In Transition? Can I find you on LinkedIn?

I’m looking for some people with sales experience to sell some of my stuff to organizations (I have some B2B products).

This is commission only (I know, I know, but it’s a healthy commission and should be an easy sale) and I want to find the right people who aren’t afraid to pick up the phone.

I think my B2B products (specifically, a new one that is rolling out in the next 45 days) is really, really cool.  I’ve talked to dozens of prospects and they are all, without exception, excited about the offering.

They also think the pricing is reasonable.

I think it will be a relatively easy sale.  And the right people on board will help me take it to the level it should be at.

Today I went to LinkedIn and typed searched for “commission sales” and “outbound sales” and got some interesting profiles… but there was one simple change I made that took me to the people I want to talk to… look at this:

I want to talk to people who I don’t have to pry away from a current job… and there are plenty out there… just putting seeking OR looking in this field, and changing the drop down to just CURRENT, got me to a list of people I want to talk to.

In this situation this will help these people have meaningful discussions… is YOUR profile optimized so that people can find you?

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Declare Inbox Bankruptcy When Necessary, Save Yourself a Lot of Stress [Clutter]

Whether you're declaring email bankruptcy or laundry bankruptcy, sometimes the only way to climb out from under the pile of real or virtual clutter is to start from scratch. Our advice: Don't be afraid to declare bankruptcy as often as you need.

Something devious goes on in our brains that makes it difficult to give up on a big pile of emails, for example, and just start over with a clean slate. It feels like you're admitting failure, and that never feels good. The problem is that that pile of stuff has been accumulating for a while, and the longer you let it go, the more insurmountable it gets. The pile keeps growing, and as it does, you're less and less likely to address it head on. The quick (and sometimes best) solution:

Declare bankruptcy. In your email account, that means archiving all those emails you're meaning to reply to but just haven't gotten around to. If you need to send out an email to your contacts letting them know you've declared email bankruptcy, so be it. Bcc a big list of people you were never going to get back to in the first place and let them know you're starting over; it's better than they were going to get from you otherwise.

In other areas, declaring bankruptcy can simply mean wiping your slate clean of all those things you've been meaning to get to but just haven't done. Remember, as soon as your good intentions start spilling over into stressful-pile-of-terror-I-can't-confront territory, your doing yourself harm—along with your ability to get things done.

So as we begin to wind down our Spring Cleaning week, we're curious: Where could you benefit from declaring a little bankruptcy? Let's hear it in the comments. Photo by showmeone.

Send an email to Adam Pash, the author of this post, at tips+adam@lifehacker.com.

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Already Gone? - Find Your Job

Reposted from CareerAlley

"And I'm already gone And I'm feelin' strong" - Jack Tempchin and Robert Arnold Strandlund

I was looking at my weekly LinkedIn updates (which I usually ignore) the other day and noticed that one of my former coworkers had a new profile (and a new job). So I got to thinking, where are all of my former coworkers these days? So I called a friend and we started going through the list and I was amazed at how many times she said "no, he/she is already gone". Already gone? Doesn't sound good. To be fair, in many cases the individual had found a new job before they "moved on", but there were a fair number of people who were already gone before they had a new job. So whether you are already gone by choice, looking to be gone soon or afraid you will be gone there is no better time than now to look for a job.

Starting your Job Search:

• Building Your Resume - If you've not visited the CareerAlley Job Search Marketing Toolkit, now is a good time. The article includes background and links on how to build your resume, resume examples, resume templates, key words for your resume and a link for the best college resumes.

• Where to Start Your Job Search - Job-Hunt.org provides an article which helps organize your job search process. Starting with listing three stages (Preparation, Implementation and Maintenance - each with links). This is followed by additional links for a beginner's guide, researching companies and more.

• Writing Your Cover Letters - Another post from the Job Search Marketing Toolkit, this article provides background on cover letter types and then offers up links to samples, examples and the "how to" for writing cover letters.

