The Exclusive Career Coach

My guest today is Jawad Ahsan, CFO of Axon. We are talking about how to move into the executive ranks. Jawad set a goal for himself to become an executive, which he first achieved as a divisional CFO at GE Healthcare. By age 34, he was the CFO of a private equity-backed SaaS company; at age 37, he became the CFO of publicly traded Axon.In his current role, Jawad leads the company’s global finance, corporate strategy, legal, and IT organizations, as well as Axon’s consumer-facing business. During his tenure, Axon’s market cap has increased from $1B to more than $6B.Jawad is the author of What They Didn’t Tell Me, which translated the feedback he got and the lessons he has learned along the way into actionable advice for leaders at every level. Jawad shows how charting your own course not only changes how others view you – it changes how you view yourself.In What They Didn’t Tell Me, Jawad has translated the feedback he got and the lessons he learned along the way into actionable advice for leaders at every level. Drawing on his remarkable story, Jawad shows how charting your own course not only changes how others view you—it changes how you view yourself. If you’re ready to become a resilient leader at the helm of a high-performing team, this book is for you.Here are the topics Jawad addresses on this episode:-His personal journey into the executive ranks, including his biggest surprises-Three strategies to make yourself the obvious choice to step into the executive ranks-The biggest mistakes he sees others make when trying to move into the executive ranksYou can find Jawad on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawadahsan/Check out his company, Axon: axon.com Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

Let me start by saying that LinkedIn is your single best job search resource. Today, I want to drill down on 12 specific ways to network using LinkedIn.CONNECTIONS1. When you ask someone to connect with you, keep it simple. Comment on something you have in common, someone you have in common, or something you admire about them. 2. Thank each person who connects with you – regardless of who initiated the connection. 3. Once they have connected with you, start with a couple of simple, easy-to-answer questions – about their experience, education/credentials, their employer. 4. If they are responsive, suggest a move to a 30-minute Zoom call. 5. Make the first 20 minutes of the Zoom call about them, then when it’s your turn make a specific ask.6. Follow up with a thank you and a subtle reminder of whatever you asked of them. 7. Once you’ve connected with someone, you can see everyone they are connected to. Don’t hesitate to ask for introductions. GROUPS1. Join groups that will put you in proximity to decision-makers at the companies you want to work for.2. Be active – post, respond, ask questions. 3. Pursue 1:1 meetings based on people who interact with you in the group. PROFILE & CONTENT1. Make sure your profile is welcoming, professional, and designed to elicit an interview – I strongly recommend a professional LI profile writer. 2. Consider original content, especially if you are at the higher levels in your profession and/or are considered a SME. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

My guest for today’s episode is Fawn Germer, and we’re talking about why the pandemic offers a tremendous opportunity for those of use willing to step up to the plate. In this episode, we discuss the following:1.    Lessons learned about perseverance in the face of falling down – often.2.    Advice for people looking for a job during COVID, especially those who have been looking for months.3.    How to stand out in your job during these times of uncertainty and rapid change.4.    How to keep your skills current to remain marketable in a crowded job market.5.    The concept of guerilla networking – and how to do it.Fawn Germer is the irreverent best-selling author of nine books including the Oprah book, Hard Won Wisdom. She has been a keynote speaker for more than 80 Fortune 500 companies and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize four times. Fawn’s first book was rejected by every major publisher in the United States, but Fawn would not give up until it was the No. 1 nonfiction bestseller that Oprah loved.Her latest book, Coming Back! How to Win the Job You Want When You’ve Lost the Job You Need shows how to turbocharge your career with a quick injection of relevance. Why do so many careers sputter out midstream? Fawn shows how to get back on track if you have been sidelined or cast out. She interviewed more than 300 CEOs, senior executives, academics, workplace experts and professionals to find out how to maintain momentum and viability all the way until the end of your career.Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I’m finding a lot of my clients are missing some pretty amazing resources in looking for their next job, so I wanted to spend this episode going over 10 of these resources. 