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Terrylynn Smith

About Terrylynn Smith

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3 Keys to a Successful Job Search

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Every client I work with is unique. We all come from different backgrounds, we all have a different story, and we all have our own challenges to work through in the process of landing a job or launching a career.

However…despite our differences, I’ve discovered that the pathway to a successful career is fairly common for everyone. So for all my clients, we can basically boil the process down to three simple goals:

1. Create a mindset for success. Before you can succeed, you must believe you will succeed. We work on skills and techniques to help you develop the right mindset.

2. Develop marketing and networking tools. The vast majority of good job opportunities come through people you know—not by cold-calling the job listings or mass-emailing your resume. That’s why I provide tools and techniques to help you expand and nurture your network.

3. Establish interviewing strategies. The job interview is your all-important chance to demonstrate that you’re an asset to the company and the best candidate for the job. We equip you with the skills to nail the job interview with confidence.

When you master these three keys, you’re perfectly positioned to land the job you want! Check out the video above for more details.

Some people can master these 3 strategies on their own, but many need a bit of help and accountability—and that’s where I come in. You don’t have to go it alone, and you can develop the confidence you need to succeed! Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

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Five Ways to Maximize Your Chances of Interview Success

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So you’ve applied for a slew of jobs, sent out a bunch of resumes, and now a prospective employer has called you for an interview. You may feel a mix of emotions ranging from excitement to panic, all in the same moment. An interview is a perfect opportunity for you and the employer to assess if you are right for each other. On the other hand, there’s a lot riding on those few minutes you spend with the interviewer. The more prepared you are going into the interview, the better your chances of success. Here are five tips to help you nail it.

1. Research the Company and Position

The first thing you need to do is effectively become an expert on the company you’re applying to. Learn about the industry, company history, organizational culture and interview process they use with prospective employees. Read through their website thoroughly and find out all you can about the day-to-day workings of the company. This will give you a sense of what is expected of you, what the company looks for in its employees, and how the interview is likely to be structured.

Next, find out who your potential interviewer is and research them, too, so when you meet them, you’ll know something about their background and expertise. You should also keep an eye on their social media profiles so that you’re aware of any news they happen to post. The more informed you are about the company, position, and interviewer, the more confidently you can approach the interview itself.

2. Prepare Answers to Common Interview Questions

If you’ve done job interviews recently, you probably already know some of the most common questions you could be asked. For example:

“What are your greatest strengths?”

“What is your greatest weakness?”

“What is your ideal work environment?”

“What accomplishments are you most proud of?”

“Tell us about a time when you set a goal and reached it.”

Take some time to think out some clear, detailed answers to these and other common questions. For the best impact, think about the company itself, as well as the position you’re applying for, and align your answers with that company and position. For example, if you’re asked, “How would you respond to this-and-such situation?”, assume they’re talking about their own company and answer the question in that context. When answering questions, provide examples about how your work experience aligns with the company’s needs.

Practice answering these questions in the mirror or with a friend/coach until they come out naturally and don’t sound rehearsed. You should also be prepared for interviewer follow-ups such as “How do you handle frustration?” or “Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond for an employer.” The more prepared you are with thoughtful answers, the better chance you’ll have of showing how well you would fit into the company culture. (Click here for a list of some common interview questions.)

3. Be Respectful of Their Time

Given the current job market, chances are you aren’t the only one interviewing for this position–and even if the employer intends to wait until everyone has an interview before hiring someone, they’re still making up their minds as they go. Timeliness is part of your all-important first impression. If you’re having an in-person interview, be on time (meaning at least 10 minutes early). If you’re interviewing remotely by Zoom or Skype, be ready to go at the scheduled interview time. Doing so shows respect for the interviewer’s time and demonstrates self-discipline and thoroughness–all of which are highly desirable qualities in an employee.

4. Frame Yourself as an Asset

Do you know why I had you do all that research on the company in the first tip above? So you could identify the company’s needs, learn about the position they’re filling, and position yourself as the perfect fit for that position based on your prior experience. (That’s also why I said to align your answers to interview questions around the company and the position.) Be modest, but confident. Your skills and expertise are what this company needs, so every time you have the opportunity to speak, try to speak specifically to the company’s needs and how you can help. By doing this, you’re making the conversation about them, not about you or your need for a job. The more they can visualize you in that position, the more likely they are to make an offer. So make sure they see you that way.

5. Prepare Five Points

One last “secret weapon” I like to recommend to my clients when prepping for an interview: identify five points you want to make—points that demonstrate why you are an ideal candidate for the job you’re seeking. Keep these points in mind as you go through the interview and look for opportunities to say them. If the interview questions don’t give you an opportunity, then save them for the end when you’ll get the inevitable question, “Is there anything else you’d like to add?” Sharing these five points ensures that you don’t leave anything unsaid that you feel you “should have said,” and you can walk out of the interview confident that you gave your best effort.

If you want more one-on-one help prepping for that next job, I’m here as always. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

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Job Search Tips for a Post-Pandemic Job Market

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Lately, the pandemic news has been almost all good as COVID-19 declines in the United States. Here in NYC, we’ve had super-low infection rates, and the city celebrated in style with fireworks when the state reached the threshold of 70 percent vaccination. The job market is also starting to rebound as restrictions are lifted and businesses reopen. Unemployment rates are dropping, and many employers report new positions they are eager to fill.

Whenever the job market experiences a major change—for the worse or the better—it also means you must adjust your approach to finding a job. While there are certainly more good positions available than there were a few months ago, there are also plenty of people vying for those positions. Whether you’ve been “sitting out” your job search during the pandemic, or whether you adapted your search techniques this past year, it may be time to take a breath, re-evaluate your current strategies, and retool your approach. Here are some tips to help you keep your competitive edge.

Revise Your Resume and/or Your LinkedIn Profile

Crisis changes people—often for the better. Chances are during the lockdowns, you learned some new skills or accomplished some projects on your own. If you did, consider whether any of those accomplishments could be used to enhance your resume. Perhaps you even did some soul searching and decided you wanted to take a fresh direction with your career. Retool your resume to reflect your current focus. If you have been doing networking and job searching using LinkedIn as a resume, make sure your profile reflects these changes, as well. Let your public persona reflect who you are now, not who you were before COVID. By doing so, you’ll seek out (and attract) job opportunities that are more suited for the “post-pandemic you.”

Additional tips: Don’t forget—employers like resumes that speak directly to their needs. Before sending in a resume for a specific job opening, take a few minutes to customize it, highlighting the specific skills and accomplishments (both old and new) that will convince the employer that you’d make a valuable member of their team. Also, since your resume is likely to be competing with a lot of others, take steps to make sure it stands out—both in appearance and in highlighting your abilities.

Maintain Your At-Home Work Skills

During the lockdowns and ongoing social distancing, many of us learned how to do remote job interviews from home, and many of us even began working remotely. Now that companies have learned this is a viable way to do things, many will continue to offer remote work—and many will even continue to offer interviews via Zoom and other online videoconferencing platforms. If you’ve been honing these skills, don’t let them get rusty. Keep practicing your interview techniques for video interviews, and keep your options open for work-from-home positions. Doing so may even open you up to job opportunities in other locations besides your hometown—jobs that wouldn’t have been available to you before the COVID crisis.

Look for “Niche” Opportunities

As new jobs open up over the next few months, employers are likely to be overwhelmed with resumes from interested (and sometimes desperate?) job seekers. Instead of just blasting out hundreds of resumes for generic job openings (which are likely to get lost in a sea of other resumes), try honing your job search toward specific skills you have that others might not have. In other words, now is a great time to look for a “niche” within your field of expertise and look for jobs that require that niche. This is a great way to narrow the field of eligible applicants so your resume is far more competitive. (In many cases, specialized skills also lead to higher salaries.)

If you want some personal help sharpening your job search skills for this rebounding job market, I’m here as always. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

Why the Giraffe?

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One question I get frequently from new friends and prospective clients is: “Why giraffes?” In other words, what’s the connection between the giraffe and my career coaching practice?

Fair question. Simple answer.

