Mark Hirschfeld

My friend Leigh Branham published a book on why good employees leave. The book is based on his study of thousands of people who left their employer.

If career opportunities are important to you in your next position, you can likely learn a lot about that via formal and informal channels.

On the web site of many employers they will describe what opportunities may be available, but I strongly recommend you ask about this in your interviews as well. Additionally, ask people in your network who may have insights.

You may also want to think through what kind of career path(s) are important to you. Some options:

~ Doing the same kind of work you’ve done before,

~ Taking a lateral move from a prior job, or

~ A promotion from a prior job.

Each of these may have different career development paths.

Don’t put yourself into a position where you find a new job and later learn you don’t have opportunities to pursue your career goals.

#jobhunting #careers #jobsearch

Grab a copy of Leigh’s book at: https://tinyurl.com/y3e64fcq

My friend Leigh Branham published a book on why good employees leave. It is based on his study of thousands of “exit surveys” of people who left their employer. Job seekers can gain from his insights.

I am often teased by colleagues how often I say: “feedback is a gift.”

But I do mean it.

We have a chance to grow when we receive feedback and coaching, when we learn more about what we’re doing well as well as areas we can improve.

Not all cultures are built that way. Some company cultures don’t have ways for employees to learn and grow via coaching and feedback. The reasons for this lack can vary, but the end result can be employees who feel lost, have a lack of confidence, and are generally adrift.

As a job seeker, you again have the potential to learn about a prospective employer. For networking contacts, ask:

~ Are current employees provided meaningful feedback about their performance?

~ Is that feedback frequent, or do folks have to wait for an annual review?

~ Do managers spend time working with employees, including one-on-one time, to support the growth of their direct reports?

Do your homework. Learn about the culture of a prospective employer.

#jobhunting #careers #jobsearch Grab a copy of Leigh’s book at: https://tinyurl.com/y3e64fcq

My colleague Leigh Branham wrote an important book on why good employees leave. The book is based on his study of thousands of “exit surveys” of people who left their employer. Over the week I’ll comment on how each of these factors can impact your career and job search.

A friend just recently interviewed for a job. He got to the second interview and found out that the job had different roles and responsibilities than was listed in the job posting. Although the job did have some appeal, there were parts of the role that really didn’t fit his skills or interests.

After considering their offer, he declined to take the job.

In these challenging times, it may be tempting to take a job, any job.  But Leigh’s research clearly shows that folks will more likely leave work that is a mismatch, so think through your interests, skills, goals and aspirations before you jump to a job you may ultimately regret.

#jobhunting #careers #jobsearch

If a job isn’t a great match, you might want to think about using it as a “bridge” to another opportunity. I write about that at https://markhirschfeld.com/2020/08/02/job-search-tip-50-making-the-most-of-a-bridge-job/

Grab a copy of Leigh’s book at: https://tinyurl.com/y3e64fcq

My colleague Leigh Branham wrote an important book on why good employees leave. The book is based on his study of thousands of “exit surveys” of people who left their employer. Over the week I’ll comment on how each of these factors can impact your career and job search.

Job seekers have more information available to them than ever before about prospective employers.

There are numerous sources of information in the public domain that can help you research companies, from something as simple as a Google search to the web site of an employer. Job boards and social networking sites also have information about employers, including participant ratings.

But folks can often gain additional useful information from personal networking with:

~ Current or former employees,

~ Current or former customers,

~ Current or former supply chain partners (vendors),

~ Professional associations/trade groups,

~ Neighboring employers, or

~ Regulatory agencies.

Don’t put yourself in a situation where you get a new job and then learn the work or culture is significantly different than you expected.

Do your homework.

#career #jobhunting #jobsearch

Just watched a show on Netflix that explained how dust from long-dead fish in an extinct African lake now produces dust that nourishes global-warming-carbon-eating plankton in the ocean and also keeps the Amazon rainforest alive and teeming.

The dust travels the globe, offering benefits never imagined.

By the way, I should tell you the name of the show…

It’s called Connected.

We are connected, in ways we understand and in other ways we may never imagine.

The goal of this platform is to create connections. I’ve found connections on LinkedIn with folks on other continents and others who live right down the road from me in Minnesota.

Like the dust from Africa, through our connectedness we can be a catalyst for growth. We can find new opportunities, and we can gain new insights.

And, yes, we can be of help.

In these challenging times, let’s be even more intentional about being connected, not only to advance our interests but in supporting the interests of others. Take time to help someone in the job search, or use some of your privilege to help someone who needs insights or connections they don’t have.

Let’s help others along their journey. We can feed, and we can be fed.

#jobhunting #careers #jobsearch #networking #connected There are free training videos on the web site of my faith community: https://www.thetablempls.com/jobresources

Check out this article on developing a profile on LinkedIn. Recruiters do use LI to find candidates (I’ve been approached myself), and you want to present yourself in a way the best tells your story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robinryan/2020/09/09/95-of-recruiters-are-on-linkedin-looking-for-job-candidates-how-to-impress-them/#19bf4de742ef

#jobsearch #jobhunting #careers

I hope you know how important networking is to the success of your job search. But are some contacts more beneficial than others? Is it more important to network with a former co-worker, or network with someone who is a friend in your personal community?

One research study suggests the former is better:

“We show that it is crucial to distinguish between network members who share occupational characteristics (work ties) and network members who do not (communal ties) Work ties tend to provide job information that matches job seekers and job characteristics, whereas communal ties often provide less accurate information.”

According to the study, folks who network more with “work ties” were re-employed, on average, more quickly.

It’s okay to network with a friend, but make sure that contact is someone who is a position to help provide insights about your job or industry.

All networking is good, but put focus on work ties.

It’s a new day. Let’s get started.

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 have a good friend at work with whom I collaborate frequently. He and I were about to call on a prospective client we had not met. We weren’t sure how the meeting would go, but just before the call I said, a bit in jest: “Hey, how much of me do I get to bring to the meeting today?”

He smiled and said: “Bring all of you, Mark!”

Both of us brought our true selves, our best that day, and we had a great meeting.

To the degree you can, find a place where you can bring all of you, your interests, your skills, you passions, and your goals. If the culture of a prospective employer feels like they don’t want all of you, the authentic you, it’s probably worth taking a pass.

Don’t settle. Find a place that will welcome every interest, skill and passion that is you.

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

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

My father, Leonard Hirschfeld, ran a clothing store which, by the way, has been in operation for over 104 years.

He could put up with a customer buying a necktie from him that didn’t match a suit, or he’d let it slide if you didn’t buy a new belt even though your mid-section said otherwise.

But for him, putting shoes on a person that didn’t fit was an ethical breach.

He would say: “If your shoes don’t fit, your feet will hurt. And if your feet hurt, then your mood will change. And who knows how you’ll treat people if your mood has changed.”

So if you sold shoes for my father, you learned to fit them properly.

That was the standard. Many clothiers may not have felt that way. But he did, and it was one of the things that helped his business stand out.

What are the standards in your work? Can you tell stories of how you set the bar, and in doing so, how you stand out?

If you’re looking for a job, think through times when you acted in a way where you set the standard of excellence. Prospective employers will be impressed by someone who has thought about those things, as that can be a differentiator in a competitive market.

#career #openforwork #jobsearch