How to Land Your Next Job

I was thrilled when an editor from The New Yorker magazine requested an interview based on my book, Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself: Memoirs, Myths, and Methods for Inventive Career Transitions. In Who? Me, Impeached?, the editor’s angle is how Donald Trump could handle his résumé after being impeached. This post addresses Q&As for any job seeker who needs to work around career trouble spots for job applications, résumés, and interviews.

Q: How should you deal with a black mark on your résumé, such as being fired, laid off, or failing a class that tanks your GPA? Should you open a job interview with it or wait until you’re asked about a professional regret? How do you put a positive spin on it?

A: The purpose of your application and résumé is to land an interview. They must be the truth, but not the whole truth of everything that’s happened in your career.

Conduct yourself like a witness for the defense in a lawsuit. Answer questions truthfully but avoid unnecessary elaboration. Never volunteer information about trouble spots you haven’t been asked to explain.

For example:

Why did you leave each job (especially if fired or laid off)?

• For applications, say you sought or accepted a new opportunity.
• For interviews, craft a true statement in advance that allows you to control the conversation and keep it positive. Such statements are known as departure, exit, or bridge statements.
  • Start with a factual statement of what happened followed by one or two positive statements about what you gained from the experience and how you moved forward.
  • If laid off, “There was a major reorganization and/or 100 jobs were eliminated.”
  • If fired, never use the word “fired.” Say something like “The job was no longer a fit with my skills or interests, so it was time to make a change.”
  • For both scenarios, “I had a great 10-year run and expanded my skills in many directions. I took the opportunity to step back and figure out where I want to go next.”
  • Don’t say anything negative about your former boss or company and end your statement on a positive note.
• Since pervasive layoffs began in with The Great Recession in 2008 – 2009, many mid- to late-career job seekers have been laid off—at least once. If you use an effective departure statement, most interviewers move on without skipping a beat.

Why are there time gaps in your work history?

• Close gaps with consulting and/or volunteer work you’ve done. It’s not necessary to distinguish paid vs. unpaid projects.
• Omit gaps between jobs by including years of service without months.

Why did a job last less than a year?

• Don’t include hiring mistakes on your applications or résumé. A job that didn’t work out need not be part of your written or oral story.

How can you age proof your résumé?

• Unless you’re a fresh graduate, don’t include years with your education.
• Don’t include more than 20 years of work history unless earlier jobs demonstrate your fit for the jobs you’re pursuing. Going back only 15-20 years can help you get through automated or other initial screening steps.

Why is your GPA low?

• This is relevant only for students and recent graduates. Once you’ve had one professional job, move your education to the bottom of your résumé and omit your GPA unless it’s stellar.
• If your overall GPA is low, show a higher GPA for your major or a subset of courses.
• If every option is low, consider not showing a GPA. If asked, you can provide context around one or two classes that made the overall GPA lower.

Q: How should you answer a question about your biggest regret, failure, or mistake?

A: Talk about a situation that caused you to learn, improve, or grow. Choose something related to the job you’re interviewing for to demonstrate a new capability you gained, or something unrelated and inconsequential. Keep it short and positive.

Q: How should you handle a job search after being fired or laid off? Can you continue looking in the same field or do you need to make a change?

A: Whether fired or laid off, do some candid assessment and soul searching about what happened and what you can learn from it to take into your next role.

For example:

Did you get fired or laid off because of a skills gap, such as getting behind on critical technology?

If you’re receiving unemployment compensation, pursue state-funded training grants (e.g. through a local CareerLink office). Many states partner with training organizations that offer a wide range of computer courses, project management, business writing, etc.

Take advantage of free online technology classes. Check out Google Analytics Academy for free certifications; W3schools.com for free courses such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript; and HubSpot Academy for free digital marketing certifications. Also see LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com).

Are there other reasons you didn’t have a seat at the end of this round of musical chairs?

If leadership or interpersonal glitches got in your way, consider taking a course or hiring a coach.

If you’re unhappy in your line of work and thinking about making a change, engage a career coach to assess your situation, identify transferable skills, and repackage yourself to pursue a new career direction. Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself addresses how to tell a credible story of what you’ve done, creatively positioned for what you want to do next.

Do you want to find another job like the one you left?

Assess your situation and go for it! Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself provides practical guidance on how to conduct a successful job search in the digital age.

Q: If you were fired or laid off, should you expect a pay cut in your next job or is it possible to get a higher salary?

A: Being fired or laid off should have no effect on your next salary. Your salary history is irrelevant and nobody’s business. Your desired salary range is the only relevant conversation to have with prospective employers. Before providing your range, research salaries for similar jobs in your geographic area. When asked for your salary range or requirement ask for their range for the position before giving a number. Like any negotiation, the person who says the first number loses.

