I know I sound like a broken record sometimes when it comes to how important this is, but stick with me.

Most people (including me) hate/hated networking.

Which is a problem.

Because networking is the #1 way to land a job or advance your career – responsible for up to 80% of new hires.

Staggering.

But people still flock to job boards.

Why did I hate it?

And why do you?

For me it was because I bought into a bunch of myths.

Such as:

• Networking bothers people
• It’s time consuming
• It’s awkward
• It doesn’t really work

But I was wrong.

And once I put a system in place to network regularly, my career and business took off. There is a direct correlation between your daily actions and the number of opportunities that come your way.

And you know what’s really fun?

When I work with someone on their networking strategy and get notes back like this. 👇 

“I want to thank you for the advice and encouragement posts you post from time-to-time, as they help me through these difficult past 6 months. I will never again lead a passive career as you once previously mentioned.” ~ Ramona

She wasn’t even a client of mine, just someone who followed along with my posts on LinkedIn and messaged me for some advice periodically. 

(BTW, you are following me on LinkedIn, right? No? Well click here and let’s connect!)

All the negative energy goes right out the window when I receive a message like that.

Networking….works!

I’m so glad I decided to focus my career coaching business on teaching people about this not-so-secret technique for breaking through and landing a job. 

Now it’s the not only the most profitable thing I do…it’s also one of the most enjoyable.

Here’s the deal.

If you want to grow your career you absolutely need:
 

– A personal brand

– A strong LinkedIn profile

– A system you can implement
 

You can learn how to build and deploy all three. The information is out there. 

If you want to jump start the process, reach out, I’d be happy to show you what we can accomplish together.

Job seeking doesn’t have to be that hard.

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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

What separates the “good” careerists from the great?

The good ones write their resume, tweak their profiles and start applying, hoping they get lucky and that everything turns out ok.

The great ones don’t hope. They rely on plans and systems and detailed preparation.

They don’t depend on luck.

Do you have systems in place for your career?

Have you created a system to always be open and available to opportunities?

Do you have a strategy to easily tweak your materials to match any job opening?

Don’t let the good job market fool you; you will need much more than spray and pray strategy to land your dream job or advance in your career.

You should take nothing for granted, and if you’re smart you’ll take advantage of every tool and resource at your disposal to ensure you get where you want to go.

If you’re not prepared, don’t expect to get the job you want over the next applicant who is.

The winning strategy is simple, but it’s not easy.

1. Create and maintain a powerful personal brand
2. Have a resume targeting strategy
3. Write a LinkedIn profile that attracts opportunities
4. Always Be Networking
5. Tap the hidden job market

Prepare yourself.

Are you ready?



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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

Networking is where it’s at.

85 percent of jobs are filled by networking according to U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics

That’s unbeatable.

But it all starts with you getting yourself out there.

And I know that isn’t easy for everyone. Luckily with a channel like LinkedIn even introverts can become expert networkers.

So let’s dive in and look at a few great ways to start building your network!

#1 Start commenting

Borrow someone else’s audience.

Commenting on the posts you see in your feed is a quick and easy way to gain some exposure.

This way you do not have to struggle to think of things to post, you simply add some value to a topic that someone else has created. They’ll appreciate it too as the more comments a post gets the more the algorithm shows it. 

It’s a win-win.

#2 Share Articles

This is one small step up from commenting on other’s content. 

You can find interesting articles to share everywhere. Find something related to your profession and share it with a short comment of your own.

Bonus points if you tag someone that you want to connect with.

#3 Join groups

There are currently over 2 million active LinkedIn groups and more than 8,000 others are entering the playing field each week.

I’m sure you can find a handful that are aligned with your career. Once you’re in repeat steps 1 and 2 but inside the group.

Now you are sharing with a captive audience of likeminded professionals.

#4 Connection requests

After a few weeks of regular commenting and sharing it’s time to start officially connecting with some new people.

Start with people who have commented on your posts. When you send the request add a note thanking them for their comment.

Then start reaching out to people in your groups.

If you consistently follow these 4 steps you’ll have a solid network in no time.



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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

We’ve all heard that famous definition of insanity before, right? 

Trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I know I’m guilty of this when it comes to my health. There’s a reason I can’t seem to lose those final, stubborn 15 pounds. I keep thinking I can exercise them away without looking seriously at my diet.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We know deep down what the results are going to be. Whether it’s our health, careers, or relationships we keep acting out that age-old definition of insanity.

Maybe it’s because sticking to the same plan is easy. We can still feel productive and like we are making progress. And even bigger issue is that we can then outsource some of the blame for our lack of success on something, or someone, else- we’re trying after all!

Your job search is stalling out because of:

• Lousy recruiters
• ATS programs
• Poor job market
• Ageism

I know if feels easier to keep falling this pattern, but we’d be better off taking a long hard look in the mirror and asking some hard questions.

• When is the last time I evaluated my strategy?
• Have I read and studied how others have been successful?
• Have a tried at least one new tactic?

This is key when it comes to job searching because it’s not 2007 any more. What may have worked then probably won’t now.

“If you are defeated once and tell yourself you will overcome, but carry on as before, know in the end you’ll be so weakened that eventually you won’t even recognize your mistake, and worse you’ll begin to rationalize your behavior.” ~ Epictetus.

Instead of looking for job openings you should be identifying pain points.

Instead of just focusing on your resume, you should be focusing on social proof.

Instead of focusing on what to say in an interview, focus on what you should do as well.

So if you want to do more than just roll the dice on your goals it’s time to look at things differently and try something new.

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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

We need to talk about something important. Something I see a lot of professionals shying away from, especially here in the U.S. where a fierce sense of independence is practically instilled in us at birth.

This is something I think we are all a little ashamed to admit from time to time.

We need to ask for help.

Now no one is afraid to ask for help when-

• Tax day approaches and we need an accountant
• A pipe bursts and we need a plumber
• The car breaks down and we need a mechanic

So why do we hesitate when we need help with our careers? There is no shame in needing a little help. In fact, most ultra-successful people readily seek it out.

Athletes, actors and titans of industry all use coaches, strategists and assistants. Why should we be any different?

Sometimes all we need is a third party to look at our situation and point us in a direction we can’t see. Our struggles are often too close for us to evaluate objectively. 

Other times we are completely overwhelmed and need someone to map out a plan, or a proven course of action that we can then have confidence in following. And sometimes we are simply spread too thin and need an expert to step in and take some of the burden off of our shoulders.

Whatever the situation we should always feel comfortable asking for a little help from our friends.

“Don’t be ashamed of needing help. You have a duty to fulfill just like a soldier on the wall of battle. So what if you are injured and can’t climb up without another soldier’s help.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

Obstacles come, and obstacles go, but one thing remains the same: The road of life is never smooth for long. 

Much as we’d like a straight path from idea ▶to plan ▶ to action ▶ to result, it rarely seems to work out that way.

So we have a choice. We can bemoan all the little daily misfortunes that get in our way.

• The recruiter who never got back to us.
• The job listing for an entry level programmer that required 5 years of experience.
• The online application that is asking for the exact same info we just submitted through our resume.

Or, we can just focus on the next action. 
 “You must build your life action by action, and be content if each one achieves it’s goal as far as possible-” Marcus Aurelius. 
Because no matter what life throws at us, if we step back and think clearly, there is always an obvious next step. It doesn’t have to be that hard.

Now, I don’t mean a final answer, or solution to the problem. I literally mean the next, small step in the process.

Just do that.

If we keep our focus on the very next step and simply doing that well- eventually, and perhaps without us even realizing it- we will reach our goal.

This is why having systems and habits is so important. If you are working a system the next step is always clear.

And the next step is all there ever is.

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Tired of endlessly applying on job boards? Want employers seeking you out instead? Join 100’s of other job seekers using this tool and level up your job search today. Enter your email below to receive your free LinkedIn Scorecard.

Before we get started, if you are looking for a life hack or quick and easy fix, you can stop reading now.

There are proven strategies, but they are not a hack and they are not necessarily easy either. The 5 strategies just work. So if you are serious about your job search let’s get to it.

You must find a way to stand out in a crowded job search. If you’re not known for something, you won’t be known for anything.

Finding a job is a lot like dating — it’s about finding a match between two parties. And it’s not just about money, it’s also about helping the company meet a need.

