My name is Mark Anthony Dyson, and I am the Founder of The Voice of Job Seekers.

I am a career
consultant and career advice writer, podcast host, but importantly, a job seeker advocate.

I also present at colleges and other organizations, facilitated many workshops, and regularly write and
create useful job search content on this blog.

I love helping job seekers with the process of finding a career and solve their job search dilemmas. This
award-winning blog helps me reach you and your job search in ways I hope you find refreshing and
encouraging.

Mission: I hack and reimagine the job search process. I love helping the unemployed, underemployed,
and underappreciated find jobs and notice you!

The Voice of Job Seekers is about solutions from many angles, unravel employer mysteries, and
answer as many questions to help you. I help job seekers from all educational and cultural backgrounds.
Even if you are employed and looking to move on, you will find advice that will fit your situation. I
provide individual consultation, coaching, mentoring, and development to give you the voice an
employer is waiting to hear. I can customize an affordable package for you and your job search and
career management needs.

My background I have been on both sides of the hiring spectrum as a job seeker and a hiring
manager in the call center and retail management world. The last seven years I have counseled, coached,
consulted, and mentored hundreds of job seekers with their job search. One of the highlights of my
career as a consultant was traveling and training job seekers at Army federal bases on the east coast and
Midwest of the United States.

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I have helped hundreds of job seekers with their job search strategies with tools, resources, and
coaching. I achieved a B. A in Communications from the University of South Florida, and a MAEd.
specializing in Adult Education and Training from the University of Phoenix. It is a perfect marriage of
my experience as a Career Consultant, a job search strategist, and as an educator.

Follow these checklists to learn how to find your new job faster. Remember, you only need one
company to hire you. Instead of focusing your efforts on making dozens or hundreds of contacts
with prospective employers, be selective!

What do you want to do? Where you want to do it? Those are the two fundamental
questions to consider. Without focus you will bury yourself too deep. Start listing your ideal
companies you dream of or would love to work at even if you feel you dont have the skills
or qualifications. Then list the skills you currently have and ones you would like to have.

Strategy is critical. You need a documented plan. The best place to start is with your
network: friends, family, second- and third-tier connections (also known as weak
connections), use LinkedIn to search people with similar titles or who have the same job as
you do, business journals, and public databases (some libraries still have them)

To-do lists are a must! Job seekers should prioritize and schedule each day with job- search
activities as well as lifes needs. If youre working, schedule in the specific job- search
actions. If its not scheduled, it wont get done.

Designate a workplace or a distraction-free zone. Most people keep their partners, spouses,
or children away from here.

Look for time to meet more people, so you can increase your connections. Fun times build
emotional connections, and in the future, they could be a lifeline for your job search.

Are you a recent college graduate (Grad or undergrad)? Your colleges alumni services
are useful to connect you with other alumni. Community colleges and high schools will also
have alumni services to use.

Career services at your college are full of resources. They can help you with your rsum,
cover letters, and other tools to help your job search. They can also connect you to engaged
alumni who can help you navigate the transition from college to professional life.

The beginning of your job search is the time to start thinking about your compensation
package. Here are some links for you to use as resources:
o Payscale Salary Negotiation Guide 2017
o Glassdoor Salary Guide
o Salary.com

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 Expand your considerations to remote work. Flexjobs.com lists vetted remote jobs (for an
annual $49.99 fee for unlimited access). Each company has been screened for its legitimacy,
so you wont have to worry about scams.

Research Your Ideal Job/Know What You Want

Since clarity is critical in finding your next opportunity, a useful exercise for this is to write
your ideal job description. Describe the job title, type of company, location, responsibilities,
compensation/benefits, etc.

Identify which skills, training/education, and experience you wish to emphasize on your
rsum. Start building success stories around them. Its important to think of yourself as a
marketer of yourself. As best as you can, find out the employers need and build a narrative
around it. Follow the advice found in this article.

Is it a challenge to find your strengths or where you bring value? Ask five former coworkers
and five family members. Document their responses to help yourself. You can also check
your LinkedIn recommendations for insights into what people say about how you help
them.

Companies hire job candidates when they will solve a problem. Have you identified
problems you solve for companies? How is it unique? Why is it unique?

Can you quantify how you have solved problems for your current or last
company? Employers find measures more descriptive and clearer than adjectives like
dynamic, great, or good.

Small startups and federal-sector jobs are rarely considered when people job-hunt.
Because startups usually have small staffs, it is likely easier to reach the hiring person.
Federal jobs have a slower hiring process but not as much competition. Associations are
also a less competitive job market to navigate to find opportunities.