Q: Can you provide tips for how to deal with a transitional period—especially how to deal with it emotionally?

A: Expect your job search to take time. A good rule of thumb is one month for every $10k in base salary. Start by making family and financial adjustments as needed to weather the storm.

A job search can be a full-time job, but it’s also an opportunity to enjoy free time and flexibility in your schedule. You don’t want to look back and wonder why you didn’t take advantage of that time to take better care of yourself and enjoy things you haven’t had time for while working.

Losing your job is a golden opportunity to step back and think about what you want to do next. It’s a great time to make a change if you were unhappy or not well suited to your last job. Take full advantage of any severance, subsidized COBRA, unemployment compensation, and outplacement services at your disposal.

As described in Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself, use a balanced approach in your job search: Superior Marketing Materials (Résumé and LinkedIn) + Online Job Search Platforms (Indeed and LinkedIn) + Networking with Purpose.

The myth that 80 – 90% of jobs are never advertised is rooted in the pre-digital age and long overdue for extinction. With the internet, at least 40% of jobs are filled via online channels. One caveat is the higher you go on the corporate ladder, landing your next job will likely entail more networking and executive recruiters than online searches. That said, don’t discount the fact that you will find many attractive VP-level jobs online.

Finally, attend local career transition meetings and professional networking events. You’ll gain comfort in knowing you’re not alone and access to valuable speakers and other job search resources. Maximize the value of outplacement services or hire a career coach. Seek therapy if you’re depressed and/or anxious and support from family and friends is not enough.

I hope this has given you ideas and actions to apply during your transition, and I wish you a safe landing!

How do you know when you need to write a cover letter?

Gone are the days when every job application required a letter. But some still do! No wonder you’re confused.

Some recruiters and hiring managers won’t read a resume without a cover letter. But they are a diminishing breed. Others have always thrown cover letters in the trash without reading them.

According to the Jobvite 2017 Jobseeker Nation Report, cover letters are dead–or nearly dead. For the most part, they’ve gone the way of the manual typewriter. According to Jobvite’s data, only 26% of recruiters consider letters important in their decision to hire an applicant. That leaves 74% who probably don’t look at them–and one in four who still do.

If you’re applying for jobs, you’re probably wondering whether to take the time to write letters. My Sweet Spot Job Search Method calls for a single resume that doesn’t need to be customized for each job within a search strategy. Instead, job seekers can better use their time tailoring a well-written letter for each application. It’s one of the best ways to demonstrate your unique fit for the job and your written communication skills (which is more important for some jobs than others).

As the recruiting and hiring process is ever-more digital, the need for cover letters is declining. Here are 10 tips to navigate whether you need a cover letter and, if so, how to write a good one.

1. When you don’t need one. Most “Easy Apply” applications on LinkedIn and simplified (one-click) applications on job boards like Indeed skip cover letters. Instead of a letter, some have a place to write a short note to the employer.

2. When you might need one. Some simplified applications still ask applicants to upload a resume and cover letter. With more extensive applications, you might not know if you need a cover letter until you get to the end of an application. You’ll probably be asked to upload a resume; maybe a cover letter. If you need one and you haven’t written it, the end of an application is not the best time to write it. You risk getting kicked out of the application and having to start over. I know how frustrating that can be!

3. When you do need one. Full applications on company websites often ask for a resume and letter. Many smaller companies ask applicants to email a letter, resume, and maybe work samples.

4. Better safe than sorry. Other than “Easy Apply” or one-click applications, I recommend writing a cover letter before starting the application. This is especially true if you’re applying on a company’s website, which is usually the best way. At the end of the application, if you can only upload one document, combine your letter and resume into a single PDF. You’ll probably never know if it’s read. But, if it is, a well-written letter can help you stand out.

So how do you write a strong letter?

5. Letter and memo formats. Stick to one page. Try to find the name of the hiring manager or lead recruiter on LinkedIn and address your letter or memo to that person. It shows you are interested in the job and willing to take the time to do some research.

A memo format is effective, especially if you don’t find a specific person to address, for example:

TO:       Company X Marketing Team

FROM:  Your Name

DATE:   Month, DD, YYYY

RE:       Strong Candidate for [Insert Title]

6. Focus on their needs; not yours. The body of your letter or memo should always focus on what you can do for them–not what they can do for you. At the same time, it’s important to convey strong interest in the job. A good letter or memo includes the following sections:

• Strong opening paragraph (3 sentences) about why you are a great fit for what they need
• 1 or 2 paragraphs with more specifics demonstrating you’ve done key aspects of the job
• Strong closing paragraph (3 sentences) to convey strong interest in the company and role
• A confident salutation, e.g., “Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to speaking with someone soon.”