During a trip to South Africa, I had a chance to observe giraffes up close, and not only did I fall in love with them—I also recognized that the giraffe has traits that parallel all the characteristics we need for success. I elaborate in the short video above, but here are the traits in a nutshell:

  • They lean forward with confidence. (For us, confidence means building on the successes of the past to frame our future.)
  • They are flexible. (Flexibility is a must to navigate change successfully!)
  • They have treetop vision. (When we look to the horizon and see the big picture, we can see our place more clearly. We can also see what’s coming and plan for it more easily.)

And there you have it! Of course, developing these traits requires practice and patience, and we elaborate much more on how to do it in our coaching sessions. But these traits are important because they will carry us through any life transition and career shift, not just the immediate need to find work. If you want help positioning yourself for long-term career success, I’m always here to help. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

We All Need a Cheerleader Sometimes

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When I was in high school, I went out for the cheerleading squad. I was always very athletic as a kid, but growing up in Rochester, New York in the sixties, there weren’t really a lot of opportunities for girls to play school sports. Cheerleading was one of the few outlets girls had for being physically active, and being naturally athletic, I could do all the tricks and jumps, so it was hard to turn me down even if I didn’t have the “look” of a cheerleader. I made the team, and I was so excited…until I came home and announced it to my family. Especially my father.

My father was a man of few words, and most of the time, I could do no wrong in his eyes. But when I told him I was going to be a cheerleader, he looked like he’d seen a ghost. He broke his silence: “I don’t like the idea of you jumping around in front of a lot of people yelling and screaming. I don’t think it’s very ladylike.” I was devastated. Thankfully, my mom was more open to it, and she said, “We’ll discuss it later.” I never heard another complaint.

Looking back, I realize my dad was just protective of his little girl. Of course, years later, I can see that my experience as a cheerleader ended up informing almost every job I took as an adult. It turns out I’m a natural cheerleader. It’s what I’m known for—not just in an athletic environment, but in life. It’s one of the reasons why I love being a career coach, and it’s why I bring that cheerleading aspect to my approach.

Here’s the thing: We all need a cheerleader once in a while. Especially when we’re in a point of transition, change, or even crisis. Looking for a new job or career is stressful, especially if you didn’t become unemployed on purpose. And while I teach important skills to help people land the job they want—sometimes we just need to be cheered on and encouraged. I love that I’m able to be there for that part of the journey.

In the short video above, I share a bit more about the cheerleading aspect of what I do and why it’s so important. Please take a look and tell me what you think! And of course, if you’re looking to find a new job or launch a career, I’m here to help. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

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Adapting Your Job Search Techniques for the New Normal

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Let’s start with some straight talk. If you look at the economic news and the job numbers as a gauge for whether you can find work right now, you’re likely to be discouraged. Nine months into this pandemic, businesses and families alike are still struggling, and even with the vaccine now being distributed, it will be some time before the economy comes back in full force.

But…and here’s the good news…there are still jobs out there to be had. The economy may be slow, but it hasn’t stopped. Companies still need people to do things for them, and they are still willing to pay for it. The reason it looks bad is that you’re looking through the wrong lens. Let me explain.

There’s no doubt that this pandemic has changed the landscape of the workforce. I’m not talking about unemployment numbers. I’m talking about the available jobs and the way those jobs get filled. We’re used to finding work in a certain way: employers post job openings, we send in our application and resume, we go to an interview, we get hired.

Except things are different now—and not just because of the pandemic. Employers are changing the way they post jobs and hire people. Many jobs get filled without the need ever to post an opening on LinkedIn or Indeed. And that’s not likely to change just because of the vaccine. That doesn’t mean you can’t get those jobs—it just means you’re looking in the wrong places for them. The hiring process is different, so you can’t expect to get hired using the old methods. It’s a “new normal” out there, and the key to getting hired more quickly is to adapt your mindset and your methods to this new normal.

Having said that, let’s look at a few new approaches to think about concerning your job search.

Look for Problems You Can Solve, Not Job Openings.