Companies often have an 800 number for their customer service or membership
department. One of the ways you can research companies is by finding out who is in charge
of specific areaspossibly leading to the name of the hiring manager. He or
she is likely interviewing or hiring. Try it if you need to send a a cover letter or some other
correspondence to a particular person.

Find Companies That Are Hiring

Your network and getting referrals are your best shot at employment with a company you
like. See every social setting as a possible way of finding new leads. Look for ways to
helpful, more than what youll receive. Dont be the askhole everyone avoids.

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 Local business journals can be a great way to find less-well-known companies that are
growing (and, therefore, hiring). Search local business journal or (City) business journal
on Google, or check out The Business Journals listing
o at http://businessdirectory.bizjournals.com/

The Yellow Pages (or online industry directories) can be a good source of potential
employers. Whats even better are industry events where you are a participant. Its an
opportunity to be a resource and a leader to be recognized as the person to know.

Find companies that actively promote volunteerism, that sponsor charity events, and find a
way to the participate. Youll find people who are more inviting when its not about you, or
them, but who you are serving. The common bond provides an opportunity
for conversation and connection. Remember, its NOT about you.

Find out where the recruiters, hiring managers, and executives (of small startups) are on
social media and follow them or Like their pages. Also, follow the company pages, as they
may use social media to announce hiring before it shows on their website.

Google Alerts is also a way to find hiring companies. You may need to set up several search
inquiries, because each company may have a different name for the one position you
are targeting. Try using quotes around the term, e.g., Transition Specialist, and Training
Specialist.

Consider using Talkwalker.com to compare to Google Alerts. It is possible one

may yield better results than the other. You might decide to use both.

LinkedIn connections always announce job openings. The recruiters on LinkedIn are likely
to announce them more than anyone. Remember that recruiters are likely working for their
client, which is the hiring company. Keep recruiter interactions professional instead of
casual if you decide to approach them.

Rsums and Cover Letters

Keep your rsum updated. You never know when you might need it.

Make sure your career communication documents are 100% error-

free. Examine everything from correct grammar to spelling. Have a professional writer
(preferably an editor, English major, or Journalist) proofread your career documents.

If you dont know or trust anyone who can proofread, then hire someone reputable.
Consider using Grammarly for proofreading. Dont rely on Word to do it for you.

Never use your current employers contact information on your rsum especially not
your work email address! (And speaking of email addresses, make sure that the one you
use is professional not cutesybunny1966@gmail.com.)

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 Be sure to include all of your contact information so prospective employers can get in touch
with you quickly. Include your full name, one phone number (home or cell), and email
address. No longer include your home address.

Review your rsum and cover letter to ensure it targets the job you want. Dont try to use
a generic rsum and dont send a rsum that is geared towards one type of job to
apply to a completely different kind of job. (If you are pursuing sales jobs and logistics jobs,
make sure you have a sales-targeted rsum and a logistics-targeted rsum!)

Adapt the rsum and cover letter to each position youre pursuing. Choose quality over
quantity. Its better to send five targeted rsums than to apply to 100 jobs with an
untargeted rsum.

Make sure you understand what the employer is looking for in a candidate for the position
before you submit your rsum and cover letter. Do your documents highlight the specific
skills and experience the employer is seeking?

Review your rsum and make sure you are highlighting your most
substantial accomplishments, results, and impact. As much as possible use $ and %.
Measurements say so much more than listing responsibilities.

Remember a cover letter. (A cover letter doesnt always mean a letter it can also be an
introductory email.) A cover letter introduces you when you cant introduce yourself
personally. A personalized letter/email is necessary any time you will not be handing your
rsum to the hiring manager directly.

Keep your cover letter to less than a page. It helps to use bullet points (3 bullets at most) to
highlight accomplishments or career highlights.

Honesty is vital! Never, never, never, never lie on your rsum.

Objective statements are obsolete. Instead, use the summary as a contribution statement
with the headline of the job you are targeting. e.g., ewhere you would put Objective or
Professional Summary put Environmental Engineer.

In most cases, unless the job description emphasizes education as a requirement, put it at
the bottom of your rsum.

Applying Online

Make sure your rsum is compliant with applicant-tracking systems, as many large
employers use these to screen job applicants. In addition to making sure your formatting
is ATS (Applicant Tracking System) compliant, ensure you have the appropriate keywords
in your rsum to match the position youre seeking.

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 More than 70% of rsums are unseen by a human, so make sure it can be read by one.
Jobscan.co is a resource for you to see how well your rsum would do on the ATS. Their
software will provide a score and allow you several tries until its 80% compliant. They do
have a premium account to purchase for unlimited access.