7. Respond to salary requirement questions. Prevailing wisdom in any negotiation is that whoever says the first number loses. More companies are including ranges in job postings, which helps everyone know they’re in the right ballgame. If they don’t share a range, it’s hard for job seekers to coming up with a good number. Unless you have a firm range in mind, I recommend something like: “My salary requirements are negotiable and I will be happy to discuss this further along in your screening process.”

You want to leave room to negotiate later in the game. According to Jobvite’s 2018 Job Seeker Nation Study, only 31% of applicants negotiated their salary at their current or most recent job. Eighty-five percent of those who did received higher pay: 44% received 5-10% more than the offer; 21% received 11-21% higher.

Why would you deprive yourself of this opportunity? Remember, your new employer will never love you more than when they make an offer. This is your best chance to ask for everything you want.

8. Respond to requests for references. Like salary questions, when you apply for a job is too early to provide references. You want to control when which references are contacted and have time to give them a heads-up.

One option is to compile recommendations you received on LinkedIn or other sources into a testimonials document. Another option is to provide their names, titles, and companies, but not their contact information. I also recommend doing this in applications that require references.

In a letter, if you don’t have a testimonials document, say something like, “I will be happy to provide references further along in your screening process.” If you have one, “I have enclosed testimonials from former colleagues. I will be happy to provide contact information further along in your screening process.”

9. Keep applying through the summer. Don’t believe the myth that hiring slows down in the summer. Organizations on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year have fresh hiring budgets. Regardless of fiscal year, job posts keep coming, and you’ll have less competition from everyone who takes a break. Now is a great time to find a new position—especially given the lowest unemployment rate since 2000.

10. Read my book and other blog posts for many practical tips on how to land your next job. I wrote Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself to share my story of losing my job after 20 years and my proven job search methods. Many of my blog posts on LinkedIn are based on sections of the book.

So what’s the bottom line on cover letters? They are going the way of dinosaurs, but they’re not yet extinct. Enjoy quick and easy applications that don’t ask for one, and take the time to write a good one for any application that does.

Low Unemployment is Good News for Job Seekers 

It’s hard to miss the news about US unemployment dropping to 3.9%. According to the March 2018 Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLT) report, we reached the first-ever one-to-one match between the number of job openings and the number of unemployed. Despite different explanations and skepticism about these statistics, they are good news if you’re looking for a job.

The job market is more competitive than it’s been in a long time—for employers, not applicants! Many companies are finding it harder (and taking longer) to hire the people they need. This and other factors are giving candidates more power to call the shots.

• Fewer people are competing for each job opening.
• Employers are improving the candidate experience by streamlining applications and interacting with more respect. Many are taking new steps to ensure a good match.
• Companies are focusing on employer branding and the employee experience to attract, engage, and retain the employees they want.

Surprising Data is In Your Favor

Current circumstances make it even more likely to land a job by applying online. I know this flies in the face of prevailing “wisdom” that 80-90% of jobs are never advertised and that nobody gets hired by applying on line. Myths about the hidden job market and networking being the only way to get hired are long overdue for extinction.

Multiple sources show at least 40% of jobs are filled by candidates who apply online. These include SilkRoad Sources of Hire 2017 (44%) and the Jobvite 2017 Recruiting Funnel Benchmark Report (46%). Another source says 85% of all jobs are filled through networking, but the same source also shows 40% of active candidates getting hired by applying rather than networking.

People can use data to make whatever case they want to make. Putting US unemployment and hiring statistics aside, you and your job search are what matters when you are in transition.

I’ve changed careers three times and landed more than six advertised jobs—without networking. The majority of my resume clients and many people in my network have landed jobs by applying online. Sure, it’s always a good idea to boost the odds of success for online applications with networking. But it’s not the only way to get hired!

5 Ways to Mine for Gold In Online Job Sites

As I’ve written in previous articles, online job postings are a goldmine for job seekers. This is true if you want to replicate previous roles and especially true of you:

• Have been out of the job market for a while
• Are not sure what you want to do
• Are considering a career change
• In a nutshell, you can mine advertised jobs to explore what you can and want to do, discover options to pursue, learn how to market yourself, screen daily alerts, then apply and network to land interviews and offers.

To describe each step, I’ve assumed you don’t have a specific type of job in mind. Like a funnel, the 5 steps start with broad exploration, and then narrow your focus to pursue targeted opportunities. You can also follow these steps if you know what kind of job you’re looking for.

Step 1: Explore Possibilities

At this early stage, explore an extensive variety of jobs without specifying a location or date range. Cast a wide net to find new ideas, consider options, and learn how jobs are defined.

Experiment with key words in the Job Title field. For example: customer, project, program, executive, marketing, communications, and account. Words like these pull a wide array of jobs. Read them thoroughly to gain clarity about the types of jobs you do and don’t want to pursue.