Here’s where you stop thinking of yourself as an employee trying to get hired and instead think of yourself as a professional with certain skills that employers need. This approach requires you to think a little bit like an entrepreneur. Instead of just scoping out job postings at places you’d like to work, do a bit of investigative work and find out what problems (or “pain points”) that company has that you could provide solutions for. Then look for a way to approach the company, send an email or make a phone call, share what you do, and offer your skills as a solution. If there is no official job listing or open position (and there very well might not be), you can often open a dialogue at the company by calling human resources, or by finding and reaching out to the head of a department where your skills might be relevant. You might also find an inroad to the company through your LinkedIn connections or someone else in your network. With a bit of creativity, you can usually find your way to the right desk even if there is no active hiring going on.

Yes, that company may be hiring fewer people right now, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have work that needs to be done. Chances are they’re contracting out that work to third-party companies or independent contractors, or even using automated services. If you can convince them it makes more sense to hire you than to use those other methods—you’ve just created a position for yourself where none existed before. Even if they hire you as a 1099 contractor or on a temp basis, you’ve now gotten your foot in the door.

Become an Expert

Another way employers are meeting their company’s needs is to look specifically for skilled professionals and experts and actively recruit them to do the work they need to be done. These job openings never get posted because the employer is taking an active role in approaching prospective new hires. The way you get in line for these jobs is to position yourself as one of those experts and let the employers find you. A lot of this stuff happens online nowadays, so whatever your skillset is, start posting content online that shows that you are a subject matter expert or a thought leader in that field. If your expertise is in creative home financing, for example, maybe start a blog about that. Post articles on LinkedIn, create some YouTube videos, share helpful tips on Instagram and Facebook. Develop a body of work that shows you know your stuff when it comes to home financing. When an employer in your network or on LinkedIn needs those kinds of skills, your stuff will eventually start coming up in their online searches. This approach takes a little time and effort, but it can pay off well because the tables are effectively turned. Instead of you being at the employer’s mercy to hire you, the employer comes to you already interested, trying to convince you to take the job. (That usually means a fatter paycheck, as well.)

Develop a Proof of Concept

This technique is about not just saying what you can do, but showing you can do it. Anyone can create a nice resume—that’s why employer’s desks are stacked full of them. To stand out as the solution that employer needs, look for a way to establish proof of concept. Create a portfolio of your work or a “look book” of successful projects you’ve completed at other companies. Save a few blog posts that you’ve written that demonstrate your expertise, and include those in your portfolio.

One method to develop your proof of concept is a common technique used in building a resume: the PAR method. (PAR stands for “Problem, Action, Result.”) Using this method, you:

  • identify a specific problem you encountered in your previous employment or activities;
  • describe what action you took to solve the problem; and
  • share the results of the action you took.

When you put together a few of these examples using the PAR method, you can share them in several places, including your portfolio, your resume, and your LinkedIn profile. The PAR method is quite effective because it helps hiring managers draw a clearer connection between what their company needs and what you can offer.

You still need a good resume, but when you send it, send a link to your portfolio as well. If you do get an interview, bring the portfolio with you or give the employer a link during your Zoom chat. Give them something to see besides just your credentials, and you’ll make a bigger impression than the best resume alone can give you.

Keep Active in Your Network

Nowadays, your professional/social network matters now more than ever when you’re looking for work. Don’t neglect your connections—keep looking for ways to stay in touch and to stay top-of-mind. Posting content as we mentioned above will help, but don’t forget to interact. Lots of job openings and referrals still happen through these channels, so while you’re working on the other things, keep tending your network.

Should you keep looking at job listings and applying for them? Of course you should. Use every possible avenue to find work. Just don’t limit yourself to the traditional methods—be aware of the changes in the work environment and start thinking creatively about how to change your approach to match those changes. I’m not saying your job search won’t still have its challenges, but just remember—the ones who succeed during times of great change are the ones who are willing to adapt, rather than resist.

Want some more specific guidance in your job search? I’m always here to help. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

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Mindset Is Everything and Everything Is Mindset

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There are many practical things you can do to position yourself for a new/better job or a new career—and when I work with clients as a career coach, we definitely explore those things. But I can cover the same ground with two different people, both equally talented and loaded with potential, and one will find great success while the other flounders. What’s the differentiator?

One word: Mindset.

Your mindset predicts achievement. It plays a pivotal role in what you want and whether you are able to achieve it. It is a powerful tool for success in every aspect of your life, including your business and your career. The right mindset will give you wings to soar; the wrong one will limit you and cause perpetual frustration. That’s why I devote a great deal of my practice to helping my clients develop a mindset for success, and why I’m devoting a significant chunk of my upcoming book to it. Mindset matters more than any of the other practical stuff I can teach.

Fixed Mindset versus Growth Mindset

Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychologist and the author of the insightful book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, really pioneered this understanding of the power of mindset. She discovered that the real question of success is whether you believe qualities like intelligence, talent and creativity are fixed or changeable traits. The answer determines whether you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. Let’s talk about the differences between these mindsets so we can see how they affect our success.

People with a fixedmindset believe that intelligence, creativity and talent are inborn, fixed and unchangeable. They therefore tend to stick to activities and experiences where they believe they will be successful and avoid new experiences where they could fail. They don’t like change. This attitude limits their success and potential. 

Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that these qualities can be strengthened and expanded through experience, learning and challenge. A growth mindset makes you curious, resilient, and able to reach your goals and potential despite setbacks and disappointments.

Dweck believes that we all are capable of creating a growth mindset—and in today’s world where technology and business models are changing so rapidly, I believe embracing a growth mindset is vital for success.

Our mind is a powerful thing. The stories we tell ourselves, the things we believe about ourselves, can negatively or positively impact our potential for success. For example, if you think or say: “I am not good enough” or “I never could do that,” you probably won’t. If you think or say: “I got this,” “I can do this,” or “What is the worst thing that could happen?”, you will seek out new challenges and grow. It is entirely within our control to reframe stressful moments into positive ones. The power of positive thinking actually reduces stress and anxiety and boosts our can-do spirit.

Developing a Growth Mindset

If mindset determines our success level—and I believe it does—then mindset becomes our starting point. So how do you develop a growth mindset? Fellow career coach and Forbes writer Caroline Gastrillon offers some practical tips for doing so, which I’d like to pass along here:

  • Embrace failure. View failure as a positive rather than a negative. Every failure is a learning experience and an opportunity to grow.
  • Become a lifelong learner. Be curious about everything. Gastrillon points out that 85 percent of successful people read two or more educational/ business development or self improvement books a month.
  • Seek out challenge. Get outside your comfort zone; that’s where the magic happens.
  • Go beyond your perceived limits. We grow by pushing past what we think we can do.
  • Ask for feedback. Knowing you are responsible for you own growth, have the confidence to ask for feedback and learn from it. Creating a diversified network of contacts encourages and supports a growth mindset and is a great resource for feedback.

Don’t procrastinate. Explore the power and energy that a growth mindset can have on your career. If you want more details and assistance, I’m here to help. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set up a free 30-minute consultation.

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The Best Types of Jobs for Working Remotely

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The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our world, to put it mildly. Nowhere can we see this more clearly than in the workforce, where the entire employment landscape changed practically overnight. A lot has been said about the spike in unemployment starting with the shutdowns—but the fact is, a LOT of people who didn’t lose their jobs just began working remotely.

More than half of us, in fact.

That’s right. Before the pandemic, the number of people in the workforce working regularly from home was just over five percent. Shortly after the quarantines started, that number jumped to 62 percent, according to Gallup. What’s more, even as the economy has gradually started back up, many of these workers have never gone back to the office. More recent surveys now put the percentage of remote workers at about 40 percent. Some companies have even made remote working a permanent part of their structure!

What this means for you is that if you’re currently seeking employment but prefer to work from home, not only are you now in the majority of the population, but there are now many more industries and companies that offer telework as an option than even a few months ago. There are likely to be at least a few remote job openings that fall within your area of expertise, or at least close to it. If you’re looking for a work-from-home position, here are a few of the fields and industries (in no particular order) where you’re most likely to find job openings at this time.

Education

Remote instructors of all kinds are in high demand right now due to the sheer number of students learning virtually. From grade schools to colleges, from tutoring to a plethora of online education platforms, people who can teach, write curriculum and perform other training functions have an abundance of options. Even if you’re not credentialed, if you’re an expert in your field and have the ability to train others, you should be able to find some opportunities to put that expertise to work.