1. Your alumni association. University alumni associations are an often-overlooked resource for connecting with other alums. Here are just some of the job search-related help they can provide:-Connecting you with alums in your field-Connecting you with alums’ network in your field-Connecting you with alums in your industry-Connecting you with alums’ network in your industry-Connecting you with alums who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connecting you with alums’ network who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connecting you with alums in your geographic region-Connecting you with alums’ network who are in your geographic region-Connecting you with alums in the city you want to move to-Connecting you with alums’ network in the city you want to move toStrategy: To get involved, find your alumni association on your university’s website and make contact. From there, they will let you know what is available to you. There will most likely be a membership fee, but it may be well worth the investment. As with most things, you will get out of the alumni association what you put in, so don’t just approach this with a “what can you do for me?” attitude. Be willing to help out in whichever way makes the most sense for you. 2. Volunteering.While I don’t advocate volunteering for the express purpose of looking for a job, it can be a great way to interact with a wide range of people in your community. The key to building a network through volunteering is to build the “know, like, and trust” relationship first. If you come across as self-serving and aggressive, people won’t be willing to help you. -Connect with other volunteers in your field and/or industry-Connect with the network of other volunteers in your field and/or industry-Connect with other volunteers who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connect with the network of other volunteers who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connect with the network of other volunteers who live in the city you want to move toStrategy: First - Be interested, then be interesting. Don’t just make it about you. Choose your volunteering at the crossroads of 1) what you are passionate about, 2) your skills and qualifications, and 3) where you will meet the best-fit people for your job search. Gain a reputation as an excellent volunteer and people will bend over backwards to help you. 3. Civic organizations. If you aren’t a member of Rotary, Kiwanis, or another civic organization, now may be the perfect time to join – or at least visit several chapters to see if there is a fit. These organizations are populated with the area’s business leaders, so they are a great opportunity to get your name out there and meet people. Strategy:-Research chapters in your area-Visit a few (they may still be meeting virtually)-Join a chapter if you’re feeling it-Get involved – remember, it’s not who you know, but who knows you4. Your place of worship. As with volunteering, I don’t want you to join a church TO find a job, but if you are a church member, this can be an excellent job search resource. The potential is the same as with the alumni network:-Connect with church members in your field and/or industry-Connect with the network of church members in your field and/or industry-Connect with church members who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connect with the network of church members who are hiring managers or HR managers-Connect with the network of church members who live in the city you want to move toStrategy: Think about the opportunities at your church to chat – is it the 15 minutes before and after service? Is it in a Sunday School class? Does your church have small groups you could join? Be interested in others before you share what you are looking for. They need to know, like, and trust you before they will refer you, so relate to others on a personal level. 5. Job fairs.Job fairs are pretty much exclusively online these days, but they are still happening. Here are the types of job fairs you may find useful:-Geographic-based job fairs (i.e., the city you live in, often hosted by the Chamber of Commerce or local state employment office)-Industry-based job fairs (i.e. a job fair for healthcare)-Job function-based job fairs (i.e. a job fair for teachers or computer programmers) -University Career Center job fairs (your alma mater; also check local universities to see if you can attend)-Employer job fairs (i.e., one, typically larger, employer in your city or the city you want to move to)Strategy: -Find possible job fairs and register for the ones that make sense for you.-Take advantage of the preparation materials provided by the job fair host.-Make sure your technology will support the virtual fair – you will probably need an external camera; check your lighting and background.-Follow up with every employer you are interested in – and be persistence. The 2020/2021 job search isn’t for the feint of heart. 6. Job networking groups. Job networking groups are created for the express purpose of allowing job seekers to help and learn from each other. These groups can be assembled based on any of these criteria:-Geographic-based-Industry-based-Job function-based-Education or credential-based-Seniority levelStrategy:-Google “job groups,” “employment groups” or job networking groups.”-Register for those that make sense for you.-Be active, visible, and vocal in your networking groups.-Commit to regular 1:1 with members of the networking group.