Job hunting stinks. There’s almost nothing fun about it. Yet to be most successful it must be endured - in fact, embraced with fervor! How do you rev yourself up for a task you don’t enjoy? Maybe some or even all of these strategies will work for you:

• Visualize the end result. Every day, before you start your job search activities, imagine yourself in your new dream job - what you’ll be doing, how you’ll be feeling, how it will differ from your last job or your current unemployment. With your “eyes on the prize,” you’ll feel much more enthusiastic about what you need to go through to get there.
• Make a to-do-list. For some people, there’s nothing more satisfying than checking off items accomplished. Start each day with an ambitious yet realistic list of activities, and check them off as you complete them. At the end of the day, you can bask in a feeling of accomplishment even if you didn’t (yet) land your new job.
• Do the tough stuff first. What do you hate to do most? Call network contacts, write cover letters, research companies, refresh your resume, refine your elevator pitch? Whatever it is, get the elephant out of the way by doing that first. Everything else will seem much easier.
• Vary your activities. Moving from one task to another rather than remaining rooted all day will give you fresh perspectives and change your energy level.
• Reward yourself. Don’t be too easy on yourself, but when you’ve accomplished a certain number of tasks or persevered through a difficult assignment, give yourself a tangible reward. You’ve earned it! Try not to make it food too often, though, or you’ll have to double up your efforts on the next item.
• Get some exercise. Regular exercise makes you feel healthier, stronger, happier, and more optimistic. Build gym time or outdoor activities into your life a least four to five times a week. It can be one of the most energizing and important parts of your day.
• Build a support network. We all need to vent from time to time, and a sympathetic ear and supportive shoulder can make the world of difference. Your network ideally should include people who are savvy about your professional aspirations and the business world in which you operate. Not only can they give you genuine help and support, they can serve as a sounding board and sometimes a devil’s advocate. You should have complete trust in your inner circle.

Finally, recognize when/if you get stuck and have resources to help pull you out. While you can expect some emotional ups and downs, if you find you are seriously depressed or unable to make any progress, don’t wallow too long. A counselor or coach might be the perfect addition to your inner circle.

Yesterday I spoke with a client who has been in an active job search about six weeks. He called for a quick “tune up” to be sure he’s maximizing his opportunities. We agreed that he is doing everything right - targeting his companies, finding the right people to talk to, making direct contact, arranging meetings, discussing how he can add value to the organization. He sets a benchmark of 6 direct-contact phone calls daily. In these six weeks he’s had 2 third interviews (flown to HQ cities) but was not selected for those jobs.

We fine-tuned his message a bit to better explain his reason for looking, but all in all he’s doing everything right and I predict it will simply be a matter of time before he lands a great opportunity.

Formula: Preparation + Method + Gumption + Perseverance = Interviews + (eventually) Offers

Kathy Simmons over at Netshare has an insightful post about the importance of “niche networking” in your job search. I love the analogy to the “Long Tail“concept… how, in our increasingly individualized society, people are looking for “one thing” (not “anything”) and can easily find it.

Just as you should use niche networking, be sure you are “niching” your career goal. Know precisely what you do best, where you can bring the most value, and the environment in which you can excel. Then, target your search toward those opportunities - and don’t settle for less! There is a perfect (or near perfect) fit for everyone, but only by clearly establishing those all important fit factors ahead of time will you be able to (a) look for it and (b) know it when you find it.

Wow, what a concept: Subject Presidential candidates to the same intense, rigorous examination that executives go through during the interview process. In perusing the list of leadership questions assembled by the Center for Public Leadership (Harvard/Kennedy School of Government) and The Ken Blanchard Companies, I noticed that many of them are behavior-based questions, framed like this:

• Tell me about a time when…
• Give me an example of…

As I wrote in my book, How to Choose the Right Person for the Right Job Every Time (McGraw-Hill, 2005; Lori Davila, co-author), behavior-based interviews have been proven to be measurably more effective than conventional interviews. In one study, conventional interviews led to selection of the best candidate just 19% of the time, while behavior-based interviews boosted that rate to 75%!