Accounting

Even before the pandemic, accountants were a growing commodity among small and large companies alike, and that trend is only likely to continue. Since accounting can easily be done from home, many companies with open accountant positions now allow for telework—not to mention the growing number of outsourced bookkeeping companies that need personnel for their client base of startups.

Developer/Technology

If you’re tech-savvy, you’ve got a lot of work-from-home options right now. Not only are major tech companies like Google and Twitter moving to mostly or completely remote work, but there’s a high demand for all forms of development, whether it’s software/game development, website development, systems administration, etc. Even a lot of IT work can be done remotely nowadays.

Digital Marketing

Online marketing was already a huge and growing sector before the pandemic hit—and now that companies need the Internet more than ever for their marketing and sales efforts, the demand for these skills is through the roof. Since digital marketing lives completely online, the transition to remote work is seamless. (Bonus points if you’re skilled in social media marketing.)

Creative Fields (e.g., Design, Writing)

In the 21st-century marketplace, content is king. If you’re skilled in creative areas like graphic design, UX/UI design, copywriting, etc., you can find a wealth of opportunities at or for companies that rely heavily on content creation, especially for branding/marketing purposes.

This is by no means an exhaustive list; there are many other sectors and companies currently hiring for remote work. And if none of these falls within your field of expertise…do a search for remote jobs available within your own industry. You might be surprised to find out what’s available, even in fields that haven’t accommodated working from home in the past.

If you’d like some help getting yourself in a more competitive position for getting hired (for remote work or otherwise), I’m always here to assist. Shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s set you up with a free 30-minute consultation.

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Free Training Sessions on Zoom to Help with Your Job Search!

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If you’ve been struggling to find gainful employment during this pandemic, I’ve just added an additional free resource that may help: a free training session via Zoom to help you sharpen your job search strategies! Let me share how this came about.

Ever since this pandemic hit, I’ve been looking for ways to be of service to those who have been affected by it job-wise. So many people became unemployed as a result of the lockdowns and the resulting hit to the economy. A couple of months later, we saw a crop of college students who had to graduate “virtually” and now find themselves struggling to land their first job in the midst of this crisis.

For myself, I’ve gone completely “remote” with my career coaching sessions, and I confer with all my clients by phone or by Zoom. Videoconferencing has actually proven to be a lifeline for many of us during these difficult times, whether we’re conducting business, attending job interviews or just connecting with family and friends. This “new reality” gave me the idea: Since we can’t do the training in person right now, why not use this medium as a resource to help people who need a boost with their job search? And why not give them relevant information they can use right now, in this year and in this economy, to improve their chances for getting hired?

The Zoom training is open to anyone, but it’s specifically designed to help those who have been recently unemployed, as well as recent college grads who might be floundering in their attempt to get hired right now. The session is free with no obligation—you just have to sign up for an open time slot. (For efficiency’s sake, I’ve set a limit on the number of people per session so we can keep the conversation going.)

What the Free Training Covers

The Zoom training session is designed to help you sharpen your skills in four key areas for a successful job search in 2020. The four keys are:

  1. A powerful resume—one that gets a second look, rather than overlooked.
  2. A compelling LinkedIn profile—learn how to use this critical platform to your best advantage.
  3. Honed networking skills—yes, you can still network in quarantine, and I’ll tell you how.
  4. A solid interviewing strategy—not just how to conduct yourself, but how to present yourself online since most interviews are happening virtually right now.

Sound like something that could help you? Just shoot me an email letting me know you’re interested, and I’ll send you a schedule so you can register for the next available time slot.

Don’t Forget These Other Free Resources…

Just as a reminder, as my schedule allows, I’m also still offering free individual coaching services for people who have been laid off due to the pandemic. (Email me for details.) And don’t forget my free webinar, “Land the Job You Want,” which you can access at any time by clicking here.

Remember, we’re all in this together. If I can be of help in any way with your job search or career change, shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and let’s chat.

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Tips for Nailing Remote Job Interviews

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In the weeks since the pandemic caused us all to shelter-in-place, I think we’ve all learned a LOT about how much technology can help us stay connected. The ability to tele-work has helped many companies stay in business, and even job interviews are now being conducted via video platforms like Zoom and Skype. If you happen to land a remote job interview, it can be intimidating at first, especially If you don’t have a lot of experience with videoconferencing. Plus, a video interview can feel quite different than an in-person interview, and there a few additional factors to think about.