• How To Start Your Cover Letter With a BANG! - Your cover letter is the first thing a potential employer sees and this article is all about how to get an employer's attention with your cover letter. Much of it is about the headline, take a read.

• Prepare for the Interview - A list of links to help prepare for your interview. Acing the interview, Telephone Interviews, Do's and Don'ts and more. Check out the links on this page to help fast track your search.

Recruiters:

• The Maxwell Group – This search firm specializes in finance, accounting, banking and capital markets (with the exception of Accounting, tough industries these days). Their site is fairly simple, with company overview and links on the left hand side of the page for Candidate Information, Current Positions and “Contacting Us”. The Candidate Information link provides an overview of the process and a link to register. From the Current Positions Page, you can select from three categories (Finance/Accounting, Operations and Capital Markets). Clicking on any of these lists the current positions, along with salary and location. Click on Detail to see more about the position(s). The Contact Us link provides information (name, address, telephone and email) for contacting this search firm.

• Nosal Partners – Nosal is an executive search firm that specializes in a number of positions. Their main site has tabs at the top for a number of topics regarding the firm. The Resource Center (left center) has links for Current Assignments, Register your credentials and a link to a number of resources. The About Us tab lists the recruiters, click on any one for a full bio along with contact information.

• Trandon Associates Inc. – Trandon specializes in Accounting/Finance, Banking/Brokerage, Healthcare and Support Services. Additionally, the have a consulting division that does both temporary placement as well as temp-to-perm. Their main page has three links – About Us, Career Opportunities and Contact Us. The Career Opportunities link leads to a page with links to their open and advertised positoins. Click on Contact Us for their address, telephone number and email address.

• Slayton Search Partners – Slayton is an executive search firm with four locations in the US. Their site has a number of tabs at the top for Candidates, Contact, About and more. The Candidates link leads to a page where you can email your resume or login/register for their resume upload process.

• Egon Zehnder International – Egon Zehnder is an international firm that speicalizes in a number of fields and provides a few services in addition to recruiting (consulting and advising). From their main page, click the link for Executive Search. This page provides an overview, as well as a number of resources. Click on Your Career, followed by your country to link to a page where you can enter your information. You can also click on the map, select your region/office and get direct contact information.

Good luck in your search.

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Secrets of the Job Hunt: Developing Your Career Insurance Policy

How many of you would say that collecting Unemployment Insurance and being without a job has been the best part of your career? Has it empowered you? Has it changed how you think about managing your career? What will you do differently? Is it about taking control? Try and Get a Job the Right Way by Barbara Stafani talks about search
and maintenance of your career.

Many job seekers have learned how important it is to network. They proclaim they will continue to network after they secure a new job. So sadly, life, work, obligations get in the way and their commitment to networking sometimes fizzles out.

Absolutely, networking is one form of "career insurance". However, there may be an even more pro-active productive way of doing this...and the best time to start on this path is while you are employed.

I am talking about a portfolio career. BNet defines a portfolio career as:

"a career based on a series of varied shorter-term jobs at either concurrently or consecutively as opposed to one based on a progression
up the ranks of a particular profession. The portfolio worker is
frequently self-employed, offering his or her services on a freelance or
consulting basis to one or more employers at the same time. However, a
portfolio approach can also be taken to full-time employment with a
single employer, if the employee chooses to expand his or her experience
and responsibilities through taking different roles within the
organization."

Think of it this way. You have a retirement account and maybe even financial investments. You don't put all your money into the same fund do you? You diversify your investments. You do this as a form of insurance because if one doesn't perform as well, you'll be protected by the others. This is exactly the same logic you'll want to apply to your career.

How do I get started, you may be asking? It starts with assessment. What do you really enjoy doing? What are your core competencies? This is the best place to start.

I came across The Launch Coach. 7 Steps to Creating Multiple Income Streams is a free downloadable .pdf with great questions to get you started. Honestly, it really gets you thinking (and I am not getting paid to say this).

The Employment Digest has written Is A Portfolio Career Right For You? This post has references to other resources and things to consider before jumping into this arena.

