Have you heard the new tread in career-ology? Lisa Belkin of the New York Times recently wrote about it. It’s called “salary transparency,” and the point is that everyone in an organization will know what everyone else in the organization earns. The thought is, if everyone is paid what he or she is worth, there is no need for workers to be secretive about salaries. A key point for job seekers, true transparency will offer more than one leg up when it comes to negotiating compensation.

Some workers have always had salary transparency. Government workers’ salaries are public, as are many non-profit employee salaries.

The JobBoard reminds us that there are a variety of tools to help workers learn what their jobs are “worth,” such as Salary.com and “next-generation competitors like PayScale, GlassDoor and SalaryScout, [who] are taking things even further.”

Portfolio.com notes that actual salary transparency raises “prickly privacy issues and lets rivals poach more easily (they know what to offer to snag desirable employees).”

However, the site also notes benefits of salary transparency:

• A fair compensation system based on actual performance.
• Employee understanding of the business (e.g., why payroll is usually the largest cost; why certain employees earn more).
• A culture of trust, as employees and senior managers share more information.
• Pay would not be a primary weapon in the fight for talent.
• Organizations could create a more collegial, open system with some salary transparency.
• Companies would be able to create a rigorous performance-based pay system.

So, what do you think? Is it a good idea for everyone to know what everyone else earns? Would it encourage fairness in compensation? Or is it a train wreck?

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You have no idea what you’re worth? Can’t even get your resume underway? Keppie Careers is here for you! Did you know we offer a resume consulting service? We advise, you write! Or, hire us to write your resume for you. Visit Keppie Careers online for information about our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

photo by Tony Ciranjiiva

 So, you are trying to write your own resume, and you are focusing on all of the things that you’ve done in the past to highlight?  STOP!

Your resume isn’t ABOUT your past - it’s about your future! Of course, you need to rely on what you have done to convince your next employer of what you can do for him or her, but remember: Your resume needs to read as the perfect match for your next job. You don’t want to look like the candidate who is qualified to do the job you already have.

Just as you need to target you resume to address your potential employer’s problems, you also need to target it to highlight the skills and accomplishments that propel you to where you want to go.  Review job descriptions that interest you. What do they want? What skills do they seek? Demonstrate that you are that person by artfully illustrating that you have the skills and accomplishments to get the job done.

You don’t have those skills on your resume? The “propel you forward” ones? Take the wheel and get them! Talk to your employer about the skills you’d like to develop. See where there are opportunities to get involved in projects that will give you what you need for your resume. Drive your own career bus, or be stuck hopelessly at the red light.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Need help with your resume? Did you know we offer a resume consulting service? We advise, you write! Or, hire us to write your resume for you. Visit Keppie Careers online for information about our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

photo by KM

Do you want to be a hero?

Who doesn’t want to hire a knight in shining armor, ready to take on the problems of the day?

When you focus on your resume, don’t just focus on you and what you offer. Remember to focus on the target - the potential employer. It is just as important to know what the employer wants as it is to know your own skills and accomplishments!

Figure out what problems your target organization is trying to solve. Sometimes, this is easy to discover by reading their website and job description. Other times, informational interviews and keeping up with the news of the day helps. (If the Wall Street Journal just ran an article about the organization, you’ll want to be sure to know about it!) Be sure to Google the organization; don’t just rely on what they say about themselves. What are others saying about them?

Once you know their needs, determine why and how YOU can provide the answers to their problems. Make a clear connection on your resume. Show them that you are their knight in shining armor, slaying dragons left and right.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Need help with your resume? Did you know we offer a resume consulting service? We advise, you write! Or, hire us to write your resume for you. Visit Keppie Careers online for information about our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

photo by Ms. Kathleen

In job hunting and in everyday life, there aren’t many things more important than the way you communicate. When I coach clients, I encourage them to plan and rehearse certain information that is common to the job hunt. For example, everyone should have an elevator pitch. Job seekers should be able to answer the “what is your weakness” question without missing a beat.

However, my cyber friend Walter Akana reminds us in his blog post, Conversations Without A Net, “we live in an unscripted world.” While there are a lot of things we can rehearse and plan, other times, we just need to be able to communicate effectively on our feet.