I searched mainly on Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter. It’s important to stay current with what works best for you as job search platforms evolve.

Step 2: Discover Options to Pursue

Types of jobs you are most and least interested in will emerge as you read a large assortment of job posts. While reading the posts, capture a running list of interesting titles, key words, and phrases to hone your searches.

This is the time to distinguish work you do and don’t want to do, and work you are and aren’t qualified to do. Be honest with yourself about responsibilities and requirements that do and don’t fit your experience and capabilities. Listen to your inner voice and physical cues to discern work you are attracted to and work that makes you want to run in the other direction. You might find a patchwork of parts of jobs that are and are not a fit.

During my recent transition, I discovered and pursued three distinct directions and ruled out many others.

Step 3: Learn How to Market Yourself  

Today’s robust job posts are a goldmine to learn how to market yourself. Once you zero in on jobs that excite you (regardless of where they are), mine the descriptions for titles, key words, and phrases to use in your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Job posts you are most attracted to are especially valuable for the top one-third of your resume and the headline and summary of your LinkedIn profile. They are the best resource to write descriptions of what you have done, creatively positioned for what you can and want to do next. They will guide you to tell your story in a way that fits target roles. Feel free to mix and match content from different job posts.

Step 4: Set-Up and Screen Daily Alerts

When your resume and LinkedIn profile are ready for prime time, move full speed ahead with your search.

Set up daily alerts using key words in the Job Title Field that pulled the jobs you used in step #3. Use advanced search filters to set up alerts in your target commuting range (e.g., zip code plus 25 or 50 miles). I created daily alerts on Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and career pages of target companies.

Job search platforms respond differently to search criteria in the Title Field. I had success with specific titles in quotation marks (e.g., “Chief of Staff”) and with a string of key words separated by “or” (e.g., Writer or Editor or Proofreader).

Your initial alerts will probably include hundreds of jobs. Once you wade through these, most jobs you receive will have been posted since your previous alert. It takes a week or two to get this working efficiently. You will get faster and faster at scanning through many job posts to find the sweet spot treasures you want to pursue.

Step 5: Apply and Network

Rather than warning job seekers to not waste time applying online, my proven method is to apply first, then network.

Based on receiving more than six job offers by submitting applications and the experiences of many people in my network, factors that increase success rates with online applications include:

• Superior quality resumes
• Strong LinkedIn profiles
• Selective pursuit of opportunities that are a strong fit
• Applications submitted within 24-48 hours of the job being posted
• Skillful navigation of online applications and applicant tracking systems
• Customized cover letters that demonstrate the unique value you can bring to the job (The importance of cover letters is evolving as one-click applications without cover letters become more common.)

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself to learn more about these 5 Steps and other proven job search methods.

Find and Mine the Gold

Mine advertised jobs to explore and discover what you can and want to do, learn to market yourself, receive daily job alerts, apply, and then network to land a sweet spot job.

Five steps to mine online job posts work well for any job search, and particularly well if you:

• Have been out of the job market for a while
• Are not sure what you want to do
• Are considering a career change

For simplicity, I’ve assumed you don’t have a specific type of job in mind. Like a funnel, the 5 steps start with broad exploration and then help you narrow your focus to pursue targeted opportunities. You can also follow these steps if you know what kind of job you’re looking for.

Yes, these steps take time. But an effective job search is an investment in your future. It’s well worth the time to find a great fit and avoid mistakes.

Step 1: Explore Possibilities

At this early stage, explore an extensive variety of jobs without specifying a location or time frame. Cast a wide net to find new ideas, consider options, and learn how jobs are defined.

Experiment with key words in the Job Title field. For example: customer, project, program, executive, marketing, communications, and account. Words like these pull a wide array of jobs. Read them thoroughly to gain clarity about the types of jobs you do and don’t want to pursue.

I searched on Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter. But it’s important to stay current as job search platforms pop up like mushrooms (including new features on Twitter and Facebook).

Step 2: Discover Options to Pursue

Types of jobs you are most and least interested in will emerge as you read a large assortment of job posts. While reading the posts, capture a running list of words and phrases you might use to describe yourself.

This is the time to distinguish work you do and don’t want to do, and work you are and aren’t qualified to do. Be honest with yourself about responsibilities and requirements do and don’t fit your experience and capabilities. Listen to your inner voice and physical cues to discern work you are attracted to and work that makes you want to run in the other direction. You might find a patchwork of parts of jobs that are and are not a fit.

During my transition, I discovered and pursued three distinct directions, and ruled out many others.

Step 3: Market Yourself  

Today’s robust job posts are a goldmine to learn how to market yourself.