-Commit to giving at least as much value as you receive7. Chamber of Commerce.The members of your local Chamber of Commerce are the hiring managers, business owners, and senior executives of companies in your geographic area. This is an exceptionally vibrant source for networking. Check your local Chamber to find out what events are coming up and whether you can attend as a “prospective” member. If not, who do you know who is a member that you can tag along with? Strategy:-Attend all functions that make sense for you -Take advantage of every opportunity – to introduce yourself to the entire group, distribute resumes, talk to individuals-Schedule 1:1 with members you meet who have promise-Follow up and be persistent8. Affinity groups.If you are an avid runner, join a running group and let the other members know about what you are looking for. While many of these types of groups aren’t meeting in person these days, others are. Even if it’s a virtual wine tasting, you are still interacting with the other members. Strategy:-Utilize Meetup to find affinity groups-Register for the ones that make sense for you-Be active-Schedule 1:1 with members you meet who have promise. -Follow up and be persistent9. Your local employment office. Here in Florida, these are called Career Source – they are government-run and free to the public. Many of these have a separate “executive” office geared towards helping people seeking higher job positions. Strategy:-Find your local employment office and learn what they have to offer.-Register for the programs and services that make sense for you.10.Outplacement services offered by your former employer. The biggest benefit of these: They are free! While you likely won’t get the same level of individual hand holding you would get working with a career coach like me, you WILL get assistance. Strategy:-If you aren’t sure whether your former employer has offered these services to you, ask.-Take full advantage of whatever the outplacement company is offering.Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

This week's guest is Adriel Lubarsky of Riveterworks.com - an online community for job seekers. We talk about how to make the most of your unemployment, both personally and professionally. Adriel has a special offer for listeners; check it out at riverterworks.com/Lesa You can email Adriel at adriel@riverterworks.com and find him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2    

This month, I’ve offered 5 action steps for your resume and 5 action steps for LinkedIn. Today, I’ll give you 5 action steps for interviewing in the pandemic. If you are happily employed right now, you can still get valuable takeaways from these clinics. I want to give the same caveat as the previous two weeks: Keep in mind that anything I teach you will be of little value without the proper mindset. If you are struggling to stay motivated and on-task with your job search, I highly recommend listening to episode #154: 5 Ways Mind Drama Can Creep into your Job Search. This episode, with life coach Jane Springer, will help you identify and reshape your thoughts about the job market, your qualifications, and your prospects in a way that serves you. Let’s tuck into my 5 action steps for interviewing in the pandemic. I strongly recommend getting interview coaching from someone like me, but today my action steps will be for those of you who are going it on your own. In episode #152, I gave you specific tips for video or audio-based interviews, and I recommend checking that episode out if you are unsure about the nuances of interviews that aren’t conducted in person. 1. Prepare and practice your response to “Tell me about yourself.” Here’s how I teach my clients to approach this question: Past – Present – Future.Tell them something about your background, something about where you are at now, and something about your future. Make it relevant to the position and company. Keep it at the 40,000-foot level; otherwise, you may be answering questions they haven’t yet asked – which can throw off the cadence of the interview and make your answer overly long.Also, interject some personal information – as long as it is neutral or positive. They are evaluating you as a total person, so allow them to get to know you outside of work. 2. Prepare your “strengths” and “weaknesses” response. Here’s how I like to approach the “strengths” question:“There are three strengths I bring to this position. First…”Make them relevant to the job and show the interviewer how you will benefit the company with that strength. As for your weakness, DO NOT give them a strength in disguise – they will roll their eyes (either literally or mentally). If you tell them you work too hard or are too dedicated…yuck. Talk about a weakness you have either overcome recently or are in the process of overcoming. If you can make it relative to the position you are interviewing for, even better – this is your opportunity to address the elephant in the room. For example, “My greatest weakness relative to this position would be my lack of experience with BLANK software. However, I have extensive experience with BLANK software, which I understand is very similar. I am confident I will be up to speed on your software very quickly.” Better to bring the elephant out into the open where you can overcome a potential objection, rather than hoping they won’t notice or care. 3. Develop a tool kit of 10 CAR stories for behavioral questions.Behavioral interview questions begin like this: “Tell me about a time when…”“Tell me about a situation that…” These questions require preparation as they are difficult to compose effective on the spot.Develop a tool kit of 10 CAR stories that can be used to answer any behavioral questions you