iTunes and let us know what you think. Feel free to leave questions and suggestions for the show and we'll be sure to act on those. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, you can always visit us at macslist.org where you can sign up for a free newsletter with more than a hundred new jobs every week. Thanks for listening.

Sometimes you take a job solely for the paycheck. But, at its best, work is about more than just financial advancement. A rewarding job engages you in a personal way, drawing on your strengths and passions, and challenging you with interesting, meaningful projects. The key to landing a “dream job” is understanding your own interests, abilities, and needs. Only when you know what you truly want from from work will you able able to target the job opportunities most likely to make you happy. Are you clear about what you want from your job? This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with Aubrie De Clerck, a Portland-based career coach, about how to focus get clear about your work goals. Aubrie believes that everyone can have a career that feels authentic and purposeful. When job seekers identify the the work-life elements they most value, it creates a focused roadmap for meaningful work.   In this 29-minute episode you will learn: Practical steps to help you discover (and focus) what you want from a job Why a focused job search is better than “keeping your options open” Tools for exploring your personal and professional strengths Why it’s OK to not have all the answers--and admit it to others This week’s guest: Aubrie De Clerck (@AubrieDeClerck)Principal, Coaching for ClarityPortland, Ore. Listener question of the week: How can I determine if a job is the right fit for me? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: StrengthsFinder Online Test StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Book) Coaching for Clarity Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Most colleges and universities provide career advising services to their current and former students. Yet only 10-20% of all college students or alumni ever use of their university career center. Are you making the most of your alma mater? This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac chats with Linda Williams Favero, director of alumni career services at the University of Oregon. Linda discusses how career centers function, the services they provide for students, and the opportunities available to alumni. She shares tips on how to make the most of your university career, even if it's been many years since you graduated. Linda also talks about the importance of maintaining a connection with your alumni networks. As she notes: “Ducks like to help Ducks... and you’ll find that at any university.” In this 29-minute episode you will learn: How career centers can benefit current students and alumni How to build a strong professional relationship with a career counselor The value of networking with alumni associations and local alumni chapters Special career center services often available to older alumni The single-best thing you can do to make the most of your university career center This week’s guest: Linda Williams Favero (@LindaFavero)Program Director, Alumni Career Services, Career Center and Student Life, University of OregonPrincipal, Linda W Favero | Organization + Individual DevelopmentPortland, Ore.   Listener question of the week: Should I list every job I’ve ever had on my resume? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: LinkedIn YOUniversity Alumni Career Services, Career Center and Student Life, University of Oregon Linda W Favero | Organization + Individual Development Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.    

In Find Your Dream Job, Episode 005, the Mac's List team shared the the importance of keeping up-to-date on new social media tools. In this special bonus clip, we discuss one of the newer platforms in social media: Snapchat. Once a domain solely for intrepid youth, Snapchat is now increasingly being adopted by companies and professionals. Cecilia Bianco shares one example of how a nonprofit, DoSomething.org, uses Snapchat, to connect with a younger audience and build a support base. Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac's List Community Manager at [email protected].  If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you'd like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac's List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! -- FULL TRANSCRIPT: Ben Forstag: Hi, Cecilia. Today, we were talking about different social media platforms and the topic of Snapchat came up, and maybe I am outing myself as an old guy who doesn't get it, but I really don’t understand the value of Snapchat. I understand how it works, that the pictures self delete, but how could a professional or an organization use this to an effective end? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, definitely. A lot of organizations are actually using it effectively, and one non-profit in particular has done some really cool things with it. It's called DoSomething.org, and it was Valentine's Day, and they were Snapchatting throughout the day and all of their Snapchats culminated in this live event, and they used Snapchat to get people to come to the event. It's just another way to engage with your fans and if you grow a large audience base on Snapchat, if your audience is in that age group where everyone's on Snapchat, it’s a great way to engage with them and you can do really cool things, like have an all-day online event, and then bring it in person. It's just a new creative way to do something for your fans. Mac Prichard: The reason organizations are going to that platform is because that's where their audience is, essentially. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I think that's definitely true. Probably from 13 to 23, everyone’s on it. I'm on it, and I don't even know why, but I know I follow a lot of organizations and I can see what they're doing, what campaigns they're working on, and it’s a very personal approach, I think, to social media. Ben Forstag: Hey, Mac? Thirteen to 23, I'm not in that demographic group. Mac Prichard: Neither am I, but I think a lot of our listeners want to work with young people and they want to work with organizations that are involved, or help and serve young people, and I think it may be a different platform, but the principle's the same, whether it's Facebook or Snapchat. If the employers you want to hire you are in that world, it’s to your advantage to be there. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. Ben Forstag: You go where the market is. Mac Prichard: Exactly, and you don’t have to be 13 to 23 to want to work with young people. There are lots of people my age or younger or older who want to do that kind of work, and being on Snapchat could help them build relationships. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, it's probably more like 13 to 30, actually, just to correct myself, because I’m thinking of my sisters and my cousins, and they're in their 30s. They'd be offended if they heard me say 23, so 13 to 30. Ben Forstag: Unfortunately, I still don’t fall in that demographic group! But thanks for clearing that up for me.    

Finding a job can take a lot of work. But what if you could get in front of a recruiter--someone who is paid to find great employees? Like a fairy godmother, couldn't a recruiter make your wish for a dream job come true? And by doing so, save you a lot of time and effort? The truth is, recruiters can make a big difference in your job search, but they can't do it all. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: What recruiters do, who they work for, and how they get paid How to find the right recruiter for you and your industry How to start a relationship with a recruiter or recruiting firm What you should (and shouldn’t) expect from a recruiter This week’s guest: Steve Potestio (@Potestio)Partner and CEO, Mathys+PotestioPortland, OR       Listener question of the week: How can I keep up with new media jobs? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager, at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Mashable.com - 20 Tools to Show Off Your Portfolio The Deeply Graphic Design Podcast Social Media Examiner Mashable.com Inc. Magazine Forbes Technology SnapChat Canva Free Online Photo Editor Hootsuite Social Media Management Edgar Social Media Management The Business of Strangers (2001) Mathys+Potestio Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director, at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for “Find Your Dream Job” provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.   FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW:  Mac Prichard: Welcome to Find Your Dream Job. We're the podcast that helps you get hired and have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host. I'm the publisher of Mac's List. On today's show, we're discussing how to work with an executive recruiter. Looking for a job is hard work. You know that. We've all been there. Before you set on to your first application or you go to an interview, you need to confirm your career goals, and you have to update your online profiles. You need to network. You need to do lots and lots of networking. Again, that's a lot of hard work. Not surprisingly, many of us, including me, have wondered, "Isn't there another way--an easier way--that lets you cut to the front of the application line?" What if you could get in front of a recruiter, somebody who is paid to find great employees? Like a fairy godmother, couldn't a recruiter make your wish for a dream job come true, and by doing so save you a lot of time and effort? Recruiters can make a big difference in your job search, but they can't do it all. This week, we're talking to a recruiter, Steve Potestio. He's one of the best in the business. He works with digital firms and writers, graphic designers, and other creative workers all across the country. Steve is going to share with us what recruiters can do and what they can't do, and how you can make the most of that experience. First, let's check in with the Mac's List team. Joining me as always in our downtown studio here in Portland, Oregon are Ben Forstag, our management director, and Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. Hello Ben and Cecilia. Cecilia Bianco: Hi Mac, how are you? Ben Forstag: Hi Mac. Mac Prichard: Good, I'm doing well. Confess, have you had that fantasy that the phone is going to ring one day, and it will be a recruiter offering you your dream job? Ben Forstag: During my last unemployment stint, which was about four months long, I had that fantasy every day, or that hope at least. Mac Prichard: How about you Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: I actually really haven't, but I've talked to a lot of recruiters through my job at Mac's List, and I think it's a dream a lot of people have. Mac Prichard: There is real value when working with a recruiter. They can make a huge difference, but like anything, you don't want to rely in just one strategy alone. I've never actually been approached by a recruiter about a job, though I have been contacted by different recruiters looking for candidates. Cecilia, you're out there in the community a lot. What's been your experience working with recruiters? Cecilia Bianco: They're always just looking for it seems very specific people to their agency. Anytime I get an email from one of them, they have almost an exact person in mind with certain experience. Mac Prichard: I find that too. I also find that they contact people like us, because they're looking for recommendations about trusted candidates, people who fit that criteria. Even if the phone rings, and they're not offering a job, but if it's a recruiter at the other end of the line, I think there's a real value in building that relationship. We'll talk more to Steve about that later in the show. Before we do that, let's check in with Ben, because when it comes to online career resources, Wikipedia has nothing on Ben Forstag. Every week, he explores the internet looking for blogs, podcasts, and other tools you could use in your job search. Ben, what have you uncovered for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac, given the theme of today's show, I wanted to share two different resources that I thought might be particularly useful to anyone exploring a career in creative services, so graphic designers, writers, anyone who does creative things for a living. The first one is a blog post I found on the mashable.com website. Cecilia, I know you go to Mashable every day. Cecilia Bianco: Often. Ben Forstag: This is a site that's about all things digital and media. It's a great tool. This blog post comes from 2013. It's 20 Tools to Show Off Your Portfolio. If you're going to be working in the creative industry, that really means you need to present your work on the web so that everyone could see what you do. The online platform you use to show off your work might be just as important as the material you're showcasing. As you can imagine, it doesn't matter how good the work you put on it is if your website looks dated, or if it doesn't work. That's going to not reflect well on you as a professional. This blog, the 20 Tools to Showcase Your Portfolio, it outlines 20 different platforms you could use to showcase your art, your writing, whatever creative output you have. I'll admit, I don't have a portfolio myself. Cecilia, I know that you do. What platform do you use? Cecilia Bianco: I actually have a customized WordPress platform, but I think about every single journalism school student at University of Oregon all used this Cargo Collective. It's definitely one of the easiest tools to make one. Ben Forstag: Mac, when you're looking at candidates for contract work or vendors, is there a given platform that you prefer, or is it just whatever you find? Mac Prichard: One feature I like about LinkedIn is there is portfolio section. I don't think it's on your list. LinkedIn is always a stop for an employer who is checking on the candidate. In addition to the good ideas on your list, I would encourage candidates to think about using the portfolio section of LinkedIn. Ben Forstag: On LinkedIn, you can add projects now. I know I uploaded some magazines that I edited in my previous job there. That's a great tool as well. There are 20 different platforms here that they suggest. Some that are more known, some that might be new on the scene, tools like Carbonmade, Behance, Dribbble, that's with three Bs, Dunked to Viewbook, and Cargo Collective. Again, this is post is on Mashable. It's 20 tools to showcase your portfolio. It's another blog with a really long URL. We'll include this in the show notes, or you can Google it on Mashable. The other resource I want to share with you is a podcast I discovered recently. Mac Prichard: Another podcast, you're listening to other podcasts. Ben Forstag: I'm cheating on the podcast. When you're done with this podcast, when you've downloaded them all, and listened to them all and rated us positively, you can go check out this other podcast. It's called the Deeply Graphic DesignCast. This is a podcast for graphic designers, web designers, and visual designers. It's produced by a graphic design studio in LA called The Deep End. The episodes explore different design-related topics from finding better clients to online portfolios, hot trends in design, and making sure you get paid for your work, things like that. I've always had a fantasy of monetizing my hobby of painting, and so I like hearing these things on how other people are doing stuff in the creative arts. Don't worry Mac, I'm not going anywhere. I'd get to sell a single painting in five years. Like our podcast, they answer listener questions. The nice thing about this podcast is it's been around since 2011, and they regularly produce episodes. They've got 95 episodes. It's about one every week. It's a great resource, a fun little podcast, entertaining. I suggest you check it out. Again, the Deeply Graphic DesignCast, and we'll have the link to that in the show notes. Mac Prichard: Those are great suggestions. I didn't know that you painted. I look forward to seeing some of your paintings one day. Ben Forstag: I'll bring you over to the studio someday. Mac Prichard: Do you have an idea for Ben? Just write him. You can reach him at [email protected]. We may share your idea on the show. Now, we want to hear from you our listeners. Let's turn it over to Cecilia, our community manager. Cecilia, what's the question of the week? Cecilia Bianco: Our question this week is, "How can I keep up with new media jobs?" To get a new media job, the most important skill you can have is knowing how to tell a visual story. New media has largely turned into visual communication. As we all know, in this office, we've done presentations about this. Being able to use the tools and platforms available to tell a visual story is the key thing. You want to be comfortable with video editing tools, even if it's just a simple as iMovie on your Mac computer. I know Ben is a pro at iMovie. Also photo editing tools such as the Adobe suite with InDesign and Photoshop. There's also a lot of online tools that are free and easier to manage than Adobe. Overall, the more skills and tools you master, the better off you're going to be. Mac and Ben, I'm sure you both have some go-to resources to keep up with new media. Do you have any favorites? Ben Forstag: To be honest, my resource for all thing social media are probably my teenage nieces and nephews. They know about these things well before I do certainly. I remember a few years ago when my nieces were trying to show me about Snapchat. At that time, I thought, "Well, this is the silliest thing I've ever seen. Why would you ever need to know this?" From what I've been told, this is now a platform that lots of professionals are using. I know my favorite baseball team has a Snapchat account. I know several serious journalists do Snapchat accounts. It's a serious thing. I guess what I'm saying is I should be listening more to my nieces and nephews, take what they say seriously. Cecilia Bianco: Definitely, Snapchat has become important along with a lot of other platforms. With new media, there is always a new platform that people are jumping on and using. To stay up to date with those, you need to have some go-to resources beyond your nieces and nephews probably. I would suggest a few E newsletters such as the Social Media Examiner. Ben mentioned I'm a big fan of Mashable, Ink Magazine. The Forbes technology section is also great. Mac, do you have any to add? Mac Prichard: I just want to support your point that it's so important to keep improving our skills. One trend I see in social media platforms is tools that used to be standalone applications increasingly are being incorporated into Facebook, Instagram, and the other big popular apps. As we reach out to people online, taking advantage of those tools gets a lot easier, because they're much more intuitive, and simpler, and easier to use than say Photoshop even three to five years ago. Cecilia Bianco: I agree. With some of the platforms like Canva is basically Photoshop, but it's free. It's very easy to use. You can teach yourself in an hour. It can be really intimidating to try and learn those tools, but I think if you set small goals like signing up for new newsletters, or mastering a new skill every month, it becomes a lot more manageable. Mac Prichard: That's excellent advice, breaking tasks down into smaller achievable pieces, whether it's mastering a new skill or taking the next step in your job search. Ben Forstag: I know we've talked about social media tools in previous episodes, but let me just ask you Cecilia. If you had to pick the top three that someone should be comfortable using, what would those top three social media tools be? Cecilia Bianco: I would definitely pick at least one photo editing, one video editing, and then probably one management tool. Canva for photos, iMovie for videos, and maybe HootSuite or the new Edgar social media management tool would be key. Ben Forstag: Thanks. Mac Prichard: Great advice. It's very telling and right on target that two of the three you mentioned were visual tools, because so much online communication and so much media work now is all about visuals except of course this podcast. There is that. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's List guides. We're the publisher of a new book, here at Mac's List. It's called land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. You'll find in our guides, the tools you need to get the job you want. We tackle the questions that are on your mind. How do I find about hidden jobs? What can I do to standout when I'm competing against dozens of other people for the same position? What do I need to do next to manage my career? In our book, there are eight chapters. You'll find experts who share insight or knowledge about how they learn about jobs that are never posted, and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. Check it out for yourself. You can download the first chapter of the book for free. Just go to our website. The address is macslist.org/macslistguides. Steve Potestio co-owns Mathys and Potestio. It's a recruitment firm for the creative and digital industries. His company has offices in Portland, Austin, and Los Angeles. Steve knows how recruiters work. He's worked with more than 100 agencies, and he's helped place thousands of professionals into jobs. He's also been a copywriter, a graphic designer, a project manager, an account manager, and he was the director of operations for a large digital agency during the dot-com era. Steve, that's quite a background. Steve Potestio: Thank you. Mac Prichard: Thank you for joining us. Let me start with one example I think people have in their heads when they think about recruiters. I'm going to into the way back machine. There is a wonderful movie starring Stockard Channing. It's called the Business of Strangers. It came out in the early 1990's. It's about corporate intrigue, and it reflects popular ideas about corporate culture in those years. In the plot, Channing is a high-powered executive. She hears rumors that she's about to lose her job. The first thing she does is she picks up the phone, and she calls a recruiter. They both traveled to an airport. They have a meeting in the lounge. He brings his briefcase, and he reaches into it. There he has job openings that pay six-figure salaries. They talk about what position she might take next if she indeed loses her position inside the company. That's one way people think of recruiters. What would you say to that popular image, Steve? Steve Potestio: I'm laughing because if that was the case, that would be cool that we just have a briefcase full of jobs. That's cool. That is I think a common misperception of our industry. We are actually out there beating the bushes every day trying to build relationships with companies so that we do in fact have opportunities. We're not walking around with briefcases full of them. We're not having any clandestine meetings. Actually, a good recruiter would probably do a little bit more than the recruiter in the movie. That is really establishing a relationship with the individual, and talking about their needs and what they're looking for, and what's a good fit for them prior to opening up that briefcase, and just start trotting out a bunch of jobs. Mac Prichard: Let's put aside the Hollywood image. Let's talk about how the business really works. Tell us about the recruitment business and how you look for candidates, and what you're looking for. Steve Potestio: One thing about a recruiter to realize is the recruiter serves two masters. On one side is the individual, the candidate that is looking for a job. On the other side is the hiring company, the business client. A good recruiter is trying to build relationships, and understand both equally so that they are able to put the two together successfully. Generally, the client company, the hiring company is the firm that pays our bills if you will. It is natural that recruiters could lean toward that side, and really focus more on servicing that side. I think the best recruiters really walk right down the middle of the street. Mac Prichard: You talked about the firms that you work for. They're the ones who are paying you. How do you get paid? I know there are different forms of compensation for recruiters. Steve Potestio: There are different types of recruitment. There is different types of, I guess, logistical types of jobs. You're going to see recruiters that work on full-time salary positions only. You're going to see recruiters that will also work on contract type assignments, and then recruiters that will work on both. Some of it is what situation are you looking for as an individual, and then finding the recruiter that works within those situations. If you're looking for a full-time job, the recruiter is paid if a candidate that they have introduced is selected and hired by that client company. That client company will pay that recruiter or recruiting firm a fee for having found that individual. Recruiters work on what's called contingency placements. They do not get paid until they have successfully placed someone into a job. Mac Prichard: I think the other approach is called the retainer. Can you talk about the differences between a firm that works on retainer versus contingency? Is there any advantage to a job seeker to work with one firm over another? Steve Potestio: Being a good recruiter, the candidate probably won't necessarily know the difference if that recruiter is on a retainer or on a contingency. That should be something that they don't really necessarily even have insight into. A retained search generally is limited to executive level, C level types of positions. Most companies will not pay for a retained search if they are looking for staff level or management level unless again it's an executive suite level position. For example, in my business, we haven't had a retained search in probably five years. Mac Prichard: I'm often asked when I meet with people informational interviews, and this is a question Cecilia who talks to our community all the time also receives: how do you approach a recruiter? Getting back to that image of the fellow with the briefcase, even if that's not the reality, there are advantages in having a relationship with the recruiter. Walk us through how someone should find someone in their field, and how they might approach a recruiter. Steve Potestio: One of the most important things is finding someone in your field. The reason that is so important is because the recruiter should understand you, and your background, and your experience better than someone who may be has not been exposed to the type of work that you do. Finding someone that understands the type of work that you do is pretty key. They should then also have a client business hiring company relationships in that same industry. They're going to be potentially more equipped to be able to assist you. Then it's just a matter of reaching out to that person, whether it's LinkedIn or email or a phone call. Again, I reference maybe good recruiters and maybe not so good recruiters, but I think a good recruiter is somebody who is looking out for your best interest, and maybe willing to talk to you even if they don't have something immediate that potentially fits their needs or your needs, an immediate potential job opportunity fit. A recruiter should invest the time to meet with you, get to know you, because they may have that opportunity for you in one week, or one month, or three months. Some recruiters fall into the trap of only working on what's in their immediate workload, and not looking down the road. Mac Prichard: Look for a way to establish a long-term relationship with the recruiter. Let's back up Steve. I'm just thinking of our listeners. They love actionable ideas. They want practical instruction about concrete steps they can take next. Imagine that one of our listeners is sitting in front of a computer. They want to find the recruiter in their field. What do they do next? Do they go to Google? Do they go to LinkedIn? Walk us through how you would actually identify say a recruiter in your field? I know you work with digital creatives, designers, writers, and similar professions. Steve Potestio: On my LinkedIn account, I have an ability to do advance searches. If you don't have that ability, I think you have to pay for that. I would go to Google, and I would Google and find out the companies. Then I would go to LinkedIn, and I would look at the company profiles, and I would look at the recruiter profiles, and again, trying to find individuals or recruitment firms that specialize in your area. Mac Prichard: I'm a writer. I sit down, and I Google executive recruiters, or recruiters, writers, the community where I live in, whether it's Portland, Oregon, Chicago. I know you have offices in Austin and Las Vegas as well. Up pops the name of several firms and recruiters, how do I approach these people? Do I send an email? Do I make a phone call? What's the practical way of doing that? Steve Potestio: I'll back up again too. The first thing that you should be doing is looking at your own toolbox, and making sure you're ready to contact the recruiter. That recruiter, one of the first things they're going to do is they're going to examine your resume. They're going to examine your background. They're going to go on to your LinkedIn profile. If they see things that are a mess, or they're not seeing the type of professional that they feel that they can comfortably represent, they may be less inclined to respond to your inquiry. Again, a good recruiter and a good recruitment firm will respond to every single person that reaches out to them, but many don't. Mac Prichard: What is helpful to you as a recruiter? What kind of requests do you like to receive? After people have paid attention to the basics, and they put their LinkedIn profile in order, do you like to get a phone call, an email? What works best? Steve Potestio: An email works best because that enables the recruiter or the recruitment firm to take a closer look at the individual's background, and to really assess their ability to help that person. A phone call, they're still going to ask for some time to dig a little deeper into the individual's background. I don't want to discourage people from not picking up the phone, but the recruitment firm really needs to evaluate their ability to assist the individual. If they don't feel like the individual has the right background, and they in turn don't have the right client base to assist that individual, they should hopefully be pointing them in a different direction. A lot of it is really evaluating their ability to help that person. Mac Prichard: That's the best way to approach you. What mistakes do you see people make when they attempt to work with recruiters? Steve Potestio: I don't know the mistakes that they make when they initially reach out, but I think people need to have realistic expectations of what a recruiter or a recruitment firm can do for them. We cannot manufacture job opportunities for them. We may have that briefcase full of job openings, but if none of those job openings match that individuals' background and what they're looking for, then it doesn't matter that we have a briefcase full of job openings. They're not the ones for you. People just need to be realistic that yes, we are out there doing everything we can to build relationships with clients so that chances are greater that we may have opportunities for you, but it's never a given. Mac Prichard: A number of possibilities, people can approach you all, begin to build a relationship. There might be a suitable opening, and it might actually lead to a job offer. In other instances, people may go down that path, and not get an offer, or there may not be openings at the moment. For those who don't get a job out of this process, what's the best way to build and maintain a long-term relationship with the recruiter? Steve Potestio: I'm glad you asked that. I've been doing this, gee, longer than I've carried a [inaudible 00:27:29] over close to 20 years. Smart candidates and smart recruiters do look at it as a long-term ongoing proposition. There are many people that I have placed into jobs. They have in turn called me and asked me for new hires for their department or their company. In turn a couple of years down the road, they may be a candidate again. A good recruiter would want to invest that time and would want to keep tabs on your career. I think being a good candidate working with the recruiter, you keep that recruiter up to date in terms of what you're doing on your own. Again, a recruiter or a recruiting firm is one avenue that you should be pursuing. It's definitely something to pursue, but it's only one avenue in your job search. Mac Prichard: I'm glad you made that point, because I think sometimes people tend to put all of their eggs in one basket, whether it's focusing on a recruiter or one opportunity at one organization, which could be attractive, but you'd never know what might work out. It's always good to be pursuing how to find several different opportunities. Steve Potestio: What happens when you don't is it's the old image of the person at home waiting for the phone to ring on Friday night to see if they're going to get that one date that they've been after. That one person doesn't call. Will stay home for the night? Maybe that's a bad analogy, because then that means that person is pursuing many, many, many potential suitors. Maybe that's a bad analogy, but at the same time, the job seeker does need to pursue many different avenues unless they want to just be in a long and prolong job search. Mac Prichard: That's an excellent point to stop at. Steve, how can people learn more about you and find you online? Steve Potestio: Our website is a great way to connect with us. We actually are also very active on social media. We have a very vibrant Facebook page. We do a lot of tweets. Our website actually posts a lot of information that is similar to Mac's List geared toward professional development and helping people. Really, that's the best way to connect with all of the various channels that we are trying to put information and content out to. Mac Prichard: That's terrific. Thank you for your time Steve. Steve Potestio: Thank you Mac. I appreciate it. Mac Prichard: We're back in the studio with Ben and Cecilia. There's a lot of food for thought there from Steve, wasn't there? Ben Forstag: There was. Cecilia Bianco: Definitely a lot of questions I had about recruiters, he covered it all. Mac Prichard: I just want to thank you all for nodding knowingly. I expect you don't know who Stockard Channing is. Ben Forstag: No idea. Cecilia Bianco: I have no idea. Mac Prichard: You had to be there back in the 1990's. She was huge. Ben Forstag: I was there just, I guess, not paying attention to movies. Mac Prichard: I went too far too many movies. Actually, I was looking up this movie. I couldn't find it in the Wikipedia. I had to find it elsewhere. It's obscure, but well worth the watch. It does underscore a popular image we have of recruiters. I think Steve has helped us understand that working with the recruiter can be valuable, but you don't want to rely just on recruiters. Ben Forstag: I thought the most interesting was how recruiters get paid. I didn't really know that much about recruiting. I always had this vague idea that they would take a percentage of my salary. I don't know where I got that notion, but it's good to know that the job seeker is not the person who's paying for that service. It's usually the employer. Cecilia Bianco: I agree. I have that question too. I've always wondered what the actual breakdown was. It was interesting to hear exactly where the money goes and how they make their money, because it seems in my opinion that recruiters usually cater a lot to the job seeker, but really, their paying customer is the employer. Mac Prichard: One thing to keep in mind if you're contacted by a recruiter. Steve talked about this. The recruiters that are hired on contingency, a company may work with two or three recruiters for the same position, so a recruiter can be an advocate for you. If however you don't get hired or one of the candidates doesn't get hired, they don't get paid. It can be a tough business. Again, working with the recruiters can be rewarding, and we encourage our listeners to explore that. Steve had some very practical ideas about next steps you could take if you want to do that. Thank you for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, as always, visit us at macslist.org. You can sign up there for our free newsletter, where you'll find more than 100 new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, help us out by leaving a review and a rating at iTunes. We're determined to crack the top 10 list in the career section of iTunes. To do that, we need your help. Please take a moment, and we'd appreciate it. This will help others discover our show and share the information. Thanks for listening.  