Another valuable resource comes from my friend, Barry Hopson, who has co-authored a book "And What Do You Do" and maintains a blog on the topic of Portfolio Careers. .

Right now, portfolio careers are an option. With the changes in how employers are doing business and the types of jobs they are hiring for, being a contractor or working on short term projects may be the only option in the future.

Will you consider diversifying your portfolio today?

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FIRED? The Interview Solution - PART 1

So you were fired? Now what? How will you explain it when you interview?

There are many questions that plague job seekers. “What salary are you looking for?” is a big one. “Why should we hire you?” is another. And “Why did you leave your last job?” can leave you spluttering and on the defensive if you were fired and don’t know how to answer.

And most people don’t! After they’ve stumbled through a few answers—trying in vain to phrase it in an acceptable way—and are not invited back for a second interview, their fears are confirmed. No one will hire them because they’ve been fired.

Except that’s not what’s really happening. The problem is not that they were fired, but how they answered the question.

We don’t stay at a job our entire lives like most of our grandparents did. Not only is it common to change jobs, some believe it's the best way to leverage salary and career. While most of the changes may be of your own volition, odds are a few will involve being fired or laid-off.

Companies are bought out, merged, and consolidated, which means inevitably there’s a duplication of staff. It can be as simple as the new president wanting to bring in his own team. He probably didn’t even look at your capabilities; he just decided you were …outta there.

These departures aren’t as difficult to explain. You can say:

• “Our company was bought and the entire department was eliminated.” (It’s not me; a bunch of us were asked to leave.) Safety in numbers.
• “The new president wanted to bring in his own guy. I lasted about a week.” (It’s not me; the president didn’t even take the time to find out if I was good at what I do.) A prospective company can’t possibly hold something against you that’s so… impersonal.
• “The company was losing money and downsized.” (It’s not me; if the company had been profitable, I’d still be there!)

The common thread is, “It’s not me.” Therefore, I am not flawed, unwanted, performing poorly, or any other reason you can think up or worry about. But these types of partings, while they seem impersonal, can still have a detrimental effect. We’ll get to that in a minute.

The instances that cause real damage feel very personal, even when they aren’t. You are the only one who was dismissed, and what’s more, you know they’ll replace you. You’re caught off guard, angry, and frightened, too. In an instant, you’re on the defensive, which is usually where people remain. And that’s exactly what causes the problem.

Firing isn’t always about the individual, even though that’s who’s impacted the most. Sometimes it’s about the boss—especially bosses with issues. It might be about poor performance, but that’s not always negative. It could be the result of having different philosophies. For instance, the company may value those who work weekends, nights and holidays. You prefer to balance your life.

Once you’re fired, you can’t change the circumstances. But you can control how you view them. While departmental or company-wide layoffs are easier to explain, they can also cause damage. You wonder, “If I’d been really good, wouldn’t they have found another spot for me?” In addition, you’re in an insecure place that sometimes is difficult to adjust to.

Take time to clear some tears or anger. If you’re tempted to recoil, rehash, threaten revenge or otherwise communicate with your previous employer, don’t. Remember one word: reference! Don’t burn your bridges. Leave the company gracefully.

Most importantly, detach yourself from the event and honestly examine what happened. That’s the only way you’re going to get any insight and begin adjusting your thoughts and perspective.

PART TWO: I’ll tell you how to handle it, so that you can answer the question with grace, rather than fear.

Guest Expert:

Judi Perkins, the How-To Career Coach, was a recruiter for 22 years, consulting with hundreds of hiring authorities throughout the hiring process. She’s seen over 500,000 resumes, knows how hiring authorities think and how they hire. As a result she understands and teaches what other coaches don’t: why the typical strategies in finding a job so often fail, what to do instead, and why. She’s been on PBS’s Frontline, will be in the May issue of Smart Money magazine, and has been quoted frequently in numerous articles for CareerBuilder, MSN Careers, Yahoo Hot Jobs, and the New York Times, among others. She’s also been featured as an expert in numerous career books. Sign up for her free newsletter at http://www.findtheperfectjob.com/!