Once you zero in on whole or parts of jobs that excite you (regardless of where they are or when they were posted), mine the descriptions for key words and phrases to use in your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Use job posts you are most attracted to as a source for the top one-third of your resume and the headline and summary of your LinkedIn profile. Write credible descriptions of what you have done, creatively positioned for what you can and want to do next.

Step 4: Set-Up Daily Alerts

When your resume and LinkedIn profile are ready for prime time, move full speed ahead with your search.

Set up daily alerts using key words in the Job Title Field that pulled the jobs you used in step #3. I created daily alerts on Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and career pages of target companies. Use advanced search filters to set up alerts in your target commuting range (e.g., zip code plus 25 or 50 miles).

Job search platforms respond differently to search criteria in the Title Field. I had success with specific titles in quotation marks (e.g., “Chief of Staff”), and with a string of key words separated by “or” (e.g., Writer or Editor or Proofreader).

Your initial alerts will probably include hundreds of jobs. Once you wade through these, most jobs you receive will have been posted since your previous alert. It takes a week or two to get this working efficiently. You will get faster and faster at scanning through many job posts to find the sweet spot treasures you want to pursue.

Step 5: Apply and Network

Rather than warning job seekers to not waste time applying online, my proven method is to apply first, then network.

Based on receiving more than six job offers by submitting applications and the experiences of many people in my network, factors that increase success rates with online applications include:

• Superior quality resumes
• Strong LinkedIn profiles
• Selective pursuit of opportunities that are a strong fit
• Not submitting applications for jobs that are not a strong fit
• Customized cover letters that demonstrate the unique value you can bring to the job
• Applications submitted within 24 hours of the job being posted
• Skillful navigation of online applications and applicant tracking systems

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself to learn more about these 5 Steps and other proven job search methods.

Contrary to popular belief, advertised jobs are a goldmine for job seekers.

Some data shows that being referred to hiring managers is the best way to get hired and that applying online as the worst way to get hired. Referral sources might include employees at the company, trusted outside sources, or even knowing the hiring managers. Based on data like this, job seekers are advised to not apply online and to focus solely on networking to gain access to hiring managers.

Other data shows applicants who apply online through job search engines, job boards, and company career pages fill approximately 40% of open jobs. Based on data like this, my own experience, and the experience of many in my professional network, successful job searches usually require effective use of multiple channels.

I have met people at higher levels (VP and above) who always landed by networking and never applied for advertised jobs. In contrast, I changed careers three times and received more than six job offers by applying for advertised jobs—without connections in the organizations.

Most landing stories I’ve heard resulted from a combination of applying and networking. As technology-enabled recruiting practices proliferate, job seekers who don’t use online channels are missing a primary pathway to land their next positions.

So, how can you leverage these distinct data- and experience-based views to work in your favor?

The big picture is to use online sources to explore and discover options, find specific jobs to pursue, create and apply with superior marketing materials, and then network into companies to reach hiring managers or other people in the hiring chain.

Watch for Part II of How to Mine for Gold in Online Job Posts: 5 Steps to Land a Sweet Spot Job.

In the meantime, here are three compelling reasons to combine online searches and applications with networking:

1. A proven way to network into companies is to find and apply for specific jobs. Then use connections or introduce yourself to hiring managers, HR, and recruiters.
2. Without finding advertised jobs you’re interested in, networking into a company is like shooting in the dark. You have nothing specific to aim or ask for.
3. Without exception, everyone I networked with in companies where I was interested in a job advised me to submit my application and continue networking.

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself to learn more about these 5 Steps and other proven job search methods.

Career transitions are challenging enough. We make them more challenging when we think common myths are realities—the way things really are.

Believing these myths can get in our way of landing a new job we love. Or, we can find new ways to think about them so they don’t get in our way.

Myth #1: 80% to 90% of jobs are never advertised.   

Most job seekers are told to spend 80% to 90% of their time networking to find these hidden jobs. This advice comes with a warning to spend no more than 10% to 20% of their job search time online.

The myth of the “hidden job market” dates back to the 1970s. Hmmm. Have you noticed the world has changed since then? If it were ever true, the belief that only 10% to 20% of jobs are advertised is long overdue for extinction.

Sure, networking to arrange introductions is a great way to land a job. But job seekers who don’t use online channels to generate interviews and offers are missing powerful ways to land their next jobs.

Myth #2: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) are black holes that block your resume from being seen by human eyes.  

Data from LinkedIn and SilkRoad suggest that companies find at least 40% of their new hires through online channels. I believe this is low and growing exponentially.

There are many tips and tricks for completing online applications to reduce the likelihood of being screened out and sucked into the black hole of oblivion. Common advice is to take all formatting elements out of our resume (e.g., shading and charts) so it can be read by an ATS. I don’t believe formatting has been an obstacle for the resumes I and many of my clients have submitted.

Methods that worked for me include:

• Combining multiple positions in the same company as a single entry
• Adjusting the placement of information parsed from my resume so that it’s in the right places on the application
• Bringing attention to my application by connecting on LinkedIn with someone in the hiring chain and/or HR
• Rejecting automated rejections as definitive rejections. It’s not uncommon to advance in a screening process after receiving an automated “thanks, but no thanks.” The more interested you are in the company or opportunity, the more important it is to keep pursuing it.

Myth #3: Companies post jobs because they have to; not because they intend to hire this way. Besides, many posted jobs are already filled.  

Skeptics argue that companies post jobs because the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requires them to. A well-known EEOC law prohibits discrimination in hiring based on race, color, religion, gender identity, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. To comply with this law, some employers (e.g., government and government contractors) advertise and use applicant tracking systems to capture statistics for all job openings. But these are employer policies, not legal requirements.

I’m sure some jobs are already filled when they’re posted. But I don’t believe hundreds of thousands of jobs are posted just for the heck of it.

Myth #4: You can’t get hired at age 50+/-.  

Sure, ageism exists in some hiring practices. But it’s NOT a universal truth. I was offered several jobs in my 50s, as were numerous people in my network.

How you think about your age will determine how you go about your search and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you perceive your age as a barrier, it will be. If you perceive your age as a non-issue, it will be.

If you believe your age is a barrier to being hired, it probably will be. If you don’t view your age as a barrier, it’s less likely to be one.

Myth #5: Hiring stops or slows down during summer and holidays, so it’s a good time to take a break.

I found new jobs to apply for 7 days a week, all year round. And, because many job seekers believe this myth, there was less competition for jobs during periods assumed to be slow.

Companies that have a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year have new hiring budgets during July and August. Many companies that have a January 1 to December 31 fiscal year recruit in fourth quarter so they have new hires in place when the year begins.

The last two weeks in December were the only weeks I found fewer job postings—but I still found some good ones!

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself to learn more about conquering these myths and other career transition challenges.

Who Needs to Know What Salary Numbers and When?

Candidates are asked about salary histories and salary requirements during four steps of the screening process. Knowing when to provide which numbers often feels like a gamble.

It’s becoming obvious that your salary history is nobody’s business. Cities and states are enacting laws prohibiting employers from asking this question. The main motivation here is to stop perpetuating gender inequality in compensation. Job seekers have numerous rights and reasons to steer conversations toward salary requirements only.

If your salary is negotiable, but you’re guessing what the employer wants to pay, it can feel like a gamble to go high, medium, or low with your target range. This is where the crap shoot comes in.

Another key consideration in your answers is how you want or expect your next salary to compare to your previous compensation. You might want a big jump in pay to reach marketplace parity. Or, you might have reasons to accept a significant cut in your base salary. These scenarios are your private matters and provide good reasons to avoid discussing your salary history.

Timing is Everything

The well-known principle for all negotiations applies to salaries—whoever says the first number loses.

There are distinct points of view about whether salary requirements should be discussed at the beginning or the end of the candidate screening process. One view is to discuss them early so nobody wastes their time if a salary match is not in the cards. The other view is to delay all compensation discussions until the employer is making an offer.

Proceed With Caution and Do Your Research

I hope discussing salary histories becomes extinct. Until then, if you must submit your current or most recent salary, decide whether including your bonus or variable compensation helps or hurts your chances of getting to the next step.

For positions you have strong interest in, it’s to your advantage to uncover the target range the employer has in mind. Sources for this information include asking your interviewers, other internal sources at the employer, people in other organizations with comparable positions, and salary surveys and websites.

Let’s look at how to navigate compensation questions at each stage of the process.

1. Writing Cover Letters and Emails

Applicants are often asked (“required”) to provide salary histories and salary requirements in cover letters and emails. Some job descriptions say the employers won’t consider applicants who don’t include this information.

I agree with the common view that this is too soon to ask or provide this information. When I submitted letters or emails for job posts that requested/required these salary numbers, my response was along these lines: “My salary requirement is flexible and I look forward to discussing this further along in your screening process.” I acknowledged the question without answering it. If I was screened out for this reason, it was probably not a place I wanted to work.

2. Completing Online and Paper Applications

Online applications can be tricky when required fields must be filled in with the correct numerical format. Here are ways to try to avoid providing salary history and requirement numbers before you want to:

• If an application requires salary history numbers, Liz Ryan’s brilliant suggestion is to insert your target salary to answer all salary questions. Attest to your honesty with a note explaining what you did and your desire to discuss your target salary later in the process.
• Try skipping or entering $0 or $1 for salary history questions
• Try skipping or entering $0 or $1, Negotiable, or ranges for desired/required salary questions

3. Answering Interview Questions

Remain cautious about salary history and requirement questions during interviews.