The power of behavior-based questions is that they require candidates to provide specific, relevant examples from past experience that demonstrate the competency that is being sought. With this type of question, candidates can’t get away with the same old “stump speech” or provide a non-answer - as politicians are so adept at doing.

As a candidate, you can boost your interview performance by preparing behavior-based responses - brief stories that describe the Situation, Action, and Results you took in a variety of challenging circumstances throughout your career. Your specific answers will be much more memorable and credible than many candidates’ vague, general, or memorized “canned” responses.

Now if we could only get the political candidates to do the same thing…

Reading the results from Vault.com’s recent survey on interview etiquette, it’s interesting that interviewees report better behavior than interviewers perceive - and vice versa. E.g.:

• Only 5% of candidates say they’ve ever answered a cell phone during an interview, while employers report this number as 26%.
• More than half (55% ) of candidates report they send thank-you notes “almost all the time,” yet just 9% of interviewers say they receive notes that often.
• 71% of candidates say they’ve been rejected for a job by not hearing from the employer at all after the interview, while only 11% of employers report this behavior.

Of course, the surveys don’t represent the same sets of interviewer-interviewee pairs, but it’s interesting that each group believes the other’s behavior is worse than it is in that group’s own perception!

It all goes back to the basics: good manners. Remember what mom taught you (be on time, make your guest feel comfortable, say thank you, don’t leave people hanging, etc., etc., etc.) and you’ll improve things on either or both sides of the desk. These helpful post-interview tips from a young job seeker are a great place to start!

I originally wrote this article for my newsletter and got some great feedback! So I decided to post it on my blog.

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Recently I called my bank in Cincinnati to close out my account, after moving to the Boston area nearly two years ago. To my surprise, the manager I spoke with  remembered my name from having worked with me on her resume twelve years ago! She knew where I lived (at that time I worked with clients in person) and recalled a small detail about my house. It was nice to catch up, and I was pleased to hear that her career is going well.

This interaction got me thinking about the very small world we live in - and how long impressions last. And with online networking sites that connect through six (or more) degrees of separation, it’s obvious that the image we present to others has long tentacles.

During your job search, you are putting your best foot forward. You are emphasizing your career successes and downplaying anything less then successful. You are projecting a positive image and are always on your best behavior. Good for you! That’s just as it should be. But don’t think you can change the image you’ve created throughout your professional life.

The conclusion I’ve reached is that it’s necessary to live an authentic life - to be crystal clear about “who you are” and to portray that person consistently and authentically in every area of your life. Then, as you manage your career, look for opportunities to be that “real you” on the job. You won’t have to worry about hiding anything or being something that you’re not - and finding that right fit  means you’ll be as productive and successful as you possibly can be. Of course, to reach this nirvana you have to first understand the “real you” and translate your personal style, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses into wins for your employer. Consider these examples:

• You’re a hard-charging leader who is known to leave slower-paced employees in  the dust. You know this style has caused some hard feelings in the past. How do  you deal with the question, “What is your leadership style?” so that it won’t hurt you in an interview? You need to be truthful and authentic - after all, if they  are looking for a collaborative consensus-builder, that’s not you and you’d be unhappy and unsuccessful in that job. Yet you don’t want to leave the impression that you decimate morale or have zero people skills. A response like this can serve both  purposes - showing benefit to employers while preserving your authenticity.

  “I am a high-energy leader who inspires most people to perform their very best - as shown by the results we attained at ABC and XYZ. I’m very proud of developing strong leaders - two of my direct reports in the last five years have been recruited for CEO roles outside the company, and many more have been promoted internally.  My senior VP at XYZ described me as an ‘igniter’ for bringing out the best in people who really believed in our mission. The flip side, of course, is that those who  don’t buy into it are not quite so complimentary. My record of retaining key staff has been exceptional, but those who have been let go or quit on their own might  have felt ‘burnt’ by that same spark that energized others. I do create an electric atmosphere, and I believe in dedicating myself 100% to achieving the mission. I’m looking for a position where being the ‘igniter’ will help us reach extraordinary goals.”