Your brand is how you showcase yourself to others in a way that distinguishes you as a credible, trustworthy, and skilled professional. In other words, it is how you personify and embody the strengths, skills, and accomplishments you list in your resume. Professional branding is particularly important for job seekers, who must quickly build trust with prospective employers and differentiate themselves from hundreds (or even thousands) of other applicants. In this episode, Mac speaks with an expert on personal branding: Andrew Hudson, founder of Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List. Andrew has an extensive background in product marketing, advertising, and public relations, and is passionate about applying branding best practices to the job search process. He argues that a strong professional brand conveys a level of confidence and trust that helps candidates stand out from the crowd. In this 38-minute episode you will learn: Elements of a good professional brand How to connect your brand to the job you are applying for Leveraging your brand in all touch-points of the job search process Using bridging statements to answer difficult interview questions This week’s guest: Andrew Hudson (@AHJobsList)Principal, Andrew Hudson’s Jobs ListDenver, Colo.     Listener question of the week: Do I really need to use social media in my job search? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Indeed Job Trends Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List Bridging Statements Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Learn more about Mac's List at www.macslist.org.  Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.   Full Transcript: Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that hopes you get hired in the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List, your best online source for rewarding, creative, and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You'll find hundreds of great jobs, a blog with practical career advice and our new book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." Welcome to Find Your Dream Job. Every week we bring you the career tools and tips you need to get the job you want. Joining me as always are Ben Forstag, Managing Director of Mac's List and Cecilia Bianco, Community Manager of Mac's List. How are you two doing this week? Ben Forstag: I'm doing great. Cecilia Bianco: Doing good Mac, how are you? Mac Prichard: Good. Ben every week, I know you're pouring through the internet and you're looking for blogs, podcast, and other tools people could use in their job search. What have you found for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac, this week I have a free online tool to help you pick the right keywords when you're defining your personal brand, and for your resume, your cover letter, and your LinkedIn profile. I want to start with a question first though. This is for both of you and Cecilia. What is the functional difference between these three terms? One is “nonprofit,” just one solid word. The other term is “non-profit” with a hyphen between the non and the profit. The third one “not-for-profit.” Do you know what the difference between those words is? Mac Prichard: I feel like I'm back in English class in high school in taking a grammar quiz. I am drawing a blank here. I'm going to defer to Cecilia. Cecilia Bianco: I was going to defer to Mac because I'm not sure either. Ben Forstag: You can both defer to me, because I have the answer. Cecilia Bianco: Great. Mac Prichard: All right. Ben is in-charge, so take it away Ben. Ben Forstag: As the dictionary would tell you there is no difference between those three terms. The difference though, functionally, is that one of those terms is twice as likely to show up in a job posting, which means that if you use that term in your resume or cover letter, your application is twice as likely to pass a keyword based on automated screening system. We've talked in the past about how a lot of employers when you send off your resume, it's not a human looking at it, it's going through a computer system, and you either have the right keywords or you don't. t's important to know what the right keywords are. In this case, would either of you like to guess which one is used and what's often? Mac Prichard: My guess would be nonprofit as one word. I think people just like simplicity and they like shorter words. Ben Forstag: Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: I would agree. I think that's the right one, but mostly just from seeing people submit applications is why I think that. Ben Forstag: I take great glee in telling you that you're both wrong. The term that's used most often twice as much as the other two combined is “not-for-profit.” Twice as much as the other two terms combined. This is an important lesson here because we don't know what the keywords that are out there and even when keywords are very close, f you're not exactly right, if you don't have the verbatim keyword or phrase, you're not going to pass that screening. The two I want to share with you today is a great way to find out what the right keywords are. The tool is indeed.com's job trends tool. You've all heard of indeed.com, Mac, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Mm-hmm (affirmative) Mac Prichard: Yeah. It's a hugely popular site. Ben Forstag: Yes. They claim and I believe this is true, to be the world's largest compilation of jobs out there with millions of jobs posted. If you go to indeed.com/jobtrends, you can search through all the jobs that are posted or ever have been posted on Indeed and see what terms showed up in those job postings. I went through and checked nonprofit, non-profit, and not for profit to get this information. This is particularly important when we're talking about branding on social media, for your LinkedIn profile for example. Your LinkedIn profile is like the big highway sign for you as an employee that you put out there hoping that people are going to come through and see it and say, "That's the right guy for a job I have." When you're looking for keywords for a specific position you're applying for, you're really going to use the job posting and that company's own copy as the baseline for your keyword search. If you're looking for a general job out there around social media for example, or engineering, or communications, you're not looking for a specific company perhaps, but you want to have enough keywords in your LinkedIn profile that people will come and see you and say, "Yeah, I want Mac for this job." If you use the Indeed job trend tool, you can go through and type in a bunch of different related keywords and see which one is used most often. It's really amazing how even minor variations and keywords generate huge differences and results. I pulled up a couple examples that I thought were interesting here. Do you know about certified meeting professionals the credential? Mac Prichard: That's a new credential for me. Tell me more about that Ben? Ben Forstag: Okay. If you're in the meeting planning game and you want to get letters at the end of your name, you go and become a CMP. I typed in, "Certified Meeting Professional," and their acronym, "CMP" into the system. Any guesses on which one gets pinged most often in job posts, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: CMP? Ben Forstag: Mac? Mac Prichard: I would guess CMP too, I think people like to have those abbreviations after the name. Ben Forstag: You guys are 0 for 2. In this case ... Mac Prichard: It's Ben's week. Ben Forstag: In this case “certified meeting professional” as a term, appeared in eight times more job postings than CMP, which means if in your resume you wrote CMP--I've got a CMP, or I'm training to be a CMP--you're not going to pass that keyword test. Here's another example, "Certified fundraising executive," this is another credential. This one's for people who go out and raise money. I put in, "Certified Fund Raising Executive," that's four words, and the acronym CFRE, any guesses on this one? Mac Prichard: I, again would tend to guess CRFE the acronym, but I'm wondering if maybe it's such your question. Ben Forstag: Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I think you might be tricking us, so I'm going to go with the spelling out of the name. Ben Forstag: Cecilia, you're wrong. Mac, you're right. In this case, the acronym is 20 times more likely to be used in a job post than the long form version. Interestingly, a misspelling of the long form version is eight times more likely to show up than the actual spelled out certification. Mac Prichard: There's a Machiavellian angle you can take here? Ben Forstag: Yes. This is like Google keywords for your own job resume, your own LinkedIn profile. Really interesting stuff, you could probably waste several hours going through and doing this, but I definitely suggest it because this can give you an angle and some insight onto the kind of jobs you want, to the kind of organizations you want to work with. It can position you to beat those automated testing systems. Check it out, it's Indeed's job trend tool at indeed.com/jobtrends. Mac Prichard: That's great advice. As you talk Ben, two tactical ideas occurred to me, one is just the value of knowing the keywords in the field that you want to be in. As you're updating your LinkedIn profile, there's a section where you can list skills and knowing what the most popular skills, recruiters, and others might look for in your area could be very valuable. This sounds like this tool could help. As you do status updates and write on a blog or do any online writing in your field knowing again those keywords that are likely to turn up in organic searches could be very helpful. Ben Forstag: Yeah and in general, I think you can never underestimate how specific language is and the words that companies use and the job seekers use to define themselves, those words exist for a specific reason, and that you don't want to interchange them. You don't want to get creative with them, you literally want to repeat them verbatim. Mac Prichard: Terrific. As Ben mentioned, we're talking this week about branding, especially personal branding. Cecilia has a question for us related to that topic. We always enjoy hearing from you our listeners, so Cecilia is going to answer one of your questions. What do you have for us this week Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Thanks, Mac. Our question this week is, "Do I have to use social media in my job search?" Ben Forstag: Cecilia, did my mother send this question in? Cecilia Bianco: No, she didn't. Ben Forstag: Okay. Just checking. Cecilia Bianco: Okay. She's going to get her answer here so my answer is yes and no. Using social media is definitely necessary in a few important ways but some others are a bit optional. As Ben just mentioned a few seconds ago, LinkedIn is like the highway sign for employers. LinkedIn is definitely one of the necessary ways to use social media. Overall, using social media is a great way to control your online reputation and your digital footprint. Employers are going to Google you most likely and you want to have as much control on what they're going to see as possible, and social media is a great way to control this. Mac, I know you've hired a lot of people. I'm curious if you've Google'd candidates before? Mac Prichard: I always Google'd candidates and I go down usually five or six pages in the organic searches. That is exceptional, according to research out there, most people don't go beyond the first page. What I'm looking for and what other employers tell me they're looking for is just the people's history, and examples of their professional work. You're also looking for red flags, because hiring process is time consuming and you want to use your time as wisely as you can and focus on candidates who are going to be most appealing and have the best backgrounds and skills. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, that make sense. With LinkedIn, it's really grown to become the best tool to control your online reputation and it allows employers to see more than just your resume which just Mac said is what they're looking for. It's a huge opportunity for the employer to get to know you before actually meeting you. LinkedIn allows you to share your interest, the causes you care about, and you can even upload the projects you've worked on in the past. They're getting to know you and the important things they want to know about you before they potentially contact you for an interview. Among all the platforms, I think the most important are LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. With Facebook, you don't have to use it as a social networking platform, but you want to at least have a basic profile up there so you're searchable on Google and it pops up. Employers are going to check that so you want to be prepared and you want to make sure you're settings allow employers and strangers in general really only to see what you want them to see. I know Ben recently told us abut a tool called, "Persona," that looks through your Facebook history and he learned a lot from this. I want to get your official opinion on Facebook do you think it's necessary for job seekers? Ben Forstag: I do think it's necessary, but I think it's pretty much necessary for everyone nowadays. My friends and I have a joke that if we can't find someone on Facebook we assume they're dead or in jail. It just seems like everyone's on Facebook including my mother and my grandfather was on Facebook. It's always suspicious when you can't find someone on Facebook, there's some reason behind it I think. I would encourage everyone to have at least some presence there. You don't need to use it a whole lot, but you should be able to be found there. Cecilia Bianco: I agree. I think most employers agree with that. They want to be able to see that you're a normal person and you're out there on social media. I mentioned Twitter also, it's definitely necessary but not as necessary as LinkedIn and Facebook. It definitely depends on the industry you're in, but it can also be really helpful to your job search because you can use it to show your interest and your knowledge in industry you're in. If employers are Googling you, and finding you on Twitter, they'll learn a lot about you and maybe even be impressed by you so Twitter is a great tool to use to boost that online reputation. As far as the other social media platforms Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and the rest, I think all of those are really optional and you should only use what you enjoy using, because those don't really further your professional reputation, they're more of a fun side thing. Would you guys agree with that or do you think they're important? Ben Forstag: I think the caveat here would be if you're a creative professional and you're using these tools to build a portfolio. Whether you're a musician and you're posting stuff on SoundCloud, or you're interested in video creation, you're posting your videos on YouTube, this is definitely where you're most likely to be seen and so where you want to put the work that you want to showcase for others. Mac Prichard: Yeah, I would agree. The good news here is these social media channels allow you to put your best foot forward and to create your own brand, the impression that you want to make by sharing your work, your ideas, your portfolio. I think you're so right Cecilia that people need to be thoughtful and figure out where the people they want to reach and influence are gathering online. We can all be publishers now and that's what social media allows us to do. Now, the other thing to keep in mind is a colleague of mine once said about the internet, "It's fast, easy, and forever." Whatever you put up there is going to be there for a long time maybe forever and just be thoughtful about what you publish as well. Ben Forstag: Mac and Cecilia, can I ask you a question here? Do you think on the whole social media is a net benefit or a net risk for job seekers? Cecilia Bianco: I think it's definitely a net benefit. I think it can help you be searchable in a good way and it's a way that you can control. I think you can use it as a tool to impress potential employers and even recruiters. It's a good way to get found when you're looking for a job. Mac Prichard: I agree with Cecilia. It's an opportunity to find yourself, and your brand, and you offer to others. I know I've shared with, I think both of you before a story about an experience I had when I first came to Portland. I had a good fortune to work at City Hall for a candidate for Mayor and ran a good campaign, but we lost the race. After I left City Hall, when the campaign ended, I saw someone several months later I'd met there, and she introduced me to a friend. She said, "This is Mac. He use to work for Earl Blumenauer," who was my candidate, great guy. I walked away from that conversation thinking, "That's not really how I want to be defined. How I want to be known, is somebody who used to work for somebody else." That was many years ago. Now with social media, we all have the opportunity to publish and share our work and put our best foot forward, and to help define ourselves. We're going to be talking more about that with our expert this week, Andrew Hudson. Terrific, Cecilia those are great ideas and thank you for sharing that information in response to our listener question. If you have a question for Cecilia, she's eager to hear from you. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's List guides. Publisher of our new book "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." The Mac's List guides give you the tools you need to get the job you want. We'll show you how to crack that hidden job market, how you can stand out in a competitive field, and how you can manage your career. The book has eight chapters and each of them feature experts who share job hunting secrets like how to hear about positions that are never posted, and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. To download the first chapter of the book, you can get it for free. Just visit macslist.org/macslistguides. Most job openings attract dozens, sometimes hundreds of applicants. How can you make sure your application stands out in a big stack of resumes? How do you distinguish yourself from other candidates once you get an interview? Personal branding is one of the most powerful tools you can use to stand out in any crowded field. Here's what management expert, Tom Peters have to say about the difference of brand can make in a business or career. Quoting Peters, he says, "Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business, we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are the CEOs of our own companies, me incorporated. Our most important job is to be the head marketer for the brand called you." Our guest today knows all about personal branding. He's based in Denver, Andrew Hudson, and he's the founder and CEO of Andrew Hudson's Job List. He's based in Denver, and Andrew Hudson is the Founder and CEO of Andrew Hudson's Job List the Rocky Mountain Regions premiere job search website. More than 35,000 subscribers receive Andrew's weekly updates and hundreds of thousands of more people visit his website every month. As a job seeking expert, Andrew has trained thousands of job seekers through seminars focusing on self branding, interviewing, networking, and traditional and online job application strategies. Previously, Andrew led communications and marketing for corporation, public agencies, and elect officials. He's also served on many nonprofit boards. Andrew, thank you for joining us. Andrew Hudson: I'm so happy to be here and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about this great topic. It's really important topic. Mac Prichard: I know this is something you feel very passionate about. My colleague Cecilia and I had a good fortune to sit down with you for lunch in Denver a few months ago. You had a lot of energy about the topic of branding. Tell us about why do you care so passionately about this brand Andrew? Andrew Hudson: A couple of reasons. I think number one is that all components of job seeking are never really taught that well. All the way back from college and then as you move through your career, you're going to be having to look for other jobs as you progress. It's one of the things that I found out over time is that people are really confused about what is it that makes somebody stand out. There are certainly things that the people who are getting the job offers are doing and they're connecting with the employer in some way. My background in advertising, and marketing, and branding, and PR really lent itself to making that connection between corporate branding and what does it mean in terms of personal branding. Because, really there's a lot of very common things that are going on at the same time. Mac Prichard: Let's talk about personal branding. What kind of difference have you seen a strong personal brand make either in your own career or in the careers of the people that you work with? Andrew Hudson: When somebody has a really good personal brand that's attached to a level of confidence, and that level of confidence is something that people who are looking for a job are really focused on and it identifies their strengths, it identifies their skills, it identifies their accomplishments. Also, this whole thing about taking ownership and taking credit for the things that you've done as a professional. Then being able to really expose that and really talk about it in a confident way. It's not an egotistical way, it's not a desperate way, it's a way in which your true essence and the truth of who you are really comes out. I know even if someone who has hired a lot of people, I will sit there as the interview process progresses and I meet with several people who are looking for a job. There's a special element about that person that gives me what I call the, "Brand Sigh of Relief." It's a connection that they have made. It's identified to certainly their confidence and their ability to connect themselves to the job they're applying for, but it's also about somebody who has done the research, and somebody who has really analyzed and figured out what is it that is going to influence my thought and motivate my behavior in favor of them, and in favor of their brand. Mac Prichard: Let's pause there and break that down because for some listeners that might sound abstract so let's back up to the brand sigh of relief and the elements of a brand. How do you define those and without having the wealth of experience that someone like you who has been a