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

As a culture, we are more disconnected than ever before. We move often and change jobs quickly. Many people don’t think about networking until they need help in finding their next job. It’s vital to stay connected to others and to nurture our network even when we don’t need help. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest, Karen Wickre, says a great network can provide you with many benefits other than a lead on a new job. Karen also explains how daily networking habits can keep you from feeling overwhelming and can make a real difference in your life and the lives of your professional connections.. About Our Guest: A long-time communicator and connector, Karen Wickre (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwickre/) has spent more than 30 years in Silicon Valley as an editor and collaborator. Her new book, “Taking the Work Out of Networking: An Introverts Guide to Connections That Count,” reflects her lifelong interest in making meaningful connections. An avid media consumer, Karen also serves on the boards of several organizations supporting journalism and news literacy. Resources in This Episode: Karen wrote “Taking the Work out of Networking: An Introvert’s Guide to Connections that Count” to help people get past their fear and dislike of “networking” in favor of a more authentic, friendly way to nurture connections with people you know and people you want to know. Get a copy of the book at https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Work-Out-Networking-Connections-ebook/dp/B07CL5ZWL9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545246526&sr=8-1&keywords=Networking%3A+An+Introvert%27s+Guide+to+Making+Connections+That+Count Discover more about Karen and the services she offers at her website, karenwickre.com. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online: macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast From our sponsor: Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you walk into an interview ready to answer questions but don’t have any of your own to ask, you are not taking full advantage of the interview process. You have a responsibility to not only answer questions but to ask them of everyone you talk to within the company, from the HR staff to the team members, to the hiring manager. The answers you receive will tell you a lot about how things really work inside the company. On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, my guest Michelle Neal says that if you get conflicting answers to your questions, especially from the team and the hiring manager, that is your sign to run. It can be hard to walk away from a job offer if you’ve been out of work for a while but just remember, you can’t change people, and working in an unhealthy environment doesn’t benefit anyone. About Our Guest: Michelle Neal (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelnealmpa/) is a career coach and the owner of Consulting with Integrity (http://www.consultingintegrity.com/). Her passion is helping people become successful through strategic coaching. Michelle uses her talents of honesty, openness, and empathy to guide individuals to a successful outcome. Resources in This Episode: If you are in a job transition or you need help planning your next career move, Michelle offers consulting and strategic coaching through her business, Consulting with Integrity (http://www.consultingintegrity.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, the free Mac’s List resource that will give you a solid foundation for any question an interviewer may ask. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) From our sponsor: Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s natural to feel discouraged if you’re unemployed. But if you base your identity on what you do for a living, you may self-sabotage when looking for a new job. Feelings of worthlessness or desperation can lead you to apply for jobs that aren’t a good fit or cause you to bomb an interview because of your low self-esteem. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Kali Rogers says that one way to stay positive during a job search is to remain curious. Treat your job hunt like a research project. Kali also says that it’s a big mistake to not tell others when you are looking for a job; if people don’t know you’re looking, they can’t share with you possible openings they may know about. About Our Guest: Kali Rogers (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalirogers/) is the founder of Blush Online Life Coaching (https://joinblush.com/). Kali helps women grow self-confidence, get over nasty breakups, and work on better relationships. She’s also the author of “Conquering Your Quarter-Life Crisis," (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072L3GC23?tag=thougcatal0c-20). Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to focus on your strengths, create positive habits, and build a game plan for your future, visit Kali’s website (https://joinblush.com/coach/kali/). Learn about the symptoms of the quarter life crisis and how to combat them in Kali’s new book,“Conquering Your Quarter-Life Crisis," (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072L3GC23?tag=thougcatal0c-20). Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast), a free course from Mac’s List. Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It can feel frustrating to hear that you are overqualified for the job you want. Hiring managers may feel it’s a waste of both time and money to hire you if you have more experience than the job requires. There are ways around this, including doing your research to understand where the company is heading and taking advantage of any connections you have within the company. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Johnny Hartman (www.linkedin.com/in/johnanthonyhartman/) and I discuss how he tapped into his personal network to overcome two specific challenges in his job search: skills that were seen as being too specialized and being overqualified. Learn more about Johnny’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series. What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? From feature films to interactive virtual worlds, I’ve crafted media experiences both commercially for some of the biggest brands on the planet, as well as for entertainment properties. As a cross-platform or transmedia producer, I develop workflows and resolve technical issues while maintaining the project’s creative vision. As the Director of Research and Development for Elevate Pictures, I look to the future to understand the coming media landscape and develop solutions to address the problems of tomorrow. I am currently building out the Story Atlas – a storytelling platform and methodology that pulls consumers into the intersection of brand and entertainment, integrated with industry tools of the trade to improve workflow. The Story Atlas integrates transmedia and production planning with creative assets to maintain the canon of the narrative. It runs on cloud services and uses A.I. to optimize media and maintain narrative control and is a solution that allows your story to flow while holding true to canon. How long did it take you to find this job? Ten months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? My personal network led to this job. I started out consulting and then was asked to take this position. I used quite a few resources online in my job hunt but none were as powerful as my relationships. I did have success using Linkedin and was offered another position before this one but it would have required me to move so I turned it down. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? My struggle came from over-qualification and specialized media experience. More than once I was told that “they did not know what to do with me” or they were “afraid I would ‘get bored and find another job.’” I overcame this by embracing my experience and looking beyond the Northwest. I reframed the conversation to be about the BIG picture in media and got concise with my focus. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Do what you love! Follow your passion even if you have to learn more about it while you work your current role. Find the path to that passion and be specific about how you can achieve your dream. Why do you love your job? I love being able to create stories that reach and connect with audiences, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are preparing to return to work after some time as a stay at home parent, you may feel unsure about where to begin. How do you explain the gap in your resume while also showing what you’ve accomplished during that time? Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Stephanie Smith says a smart job search strategy starts with getting your career documents in order. Stephanie also stresses the importance of using online tools like LinkedIn to help you stay in touch with industry leaders. And you should never underestimate the value of connecting with others through parenting groups or volunteer opportunities. Parenthood is a powerful experience that brings people together and those relationships can help you not only personally, but also professionally. About Our Guest: Stephanie Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieannesmith/) is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Livelipath (https://livelipath.com/#/index). It’s a software company that customizes your resume and cover letter for any job application. Prior to Livelipath, Stephanie created the concierge career services firm, Career Muse. And she ran multi-million dollar recruiting programs for Amazon and other Fortune 500 clients. Resources in This Episode: Stephanie’s company, Livelipath, provides customized resumes and cover letters to help you get back to work with documents tailored to the job you want. If you have been out of the workforce for a significant period of time, there are several resources available to help you. Companies like Power to Fly (https://powertofly.com/), The Mom Project (https://themomproject.com/), and iRelaunch (https://www.irelaunch.com/) serve parents who are returning to the workforce. Jobscan is an online tool that optimizes keywords and customizes your resume for greater chances of landing an interview. Visit www.jobscan.co/dreamjob for a 10% discount. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://www.macslist.org/podcast-cta-dont-make-8-killer-resume-mistakes). 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

One of the biggest challenges older job seekers face is connecting with younger hiring managers. Too many older workers look for jobs with the wrong employers and are not clear about the value of their experience. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Ruth Winden, says that if you have trouble working with younger hiring managers, you can fix it. Ruth encourages older workers to begin by focusing their job search on companies that hire people from multiple generations. She also says it’s important for older workers to emphasize management experience and any evergreen skills they have. As an older worker, it’s up to you to find ways to connect with younger hiring managers and to be prepared for your next interview. About Our Guest: Ruth Winden (www.linkedin.com/in/ruthwinden) is a career coach for professionals in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. She helps older workers overcome age bias and land new jobs with clarity, focus, and confidence. Ruth is also the author of the forthcoming book, “101 Ways to Overcome Ageism in the Workplace.” Resources in This Episode: If you’ve hit 50, 55, or 60 and you wonder where the time went, it’s not too late to follow your dreams and make a difference. On her blog, Older Yet Bolder (olderyetbolder.com/), Ruth shares articles and resources to help you figure out what’s next. Not knowing what to do next isn’t an excuse to give up at any age. Ruth offers personalized coaching for those who aren’t ready to contemplate retirement but who desire to continue working and interacting. Visit olderyetbolder.com/start-here I have created a free resource for those of you worried about facing negative stereotypes that employers have about older workers. It’s called How to Fight Ageism in a Job Interview. Download your free copy today at macslist.org/fightageism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are many reasons why you might stay in a job you hate. You may be worried about what others will think or perhaps you feel that you’ve invested too much time in the position to walk away. Quitting can be good for your career, however. It can be one of the tools you use to carve out the career and life you want. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Lynn Marie Morski, says that quitting your job can improve not only your career, but also your health and your relationships. In order to quit well, you need to understand the difference between quitting and giving up. Lynn Marie tells us how to quit in a thoughtful, strategic way. About Our Guest: Lynn Marie Morski (www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-marie-morski-md-esq/) is a physician, attorney, and speaker. She’s also a lifelong quitter. Lynn Marie is on a mission to help people carve out a successful life through strategic quitting. And she’s the author of “Quitting by Design.” Resources in This Episode: Major life change almost always requires quitting one thing to start another. Lynn Marie’s book, “Quitting by Design” (www.amazon.com/Quitting-Design-Lynn-Marie-Morski/dp/1641825375), is a step-by-step guide to quitting successfully and transforming your life. Lynn Marie’s podcast, Quit Happens (https://quittingbydesign.com/quit-happens-podcast/), provides listeners with concrete action steps to help them quit their way to success. 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, can help. Download it today at macslist.org/focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have the skills and passion for a position that doesn’t yet exist, there are some specific steps you can take while you wait for that position to be created. Networking to build relationships, volunteering to keep your experience current, and finding a group of people who share your vision will allow you to be patient while you wait. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Julie Magers and I talk about how she worked to create a position that didn’t yet exist. It required patience, staying engaged in her profession, and building relationships every step of the way. Two years later, she is still loving the dream job she created for herself. Learn more about Julie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories series.   What do you do for a career? Who do you work for? I work at OHSU’s Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry as their one and only Family Support Specialist. In fact, I am one of two total employees filling this role in the entire University! In this role, I am developing strategies to enhance and elevate the inclusion of Family and Young Adult Support Specialists across Oregon, specifically in two programs: the Emergency Department Diversion (EDD) Pilot Program and the Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA). People in these positions have lived experiences with navigating the systems of care that serve youth living with mental health conditions and/or developmental or intellectual disabilities. We help by walking beside the family, sharing what we have learned through experience, providing emotional and educational support, and helping them learn to advocate for their needs to be met. We also help to “translate” the communication among families, youth and their health/education/insurance providers in order to promote collaborative approaches to serving the child and family’s needs. How long did it take you to find this job? I was searching for this particular role for about eight months. How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most? Because this is a somewhat newly emerging workforce, my best tactics and strategies to find this position included networking, serving in volunteer roles on advisory councils, researching the agencies and organizations that hire Family, Young Adult, and Peer Support Specialists, and being ready to submit my application as soon as the most favorable position was announced. What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge? I had been working as a Family Support Specialist at a local non-profit with a focus on mental health and developed one of the field operations for the EDD Pilot Program in that county. I was very interested in serving in a role to improve the support, training and inclusion of this workforce in all of the program sites across the state, but that position didn’t really exist. I think the most difficult part of this journey was being patient and waiting for the systems serving children and families to create the position. To overcome that challenge, I remained “plugged into” the work in any way possible and stayed in touch with industry leaders in the field. What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers? Do what you have to do to have the income you need to pay your bills, while simultaneously pursuing your dream job! Why do you love your job? I have the honor to walk beside families who are in crisis with their children, spun around in a system of care (our mental health system) that does not readily guide them in getting their children access to critically needed care. When I was in a similar situation, I had a mentor who helped me learn how these systems work so that I could make them work for my daughter – now I get to pay it forward and share that knowledge with others. I also have the privilege to work with mental health service providers and bridge the communication with their clients, promoting family and youth driven care. Everyone wins when all parties are able to collaborate for the best possible outcomes for children and youth experiencing emotional and behavioral health-related challenges. Learn more about Julie on LinkedIn and her company website, or follow her on Twitter!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every job search requires references. You need people who can attest to the work you’ve done and the skills you possess. But did you know that many employers have a policy against giving references? There is also the possibility that you may have to handle a bad reference. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Vicki Lind, says that you need a strategy for dealing with references. The best reference is someone who supervised you closely and is a fan of your work. Once you choose your references, you need to coach them and keep in close contact with them. About Our Guest: Vicki Lind (linkedin.com/in/vickilind) is a career counselor and job search coach. She’s also the founder and owner of Vicki Lind and Associates (aportlandcareer.com). Vicki and her team help clients find the sweet spot where meaning meets money. And she’s the co-author of “Landing a Job Worth Having.” It’s a new book full of tips on how to use job boards, tailor your resume, and interview for your next job. Resources in This Episode: If you need help changing careers, finding a new position, writing a stellar resume, or achieving higher job satisfaction, Vicki and her colleagues are ready to help. Visit her website at aportlandcareer.com/services/ for more information. Vicki and her team spent a year doing research for her newest book, “Landing a Job Worth Having.” This book is full of tips from experts along with motivating stories to help you find the spot where meaning meets money. Visit aportlandcareer.com/books/ If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My new guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview, shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and possibly get a higher salary. Download your free copy today; go to macslist.org/moneytalk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have the desire to work in local government, you may wonder what you can do to have the best shot at an open position. Some of these positions receive hundreds of applications and the hiring process can be grueling. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Serilda Summers-McGee, says that relationships matter more than ever when pursuing a local government job. She tells us that the first relationship you build should be with a recruiter. You also need to understand how the local hiring process works and be ready to face stringent deadlines. If you want to serve your local city or town, learn how to stand out from the crowd and what you can do now to help your chances of getting the job you want later. About Our Guest: Serilda Summers-McGee (linkedin.com/in/serilda-summers-mcgee-mba-m-ed-8222964/) is the chief human resources officer for the City of Portland. She has more than 15 years of experience in human capital management with expertise in a range of HR disciplines. She’s also the author of Change The WorkGame: Building and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce. Resources in This Episode: Serilda’s book, Change The WorkGame: Building and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce, contains strategies that will help any employer establish and maintain a diverse workforce throughout all strata of their business. Read more about Serilda’s work on the City of Portland website (www.portlandoregon.gov/bhr/26588). Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression with a free resource from Mac’s List. Visit maclist.org/wow to download “How to Wow and Woo Employers Online.”   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices