Seven Things Jobseekers Say That Drive Me Crazy

As a resume writer for the past 15+ years, I like to think that I've heard it all. Certainly, I've heard certain things over and over again from jobseekers that absolutely drive me crazy... and I've listed seven of them below.

1. I don't care what kind of job I get, I just need a job. In most cases, if you don't care what kind of job you get, the job you get isn't going to be the one you want ... or the one you are best suited for. If you're frustrated with the job search process and decide to look for a different type of job, you are giving up the momentum you've already built. Instead of starting over from scratch, is there one small change you could make that might make all the difference? After all, success is not a straight line.

2. "I had my (mom, sister, neighbor, teacher, best friend, second-cousin-twice-removed) look at the resume and they said..." Opinions are like resumes. Most everyone has one, and some are better than others. Something that works for one person's job search won't necessarily work for yours. You wouldn't ask Aunt Edna's advice on how your accountant did your tax return ... why would you take her advice on your resume? (And yes, that counts even if Cousin Ted is a recruiter. Unless he is the recruiter or hiring manager for the exact position you're applying for, the advice he's giving — while industry-specific — might be off target as well.) Your resume writer gets to know you and your specific circumstances and has created a resume that addresses the specific qualifications and challenges in YOUR job search.

3. If I'm on LinkedIn, everyone will know I'm looking for a new job. One of the primary reasons to be on LinkedIn is to make professional and career connections. But yes, if your profile springs up overnight and you suddenly add 200 connections, yep, it's a solid bet you're either in job search mode now, or shortly will be. Think of your involvement on LinkedIn as a marathon, not a sprint. As author Harvey Mackey says, "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty."



But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be on LinkedIn. In fact, there's no reason why you shouldn't be on LinkedIn right now, even if you're not looking for a job. Start digging your well now. (Check out my 8-day guide to getting started: "Leveraging LinkedIn For Your Job Search")

4. I know I just lost my job, but I'm going to take a break before I start looking again. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Even if you're getting severance and/or unemployment benefits, you need to start looking for your next job as soon as possible. The longer you are unemployed, the harder it is to find a job. And your network is much more likely to be responsive to requests for help when you're newly unemployed. Not to mention, if your job search takes longer than you think, you might run out of money. A better way to handle it is to find your next job, and then negotiate a starting date to take a short vacation to celebrate before you start the new job!

5. Related to #4: "I can't stand my job anymore. I'm going to quit." My mom's number one rule is: Never quit your job until you have a new one. The biggest reasons for this is: It's easier to get hired if you have a job. Like it or not, if you are not working, an employer has to take a bigger "chance" on you than if you're currently employed. So yeah, if you can't stand your job anymore, use that as motivation to ramp up your job search! Treat your job search as a full-time job (or at least a part-time job) and get cracking! But don't just quit. You're going to need the income to invest in your job search — new interview attire, a resume, maybe some interview or salary negotiation coaching. Which leads me to #6.

6. I can't afford to spend $XXX on my job search. There are certain things that you will need in your job search (like a professional email address, and the minimum qualifications for the job) ... and some things that will help you stand apart from everyone else applying for the position. Professional interview attire, for one thing. A professionally written resume is on that list too. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $10,000 on your resume. The cost varies greatly, although the national average is $508 for a resume and cover letter. It just depends on the writer ... and on the client. Will a professionally written resume get you the job? It's not a guarantee. But it can certainly make you a stronger candidate, and can provide you with the confidence to advance in a competitive search. You may need to cut back on some of your other expenses (cable, eating out, entertainment) in order to shift money to your job search.

7. "Can't you just do it for me?" I've had wives call for their husbands, and parents call for their children. Some resume writers don't mind that. I do. I want to know that the person who I'm working with is going to put in the effort. (Julie Walraven has an excellent blog post on this.) No one should be more motivated to work on your job search than you. Yes, you're hiring a professional resume writer to assist you, but that doesn't mean that it won't involve hard work -- and an investment in your time -- from you. You're the one who needs to think through your accomplishments. The resume writer will take it from there -- but he or she needs something to work from. So if the resume writer asks you to do homework assignments, take them seriously. The end product will be much more impressive if you invest the time in the process.

Help me add to this list. What are some of the other things that jobseekers say that drive you crazy as a resume writer? Post your comment below.

I Published My First Ebook...Now What??

Yesterday, I received an email from Kristin Johnson of Profession Direction announcing the publication of her first ebook, "Target Your Resume to Win Over Applicant Tracking Systems."

She gifted me with a copy of the ebook in appreciation for my support and encouragement of her efforts to get her first ebook published.

Although getting an ebook published seems like it is the "hardest" part of the process, the real work begins once you have the product ready to sell. Now you have to get people to buy it!

I sent Kristin this five-step outline for increasing sales of her first ebook, and wanted to share these tips with you too.

Step 1: Solicit customer reviews to add to your sales page! Select 10-12 people and ask them if they'd be willing to check out your new ebook and write a review! These testimonials (especially excerpts) can really boost sales once people get to your page.

Step 2: Send out a news release -- not targeted to selling the book itself, but highlighting your expertise in understanding the ATS in the job search (from your position as an AUTHOR!) This may lead to interview requests from radio/tv/print, which will lead people to search for (and buy!) your book ... but also get you visibility and credibility with potential new clients!

RESOURCE: Feed The Media: How to Get Free Publicity For Your Resume Business

Step 3: Let your current and past clients know about the book! (If you have an email list of your customers, this is easy to do. If you don't, it's time to start putting one together!) Get the word out to your "influencers" too -- folks who have referred to you in the past. (If they're someone who regularly sends business your way, gift them a complimentary copy of the ebook in appreciation for their referrals.)

Step 4: Spread the word on social media. This should include tweets, Facebook posts (both on your business page and personal page), adding the book to "Publications" in your LinkedIn profile (and writing a status update about it, with a link to the sales page).

Step 5: Repurpose the content! Offer a guest blog post and/or post an article on a major article directory site with a 200- to 500-word article on the topic (can be a direct excerpt or have your weblady take a section and write an article on it). In your resource box, link to your book sales page. (And then follow Step 4 to spread the word about the article.)

And, once you've completed those five steps, here is another blog post with even MORE ideas to increase sales of your ebook:
http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2012/12/ideas-to-increase-sales-of-your-ebook.html

And here are some additional resources to help you get your first ebook published:

• Shortcut to publishing your first ebook

• Special Report: Making Money Writing Ebooks

• Special Report: Sell Your First Information Product in 72 Hours

• Teleseminar: Using Content to Capture New Career Clients

Is Your Website Too Ugly to Get You Clients?

Ten years ago, I'd estimate that about half of resume writers didn't have a website. They were expensive to set up (most resume writers couldn't set them up themselves), and -- at the time, folks weren't as comfortable buying services online as they are now.

Today, if you don't have a website, you're a rarity among resume writers. But having a website isn't enough -- you must have a GREAT website. Your website is usually the place where prospective clients first learn about you and what you have to offer. The first impression you make is critical.

You probably realize this yourself from thinking about the websites you look at most often. The best websites are attractively designed but more important -- they are well organized. A prospective client can clearly identify what you do, who you serve, and how you can help. And, it succinctly communicates how they can begin working with you.

With today's technology, it's easier than ever to have a website ... but it's also easy to have an ineffective, and sometimes even UGLY website.

Yes, you can set up a website in 5 or 10 minutes, using a platform that gives you everything you need.

But that's not the end of the story. Think about a cupcake. You know what the finished product is supposed to look like — yummy and good smelling. But, just because someone sets out the ingredients doesn't guarantee that you will put them together in the right away to come up with a scrumptious cupcake. It could turn out to be a mess.

It's the same with your website. Just because you throw some parts and pieces together doesn't mean that the end result will be "yummy" for prospective visitors. It takes some thought — and planning — to create a website that will attract clients.