professional marketer and brander might bring to the table? Andrew Hudson: It's funny because we walk around all day long, all of us. We get that brand sigh of relief every single day. I'll give you a good example. Last Christmas my kids they got a bunch of DVDs and they wanted to watch these DVDs, and oh no, our DVD player broke. I went to the store and that's a big box store like a Target or something, and I didn't do much research at all, and I'm looking around, and there's all these DVD players.There's Panasonic, and there's Sanyo, and there's LG, and they're all screaming different prices, and they're screaming different components, and different qualities. In my head it's just swimming, and then also then I look to the left and there's the row of Sony's. Oh my goodness, I made a B-line for the Sony, it took me about three minutes, I grab my Sony DVD player, walked up to the front. I stopped myself and I said, "Dang Andrew, you didn't even check the price. You didn't even compare it to these other ones." It was that element of everything that was screaming at me about why it was that if Sony was the thing that I needed. Now, let's take that same concept and take it to the job interview. You're sitting in front of the table and there's three people who were doing the interviews. Maybe it's an HR person, maybe it's your boss, maybe it's a colleague, and they're all asking questions and everybody is going through that interview. Particularly, when it's a finalist interview, maybe there's three finalists. They've all been scrubbed, the references have been checked and everything. They've all theoretically do the job. Now it's coming down to a connection that one of these finalists has to make with that group of people. I see this happen over and over. Mac Prichard: I think when we talk about that people often, interviewers will bring up chemistry as a way of describing it. Andrew Hudson: Yeah, it's chemistry, but what also happens is that, that person creates this brand sigh of relief. Every single person on that panel after that person who has created that has his big sigh of relief. They've been able to connect that within and more than that, that interview has really turned into a conversation which is a very different thing. When you turn an interview into a conversation and all of a sudden you're creating imagination in somebody's head about, "Wow, that person would be really terrific," and it requires practice in terms of writing out a personal narrative about yourself, practice singing it out loud, practice understanding what it is about yourself that really you can talk about in terms of your best strengths and your best attributes, and the accomplishments that are going to be best demonstrating why you're the best person for that job. Mac Prichard: Okay. Your goal when you're sitting in that hot seat, you're one of three finalist is to make that connection, to create that brand sigh of relief, to find that common ground that's going to make people feel comfortable with you, and say to their colleagues when you leave the room, "That's the person." You took us through some practical steps about how to do that, describing strengths, doing a research about the company. When you see people make that connection, what is it that they have done? Is it the culmination of that homework, that preparation, or is there's something else happening there? Andrew Hudson: I take job seekers through a role play, through a fake interview. I ask them some questions that are very basic, but things that you're getting asked in an interview. One of the first questions you're going to get is, "We'd love to hear more about you. Can you tell us something about yourself?" That is the hardest question in the history of mankind. To ask somebody to tell them about you, where do you start? What do you talk about? What are the things that you need to do, and how do you do that? I'll tell you the other thing Mac is that the complaint I get from a lot of job seekers is they say, "When I'm in a job interview, I feel powerless. I feel like I don't have any power on the subject of an interview." The fact is you have a lot of power. Mac Prichard: I'm always impressed by people who walk into an interview and they have a list of questions. They seek to have what you described earlier as a conversation. They don't walk in as a supplicant but as somebody who is a potential partner and that's a powerful dynamic. Andrew Hudson: It's interesting when I find people struggling answering even some of the basic questions, what are your strengths, things like that. Here's the one question I ask them that always breaks their shell. Can you describe to be one of your most proudest accomplishments in your career? All of a sudden there's a switch that goes off in somebody's head and they start thinking about, "What was it that thing that got me promoted, or the thing that my boss really liked about me, or the thing that brought my team together, or the thing I needed to do you convince our board of directors to do something?" Everybody has those accomplishments that really brings them to life and shows them in their best like. Mac Prichard: You've done the homework, you've practiced the answers to possible questions, but how do you bring in that ... It's not that you take control of the interview but how do you make sure that the points you want to make get made in that conversation and that you do a good job of showcasing your brand and putting your best foot forward. Andrew Hudson: Sure. Another thing and you're going to appreciate this because this is really a page out of public relations that's called, "Bridging." Bridging is a very powerful way if we're taking control of a question in an interview. It's not spinning, it's not dodging a question, but it's taking a question and establishing your credibility. Mac Prichard: It's a great technique and you and I have both worked with elected officials, and trained people on how to do it, and seen some of our bosses do it expertly. For those who haven't worked in politics or public relations, tell us more about bridging and how it works? Andrew Hudson: Sure. Bridging is basically when you get a question and you want to answer it in such a way that really focuses in on what is important and in this case what are your strengths. For example, somebody was to ask you a question about something that you did in your past, one of the ways to take control of that question is to say, "My last boss appreciated my experience in this area." Then you are taking that question and aiming it right towards an anecdotal story. If they're asking you something about an issue that you feel really compelled in terms of describing your experience, you could say, "Let me give you an example of a tough decision I had to make surrounding this issue." All of a sudden, there's a level of credibility that number one is talking about your expertise in that issue, but it's also a level of you're able to make tough decisions. You can talk about, "That's a great question. I had a similar experience at my last job, let me tell you how I managed it." You can go online and type in bridging statements. You can come up with your own, but basically what it is, it's establishing your credibility, it's establishing your expertise. A lot of times, not all of the time, but a lot of times you're being interviewed by people who are not the subject matter expert that you are. This is a way for you to take back the question and really put yourself on display. Mac Prichard: That's a very clear overview of the technique. For those who want to go beyond what they might find online, I strongly encourage for them to watch the Sunday Public Affair shows where you'll see US senators and other elected officials use bridging techniques regularly throughout the course of the show. Andrew Hudson: Yeah. Let me make it clear. This isn't been and this is not dodging. This is really you taking that question and demonstrating your credibility. I just want to make that clear. Mac Prichard: Yeah. I think it's a good clarification. We've talked about the importance of branding and what to do when you're in that final round of interviews. What about other parts of the job search process? Tell us about some of the common materials like resumes, business cards, online profiles, and the difference that branding can make? Andrew Hudson: I was the head of advertising marketing at Frontier Airlines. One of our signature brands was the animals on the back of the tails. We created this really fabulous campaign where the animals, these are the actual TV advertisements where the animals were talking back and forth and they had this wonderful banter back and forth about Frontier Airlines. It became really just as memorable ad campaign, particularly in Denver. After about three months of that ad campaign our awareness was through the roof. It was a perfect example of how advertising can really create awareness. As a marketing professional, a branding professional, I know that advertising campaigns can only go so far. The awareness is one area but the actual being able to deliver on the brand promise is a whole another thing. What I did is I did what I call, "A touch point brand audit." It looks at every touch point that you have with consumers that can influence thought and motivate behavior in a positive way towards your brand. If you think about an airline, it's everything from a website, to the customer service scripts, to the policies, to what flight attendants say. Even if there's an irregular operation, a flight delay or a cancellation, or a weather delay, or whatever, how do you communicate that in such a way that people still give you credibility. It's the same thing in terms of looking for a job. You have all of these touch points in which your brand has an opportunity to come alive. It starts with the resumes, the cover letter, the script that you might have when you're making a cold call to a company, and obviously, the interview itself. As you so eloquently said earlier and the gentleman you quoted, "You are the chief marketing officer through yourself when you are looking for a job." One of the things I tell people all the time is you cannot make your brand come alive simply by shut vending out resumes to job boards. Your brain comes alive when you're able to get in front of people and talk to them, look them in the eye, and convince them about what it is you're capable, and what value you bring to them. Mac Prichard: That's a great spot to close at. Tell us Andrew, how can people find you and learn more about you online? Andrew Hudson: Sure. My website is www.andrewhudsonsjobslist.com. You can e-mail me at anytime at [email protected], and I'm happy to communicate with anybody. Mac Prichard: Thanks so much. I know people will want to reach out to you. I appreciate you being among our guest. Andrew Hudson: All right. Thanks a lot. Mac Prichard: Cecilia, Ben, we're back in the studio and we heard from Andrew talking about how to bridge a question. I know that a lot of job seekers, this is a technique that could be very helpful for them because they're thinking about the points that they want to make. What did you two think about the advice that Andrew offered. Cecilia Bianco: I thought it was really helpful Mac, but I'm not sure that I fully understood the concept of bridging. Maybe you can give me an example if I walk into an interview at a marketing agency and they ask me, "What are your weaknesses?" How would I answer that by bridging? Mac Prichard: What I do as a candidate and what I advice others to consider doing, is to think about the needs of the employer. The best way to understand those needs is to do the homework, the research, and check out the website, talk to former employees, talk to peers, and know that job description called. Look at your own background and the strengths that you offer that are valuable to the employer and highlight that in your answer. The answer that I would give if I were in a hot seat that day and somebody said, why don't you go ahead and just ask the question Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: What are your weaknesses? Mac Prichard: Like everybody I have my share of weaknesses and I've learned that to be most successful in my career, I need to focus on strengths. The reason I'm excited about this position is because I've got the skills and the qualities that you need that you filed in the job description. Let me give you some examples of how I've used those skills and qualities to produce positive results for previous employers. Cecilia Bianco: Okay. That make sense. It's not exactly deflecting, but it's more redirecting to a different, to what you really want to talk about which is your strengths. Mac Prichard: Exactly. It's also taking into consideration the needs of the employer as well, because you can't ignore their needs if you address them directly, you change the frame of the conversation. You're talking about their problems and what you can do for them. Every employer sitting behind that desk, when they're talking to candidates, they're thinking about the work that is piling up that has to be done. That maybe they have to stay late for work, or their supervisor is asking them for updates on how it's being done. They've got a problem to solve and you can offer solution if you understand their needs and demonstrate how your skills, and qualities, and experiences can help meet them. Ben Forstag: I think this gets at the heart of what branding really is when you get down to it. It's not your own personal logo, it's not your LinkedIn profile per se. It's really the story about yourself as a professional and the unique value you bring to the table that you can operationalize with that employer. Mac Prichard: Yeah. I think you nailed it Ben, and those tactics matter and you need to pay attention to the details like LinkedIn profiles and you have to be thoughtful about them. Again it's that ... Ben Forstag: It's a holistic approach. Mac Prichard: Exactly. Mac Prichard: Thank you both Ben and Cecilia. Thank you our listeners for joining us. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime, visit us at macslist.org and you can sign up for a free newsletter that Cecilia publishes every Tuesday with more than a hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear in our show, you can help us by leaving your review, a comment, and a rating at iTunes. This will help others discover our show. Thanks for listening.

Being a professional no longer necessitates going to an office every day. People are increasingly able to work remotely, using telecommunications technologies to stay connected with their companies and colleagues. This trend is happening in nearly every industry sector--even fields like healthcare and education. According to one estimate, the number of jobs that allow for telecommuting, remote working or flex scheduling has grown by 26% in just the last year. Some people have taken remote work to the next level, by becoming digital nomads. These adventurers maintain a professional career while traveling the world, full time. Their office is the closest coffee shop, beach, train car, or even a run-down van.   This week on Find Your Dream Job Mac interviews a professional who has embraced the digital nomad lifestyle: travel-sabbatical expert Tamara Murray. Since 2013, Tamara has maintained a successful communications consulting business, while touring North and South America with her husband and her 15-year-old dog. She will share her story and highlight opportunities for how you too can become a digital nomad.   In this 34-minute episode you will learn: Popular misconceptions about the digital nomad lifestyle How to find location-independent jobs How to frame your skills and experience in a way that facilitates remote work Tips for overcoming barriers to remote work and a digital nomadic lifestyle This week’s guest: Tamara Murray (@TamaraMurray)Social-Change Communications ConsultantAuthor of Awesome Supervisory Skills: Seven Lessons for Young, First-Time ManagersSan Francisco, Calif.   Listener question of the week: How should I address a travel sabbatical or year abroad to a potential employer? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: 100 Top Companies with Flex Jobs in 2015 LifeListed Blog: The Best Tools for Working Remotes (2015 Edition) Macs’s List Blog: How Travel Sabbaticals Can Benefit Your Job Search HelloImTamara.com: Tamara Murray’s Consulting Website NomadsWithAVan.com: Tamara Murray’s Traveling Blog WestphaliaDigitalNomads.com Awesome Supervisory Skills: Seven Lessons from Young, First-Time Managers TheProfessionalHobo.com NomadicMatt.com Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Learn more about Mac's List at www.macslist.org.  Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.   Full Transcript Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List. On today's show we're discussing location independent jobs and how you can become a digital nomad. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List, your best online source for rewarding, creative, and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You'll find hundreds of great jobs, a blog with practical career advice, and our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. Let's turn to our topic this week. Walk into any coffee shop today and you'll likely see a customer typing out a report or an email on a laptop computer or perhaps talking on a cellphone about a project or a business deal. These are probably telecommuters, people who have full-time professional jobs typically with large organizations, but they work outside the office for one or more days a week. In fact according to The New York Times, as many as thirty percent of all Americans may telecommute one or more days a week today. What would your life be like if that coffee shop was your workplace and what if your dream was to never go to an office instead do the work you enjoy when you want and from anywhere in the world and not just one day a week but five days a week? Increasing numbers of people are doing exactly this, and they call themselves digital nomads. They live what they call location independent lives. They travel frequently, and they work remotely often as freelancers or contractors. According to Wikipedia digital nomads are people who use telecommunications technologies to perform job duties and conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Even professions you think would be completely location dependent such as healthcare can now be performed remotely. We're going to talk a digital nomad and an expert on the field, Tamara Murray. She for the last two years has worked full-time while traveling the globe, but first let's check in with the Mac's List team. Joining me as always are Ben Forstag, managing director of Mac's List, and Cecilia Bianco, community manager of Mac's List. Ben, Cecilia, how are you two doing this week? Ben Forstag: I'm doing great. Cecilia Bianco: Doing good, Mac. Mac Prichard: Great. Remote working… You both make the trek to downtown Portland where we have an office in a building that went up before World War I. In fact our offices have doors. They're about as far from remote working as you can get though now we are moving to working at home on Fridays. Tell me what do you two think about remote working? Ben Forstag: I'm someone who really likes coming into work and having an office and separating the home life from work life, but I do like having the option to work from home when I've got a contractor coming to the house or I need to watch my son during the day. Having that flexibility is really nice. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I agree. I definitely enjoy having a flexible schedule, and if Comcast is coming one day, I can sit and work at home and wait for them without having a problem. It's definitely a bonus. Mac Prichard: Good. As an employer I have to say I see that people who work at home are often more productive and having that flexibility is something I think that makes not only for an attractive workplace but makes it easier for employers to hold onto great people. Let's move on to our regular features. Every week Ben searches the nooks and crannies in the Internet looking for blogs, podcasts, and other tools you can use in your job search. Ben, what have you discovered for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac, since we'll be talking about remote working and telecommuting this week, I thought I'd find some resources for people who want to explore these options for work. Today I've got two blogs I want to share with our listeners. The first, number one, is the FlexJobs blog. That's F, L, E, X jobs.com/blog. FlexJobs is a job website that specializes in telecommuting, freelance, part-time, and flexible job opportunities. Have you ever heard of the site, Mac? Mac Prichard: It's a new one to me. Ben Forstag: Okay. It's, I think, a very kind of niche site for a certain type of jobs. The one specific post I'd like to steer our audience towards is the 100 Top Companies With Remote Jobs in 2015. FlexJobs keeps track of all this stuff based on the number of job posts from these companies that talk about remote working, and every year they come out with a list of the employers who offer the most flexible remote work opportunities in their organizations. The URL for this blogpost is really long. I'm not going to repeat here. If you go to the flexjobs.com website and type in 100 top companies, it will pop up there. I also include a link to this in the show notes. Mac Prichard: For those who are listening are there any surprises on that list? Ben Forstag: There are. Most of these companies are large national and multinational corporations, the companies you'd expect to see the Intel, the Apples, the Amazons, organizations like that. There are some companies you might not expect. For example there's some government agencies there that are listed as being particularly open to flex working, the Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior. There are some nonprofits as well, Teach For America and the American Heart Association. The interesting thing here is according to their research they've seen a twenty-six percent increase in the number of remote jobs over last year. This is becoming an increasingly common thing for employers to offer, and the areas where they see the biggest growth is not in the technology side where you might expect but in the fields of medical and healthcare, sales, administrative services, education, and marketing. This is a growing option for many different industries. Mac Prichard: Coincidentally I had lunch with someone last week who is an Oregonian and just moved back to Portland. He works for the US Department of Health and Human Services, which is a huge organization. He was able to bring his job with him because he's now working remotely from Portland doing national work for the federal government. I was surprised that an organization that large would be open to that idea. In fact it's a pilot project, but I think it's a sign of a trend that is not only popular but is growing. Ben Forstag: Especially an organization as large and as racked with inertia as the federal government. Mac Prichard: Yeah, things do move slowly in the federal government. Ben Forstag: Yeah. The second blog I wanted to talk about today is called the Life Listed blog. It's lifelisted.com, and this one is really cool. It's written by a guy named Danny Dover. He was an entrepreneur who did the start-up get rich thing but then decided that instead of optimizing profits he really wanted to optimize his own personal happiness. He started traveling the world and working remotely to check items off of his bucket list. The Life Listed blog shares strategies and actionable items on how to complete your own purposeful life list, again, what we might call a bucket list. Since working is typically a part of life or at least a necessary activity to fund other adventures, much of the site is dedicated to how to work remotely. I particularly suggest the blogpost they have on the best tools for working remotely. This lists a bunch of different hardware, software, and services that are really useful for digital nomads. The interesting thing about this post is I think even if you work in an office there's some tools there that you might find really valuable to work more efficiently, more happy, and just do a better job with your work whether you work in an office or in the coffee shop. Again, that's the Life Listed blog. It's lifelisted.com/blog, and as always we'll have links to these resources in the show notes. Mac Prichard: Great. Thanks, Ben. I know that when we speak with Tamara, she's going to tell us about what life is like working full time while traveling overseas or through the United States. I'm getting from your conversation that many of tools that you've just described could work for people who simply want to work from their home in the same town as their employer. Ben Forstag: Absolutely. Mac Prichard: Terrific. Thank you. If you have a suggestion for Ben, please write him, and we may share your idea on the show. Ben's email address is [email protected]. Now it's time to turn to Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. She always has her ear to the ground wanting to know what you, our listeners, think. Every week she brings us one of your questions. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: Thanks, Mac. Our question this week is how should I address a travel sabbatical or a year abroad to a potential employer? I think the best way to address time abroad is to demonstrate the skills you gained while traveling and how they might add to your professional value. We actually had a guest contributor write a blogpost about travel sabbaticals, and she gave some really clear examples on how to do this. Her and her husband traveled for over a year to several different countries. Her husband was an accountant and managed the bookkeeping throughout their trip. This is obviously not a small task when the currency is changing every couple of weeks, and he was able to show how his sabbatical improved the skills that he needed in his field because he did this. Similarly, she was an urban planner. She still is an urban planner. She did research in advance and made plans to visit planning and development organizations while they were traveling. Then when she came back and talked to potential employers in interviews, she had a lot to say about what she learned about her field while abroad. Overall I think the most important thing to do is think about what you did on your trip that will improve your hire ability to an employer based on the field you're in. Mac, I know you and Chris, your wife, go on trips abroad almost every year. Do you have any suggestions for ways to show the benefit of time abroad? Mac Prichard: A number come to mind. I think many employers are impressed by people who regularly travel overseas because I think it indicates that they're open to new experiences, new ideas. I think even if you're taking a short trip ... it could be a vacation of two or three weeks, there's benefit to you as a job candidate or to your employer by taking advantage of that opportunity to show that you are looking for new experiences. Simply listing on your LinkedIn profile or your resume some of the foreign trips you might have taken a small step can be an important one. For people like the couple you were talking about who are spending several months or a year or more overseas they have an opportunity to document what they've done whether it's a volunteer or paid work that's a valuable experience and being specific about how it relates to the work that you do or want to do will always pay dividends for you as a job applicant. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I definitely agree. Ben, do you have any suggestions? Ben Forstag: I've taken a lot of international trips, and I've never had a trip that goes off without a hitch. There's always a reservation that falls through, or you miss the train, or something else awful happens. I think international travel can often be framed as an exercise in flexibility and responsiveness and emergency management. Those are skills that I think any employer would be interested in. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, definitely. Those are great suggestions. If you're planning a trip or considering taking a year to travel, there's things you can do to make sure that this is supporting your resume. You could start a blog about your trip or network while you're abroad like our blogpost contributor did. Look for opportunities to meet colleagues in your field and maybe even set up some informational interviews if you can. Mac Prichard: Terrific. Thank you, Cecilia. If you have a question for Cecilia, her email address is [email protected], and she would love to hear from you. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's List Guides publisher of our new book Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. The Mac's List Guides give you the tools you need to get the job you want. We reveal all of our secrets there showing you how to crack the hidden job market, stand out in a competitive field, and how to manage your career. The book has eight chapters, and in each of them experts share secrets like how to hear about jobs that are never posted and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. To download the first chapter for free visit macslist.org/macslistguides. Now I'm pleased to introduce our guest expert for the week, Tamara Murray. She's going to be sharing her insights on becoming a digital nomad. Before we get started let me tell you about Tamara. She's a social change communications consultant and lifestyle design geek. She spent the last decade helping social change nonprofits get their message out, becoming a vice president at a communications agency before age 30, and it was her dream career until nine-to-five blues, a TED talk, and a conversation with her financial planner sent her on a different course. These days Tamara and her husband, Chris, are digital nomads. They freelance while they travel North America full time in a minivan turned camper that they've named Red Delicious. Tamara began experimenting with remote work while on sabbatical in Latin America where she conducted conference calls via Skype in the jungles of Costa Rica. She's the author of Awesome Supervisory Skills, Seven Lessons for Young First Time Managers, and she blogs regularly about career breaks, the digital nomad life, and inspiring individuals to help give others the courage to take a leap. Thank you for joining us, Tamara. Tamara Murray: Thanks for having me. I'm excited to be here. Mac Prichard: Great. Let's hear your story. What inspired you to travel and work remotely? What was your aha moment? Tamara Murray: As you mentioned actually when you were sharing my bio, I watched a TED talk a while back by a gentleman who runs a design studio in New York City. One of the fascinating things that they do is every seven years they close the studio for one year. It's really funny. There's an email autoresponder that says, "Thanks for emailing. We're closed for the rest of the year, but we'll get back to You next year." It's very funny. He talks about just how time off is really important and how especially people who work in creative professions can really benefit from taking a breather, getting exposed to new ideas. I thought gosh, could I make that happen for me. Mac Prichard: A lot of people have that thought, and they ask themselves that question. What did you do next, and how did you do it? Tamara Murray: My path is a little bit unique in that my husband and I we first started just by talking about it with each other, which is something important for anyone who's considering doing this to do is to talk to the people in your life about this and make sure you're all on the same page. We both talked about it. We were both feeling the same way. We did something a little different which is that we actually just fully took the plunge and actually quit our jobs entirely to go on sabbatical and try and figure out how we could rebuild our lives in a way that offered more flexibility while still being able to earn an income. Mac Prichard: When you made that leap, the idea wasn't to travel full time. You thought you would take a year off and then return to full-time work. Tamara Murray: That's right. We did think that that was a possibility although one of the things we really worked to do during our time was to figure out hey, how can we make this sustainable; how can we travel full time in a financially sustainable way over the longer term. Mac Prichard: Is that something you learned along the way, or did you put some time into doing homework, talking to others, reading books? How did you prepare for that, Tamara? Tamara Murray: Definitely did a lot of reading. There are a couple of folks that I would definitely suggest that your listeners look into. The first person, her name is Nora Dunn. She has a great website called the Professional Hobo. She has a lot of great advice. There's another gentleman named Matt. Nomadic Matt is what he goes by. They both have a lot of tips about how to travel in a financially sustainable way. Doing a lot of research, knowing that other people have already done this, and to have ideas that you can learn from that's a really important place to start. Mac Prichard: Some of the misconceptions that you've run across both during your preparation for hitting the road and since you've been doing this full time ... for example, is there a common type of person who's a digital nomad? Tamara Murray: Yes. There are a few misconceptions out there. A lot of people think that digital nomads are these young millennial dudes who are full-time coders. They're coding from their laptops on the beach in Thailand while they backpack and go from hostel to hostel. Those people do exist, but there are lots of different types of travel and there are lots of different types of work. Another common misconception is that you have to be rich to do this, and nothing is further from the truth. In fact I am making probably about half of what I used to earn, but by reorienting the way that I live my life, the way me and my husband live our lives we are having a much richer experience. Those are a couple of things that a lot of people think immediately but are actually pretty far from the truth. Mac Prichard: Yeah. In many ways when I talk to people about this, about digital nomads and traveling full time I think the original nomads were full time RVers. I have an older uncle and aunt who spent fifteen years living in an RV driving around the country and also going to Mexico and occasionally parking the RV and going to Asia and other places overseas. They weren't working, but they were part of an extended community of what are called full-timers among RVers. It's not in many ways an original idea or a new one. It's something that's been going on for decades in America, and obviously some people have been on the road forever. Tamara Murray: That's absolutely right. The way that work is changing especially because of how widely available Wi-Fi is and especially how widely available it is now abroad it is much more feasible now for people to do work from pretty much anywhere they have an Internet connection. I will say that, that is typically limited to knowledge jobs, right? Mac Prichard: Mm-hmm. Tamara Murray: It's tougher to be, say, a coffee barista traveling from place to place just because it requires a brick and mortar establishment for you to be at. Although if you wanted to get really creative, you could imagine someone with an RV who makes a really amazing cappuccino going from place to place, but for the most part it does tend to be folks in the knowledge fields whether they're doing consulting or some kind of tech work, coding, graphic design, freelance writers, photographers, and so on. Mac Prichard: I know you do consulting with people who're considering taking a sabbatical. What is the most common question you get, Tamara? Again, is there a typical kind of person that you hear from or is there a variety? Tamara Murray: I hear from folks from all different walks of life who are interested in doing this, and there are a few topics that come up. One is just how do I find a location independent job. That's a really important first start. There are really two ways to do this. The first is to look for employment, to find a job with an employer where it does not matter where you are. The second route is to go the more entrepreneurial route, which is to either become a freelancer or to start your own business. It's hard to say exactly which route is best. It really depends on things like your industry and your skills. I'll share one example that's close to home. It's about my husband. He has a background in accounting. He used to work in city government as a budget analyst, something that you would not imagine being able to do from anywhere, right? Mac Prichard: Yeah. Tamara Murray: You need to be employed in one place. Mac Prichard: Right. Tamara Murray: One of the things he really asked himself is what do I know how to do. What are my skills that could be transferable to a location independent job? Really when you look at what a budget analyst does, what an accountant does ... The reason why he was drawn to it is because what he really loves doing is analysis and taking a look at data and looking at trends. That's really what his skillset is when you break it down to its bare parts. For him, he was like okay, what types of careers that are location independent ... where is the connection there? That's how he got into search engine optimization, which he now does on a consulting basis. As part of this we've surrounded ourselves with other people who are trying to do this, and he learned about how to set up stores and sell products on Amazon, which is also very reliant on doing research. He was able to take a skill that worked in one career and transfer it to a location independent career. Mac Prichard: Okay. People who are considering this should do an inventory of their skills and think about either what might be directly sellable to employers or transferable to other jobs or projects that might be on demand and can be done remotely. Tamara Murray: That's right. Mac Prichard: Okay. Over the years I've met a number of people who have done what you and your husband, Chris, have done going on the road. What's impressed me has been the variety. There's a fellow that I met with recently who has just returned from a sabbatical in Argentina. He and his wife and their two grade school age children moved to Cordoba for a year. They didn't have jobs, but they lined up volunteer opportunities, and their goal was to as a family have an experience overseas and master Spanish. What would you say to people who might think well, I'm too old for this, or I can't take the kids? In your instance I know that you and your husband traveled with your dog, Holly, for some time as well. Tamara Murray: Yeah. We actually traveled for a year and a half with our dog, Holly, and that surprised a lot of people. The thing that I'll say is it's possible to travel either on a sabbatical or while you're working in a number of different scenarios. The barriers that you might think of whether it's we've got kids; we've got a mortgage; we've got a dog those things are not the barriers that you might think they are. They just require a little bit more planning. For instance, when we were traveling with our dog, we had to plan anytime we were going to cross international borders. We had to look into the paperwork requirements. Folks who are traveling with kids ... there are people already all over the world who take their kids on sailing trips for years at a time, and there are options for educating them while on the road. Things like a mortgage my husband and I have a mortgage, and we rent out our home while we're gone. I know another couple that while they travel ... they actually have a duplex and what they do is they rent one of the units out to a full time tenant and use the other unit that they rent out via AirBnB so that they can earn an income from it while they're gone, but they also have a place to stay when they're back in town. There's a lot of options. Don't think that those challenges are insurmountable. They just require a little more planning. Mac Prichard: Right. Some of those barriers like a house might actually be an opportunity for raising a new source of income. Tamara Murray: Absolutely. Mac Prichard: Great. We're coming to the end of our interview in a few minutes. Anything else you'd like to share with our listeners, Tamara? Tamara Murray: There's a lot of logistics involved in becoming a digital nomad. You have to think about where am I going to work; how am I going to find workspace and reliable Internet access; what is my travel going to look like; what am I going to do with my stuff, but those things are all logistics. They all have solutions, many of which are a lot easier than someone might think. One of the things I find though that is the bigger challenge is the risk taking, that it is scary to do this. I can completely understand. I felt the exact same way. One of the things that someone once told me that I will share with everyone listening today is that you have to be willing to take a chance and get outside of your comfort zone. At the worst if you try this and it's not working; it's too hard; it's not making you happy the way you that you wanted it to, you can always go back and go back to your old life or the industry that you were in where you are going back to an office every day. You already know how to do that, and you can do it again if you need to. Challenge yourself to try something that you don't know how to do because that's where the growth really happens. Mac Prichard: Great. Thank you, Tamara. How can people find you online? Tamara Murray: You can find me online at helloimtamara.com. I interview other digital nomads and have travel advice there. I encourage folks to go there for any advice. Mac Prichard: Thank you. That's Tamara Murray, and thank you for joining us. Tamara Murray: Thanks, Mac. Mac Prichard: We're back with Cecilia and Ben. We had some great insights from Tamara about how to be a digital nomad and what life on the road is like while working full time. What did you two think? Cecilia Bianco: I thought she had some great tips. The thing that stuck with me the most is that she said the biggest problem people faced is the risk taking and the fear. I totally agree with that because it really is all just logistical, and the harder part is saying I'm actually going to do this and it feels like a big risk. I thought that was her biggest point for me. Mac Prichard: I would agree, and I think there are a lot of objections or obstacles to doing this. The big takeaway for me was that if you consider them one at a time, there are solutions. Cecilia Bianco: Mm-hmm. Mac Prichard: It may be that those aren't the right solutions for you as an individual thinking about this, but what she has seen not only in their own experience but in the people that she meets on the road there are others who have not only done this but are leading a thriving personal and professional life on the road. Ben Forstag: Yeah, it's really interesting. I'll be honest it's one of these things that I wish I had the guts to go ahead and do sometimes, but with a wife and a son and a mortgage it does seem like a real big challenge. I really admire the folks who are able to be on the road three sixty-five. Mac Prichard: Yeah. Cecilia Bianco: I thought she had some great tips about what you can do when you have a mortgage. She's obviously dealt with it, but her tips felt really doable. Like thinking through it myself like oh, where would I put my stuff she just had some really practical knowledge on it. Mac Prichard: Where are you going to move to, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Nowhere yet. If I do, I'm definitely going to look at her website and figure it out. Mac Prichard: Okay. I'm expecting either one of you or both of you to come to me soon with a proposal for a remote office. If you had to pick one place where you would like to live and work from, what would it be? Cecilia, do you have a wish list? Cecilia Bianco: I've always wanted to live in Italy sometime in the very distant future, probably Italy. Mac Prichard: That would be a wonderful spot. Ben? Ben Forstag: I don't know, Iceland maybe. Mac Prichard: Reykjavik? Ben Forstag: Even farther north, I like the big open desolate places. Mac Prichard: If I had to pick a spot, it would probably be Madrid. I can't think of a better city, and it's just a magical place to be. Ben Forstag: I've actually lived in Madrid for two years, Mac. Mac Prichard: We're going to have to compare notes. Ben Forstag: Yes. Mac Prichard: Thank you for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime visit us at macslist.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter with more than one hundred new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, you can help us by leaving a review and a comment and a rating at iTunes. This helps others discover our show, and we appreciate you listening.