To avoid discussing salary requirements until receiving an offer, I heard a suggestion to respond to an early salary question by asking if the employer was making an offer. This response is too bold for my style.

When asked early, I explained that my salary requirement was flexible in order to find a great fit. For example, “Finding a great fit is most important and my salary requirements are flexible. I would prefer to discuss details further along in the screening process.” I avoided providing my target number or range as long as possible.

It’s always a good idea to see if the employer will provide a target range before you provide any numbers. If you have a firm requirement, and you want to end conversations when there is no foreseeable match, you could provide a more definitive answer sooner rather than later.

4. Negotiating Offers

Your new employer will never love you more than when they make the offer.

Now is the time to ask for everything you want in your ideal total compensation package. If you are at or above director or VP level, you might benefit from professional assistance with your negotiations. No guarantees, but things to consider asking for include:

Higher base salary. It never hurts to ask for more than the initial offer. Maximizing your starting salary is beneficial because many annual increases are small. Market data gives you negotiating power.

Higher job level and bonus opportunity. Bonus opportunities generally vary with salary grades, so the higher your salary grade, the better. It might be difficult to have this changed.

Extra vacation time. If your offer includes less vacation time than you’ve had or want, this is the time to ask for more. Ideally, the extra time would be paid. You could accept additional unpaid time if time off is more important than money.

Hiring bonus. These are more common when an employer wants to sweeten the spot to attract you away from your current position. It’s also appropriate to ask your new employer to “make you whole” if they want you to start before you are eligible to receive a year-end bonus at your previous company.

Relocation allowance. These tend to be for higher-level positions that often involve a retained executive recruiter who is conducting a national search. Specific aspects of such allowances can be negotiated in your favor.

Health benefit eligibility or cash. If a standard waiting period exists before health benefits kick in, you might be able to get this waived or shortened (if their plan allows). If you plan to get your health benefits through another source, request a bump in your base salary to make up for the premium you are saving the employer.

Title. Think carefully about the job title the company has offered. Ask for changes while negotiating the offer. The title on your business cards and soon-to-be updated resume and LinkedIn profile should position you as you want to be thought of going forward.

Golden parachute. Protecting your interests if a separation occurs is probably the last thing you want to think about as you accept a new job. But, as you climb the corporate ladder, and especially if you relocate, it’s important to have an agreement that sets forth what your new employer would provide if you part ways for any reason. In these cases, it’s wise to protect your interests by consulting an attorney with expertise in employment law.

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself: Memoir, Myths, and Methods for Inventive Career Transitions to learn more about the Sweet Spot Job Search Method to land a job you love.

Myth of the Hidden Job Market

According to “hidden job market” data, 80% to 90% of jobs are never advertised. Were this true, job seekers should spend no more than 20% of their time searching and applying online for jobs and the other 80% of their time networking to find those hidden jobs.

Many people still accept this myth as the way things are even though it originated in the 1970s and 1980s. Given what you know about the Internet and social media, does this make sense to you?

According to LinkedIn, SilkRoad, and other sources, at least 40% of new hires are found through online channels, and this is growing exponentially.

3 Elements of the Sweet Spot Job Search Method

Having landed all of my jobs by applying for advertised positions, my approach to job search differs from prevailing advice.

Rather than focusing only or primarily on networking, you can increase your chances of landing a job through an effective combination of three elements, in this order:

1. Diligent Online Keyword Searches, Daily Alerts, and Applications. This process can help you discover and articulate what you can and want to do; then find, apply, interview, and land sweet spot jobs. The power of doing this well is vastly underestimated.
2. Superior Marketing Materials. Successful online applications require exceptional resume(s), cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles.
3. Networking With Purpose. Focusing on quality vs. quantity means connecting and establishing relationships with people for specific reasons and making time for thoughtful preparation and follow up.

3 Types of Online Job Sites

There are three types of online job sites today, but this could change as recruiting practices are evolving quickly. Here are examples of each.

1. Job Search Consolidation Engines: Indeed, ZipRecruiter
2. Branded Job Boards: LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Monster
3. Company Career Website Pages: Many job postings in #1 and #2 redirect you to apply on company career pages.

Cast a Wide Net for Keyword Searches

Online job searches are essential if you are a Hard-to-Define Professional with a wide variety of transferable skills that don’t fit into a clearly defined vocation. They are also critical if you’re not sure what you want to do next or want to make a career change. They also work for standard searches.

Early in your transition, use online searches to explore possibilities, discover promising directions, and learn how to market yourself. While you learn about options, it doesn’t matter where jobs are or when they were posted.

As you find interesting jobs in any location, capture keywords and phrases that are consistent with work you’ve done, and match what you might want to do in your next position. Use these treasures to create your LinkedIn profile, resume, and customized cover letters.

4 Tips for Online Searches

1. Be playful and experiment with a wide range of filters and search parameters. Start with divergent ideas to consider an expansive array of possibilities.
2. Include positions from any geographic location and posting date in your research.
3. Experiment with combinations of words in the job title field. Search functions on job boards respond differently to using “and” and “or” between keywords and quotation marks around them.
4. Search for generic titles that can apply to a wide range of organizations and industries (e.g., communications, coordinator, executive, marketing, program manager, project manager, specialist).
5. Over time, as you learn what interests you, narrow your search parameters and develop a shorter list for saved searches and daily alerts.

5 Tips to Set Daily Alerts and Fish Every Day

1. Once you save searches and set daily alerts, search engines and job boards are fairly accurate in showing you only the new postings and recommendations since the last time you looked.
2. When you know what you’re looking for, zero in on your target location(s). Save keyword searches and set daily alerts in your zip code plus a 25- to 50-mile radius.
3. Be diligent about reviewing daily alerts. You can quickly scan hundreds of jobs each day based on titles and one or two lines of text.
4. If you are looking for a niche position, you might go several days without finding anything to apply for and then find a few shining stars on other days—including weekends, holidays, and all summer.
5. Apply quickly (ideally the same day) to new job postings to increase your chances of getting noticed.

Catch a Shining Star

Following this process over time generates opportunities that will fulfill your needs, preferences, and aspirations. The ultimate outcome is finding work you love.

Read Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself: Memoir, Myths, and Methods for Inventive Career Transitions to learn more about the Sweet Spot Job Search Method to find work you love.

Everyone knows workforce demographics are shifting. Latest estimates are that 75% of employees will be Millennials by 2025. Many of them are quickly rising into middle, senior, and even C-suite management roles. At the same time, many Baby Boomers are working far beyond the traditional retirement age of 65—either by necessity or by choice.

While Baby Boomers still make up a significant percentage of job seekers, it’s widely assumed that companies prefer to hire younger, less expensive employees. Wherever this age bias exists, employers are walking away from talented, experienced professionals who could be invaluable assets to their businesses.

As a midlife job seeker, here are four ways to triumph over age-related dynamics you might encounter during your transition.

1. Don’t Give Up!

Many midlife job seekers are convinced they won’t be hired because of their age. Some give up and stop trying. Being over age 50 could add time to your search but it is not a showstopper.

Many people in my network have landed jobs in their fifties and sixties—myself included. How you think about your age will affect how you approach your job search and the results you achieve. If you perceive your age as a barrier, it will be. If you perceive your age as a non-issue, it will be. Applying this thinking to your job search is a powerful place to operate from.

Learn how to conduct a successful job search at any age in Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself.

2. Stay Current with Technology

The pace of technology innovations is accelerating exponentially. Some older workers have or will become technology dinosaurs as digital natives overtake the workforce.

Baby Boomers might resist or find it difficult to keep up with mobile devices, social media, and related communication practices that emerge and disappear at an ever-faster pace. People in this age range are especially challenged if they never developed the intuitive ability to find their way around new devices, apps, social media, the cloud, and whatever comes next. But, with many accessible ways to keep technology skills current, it’s up to us to do so.

3. Age Proof Your Profiles and Job Applications

If you’re older than 45, it’s wise to defend against potential hiring biases by age proofing your resume, LinkedIn profile, and online applications. It’s easy to do by omitting dates on educational degrees and excluding one or more early jobs. Common advice is to include only the most recent 15 years’ experience in your job search documents.

However, if your longer history tells an impressive story that’s relevant to your search objectives I recommend including it on your resume. Maybe not in your LinkedIn profile, and definitely not in online applications. This is one way to avoid getting screened out by an applicant tracking system.

4. Create an Encore Career

For many Baby Boomers, replicating a previous job and compensation level can become less realistic—perhaps less desirable. Rather than working to have the resources we need to live, Boomers might be ready and able to choose work we love (living to work vs. working to live).

One notion is to determine your income requirement, find (hopefully satisfying) work to meet that requirement, and do other work because you want to—not because you have to or think you should. If financial conditions allow (including family obligations and retirement scenarios), and you can afford to earn less than before, a midlife transition can be a well-earned opportunity to downshift from high-pressure corporate jobs and find purpose-driven work you enjoy.

Reaching midlife, more people we know might become critically ill or even pass away. This is a wake-up call to enjoy life as much as possible while you can. But if you create an encore career doing work you love, you might want to continue doing it for years to come—even as you figure out what your “retirement” will look like.

Whichever work scenarios you want to create in your next chapter, you must conduct an effective job search. Learn how by reading Losing Your Job & Finding Yourself.