Companies hire because of their needs.

You need to understand the emotional motivation behind the job opening. What problem is the company trying to solve? Then, position yourself to solve the problem.

The question you want to answer for the employer is “Why should I choose you instead of someone else?” Positioning is an important part of answering this question. You can’t be all things to all employers; you need to figure out what sets you apart.

What you don’t want to do is spin your wheels applying for dozens and dozens of jobs via job boards, and sending out resume after resume without a specific strategy behind them. There is a better way.

So what should you do? You should put the 5 secrets to landing an interview to work for you.

Let’s dive a little deeper into these 5 key strategies to help you take control of your job search:

Personal Branding

You need to create a personal brand that attracts the kind of employers you want to work with. Your personal brand plays a critical role in managing your career, much the same way a brand does for a business. Knowing what your unique brand is and how it helps you in your profession is critical to your career success.

Resume Targeting

Build a resume that sells you as a problem solver and gives you confidence in your job search (and gets through ATS). The people you are trying to influence with your resume are fundamentally no different from you. They want to be intrigued, better yet, they want to be inspired. When they have a position to fill they want to see applicants who jump off the page. 

Profile Design

Design a profile to get past LinkedIn’s algorithms and attract key decision-makers. Your profile is a marketing piece — not a biography. It’s not designed to outline your entire history. Instead, provide enough information to get people to connect with you. If your profile is like every other profile on LinkedIn, you won’t stand out, and you won’t be found as easily.

Networking

Increase your exposure to decision makers through targeted networking. Research consistently identifies networking as an important job search tool — anywhere from 40-80% of job placements are attributed to networking. Networking can also be a way to identify unadvertised job opportunities — accessing the “hidden job market.”

Hidden Job Market

Use proven job search strategies to tap into the hidden job market and lead to more interviews. The “hidden job market” is a phrase that describes job openings that are not publicly advertised. While not all of the jobs found through networking are accessing the hidden job market, almost all candidates who get interviews for unadvertised jobs do so through networking.

All of this is simple, but it’s not easy. You may want to consider help. When you make the decision to hire a professional, you’re not only investing your time and money, but you’re also entrusting them to articulate your personal brand and shape how you’ll position yourself in your job search. Personally, I take this responsibility very seriously, but not everyone does.

Here’s 6 pitfalls to look out for when searching for a job search coach.

1. They offer outdated advice. If they are talking about Objective statements, or 1-page resumes run, run far away.
2. They don’t offer a specific outcome. It’s not about a resume, profile or brand alone. The point is landing an interview.
3. They don’t used the tactics they teach. (If they only have 200 LinkedIn connections, steer clear.)
4. They offer one and done service. Some people will take your info and write a resume, but they don’t allow for rewrites or tweaks and they provide no feedback or possibility of individual guidance.
5. Some job seekers confuse being busy with being productive. They seek out advice, which is good. But they seek out all the advice, which is bad. Listening to too many gurus at once will leave you running in circles.
6. Don’t choose based on the cheapest option. According to a recent study, recruiters value candidates with professionally written resumes to be worth up to 10% more and were more likely to secure interviews, land a new job sooner, and advance their career faster. Is this an investment? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Like most things, you get what you pay for.

Bottom line? Don’t go it alone. It doesn’t have to be me, but find an expert you can trust.

So now you have a choice to make. Are you going to keep doing what you have been doing and hope for the best, or are you ready to level up?

OK, if you made it this far you have earned your freebie. I am offering a free, 5-point, in depth review of your current resume to give you a sense of where you stand. Many professionals charge up to $300 for this type of review. This is a complimentary service I offer to people who are serious about their job search.

Email me your resume and I will focus on 5 key areas:

1. Branding Statement
2. Competencies
3. Work History
4. Education
5. Overall Format

I’ll also include a sample of my work to give you a sense of what we could build if we decide we are a good fit to work together on this.

So who is this for?

1. Do you have 5-10 years of experience and are looking to grow?
2. Are you exceptional at what you do?
3. Are you willing to invest in your career?

If you answered yes to these questions, then this is for you!

Here’s what others have said about working with me to level up their sear using the 5 key strategies. 

Email me your current resume today and take that first step.