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Job Search Case Study Part 2: My First Session With Karen Battoe

The following is part of a series: a case study written by a Career Advice Plus client who is searching for a job.   

For my first conversation with Karen Battoe regarding my job search, she cut right to the chase:
  • The job market is still historically tough, but companies ARE hiring
  • 80% of jobs are gotten through networking, not submitting resumes through job boards
  • If I did what she told me, I'd have a job in 90 days
"Now," she said, "lets talk about your resume."

I was a little nervous to hear what she had to say because I wasn't confident with my resume. I had never written an executive level resume before; and I wasn't sure how to organize it, how much to include, and what not to include. The resume I sent Karen for review was based on example I found online, and I had an unsettling feeling that it didn't properly represent me.

The Summary is now a Profile

I started my resume with a Summary. "The Summary is old-fashioned," Karen said. "We're going to call it a Profile." She explained that my profile was too vague; it used general terms and seemed to be trying to appeal to the largest audience possible. If a company is going to hire me, it will be cause I'm specifically well qualified for that job, not just any job. Clearly, I'd be customizing my Profile for each resume I submit.

Areas of Expertise

I had listed my special skills as bullet points at the bottom of my resume. Karen said I should move them up, put them under my profile. She encouraged me to list them in tree columns of equal height to make it easy to review.

Professional Highlights On the draft I sent Karen, I dove right into my chronological work history, emphasizing my greatest accomplishments for each job I've held. Karen told me to insert a Professional Highlights section before my work history. This would allow me strategically order my accomplishments for greatest impact, without regard for where the milestone landed in my professional timeline. Now, based on the parameters of the job I apply for, I coul rearrange my Professional Highlights based on the job requirements. Karen recommended starting off with my most impressive point, and saving my second best for last.
Professional Experience

Because I loaded the Professional Highlights with my greatest accomplishments, all I needed to include under my Professional Experience was a line or two about my role and the nature of the business I worked for (and of course my title and employment dates). When it came to the little company I owned, she encouraged me to replace Owner with Director of Operations; employers have ambivalent feelings about people who have owned their own businesses, and it's best to address this during an interview rather than risk being unfairly eliminated during a resume review.

Education, Certifications, Community Involvement

She told me to round-out the resume with simple descriptions of my education, certifications and community involvement. I would be able to expand upon each of these items if and when they came up in an interview.

I went back to work on my resume, and my new draft featured an ultra-specific Profile, a robust Areas of Expertise section, and an impressive list of Professional Highlights. Looking it over, I felt like a force to be reckoned with. Karen agreed, and when she told me she liked my resume, I had a renewed sense of self-confidence. If a career coach like Karen Battoe approved of my resume, I know I could send it to anyone knowing it represented me well.

And that alone was worth the price of admission.

Job Search Case Study Part 1: The Displaced Executive

The following is part of a series of first hand accounts of one of Karen Bottoe's clients on his search for a new job: 

So I lost my job on April 1st. It wasn't a surprise; conditions in the market had changed, and so had conditions in the company, and suddenly, the contract I had made with my employer didn't make as much sense as it had when be both signed it. After couple of weeks of candid conversations, we agreed to part ways.

I was terrified and exhilarated all at once. From one point of view, I'd lost my steady income (the income that supported the family), but from the other point of view, I'd be able to go back to consulting (I'd never completely and officially shut down my old little company). But after two months I discovered it was a different market than the one I remembered. It took 4-5 weeks to close deals that used to come together in 10 days. I had clients who flat out wouldn't pay their bills. Things looked bleak.

The small business that kept me busy in the past could no longer afford me, and companies that could were hiring people to do the work in house. I decided I wanted one of those in house jobs.

As a consultant, I had crossed paths with Karen Battoe in the past. In this job market, to get a job in 90 days, I knew I'd need her help. I told her I'd like to blog about my experience with her — be a sort of case study for her, so here is my first post:

I lost my job in a bad job market. I've never had to really look for a job before. I feel like a leaf in the wind, my confidence is shaken, but I'm determined to succeed and find a better job in 90 days.

This is my story.

Next time, I'll tell you about my first phone conversation with Karen Battoe.

