I rose from Liner to Front-to-Back to Closer to Manager. Not to be a braggart, but for the sake of using my own story in this post, I was hot for a long time, a really long time. I was never less than a 20% Closer, but often 50%. I earned Top Sales Person of the Mexican Caribbean after only 2 years selling.. I earned more money in what was still at the time considered to be a 3rd world country than I ever have here in the US.

I learned more selling timeshare than I ever did in college.. I learned how to read people, about emotional intelligence, neuro linguistic programming, the art of negotiation, how tone and volume of voice can influence, body language, when to speak and when to be silent, the power of eye contact and a smile, how to push buttons and yes, how to manipulate and get someone to hand me their credit card. My clients spoke English, Spanish, Italian, French… and other languages too — but I didn’t need to speak much to sell, just a pen and paper and my brain. I even refused to sell to people if I found out they would have financial hardship if they made a purchase — so I could sleep well at night.

The point is, no matter how good I was, I wasn’t on any regular basis a 100% Closer. I got turned down and rejected most often more times than not. Yet, I was very successful. I learned that every no was one step closer to a yes and victory. Instead of pouting and licking battle wounds, suffering from self-doubt, wanting to give up for the day to go home curl up in a ball in bed, whining and complaining to bring everyone else around me down,  I couldn’t wait for my next turn with a prospect.

Rejection is a feeling no one is fond of but when dealt with in an effective way it can bring us closer to other opportunity.  ~ Karla

Commissioned sales is a tough gig, you don’t sell you don’t earn a single centavo. You can go from zero to hero (the reverse is also true) in the time it takes to extract a credit card out of a wallet. Watching others sell around you in the sales room if you’re having a mala racha can get to you in a bad way if you don’t have the right perspective and attitude and pull you down… ruin your mojo and get you off your path. People won’t want to be around you if you’re like that because negativity is contagious and they don’t want to be infected by you.

Giving up is only an option if you don’t want to succeed in whatever your goal is (though you should know when to walk away from certain things and life’s goals are malleable).

It should never be an option in a job search or quest for advancement within the company you  work for.  Use the sales principle I talked about. If you apply for 9 jobs and then give up, it could have been the 10th that would have been the one you would have been offered. You’ll never know.……

A special thanks to @CarlissaT for the inspiration for today’s post.

If you have questions about the presentation don’t hesitate to find me on a social network or just click the G and you’ll be connected to me.. I love it when I rhyme =)

Social Media 4 Older Job Seekers

Once a year there is another type of event at the Arena that is totally different. It’s an interactive event that can literally change your life. It’s the NEPA Job Fair. Similar events are held in cities across the country every year. So, if you’re lucky enough to have landed here through finding this blog in a Facebook or Twitter post or Google search it’s for you too.

Now of course, you can walk in the Arena doors and on to the floor and weave in and out of the maze of employer booths like a spectator – that’s what most people do. Then you’ll go home and talk about how it was, “OK but nothing special, there are no opportunities around here.”

That’s the big mistake most people make, they treat a job fair as a spectator sport. Find out how to work the job fair over at the NEPA Job Fair blog…

Marginal or good doesn’t work when jobs are scarce and candidates are plentiful. Marginal or good works when jobs are plentiful and candidates are scarce.

Painful to hear, someone gets the job when there is an opening. Not getting the job doesn’t mean you weren’t a worthy candidate or that there isn’t a job for you.

If you are objective you’ll realize it means someone else:

• Had more relevant experience
• Presented herself more impressively
• Had more refined persuasive skills
• Showed more passion for the company’s mission
• Expressed more desire to do the job the way the company wants it done
• Left the hiring manager(s) feeling synergy and they missed her the moment she left

In other words.….….…. someone else was the better fit.

Instead of having self defeating feelings, if you were not selected for a job you have interviewed for, it means you probably wouldn’t have thrived in that position (or maybe that culture) as well as the person hired. You wouldn’t want to work somewhere that isn’t a great match, you wouldn’t be happy. So, learn from the experience. Analyze how you can refine your search for a better fit and and any other area you might improve on. Write it off and keep looking for the opportunity that is a match.