Never fear—that’s why we’re here. If a potential employer asks you to interview online, here are some steps you need to ahead of time to make sure you put your best foot forward.

Install the Video App Beforehand

The employer will typically let you know which video platform they want to use for your interview. For our purposes, we’ll say it’s either Zoom or Skype since these are the most common, but there are others, as well. Whichever app they suggest, make sure you have it installed on your computer and test it out before the day of your interview. Zoom and Skype are both free to install, and you’ll need to set up a free account if you don’t have one yet. With Zoom, the employer will usually send a link via email that opens the app and logs you into the chat room automatically—but you’ll avoid potential disaster by making sure the app works before you click the link at interview time.

Create the Right Setting

When you go into an in-person interview, the setting is predetermined for you (i.e., the employer’s office or a conference room). With video conferencing—and this is important—you set your own backdrop. You don’t just need to think about what to wear (more on that in a minute)—you need to think about where you’ll sit, what is behind you and how you’ll look on camera. These factors will now all contribute to first impressions—not just how you dress!

Pick a place in your home or apartment that is pleasant and well-lit, with a backdrop that is relatively neutral and uncluttered. Be careful sitting next to open windows as the sunlight may cast an unintended shadow across your face—and if the window is behind you, you’ll be silhouetted. Position lighting so your gorgeous smile is easy to see!

Remove Visual and Audible Distractions

When setting your backdrop, you don’t necessarily have to have a plain, white wall—bookshelves and decorations are fine—just make sure there isn’t excessive clutter or gadgets in view that might draw the interviewer’s eyes away from you. Another factor that can be distracting is sound. When it’s interview time, make sure the room is quiet, free from the noise from kids, roommates, etc. Also, if you’re in a small room with bare walls, your voice might sound like you’re in a tunnel, and that can be distracting. At the very least, hang some blankets around the room (not in the camera view) to dampen the sound of your voice.

Prepare for the Interview Itself

Once you have set the stage, so to speak, your next task is to treat the interview almost exactly as if you were doing it in person. Prepare the same as you would for any other interview—research the company, anticipate what questions you might be asked, rehearse your answers, make a list of questions you’d like to ask—all the normal prep work you’d do otherwise. Your goal here is basically to make the same type of impression on the employer as if you were in the room with the interviewer. The more you prepare in this way, the closer you’ll be to that goal, even when interviewing remotely.

Do a Test Run (or Two)

The next way to prepare, especially if this is your first video interview, is to do a trial run. Ask a friend (or coach) to join you on Zoom or Skype to do a practice run-through of the interview. Start by opening the app and hopping on the call to make sure your audio and video work properly. (Too many video interviews have been bungled simply because the applicant didn’t bother to check the technology!)

Once you’re on the call, before you start the role-playing Q&A, take a good look at yourself and your backdrop to make sure you’re well-lit and there are no unwanted distractions behind you. During the Q&A, watch yourself on screen. Try to relax and act as normally as possible, as if the computer in front of you is the other person in the room. During the Q&A, record the session if possible so you can listen back for any unwanted echoes in the room, and also to check your responses. Avoid the temptation to get intimidated or self-conscious. If you see something that annoys you about how you look/act, you’ll typically make the adjustment naturally. (That’s the great thing about watching ourselves onscreen—it shows us things we don’t know are happening in the moment and gives us a chance to fix them.)

Dress for Success

And finally…dress for the interview exactly as you would if you were going into the office. There’s a running joke about dressing only from the waist up for remote interviews—don’t do it. First, you’ll have a lot more self-confidence if you dress the part; and second, if you have to get up for any reason, the illusion will be shattered.

If you need help with your job search or prepping for remote interviews, I’m here to assist—and as I mentioned before, if you became unemployed due to the pandemic, you may be eligible for free coaching from me. Just shoot me an email at terrylynn@giraffesconsulting.com and tell me your story, and I’ll get back to you to set up a free consultation.

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