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What is the difference between actions and activities?

If you are in the job market you need an action plan.  There is a difference between actions and activities.  Actions move you toward your goal.  Activities are time consuming but do not move you toward your goal.  Activities create procrastination.
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What if I am asked a question in the interview I can’t answer?

If the interviewer says “tell me about a time you…. And you haven’t done it then just say, I have never been involved in that situation or encountered that  problem, but if I had, I do have the knowledge and this is the way I would handle it and you walk them through on theory. However, it still is a take away so you want to put a positive spin on it by saying “that is what excited me about this opportunity; I would have a chance to take my knowledge, add practical experience and develop or strengthen this skill.”  Now the interviewer will look at it as an area of career development.
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Is speaking or listening more important in the interview?

Effective listening is just as important as effective speaking.  Active listening is when you are connected to the person who is speaking and you really hear and absorb what the interviewer is saying. What gets in the way of listening in the interview?  Nine times out of 10 it is nervousness.  Job candidates are often so anxious about making a good impression that they forget to listen. They never stop talking for fear the interviewer will think they have nothing to say and they will forget their memorized lines.
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What is a “bridge” in networking?

If you are changing career’s and someone asks you “what do you do?” you have to be ready with two responses; one that describes your past work life and another that describes your new objective and direction.  You also have to be ready with a bridge – a credible explanation of the factors and timing that have led to your decision to make a change.  Here is an example:

“John, maybe the best way to start is for me to take just a minute to give you a quick thumbnail sketch of my background – what I have been doing.  But more importantly, I want to tell you where I am going.  I am really excited about my new direction.

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What do smaller companies look for?

Small businesses will play a critical role in rebuilding our economy. The biggest fear that smaller companies have is that an individual that has had a career with large corporations is not that flexible or adaptable.  Very often, large companies have their employees in boxes and their scope of responsibility is within that box.  As long as they are in the position there area of responsibility is the same.  It is usually narrow in scope because of all the employees they have.  In a smaller organization, people cross lines and jump in and do.  You will wear a number of hats, find more cross training, and be an individual contributor.
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What is “Digital Dirt”?

Conduct a search on your name (in quotation marks) in the major search engines.  If you find unflattering references, contact the web site to learn if and how you can remove them.  If you have created profiles in popular social networking web sites, such as Face book, review and if necessary, edit what you have posted to make sure that an employer would not be offended. I received a call from an employer on my radio show and he asked if I would pass this on to people who are unemployed and have a Face book page.  He said employers do go to an individual’s page.  The reason is it gives them insight in to the personality of the individual.  Also, it shows how they spend their off time.  When they see or read detrimental things all the time, they question their decision.  His recommendation was to make sure you have pictures that show maybe a volunteer project you are working on or community involvement. Competitiveness, team etc.  Think balance.  He also added colleges and universities also look at Face book pages when an application is submitted.
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30 Second Commercial

Candidates use what I call low value words…in other words they don’t add value to you.  Your 30 second commercial should be loaded with high value words.  Words that add to your value and describe what you have that I want, need or don’t have. Pique curiosity so I keep coming back for more.  Make me want you.  Use words that make me see your skills and experiences are relevant to the position or company.  I want to visualize you as an employee.  In a sales job market, you are a product.  Tell me why this product is the best on the market. There is no product on the market that can compete with you.
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Man or machine

In recent hiring trends many resumes are never being seen by human eyes. An electronic computer scans it, looking at keywords, and eliminating all others. Employers confess to getting so many resumes that the speed of applying is a hiring factor. Employers told me they look through the resume stack until they find four or five good ones, call those candidates in for an interview, and may leave hundreds of resumes unread.
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What can I do to prepare for a background check?

Today is the “information age” and this may be the reason for the increase in employment screening – the availability of computer databases containing millions of records of personal data.  As the cost of searching these sources drops, employers are finding it more feasible to conduct background checks.

Do your own background check. If you want to see what an employer’s background check might uncover, hire a company that will conduct one for you. That way you can correct any errors you find. Here is the address www.mybackgroundcheck.com and www.choicepoint.com.  It is free!
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