This will sound funny but do not rely on applying online. Get a referral. Not only will your
information reach the right person, but studies show retention is higher when an employee
is referred than hired through a job board.

Any time you find a position online that interests you, see if you can find the contact
information for the hiring manager and follow up with a rsum and cover letter via snail
mail.

Dont fret if you dont match a position 100%. Apply online, then find someone in the
company to refer you. Its likely they are compensated for referrals. Assure them of the
value you offer to help them feel good about referring you.

USAJobs.gov is the best place to apply for government jobs. Here are other places to apply
for federal jobs. Be prepared to supply an exhaustive job history. Pay attention
to character limits per job and allow up to nine months (sometimes for processing).
Patience is the name of the game.
Networking
More than half of all jobs are found through networking, although most jobseekers spend
too much time on ineffective job search strategies, like applying for jobs online.

Consider using a handbill for networking events. Its a one-page marketing document
highlighting your best skills and attributes. Its a powerful way to stand out at job fairs and
networking events. Find out more about how you can use it effectively.

The people you know can be the best way for you to find your next job. Make a list of all of
your contacts: past employers, vendors, customers, colleagues, competitors, bankers,
friends, relatives, parents of childrens friends, club members, cousins, neighbors, etc.

Business cards are for serious job seekers. In 2018, its essential to have a business card to
hand out (not generously) to contacts. At minimum, consider using electronic business
cards on your mobile phone. One of the best apps to use isInigo Cards. You can read more
about it here.

Networking is mutually beneficial for all involved. Plan to give much more than receiving. If
youre the person looking for a new job, isnt it worth it?This podcast explains theproper
networking etiquettein less than 20 minutes.

Research and attend networking events hosted by your professional organization, Chamber
of Commerce, tips groups, etc.

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 Every social network is a job search networking opportunity. Your approach to leverage it
requires your ability to listen and offer value. NEVER appear desperate or be inconsiderate.
NEVER.

Contact your alumni groups. Your college or university should have an alumni association
(often with an online directory of members) that can be useful. Research contacts in your
field, even if they didnt graduate in the same year as you. Your common alma mater can be
enough to connect you!

Get involved in your professional association. Join a committee. The membership

committee offers a natural connection to connecting with members. The programs
committee recruits influential members to speak. Or join the finance committee (that helps
line up sponsors i.e., influential employers in the industry).

Pay to attend conventions or events in your industry.Itsworthinvestingin yourself(even

paying a non-member rate to attend association events).Youll get exposure to people in
your target industry who may be in a position to hire you or recommend you to someone
who can hire you.
So, you cant attend the industry event. Can you borrow someones notes, or pay for the
audio/video recording?At leastget coffee with someone who attendedand doesnt mind
sharing his or her notes.

Consider sending a letter to members of your professional association. Your colleagues can
be a tremendous asset in helping you find unadvertised opportunities. Write a letter asking
for their help.

The job search method in 2018 is to stay connected, engaged, and involved. To disengage
from your career trajectory for more than a few months puts your job search efforts (when
you need it) a year or more behind. Social networks make it possible to stay engaged
throughout your career.

Volunteering is thenew experience when you lack itand a useful networking strategy.
Nonprofit organizations love free help,and most dont mind you honing a newlylearned
skill. If youre unemployed,you can list yourvolunteer positionas a job.

Social Media/Social Networking

Social media has become a vital component in the job search.More than 70% of employers
are checking social profilesfor culture and fit, activity, and social proof. Employers note
when potential job candidates are showing interest and activity in the industry,e.g., sharing
industry related news, praise from clients or coworkers, whitepapers or articles written by
the users, and interaction with thought leaders.

Defensive Googling is a must whether you are active on social media or not. Listen to this
show to understand why its critical esp. if you are active on social media.

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 Make yourself easy to find and follow on social media. Use your name, whenever
possible, on your social media profiles (unless you have acommon name then include
your middle name or some other distinguishing characteristic). Use the same
(professional) photo on all your public social media accounts (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn,
Facebook).

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and up to date before you start searching.
Create an attention-gettingheadline, write a compelling Summary, populate your profile
with all your relevant Education and Experience, and be sure you have a professional
photo!

One of the best ways to get noticed on LinkedIn is to be active in groups related to your job
and/or industry. Participate in discussions. Ask questions. Offer relevant resources. And
grow your LinkedIn connections by sending requests to connect to fellow group members.

If you are conducting a confidential job search, make sure you do not publicly state your
interests in other positions through your updates, especially on LinkedIn. Instead, read
here how you can still conduct a stealth job search on LinkedIn without your employers
knowledge.

