Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

If you’ve ever been ghosted after what you thought was a great interview, you may feel confused about what went wrong. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’ve put your all into the interview only to be rejected. But Find Your Dream Job guest Shelley Piedmont says there are ways to be better prepared next time. First, focus more on the value you bring than strictly on your qualifications. Second, be a clear communicator. And finally, remember that sometimes, not being selected gives you a better chance at job fulfillment and happiness.  About Our Guest: Shelley Piedmont (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleypiedmont/) is a former recruiter and human resource director. She’s also the founder of ShelleyPiedmont.Com (https://www.shelleypiedmont.com/) Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to find a job you love, Shelley can help. Learn more by visiting her website at shelleypiedmont.com. (https://www.shelleypiedmont.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume (http://macslist.org/topresume) has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster. Get a free review of your resume today from one of Top Resume’s expert writers. (http://macslist.org/topresume)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever heard that to find the job of your dreams, you should follow your passions? But not all passions lend themselves to a career, and not everyone has passions to follow. Instead of trying to figure out your passion so that you can be happy at work, Find Your Dream Job guest Grace Lee says it’s a better idea to pursue meaningful purpose. Stop hoping to find your perfect career; take charge of your future by digging deep into what drives you and creating your own opportunities. About Our Guest: Dr. Grace Lee (https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorlee/) is the host of the Career Revisionist Podcast (https://careerrevisionist.com/) and founder of Mastery Insights (https://www.masteryinsights.com/), a coaching and education company. She is on a mission to unleash the extraordinary in the world through insightful career development, integrating neuroscience and business development principles. Resources in This Episode: For more insights into building your career, listen to Grace’s podcast: https://careerrevisionist.com/podcast  If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview (https://salary.macslist.org/), shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to request a higher salary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some fields are naturally more difficult to get into, and require more than a professional resume or great cover letter. There are jobs that can’t be won without experience in the field. But how can you get that experience before you get the job you want? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Hannah Fattor shares how she used volunteer work to hone the skills she needed for the position she wanted. Hannah and I also discuss how working at a nonprofit gave her the opportunity to begin getting the experience she needed to build her portfolio. Learn more about Hannah’’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series. (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re like most people, you don’t enjoy talking about your greatest accomplishments. It can feel uncomfortable to “toot your own horn,” even when a hiring manager asks you about your skills and expertise. If you want to stand out in today’s tough job market, Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Gross says you must overcome this reluctance. Elizabeth shares how to emphasize your accomplishments on your resume, as well as the best way to sell yourself on LinkedIn.  About Our Guest: Elizabeth Gross (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethgross/) is the owner of Job Search Divas where she offers a range of career-related services, including resume writing, career coaching, job search strategies, networking skills, and interview preparation. Resources in This Episode: To find out more about Elizabeth and the services she offers, visit her website at www.jobsearchdivas.com.  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you say when a hiring manager asks you why you’re looking for a new job? If this question makes you feel defensive, Find Your Dream Job guest Susan Peppercorn says you need to find a way to put a positive spin on your answer, even if the truth is that you were fired or laid off. Hiring managers understand difficult situations, so don’t be afraid to be honest, while not spewing negativity toward a former employer. Susan advises focusing on what you bring to the table and why you’re interested in working with that company. About Our Guest: Susan Peppercorn(https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanpeppercorn/) is a coach, writer, and speaker. She’s passionate about helping people move from surviving to thriving in their careers. Susan is the author of the bestselling “Ditch Your Inner Critic At Work: Evidence-Based Strategies To Thrive In Your Career.“ (https://amzn.to/2Z49VJ7). Resources in This Episode: Wondering if you’re in the right job? Get your free Career Fit Self-Assessment at https://positiveworkplacepartners.com/ If you’re struggling with how to craft a compelling cover letter, we’ve got a free guide that can help. Download Simple Rules for a Winning Cover Letter here: https://coverletter.macslist.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're like most people, you feel nervous when going into a job interview. And science has shown that a lack of self-confidence directly affects your body language, which can distract the hiring manager or make you appear less suited for the job. You don’t want to walk into an interview room and try to wing it. You want to walk in there with confidence. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, John Ribeiro, says that confidence comes from changing your mindset, preparing what you’re going to say, and sharing stories that show your true and authentic self. About Our Guest: John Ribeiro (linkedin.com/in/ribeirojohn/) gives people what they need to ace a job interview. He prepares you with the skills and mindset to answer those tough questions that will lead you to a job offer. John is also a veteran hiring manager. And he’s a professional public speaker, podcaster, and co-author of the book Zero2hired: Successfully Break Through Your Interview Process. Resources in This Episode: Learn how to fully prepare for the interview process with John’s course, zero2hired.com/#courses, Are you jobless, underemployed, or dissatisfied with your work? John’s book, “Zero2Hired,” (zero2hired.com/get-book) provides the help you need to break through the barriers that keep you from finding a job you love. If you love this podcast, be sure to listen to the Zero2Hired podcast (zero2hired.com/podcast), where John and his colleague share helpful tips and strategies on finding your dream job. Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. Visit macslist.org/questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Figuring out the next step on your career journey takes energy and focus. If your strategy so far has been to apply everywhere and see what happens, getting clear on your purpose can reap powerful benefits. Find Your Dream Job guest Erin Thomas says you need to know exactly what type of job is going to leverage your unique talents and strengths. Erin also shares the five-step process she uses with clients to get clear about who you are and about what matters most to you in a job search. About Our Guest: Erin Thomas (www.linkedin.com/in/erinfthomas/) is a career and leadership coach, organizational development expert, and human resources professional. Over the past 15 years, Erin has worked with hundreds of people from all around the globe to uncover their unique leadership stance and voice, putting them in the driver seat of their career and life. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about Erin’s career coaching, visit her website at careerandleadershipcoaching.com. Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search (focus.macslist.org/), can help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're a mid-career professional looking to make a career change, you’re likely to face obstacles as you try to find the best possible position. Since finding that next job can take a while, you need to use that time to hone in on your unique strengths and talents. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, Alfredo Moreno (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredovmoreno/) shares how refining his elevator pitch helped him to see the things he valued most, as a professional and as a person. Alfredo also shares how goal setting and accountability helped him keep his focus, even during a months-long job search. Learn more about Alfredo’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories). What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I’m the community relations manager at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek campus (https://www.pcc.edu/about/locations/rock-creek/) in Washington County. How long did it take you to find this job? It was a long process, but with different stages of intensity. I had my periscope up for about 16 months overall, but I was particularly intentional, strategic, and intense about it for the final nine months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? I found the job the standard, not-particularly-efficient way — discovered it on a job listing website (Indeed.com, I believe) and applied online. Obviously it was one of many I applied for during the long search, but was one of the few that really resonated with me right away. It wasn’t just an intriguing opportunity, it was a role that I knew I could do at a high level and felt very confident that it would maximize both my person passions and professional skill set. I’d say it was a rare opportunity in that regard to hit that sweet spot. So, I put a good amount of time and energy into my resume and, particularly, my cover letter. My resume changed shapes over time throughout my search thanks to input I received from peers and, particularly, an agency rep I worked with. I didn’t get any job opportunities through them, but the feedback on my resume was invaluable. Also (and honestly I have no idea if this moved the needle at all) I printed off physical copies of my resume and cover letter and mailed them in a manilla envelope to the person I thought was the hiring manager for this role. Turned out, she wasn’t (it’s a little unique here), but maybe that resonated a bit with the hiring committee. At minimum, it didn’t seem to hurt me. Finally, even after I had done my initial interview, I kept networking and through some additional LinkedIn exploration I discovered that one of my PCC counterparts in this role was connected to a friend of mine. I asked for an introduction and set up a lunch meeting with my PCC counterpart a week or two before my final interview that was incredibly valuable. She wasn’t on the hiring committee, but gave me some great insight into the role and, most importantly, a real confidence boost heading into the final round. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? There were several large challenges in my search. The first was simply how long it took. While the end result was absolutely rewarding, having “job hunting” take over as my top extra-curricular activity for 8-9 months was draining to say the least. I will also say, it was pretty disheartening to experience the shabby way many organizations treat applicants. I’ve been on the hiring side of this process as well and know that it’s no picnic, but I was disappointed with how many companies failed to follow-up in a timely fashion, even when they promised to do so after an interview stage. The organizations that were sincerely appreciative of the great time and effort applicants put forth, and communicated clearly throughout the process, stood apart from the rest. Finally, as somebody who was well into their career (nearly 20 years) and approaching…okay, at…middle age, with all the varied responsibilities that come with it (mortgage, kid, etc.), I didn’t have the flexibility to explore lower paying opportunities, even if the role had lots of appeal. I had to make a lateral move at worst, which isn’t easy, especially coming out of a niche industry. My window of opportunity was certainly smaller than it would’ve been 10 years earlier when I had more financial and personal flexibility. I overcame these challenges by diving deeper into my goal-setting process and staying as organized as I could (I used a tool called the Best Self Journal to help). I also needed all the encouragement and understanding that I could get from my friends and family who appreciated how grueling it was to stay after this for so long. You’ve got to have advocates in this process, both personal and professional. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Get organized and set specific milestones for yourself that will help you march toward your ultimate goal of a new job — things you can measure and check off on a weekly/monthly basis. Mine included developing and refining a strong elevator pitch for myself, building and enhancing my portfolio, and increasing and expanding my professional network. Each of those stages had several subtasks that had to be accomplished or even pivoted to drive them forward. Unless you’re extremely well-connected out of the gate, this is going to be a multi-layered process with no small amount of personal development and learning throughout. Be ready to hustle and grind. Meet with old colleagues, send emails introducing yourself, ask for favors, go to networking mixers and panels, take advice you hadn’t considered before, read books/blogs/podcasts (Mac’s List, hello!). You’re probably not going to find a golden ticket in any single meeting or event, but you’ll keep picking up tips, info, ideas that will propel you forward.   Why do you love your job? My new job allows me to get out and engage with a LOT of different people while serving as an advocate and professional fan of this unique and beautiful campus. There’s a special spirit of optimism on a college campus. People are here because they ultimately want to be a better version of themselves academically, professionally, but also personally. It’s an addicting energy that makes it a fantastic place to spend your day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever decided not to apply for a job because you didn’t have 100 percent of the requirements, you may want to revise your strategy. Employers know that there is no perfect candidate for the jobs they advertise. You might be the best applicant with only 60-70 percent of the skills required. But how do you explain the lack of certain skills in an interview? Find Your Dream Job guest Eric B. Horn suggests assuring the hiring manager that you are willing to pursue training and further education if necessary. Eric also shares how to know when the lack of specific skills is a deal-breaker. About Our Guest: Eric B. Horn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbhorn) is a career strategist. national speaker, trainer, and seminar leader who has a unique passion for serving professionals with seven or fewer years of work experience, and business owners, become more successful. Eric is also the author of “How Professional is Your Development” (https://amzn.to/2O6MZWj) and the co-host of the C.A.R.E. podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c-a-r-e-podcast/id1451656665). Resources in This Episode: Pick up a copy of Eric’s book,  “How Professional is Your Development,” (https://amzn.to/2O6MZWj) to learn about his mistakes after college graduation and how you can avoid them. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resume.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In most job interviews, the hiring manager will lead with questions like “Tell me about a time when …” Or, “Have you ever faced a situation where…?” These are both examples of behavioral interview questions. Before you walk into an interview, you need to be ready for every possible iteration of a behavioral interview question. Find Your Dream Job guest Gina Riley emphasizes that behavioral interview questions give you an opportunity to showcase your skills, demonstrate how you work with a team, and highlight how you’ll excel in the role. About Our Guest: Gina Riley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginariley) is an executive career coach and leadership search consultant with Talence Group (https://www.talencegroup.com/). Her experience in recruitment, interviewing, and leadership talent development led her to develop a career coaching program to help executives clarify and better articulate their career stories.  Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready for executive-level coaching or recruiting, visit Gina at https://www.talencegroup.com/. To better understand your strengths and skills, and how your personality plays into your job search and career, check out You Map (https://www.myyoumap.com).  Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know (https://jobinterview.macslist.org/). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices