Question: This long distance job search has me discouraged, what can I do?

Ellis,
I just read an article on Yahoo Finance where you provided advice. You said only answering ads and sending out blind resumes was a serious error as a search strategy. As an accountant searching for a better job in a tough regional market, I generally agree with this statement. I want to relocate to a different part of the country, and cannot figure out how to expedite a long-distance search. Needless to say, my full time presence where I currently live makes it difficult to network in the area where I want to move. I've met several high-level folks here and there, but none that have honestly been able to help. I'm at the end of my rope here and am desperate to move forward in my career. I have often heard that having an out-of-area address is often an automatic trip to the "No" stack.
Extremely Discouraged

Answer

ED,
Yup, it's a tough move. But you're going about it in some low probability ways. Your frustration is creating a problem all by itself, as I've seen from your letter (edited here), and is not helping you see things clearly. You want this whole thing to end fast, and end NOW. Sorry, but it's still going to be a process, when you do it right. It's a heavy lift.

The following four points will begin to help.  

The Out-of-State Address

First, let's get rid of that address problem. You're right; adding the possible relocation expense might be a problem for a prospective employer. Many of the people I've worked with have, as a matter of course, dropped addresses from resumes. It seems to be a trend among younger members of the job force. An email address seems to be enough. A telephone number with an out-of-state area code doesn't seem to be a problem anymore; people take their cell numbers with them everywhere they move. So . . . no home address necessary.

Understanding Networking

Second, you need to fully understand what networking is. It is not just asking everyone you know if they know of openings or jobs. That's a sure-fire way of scaring them off, because people feel guilty when they have to say, "No, not at this moment." And that means you've burned through a contact, making it difficult to stay in touch. Networking is all about maintaining relationships over a period of time, a form of indirect marketing. The point is to build business relationships, keep them by staying in touch, so that when your contacts hear of appropriate situations, they think of you. That's how the vast majority of people find jobs, either by accident or by design.  

The Long Distance Search

Third, the long distance search. Since you can't be constantly traveling to your intended destination, you set up phone meetings instead of in-person meetings. They may be a little less effective than personally meeting others, but if you cultivate the relationships through following up regularly, you can make that relationship work. In addition, if you find some of your targeted people are amenable, you might say to several that you will be in the area during the week of ____________, and hope that you could meet them in person. Believe it or not, this works better, most of the time, than asking someone in your home area for a more open-ended time slot.  

Building Networks in a New Area - Using LinkedIn

Fourth, for building networks in an area where you don't know many in your profession -- try LinkedIn groups. Assuming your profile is up-to-date and promotes your skill set well (and you do seem to have an excellent one), look under "Interests" on the top of the home page. There is a subset called "Groups." Then, look for affinity groups. Punch in "Accountants," and see what comes up. Maybe a professional group you’ve already joined. Maybe 10 others that are related. Maybe one in your intended geographical area. Join. Get involved in the online conversations. If someone sounds interesting and knowledgeable, try to link in (with a personal invitation, not the LinkedIn template). If he/she responds, then perhaps you write a skillful introductory (brief) email requesting a short conversation because you're researching the market in their area and want to learn more about it.  

Technique, Discipline and Consistency

This is just a beginning. Clearly, there's much more you can do. I can think of a recently published book (mine!) you might read which will thoroughly take you through the process -- In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies That Work, on Amazon. Your task is eminently doable, even with the tough market conditions. Great search technique, coupled with discipline and consistency, will usually trump the difficult market
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: I'm having trouble with self-marketing, do I really need to keep doing it?
Ellis,
I'm a consultant and don't know how to keep up the self-marketing. Sometimes my business is doing okay, sometimes, things are very slow. I have a lot of difficulty being proactive and have pretty much relied on luck, and the kindness of strangers, so to speak. Over time, won’t that be enough?
Marvin I.

Answer
Marvin,
I'll take any opportunity to tell a consultant about the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 rule. I think most consultants instinctively know it, but have a rough time following it. The rule is as follows: A consultant should spend 1/3 of the time in delivering services; 1/3 in administration (billing, IT, proposals, etc.); and, this is the tough part for many, 1/3 in marketing. I'm not saying that's a strict allocation of time, when a consultant gets well established, the administration becomes less onerous and the delivery time - the billable part - should grow. But that marketing part should always be there, and requires a great deal of discipline.

Here's why -- an illustration of how things go wrong with even the most successful consultants:

Several years ago, I had the good fortune of working with a small consulting firm as an independent subcontractor. The two women who ran the firm were highly successful in their field and had cornered a huge piece of business at a very well-reputed, highly prestigious corporation. They practically lived there. At the peak of their business with this one company, they had 35 subcontractors on billing. To put it bluntly, they were making a great deal of money.

Their product was excellent, the relationship with the company lasted for several years (not typical for most consultants), and they made a terrible strategic error -- they stopped marketing elsewhere.

They did a few projects here and there, and constantly acknowledged that they were getting too complacent/comfortable with, and focused on, the one client.  

One day, because of a strong negative market fluctuation, the company terminated all consulting contracts. The 35 consultants dwindled down to a few, and eventually, the consulting firm dissolved. Both partners eventually recovered, on their own, but they each had a long period of trying to create new business from scratch.  

They violated the rule.

To answer your question more fully, though, involves another issue. Many consultants do not realize that a successful business includes the need for consistent marketing. If you're not comfortable with that, then perhaps you need a partner - and can create a kind of Ms. Inside/Mr. Outside sort of business relationship. But don't let that marketing piece go. The story I just related is all too common.  

Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: What CAN'T a career advisor do for you?
Ellis,
I've read your book and several of your blog pieces about what career advisors can do for clients, and why the investment is worth it. I've never worked with an advisor before, am tight on funds, and wondering about one other aspect - what CAN'T an advisor do? I'm hoping for some definitive solutions to some pretty complicated career issues.
Interested In Return on Investment

Answer
Dear ROI:
The simple, somewhat glib answer to your question about what an advisor can't do is "magic." I don't usually say that to my clients or students, but it's what I'm thinking in certain situations.  

Sometimes I think client expectations are unrealistic -- they expect me to provide a magical solution to a very complicated situation, perhaps like yours, without much context or much understanding of what their interests, skills, and experiences have been. What I frequently want to say is "Hey, it's your LIFE we're talking about here; how can we possibly solve it in one meeting?"

I recently had a private client who’d had significant personal achievement in teaching, but had gone through a rough time over the past few years. He’d had one bad job, and was currently having a difficult time in his search. His search technique was not good, and he was what I call a "burn victim" -- someone whose perceptions have been thrown off kilter due to a bad work experience. It was tough for him to see that the bad experience was a cause of some of his anxiety and current lack of success.

He wanted me to come up with alternative solutions, perhaps another career entirely. At this point, he didn’t have any ideas of his own about alternate careers (perhaps as a function of his overall anxiety and listless search). I suggested he get himself on more solid ground by landing a teaching job, and then use that as a foundation to make career decisions while not consumed by uncertainty. I thought he'd be able to be much more creative when he was feeling better about himself, and employed.

We discussed search techniques for the better part of two meetings. He seemed to understand that answering ads was simply not going to do the trick alone -- he was going to have to be far more proactive in his overall approach, as well as in following up with current "live" situations. He left the second meeting feeling confident he could go out and execute our plan.

Two weeks later, I received an email from him expressing his disappointment with what we had accomplished. He then described a couple of ideas he had that were related to education, ideas I thought were worth exploring. He had not mentioned these in our meetings.

And then he informed me he was going on vacation for the rest of the summer (the remainder of education hiring season). The feeling I got from his email was that I had been expected to produce some immediate, concrete, easy solutions so that he could go on vacation. He said he "might" contact me when he returned.

This is a roundabout way of explaining that a career advisor can't just meet someone, and immediately come up with solutions. The advisor will have tools, assessments, exercises, and will try to get as much information as possible, so that the client will be able to put these factors together, with the advisor's perspectives, and come up with two or three possible solutions to explore. That's called intelligent career planning. While I'm usually not in favor of long-term career advising relationships, some situations might take more than a few meetings to solve, and success will be based on input from both sides.
 
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: Should I just forget about job hunting over the holiday?
Dear Ellis,
Should I take time off this Fourth of July week and take it easy on my search for the summer? After all, no one's around.
Harriet W.

Answer
Dear Harriet,
I hear this comment mostly during the summer - and then frequently in early November, when clients and students say it's pointless to look for a transition during the holiday season (Seven weeks? Really?). I've even heard people say that period starts at Halloween.

Wrong. On both counts. It's an excuse, and a myth. The excuse part is that it's awfully hard to keep up the discipline during the summer or holiday periods, when everyone else seems to be having a great time, or celebrating something. Why not take some time off? Do all the organizations close during those periods? Do companies stop their functions? Of course not.  Yes, it may be true that mid-August to early September is a tough time to look for work, for example, in financial services. And that there are other tough periods in other fields, too. But a reason to stop looking? No.

Stopping means loss of momentum. Picking up in September (or January) makes things far tougher than they need to be. Getting going is depressing. Building on momentum is far easier (if anything about transition can be called easy).

For example, if you know that many key decision makers are not around, does that mean you can't build on your networks? Or continue to do rigorous research and reading about potential targets? Or work on your group affiliations on LinkedIn? I've heard, over and over, that these slower periods are actually excellent times to meet people for relationship building. If it's late July, people may be more amenable than usual to meet with you. They frequently don't want to work, either.

My favorite reason for holiday period job search is that your competition is thinking the same things -- these are not good times to look. That means fewer people competing for information meetings and interviews.

If anyone remembers the film Kramer vs. Kramer, there was a scene where the Dustin Hoffman character goes from office party to office party during the holiday season, desperately looking for employment, and succeeds. Funny thing is I always thought of that scene as an example of the worst possible networking technique - but what I liked about it is that he succeeded in December.

I have innumerable stories about successful July/August and December job searches. Every time, the client has been surprised.

Not me.

One more comment. I do not mean to imply job seekers cannot take time off. Far from it. Since job search is a full-time job, then it, too, requires vacation time and long weekends. Don't be one of those people who stares at the phone. Get away from it, periodically. Even plan time off during the day. It'll help.

Have a great Fourth of July!
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: I'm out of work and short on funds, Is it worth spending the money to see a career advisor?
Dear Ellis,
I've been out of work for six months. I've always been good at search, and have been resourceful enough to find out the best techniques. Yet . something's not working this time. I've been told over and over that I should find a good career advisor to help me, but I hate spending the money during this time, and don't quite know what to expect.  
John R.

Answer
Dear John,
This one is always a bit uncomfortable to answer, because it's tough to avoid appearing totally self-serving. Obviously, I think seeing an advisor is a great way to help you get through this difficult time; otherwise, I would've chosen a different career. (Although there have been times when I have told prospective clients that they might benefit more from consulting with professionals in another field.)  

Okay, that's out of the way, and I'll be as objective as possible. 

My major reason for suggesting a career advisor is an emotional one - search is isolating. You've been separated from your routine, from a part of your identity, and from people you may have liked. Left on your own, you ruminate. You try to interpret every single aspect of the search, i.e. Why is this person not calling back? Why isn't my resume working the way resumes should? Why is it five days since they said they'd call and they had promised three? Have I made the right choice in what I'm seeking? Maybe it's time for a radical change? And, my favorite: Why are so many people so incredibly rude during this process?   

You go round and round in these thoughts (among many others about this process), don't get anywhere, and start to over-think every aspect. Some people end up reworking their resumes 10 or 12 times, almost always a colossal waste of energy. Sometimes, the result of all the rumination is to make bad career decisions, just to avoid the anxiety of the process itself.  If you have a significant other or family or both, that will probably add to the stress, no matter how supportive friends and family may be.  

What's lacking here is perspective, and I think that's where the experienced listener and advisor plays a most critical role. It always amazes me that at the end of a successful client experience, one of the comments I have heard the most over the years is, "You really understood what I was going through." It's not usually about the technical aspects of the transition, even if we spent two or three entire meetings reviewing pitch and networking technique.  

Of course, an experienced consultant will be knowledgeable about the (over-hyped) resumes, will help with interview presentation and content, will teach the value of high-touch relationship building, and, I hope, will understand and show the value of social media and social intelligence in the process.  

As for the money, if it helps, it's worth it. Think about the big picture.
 
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: Does volunteering really work for getting jobs?
Dear Ellis,
I’ve been following your posts and I know you keep telling people not to trust the media. So I’m curious about your take on this story from the Washington Post: “Volunteering lifts job prospects of the jobless” on June 17th. It says that volunteers are “27% more likely to find work than non-volunteers.”

I’ve been out of work for five months, starting to get a little desperate. But I don’t know if it’s better to spend my time on my job search or try to get a volunteer position? At the moment, with money so tight, the idea of working for free doesn’t appeal to me. On the other hand, if it really is a way in the door, I’d be willing to try it.  Any thoughts?
Aaron B.

Answer
Hi Aaron,
This is one of the media articles on the current job markets that I actually agree with. So maybe I need to follow the Wash Post more often!  

The idea is great. I'd like to expand on it. I don't think that volunteerism is only beneficial to lower-skilled job seekers; I think it's good at any level. Since that very good article focused on that particular group, I'd like to talk about others who are perhaps more skilled and experienced.

On a purely emotional basis, volunteering is a great idea for building structures into your day. That's always a big problem with people who are out of work all of a sudden - their regular structures, and people, disappear.  

I don't encourage clients and students to seek full-time volunteer positions, though, because it would take them out of their regular search activities, and the loss of momentum is problematic. Go for part-time. Three days a week would be fine. No more, because it won't leave you enough time for a reasonable job search.

I think finding the right volunteer situation is critical for those who are more educated and skilled. By "right," I mean something that might add a skill that is necessary for the targeted career goal, or might reinforce an existing one. If you're an events planner, for example, getting involved in fundraising activities for a non-profit would be a great idea. Or if you're in finance, why not offer services in the financial area? Even though it might not be the same as the jobs you've been doing, it's something you can point to when going out on the job market.  

There's one part of this that most people don't think of. If you're going to offer your services for free, you can negotiate! Yup, negotiate. I frequently tell the people I work with that they should discuss a few items up front:

• Ask if they will call you a consultant, rather than a volunteer. Looks better on the resume, and sounds better in networking and interviewing.

• Be sure what the role is, that it won't be a bait and switch situation. For example, you've been told you're going to help them design a new system for membership, and then you find out after you start you're doing data entry. Not useful for you.  

• Ask if they'll provide excellent references for you (calling you a consultant, of course), assuming you do the terrific job that you plan on.

• Also, if you're going to do that terrific job for them, would they assist you by perhaps providing some help in your building new networks.

• And...perhaps if things work out well on both ends, would there be a possible position that might become available (if you're interested, of course).  

I'm not surprised by the 27% number provided in the article. To answer your question more succinctly, do BOTH - volunteer and continue the search.  

Ellis
You can read more about the full report from the Corporation for National and Community Service, here.
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: I just started a new job, realized right away it's wrong for me, is it okay to quit this soon?
Dear Ellis,
Is it ever okay to quit a new job? Let me explain. I work in media. I recently started to go freelance, taking short-term jobs. A friend suggested me for a 2-month job with a well-known company I’ve always admired. The project sounded interesting, would let me use my experience, and would be a very nice addition to my portfolio. So I agreed to a significant pay cut and accepted. But. Right after I’d been hired, another company was brought in and changed the whole project. My job now requires me to do work I have never had any interest in doing, on a project I no longer respect. In fact, I think the project is now a disaster. I’m not a quitter and I and I don’t want to let down the friend who brought me in, but I never would have taken this job if I’d known the project was going to change so dramatically.  It’s so bad, I don’t even want my name attached to it. So, is it okay to quit or am I missing a bigger picture here?

Answer
Dear No Name (are you that embarrassed about this?),
Believe it or not, this one's actually simple. Because the position description has changed so dramatically, and because it's a consulting assignment, I don't think you should have any qualms leaving. The employer didn't live up to the arrangement. The only problem is that you would need to tell the friend who referred you in advance, and explain your quandary, thank profusely for the lead, but that the gig didn't turn out to be what was described to you, and has turned into something entirely different. No bigger picture to worry about.  

Sometimes people worry that their name might get tarnished in their industry, but in this context, it doesn't sound like you are leaving for a frivolous reason, and the industry has so many components, it would be highly unlikely that it would do you any damage.

I've taken a much more cynical position about this topic in general during my career. Organizations over the past several years have not particularly engendered loyalty, so I always tell clients that it should go both ways. The organization would have no problem letting someone go if a market shifts in even very small ways, so why can't you do that? You can leave THEM if there's a better market for you. Why not?  

Of course, there are many contexts where it's not great to do this, especially in small industries where a reputation can get hurt, or where you may burn through a significant referral. I always take this on a case by case situation, examining all the details involved. But, as I mentioned above in my moment of cynicism, I think that the work culture has changed to a point where you have to think of yourself always as an independent contractor, who moves from project to project, even in so-called permanent employment.  

Many of my peers and others will probably be horrified by my dismissal of "loyalty," but hey, it's tough out there.

Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: I'm 69, eager to work, but getting discouraged, what can I do?
Ellis,
I'm 69, and becoming convinced that there's no way that anyone would hire me for anything. I've put posters up around the neighborhood advertising myself, and asked all of my friends for suggestions and leads. Nothing. I am a high energy person in excellent health and want to work, but...what the hell? I will do practically anything, and will do almost anything to get a job. I'm not nearly ready to give up, and, frankly, I need the money, too. I'm not ready to limit my income to social security yet. I saw a story on the PBS Newshour last night about how good it is for the economy if people work past retirement age. I agree completely, but where are the jobs and how do I find them?
Discouraged

Answer
Discouraged,
This will surprise you, but I'm not going to tell you anything that different from what I tell most of my clients, no matter what the age. First - yes, there are some differences in your potential markets. Fortune 500 companies are not great destinations for you. They want young slave labor, and they'll view you as not malleable enough and maybe too expensive.  Whether or not those issues are true is irrelevant. At this point, you don't want to fight widely held perceptions. And, frankly, why would you want to work for someone who doesn't want to hire older people? Would you feel comfortable in those environments? I wouldn't. You want to work where you'll fit in and be appreciated.

The real issue is your targeting, or lack thereof. You can never say to anyone, "I'll do anything," and think that's networking. Think about the response to that kind of self-promotion. Most likely the person hearing you, or reading your advertisement in the neighborhood, wouldn't know what to do with you, or how to help you. Your pitch has been way too nebulous. It's your job to make it clear exactly what you want, or, better yet, exactly what you can do.  

A successful job search of any kind, at any age, involves smart targeting. You need to answer questions of what CAN you do, what do you like, and where's the market. That takes research and informational conversations.

I don't mean to make this sound so complicated. It really isn't. But you will need to figure out what a Plan A might be, and what your backup Plans B and C might be as well. Then, you learn how to network, how to market yourself, how to interview - all of the mechanics of the search. I could suggest a good book that will help you...

One other thing. You say you're high energy, which is important. The perception of enthusiasm and energy is going to be critical, at any age.

Hope this helps,
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: How do I deal with all the frustration and isolation? It's depressing
Dear Ellis,
I'm finding this job search thing depressing and isolating. I'm over-interpreting every little move that I make, and trying to figure out what the people on the other end of the equation are thinking and doing, too. It's making me kind of nuts. I spend a large part of my day just staring at the telephone and checking email. Any suggestions on how I can get myself out of this? This whole thing really sucks.
Jerry F.

