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

The days of working for the same company for 30-years and retiring with a full pension are a thing of the past. Today, people have a powerful sense they need to consistently consider what their next career or job change will be. There are even employees who are worried about what hiring managers will think about a long stint at just one company. Guest expert New York Times Columnist, Rob Walker, says hiring managers look more for applicable skills or a major red flag than time on job titles. He says it’s important to stay on top of what is available in the job market and to periodically conduct informational interviews so you know what your value is in the marketplace. Checking job boards can also help a job seeker to understand what additional skills they could acquire before they might need to find other employment. Keep your resume current if opportunities for growth arise in your current environment. And, be proactive about changes you can make in the workplace. Signs it might be time to move on: Issues in Business Sector. Your responsibilities are diminishing. Someone starts taking over your tasks. If you do get a new job when departing your current company: Follow the rules of the organization. If they request two-weeks notice, give two-weeks notice. Don’t try to settle scores during your exit, no matter how angry you are. Your skills are valuable! Make sure you know what you are worth. Rob Walker Bio Rob Walker writes the "The Workologist" column for the Sunday business section of The New York Times and blogs for Design Observer.  He’s the author of four books and has written for such publications as Slate.com, New York Times Magazine, Money, and The American Lawyer. You can find out more about Rob at RobWalker.net. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is the list of The Best (and Worst) Jobs in 2016 from CareerCast. The list is based on factors such as salary, work environment, and job prospects.  It may not be as awesome as puppy watching or Crayola Color Girl, but being a Data Scientist tops the list of the best job on the planet. You may not want to know what the worst job on the list is, just in case it is what you are doing right now. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Karl Borton’s question — “How do I market myself to employers in states other than my own?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st . If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you just land an interview? Congratulations! Now, it’s time to prepare. The interview stage is the time to show an organization how you will fit into the culture and how you can solve a company’s problems. It is the first time the organization will see you, hear your voice and get an impression, so make it impactful. Guest expert, Caroline Dowd-Higgins, shares her professional tips on how to land your dream job through great interview techniques. Caroline says research before an interview is imperative but it’s something many people fail to do. To prepare, first, print out a copy of the job description, highlight the attributes the company is looking for and write down a compelling story and/or an example of how you embody these points. Using the job description to help the interviewer understand why you are a good fit shows initiative. Storytelling Tips: Practice. If you don’t have a specific skill, find something that is relatable. Start with “I’d like to tell you a story.” Make your stories natural and authentic. Chemistry and culture are a huge part of whether or not an applicant will fit into an organization. Given the amount of time we spend with our work families, it is vital that we not only fit into an organization but fit well. Show your true self during an interview so the hiring manager can get a clear picture of what you will be like at work. Pro Tip - Take a video of yourself practicing for your interview. Use appropriate body language. Remember, a strong voice exudes confidence, eye contact makes a connection, and filler words can be eliminated with a little practice. And, if for any reason you do not feel you were able to share your skills and abilities completely during the course of the interview, use closing remarks to summarize why you are a good fit for the position. Go Get ‘em Tiger! Caroline Dowd-Higgins Bio Caroline Dowd-Higgins is executive director of career and professional development for the Indiana University Alumni Association. She’s the author of the book, This Is Not the Career I Ordered and she has a new book, Thrive! Where You Are, coming out in 2017 . Caroline also hosts the podcast, Your Working Life, and the online video series, Thrive! And she’s a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, Ellevate Women’s Network, The Rouse, and The Chronicle newspaper. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a post from the Recruitloop blog. It is a list of 75 hypothetical experience-based questions that draw from past experiences in an effort to anticipate future reactions. 75 Behavioural Interview Questions To Select The Best Candidate. What makes this list special is that it is designed for recruiters. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Katherine Moore’s question — “How can I persuade my employer to pay for my continuing education?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air you will receive a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere (to be published February 1, 2017). Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. Ben and Jenna’s segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st .If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On an earlier podcast, guest expert, Hannah Morgan, spoke about how to nail your next phone interview.  While wrapping up the interview, she suggested informing the hiring manager you are still interested in the role and asking the question, "Would you think of any reason why I wouldn't be moved forward in this process?"  We thought this was a great question, that required a little more in depth conversation.  On this podcast bonus, Mac, Ben, and Jenna sit down and talk about the pros and cons of asking, "Why wouldn't you hire me?" Have you asked this question before?  Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are between jobs you may find yourself with an abundance of unstructured time on your hands. Trying to make the most out of your day will be frustrating if you don’t know how to effectively manage your time. Guest expert, Matt Kepnes, aka Nomadic Matt, shares his tips and processes for accomplishing large and small tasks, even if you are on the road. Creating artificial constructs within your day can force you to complete assignments and is more effective than making a list. Lists are great for the grocery store but if you want to make sure harder tasks are tackled, create a schedule for yourself. One method to create an artificial construct is batching. Batching is restricting blocks of your time for one specific task. For example, batching emails for one hour means you will only read and respond to emails within hour you have blocked. Distractions can kill productivity. Social media sites, phone calls, and unplanned interruptions are things we all get distracted by. To reduce the level of distractions during your work time Matt recommends job seekers: Create routines. Familiarity lowers the chance of interferences. Use the Self-Control app to block distracting websites during your work hours. Schedule projects in advance and then follow the daily schedule. Go to a coffee shop with wifi to get away from distractions when working from home. Schedule a block of time to polish up your resume! Matt Kepnes Bio Matthew Kepnes runs the award winning budget travel site, Nomadic Matt, and wrote the New York Times bestseller, How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. After a trip to Thailand in 2005, Matt decided to quit his job, finish his MBA and head off into the world. His original trip was supposed to last a year. Over ten years later, he is still out roaming around and teaching others how to do the same. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben’s resource this week is a free online tool to save job seekers from the embarrassment of typos and grammatical errors. Grammarly can be used online or as a plugin and it identifies over 250 types of writing errors, many of which Microsoft Word doesn’t catch. Grammarly’s versatility allows it to function on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. when added as a plugin to the Chrome browser. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Kelly G.’s question — “How do I market my soft skills?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Employers may use phone interviews to save time, get a sense of an applicant’s personality and test their skill level. This phone screening saves an employer time allowing them to weed out those who may not have essential skills needed for the open position. Job applicants do not always know when a hiring manager or recruiter will be calling to conduct an interview. If you are caught unprepared or your situation is not ideal to respond to their questions,  it is perfectly acceptable to ask the interviewer to reschedule the call. But, be sure to ask for their number, so the follow-up task belongs to you — not the interviewer. Guest expert, Hannah Morgan says it is a good idea to do your homework and research the company and job posting thoroughly before the phone interview. She says it is best to prepare yourself with stories and examples of times you succeeded in completing similar tasks required for the job and focus on the positive outcomes. Use the company’s website to find out about its mission statement and who its customers are. The more you know the more relaxed you will be during the interview. Background research also helps you to prepare a list of questions to help you gain insights about your possible future employer. Pro Tip: Your questions should be different if you are speaking with a manager in the division you wish to work in than if you are speaking with a person in Human Resources. Non-verbal body language is important during a phone interview. Try these tried and true techniques: Stand up or walk around during the interview. This opens up your diaphragm and projects your voice. Smile while speaking. It enhances your voice. Don’t talk over the interviewer. Take a moment before answering questions to ensure you don’t interrupt. Dress in business attire. Studies show people feel more confident when they are dressed up. Always end the conversation with questions about possible timeframes for filling the opening, when you should expect to hear back from the employer and  anything else you don’t want to be left wondering about. Hannah says some job seekers will even end with a trial close. The question “Can you think of any reason why you wouldn’t move me forward in the process?” allows applicants to clarify any possible misunderstandings and to overcome objections. Show courtesy and always send a thank you note! Hannah Morgan Bio Hannah Morgan is the founder of Career Sherpa.net Her talks, blog posts, and books offer no-nonsense, actionable advice to active and passive job seekers.  Hannah writes a weekly column for U.S. News & World Report and is the author of The Infographic Resume, published by McGraw-Hill Education. For additional career-related information follow Hannah on Twitter @careersherpa. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a blog post titled, Can I Turn Down a Skype Interview and Suggest a Phone Call Instead?, from the Ask a Manager blog which is managed by Allison Green. The article suggests it is OK to request a phone call based on the available technology. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Nathan Brennan’s question — “Is there a good way to respond to an unsolicited salary rate a recruiter presents to you over the phone?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 30, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, talked with Angela Copeland, career coach and founder of Coaching Copeland, a website that has been helping job seekers for over 10 years.  On top of that, Copeland is a Career Corner newspaper columnist and author of "Breaking the Rules & Getting the Job."  She also runs Copeland Coaching Podcast, where she interviewed Mac. In this podcast episode, Mac shares his secrets to hacking the hidden job market, to mastering informational interviews, and how long your job search should really take. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a personal website, a personal business card or a folder of compliments you have received? If not, you should, says this week’s guest expert, Michelle Ward of When I Grow Up Coach. A person is more than their current job title. And often, personal projects and hobbies tell more of your story than your job description does. If you want to stay in the driver’s seat of your career, you should consistently keep up on what is working for you and any wins you have. Create a separate folder (online or on paper) and add any kudos or accolades you receive throughout the course of a year, and update your resume accordingly. This will save you time and frustration during your annual performance review and you will be ready in the event that an unexpected opportunity arises. These resources make it easy to: Track your accomplishments online with Evernote Share information about yourself with About.me Give hiring managers a reason to be interested in you with Branded.me Michelle also advises job seekers to create an elevator pitch about themselves. You are much more than your field of work. When someone asks you what you do, expound on your job title by adding your skills set. This is extremely useful if you are attending a networking event or conference. Remember, conferences are opportunities for learning and connecting. Don’t dread your work! Michelle Ward Bio Michelle Ward has been offering career guidance for creative women as “The When I Grow Up Coach” since 2008. She is the co-author of The Declaration of You, published by North Light Books. Michelle also teaches a class, Create Your Dream Career and Ditch Your Day Job, on CreativeLive.com. Michelle is excited to be launching her new program, 90 Day Business Launch at the end of October. You can find out more about Michelle Ward and all of her programs on her website When I Grow Up Coach. You can also sign up to get access to her free monthly interview series. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a job search app for your mobile phone called Switch. It’s a quick and easy way to see what jobs are available in your area and if they are of interest to you. Switch has been dubbed the Tinder of job searches.    Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac respond to Matt Cundill’s question — “How do you know if it is time to leave your industry for a new sector and how do you successfully make the change?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the purpose of networking is to build relationships, then why would you only network when you are job hunting? Guest expert, Angela Copeland says it takes time for someone to get to know you, so start networking now. If you are unsure of  where to find information about networking events, Angela suggests to look online for associations or groups in your field of work, contact the local Chamber of Commerce or go to Meetup.com. You may feel more comfortable at a networking event that is a good fit for you. It’s advisable to target events where you have a decent chance of meeting people in your field, you can really connect to. Pro Tip — If you are looking to change fields, have business cards made with your contact information, leaving off your current field of work. It’s okay if you find professional events awkward and scary, everyone else who is there feels the same way. Angela recommends going to networking events alone and being on the lookout for someone who is also there alone. If a person is deeply engaged in conversation with another person, you are less likely to make an impact if you approach. If you do approach someone, ask them personal questions. Personal questions can open people up and help to form a deeper connection. Remember, the person who lands a job is not always the most qualified. It is the person the hiring manager likes the most or has a connection with. Networking Event Do’s: Do have a pitch about yourself in case someone asks. Do make a positive first impression through body language, a smile and being properly dressed for the occasion. Do make sure to be pleasant and authentic. Do ask personal questions instead of business questions. Do learn something new. Do follow up with an email or LinkedIn connection with every person you meet. Networking Event Dont’s: Don’t talk about your job search. Don’t just talk with the person who attended with you. Don’t forget networking and relationship building takes time. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t make a connection at the event. Shake everyone’s hand firmly and be pleasant! Angela Copeland Bio Angela Copeland is the CEO of Copeland Coaching. Her firm helps people at all stages of the job search process, including finding the right job, interviewing for a position, and negotiating an offer. Angela is the author of Breaking The Rules and Getting The Job. She also hosts the Copeland Coaching Podcast and writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column on careers. If you would like to follow Angela on Twitter, @CopelandCoach is her handle. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares a LinkedIn post from Melissa De Witte Do-It-Yourself Headshots - And You Can Even Use Your iPhone. The article includes the exact steps and settings you will need to get a professional looking headshot, which is essential for your LinkedIn profile. Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Pat Guiles’ audio question — “How should I inform my previous employer about my new job?” If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 14, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, talked with Terry Starbucker, cofounder and publisher of Built Oregon, a monthly online magazine that serves to tell Oregon entrepreneurial stories.  Built Oregon also has a podcast called, Making Oregon, this podcast brings you Built Oregon conversations with innovators, makers, doers, disruptors, foodies, dreamers, and groundbreakers from all across the state of Oregon.  These entrepreneurs talk about the inspiration and ingenuity it takes to make Oregon the best place they know to build and sustain a prosperous lifestyle. In this podcast episode, Mac and Terry talk about the Mac's List story and how to find a career driven by purpose. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a structure or blueprint to being a successful person but there is no perfect formula. The design differs for everyone, as guest expert Don Hutcheson explains. It is necessary to dig into who you are and what you are supposed to be doing before attempting to be successful at any one thing. The first quality all successful people have in common is they take full responsibility for their own self-knowledge and self-awareness, and they avoid mindless conformity. If you start with a solid base of knowing who you are on the inside, you eliminate the guessing which leads to reactions and unsatisfactory career choices. Other things successful people have in common is they are all on a lifelong journey of learning, and they surround themselves with like-minded people. They read educational resources about how to use their individual talents and how to strengthen their emotional intelligence. People go through what Don calls “turning points” every 6 or 7 years. If they have a continuous mindset to keep getting better, these turning points will enhance their already honed abilities. To be successful: Do research about yourself and your abilities Set goals for yourself Surround yourself with the right people Accept failure and learn from it Be disciplined Trust your instincts Make strategic decisions, not knee-jerk reactions Don’t be miserable Journal about your experiences Seek out people who have the same values! Book Resources from Don: What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson What Color Is Your Parachute? by Dick Bolles Don’t Waste Your Talents by Don Hutcheson & Dr. Bob McDonald Don Hutcheson Bio Don Hutcheson is a lifelong entrepreneur, inventor, author and coach. He hosts the daily podcast, Discover Your Talent — Do What You Love and has interviewed over 350 successful people. By the end of 2016, he will be offering membership groups and courses, which will include experts on topics such as emotional intelligence, salary negotiations and exposing natural abilities.  Don has never had a boss. Instead, he has created six companies in advertising, publishing, coaching and career planning over the last 40 years. Ben’s Job Search Resources: Ben shares the blog post How to Tell People What You Do—and Be Remembered by Alexandra Franzen on TheMuse.com. The post is about how you can communicate what you do in simple terms, which begins with the Maya Angelou quote “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question: Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Sue Black’s question - “Is there a great career coach for young, recent college grads?” Jenna recommends career coach Satya Byock from Quarter-Life Counseling in the Portland area and Stacey Marie Ishmael’s BuzzFeed podcast, Another Round. If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to jenna@macslist.org or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to ben@macslist.org and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job. These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/itunes). We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices