I have found December was a very stressful month. Not because “nobody hires in December, but because there was a short window of opportunity and we needed to be prepared when it opened. One company executive from a prominent Boston financial firm said this: “If I want to get great talent I’ll wait till right after the holidays and entice them with signing on before the 1st when I can grandfather them in before the new budgets are enacted.” You see, while the job seeker is whining “where are all the jobs” the employer is whining “where are the good people” and when the two meet it’s a great chemistry.

It’s no exaggeration to say execs often make job offers during the holidays and come in to work on a non-holiday to do the paperwork so an employee could start January 2! Furthermore, since most job seekers do not believe they can succeed during the holidays there are much fewer people looking and consequently a higher percentage of job seekers find positions during that time than during other times of the year – it stands to reason. If someone advises you to take the month off, don’t listen. Let them take it off and there will be one less person competing.

Along with the misconception or fallacy that “nobody hires in December,” I’ve listed for you some other fallacies, which like myths are misleading if you take them for real. Consider the following:

Myth 1: Nobody hires in December.

As I described above, December can be more hectic for the job seeker for the window shuts quickly, but it’s still a month employees are being paid to work. There is a also a sense of urgency among companies to meet budget deadlines, to spend money before the year ends, and fill recruitment needs with the money before it’s gone…all very good for the job seeker. Too, executive recruiters are paid a higher percentage of commission towards the end of the year which helps job seekers. Finally there are always those strong companies that want to start off the New Year with a bang! That could mean “juicing up” their sales forces or other teams; and once more, opportunities for the job seeker.

Myth 2: You won’t find good jobs in December.

You’re just as likely to find the job you really want in December as in any other month. One reason is because you won’t have as much competition, as I mentioned before, because so many people believe there are no jobs or no good jobs. It’s a perfect time for you to be out there. Consider too, that because the holidays are filled with fun and parties, people tend to be more relaxed. It’s all part of feeling the good cheer of the season. And since employed people are still on the job during the holiday, you are likely to find networking with them easier. When you get in to see them they are more open and generous. Networking during the holidays is easier also because holiday events present opportunities you can use to your advantage. You can network at parties, your children’s school, among your community, with you church, synagogue or other congregations.

Myth 3: Nothing ever happens between Thanksgiving and the third week of January.

WRONG! If true, why do most recruiters advise job candidates to be flexible in scheduling interviews and meetings around the holidays and to avoid taking week-long trips during the holidays? I mentioned in my introduction the executive from a prominent Boston Firm. Right after the holidays, she’d give candidates incentives to be on board by January 2. She would ask for them to meet (anywhere of their choosing) on New Year’s Eve day and the next day, her finalist was on board. She would find an hour sometime on New Year’s Day to get into her office and have all the paperwork ready for the next day.

Myth 4: Use December to plan your search and be ready to hit the market after the first of the year.

Companies needs may be cyclical or seasonal but if there is a need thy address it nonetheless. If a company has a need, the hiring manager doesn’t care whether it’s January or December. The focus isn’t on the month, it’s on the need. Also, most companies end their fiscal year with the calendar year. The company will fill needs in December they may anticipate for January simply because of budgetary preferences – interview in December in order to hire early in January.

Myth 5: Even if an employer may have an opening, many hiring manager are tied up with budgets, deadlines and family and are hard to find.

Although the interviewing process can be slower during the holidays because of the number of days people are out of the office, it doesn’t come to a halt. Remember, the early bird catches the worm. Companies will be aggressive still – winners are always competing. Departments are always covered and teams are continually moving forward. Despite holiday vacations and days off, winning companies do not quit. Nonetheless, you need to remain flexible because hiring managers are in and out of town and there are company parties, personal time and other holiday activities. You may have to visit a company three or four times to meet key players and may have to meet at odd times and at different places. Job candidates need to make sure they’ll be available.