Fifty years ago, it was common for workers to have the same job (or stay with the same company) from graduation until retirement. Today, the average American will have seven to ten different jobs in their lifetime. This volatility in employment has created more uncertainty--but also more opportunity--for career-minded professionals. The secret to thriving in this job market is successful career management: being focused, knowing your goals, and marketing your skill set.   In this episode of Find Your Dream Job Mac speaks with career advisor and author Dawn Rasmussen. Dawn contends that “job security is dead” and that the key to professional success lies in improving your job marketability. She shares her tips on having a clear vision for your career, keeping your skills up-to-date, and adroitly marketing your transferable skills. In this 30-minute episode you will learn: How to discover your professional purpose and what you do best How to change careers by breaking down your transferable skill sets The habits of successful career managers How to overcome the fear of a career change or job search This week’s guest: Dawn Rasmussen (@DawnRasmussen)Principal, Pathfinder, Writing and Career ServicesAuthor of Forget Job SecurityPortland, Ore.   Listener question of the week: How can I transition from the for-profit sector into the nonprofit sector? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Who Moved My Cheese? Forget Job Security: Build Your Marketability Pathfinder Writing and Career Services Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Learn more about Mac's List at www.macslist.org.   Full Transcript: Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List, your best online source for rewarding creative and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You'll find hundreds of great jobs there, a blog with practical career advice, and our new book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." Welcome to episode two of Find Your Dream Job. Every week we bring you the career tools and tips you need to get the job you want. Now according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics the typical American changes jobs every 4.1 years. With most of us working well into our 60s that means you may have 10 or more employers in your lifetime, and you'll not only change jobs but careers too perhaps up to seven times some experts say. None of this comes as surprise to our guest today, Dawn Rasmussen. She says job security is dead and what matters now is employability and knowing how to manage your career. Dawn is president of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, a company that provides resume, cover letter, and job search coaching services. She's the author of, "Forget Job Security: Build Your Marketability," a step-by-step guide to how to manage your career, attract promotions and salary increases, and find new opportunities. Dawn is also a career columnist for OnePlus magazine and talentzoo.com and she's been featured on CBS Morning Watch, CareerBuilder, and in business journal newspapers across the US. Dawn, thanks for joining us today. Dawn Rasmussen: Thanks for having me Mac. Nice to be here. Mac Prichard: It's a pleasure to have you here. I find that when I talk to job seekers when they get their job they think that's it, I'm all set, my job search is over, and now I'm employed and I don't need to think about that anymore. Now tell me why you advise the people you work with to think differently. Dawn Rasmussen: Mac, I always try to encourage people to see their career as something that's happening concurrently to their actual jobs, so while you're in your job your career's happening at the same time, but the career is actually like a river that's running underground and that's carrying you onto the next destination. It's all the things that you can do that can help prepare you for that next opportunity or position. You need to be in the right place when that opportunity does happen. It's not just being a static thing. It's a constant process. You really have to think about where do I want to go and what are the things that’ll get me in that river so I can navigate it, even though you're in your current job but there's some things you can take with you that will get you to the next destination. Mac Prichard: So you're in the canoe, you're going down the river. Dawn Rasmussen: Good metaphor, I love it. Mac Prichard: Now what do you do next? How do you know where you're going? The way I've seen people do this successfully is they're clear about their purpose. What do you see with the people you work with? Dawn Rasmussen: I think for the most part the people I work with are pretty clear on what they want to do, although I will get the occasional client. For example, I've had recently someone who was trying to do too many things. She was applying for a medical ... Well she was a medical billings person and she was trying to get into marketing and patient representation and a whole bunch of other things. She was trying to cover all these different bases, but she wasn't being very clear on what she does best and how she might help the employer. She was just being a job search chameleon, that's a term I like to use, that she was changing the color of her spots for each job opening. If you're not pretty clear on what you do best then that's going to be a problem because nobody else can see that either. The clarity helps you answer specifically what the employers needs are. It's really important to have a vision of what you want to do. That can change as you alluded to earlier having some kind of ... Change in your life is inevitable, that's fine, but the main thing is to really be clear that okay I'm going to target this next thing and then that may roll into something else later on down the line whether you get bored or another opportunity comes along. It's not a be-all end-all, but it's something that's a jumping off point to the next thing. It's a constant process. It really is. Mac Prichard: Let's drill down to that process Dawn because I can imagine some listeners might be saying, “Well, I get that, vision matters, clarity matters, but I don't want to close out my options. I want to be open to a lot of different things, because by doing so I'll make myself a more attractive candidate.” What steps do you see people take who are successful into finding their purpose and getting clarity? Dawn Rasmussen: I use the example no employer is going to hire a generalist. If they have a need for X, whatever that job is, then they're hiring for X and they're going to be putting that perspective, that microscope on X, looking at all the different candidates. If you're not sure … You can have more than one version of your resume. You can have a couple different iterations. Myself personally I have a lot of different curves under my belt that are extremely different from each other. I've been obviously a writer, I've been an educator, I've been in sales, I've been in tourism, I've been a meeting planner. I can't cram all those things in one resume. I have to be clear on who my target audience is. How would someone perceive what I'm saying in this document? Is it meeting their needs specifically? It doesn't mean you have to cram all the non-relevant stuff in there, you can summarize it. But having a real understanding of how are you answering their call, their need, and drilling down to that. Reading job descriptions, if you're not sure, that's okay. A lot of people, they don't know what they want to do. That's maybe where a career coach can help you work through that process because you really have to have that clarity. If you don't know what you want to do then how do you expect an employer to know that either. Having some help or using some online tools such as MBTI, Myers-Briggs, and some of the other tests can help you, or working with a career coach like I mentioned are all things that you can use to help pinpoint or narrow down what your focus is. Then have a separate resume for each one of those areas that addresses that. Mac Prichard: I hear that from a lot of employers. They tell me that when they're interviewing candidates the question that's often going through their mind first and foremost is, “What can this person do for me? I've got problems. I've got work piling up on a desk. How is this person going to make my life easier?” They say that the candidates who address that are the ones who stand out. Dawn Rasmussen: Exactly, you need to figure out what the pain points are of the employer and how you're going to solve them for them, and then write your resume in a way that shows specific examples of how you have addressed those pain points in a relevant way that matches the job requirements. Mac Prichard: Let's get back to purpose and vision. Many people may switch careers several times during the course of their working life. How have you seen people when they're thinking about changing careers do that successfully? Dawn Rasmussen: It's really, Mac it boils down to looking at what are my transferable skill set. For some people it's a pretty easy leap. I'll give you an example. There was one client of mine. She was in Chicago and she was a writer. She wrote books. She did the whole publicity, marketing, and all that kind of stuff, familiar with that aspect. Then she really had a passion for wine to the degree that she was going down to California and spending time with the wine maker. She actually did a bootcamp where you make your own wine. She toured with the wine maker. She worked part time in a very high end wine store in Chicago and her passion was to really get into promoting wine. By looking at breaking down her transferable skillsets it was an opportunity for her to basically say wine marketing specialist. We married her marketing skills plus her wine knowledge into a resume that really covered all those bases. It was a easy step for her. For some people, they don't have that immediate step in front of them. My suggestion is that if you're considering a career change, don't despair, you have to take an inventory of what skillsets that are relevant to where you want to go that you actually possess, and if there are gaps there are opportunities to add in experience. For example, you can take a class that would fill in a knowledge gap area so then you remove that liability from your job search. A second thing might be volunteering for a professional organization or a civic organization, performing the types of tasks that would matter towards where you want to go. Finally, for the people that are in school that may have gone back to school, they're more the nontraditional learners that they're going back and maybe getting a new degree or re-purposing their background, I suggest that you really go through your classroom experience and think about what projects, what kinds of papers, what kinds of experiments or anything else that would be real life applications of the concepts you're learning and cite those as examples in your resume. Your header should be relevant experience which can encompass both paid, volunteer, and educational experience, so that way it’s sort of a loophole. Mac Prichard: What I'm hearing is be clear about your purpose, be prepared to switch jobs throughout the course of your career or even switch careers, and when you're ready to switch careers Dawn think about those transferable skills or you acquire them and document them. Now how do people know it's time to switch? A lot of people I think don't think about these things until someone says, “Oh there's a great job over at this company or this nonprofit organization.” Or they get a new boss and things aren't working out well and then they try to catch up. So instead of thinking about their career over the long term and the investments they need to make, they try to catch up and do all these things when perhaps it's too late or things they might have done. What are some of the habits that you see people who are successful career managers adopt and practice during the 30 or 40 years they'll be in the workplace? Dawn Rasmussen: Oh gosh, there's so many. Networking is probably job number one. We do tend to get quite a bit complacent once we take on a new job. The heavy lifting’s been done. You beat all the connections. You've landed that job. People are usually so consumed with learning the ropes of the new job that they really don't invest as much time or energy into the networking piece that they were spending during the job search phase. My biggest concerns I see a lot of people just tune in and tune out basically on the networking. “I'm too busy. I don't have time to go to this networking function. I don't have time to do that.” Your networking piece is really the critical life line. Most people find jobs through someone they know. I know and I think its Gerry Crispin from CareerCrossroads had a statistic that said if you apply only online you have a 2% chance of getting interviewed. If you apply and you apply working through someone that you know you have about a 50% chance of getting interviewed. That really in stark contrast really shows how directly the networking impacts your job search success. Building that relationship and nurturing it and continuing the conversation from the initial meeting point is going to be critical for laying the groundwork in the future, not only just when you need to talk to them, but they may consider you and may come to you organically unsolicited even. That could be one way. Another thing that I see a lot people doing that are really good career managers is that they always see professional development as a center to their own development so that they can continue to learn and grow their skill sets. Employers are hiring subject matter experts. The more that you can gain job specific knowledge, it can be anything related to your particular job function, your industry, or management, anything in those realms, those are some things you should be adding one or two activities a couple of times a year so you show progressive job knowledge. If your employer doesn't pay for it this is absolutely an investment you need to make in yourself. It's not something you can say, “Well, throw up my hands. The boss won't pay for it. Oh well, I won't do it.” Really? You can't do that. Mac Prichard: Yeah, I think that's- Dawn Rasmussen: You need to be able to invest in yourselves. Mac Prichard: That's an excellent point about investing into yourself. Just to back up and think about that, people who apply only on online job boards, and that's 2% success rate that you cited, to put that in perspective I think 8% of people apply to Ivy League Colleges get in, so you may have a better chance of getting into Harvard than to getting a job on an online job board. Dawn Rasmussen: Lots of pretty ... Oh I love a good statistic. I love that one. The other thing I was going to mention too is that getting involved, I mean, we're all pressed for time. It's really hard to try to carve out the volunteer experience, but by golly, that's another way to get familiar with other people and similar types of jobs, and you end up becoming a known quantity as you give back through either volunteer experience if you're on a committee or on a board. Those are all really important factors as well as far as the people are really successful. They're the ones who are constantly doing those types of things. I realize not everybody is this super type A person, but you don't have to be the leader of the committee. You can be involved in volunteering and be that background person too and that's okay. It's just, make yourself known because no one is going to just reach out directly to you and say, “I'm going to help you throughout the rest of your career.” That doesn't happen. Mac Prichard: Get away, step away from the desk, get out in the community, go to a professional association meeting, do informational interviews, and volunteer when and where you can. Dawn Rasmussen: There's some other simple things too that, if I could just interject, that if you go to a conference, write a recap of some of the biggest things, your biggest takeaways and share it with your office. Your boss sees the value, and them sending you to the office and you help enhance the knowledge of your colleagues, that's a great way to really help show value to the organization too. There's a lot of things you can be doing all at once. It doesn't mean that you'd have to enact thus immediately when you start looking for a job. If you're constantly doing it, it's adding to that momentum, that river I was talking about. Mac Prichard: We're coming to the end of our time together. I want to hit any of the remaining points that you'd like to address. But one thing I'd like to bring up is when I talk to job seekers I think many people get this, they understand they need to think about their career over the long term, they need to think about how to manage it, and they need to get out into the community. One of the biggest barriers that they share with me that they face is fear. They're not sure how to do it. They're worried about rejection. Tell us about examples that you've seen of people who have overcome fear and how they do it? Dawn Rasmussen: I think a lot of it, there could be the fear of rejection and the salary discussion. I think why people have a lot of trepidation about that particular discussion in particular are because you're finally putting a number on what you're worth, what you think your value is. By spending some time and doing some research and really looking at the numbers you should start to feel very comfortable based on what you know your contributions are. That should really help you justify what your salary requirements are. Part of that is making a business case. The business case comes from keeping track of your accomplishments. The more you can quantify results and show benefits to employers that means that you have demonstrable valuable value to the company, and if you can back it up then no one is going to question your numbers, they're going to say, “Okay, I really see how important this person is,” and be willing and able to talk about it. That's thinking about it and owning it really. Mac Prichard: Those are great negotiating strategies. When you think about career management in general Dawn and people who are uncertain about how to begin and get stock, how have you seen people overcome that? Dawn Rasmussen: I think that they realize at some point that they need help and they reach out to maybe career coaches or writers or talk to mentors or talk to their trusted confidants. Everybody goes through a period of fear I think in their career management at least once or twice. I don't know if you have Mac, but I know I have. Mac Prichard: Oh no, I certainly have. I've been stuck myself. Dawn Rasmussen: You have to swallow the fear because ultimately, like I said before, there is no job security, you really have to be your own advocate, so understanding and gravitating into that mindset will help you realize that no one is going to do it but you. Mac Prichard: I too have gotten stuck several times in my career. I've gone through two long periods of unemployment. What helped me overcome that fear and those obstacles was to get out and talk to people through informational interviews and follow many of the strategies that you've laid out, volunteering and networking. Dawn Rasmussen: Exactly. Mac Prichard: Tell our listeners how they can find you online and learn more about your book and your company. Dawn Rasmussen: My web address is www.pathfindercareers.com. I've got all kinds of social media links. I'm on Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn, so you're more than welcome to connect me there. It's pretty easy find. Mac Prichard: Thank you Dawn. Joining us today has been Dawn Rasmussen, president of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services. Thank you for being on Find Your Dream Job, Dawn. Dawn Rasmussen: Thanks for having me. Mac Prichard: Joining me in the studio today are Ben Forstag, managing director of Mac's List, and Cecilia Bianco, our community manager at Mac's List. How are you two doing today? Cecilia Bianco: Good Mac. Ben Forstag: I'm great. Mac Prichard: Good. It's a pleasure to have you here. Every week Ben scours the internet looking for blogs, podcasts, and other tools you can use in your job search, and Cecilia is listening to you our listeners and she joins us to answer your questions. Ben, let's start with you. What do you have for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac this week Dan Rasmussen talked about all career management. That is essentially preparing yourself for the uncontrollable changes in your work life. This is a great thing to master because as we all know the only constant into this world is change. What do you guys feel about change? Mac Prichard: I have two minds about it. I certainly enjoyed the opportunities that changing jobs has brought, especially the chance to learn new skills. But I have to also share with our listeners it's scary going into a new office, and learning the ways of a new boss, and mastering new responsibilities. Cecilia Bianco: I agree with Mac. I think change can be both refreshing and difficult, but I think that it's good to adapt to change and to keep learning how to better deal with it throughout your career so it's a good learned skill to have. Ben Forstag: Yeah, I think most people struggle with change at some point in their life, and I do think it is a skill that you can learn. My suggested resource this week is a book that provides some perspective on how to successfully navigate change, whether that change happens in your work or your private life. The book is called "Who moved my cheese" by Dr. Spencer Johnson. This is a best seller back in the late 90s. Have either of you heard of it? Cecilia Bianco: I haven't actually. I missed this one. Mac Prichard: I do remember this book Ben. In 1999 I was the Y2K communications manager for the Oregon Department of Human Services. My boss at the time, a terrific fellow, Dan Postrel, had a copy on his desk. He was a big fan of it. Ben Forstag: This book was everywhere in the late 90s. I remember when I was training to become a YMCA camp counselor they actually gave us a copy to help us with that job. This is a fast and easy read. But I think it contains a lot of good takeaways. The book is a parable about mice and very tiny people trapped inside a maze looking for cheese. When the usual source of their cheese disappears the characters responded different ways. The mice, who are evidently moreresourceful than the humans, were already prepared for change and quickly move on to find other sources of cheese. The humans in the meantime are paralyzed by the question of who moved our cheese. Resistance to change and fear of the unknown prevent them from adapting to new realities and ultimately keep them from what they want. Cheese of course is just a metaphor for anything that you're searching for or anything that you want. It could be happiness or career contentment or new a job. When the book was really popular and the business world was using it as a training tool cheese was often representative of higher profits and increased sufficiency. The author doesn't ever say that. He never really says what cheese is at all. It's up for the reader to decide and really there's no answer or wrong answer. It's whatever you think or want. The book can't tell you what's important to you obviously, but it can provide some perspective on how to navigate a constantly changing world to help you find your own personal cheese. I recently reread the book after almost 20 years and I got a lot of value from it. Folks who are going through the uncertainty of a job change or a career change will definitely find some good lessons as well. Check out "Who moved my cheese," by Spencer Johnson. You can find it on Amazon or any major bookstore. We'll provide a link to it in the show notes for this podcast. Cecilia, since you haven't read it, this is your homework for the next week. Cecilia Bianco: Okay Ben, I will get on that. Mac Prichard: Thanks Ben. Again, if you have a recourse that you'd like to share with our listeners please write Ben. His email address is [email protected]. He is standing by his computer right now, waiting to hear from you. While he's doing that, hitting the refresh button constantly on his email. Let's move to Cecilia. Cecilia, what are you hearing from our listeners this week? Cecilia Bianco: Thanks Mac. This week our question is: How I can transition from the for-profit to the nonprofit sector? As you know we get this question at every event. It's a common question from our readers. We actually had it at our most recent spring panel. It was our first event at University of Portland. I'm sure Mac remembers this. Mac Prichard: It's a wonderful venue up there and a beautiful campus. Cecilia Bianco: Ben, I remember you were in the crowd as a guest and you actually asked our panelists a question. You got on the mike. I remember that. Ben Forstag: I'm sorry that you do remember that. But yes, this was before I worked at Mac's List, back when I was back in nonprofit management. Cecilia Bianco: I bring this up because one of our panelists actually asked this specific question, how to transition from the for-profit to the nonprofit. She had a really interesting answer that stuck with me. She was the HR consultant for Oregon Health and Sciences University Foundation and she said that she has found for-profit backgrounds to actually be more valuable in some cases to a nonprofit. She said that they bring some skills that nonprofit professionals sometimes don't have from their work in the industry. That really stuck with me because we don't hear it a lot and we hear people in the for-profit industry nervous and thinking they can't transition because they don't have what nonprofits are looking for. One of the most important things that I got from that it's a transition you can make but you have to focus on framing your application to meet what the nonprofit is looking for. As Dawn mentioned earlier one of the most important things to do is to focus on your transferable skills and how can you apply your for-profit experience to show how it will contribute to a nonprofit success and the needs that they have. I think that's one of the most important ways to start your transition. What about you Mac because I know you get this all the time too? Mac Prichard: I agree. Highlighting your transferable skills is a very smart thing to do. The other lesson I draw from that story that you're sharing with us Cecilia is the importance of going to the source. If you have an objection in your mind about finding a job in a sector, or organization, or company, get out there and talk to people in that sector or in that organization and in that company and ask about the concern. This [inaudible 00:26:02] you, we’re hearing from the source, a human resources director at a foundation who says she's eager to hear from people in the private sector and that the trick is to highlight your transferable skills. Ben Forstag: Yeah, I'd agree with that Mac. I think the good news here is that there's a lot of new pressures on the nonprofits sector to compete for limited resources, and a lot of nonprofits are bringing in new practices that they've gotten from the for- profit world so folks who have experience in sales or business analytics or statistics there's a lot of new opportunities for folks like that in the nonprofit world. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I definitely agree Ben. I think I would add that another important thing for people to do is to get on the community and network and volunteer and get to hear the things that they're not getting in their for-profit background so that they can know what's going on in the nonprofit world and get connected to the important people and learn the important keywords. I actually just spoke with a reader recently. He took the advice that we're always telling people. He was coming from the public sector to the nonprofit industry and what he did was he made it a big part of his life to get out in the community and network. This helped him learn the skills that he needed to work on that he was lacking. Because everyone in the nonprofit community when you get out there, they want to help you and they'll give you the information you need, so you just need to put yourself out there which is exactly what he did, and be on networking. He also volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. This gave him some really great connections and he ended up learning the skills he needed to work in a nonprofit and he actually recently landed a job. You'll see him featured on our blog shortly. I'm sure Mac will look forward to that. He loves hearing our reader stories. Mac Prichard: I do enjoy those stories. If you have one in addition to a question but you want to share your own story about finding a job again Cecilia's address is [email protected]. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac's List Guides, publisher of our new book "Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." Now the Mac's List Guides give you the tools you need to get the job you want. We show you how to crack the hidden job market, stand out in a competitive field, and how to manage your career. In each of the books’ eight chapters experts share job hunting secrets like how to hear about positions that are never posted and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. You can download the first chapter of the book for free. Just visit macslist.org/macslistguides. Thank you for listening. We'll be back next week with more tools and tips you can use to find your dream job. In the meantime visit us at macslist.org where you can sign up for our free newsletter with more than 100 new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show you can help us by leaving a review, a comment, and a rating at iTunes. Thanks for listening.