Keep on searching, look for unpublished jobs. They do exist. This week, a company in Wilkes-Barre told me they have grown to the point they need another person on staff and asked me to help them find an office manager with exceptional organizational skills and bookkeeping greatness. It’s a laid back, progressive, very cool place to work, with very competitive pay and benefits. –» This isn’t posted on a big job board or even their company website.

When someone lands the job of her dreams, it is huge cause for celebration. Check out JT O’Donnell’s Job Jam to see how it’s properly done!

No response after submitting a resume or application:

• You are applying to jobs you’re not qualified for.
• Your resume or application has grammar errors that turned the recruiter off.
• You did not complete the application appropriately or shoved a resume in it and wrote “see resume” on it.
• Your resume was not targeted to the position you are applying for (you sent the same resume to apply for different types of jobs).
• It looks like a “to do” list and there’s no story –> You look like a robot.
• You have a shoddy job history with a couple of months here and there and employers are not willing to take a risk to train you and have you leave.

If you get calls and then do not get invited to interviews it could be because:

• You did not sound interested during the phone screen, were monotone and totally lacked enthusiasm.
• You had poor speaking skills or lack of correct grammar.
• You didn’t have much to say and the dead air was agonizing and the recruiter couldn’t bear the though of having to do it all over again in person.
• You said “I don’t know” a lot.
• You were pompous and or cocky or had some other poor attitude on the phone.
• You were negative about your past employers or about anything else.
• The Recruiter wanted to talk about your experience and skills and you wanted to talk about the money.
• It was 11:00am and your mom answered the phone and had to call you out of bed to take the call (I am not kidding).

You landed an interview but didn’t get a job offer or invitation to a second interview:

• You were late or rushing in the door just on time.
• You were dressed inappropriately and did not convey a professional image (either too casual, sloppy, wrinkled, thought you were going to a nightclub, etc).
• You lacked grooming and/or hygiene.
• You couldn’t maintain eye contact.
• You had no questions that showed true interest.
• You acted disinterested or distracted.
• You were not polite and/or courteous or lacked in some other social skill.
• You had weak answers (or none at all).
• You rambled on painfully when asked a question.
• You couldn’t stick to the topic of the question, lacked focus and when asked about “A” you ended up talking about “Z”.
• You acted inappropriately or weird.
• You performed poorly on the assessment testing.
• You conned the person who did the phone interview about your skills but couldn’t do it in person.
• You lied on your application or resume and the background check picked it up.

Now, go through the reasons I listed again and see if you can find an area in which you can improve upon. Self assessment isn’t easy but it is critical to your success.

Feel free to chime in and list other things that can be job search stoppers…

Expert panelists Jeremy Worthington, Janice Worthington, August Cohen and Karen Siwak took a firm but gentle approach in their guidance.

Shennee was interested in tapping the talent of the experts because she has been unemployed for a year and felt the need to gain traction, and positive focus. She said in this economic climate, there are many who can use some positive nudging and commented, “Some great feedback from listeners came in and the takeaways are priceless. My hope is that other job-seekers benefited from the great forum and the advice given.” Shennee also said, “Paul’s show is a fantastic launching pad to highlight great people and to aid in returning to the workforce. Please continue to tune in, and support the highlighted job-seekers.”

Though she was initially somewhat nervous about being coached in public, Shennee’s enthusiasm for her job search has been seriously kicked up more than a few notches. She told me, “I am already working with some of the great professionals listed here and cannot wait to see what develops. I’m Filled with Optimism that 2010 will be a great year and I’m ready to go!”

Arleen summed up the experience this way:

Here is some solid advice stated collectively by the panel members… Search strategy defined + Good resume utilized properly + creative opportunities+ Presentation = It’s showtime!