Answer
Jerry,
I know you probably think you're the only person in a search going through this. You're not. As a matter of fact, you may be in the majority, especially if you're used to a structure with a lot of interaction with others. It might've felt good at the beginning of the process, especially if you left a toxic or stressful environment, but now you want to get on with your life. The isolation only feeds your anxiety.

Building new structures is the key. I think a regular schedule makes everything work better. Don't give in to that impulse to read the entire newspaper every morning. (Of course, it's recommended that you read industry or professional magazines or anything about your target market; that's a critical part of any search.) Exercise, especially aerobic, should be a part of that structure. You should get into the best shape of your life, for many reasons, including that it will make you look and feel better, and it will lower your stress level.

In the structure, try to get past the toughest part of the search first. Don't let the parts you hate most shadow you all day. For example, many in transition hate making phone calls, any phone calls, whether they're initial ones, or follow-ups, or even to a friend who was going to make an introduction for you. I like the idea of giving yourself a reward or two for those tough activities. Maybe you get to just sit and read the paper at that point.

Try to get out of the house/apartment. Do some of your research or emailing from a local or business library. Especially if you're in a relationship or marriage. You don't want to strain that relationship, more than it already is. Just in case you haven't figured it out yet, it's unusual for a relationship not to be affected by one of the couple or family being unemployed or in transition.

When a search is really rolling, it should include reading/research, informational/networking meetings, online social media, email and phone follow-ups, all the heavy lifting necessary. If it's done right, it should be a full time job. That kind of structure will help you enormously in getting out of the funk.

Give yourself a break every now and then, too. A weekend away is a good idea. Lunch with friends you never get to see when you're working is also a good idea, especially because it could lead to building new networks.

Oh, and by the way, revising your resume over and over is a waste of time.

Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work

Question: What if I'm not good at networking, is there a better way to answer ads?
Hi Ellis,
I read your last "Ask Ellis" with anticipation that you were going to solve my problem of how to more effectively answer ads. You didn't! I get that you were trying to make a point about over-reliance on ads, but I still want to know how I could make my responses work better. Yes, I know that ads account for a small proportion of successful job search, and I realize I'm supposed to network a lot. I even bought your book to figure out how an extremely introverted person like me could network. But here's my reality. I'm never going to be a big networker. Just not going to happen. Your chapter on networking made me realize I could definitely do more than I do now, but I am going to answer a lot of ads. Any suggestions for making that technique work better?
Bad Networker

Answer
BN,
You're not the only one. I've met lots of smart, talented people over the years who have asked the very same question.

My first inclination is always to help them figure out how they could just push, a little, to build some relationships as part of their search. But I also realize that's painful for some, and will only be a minimal part of the process.

There are a few tricks about answering ads. One is that you answer the ad immediately, and then answer again, exactly the same, way 10 days later. In the first batch, chances are good you won't even get noticed. In the second, maybe you'll be only one of three that come in that day, and you do get noticed.

Another suggestion is to avoid sending the resume with a first response. There's always going to be something in the resume that's going to eliminate you from consideration. Maybe you have 5 years of experience in the field, and they're asking for 7. Dumb reason to eliminate you, but the piece of paper can't address the hiring manager's (or human resources') concerns. (It's one of the many reasons why I prefer more high-touch connections.) So why not create a "resume letter"? This could be a list of several of the specs they're asking for, and you could match those up. Of course, you don't even mention the ones you don't have. That's real targeted marketing.

And the best suggestion is one that will make an avowed non-networker cringe. It's a great idea to "circle around" the job, by networking into the organization, and not mentioning that you know anything about the opening. Of course, you'd position yourself exactly for the open position, then ask for some advice on where you might make a connection in the organization to an area that might utilize those skills. Or if the person you're talking with doesn't catch on, then you may mention you heard through the grapevine that the organization may be hiring someone with those particular skills, and would your contact have any advice about how to approach?  

I’ve seen these strategies work, so why not give them a try? They may just work for you too.
Ellis
To find answers to your questions on job search and career transition, get your copy of In Search of the Fun-Forever Job: Career Strategies that Work