You Lost Your Job, Now What?

I was reading and commenting on a post in one of my LinkedIn groups. It was about the emotional rollercoaster women go through when they lose their jobs. It is a very spirited discussion. I like that about Linkedin - all the different opinions. Anyway, one of the things I commented on is that many women (and men) just don't realize the free or low cost offerings that are out there in the real and cyber worlds.

I love giving job search training sessions but often as I am about to start training a new group, an uncomfortable thought passes through my mind. "What if they know this already and they made the trip here for nothing and won't learn anything valuable?" I am always surprised that regardless of organizational level or occupation, most people don't know where to start when writing a resume. Most people don't know what types of jobs they might be interested in and they don't know how to network or interview. Most surprising though is the fact most people are unaware of the resources available to them on the internet.

When I was displaced from my organization I was offered (and took advantage of) the use of the company sponsored career outplacement center. Here I was offered training in resume writing and interviewing and I could use the center as my “office” to find a new job. I also worked with an experienced career counselor to assess my career interests and craft my resume. Some displaced employees took advantage of this valuable offering but many did not. Why? I think that anger, shock, embarrassment, depression and other heart –wrenching emotions play a role in that. I also think that while some people do take advantage of outplacement offerings, many are not emotionally ready to actively participate.

My former organization offered this invaluable service but many do not and the displaced employees are left to figure it out on their own. Once a person is ready to move on, where do they begin? I have compiled a list of sources that I have found helpful.

1. Your state or county unemployment office. Make use of the training and make an appointment to talk to a career counselor. Many of the counselors have suggestions and brochures of some excellent state run or nationally-mandated programs. The government is offering all sorts of programs from returning to school to green jobs but you have to know where to look for them. Also, participate in the office’s support groups and volunteer on one of the many committee positions. Look at the Professional Service Groups that most unemployment offices have and attend the meetings. You will be able to network, attend free presentations on job search skills and perhaps add another skill to your resume.

2. Your public library. Many have been given grants to offer job search and computer skills training and most if not all, are free. Call up the Adult Services Librarian and ask what they have. They also offer a number of other interesting programs and this is another great place to network.

3. Your local community college. Again, free or low cost job search training or business advice. Also the government is offering Pell grants for some people to retrain or return to school and the college is up-to-date on the details.

4. Volunteer. Find an interest and get out there. While you are doing something that you enjoy, you can also network.

5. Professional Groups. Almost every profession has a group. Look for one in your area and join it. Usually the local chapters are much cheaper than the national chapters.

6. Social Networking. Create a complete LinkedIn profile and join some career interest groups. Get involved in conversations. Ask and answer questions.

7. About.com, Monster.com and other sites. Look up career advice and look at the templates designed for career- specific resumes and cover letters. There are also plenty of sites for the older job seeker.

8. On-line newspapers and magazines. Almost every day there is an article about job search. Some are full of depressing statistics but others offer great advice and even more resources.

9. Career Assessments. Type in “free career assessment” and you will find some helpful tools to help you identify career interests and motivational profiles. AARP has a couple of good ones.

10. Other colleges. Most colleges have links to their career service offices and there’s a lot of good advice about resume templates, fonts, spacing and the like. Also interviewing tips. Each college has different advice so look around.

Once you take a step to actively start your job search your outlook will improve. You are doing something for yourself, you are getting out and you are learning something new. It really does help.

Networking ...True Story

On Wednesday, August 12th a recent college graduate couldn't find a job anywhere. She was looking in her home state of CT and the surrounding areas. Wednesday night her dad was playing tennis with a man who said that his company had been looking for an entry level marketing employee for months and couldn't find a suitable candidate. His problem was that the new person had to begin on Monday, August 17th. The dad said that his daughter just graduated with a degree in marketing/advertising. They agreed to meet the next evening. The college graduate met with the marketing guy and then went into NY for an interview on Friday (August 14th). After several hours of waiting by the phone, she got the call. She was accepted and begins Monday.
The moral of the story?
1. Networking, again.
2. Be prepared with your resume and be ready to interview on a moment's notice.
3. Be flexible.

PS She still has to go through the HR Department, medical, drug and background checks.

Interviewing and your DiSC™ Style

Lately there have been a great deal of articles written about perfecting your resume or interviewing tips, what to wear on the interview or what questions to ask. What I haven’t seen is how your personality comes across in the networking, telephone or in-person interviews. I think that understanding style, both your own and the interviewer may help during the interviewing process. While there are many types of personality profiles, I’d like to concentrate on the DiSC™ definition of style.

History
The DiSC™ behavioral assessment is based upon the research of William Moulton Marston (1928) on how people respond to various effects in their environment. Studied and modified over the years, the DiSC™ is a tool used to not only assess your behavior and “personality”, but to also help you understand other people’s styles. It is used in businesses to enhance teamwork, to improve communication and customer service, to reduce conflict and value the differences in others.

DiSC™ Styles
While people are a combination of styles, the DiSC™ Classic states that in certain situations such as work, people usually behave in a consistent manner and fall into certain quadrants. These styles are described as Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientious. Their accompanying behaviors are described below.

D: Dominance
 Getting immediate results
 Causing action
 Accepting challenges
 Solving Problems
 Questioning status Quo
 Taking Authority

i: Influence
 Contacting people
 Being articulate/optimistic
 Generating enthusiasm
 Creating motivational environment
 Participating in a group

S: Steadiness
 Performing in a consistent manner
 Developing specialized skills
 Be a good listener
 Demonstrating patience, accommodating and considerate
 Creating a harmonious work environment

C: Conscientious
 Attention to key directives, details and standards
 Thinking analytically and using a systematic approach to situations and activities
 Being diplomatic with people
 Using a systematic approach

DiSC™ Style and the Interview Process
Many times we are called to our line of work based upon our personal likes and also our behavioral styles. For example, a scientist may be high in Conscientious, while a sales and marketing representative may be high in Influence. A manager may have high Dominance tendencies and a writer may be higher in the Steadiness arena. Various job descriptions also highlight the competencies the employee would need to satisfactorily complete the job. These competencies obviously vary by job but as you read them in the job description or posting, pay attention to the wording. Descriptions such as “detail oriented,”, “team player”, “focused”, or outstanding customer service skills” give you an idea of the type of behavior needed for the job.
In an interview, either networking, telephone or face-to-face, your personal DiSC™ style and that of your interviewer should be taken into account. While it is critical to be prepared with behavioral examples of your past accomplishments, it is also important to consider how you come across to the interviewer.