The show started with August Cohen’s Cohen Sense™ critique of Arleen’s resume, answering three questions she had intended to ask, prior to asking them. She went on to say one of the “Aha” moments for her was a comment made by Karen Siwak. “She reminded me of her own thought process in the concept of asking “so what” after each sentence in your resume. She kept asking so what?? You did this and that so what?? So what?? — tell me more within the resume with quantifiable data, what value are you adding to the next organization? How did you contribute to the organization, very dense on detail, tell your story and lure me into your resume.”

Both Arleen and Shennee told me about the takeaways they are putting into practice:

• Jeremy Worthington reminds us to make the top 25%of your resume count, and to use keywords from job descriptions.
• August Cohen says to “bring sexy back” to the resume, and to  brand yourself.
• Karla Porter says to “Dazzle them from the start” and to network with successful people who can give you leads.
• Janice Worthington wants us to learn our ABC’s A:What do you want? B:What do you know how to do? C: Prove you have done it!

In the words of Arlene:

This was a very exciting opportunity and there were so many more advanced resume suggestions/questions on the show-I highly recommend listening in and get yourself prepared for the next Extreme Candidate Makeover Show 2/8/10 – 8PM EST.

That’s a wrap until next time!

When facing a stack of job applications, it can be tempting to craft one résumé and cover letter and send them to out to multiple recruiters/hiring managers to save time. They won’t know the difference, right? Wrong.

Recruiters and hiring managers can spot a letter sent to multiple recipients from a mile away. Generalized sentences or lack of a personalized greeting are dead giveaways that can instantly turn a recruiter/hiring manager away from your application, no matter how qualified you are for the job. Why should a s/he take interest in you when you haven’t even taken the time to show true interest in their company?

If you don’t personalize each and every résumé and cover letter you submit, you run the risk of seeming:

• Disrespectful: Mass messaging shows a lack of consideration for the recipient. Not showing care and attention now can suggest that you might be that way on the job, as well.
• Unknowledgeable: By not even taking the time to research the company you are applying for, it appears you may not be aware of everything your desired position may demand of you.
• Lazy: This is probably one of the worst traits to you can exhibit as a potential new hire. Customizing your résumé and cover letter may be time consuming, but doing so shows you have a true dedication to the job.
• Unoriginal: Recruiters and hiring managers receive countless résumés and cover letters each day. If you don’t use your application tools to present how unique you are for each position you apply for, you are missing a huge opportunity to show your worth.

Remember, cover letters and résumés are your first impression with a recruiter/hiring manager. They can make-or-break your chances of advancing in the hiring process. Getting the job you want takes time, diligence and definitely doesn’t start with the phrase, “To Whom it May Concern.”

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

#9   Do you restrict Internet access?

#8   What time would I have to work until?

#7   Do you do background checks?

#6   Do you drug test?

#5   How many sick days do I get?

#4   Can I work from home?

#3   When can I apply for a promotion?

#2   When will I get a raise?

#1   How long will this interview take?

Job seekers, have you ever regretted something you asked in an interview? Recruiters, Hiring Managers and other interviewers, what are some of the most damaging (or funny) things candidates have asked you in interviews?

I was intrigued when I saw the call via social media for area experts to talk about Intern and entry-level opportunities in their cities, regions and MSA’s. I’m focused on creating The Greatest Internship on Earth in 2010 so how could I not want to promote the great place I live and work in and everything it has to offer?

Come Recommended Comes to Your City is a new podcast series produced by Heather Human, Founder & President of Come Recommended. Heather walks the talk too with a fine team of Interns and entry-level professionals who work on something near and dear to me, matching talent with opportunity.

During each episode, a member of the Come Recommended staff interviews a local expert about his or her city, addressing questions like:

• Overall, what are three words you would use to describe the internship and entry-level job market in your city?
• What would you say are the flagship industries of your city?
• Can an entry-level professional or intern live comfortably in your city based on their industry’s average salary?
• What networking opportunities are available in your city?

It was my pleasure to answer these and other questions today when Come Recommended Comes to Your City came to northeastern PA.

Thanks Heather & Team!