So, my advice is to keep on keeping on. It has been my experience this last week in December may be the best time for all the reasons above and more; and may even stretch to the third week of January. It’s after then for certain all you job seeking competitors will be back into it. It’s also about the third week in January all newspapers, online and off, announce their “Big Help” want ads – ever notice that? Many companies put off hiring for the New Year till the fourth-quarter and those who haven’t yet filled positions are up against the gun, which is good news for the job seeker. Too, despite all the deadlines and parties, hiring managers are still reachable and what’s more, they may be in a better-than-usual mood when you find them due to the holiday season. Since fewer people job hunt this time of year (the Classifieds seem to mark mid-January as the new start) there’s less competition now and the couple few weeks to follow. These are all good reasons to keep on keeping on!

[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]

Read more » articles by this approved expert | Click here » if you’re a career expert

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Earlier this week, I received an email from an acquaintance of mine, asking me (and about 75 others also copied on the email) for help in his job search. Recently laid off, he had the right idea; to reach out to his network to seek help, asking his former colleagues, friends, neighbors and anyone else who would listen if they had any contacts that could benefit from a smart guy like himself.

First, he inquired if anyone had any contacts at DC-based PR firms (given that his first priority was to work in a PR agency); next, he asked if they had any contacts at any companies that hired PR professionals in any capacity anywhere on the East Coast (as the email wore on, he became a bit more anxious and did not want to rule out a move).

I Was Rendered Helpless…

As I read the email, it was as if an actual question mark found its way to my head. Of course I know people in PR at companies, and I know people who do other things in the PR industry, and I know a lot of people at a lot of companies on the East Coast. Wouldn’t that include almost every company from here to Timbuktu? I wanted to help him, but I didn’t know how. I was reminded of a quote from the 1996 classic “Jerry Maguire,” when Tom Cruise says to Cuba Gooding Jr. “Help me help you;” that we realize how little this Sports Agent can do without a little help from the other party. His hands–like my own–were tied!

E-mail Was Well-Intended, BUT Not Effective

Now, I’ll be the first person to point out the effectiveness of reaching out to your network first; in fact, 70% or more of jobs are found through networking, and the vast majority of these will be found not through friends, who typically swim in the same pond as you do, but rather, through acquaintances. So, he was definitely on the right track. But, strangely enough, his email did not yield any results.

So, how did a well-meaning cry for help go off track? It is simple. Let’s recap. He asked his friends and acquaintances for help (strength), but did not give them the information they needed to actually help him (weakness). My guess? He was concerned that by naming the job title (PR Mgr/Director), companies (Discovery Communications/Disney) and geographic region (DC-Metro Area only) to his network, he might feel as if he was pigeonholing himself and missing an opportunity that might show itself among his connections. But, in fact, it is just the opposite! Had he named even a handful of companies, his network would have been in a much better position to help him!

So, as it turns out, staring at a movie screen does not, in fact, rot your mind, and job seekers can learn a great deal from Jerry. Maybe, it’s the best place to start a job search?

Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail.

Get Specific!

Start by building a job target for yourself that includes the following three criteria: (1) Job Function, (2) Company Size or Industry, and (3) Geographic Region. And, don’t be afraid to name companies that hit your “sweet spot.” If you ask for it, you have a better chance of getting it than if you wait for your connections to “figure it out!”  The more legwork and thoughtful campaign preparation you do before you search, the easier it will be for your network to help you!

Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here.

Laura Labovich, MLRHR, is a Guild Certified Five O’Clock Club Career Coach, speaker, trainer, networking expert and award-winning resume writer with more than 12 years of HR leadership experience at Walt Disney World and America Online, Inc. As a job coach and writer, Laura specializes in getting her clients “unstuck” in their job search by partnering with them to develop proactive, targeted and effective job search marketing plans that increase campaign momentum and achieve breakthrough results! Connect with Laura via LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

By CAREEREALISM Founder, J.T. O’Donnell

Today, April 16th, is Stress Awareness Day. It’s actually part of National Stress Awareness Month, aimed at getting Americans to not worry so much about stuff (i.e. like being unemployed). Unfortunately, that’s not so easy when millions of folks have anxiety about being out of work.