may be asked. C=ChallengeA=ActionR=Result4. Prepare well-thought-out questions to ask the interviewer. Please, please, PLEASE don’t use the same questions for every interview – make your questions specific to that company, based on the research you have done.For example: “While researching COMPANY, I found mentions of a new market you plan to open in Asia in 2021. What can you tell me about this?”OR“COMPANY is so well regarded in the industry for its customer service. How does your department support this reputation for providing excellent customer service?” There may be some standard questions you want to ask – just customize them to the degree possible. For example, “From what I’ve learned online, COMPANY has an excellent reputation from hiring within. What can you tell me about that?”5. Don’t forget to close. There are 3 things you should do at the close of every interview:-Thank the interviewer(s) for his/her/their time-Re-state your interest in the position, if you are still interested-Determine the next steps in the hiring process and insert yourself where appropriate.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 

Last week, I offered 5 action steps for your resume in the pandemic; today I am giving you 5 action steps for LinkedIn. Next week I will be giving an interviewing clinic. If you are happily employed right now, you can still get valuable takeaways from these clinics. I want to give the same caveat as last week: Keep in mind that anything I teach you will be of little value without the proper mindset. If you are struggling to stay motivated and on-task with your job search, I highly recommend listening to episode #154: 5 Ways Mind Drama Can Creep into your Job Search. This episode, with life coach Jane Springer, will help you identify and reshape your thoughts about the job market, your qualifications, and your prospects in a way that serves you.Let’s tuck into my 5 action steps for LinkedIn. My disclaimer up front: I am, and will always be, a HUGE proponent of having your LI profile professionally written, and getting coaching around how to maximize LI for your job search. I promise this is a very worthwhile expense.It’s important to understand that recruiters live on LI and they will see your profile before your resume. LI should NOT be an after thought or cut-and-paste of your resume.My 5 action steps will be specifically for those of you who are DIY’ing LinkedIn: 1. Update your profile.I’ve done entire podcasts on updating your LI profile, so I’m going to hit some high points here. If you don’t know how to do any of the things I discuss here, you can check into my LI podcasts or reach out to me for help. -Your picture should be no more than a few years old-Make sure your heading is reflective of what you are looking for next; this is a key place recruiters search. Don’t let it be JUST your job title and employer. -Tell your story in a compelling way in your About section, using first person language as if you were having a conversation with the reader.-Update your Skills section and duplicate those skills at the bottom of your About section. This really helps with SEO.-Get at least 3 recent recommendations and tell the recommenders what you are hoping they will say about you.-Write your Professional Experience in the same first-person voice as your About section.-Eliminate ancient history from your Professional Experience section – 15-20 years is a good cut-off point.2. Get to at least 500 connections.When you ask someone to connect with you, be sure to customize your message but DON’T scare them away with a lengthy, needed request. Here’s how I like to approach it:Sarah,I see we are both connected to NAME – let’s connect!OR John,It was a pleasure meeting you at EVENT – let’s connect!Here’s the reason for a minimum of 500 connections: you are increasing your footprint on LI significantly with every connection you make. Let’s say you have 500 connections, and each of those connections has 500 connections. Your footprint, as I measure it, is 250,000 people. Meaning, you have ready access to a quarter of a million people – and they have that same access to you.You become more visible with every connection you add, because you become a 2nd-level connection to each of the people your connection is connected to. I recommend going for quantity over quality until you get to 500, and then you can be more strategic about who you are connecting with. They will be more likely to accept your invitation to connect when they see you are playing seriously on LI.3. Then get strategic about who you connect with.Once you have the magic 500 connections, you can begin to seek out decision-makers and other key connections at your ideal employer. I recommend the same strategy for inviting them to connect with you:“I see we are both connected to…”“I see we both went to SCHOOL…”“I was particularly impressed by your…”4. Cultivate those connections.Once they’ve accepted your invitation to connect, begin a conversation. Remember: this is a first date, so think of it as such and don’t try to maul the connection with requests too quickly.For example, if the connection is a decision-maker at one of your target employers, your first post-connection message could be something like this:Paul,Thanks for connecting! It seems PAUL’S COMPANY has fared well during the pandemic – congratulations! What have you experienced in your department? ORSue,Thanks for connecting! How are things at COMPANY?Depending on how they respond, you may ask further questions or request a Zoom call.5. Engage with the community.I spend 15 minutes a day engaging on LI. Here are the activities I engage in:-Respond to messages-Answer requests to connect-Greet those who accepted my invitation to connect (or whose invitation I accepted)-Congratulate connections on birthdays, new jobs, work anniversaries, and promotions-Engage in the groups I am a member of and with my connections’ posts.I also post daily to both my LI profiles – this may or may not be a useful strategy for you, but if it is, it can be a tremendous way to increase your visibility on LI and be seen as a subject matter expert.Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

