by Katie Dunn | Dec 1, 2020 | career exploration, mindset
Jamie is the daughter of legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano and she’s got a fantastic story to share. Jamie has wonderful insight to share about adapting her dad’s practice of clearly defining a mission for their life and then going after it. She gets personal about identifying what her unique gifts are and deciding on a path for her life that put those gifts to good work. It wasn’t easy, either – Jamie has faced her own battle with cancer, been through a divorce and is the mother of a child with special needs.
I was so inspired by her journey and loved the honesty and candor she puts into telling her own story. I can practically guarantee that after you listen to this episode you’ll grab your own notecard and put an amazing vision for your life down in writing. And once it’s written down, it will be hard to stop you from achieving all that you are destined to achieve!
Find Jamie Valvano at JamieValvano.com
Don’t miss her TedX Talk: What I Learned About Leaving A Legacy
by Katie Dunn | Oct 6, 2020 | job search
After first approaching his job search using more traditional methods like applying online to job postings, Austin Belcak discovered this simply isn’t effective. Now he coaches job seekers through his company Cultivated Culture on leveraging unconventional strategies to get a job even if you don’t have connections or traditional experience. Hint: It does not involve applying online!
Find out what a “Value Validation Project” is and why it will truly distinguish you as a candidate who can add value to an organization. Also, learn why Austin’s strategy works beautifully during COVID times when we’re not meeting people face-to-face. Be sure to check out Austin’s website and the amazing free tools he provides for job-seekers at https://cultivatedculture.com/And Follow Austin Belcak on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abelcak/Tip: Austin posts daily on LinkedIn and his posts are always incredibly insightful and helpful.
by Katie Dunn | Jul 28, 2020 | job search
The 2-Hour Job Search, or 2HJS for short, focuses on getting job seekers to the interview stage by providing detailed instructions on these 3 steps:
1. Prioritize the universe of possible targets. Steve walks us through the creation of a target company or “LAMP” list and tells us how to prioritize which companies to pursue first.
2. Contact people who work at those target companies by determining who best to reach out to and how to do it in a way that maximizes the chances that they will be sympathetic. Steve has identified the 3 types of people who will be on the receiving end of your email requests: Boosters, Obligates and Curmudgeons. Find out why Obligates are the most dangerous! He’s also got instructions for writing a 6-point email to ask people who work at your target companies for their time doing an informational interview.
3. Convince those people to be our allies and to help us get an interview. 2HJS includes specifics about how to conduct an informational interview, down to what you should talk about and how much talking you should be doing.
One of the things I like best about this process is that Steve is not a guy who gives tips or job search advice. Instead, he provides the exact instructions you need to predictably land interviews over time. The 2HJS system is precise and efficient – Steve knows how long each step will take you and focuses his system on those activities that have been proven to provide the best return on your investment of time and energy.
By the way, 2 hours is how long it will take you to set up the system on the first day. Getting set up involves brainstorming a list of companies, prioritizing that list so you know which ones to attack first and drafting outreach emails to people who work at those companies.
Here’s where you can find Steve Dalton and The 2-Hour Job Search: The 2-Hour Job Search is available at Amazon.com. Find the system online at 2hourjobsearch.com
Steve’s 2HJS LinkedIn Group is over 5,000 people strong! Find it here: The 2-Hour Job Search – Q&A Forum
by Katie Dunn | Feb 10, 2020 | LinkedIn
For the longest time, I wanted to know exactly how recruiters used LinkedIn so I could advise the people I coached to be the most attractive candidates they could be on this platform. Then I became a recruiter myself and I was able to gain experience from the other side of the recruiter – candidate equation.
Here’s what I learned:
- Be open to recruiters – Go into your profile by clicking on the Me icon => click the “Open to” button” => click “Finding a new job” => Select the job titles you are seeking and select whether you want all LinkedIN members to see that you are open to work or just recruiters using the LinkedIn Recruiter paid tool. If you select “all LinkedIN members”, they will automatically add that frame to your photo that says “Open to work.”
- When recruiters do a LinkedIn search, they receive results that tell them (a) the number of people who have the profile they are searching for, and (b) the number of people who have that profile and are open to new opportunities. In fact, recruiters start with the people who have indicated they are open to new opportunities and most never go through the others. If you want to be noticed, let the recruiters know you are job-seeking! Also, being more active on LinkedIn will land you in more searches.
- Keywords matter – be precise. Make sure the language in your profile is an exact match to the terms you are finding in job descriptions. Reading job descriptions for the job you’d like to have is a great way to do research. The more search terms and keywords you hit on, the better!
- Have an appealing profile – show your energy, your passion and your ability to get stuff done. Your “About” section is a great place to do this. The language throughout your profile should reflect positivity and convey the idea that you’re a great team member.
- Be clear about what you want to do – again, your “About” section is a great place for this. Another place to do this is in the job titles that you specify you’d like to be contacted about. If your preferred job titles are all over the map, you’ll appear scattered. If they are focused on one specific thing, you’ll look like a person with a clear plan, which is very appealing to recruiters.
- Respond quickly when a recruiter reaches out to you – the opportunity may disappear quickly. If you’re interested, say yes right away. If it’s not the right offer, tell the recruiter why – giving feedback helps ensure that the next time they reach out to you it will be for something you’re interested in.
There you have it – the inside scoop on how recruiters find candidates on LinkedIn! Use this information to become a better candidate and get noticed for the jobs you want.
One final bonus tip: My two favorite recruiters that I follow on LinkedIn for great insights about getting hired are Bonnie Dilber from Zapier and Katherine Dumanoir from Microsoft. Follow them on LinkedIn for some solid job search advice!