Sometimes, it’s easier said than done! That’s why I wanted to share information from Joey Asher’s blog, Speechworks. His recent post, How to, Like, Eliminate Filler Words, offered some terrific tips for anyone trying to improve their communication skills.

The following is a condensed version of the tips in Joey’s post:

“Ums” make us sound uncertain and ignorant

We’re afraid that if we get quiet, someone will interrupt us and we’ll lose our “conversational turn.” However, “filler words” are universally seen as signs of uncertainty and even ignorance.

One social scientist has shown than the words make us sound less intelligent. Robert Gifford, Ph.D., of the University of Victoria in British Columbia., taped high school kids answering tough questions and then played the tapes for other students. The students that avoided the “uhs” were perceived to be smarter.

To eliminate filler-words, first you have to notice them.

Most people don’t even hear their filler words. Why don’t we hear the words? It has to do with our “reticular activation system.” This is the part of our brain that filters out unnecessary sensory data. If we’re driving down the road, we can’t pay attention to every sensory input that passes through our line of sight. Otherwise, we’d get distracted and crash. Our reticular activation system helps us stay focused on what’s important. Similarly, we don’t hear every “um” or “er”.

How can we notice the fillers? We can program our reticular activation system to “let in” certain things. When I bought a silver Honda Accord several years ago, I immediately began seeing silver Accords everywhere. I had programmed my brain to “let in” Honda Accords. Similarly, you can program your brain to notice the “ums” and “ers”. Put a rubber band around your wrist as a reminder.

Once you notice the words, pause and force yourself to speak faster

Once you start noticing the words, the rest is easy. When you feel a filler word coming, just pause. Close your lips as you figure what to say next.

And try speaking faster. Speaking faster eliminates filler words by giving you less time to substitute the “uhs” and “ers.”

Don’t let filler words “clutter” up your speech and make you sound uncertain and ignorant. With just a little focus, you can be sounding smooth and confident.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Visit Keppie Careers online for free advice and information about our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

Earlier this year, Penelope Trunk invited me to write a blog post for Brazen Careerist. My article recently appeared on her site, and I thought I would share the post with my readers who might be interested in sharing feedback! 

There is a  lot of pressure to be exceptional.  Entrepreneur and author Seth Godin caused a stir when he claimed that, if you are “remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular,” you don’t even need a resume. (You do, but that’s a subject for another blog.) Understandably, a bias that being exceptional is the key to career success is engrained in most professionals.

Take a step back - What really predicts success in the working world? Is being extraordinary the answer?

No one gets an ‘A’ at work. You may earn a strong performance review, a promotion, or even a raise. No doubt that these require quality output, but evaluative characteristics tend to be subjective. (There are no multiple-choice tests.) In reality, your ability to promote, communicate and connect your value to colleagues and superiors is more important than the actual quality of your work. If you don’t believe me, read this study from a Harvard and Duke professor explaining that personal feelings often carry more weight than competence in the business world. (Hat tip: Penelope Trunk)

At a very basic level, if you are contributing, but no one knows, your lack of connectedness hampers your success. However, while being a connector leads to the ability to self-promote, connectedness isn’t about self-promotion.

In his book, The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell defined connectors as “people with a truly extraordinary knack of making friends and acquaintances.” He goes on to describe how these unique individuals make a habit of introducing people in different circles to each other. Gladwell notes, “We rely on them to give us access to opportunities and worlds to which we don’t belong.”

In our digital, Web 2.0 world, success will depend more and more on our ability to broaden our professional circles and to reach out to a diverse socio-economic group of people representing a mix of opinions and beliefs. Professional “connectors” who habitually introduce people who otherwise may not meet earn goodwill and reputations as valuable resources and colleagues.

In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi says, “…Community and alliances will rule in the twenty-first century…[success is] dependent on whom you know and how you work with them (291).” He asserts that living a truly connected life is a prerequisite to success. For example, Ferrazzi mentions that Crain’s 40 Under 40, a list of rising stars in an array of fields, aren’t necessarily the best businesspeople. Instead, he suggests that they are probably the best connected businesspeople.

The value of connectedness is never more heightened than during uncertain economic times. Anyone who has been reading the recent “how to recession proof your job” articles and blogs will realize that they inevitably share one common piece of advice: Network for career success. Don’t wait until you are desperate. Networking is about building relationships.

Author and blogger Thom Singer said it well: “All opportunities come from other people.” Your success will depend, not on what you know, how many hours you work, or how much money you make, but on your ability to build and maintain a band of people to share ideas, opinions and contacts. The people you know and their willingness to support you will determine your fate in the working world.

Building trust and relationships with colleagues and associates inside and outside of your organization is something every professional should consciously manage. Don’t assume that you will wake up one day surrounded by mentors, supportive colleagues and friends. The only way to attain success is to drive your own career bus.

Successful people are willing to give without expecting anything in return. Successful relationships (in life and in business) don’t keep score; each partner contributes. Being a connector takes this idea to the next level. If you intentionally broaden your circle of influence and consciously and generously add value to others by introducing them to contacts in your circle, you open the door to untold numbers of opportunities.

Hold the door open for others and you may be surprised at the number of people who will rush to hold it for you.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Visit Keppie Careers online for free advice and information about our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

If you’re in the midst of a job hunt, you probably think a lot about all of the things that are out of your control. The fact is, you can’t control the job market, the employer or recruiter’s time schedule or behavior, the traffic on the way to the interview…The list goes on and on.

You can, however, manage your own reaction to all of it, which I think is a good lesson or reminder for anyone in the midst of a (sometimes frustrating and long) job search.

Penelope Trunk recently wrote about one thing that should be in every job seeker’s control: the importance of being kind and its impact on your career. She says:

Living up to your potential is not crossing off everything on your to do list on time, under budget. Or canonizing your ideas in a book deal. Really, no one cares. You are not on this earth to do that. Trust me. No one is. You are on this earth to be kind. That is your only potential.

…If you want to live up to your potential, be as nice as you can be. Be as respectful as you can be. Be as honest with yourself as you can be. Because you can’t be honest with other people if you are not honest with yourself.

One could argue if being kind is really the ultimate goal (feel free), but to me, the bigger picture is:

1. “Soft” and social skills are key to every job seeker - seek and nurture them.
2. Focusing on controlling what you can is empowering and helpful in the long run.

Brilliant people aren’t always the best decision makers or the best communicators, but communication and decision making are key to success at work and in life. It amazes me how often smart, well-educated people blow opportunities as a result of poor emotional intelligence. It is easy to underestimate the value of being driven by bigger goals (being kind…being connected).

Life gets in the way, and we excuse our less than stellar behavior because we are tired, or didn’t get a good parking spot, or missed our flight, or missed a deadline…This list goes on and on.

No matter what anyone tells us, there is little in life that is totally within our control. We rely on other people for so much of what we use to define “success.”

I am convinced that people who re-set their gauges to define success based on what they DO control (how they treat others, how they react to difficult situations) are much more likely to jump out of bed in the morning than those who allow others to set those standards.

Ready to take charge of your job hunt? Keppie Careers is here for you! Need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? Write to me and visit www.keppiecareers.com for more about what services we provide.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

photo by andrewandlist2153

I spend a lot of time reading other blogs in what I like to call the “career space.” One of the best things about being part of the blogging community is being inspired by others who write thought provoking and interesting posts.

One of my favorite bloggers, Anita Bruzzese, award-winning journalist and author, recently wrote about what a pain it is to work with a perfectionist. She said:

The truth is, there’s a difference between perfectionism and excellence. Perfectionism on the job is anything but. It’s disruptive and unproductive. For the perfectionist, it can lead to physical illness and depression. For those who must work with a perfectionist, it’s annoying as hell.

The problem is that the perfectionist gets so caught up in minor details that they can’t attain excellence. Instead, they become a bottleneck as they fuss, for example, with the binding of a project report instead of getting the report completed by deadline. The perfectionist boss hovers and nitpicks and agonizes over the smallest detail, preventing the staff from getting their work done…

Instead of aiming for excellence, which can energize someone because they like what they’re doing and enjoy reaching for the top, perfectionism seems to bog people down in realizing what they’re missing, not what they’re gaining.

I was struck by the distinction Anita made between perfectionism and excellence. I think many of us mistake one for the other in our lives, our careers and in our job hunts. It’s easy to be confused by the differences…After all, you may think, isn’t it semantics to debate the difference between two words that imply being “the best?”

I don’t think so.

Striving for quality - for excellence - is admirable and necessary. We should all commit the time, energy and resources necessary to achieve top-notch work. In a job hunt, you MUST strive for excellence. Your resume, cover letters, other correspondence, interview preparation…All of it needs to be first-class. It’s important to take your time, to review and double-check. Striving for excellence indicates that you care about the outcome and are willing to put your best efforts towards success.

Quality doesn’t equal perfection, though. I often find myself quoting my first boss who said, “The perfect is the enemy of the good.” Why?

Coping.org uses these words to describe perfectionism:

Irrational, the underlying motive present in the fear of failure and fear of rejection, a reason why you may be fearful of success, a rigid, moralistic outlook, an inhibiting factor that keeps you from making a commitment to change habitual, unproductive behavior.

Knowing the difference between excellence and perfection? As the credit card commercial says, “Priceless.” I think being able to distinguish between these characteristics is a soft skill that separates those headed for the peaks of success and those headed in a different direction.

At the very least, everyone should be able to follow this advice: The next time you think about answering the pervasive but challenging, “What is your weakness?” interview question by insisting that you are a perfectionist…Think twice!

Striving for excellence is our hallmark! Keppie Careers is here for you! Need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? Write to me and visit www.keppiecareers.com for more about what services we provide.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

photo by ewitch

If you are clicking through to Keppie Careers from Brazen Careerist or visiting for the first time, welcome!

I’d love to have you join the Keppie Careers community. On my blog, I share up-to-date information that’s relevant for anyone looking for a job and for those who should be looking for a job…Or think they may look for a job sometime soon…Or, really, just about anyone who wants to keep up with the newest tools, trends, research and good ideas for job seekers.

Of course, I offer resume advice, tips to help you write cover letters and info to help prepare you to interview like a pro. (For example, do you know what 5 tips will turn your interviewer into a fan?)

But, more importantly, I share ideas to help you drive your own career bus. The fact is, if you aren’t looking out for your own career, who is going to do it for you?

My goal as a speaker, coach and resume writer is to encourage, enlighten and empower job seekers for success. You don’t have time to keep up with all of the newest trends, so I do it for you. I’m happy to share what I learn via my blog.

I invite you to explore and comment and I’d be honored to have you subscribe in a reader or with Feedblitz to receive regular updates from Keppie Careers!

If you think your resume could use some sprucing up, contact me for a free resume assessment: results@keppiecareers.com. If you could use a little coaching to jump-start your job search, please check out my services.

I hope you’ll become a regular reader and contribute your thoughts in the comments sections. The best part about blogging is sharing information that creates a conversation. I look forward to our future conversations!

-Miriam Salpeter, Author and Career Action Coach, Keppie Careers

Learn more about me on LinkedIn. Follow me on Twitter.

photo by mexicanwave

To end the week, I thought I’d share some information from my friend and Professional Organizer and Coach, Lauren Davidson. She recently blogged about an online organizing tool called www.Toodledo.com.

Lauren says:

This thing can prioritize, it can sort, it can synch with Outlook, Google calendar. You can SEND IT new items using JOTT or even JITTER (and a few more). Get this: you can format the lists to print out such that you can fold them into a little book.

The best part is it’s EASY to use and EASY to maintain. Dare I say, it’s FUN to use? This is THE software I recommend for setting goals and tracking progress. Talk about no more excuses! I haven’t been so excited about a productivity tool since I met and fell in love with my Blackberry Pearl.

That’s pretty high praise from a productivity expert! So, if you’re having a hard time keeping your “to do” list together to get your job search in order, check out www.Toodledo.com. Maybe it’s just what you need to get you started - or to keep you on the right path.

Other useful resources for job hunters:

Razume
The Career Search Organizer
Jibber Jobber
Getting from College to Career

If you’re ready to start your job search or need some help getting going, Keppie Careers is here for you! Need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? Write to me and visit www.keppiecareers.com for more about what services we provide.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!