Self-Marketing for Woman

It may not be politically correct to say, but it is nevertheless true:  Women face two obstacles when making presentations, regardless of the context: male prejudice and female jealousy.

It’s human nature.  Literally.  We can’t help ourselves.  The scientists tell us that instantly we decide, based on looks alone, if we like someone.  Our brains can sense microscope face movements.  Subconsciously we reach a decision.

Truth be told, I now a few employers, recruiters and career counselors who all say that they can tell within a couple of seconds if they are going to consider someone for a position.  Looks matter.

But “looks” does not just mean what you are wearing.  It also means body language and tone of voice.  If you look perfect but sound awful, regardless of your words, you will be sending contradictory messages to your audience.  The same is true if your body language, tone of voice and words are on target but you look like something the cat dragged in.

And just to further complicate things, the thing that impacts listeners the least are the actual words a person says.

So if a piece of jewelry, makeup, a poor stance, or an inopportune vocal inflection can defeat a message, how in the world can someone successfully maneuver through the linguistic labyrinth be it for a presentation to a prospective client, a job interview, or a press interview?

To learn the answers, join me and Certified Makeup Artist Ewelina Krupinska, for our joint presentation, Self-Marketing for Women: Effective Presentations from Content to Appearance.  Part of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce’s MarketingWeekNYC,^TM the workshop will take place Friday, July 19, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM at Grace Corporate Park, 255 West 36^th Street, 8^th Floor, New York, NY.  Pre-registration is required:  http://www.hsstaffing.com/Career_Counseling.html.  Limited space.  Women only!

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Getting Press Coverage on a Zero Budget

One thing that every businessperson shares is their belief that what they are doing is important.  And they believe that the world should know!  Yet only a small fraction actually make it to television, radio, newspapers or magazines.  Why?

Because producers and editors are inundated with requests and, as the editor of Inc. magazine once admitted in print, they throw them away unread.  Here’s the secret: producers and editors want stories on subjects that they are interested in not what you’re interested in.

Lord knows nobody cared that I started an executive recruiting firm to promote the hiring of veterans.  That was back in 2009.  And there was not a single media outlet interested when I sent out a press release when a US Government agency refused to work with because I promote the hiring of veterans!  Yes, you read that correctly.  I thought I had the perfect story.  No one was interested – and I provided the proof in writing, a signed letter from a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army – that’s the US Army, not the Chinese Army!

So how in the world have I been able, without spending a dime, to get quoted in over 450 articles appearing in over 250 newspapers and websites, nationally and internationally, from AM New York and AOL to the US News & World Report and Yahoo?  And how did I turn that attention into a career counseling service?

To learn the answers, join me for my presentation, Getting Press Coverage on a Zero Budget.  Part of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce’s MarketingWeekNYC,^TM the workshop will take place Thursday, July 18, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at Grace Corporate Park, 255 West 36^th Street, 8^th Floor, New York, NY.  Pre-registration is required:  http:// www.hsstaffing.com/Media_PR.html.

No One Ever Throws Away a Book

When you own a business you are blessed, on a daily basis, by salespeople trying to sell you every conceivable good and services.   High on the list are promotional items: pens, pads of paper, magnets, calendars.  In other words, junk.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s good junk.  And if you have a booth at a trade show, it’s the only way to attract people to your table – unless, of course, you have hired an attractive woman!  Sad, but true…

In any event, I guarantee you that no one has ever gotten a client because of a pen!  True, the client may have found the pen and so had no difficulty locating the phone number.  But placing a call, or sending an e-mail, is an opening, not a close.  You want the close!

The best way to get the close is to give a prospect something that screams, “I AM AN EXPERT!” and what screams the loudest in a book.

Of course, today, thanks to marvelous technology, anyone can self-publish.  But “self-publishing” is just a fancy term for printing.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Historically many people have been highly successful self-publishing.  But it’s rare and the truth is, when you self-publish a book you are really just printing a very large brochure.  Again, nothing wrong with that.  It’s not immoral, unethical or deceitful.  But since no one approved the book, it’s also not a source of credibility.

There’s a way around that, other than the traditional publishing route which can literally take years – and you can forget about earning any money from royalties!

To learn how, join me and marketing consultant Gil Effron, from The Growth Team, for our joint presentation, How to Write a Book, Publish a Book, and Make it the Focal Point of Your Marketing Activities.  Part of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce’s MarketingWeekNYC,^TM the workshop will take place Tuesday, July 16, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at Grace Corporate Park, 255 West 36^th Street, 8^th Floor, New York, NY.  Pre-registration is required:  http://www.hsstaffing.com/Career_Counseling.html.  Limited space.  Register early!

Using Social Media to Find Your Next Job

LinkedIn.  Twitter.  Facebook.   They are the tools of the 21^st Century.  Everyone uses them so, if you don’t, you are missing out.

That’s true, but only as far as it goes, and to differing degrees for each site.

LinkedIn is the most important.  It is the Number One recruiting site used by recruiters.  As a recruiter myself, I have literally closed searches – by which I mean I found the candidate that eventually got the job – in ten minutes because of my LinkedIn network.  LinkedIn works and you have to be on it if you are job searching.

Here’s all you have to do – assuming you are unemployed or don’t care if the entire world knows you are looking for a new job.  After your name, in the line usually devoted to a short description of your profession, write, “Looking for new opportunities in…” and note your profession or industry.  If I’m looking for an IT auditor, I will do a keyword search of my network for the word “looking” within the specific industry and geographic region.  I’ll also do searches for “seeking” and “opportunities.”  That’s one way to find candidates.  The other is simply to contact everyone in your network in the relevant industry and location.  Within an hour or two, sending out messages in batches of 50, I can contact hundreds or thousands of LinkedIn users.  I’ve done it; it works.

So basically what I am explaining is not how to find a new job using social media, but how to be found.  At least that’s the case for LinkedIn and Twitter.

On Twitter, you can do searches for “#jobs” or “#careers” or “#aspecificprofession,” and find job openings.  Or you can send a tweet “looking for #job as an #accountant in #newyorkcity.”  You might get contacted but, someone has to find your tweet and read it.  That puts your job search in the hands of someone else.  You need to be proactive so, while not ignoring getting the word out, the emphasis has to be on your looking for employers, not the other way around!

As for Facebook, I still have yet to find anyone who has gotten a job through Facebook.  Facebook pages complement corporate websites.  If you already know the corporation, you can find their website and go straight to the “Careers” page.  In any event, it’s a great way to let your network know you are looking.

To learn more, join me on July 3, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library branch, 188 Madison Avenue, New York for my presentation, Using Social Media to Find Your Next Job.  Pre-registration is not required.

How to Conduct an Effective Job Search

With the reported increase in the number of persons reentering the job market – apparently confirmed by the rise in last month’s unemployment rate – now is an opportune time to review the basics of conducting an effective job search.

First, know yourself.  Make certain that you are applying for jobs which will meet your minimal needs: financial and professional.  Prepare a budget so you know what your annual expenses are.   Remember, your number is net; your salary needs to be gross.  And think about the type of place you want to work.  Are you looking for professional growth?  Do you prefer a mission-based company or a bottom-line oriented company?  Do you prefer a traditional IBM-type blue suit, white shirt, red tie atmosphere, or a Google-atmosphere where just wearing some clothes is acceptable?  There are no right or wrong answers, it’s just what makes you comfortable.

Second, prepare a list of all the companies where you want to work – but the dream jobs and the realistic.  You’ll need the list for stage three of the process.

Third, networking.  Look at your list and find out where the company’s leadership and key staff spend their time.  It’s not difficult to do.  Find them on LinkedIn and Google them to learn about their activities.  It’s amazing what you’ll discover.  And don’t forget to volunteer at non-profits.  Serving on committees is a great way to expand your network.

Fourth, applying for jobs.  Keep your cover letter short, sweet and to the point.  If it takes more than 10 seconds to read, it’s too long!  All you have to do is tell the recipient what position you are applying for and why they should consider you.  That’s basically it.  And then in the resume, focus on accomplishments.  Remember, your job search is all about the employer’s needs, not your wants!

Fifth, when you get the interview, immediately frame the discussion around how you can make the interviewer’s life easier.  That’s what employers want, so give it to them.

To learn more, join me on July 2, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library branch, 188 Madison Avenue, New York for my presentation, How to Conduct an Effective Job Search.  Pre-registration is not required.