Now, if a reference check or other investigation into your background turns up some of those disgruntled employees, your new employer will understand both sides of  the story. At the same time, you’ve been frank about the potential downside of your leadership style and have clearly defined the environment in which you can excel. Consider a different style and how this, too, can be appropriately communicated  while remaining authentic.

• In every job you’ve held, you’ve been the peacemaker. You dislike conflict and always strive to find common ground. You lost your most recent job in part because you weren’t aggressive enough to suit the culture. Now, when you’re asked “why did you leave your last position?,” what will you say? Again, staying authentic and  communicating your style as a strength is the way to go.

  “The culture at my last company was not a good fit for me. My style is to bridge differences to find common ground. I believe that’s the most effective way to move forward when two sides disagree. That style was instrumental in the successful resolution of several serious negotiations at ABC Company, but at XYZ I found the situation to be quite different. In fact, when I tried to intervene to resolve a problem  that had brought our new product group to a standstill, my manager pulled me out of the group and told me he thought the creative differences would result in a  better product. This trend continued for the 18 months I was there, so I wasn’t  really surprised when I was asked to leave. As a result, I want to be sure my next position allows me to use my natural skills as a mediator and problem-solver to  help move the business forward.”

Trying to be someone or something you’re not is sure to backfire either during the job search or later, when you struggle to succeed in an environment that is counter to your natural tendencies. Plus, if you are authentic you can be sure that all  of your reference checks, referrals, and testimonials will ring true. And that’s a big plus during your career transition and throughout your life.

For a giggle, check out this inside-the-company view of Darth Vader. Then, the next time you’re talking to people you think SHOULD know who you are, think twice!

Key point: We tend to see others within the small circle of our own lives. Especially when you’re in career transition, it’s foolhardy (even dangerous!) to assume that the people you’re talking to know who you are, what you do, how to describe you to others, and how they can help you. It’s your job to prepare and deliver the message that lets them know that.

Great post by Kathy Simmons over at Netshare about the power of passion in a job search. Tamara Erickson’s story of the entry-level accountant pursuing his dream company should resonate even - especially - with senior executives. It’s rare for 20-somethings to have such clarity about who they are, but after years in leadership roles you should know the environment that’s right for you… and persevere in your job search until you find it.

A reader sent me this query privately: “I was just laid off from an advertising agency when the agency lost our largest client (30% of billings) when the client merged with another company. My former client as well as employer have said they would serve as references for me. My question is – Should I mention this in my cover letter and if so, how?”

The question is two-fold: 1) Should I explain why I lost my job and 2) Should I mention the great references that I have.

It might be helpful to briefly explain the circumstances that downsized your company. However, don’t assume that people are going to read your cover letter (many never do), and be sure your resume is strong enough to stand on its own. In other words, focus on your value to the company while you were there and be ready to answer the “why did you leave” question during an interview.

With regard to your references, why not ask your former boss and client to write reference letters for you now, then excerpt a few of their fabulous quotes in your resume or cover letter? Third-party endorsements are very powerful! Saying “my former boss and client will give me great references” doesn’t have nearly as much meaning as a specific and glowing recommendation of your work.

Are you frustrated by employers who don’t follow up with you? On tenterhooks waiting for the next interview or the job offer? There’s some excellent advice in this week’s issue of the Ask The Headhunter newsletter. I recommend that you sign up to receive this free resource every week! It’s full of honest (sometimes painfully so) responses to very common questions related to recruiters, employers, job search, resumes, etc. - from the perspective of an experienced, ethical, trenchant, witty, and opinionated recruiter!

With regard to the “waiting game,” The Headhunter suggests that you not play along. At the close of every interview, set expectations for when the next steps will be taken and when you should (and will) follow up. Most important, don’t place all your eggs in one job “basket”; you have virtually no control over the situation until you’ve received an offer, when the shoe shifts to the other foot.