Employers hire candidates that they know and those who are recommended to them by people that they trust. That's why networking is so important: it gets you face-time with fellow professionals and kickstarts relationships that get you known in the community. When you're looking for a job, one of the best things you can do is conduct informational interviews with professionals in your desired field. But how do you find the right people with whom to meet? And what are the takeaways you can expect from these meetings In this episode of Find Your Dream Job Mac talks with Nathan Perez, an executive recruiter and writer who has mastered the art of networking. According to Huffington Post, Nathan is one of the most connected people on LinkedIn, with 30,000 professional contacts. He is also the author of The 20-Minute Networking Meeting, a primer on how to conduct successful informational interviews.    In this 36-minute episode you will learn: How to structure a short but effective networking meeting How to make a good impression in an informational interview How to build and leverage your network The one thing you should never do in a networking meeting This week's guest: Nathan Perez (@NathanAPerez) Principal, 20 Minute Communications Author of The 20 Minute Networking Meeting Minneapolis, Minn.   Listener question of the week: What do I do when a professional connection "ghosts" (disappears) on me? Do you have a question you'd like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac's List Community Manager at [email protected]. Resources referenced on this week's show: The 20-Minute Networking Meeting (Executive Edition) The 20-Minute Networking Meeting (Graduate Edition) Young Nonprofit Professionals Network Network After Work Ignite Conferences Eventbrite Meetup.com Find Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond): The Complete Mac’s List Guide If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you'd like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac's List Managing Director, at [email protected]. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Learn more about Mac's List at www.macslist.org. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.    Full Transcript: Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I’m Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac’s List. Our show is brought to you by Mac’s List, you best online source for rewarding, creative and meaningful work. Visit macslist.org to learn more. You’ll find hundreds of great jobs, a blog with practical career advice and our new book, “Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond.” Welcome to our podcast, Find Your Dream Job. Every week, we bring you the career tools and tips you need to get the job you want.Joining me are Ben Forstag, managing director of Mac’s List and Cecilia Bianco, community manager of Mac’s List. Ben, Cecilia, how are you? Cecilia Bianco: Good, Mac. How are you? Mac Prichard: Doing great; Ben? Ben Forstag: I’m having a great week. Mac Prichard: Good. Every week we bring Ben and Cecilia to you, our audience, so that they can share with you resources and answer your questions. Let’s start with Ben. He spends his week among other things, looking in the nooks and crannies of the internet for blogs, podcasts and other tools you can use in your job search. Ben, what do you have for us this week? Ben Forstag: Mac, this week I bring you more than one resource. Mac Prichard: You’re rocking my world here. Ben Forstag: I know. I’m going to start collecting overtime soon. I’m bringing you 5 resources and these are my own top 5, can’t miss professional networking opportunities. We sell an e-book on the Mac’s List website. That e-book contains a list of 100 networking opportunities. I’m not going to do all 100. That would take forever and it would cost you a whole lot of money in overtime, Mac. These are my own personal top 5. These are opportunities to get face-to-face with people in your community and folks who work in the sectors where you want to work. They are opportunities to expand your network within your field of interest and build relationships that can help you land a future job and/or advance your career. As you know, the one tip we give all job seekers in one word is? Cecilia Bianco: Networking. Ben Forstag: That’s right, Cecilia. We’ll start with #5. Number 5 is the young nonprofit professional’s network, YNPN. This is an organization I’m sure you guys have heard of. They’re very active here in Portland. They have a great event every month. I’ve been to some of their events on the east side, but as you say, they’re a national organization. They are dedicated to training emerging leaders to become active social change-makers. They have 42 chapters in cities around the country so if you’re not here in Portland, I’m sure there’s a YNPN chapter somewhere near you. They have regular networking educational events. It’s a great group of folks and you don’t necessarily need to be in a nonprofit to be a part of this organization. The other key thing with this is membership in YNPN is actually free. You have to pay for some events, but you can be a member and get a lot of their resources for free. You can learn more at YNPN.org. Mac Prichard: Coincidentally, Ben, I was on vacation last week visiting family in Iowa and of course, I met somebody for lunch on my vacation. We were standing in line in a coffee shop and he introduced me to the president of the YNPN chapter in Rock Island, Illinois. Ben Forstag: That is synergy right there, Mac! Number 4 is Network After Work. Have you guys heard of this one? Cecilia Bianco: I have heard of this one. I haven’t attended, though. Mac Prichard: This is a new one to me. Ben Forstag: Okay, so Network After Work is actually a nationwide organization and they host networking events for professionals to attend. They have 50 chapters in cities all around the country. They said last year that they had 1 million people participate in their events. These are typically informal networking mixers held in a local restaurant, a bar or other social venue. They tend to be pretty trendy places where they host these events. They’re paid events, but they’re generally less than 20 dollars. A great way just to meet folks in your community, meet folks, other working professionals and so forth. You can learn more about them at networkafterwork.com. Number 3... this is one of my personal favorites: Ignite conferences. Cecilia, you ever heard of Ignite? Cecilia Bianco: I haven’t, no. Mac Prichard: I’m actually familiar, Ben, with the Ignite presentation. I’ve been to conferences where, I think the custom is you have 5 minutes and 20 seconds a slide and if you get out of sequence with your slide, you have to catch up frantically. Ben Forstag: Yeah. These are essentially TED type of presentations. They tend to be a little bit more accessible, though, and much more affordable. They’re usually only 2-hour long events. The general deal with them is that presenters share their personal passions using 20 slides at auto advance every 15 seconds, for a total of just 5 minutes. I’ve gone to several of these events, both in D.C. and in Portland and they are fantastic. You hear all kinds of cool things. It’ll be a presentation about healthcare right next to a presentation about beekeeping. The important thing is you meet really interesting people there and make great professional connections that you can leverage later on. They have events all around the country and indeed, all around the world. Here in Portland, they’re on the 13th iteration of this. You can find local events at igniteshow.com. Number 2 is EventBrite. EventBrite is not an organizer of events per se, but it’s a technology platform that a lot of organizations use to manage their events. In fact, Mac’s List uses EventBrite to manage our own events. The nice thing with EventBrite is if you go there, you can actually search all the events that people have put on using that technology according to location, subject matter, number of people participating, all this stuff and you can find out a lot of events that you might not have ever heard of anywhere else. I definitely suggest people check that out. That’s at eventbrite.com. Mac Prichard: One of the things I like about EventBrite is once you register, you sign up to attend an event, there’s a record of all the events you’ve attended in the past so if you’re trying to get in touch with an organization or look for contact information or recall an event where you might have met someone, it’s there in your EventBrite account. Ben Forstag: Yeah, that’s definitely nice. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. It’s also a really great tool if you’re going to host an event. It’s one of the best tools out there. We always use it and it’s super helpful. It lets you share the guest list with people and it’s a great tool. Mac Prichard: For a time, we used eVite and then we moved to EventBrite. Why did you make that choice? Cecilia Bianco: I think just because EventBrite has so many more options. It’s more searchable and more people are able to find our event and it’s easier to manage the guest list. It’s just a better tool. Mac Prichard: Good tips. Ben Forstag: Great, so it works both for folks who are organizing events and people who are looking to network through events. My #1 networking tool, this is my personal favorite. It’s an oldie, but goodie. It’s Meetup.com. I know everyone here has heard of Meetup.com. Mac Prichard: Yeah. I’m ancient enough that as you both know, I worked for elected officials on political campaigns and I remember when Meetup.com was defined by the Howard Dean campaign in 2003. That’s how they first came to prominence. Howard Dean has certainly faded from the political scene, but Meetup.com not only endures, but it’s gotten bigger and much, much better. Ben Forstag: Yeah and in fact, Meetup has become a noun in and of itself. "We’re going to a meetup." The site has been around for a long time and it provides hyper-targeted local groups based around personal or professional interests. Literally, whatever your interest is, I’m sure there’s other folks in your neighborhood and your community who want to meet up and talk about that. I did a quick search of the Portland groups. There’s plenty of professional groups that meet through Meetup. If you’re a techie, there’s just about any kind of programming language, there’s a Meetup group. If you’re a vampire, there’s a Meetup group for you here in Portland and you can find other vampires. Participation varies city-by-city, I understand. In Portland, it is a very active network; other cities, not so much. You can learn more about Meetups at Meetup.com. Mac Prichard: I know many of our listeners are in the nonprofit world or want to work with nonprofits and one of the Meetup groups that you can find nationally, including here in Portland, is Tech 4 Good. I’m familiar with the Portland event. It is organized by the staff of the National Technology Education Network, NTEN, which is a terrific national group. It is a wonderful place for meeting people who are interested in technology, social change and nonprofits. Ben Forstag: The nice thing about that group is you don’t need to be a techie to get it. A lot of what they do is educating lay people like me and you in how to use this technology for good. Mac Prichard: Well, thank you, Ben. That was a wonderful list. Do you have a suggestion for Ben? You can write him. His email address is Ben at macslist.org. We encourage you to reach out to Ben and he may share your idea on a future show. Let’s move on. It’s time to hear from you, our listeners. Every week, Cecilia goes through her mail bag or her inbox these days and pulls out a question from our listeners. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: This week, a reader wrote in and asked what should I do when someone promises to help me at a networking event and then ghosts me? I have to admit, I had to Google what ghosting was. I wasn’t quite clear. Have you guys heard this term before? Ben Forstag: I have. Mac Prichard: I have, as well. I first became aware of it; I saw it in the New York Times earlier this year. It had a celebrity angle. Apparently, when Charlize Theron broke up with Sean Penn, she according to the Times ghosted him, which meant cutting him off on all of her social media channels and not responding to his texts and phone calls. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, it makes sense. Ben Forstag: Mac, I’m glad to hear that you stay up-to-date on the celebrity news! Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, so ghosting is exactly what it sounds like. It’s when you poof, disappear and you promise something and then you don’t follow through. Maybe you’re ignoring the person. In this case, a job seeker went to an event and was promised help in her job search and then never heard back from the person. I know this has happened to me before and I’ve also been guilty of the other end which I feel bad about, so I know that it’s important to follow up at least twice when this happens to you. I had a student reach out to me through email asking for help. Obviously, I wanted to help her, but we’re busy as professionals. I’ll flag the email and then think I’ll get to it later and forget, so sending a follow-up email is definitely appropriate and sending at least 2 is great. What do you think, Mac? Mac Prichard: I think that’s absolutely right. I think sometimes and I’ve been in this position, too, where I’ve reached out to someone, I haven’t heard and I interpret their silence as rejection. What I’ve learned is by making a 2nd or even a 3rd attempt, I usually get a response, almost always, actually. I know as a job seeker, it’s hard to make that 2nd attempt or even the 3rd, but I think people will be pleasantly surprised by the result. It’s as you say, people get busy and I certainly have been guilty of it, too. I try very hard to get back to everyone in as timely a manner as I can, but sometimes, things fall through the cracks. A reminder is always welcome. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, definitely, and I always suggest waiting 4-5 days before sending a 2nd follow-up just so you can give them a chance. If they have it saved in their inbox, they might respond, they’re just busy, so waiting a few days, see if they follow up and then follow up again. I think probably after 3, it’s time to let it go. What do you guys think? Ben Forstag: I think that’s probably good advice. Mac Prichard: Yeah. One thing I do on my 3rd message, I just do a very brief and I’ll just say, “I don’t want to be a pest, I’ll just wait to hear from you.” I almost always hear back. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I have responded to this reader and she followed up with me and asked if it matters how she follow up with a person. If they’ve only communicate through email, is it a bad idea to follow up with a phone call? I thought it was a great question because you can definitely get someone’s attention quicker with a phone call, but I was more inclined to tell her it’s a bad idea just because you might not want to put them on the spot by calling when you communicate usually through email. I think it’s better to stick with the mode of communication you’ve used with this person in the past, but what do you think? I know a phone call obviously gets their attention quicker. Ben Forstag: I think you’re right. I think a phone call is more likely to upset someone or put someone on the spot and a job seeker really has very little to gain from upsetting a professional reference or a contact. If they don’t want to speak to you for whatever reason, that’s unfortunate, but you should move on and if you’ve emailed them 3 times, I think that’s sufficient effort to reach out to them. Cecilia Bianco: I agree. Overall, follow up 3 times and no more than that, then let it go, but don’t take it personally because you never know why someone is not responding. Don’t feel bad about yourself and go out and meet new people and get help in another way. Mac Prichard: That’s great advice. Thank you, Cecilia, and thank you for that question. If you have a question for Cecilia, you can email her. Her email address is [email protected]. These segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the Mac’s List Guides, publisher of our new book, “Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond.” The Mac’s List Guides give you the tools you need to get the job you want. We show you how to crack the hidden job market, stand out in a competitive field and how you can manage your career. In each of the book’s 8 chapters, experts share job hunting secrets like how to hear about positions that are never posted and what you can do to interview and negotiate like a pro. You can download the 1st chapter of the book for free, just visit macslist.org/macslistguides. Now it’s time to talk to our expert. Let’s turn to our guest this week. It’s Nathan Perez who is the co-author of the acclaimed job searching networking books, “The 20-minute Networking Meeting,” Executive and Graduate Editions. Nathan is an executive recruitment professional and he’s responsible for finding qualified candidates for search engagements and he also speaks and holds workshops nationally on the topics of job search, networking and relationship building for business. Nathan, thank you for joining us. Nathan Perez: Thank you, too. Mac Prichard: Okay. In preparing for our conversation today, I did my homework and I have to say I’m in awe because in looking at your LinkedIn profile, I see that you are one of the 10 most-connected people on the planet on LinkedIn. How did you make that happen? Nathan Perez: Part of the nature of my work is to make sure that I have an expanded network. My role in executive search is actually the 1st step of an executive search process. When companies come to us to hire, they hire us to find new executive leadership for their company. My job responsibility is to devise a strategy as to where and how to find qualified candidates. LinkedIn is one of my tools, one