So…here we are, closing in on the 1-year mark of the pandemic here in the U.S. I thought I would start the podcast off this year with some “clinics.” Today I’ll be giving you a resume clinic; next week will be a LinkedIn clinic and the following week will be an interviewing clinic. I decided in each clinic to give you 5 action steps you can take to help with your pandemic job search. If you are happily employed right now, you can still get valuable takeaways from these clinics. Keep in mind that anything I teach you will be of little value without the proper mindset. If you are struggling to stay motivated and on-task with your job search, I highly recommend listening to episode #154: 5 Ways Mind Drama Can Creep into your Job Search. This episode, with life coach Jane Springer, will help you identify and reshape your thoughts about the job market, your qualifications, and your prospects in a way that serves you. Let’s tuck into my 5 action steps for your resume. My disclaimer up front: I am, and will always be, a HUGE proponent of having your resume professionally done. For many of you who have been out of work for many months, the expense may seem exorbitant or indulgent. However, if you can possibly do it, it may very well reduce your job search and get you employed – and earning a paycheck – sooner. Especially if it is coupled with job search coaching and accountability support. My 5 action steps will be specifically for those of you who are DIY’ing your resume: 1. Fresh eyes.Who do you know who regularly reviews resumes, and can give you a hiring manager’s perspective on what they see when they look at your resume? Ask more than one person – there will always be anomalous feedback, so you want to look for what others consistently comment on about your resume. This step is particularly effective if you are able to ask probing questions, such as: What aspects of my experience and credentials are most interesting to you? What do you see as the focus of my resume?What part(s) of my resume are confusing to you? This helps you get valuable content feedback, rather than just about your format or spelling. The final result is, of course, up to you – so don’t make changes you don’t agree with or don’t feel good about. 2. Customize every time. I recommend spending 15 minutes customizing your resume before you send it out each time, using the job description as your guide. What key words are in the job description, but not in your resume? Are your job duties and achievements consistent with what the employer is looking for? How can you massage them for a better fit? I always put the job title at the top of my clients’ resumes, and I recommend you do the same. Exactly as it is stated. 3. One size does not fit all. If you are seeking diverse opportunities, don’t try to do it all with one resume – the amount of customization you will have to do every time will be cumbersome and leave the door open for spelling/grammatical/formatting errors. I don’t often create a second resume for clients, but here’s when it is a good idea: when the two (or more) fields you are searching in are different enough that you need to present yourself differently for each.Here’s an example: I have had several clients over the years who were interested in continuing in their current field (for example, Human Resources) AND interested in a sales job. If I present that client as an HR professional, hiring managers looking for a sales professional won’t see the relevance – and vice versa. These clients need a resume tailored to HR and a separate resume tailored to sales. Think about it from the hiring manager’s perspective: why would she hire someone for sales who is also interested in an entirely different field, when she has plenty of candidates who are singularly focused on – and have a resume tailored to – sales? 4. ATS compatibility is a must.I give my clients a “pretty” version of their resume with all the graphics AND an ATS-compatible version that is stripped of the formatting the ATS can’t read. I want my clients to have an attractive resume for the humans to look at – one that is visually impactful as well as chocked full of great achievements. I’ve gone in depth with ATS resumes in the past, so I won’t go into tremendous detail here, other than to say: by taking the time to create an ATS-compatible resume, you will ultimately save time by shortening the time you need to apply online each time. 5. Make it achievement focused. Virtually every resume that comes across my desk is focused on job duties, which tells a prospective employer what you did. An achievement-focused resume tells a prospective employer how well you