What are some characteristics of ugly websites?

• Not user-friendly. You've done the hard work of getting a prospective client to your website. Now, help them become a client by making your site easy to navigate, structured logically to address three main issues: who you are, how you can help, and how they can start working with you.
• Links that don't work. Test all of your buttons before you go live. But once the site is up, make sure the links keep working. There's nothing worse than broken links for driving a site visitor away.
• Poor color scheme. It is important that your content and images are easy to see and read. White text on a black background is hard to read. The same goes for lettering in yellow on a white background. Choose black on white for your content.
• Pop-ups. While one pop-up can be effective to offer a free special report to build your mailing list, but one should be your limit. If someone has to keep clicking to exit boxes all the time, the reader will be distracted and annoyed.

Take a look at your website. Are you guilty of any of these? Don't worry. It can be fixed.

Leverage The Power of Groups for Success as a Resume Writer

This is the fourth post in our four-part series on "Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer." You can read the previous posts on The Power of Effective Goal Setting, How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life, and If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning.

Today, I want to talk about leveraging the power of groups for self-improvement. Specifically, the role of accountability partners in helping us be successful. I'm very interested in MasterMind groups.

How to Make MasterMind Groups Work for You

A MasterMind group is a group of like-minded individuals who join together for the purpose of growth: business, personal, and/or professional. While the concept of a mastermind group is an old one — Ben Franklin belonged to a club for mutual improvement and Henry Ford and Thomas Edison established a supportive partnership — the term was coined in 1937 by Napoleon Hill in his book, "Think and Grow Rich."

Part of a mastermind group is setting up rules and procedures that work for the individuals within the group.  The groups generally work by meeting regularly and discussing goals, problems, and solutions.  Typically, groups met face-to-face but with today's busy world and the ease of online communication, many meet over the phone or via video conferencing software.  

There are numerous valuable benefits to joining a mastermind group:

• They provide the opportunity to be heard by safe and non-judgmental associates.  
• You are provided with helpful feedback before you take a course of action.  
• You are motivated by accountability when you establish goals with a group.  
• You are offered solutions to problems from objective and positive people who want you to succeed.  
• You are offered the opportunity to develop long lasting and meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals.  

The above is only possible if you are able to build a group of passionate, supportive, like-minded individuals. So how do you ensure that your mastermind group members are the right ones for you?  Often, you meet individuals in networking groups our other associations. If you feel a positive chemistry with these people, ask them about joining a mastermind group with you. Remember a group can be as small as two people. Ask potential members if they have a personal or business mission statement and see if it matches your own goals.  

Many groups find it helpful to have a meeting facilitator. This can be the same person each time, it can be outsourced, or members can rotate the responsibility. In each meeting, it is important that all members have the opportunity to share. It is also valuable if a set topic is established prior to the meeting that members bring information to share with the group relating to the topic, articles, and books, etc. 

For example, if the meeting's topic is goal setting for your resume writing business, then everyone would bring their own goals as well as materials that they found that offered information and solutions to the topic.

Make sure that all members are committed to meeting on a regular basis; if members often miss meetings, then it weakens the group as a whole. Make sure that members have a strong desire to meet or exceed their goals. Members also need to have a desire to share their experiences and support all members of the group. 

Members need to have a commitment to themselves to move forward in their business and personal life.  All members, including you, need to be open to the thoughts, comments, and honest feedback of fellow members. You need to let go of the fear of change and diversity. The strength of the group lies both in their similarities and their differences. Each person brings their own experiences and background to learn from.

Questions to ask if you are considering starting or joining a mastermind group:

• Do you wonder if you're making the right decisions?
• Do you want to grow your business or your career but you aren't sure how?
• Do you have business problems that are too big to solve alone?
• Do you wonder how other business professionals operate?
• Do you feel alone in your business and desire a sounding board?

If you answered yes to any of the above answers, then a MasterMind group may be exactly what you need. I am working on putting together a MasterMind group for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com. If you are interested in learning more, contact me.