of my primary tools and it’s in my best interest to have a wide network because LinkedIn works on the premise of 3 degrees of separation. That means the more people that I know, the further reach I have globally. It was a matter of reaching out. Once I started reaching out, networks started to expand. People began to find me through the same network. The people that I was connecting to, right, that 1st degree, eventually got to 2nd degree and that’s your extended network. That extended network started to come to me, as well and then the numbers started to double. Mac Prichard: Let’s talk about networking. It’s a word that people who are looking for work always hear, “You’ve got to network, you’ve got to network” and one of the pieces of advice that we give job seekers and I know you do, as well, is reach out to others for networking or informational interviews. Nathan Perez: Right. Mac Prichard: Let’s just drill down on the basics here. What is a networking meeting or an informational interview, Nathan? Nathan Perez: A networking meeting or even an informational interview, sometimes there’s a fine line, but there’s a distinct difference. A networking meeting is all about sitting down with an individual to obtain information. I think lots of times, just the word networking itself brings with it a negative connotation and people liken it to name dropping or that glad-handing, greasy activity, this thing that no one really wants to do so they avoid it. Really, what it is, is just the exchange of information. Mac Prichard: One of the most provocative things that you say, I think, is that you can have a 20-minute meeting with someone and walk away with information and contacts and tips that will help people with their job search. Tell us, how do you do that? Let’s back up. How do you arrange a meeting like that, what do you ask for and what do you do when you walk in the door? Nathan Perez: Often times, as far as networking requests go, time is the deciding factor as to whether or not someone is going to accept the networking request. Even if let’s say, up front you were hoping to request a networking meeting via email, even by phone, because time is the deciding factor, making it brief and succinct is what’s key. As far as the information contained within 20 minutes, what you’re really doing is truncating a process that already exists. For example, if you and I were to sit down for a few minutes and I were just to ask you this one question, “Do you think I should go find another job?” There’s going to be a whole host of questions that come back to me. What do you mean, Nathan? Do you mean should you go find one now, should you go find one later, in your same line of work, a whole different industry change, whatever it may be. What you’re doing is you’re taking all of that information and you’re packaging it into something that’s much smaller and you’re presenting it up front. You’re, therefore, giving that person, your networking contact, context as to what your background is, where you are right at this moment and then you ask a set of questions that are thought provoking. This is homework that you do, these questions that you ultimately ask your contact to further your knowledge. You’re tapping into their expertise and their knowledge to further your own to inform your own job search. Mac Prichard: Like you, I get a lot of requests for people who want networking meetings and I’m always impressed by the people who can come in and do 3 things in 20-30 minutes. For me, a successful meeting is one where someone introduces themselves and shares their story. That’s the first thing they get done. The second is to your point, they ask questions, not big broad questions, but strategic ones about their career goals or their opportunities in the industry and the third thing I see people do really well is ask for contacts. Nathan Perez: I had mentioned that time is a deciding factor. What one should avoid is misusing that time. Mind you, it’s misusing that other person’s time and your own, as well. Going in unprepared, not knowing who your networking contact is, in fact not knowing who their company, what their company does and what their company mission may be because knowing something about that person’s company should tell you quite a bit about that person, as well. Going in unprepared and going in without an agenda or structured use of time is probably the biggest mistake you can make. That’s often times and for anybody who’s listening and Mac, I’m sure you would agree with this; often times, when we accept a networking meeting and it goes longer than we anticipated or than we thought or longer than that person promised, it makes us a little more wary to do it again. If you think about time, if I were to maybe put into perspective of what time looks like, just 1 hour which a lot of folks believe should be the length of a networking meeting; 1 hour adds up very quickly. For instance, if you have small children or if you have younger siblings, you know that there’s not enough hours in a day to take care of small kids. If you were to think of it from a monetary standpoint; if you’re a consultant who charges 150 dollars an hour, for instance, and someone is asking you for a networking meeting and you say yes to that request, that’s a 150-dollar gift of time. If you think about what that looks like over 1 week, 2 weeks, over the course of a month, how many times do you give away a 150-dollar gift? I would say the biggest of them all is probably the misuse of time. Mac Prichard: Yeah, that’s a good point. I also want to second a point you made a moment ago about having a clear ask for the meeting. I, as you know, have worked in government and public policy and politics, and have done a lot of government relations work. There is an old lobbyist I knew in D.C. who said the definition of a failed meeting was one where there was no clear ask and then when people got up at the end of the appointment, there was no homework for the other party. I think again to your point, having that ask and being clear about what you want to get from the meeting is crucial. Nathan Perez: I would agree. Mac Prichard: When you see people who are just superstars at networking and informational interviews, what do they do that makes them stand out, Nathan? What kind of examples come to mind? I know you’ve talked to hundreds, I’m sure thousands of people over the years. Nathan Perez: Right. There’s a handful of things. I think one of the primaries is listening, really engaged in the conversation. Staying present is really key because we all know, we can sense and we can also see when someone is not engaged in the conversation. Listening is one of them. Also, staying engaged and staying present also allows you to keep track of time. We all know innately how much time has passed to some extent or another. Sure, maybe it’s within a few minutes, but we get that, combined with knowing what we want to go in and talk about and being able to present that in a way that’s very clear, concise and simple. The longer time that we take with a networking contact and the more information that we drop on that contact, the more difficult it is for that person to keep track of everything and to keep you in context. By being succinct and brief, we manage to put our own experiences or whatever it is that we want to talk about, that clear ask, into context and into perspective in just a small time frame. That allows for a really powerful and informing conversation. Mac Prichard: So have a clear ask, be succinct, do your homework, look at the web site, other resources before you walk in the door. What are some other tips you have for people that you’ve seen other job seekers and career professionals use to stand out? Nathan Perez: The people that have had the most successful networking meetings with me in particular are those who are informed, not of just my background, but their own. When they ask the questions, they’re asking at a deeper level than something that’s more obvious. For instance, I’m going to take the legal profession as an example. Right now, the landscape of the hiring side of the legal profession and the legal profession itself is changing. Smaller companies are being taken by bigger ones and what that means is that the people who are in the smaller ones either get pushed out or they get enveloped into this big thing, this sort of monstrous machine. If you are an aspiring legal aid or attorney and you were to learn about how this information is working, you can come into a networking meeting and ask very informed questions that gives you a further insight into the hiring practice or the industry itself. That in turn could do a handful of things, one of which is completely change the course of your job search or whatever your networking efforts may be. You may learn something that makes you think twice about what you’re doing, whether it’s for the better or whether it’s just a change in tracks. All that information is good. It’s people who come in really informed with the topic that they’re going to talk about. Mac Prichard: Often when I talk to people about their goals, sometimes people say to me, well, I don’t want to close out my options. I want to be open to everything. I think as we both know, the challenge there is that if you’re open to everything, it’s hard to pursue something and there are just too many doors that are open. As we talk, I know our listeners are thinking about the challenges of and doing networking meetings like this. Let me rattle off a couple that I often hear and I expect you do and get your advice about how to overcome them. What do you say, Nathan, to people who say gosh, I just don’t have any contacts? Nathan Perez: That’s something that I hear all the time. The fact of the matter is, is that we know a lot more people than what we think we do. We just perceive them as they belong in a different bucket. These are my friends, these are my family and these are my neighbors over here. If you take away those titles, they are people that you know. A personal and professional network is comprised of people that we know. If you ever meet someone through one of the people that you know, that person becomes an extended part of your network. I often say when I give presentations and sometimes I get pushback here, I say that it’s not just the people that you know or even the people that you meet through them. Every single person that you have ever met and I’ll explain this in a second; every single person that you have ever met is actually an extended part of your network. That might be dormant, but the moment that you reach out to someone who you’ve only met once and you ask them for help, you bring to life an extended part of your network, but again, not just that person, but any person that you might meet through them. If I were to put this in a really clear perspective, it’s imagine that you don’t know a single soul on Earth but that one person, but imagine that person knows 50 people. Immediately, you have multiplied your network by 51 people. If each one of those people know 50 people, you can see how quickly your network actually adds up to people that you do know and you can also see how quickly you can obtain any kind of information to achieve your networking goals that you can really imagine. Mac Prichard: What is the one thing that you should never do in a networking meeting, Nathan? Nathan Perez: You should never take, take, take. Networking is all about reciprocity. It’s back and forth. It is really not unlike, let’s say when you do a Google search and you send out the query, it sends it down the network. The answer comes back from the servers along the network and there you have it. There’s always give and take. Impressions are everything out there. Perceptions, if perception really matters, they’re real and what you want is to make sure you are giving the sense that you are someone who cares and who is willing to help in return. As I mentioned earlier, time is a gift and when we take it without giving back, that’s not something that’s really forgotten in the long run. Mac Prichard: Finally, what should you do after a networking meeting? What action should they take? Nathan Perez: Keep your network alive by following up. You always want to thank someone for their time. Even though you may have thanked them up front during the email when they accepted the request and even though you had the presence of mind to say thank you again when you were in person when you sat down with them, but after the meeting you want to follow up with them, thanking them again. More importantly, well just as importantly is what I should say, you should follow up with the person who introduced you to that person if in fact, you were introduced to that person through someone else. Mac Prichard: You have a new book coming out. Tell us about it. Nathan Perez: It’s going to be the professional edition. There’s the executive edition of the 20-Minute Networking Meeting and then earlier this year there was the publication of the graduate edition. Anybody who has returned to school or who is coming out of school and knows that they need to network for a job, that’s that book. This one is going to be the professional edition that is every one in between; if you’re not an executive, if you’re not a graduate, it is everyone in between. Over the years, I’ve had quite a few different jobs. That’s everything from a lifeguard to a professional, I have 20 years as a professional actor and writer and I worked on Wall Street at one point. This is going to address all of those people who are not in one of those other 2 categories. Mac Prichard: Nathan, where can people find you online and learn more about you, the books and the services you offer? Nathan Perez: At 20-minute Communications, which can be found at www.20mnm.com. Mac Prichard: Great. Thank you so much for joining us. It’s been a pleasure having you on the show. Nathan Perez: Thank you, too. Mac Prichard: We’re back with Ben and Cecilia. What did you two think of what Nathan had to share with us today? Cecilia Bianco: I thought he had some great tips and I think his most important tip was to be clear and succinct. I know I get some emails that are super long with detailed backgrounds of people just sharing what they’ve been doing and what they want from me. I’d rather just get a 20-minute hey I want to talk about this, can you meet for coffee sometime next week? I think his tips on that were really great. Mac Prichard: I’m a big fan of brevity and I always like the emails that say I’d like 20-30 minutes of your time to talk about A, B and C. I especially like the emails, I know I have to admit I’m a bit detailed about this, that say I could meet with you on these times on these dates, but let me know what might work for you. How about you, Ben? What did you think? Ben Forstag: I thought the most important thing he said was about the size of your network and that your network is bigger than “your professional network.” This really resonates with me because when I think about the network that I’ve leveraged the most in my job search and in my professional life, it’s actually not my professional contacts, it’s the contacts I made when I was working at a summer camp. Those people who I had a real close relationship with, they’re all around the country, all around the world now and they’re all involved in a variety of industries. I’ve been able to use those relationships in a bunch of different positive ways, both professionally and personally. Mac Prichard: I’d agree with that, as well. I recently was trying to identify how I might get in to see someone at a national nonprofit communications director and I discovered that one of my neighbors that actually worked at that organization and not only knew this communications director, but she had gone to high school with this person in Maryland. It was a completely unexpected connection because my neighbor and I knew each other through walking dogs and seeing each other at the block party, but we also had this other connection that didn’t come from LinkedIn or an informational interview. Ben Forstag: I think this brings up an interesting point which is when we start thinking about networks being this everyone you know component, it can sometimes feel daunting; you’re always on the clock or you’re always doing a job search. I think if you’re a novice at networking, it certainly would feel like that. I think the key is you have to make this informal networking and communication and relationship building something that’s just part of your life and something that you’re comfortable with so that it doesn’t feel like a job in and of itself; it’s just something that you do. Mac Prichard: Cecilia, I know you’ve learned a lot about networking in the 2 years you’ve been with Mac’s List. Do you have 1 or 2 pieces of advice for listeners who are just getting started? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. I think what Ben just brought up is important because I know just right graduating out of college, it’s hard to feel like you need to build your professional network and you don’t really know where to start. It’s important to start with friends, family and rely on your university’s network. That’s one of the best tools you can use when you first graduate and after for seasoned professionals when you look back. Those alumni LinkedIn groups are great and really, they never die. I’m still looking at mine all the time and it’s really active. Looking to friends and family is a really easy way to start so I suggest to anyone who is new to networking, start there because you’ll be more comfortable and it makes it all a lot easier. Mac Prichard: Great advice. Thank you, Cecilia. Thank you, Ben. Thank you, our listeners, for joining us. We’ll be back next week with more tools and tips to help you find that dream job. In the meantime, find us at macslist.org and you can sign up for our free newsletter there with more than 100 new jobs every week. If you like what you hear on our show, you can help us by leaving a review, a comment and a rating at iTunes. Thanks.