Use your social media connections to research prospective employers. If you find out about
a job opportunity, see who you know who works for the company or ask your network
for contacts within your target company. Social media makes it much easier to find the
name of the hiring manager for the position youre seeking. Twitter and LinkedIn are great
ways to connect with someone who works at your target employer.

If youre strategic by connecting with others on LinkedIn, you can get referred instead of
applying to job boards where 100s per position are applying.

Social media isone ofthe best placesto research companies in real-time.Some

companiesannounceemploymentopportunities on their social media accounts. If you have
been interacting with the companys Facebook page or Twitter feed, your relationship
withtheaccount couldhelp you stand out.

Social media updates are searchable via Google. Anything you postis findableif it has been
shared on other social media or embedded on a blog.

Your social media account likely has a URL associated with it under your name. Positive
impression: An employer finds your timeline activity reflecting an interest in the industry.
Negative reaction: An employer is seeing your timeline activity irrelevant to their industry.
Employers often use it to exclude potential job candidates before calling them.

Working with Recruiters

Like you would with employers, reach out to your network to see if people liked the
recruiters theyengaged. Look for therecruiter whobest fits your goals.

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 Therecruiter will interview you,and you should have questions ready to ask them. If you
dont, it's likely they will have a negative impression of you.

Consider using free and paid online directories to find recruiters. Directories
likeRileyGuide.comare free whileRecruiterRedbook.comcosts.Others
areSelectRecruiters.comandCareerJournal.com.

Carefully screen recruiters using all social networks as a tool to vet. LinkedIn is a great
place to start, although many use the profile just as a presence. Consider lookingwhere
they are active from Facebook to Instagram.

Some recruiters givesoundjob search advice and are resources for job seekers. To take
your research further,see if they haveablog orhave been quoted in the press.

Remember that recruiters dont work for you they work for their paying clients,the
employers that hire them to fill a position. Therefore, dont expect recruiters
torespondwhen you contact themunless you meet a current or future job
openingrequirements.

Check with your industry association or organization for recommendations.

Plan to be proactive and follow up with your recruiter. They have many clients--be the one
to initiate the follow-up call, text, or email.

Dress for Success

Make sure your clothes fitand that they are clean and pressed (ironed). Ill-fitting and/or
wrinkled clothes make a poor first impression.

Here are some resources for you:

The Signature Look for Your Career Brand with Aaja Corinne
Fall Fashion Advice

Pay attention to your hands. Make sure that your fingernails are clean and neatly trimmed.

Shoes should be clean and polished and should match your outfit.

Men: Wear a white or pastel shirt, dark pants, and dark or contrasting tie (dont get too
creative!).

Women: Go light on the makeup. Dont overdo your jewelry. Less is more.

Interview Preparation

Practice answering and asking questions before the interview. There are many resources if
you need help thinking of questions. No matter what, focus your question toward the

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 employers specific issues you need to know. General questions will only give you broad
andblandanswers.

Think of your interview approach as a consultant. You are interested in the big picture,
solving difficult problems, and apply technology to your problem-solving strategies.

Preparation cannot be stressed enough. especially since its been a year that you
interviewed with other companies.

To compete for jobs in 2018, you have to show you cared enough about working for the
company that you have researched them. Use news releases and blogs; call their #800 to
see how they service clients/members/associates see if you can talk to employees (use
your network).
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More often a company asks potential candidates for a phone interview and to complete an
assessment before the first person-to-person meeting. The phone interview could be a
Skype or a video interview. Be ready for either by dressing appropriately for any
communication.

Panel interviews are more common than ever for an interview. Always ask who will be
interviewing you.

Follow-up after the interview sets you apart from other candidates. After meeting, find out
if calling after a week or two is acceptable. Then promptly call the company back if they
havent contacted you.

A thank-you note is also a way to stand out from other job candidates. An email is fine in
most cases, but most people do not send a letter. To stand out, send the email and send the
note.

Employers wont see you fit for a job without seeing your personality. Make the interview a
conversation, be relaxed, and remember you want to be sure they are the right fit for you.

Salary Negotiation

Salary is essential, but you need to consider the complete compensation package to
determine the appropriate strategy. You can also get a head start on negotiating with a new
employer by upping your salary now before you head to the job market. The ceiling is the
new floor!

Massachusetts, Oregon, New York City, and Delaware have banned the salary history
inquiries. If you live in one these places, beware there may be other ways an employer may
try to get that information from you.

Ask. Bring facts and persuade.

Never include salary information on your rsum.

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 Practice negotiation talks with a knowledgeable friend, career coach, or consultant, or
someone in career services. Learn to be candid and tactful in your approach.