Think You’ve Got it Bad? Try Being a Young, Inexperienced Job Seeker

Yes, job search stress is at an all-time high. Ironically, you’d assume the older generations would be the most stressed about the need to find work. But, in my experience, students and recent grads, a.k.a. young professionals, are having a rough time coping with the stress of  job search. Don’t believe me? This stat actually backs-up a lot of what I’ve been seeing:

• According to this month’s issue of Fast Company, a psychological survey done in 1938 and again in 2007, shows anxiety and mental-health issues are 5 TIMES more common now among high-school and college students than they were toward the end of the GREAT DEPRESSION.

In short, young people are pretty worked up.

FACT: They’ve Got Good Reason to Be So Stressed

If you are a seasoned professional, it’s easy to brush-off the worry and concern felt by young people as less serious than your own. Well, I’m here to tell you they’ve got good reason to be worried (as do their college-paying parents). In fact, I’ll let this stat-filled video show you why:

TWO Ways YOU Can Help Reduce a Young Professional’s Job Search Stress

Regular readers of CAREEREALISM know our goal is to provide as much valuable, free career advice as possible. And, for seasoned professionals, it’s easy to comprehend and apply what they read on our site. However, young professionals today need a more personalized, interactive approach to help them close the gap in their job search and career planning knowledge.

So, we’ve started a private Career HMO that is staffed with career experts to give job seekers a way to get professional instant advice. At less than .30 cents/day, this private career center is ideal for first-time job seekers in need of the kind of inspiration, education and connection that can lower their stress level and increase their career confidence and professional maturity.

We’d like to ask for your help in spreading the word about this very powerful AND affordable career coaching tool. We’d be grateful if you’d consider helping us in either of the following ways:

1. If you know a college student or recent grad, please consider introducing them to CAREEREALISM Club. (You can even give it as a graduation gift.)
2. If you know a college career center that could benefit from partnering with our CAREEREALISM Club, please forward this article to them. Many college career centers are under-staffed and under-funded and deserve a partner who A) understands what they are up against, and B) wants to help them support all their students.

Be a Career Hero & You’ll Feel Better Too!

Young people today need career heroes. I promise, they won’t forget you were the person that helped them find their career path and land their first good job. And besides, helping others to reduce their stress level is a wonderful way to make ourselves feel good, ultimately reducing our own stress. So,  it’s a win-win for everyone during National Stress Awareness Month!

In celebration of April Fool’s Day, I was asked by my fellow bloggers with the Career Collective to address foolish job search tactics. However, it’s hard to write something funny when what you’re seeing is no joke. We’ve got 15 million job seeker right now. I’d argue more than 70% of them are conducting a weak job search. I guess the good news is, if you are reading this, you can avoid the lame job search efforts below and get an edge on your competition.  Here are 10 job search tactics that get you nowhere…FAST. If you are guilty of any of these, let’s talk.

#1 – Spending an hour each day tweaking your resume. FACT: Resumes don’t get you hired – people do. Your resume needs to be formatted logically, using a clean-line font, and presents the facts (ie. quantifiable accomplishments) in an easy-to-read fashion. If you can’t do this yourself, stop wasting time tweaking it and making it worse. Get some help and start focusing on the high-payoff activities like meeting people you can actually give the resume to.

#2 – Applying to jobs on-line that don’t list the employer’s name or let you apply at their company website. Understand that without the company name, you have no idea what they are all about. You can’t tailor your cover letter to speak to their needs. In short, you can’t do anything to increase the chances you get a call. Most of these are jobs being posted by recruiters or headhunters. Thus, you are better off seeing which agency is posting the job, picking up the phone and trying to land an appointment to go visit them to share your credentials in-person. That way, they might choose to represent you. Recruiters sift through 1000s of applicants. If you want to stick in their mind, find a way to connect with them live. Submitting a generic application to one of their job postings is like being a needle in a haystack – unless you are super shiny, they won’t see you.

#3 – Playing the ‘numbers game’ by applying to as many jobs as you can in one sitting (even if you aren’t fully qualified for the position), and then further ensuring you’ll never get called by including a boring ‘all about me’ cover letter. Did you know? Hiring managers choose a candidate based on three primary qualities, in this order:

A) Would your personality fit in this organization and for this position?

B) Do you have the skills and ability to do the job?

C) Do you have the experience?

Notice that experience is 3rd on the hiring priority list. When you apply blindly to jobs, you get absolutely no shot at showcasing your professional personality or your transferable skills. All you get to do is present your experience – just like the other 100,000 people who applied online. Guess who gets the phone call? The person who got their resume walked in the door by someone who works at the company where the person said, “He/she is really nice (personality) and I know they can do the job (skills).” See why ‘spray and pray’ job searching doesn’t work?

Moreover, if you are sending a generic cover letter that starts with, “I’m applying for your XYZ position and I think I’m a great candidate because,” then you are putting yourself in the ‘no’ pile. Companies don’t want to hear about you, they want to hear about themselves. (See the end of this post to get FREE video that explains the 3 things they want to hear.)

#4 – Submitting online your credentials to a recruiters and then sitting back and waiting for a call. See #2 above to reconfirm why a recruiter is not going to call you. You can also read this article on Why HR Just Isn’t That Into You.

#5 – Surfing the net and reading career advice articles but not bothering to apply what you read. Okay, so I’m glad you’ve come to our site because we do have over 40 proven, approved experts giving some of the best career advice available right now. But let’s be honest, what’s the point of reading it if you don’t step back and ask yourself, “How can I apply this right now?” I get e-mails daily from folks asking for advice and when I e-mail them some ideas, they write back, “Ya, I read that online somewhere. I guess I’ll try it.”

#6 – Sending out a blanket e-mail to every family, friend and former colleague that simply says, “I’m looking for a job.” That’s like sending out a one-line note to all those folks and saying, “I’m looking for a spouse.” You have to explain to contacts how they can help you. Being specific in terms of A) companies you’d like learn more about, and B) specific people you want to meet, makes it possible for people to focus in on how to help you. A generic request like the one above gets filed in the back of the mind of the recipient as follows: “I’m sure if I come across of a job I think Joe fits, I’ll call him.” Guess what Joe…that call isn’t coming.

#7 – Going to network events and sitting in the corner because you didn’t think about how you’d introduce yourself and what you wanted to get out of meeting others. What were you thinking? That people would be welcoming you at the door and would hold your hand as they walked you around and personally introduced you to each person there? Of course you didn’t expect that, right? You don’t have to be a master with words to successfully network at an event. BUT, you do have to give some thought as to what you want to share about yourself so that you can make a good, lasting first impression. Everyone, yes everyone, has one or more USP (Unique Selling Points) they can work into conversation. I realize we are taught not to brag about ourselves, and as a result, we aren’t really prepared to talk about ourselves in a way that doesn’t seem off-putting or weak, yet this is a skill that needs to be worked on if you are looking for work. This is actually an area where we devote a large amount of time in our CAREEREALISM Club, so I know what it takes to develop a comfort-level with it. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to improve in this area. If you can’t plan to make an effort at a networking event, don’t go. I’d rather you stay home an make no impression, than go and make a weak one.

#8 – Requesting to connect with 100s of people on LinkedIn, but failing to personalize the request message. Now, I will admit, this is a personal pet peeve. I get a lot of requests to connect on LinkedIn and I really like connecting with all types of people. However, I always pass on connecting with anyone who couldn’t take 10 extra seconds to personalize the request and tell me why we should link-up. To me, it’s not enough that we are in the same online group. So, just give me one VBR (Valid Business Reason) to connect and I’m in. I just want to know you are sincere in connecting and aren’t doing this as a meet-your-quota-for-the-day activity. Besides, if you say something interesting or witty, I’m probably going to write back and start an actual professional relationship with you instead of ignoring your request. I realize this may sound nit-picky, but that’s the beauty of social networking, each person gets to choose how and why they connect. I will tell you though, I’ve talked to lots of social media professionals and they all feel the same way.