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What Would Dad Say: 5 Easy Things to Say at Your Next Job Interview

Often, job seekers want to know exactly what to say during the interview. They hope there is a magic answer. “Ah, Miss Jones, you answered that one correctly…here’s your job.”

Sorry, it does not work that easily.

There are some things you CAN say at every interview that WILL make you stand out from the other candidates. Here are a few of them.

1. Please and thank you. Mom was right. Interviewers notice this, I kid you not. Thank the person for the interview, for the coffee, for opening the door, and for granting you the interview after. Do not worry about too many thank-you’s or pleases.

2. Say something like “I have been thinking about your company, and how I can make a contribution.” And then proceed to enlighten the interviewer on how you can help them. If you cannot do this, go back to square one, do some basic research and get to a point where you can say this….and be believable. It does not make any difference if your analysis is wrong by the way. They do not expect you to come up with a solution to a big problem…it is enough that you were thinking about their company, in advance of the interview.

3. Find something to compliment about the company. This is easy. Did you like the way you were greeted at reception? Do people seem nice? Find something to say positive to the interviewer. Be genuine.

4. Ask for the job. Too many interviews end in no-man’s land. Find out if they are interested by simply asking for the job. Too many interviews end with no real action…find out what you have to do next.  This is clearly the most important thing you can say during the interview:  “May I start right away.”
5. Repeat what the next steps are for you. You will be told what the next steps are…repeat them back to the interviewer. I can’t tell you how many people we have interviewed here, and the standard ending comment of our main interviewer is “well, how about if you think about the job, and if you are still interested give me a call by Friday, at 3 pm.” He is very specific as to when he wants to be called back. You would not believe how many people do not hear this, or choose to forget it. I think they believe that if the company is interested, that we will take action and call back. We won’t and neither will most companies.

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Let Your Resume Tell Why You Left Your Last Job

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It’s never fun to think about the awkward situations that you will run into when you reach the interviewing stage of the job application process. You never know exactly what will be asked, but you can anticipate – and sometimes that anticipation leaves you biting your nails off to say the least.

This sentiment is often true when you know that there is information on your resume that you know could come up during the interview – like why did you leave your last job? If you’re concerned that this information might be an issue, you might want to get some of the explaining over with on your resume. This way, you just may have less to explain when the time comes.

Don’t Sidestep the Issue on Your Resume

Because the reason that you left your last company is bound to pop up in the interview – and this is something you absolutely cannot lie about – it is a good idea to make mention of it in your resume if you think it is a reason that could raise eyebrows. Of course, you don’t need go into great detail because this is not what the resume is for, but by mentioning it, you can implant a bit of the detail into a hiring manager’s head before seeing you.

For instance, if you were let go from your company, there are a couple of reasons that this could have occurred. One is that you were outright terminated from your position and another is that you were laid off. If you were laid off due to downsizing because of the financial crisis, you could mention this detail in your resume. Because employers understand the gravity of the Great Recession, some will not ask any further questions.

Let Your Cover Letter Do Some Work Too

If you want to go into further detail about why you were let go from your position, you could allow your cover letter to do some of the talking as well. For instance, you could mention how much you enjoyed working for your previous employer and that you remained committed to its goal. However, due to the financial crisis and the need to downsize, you and 2,000 others were let go from their positions.

You could even go into short detail about how the experience was difficult at first but in the end it made you stronger in character. Or that it brought your family closer together, something you’ll always cherish (of course, only say something like this if it’s true). If you talk about your departure rather than sidestepping it, it could actually make an employer more interested in you, which is why it’s good to go ahead and tackle it head on.

So are you ready to pull your job search together? If so then it’s good to really think about how you’re going to approach the reason that you left your job. And always keep in mind that while it’s good to make mention of it in your resume and cover letter, it could always come up in your interview, so be prepared.

By Heather Eagar – Need a job? Be sure your resume is the best it can be. Review resume services and choose the best one for you and your situation. Do it today at http://www.ResumeLines.com

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