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

It’s not enough in today’s job market to have the experience required for an open position. You have to stand out from the crowd of applicants to even secure an interview. Using your leverage is the best way to stand head and shoulders above others, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ashton McMillan. Leverage could be past work experience, education, or specific results from a previous job or campaign that show your success in the field. The more you know the value you have to offer an employer, the more confidently you will approach an interview, so do your homework and discover what results you have achieved that the potential employer needs in a new hire.  About Our Guest: Ashton McMillan (http://linkedin.com/in/ashton-mcmillan) is a recruiter with experience in leadership and financial analysis who specializes in software engineering and technical positions. Resources in This Episode: Connect with Ashton at www.linkedin.com/in/ashton-mcmillan/ to learn more about his work in talent and recruiting.  From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

Are your Sunday evenings filled with dread over having to go back to another work week because of a toxic or upsetting work environment? If so, it’s time to make a decision on whether to stay or leave. Find Your Dream Job guest Becky Farone is here to share how to know when it’s the right time to leave and when you should try to hang on. Becky says you need to go back to your core values, analyze whether there are any areas that you can control, and check your confidence so that you don’t make a fear-based choice. Your career is your own, so trust yourself to make the right decision.  About Our Guest: Becky Farone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckykaplanfarone/) is a credentialed career coach and the founder of Fireworks Coaching (https://www.fireworkscoaching.com/). Becky helps professional women over 40 decide to stay or leave distressing work. Resources in This Episode: Are you stuck in an upsetting work situation and ready to feel energized and peaceful in a job? Let Becky help you; visit her website at Fireworks Coaching (https://www.fireworkscoaching.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

Walking into an interview can be nerve-wracking, to say the least. Will you have all the answers they’re looking for? Will it be a good fit? You can’t prepare for the unknown, but what you can do, says Find Your Dream Job guest Karla Rockhold, is prepare for what you do know. Karla recommends preparing a 30 to 90-second elevator pitch to answer the “tell me about yourself” query that usually opens the interview. Do your homework to prepare for the middle part of the interview, and end strong with your own set of questions for the interviewer.  About Our Guest: Karla Rockhold (http://linkedin.com/in/karla-rockhold) is the director of alumni career engagement at Oregon State University (https://oregonstate.edu/). Her office connects graduates with the campus community and its career services. Resources in This Episode: As an undergrad or graduate student, information is your best ally. Connect with Karla on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-rockhold/) to soak up all the career development advice and help she offers! From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

Why should you work with a recruiter instead of going the traditional job-hunting route? Find Your Dream Job guest Brad Near says a great recruiter can help you find a job quicker, and with more of what you’re looking for than you can on your own. Brad explains the broad connections that recruiters typically have, which can lead to many more open positions than you could ever know about. You can be more honest with a recruiter than you might be with a hiring manager; a recruiter will have your best interests in mind and will take the time to learn about any negative past experiences. Brad suggests trying a recruiter and seeing what they can do for you. About Our Guest: Brad Near (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bnear/) is the CEO of Rainier Recruiting (https://www.rainierrecruiting.com/). It’s a boutique agency that represents hundreds of openings across North America. Resources in This Episode: Got some lofty professional goals? Let Brad and his team help you reach them. Find out more at rainierrecruiting.com (https://www.rainierrecruiting.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

Amy Santee, a career strategist specializing in user experience professionals, shares vital insights on creating a successful job search strategy. She emphasizes the importance of clarity in your career priorities and financial goals to avoid aimlessness. Listeners learn about the SMART goals framework for targeting efforts and reducing job search stress. Santee also highlights the necessity of personalizing strategies, tracking applications, and mastering behavioral interviews for improved chances of landing desired roles.

If you walk into an interview planning to share “just the facts,” you’ll be quickly forgotten. Stories are what grab our attention and stick in our memory. How do you share stories with a potential employer? Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Bachman says it takes research and practice to share your story in a way that gets their attention but isn’t rambling on for too long. Elizabeth also talks about the need to leave behind the mindset that “nice people don’t brag” and get comfortable talking about the things you do best.  About Our Guest: Elizabeth Bachman (http://linkedin.com/in/elizabethbachman) is the go-to person for advanced training in speaking, presentation skills, and leadership. Elizabeth also hosts the “Speakers Who Get Results” podcast. Resources in This Episode: For more information on how to join the next cohort of Elizabeth’s “Visible and Valued Leadership Certification Program” for executive women, check out her website at visible-valued.com (https://elizabethbachman.com/visible-valued-certification/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

If you need to update your resume quickly, you need to know which factors make the biggest impact. How much education should you list? And how many pages should it be? Find Your Dream Job guest Ashley Faison is here to answer all these questions and more. Ashley has a seven-step process for revamping your resume in a hurry, including why you should read your resume backward, which skills to highlight, and how much personal information to share. Ashley also explains why you need a customized resume for each job you’re applying to and how that gets you to the top of the pile.  About Our Guest: Ashley Faison (http://linkedin.com/in/ashleydaniellefaison) is a certified resume writer, a career coach, and the founder of Ashleyfaison.com. Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the professional development program Ashley is launching, visit her website at ashleyfaison.com (https://ashleyfaison.com/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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 taken time off to care for children, elderly parents, or your own mental or physical health? If you’re afraid this gap will negatively affect your job search, you needn’t worry, says Find Your Dream Job guest Elena Giorgetti. Elena explains that employers care more about what you did during the gap than the gap itself. If you present the skills you gained and the value the time away added to your career journey, you can be confident that your career gap won’t hurt your chances of scoring that dream position you’re going for! About Our Guest: Elena Giorgetti (http://linkedin.com/in/elenagiorgetticoaching) is a career coach who specializes in transitions, emotional intelligence, and mental health. Resources in This Episode: Want to learn to crack the hidden job market? Find out more at impactcareercoaching.ca (https://impactcareercoaching.ca/) From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

You’ve got the offer. You’re ready to start your new job. But before you accept, you must have all the relevant information to make an informed decision. How do you get this information? You ask the right questions, says Find Your Dream Job guest Gaby Rosenada Valdes. These questions should cover the benefits package in its entirety, the type of support you can expect to receive during your first few weeks there, and whether you will have a probationary period. A refusal to answer any of these types of questions may indicate issues you need to investigate further.  About Our Guest: Gaby Rosenada Valdes (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriela-valdes/overlay/contact-info/) is the talent manager at Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette). Resources in This Episode: For more information on how Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette is working in the areas of pay equity and transparency, visit plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-columbia-willamette. From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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

Are you afraid to negotiate salary and benefits because you think the employer may pull the offer? Refusing to negotiate salary is the best way to limit your lifetime earnings, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandon Bramley. Brandon says employers expect you to negotiate, and some may actually see it as a weakness if you don’t. Negotiation doesn’t have to be stressful; keep the tone friendly and kind, and you will find most employers to be more than willing to have the conversation.  About Our Guest: Brandon Bramley (http://linkedin.com/in/brandonbramley) is the founder of The Salary Negotiator (https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/). Resources in This Episode: To schedule your FREE consultation with a salary negotiation expert, head over to thesalarynegotiator.com/ (https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/). From our Sponsor: Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume.(http://macslist.org/topresume) Top Resume 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