#9 – Randomly approaching your job search without any clear path and action plan on a weekly basis. Why do we create to-do lists at home? Simple, we 1) we don’t want to forget anything,  2) the list keeps us focused and on-track, and 3) it feels REALLY GOOD when we check things off our list. Each week, smart job seekers map out their job search strategy and determine the high-payoff actions that will get them the best results. Then, they write them down and check them off when they accomplish them. If you can’t do the same, your job search is random and unproductive. Lists get results. Not to mention, completing the items on your list makes you feel productive and satisfied – a great motivator when conducting something as challenging as a job search.

#10 – Assuming that because the economy stinks you won’t find a job no matter what you do, so you do a half-baked job search with a lackluster attitude. Yes, there are 15M people looking for work, but there are also 13M open jobs…and those are the ones we know about! Studies indicate there are millions more jobs that aren’t posted. Employers are just waiting to find the ‘right-fit’ for the job and they’ll create the position. And, let’s not forget, new jobs are cropping up every day. To assume you won’t get a job until the economy improves is like saying, “I’ll just wait and be the last person picked for the dodgeball team.” Bad idea folks. Great way to get labeled as a sub-par performer. The economy is going to be slow to recover from a jobs standpoint, but honestly, we could still drop the unemployment rate significantly if job seekers really invested in learning how to reach out and connect better with employers. Why should it be your job to be a better job seeker? Because you want the paycheck and the employer’s the one who can give it to you. They are the customer who can actually buy the services of your business-of-one, but you have to work to earn their business!

And now, if I haven’t upset you with my directness above, you may be interested in this:

There are 3 things every employer wants to know about you in less than 30 seconds. Want to know what they are? If so, put your e-mail in here and I’ll send you a video link explaining each one.

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Yes, I am asking for your e-mail in exchange for this info so that I can also start sending you our weekly newsletter. Why? Because it’s a very,very helpful (FREE) career tool that will minimize the time you spend surfing the net for good advice (remember #5 above?). We send it out every Tuesday morning, just in time for you to kick your job search in high-gear for the week. (Nobody has the energy to kick a job search in high-gear on a Monday.) Besides, it’s free, and if you hate it after a few weeks, you can unsubscribe. And don’t worry, we don’t sell or abuse your e-mail. You’ll get just the newsletter – we don’t like SPAM either.

I hope the above has got you really evaluating your job search. Better still, I hope you decide to sign-up and join our community of newsletter readers so you can outsmart the joke job seekers.

PS: For more April Fool’s related career advice, you can check out these posts from my fellow career bloggers.

Walter Akana @walterakana Same as it Ever Was

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter @ValueIntoWords Mirror ‘their’ needs, not ‘your’ wants in #Jobsearch

Laurie Berenson @LaurieBerenson Don’t Get Tricked by These Job Search Blunders

Chandlee Bryan @chandlee Don’t Kid Yourself! (The Person You See in the Mirror is a Good Hire)

Martin Buckland @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes April Fool’s Day — Who’s fooling who?

Gayle Howard @GayleHoward If It’s Not You and It’s Not True, You’re Fooling Yourself

Heather Huhman @heatherhuhman 9 Ways You Might Be Fooling Yourself About Your Job Search

Rosalind Joffe @WorkWithIllness Trying Hard to Be Nobody’s Fool

Susan Joyce @jobhuntorg Avoiding Most Common Blunders

Erin Kennedy @erinkennedyCPRW Stop Fooling Yourself About Your Job Hunt: Things You May Be Doing to Sabotage Yourself

Meg Montford @KCCareerCoach Is Your #Career in Recovery or Retreat? (All Joking Aside)

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa Job Search is No Joking Matter

Barbara Safani @barbarasafani Job seekers: Are You Fooling Yourself If …

Miriam Salpeter @keppie_careers Are You Fooling Yourself? Bored at Work? Is it Your Own Fault?

Rosa Vargas @resumeservice Hey, Job Seeker — Don’t Be a Fool!

Not so long ago, one of our experts provided advice about answering questions correctly on personality tests administered by hiring managers. There were some, shall I say, interesting comments about these tests by folks who read the advice. To see the original discussion, click here.

I’m curious: How many of our readers have been asked to take a personality test as part of applying/interviewing for a job? What do you think of these tests? Are they useful, or not? Do you think they are fair? Accurate? Discriminatory?

Answer the poll and then please share your thoughts/comments below! I look forward to your feedback.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
]]> http://www.careerealism.com/vote-employers-allowed-personality-tests/feed/ 13 http://www.careerealism.com/career-advice-michelle-bombshell-mcgee/ http://www.careerealism.com/career-advice-michelle-bombshell-mcgee/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:18:06 +0000 CAREEREALISM http://www.careerealism.com/?p=11039 By CAREEREALISM Founder, J.T. O’Donnell

I got a call from Amanda Ernst today – an editor for the hot new entertainment and lifestyle website, Crushable.com. She was writing a story about Michelle ‘Bombshell’ McGee (pictured here, and yes, that tattoo on her head is real), and wondered if I’d go on the record with any career advice for her. For those of you not familiar with the name, Ms. McGee is making headlines this week as the model/stripper Jesse James (Sandra Bullock’s husband) has been having an affair with.

Advice? You bet!

I’ve got plenty of career advice for her AND any other person who finds themselves in this career situation.

In the article, we discuss 6 key things to consider. I also explain:

• Why people who blow up this quick, often flame out even quicker.
• How leveraging her 15 minutes of fame to plan a new career direction would be wise.
• Why she might want to leverage her ‘non-verbal’ communication skills in her next career.
• Why starting her own business just might be her best option in the future.

You can check out the full story here…

I often get asked by job seekers who are looking for full-time employment if they should even bother to register with a staffing agency, a.k.a. a temporary help company.

Having ‘temped’ once many years ago, as well as having worked for a staffing firm, I’m actually a fan of them. But, I know lots of other job seekers who don’t feel the same way. A common complaint is agency recruiters never bother to call folks back, even when they feel they are a perfect match for an assignment the company has posted.

I think part of the problem is recruiters are being bombarded with applicants due to the recession and just can’t follow up with every applicant. But, I also think a lot of job seekers don’t put forth the right effort or image when they approach a staffing company – resulting in a bad first impression and their application going promptly in the ‘no’ pile.

So, I’m asking all of you to give me a status update on the state of temporary help agencies. Please share your thoughts in the comments below if you can answer one or more of the following questions:

• Have you had a good and/or bad experience with a staffing company lately? What happened?
• What tips can you give readers who want to register at a staffing company? (ie. Should you register at multiple agencies or be exclusive with just one?)
• How can a job seeker make a good impression on a recruiter in order to be put at the top of the call list for open jobs?
• Which staffing companies are the doing the best/most for job seekers right now and why?
• Has taking a temp job helped your career or hurt it? If so, how?

I look forward to your responses. Let’s help fellow readers learn more about the INs and OUTs of applying to be a temp.

I was on an interview last Friday and spent an hour talking to the hiring manager. I thought the meeting when great, UNTIL I got home and was writing my thank-you notes. I realized that I had been calling the hiring manager ‘Rob’ the whole time and he goes by ‘Bob.’ What should I do? He never corrected me in the interview, but I must have said his name at least 5 times. Should I call and apologize? Do I mention it in the thank you note? I’m so embarrassed and would at least like to let him know that it wasn’t intentional. At the same time, I feel like this must make me look like an idiot. Why do you think he didn’t correct me? What should I do?

Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question).

Here is how our CAREEREALISM-Approved Experts answered this question on Twitter:

Q#460 Address correctly, apologize for using wrong name, thank him for excusing your “oops.” (@juliaerickson)

Q#460 I’d apologize in your e-mail. That way he at least knows you picked up on it. It happens to us all. (@jtodonnell)

Q#460 I would add a brief sentence noting his graciousness in not correcting his name – I am sure he noticed! (@MarySevinksy)

Q#460 Address the thank to the correct name. Rob and Bob are often interchanged. Luckily you didn’t call him Fred! (@tmonhollon)

Q#460 Don’t mention it again. If they didn’t correct you immediately, they probably won’t hold it against you. (@gradversity)

If I had to choose the biggest mistake I see job seekers making right now, I’d say it’s diving into a job search without properly determining their value to potential employers. They throw together a resume, blast out cover letters and submit online applications without first stepping back and getting a truly clear picture of what’s going to get them hired. The result is a lot of wasted time and energy that produces very little response from hiring managers.

Not sure what value you bring to employers? Go shopping!

If you are struggling to figure out your value to employers, you should take a trip to the mall. That’s right – go shopping! However, instead of bringing money, bring a paper and pen to take notes. Why? Because each of us approaches shopping the way a hiring manager chooses a new employee. We look at our options, compare features, benefits and costs, and then ultimately choose the item that meets our particular list of criteria. No two people shop the exact same way, just as no two hiring managers select candidates the exact same way. So, your goal is to look at what impacts your decision and then use that knowledge to better market your business-of-one.

Here’s an example…

I counseled one job seeker recently who couldn’t identify her value. She had worked as a project manager for years and had a solid track record, but candidly, she looked like hundreds of other job seekers with similar experience. I asked her, “If I told you to go buy a new sofa, what would you do?” She said, “I’d figure out the size, style and color I needed. Then, I’d chose 5 stores I knew offered the best deals on sofas and shop until I found the cheapest one that fit my criteria.” I followed up with, “What if you thought one was much prettier, but it cost more?” Her response, “It wouldn’t matter, to me, saving money is more attractive. I wouldn’t enjoy the prettier sofa because every time I sat on it I would think about how much more it cost me.” That simple response said a lot about her as an employee. We went on to talk about her approach to project management as it related to her approach to shopping. She was suddenly able to see a pattern in her work – she was always focused on saving the company money by finding the most practical tools, resources and talent. She prided herself on her ability to do more with less. Furthermore, she was able to cite clear examples of how her cost-saving approach to project management was a match for her past employers’ goals. Within minutes, she understood how she could be presenting herself better. Her takeaway comment to me was,  “Employers need to understand why I am focused on saving them money and how I plan to do that for them. Otherwise, I’m the overpriced sofa.”

The lesson here is to embrace the fact that you AREN’T the right employee for every company. Thus, the only way to connect with those who will value what you have to offer the most is to get extremely clear in how you showcase your worth. If you are having trouble identifying your value to employers, try stepping back and assessing how you shop. From there, you just might be able to connect the dots and start to build a more meaningful message to attract the right buyers for your business-of-one.

PS – I personally invite you to discuss your value with me in a live webinar within our CAREEREALISM Club.

I do live webinars and training classes almost daily inside our career HMO network. Come see how job seekers are getting direct, customized feedback on ways to enhance their personal brand and improve the effectiveness of their search for work. Our 14-day free trial means you get to experience the power of our program at no risk. See what it’s like to get the inspiration, education and connection needed to keep your job search on track. For less than .28 cents/day, we guarantee it will be the best investment you make in your career in 2010. (It’s a tax deductible too.)

I found a company in my town that I would love to work for. I have searched my LinkedIn connections and haven’t been able to find anyone who knows someone who works there. Do you have suggestions for reaching out to a stranger? How do I increase the chances he/she will bother to speak to me? I really want to work there!

Got a career question you’d like answered? Send it to twitter@careerealism.com along with your Twitter account name (you must use Twitter for us to post your question).

Here is how our CAREEREALISM-Approved Experts answered this question on Twitter:

Q#459 Most hi-level people are generous with information interview. Say you love company and would love to learn more and get advice/guidance. Not job! (@juliaerickson)

Q#459 How do I reach a stranger? http://bit.ly/ddkFr2 (@ravingredhead)

Q#459 Try cold calling HR and asking for an informational interview. You can learn about them and get a foot in the door. (@gradversity)

Q#459 Be honest in your intent. Share w/stranger why company impresses you & what you hope to gain by talking. (@jtodonnell)