Research is essential. At the top of the list are necessary resources for compensation
research. Also, considerJobMobas a valuable resource for finding international jobs.

No part of salary negotiation is comfortable. You may be tempted to get it out the way by
discussing it first. The best approach is to defer (if you can) until the final interview process
stages.

Look for negotiation opportunities where the chances of success are minimal. Sometimes it
works, and its a win-win when you dont expect to succeed. Its the process of getting used
to no.

Confidence comes from the application of your strengths. Strategize and execute a serious
dialogue promoting your value. Proving your value will go a long way.

Establish a mutual value exchange. Otherwise, be viewed as a threat.

References

Always assume youll need to supply an employer several references.It is best to have up to
seven references ready to be given for a reference check. Many companies are scrutinizing
closer for their next employee.

Dont wait until you are getting called for interviews before you start assembling your
reference list. It can take time to track down and reach references, so start contacting your
prospective references right away.

Always ask for permission to list someone as a reference. The best people who agree to be a
reference for you are as enthusiastic about you as you are about getting the job.

Know what your references will say to vouch for you (mainly your strengths).

Send a letter or email to your reference, thanking them for agreeing to serve as a reference,
and provide a current copy of your rsum. Keep them apprised of your activity and when
someone may call conducting a background check.

Prepare a written list of references to give to prospective employers (or to email to them).
It should match the format, font style, and font size of your rsum.

You can make it easy for the employer checking backgrounds by providing aPDF file of
your LinkedIn profile. If you have a personal blog where you regularly contributed articles,
you can make it into a PDF file.

Your references should be ready to be called before you give the employer the list.

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 If you are asked to sign a release form for references, read it carefully. The release form
may allow the company to conduct a background check (to see if you have any criminal or
civil legal issues).

LinkedInrecommendations are a great place for your references to document their

enthusiasm and appreciation of your work. It leaves a powerful impression on your
readers.

Seek Feedback

Feedback can serve the same function in the job search, exposing you to choices you didnt
even know you had. But you have to ask for it. No one who is knowledgeable will randomly
offer it to you.

Feedback provides that mirror, forcing us to consider all the possibilities. You must allow
yourself to be honest and see flaws as opportunities and not liabilities.

Feedback breeds significant partnerships that may lead to jobs down the road. Someone
who givesconstructive and detailed feedback cares about your progress. Reach back to
them and share how youre doing and where you are still falling short.

Get help from career coaches and consultants. The competition for jobs is too fierce and
unpredictable. Advice from blogs, videos, and podcasts by career professionals can give you
a power advantage.

Feedback can accelerate job search results. Someones mistakes can be leveraged into time-
saving strategies.

Assessments

Be prepared to complete an online assessment before talking to anyone from the hiring
company. Assessment can be accessed by a mobile phone. You may have to ask. The benefit
is you can do them anywhere at any time as long as you are compliant with their deadlines
or time allotments.

Assessments can be behavioral, or skill-based. Use the appropriate technology for the
required assessment. If you need a Windows 10 OS (operating system), then dont use
Windows 7.

Seeking Diversity and Inclusion workplaces

Research is essential to really find out if the employer in an active diversity and inclusion
workplace. Check the press to see the diverse voices in different articles, announcements,
or the face(s) of change within the company. A good example of a company practicing
diversity is bold and outspoken rhetoric forcing positive conversation and acting as an
agent for change. Read this letter from the CEO ofMarriot to the POTUS.

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 Their website is likely the best place to see board members. If the board members are not
diverse, its likely they are not promoting within for diversity. But you can always check
their management teams and see if diversity reflections in their leadership. You make the
final decision if you can visualize your face in the organization.

Through LinkedIn, you can talk with employees of your target company to get first-hand
accounts of how diverse the company claims to be and is.

Volunteer where the company does charity work to network, and see if the company
promotes diversity within the community.

Target companies listed on ideal workplaces. Use thislist as the startof your research and
continue to examine diversity practices for yourself.

Finding companies supporting flexible work and parental leave

Few states are mandated with parental leave laws.Under the Family Medical Leave
Act, only 60% of Americans are covered. New York, California, and Rhode Island have
parental leave laws. Check your state laws for related parental leave laws. As part of your
target company research, check into the companys policies.

Check the tax lawsand whether your payroll would pay into a parental leave plan.If you
work in Rhode Island, yet live inMassachusetts, you may qualify for parental leave benefits
if moneyis taken from your payroll.

Many companies see paid parental leave as a way to attract good employees, while other
companies dont look at employees in the same way. Dont assume a company with a policy
in place will apply to every employee. Discern how it will apply to you!

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