did, and this differentiates you from your competition. Here’s an example to help you understand achievements: Let’s say one of your job duties is to do month-end financial closing. This is one of the things you were hired to do: it is a job duty. If, however, you reworked the month-end financial closing process and shortened it from 3 days to 3 hours, now we have an achievement. Here’s how I would write it as an achievement bullet for your resume:Reduced month-end closing process from 3 days to 3 hours. One more, important, note about achievements: they should be the only things bulleted on your resume. This makes them pop, because they aren’t diluted by being mixed in with job duties. Take 2-3 lines to create a paragraph about your job duties, followed by no more than 5 achievement bullets per position (fewer with older jobs). Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I want to break this conversation down into things to contemplate if you are unemployed and things to contemplate if you are employed. I want to focus on those of you who are employed, because I’ve put so much content out to help the unemployed during COVID. A couple of brief mentions for the unemployed first:UnemployedI highly recommend listening to episode # 154 on cleaning up your mind drama about your job search. It is so important that you look at your situation with honesty and gentleness, while also telling yourself the truth about your situation. The holidays are the ideal time to evaluate what job search strategies you’ve been using and what traction you are getting on each. What can you eliminate? What can you do more of? What strategy can you add to your arsenal? This time is also an opportunity to make sure you still want to move in the same direction with your job search. You can pivot or career change…just make sure you like your reasons, and that you aren’t just knee-jerking in response to a difficult job market. EmployedHere are 13 questions I recommend contemplating during the holidays. I am a huge proponent of journaling, so grab a notebook and begin writing. -What do I truly love about my current job? -What am I doing in my current job that I would want to stop doing in my next position?-My predominant emotion about work is: _____. (Examples of an emotion are dread or joy.) Is that the emotion I want to be having? If not, what can I do about it? -What fulfillment do I get out of my job?-What fulfillment don’t I get out of my job? Am I getting that fulfillment elsewhere? -Where have I gone stale in my current role? How can I resolve that? -What do I think about myself – as a professional, as a colleague, as a boss, as an employee? Do these thoughts serve me? -What chaos would I introduce into my professional life right now if I weren’t afraid of the consequences? -Fill in the blank: When people at work think of me, they think…-What goal can I set for myself for 2021 that would change everything?-The thing I am best at in my work is _____. Am I leveraging this in the best possible way? -Something I love to do that I don’t get to do (enough) at work is _____. How can I incorporate this strength more? -Five years from now, I want…Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I want to talk about overcoming an employment gap from an internal, and external, perspective. Internal – What you are thinkingStep 1 – Acknowledge your role, if any, in the reason you have an employment gap – but DON’T beat yourself up.Step 2 – Clean up your thoughts about your former employer, boss, YOU. It will not serve you going forward to still be hating on your boss or a colleague who “did you wrong.”Step 3 – Spend some time journaling what you learned during your employment gap – about yourself, the world of work, friends/family/former colleagues. Try to stay in a positive space with this step: You may have learned that your former colleagues aren’t really your friends after all, so what’s the upside in knowing that?Step 4 – Set your intention for moving forward – along with a concrete plan to get there. The past is in the past, and your focus is now on the future.External – What you are doingStep 1 – Remove months of employment from your resume and LI profile to help “mask” your employment gap.Step 2 – Consider addressing your employment gap in your cover letter, especially if it has been more than 1 year. Explain, but DON’T overshare.Step 3 – Prepare, and practice, your answer to the question “Why have you been out of work for ____months?” or “How have you grown during your period of unemployment?”Step 4 – Keep networking. Don’t let embarrassment or fear of what others will think of you deter you from the most effective job search strategy in your arsenal.Step 5 – Consider updating your education, certifications, skills, etc. You don’t want to compound an employment gap with outdated skills or qualifications.Step 6 - Create a motivating job search routine, allowing for daily reinforcement when you do the things you set out to do. It is easy to become unstructured or stay in bed as the weeks drag on…this is the kiss of death for your job search.Step 7– Consider volunteering, temping, or taking on consulting engagements, as a way to keep your skills current, get you out of your home, allow you to network, and in the case of consulting or temp work, earn some money. Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth. Schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2