Mark Hirschfeld

This plea is to those of you who are fortunate enough to have a job. If someone asks for you for a few moments to ask for advice, please do so. If you know the person well enough and feel comfortable writing a reference or validating some of their skills on this platform, do it.

One exceptionally important thing you can do in a networking meeting it to provide connections to a job seeker from your network. I was trained by my father to understand and utilize the power of networking, a skill others may not have.

I have used this privilege to my own benefit over the years, and am now using that to help others navigate these often complex systems called employers.

I’ve heard some say they are uncomfortable taking networking meetings because of the fear they can’t help. You don’t need to have all the answers. In fact, just listening to folks who are searching can make a difference—you help them feel heard.

Reach out and help not because you may receive something in return (although you might); do it because it’s the right thing.

There are twelve training videos on the web site of my faith community and a handout the videos reference. This content is free. Please consider passing along: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

#jobsearch #hiring #jobs #careers

A former job search client told me about how a first interview with a prospective employer got off to a great start because she was learning about the employer. Prior to her interview she had been online and noticed a news story about the company, which she referenced in the “small talk” introductions. The hiring manager hadn’t seen the article, so was grateful for her bringing it up and it offered them an opportunity to connect. The rest of interview went well.

This is a good example of the importance of doing your homework about a potential employer. In some cases that can be accomplished in online research—the web site of the employer, online review sites and social networking sites can all be useful.

In other cases you need to do some networking with people you know who may have insights or can introduce you to people who do.

There are twelve free training videos on the web site of my faith community. Please consider passing along to friend or loved one who may need help: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

There can only be “salesperson of the year.”

Only one team can get their product to market first.

Only one person can win the contest for best design.

But every person—each of us—can do something better than we’ve ever done before.

Each of us can have a “personal best.”

Each of us have had a times in our work when we’ve done something better than we’ve ever done.

Maybe you were a new salesperson who was just starting with a company and got furloughed for no fault of your own. You didn’t compete with longer tenured producers, but you had a couple of months where you did better than you had before—you had two personal bests. A prospective employer may be very interested to know of your personal bests, as those successes, although modest, provide evidence you were heading in a positive direction.

In the world of sports we celebrate when athletes have a personal best. Take pride in your personal bests and learn to tell those stories to the market.

#career #careercoach #jobhunting #careers #jobsearch

There are free training videos on the web site of my faith community. Please pass along: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources

A “panacea”—a solution for all remedies.

When it comes to recognition, there isn’t really one panacea that will inspire all employees equally. It turns out you need a series of resources at your disposal. According to our research it’s important employees experience recognition:

~ for which there is not necessarily an economic value,

~ for which there is an economic value, and

~ of a milestone or service anniversary.

According to our data, when employees don’t experience any of these three forms of engagement that are the least happy, committed and working hard on behalf of their employer. When they experience one of these forms of recognition their engagement increases, there is a bit more increase when they experience two, and yet another significant jump if they experience all three.

Even though there is no panacea, it’s not difficult to develop a strategy where you use these three forms of recognition to support an more productive, inspiring culture.

#ThankYouThursday #recognition  #appreciation #gratitude #grateful #inspiration

My employer has created a free site to recognize folks. Use it as often as you would like! Give some appreciation, right now: https://appreciate.biworldwide.com/

To keep myself occupied and out of the hair of Mrs. Hirschfeld, I planted an herb window garden. Included in my assortment are the “Simon and Garfunkel” combo—parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

The fledgling plants bend.

They bend toward the sun.

Toward the light, which helps them grow and thrive.

If you’re in the job search, you too should bend toward the light, toward what will help you thrive.

Bending toward the light will mean something different for each of us, but here are a few ways:

~ Get a coach and some good friends who will provide encouragement, guidance and inspiration,

~ Network, network, network. Interacting with new contacts can be difficult, but most often is positive and affirming.

~ Work hard on your search, AND take time to recharge. I find being in nature is helpful, but others it might be a good book or a satisfying movie.

~ Your “bending” may also mean you avoid negative people. That isn’t often easy, but think about who brings you light and who causes darkness.

~And don’t forget you can bring light to others, including fellow job searchers.

It can be a long and challenging road to secure a new job. Spend your time bending toward the light.

There are free training videos on the web site of my faith community. Please pass along: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

#career #careercoach #jobhunting #careers #jobsearch

I was conducting a workshop with a group of people who had lost their jobs because of a plant closure. They all knew and worked with each other. I had given the group an exercise for each person to think about their successes at work, which can provide insights into strengths.

One gentleman couldn’t think of any. His colleagues all jumped in to remind him of several successes he had. He told the group he “just thought that was what he was supposed to do in his job.” Although that may have been true, his friends reminded him he did those things very well!

You may have done some things for so long that you don’t realize how special that ability could be to another employer:

~ Think about your successes, where you received recognition from others, won a contest or had a “personal best”.

~Take time to get feedback from others about your successes. Have them look at your resume to determine if there’s something missing that would be valuable to another employer.

What you’ve achieved in your prior work could be the exact kind of work another employer is looking for, so spend time thinking about your successes, even those you may consider modest.

#jobsearch #career #hiring #strengths

There are twelve training videos on the web site of my faith community and a handout the videos reference. This content is free. Please consider passing along to friend or loved one who may need help: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

Just because your job search is hard doesn’t mean that you’re doing it wrong.

As a guy who grew up in a railroad town, I learned there was more than one track that can get you where you want to go. When it comes to your job search, you too can have more than one track.

Here are examples of job search tracks:

~ Same job, same industry.

~ Same job, different industry.

~ Different job, same industry.

~ Different job, different industry.

~ Self-employment.

With each of these tracks you would develop a different plan, approach different networking contacts, research different topics, and prepare your communications differently. For example, with “different job, same industry” you might use a functional resume to highlight your strengths, where with “same job, same industry” a more traditional chronological resume might be fine.

You could have two tracks to your job search, and can advance both at the same time.

Determine you goals. Make your plan. Do your homework. Tell your story.

Make it a great day.

There are free training videos on the web site of my faith community: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

#career #careercoach #jobhuntingtips #jobhunting #careers #jobsearch

While most of us want our dream job, the reality is we may have to settle for something less.

If an ideal job isn’t available, you can choose a “bridge job”, which I define as less than ideal but one you can be employed now and use to “bridge” to that better opportunity.

Sometimes a bridge job is just about getting a paycheck. But here are some other ways you can think about this tactic:

• Learn a new skill. Consider bridge jobs where you can learn a new skill or gain experience that would make you more valuable for your future dream job.
• Make new contacts. Choose a job where you could make some contacts that could help you in your career.
• References. Be awesome in your bridge job so that you earn a reference.

Not all bridge jobs are created equal. If you choose this route, pick a bridge job that helps you move forward, which gets you from one side of the bridge to the other.

It’s a great day. Let’s get moving.

There are training videos on the web site of my faith community. This content is free: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources 

#career #careercoach #jobhuntingtips #jobhunting #careers #jobsearch #jobsearchstrategies

Don was at a national sales meeting of a client. He heard people whispering about a man across the room. Although the man had on a nice sports coat and tie, he apparently had made a faux paus with his socks…

They were white.

Don found out later that the man with the white socks, although ridiculed, was outstanding. In fact, his hecklers didn’t know that later that day he was being honored at the meeting.

Don deemed his peers suffered from “glare”, where in this instance they were evaluating this man wearing white socks which, of course, has absolutely no relationship to his productivity and success.

If Don was alive today, he wouldn’t call it glare. He would call it #bias.

There is way too much “glare” in the world of work, too much bias, including in the #hiring process.

We must fight against this bias. If you are in the #jobsearch, you may face this because:

~ Of your age

~ Of your gender

~ Because you are a person with a #disability

~ You are #unemployed

~ Your sexual orientation

And, five months after the death of George Floyd in my home of MSO, there is bias because of your ethnicity.

I don’t have all the answers to fight this, but maybe a place to start is to do this—let’s name it. There are free training videos on the web site of my faith community: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources