Missing The Shots You Don't Take

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky

As a hockey player, Gretzky knew that not taking a shot on net wouldn't help his team score the goals it needed to win games. Gretzky found different ways to create opportunities in front of the net with this motto and is one of the many reasons he is a legend in the hockey world.

Even if you have never laced up a pair of skates or never play the game of hockey, this motto can be used in your own life.

When searching for a job, you won't make any progress if you don't take the time to send your resume out, network, or meet others. A prospective employer will never consider you for a position if you never take the time to send in your resume to him or her. A networking contact will never meet with you if you never take the opportunity to introduce yourself. Taking the opportunity that is in front of you can lead to bigger dividends later on.

On a personal level, one example where I took the opportunity in front of me occurred over a year ago when Terry Pluto, the famed Cleveland sportswriter, was writing a book about the Cleveland Browns. I have been a Browns fan my entire life and saw Pluto was interested in having fans submit stories to possibly be used in the book.

At this point, I could have taken that attitude that the chances of my story getting used were too small and why bother putting the time into it. Instead, I figured that taking the small chance I had was better then not taking the shot at all. After taking several minutes to write what I wanted, I submitted in the story.

Months later, I received an e-mail from Pluto informing me my story was used. The chances of him using it originally may have been small, however, taking that shot paid off in the end.

When you have an opportunity in front of you, realize that the shot you don't take will not get you the result you want in the end.

For a Job Seeker, Time Management Can Be One of Your Biggest Enemies

Searching for a job can be a long process and does take up a lot of time. Getting opportunities to interview, preparing for interviews and meeting people does take a lot of time and can be exhausting. Not properly managing your time can hinder you significantly and can slow down your progress.

Below are some tips for managing your time properly during a job search:

Set a daily schedule for yourself and stick to it - Even though you are not working, set a daily work schedule for yourself as if you are working. Set aside at least several hours each day (typically seven or eight) and stay close to that schedule. The best time to reach out to network contacts is during business hours and those should be the hours you are working to find your next position.

Write down your daily tasks each day- Writing down what you have to do each day on a sheet of paper might sound tedious but will help you remember what you need to accomplish on a daily basis and keep yourself focused. Making checklists or to-do lists can help you stay organized and keep you up to date with what needs to be accomplished for a successful job search. This will also help you remember appointments, interviews and follow ups.

Keep mind of opportunities to network- Sometimes we are faced with choices in life and when it comes to networking events, we do have choices to make. Networking events can be intimidating at times but have proven to be effective ways to find a job. Getting out and meeting new people is a great way to find other opportunities for jobs. Networking events can make the day longer, however, they are worth the time and you never know what might arise afterwards. Taking time to go to these events will increase the number of people you meet during your search and can help point you in the right direction.

Keep mind of opportunities that might not come often- While networking, you will come across people who have hectic schedules and will not have a lot of time to talk. If you are given an opportunities to speak with that person (even if it's by phone), make time in your schedule to do so. You never know what might come of that conversation and if you pass, you might not get that opportunity to speak with that individual again. Take the opportunity when given and it might open up another door for you.

Burnt Bridges Are Almost Impossible To Rebuild

Even though it's been said time and time again, "never burining a bridge" is good advice and practice that will hold for a long time. Upsetting someone or destroying a relationship with a customer, client, hiring manager or even your boss can have negative consequences for a long time. Burning the bridge that stands between you and another person could cost you career opportunities later on due to the connections that person might have with others. While others might anger us and not treat us well, burning a bridge with someone can lead to negative effects for a long time.

Most of the time, burning a bridge can come from someone losing his or her cool during a conversation or situation with another person. Losing a temper can lead to heated discussions and make for an unpleasant situation. Situations can be stressful but losing your temper on someone can make the situation even worse. If you feel upset over a particular situation, take some time to cool off and calmly talk to the other person involved in the matter. That way, the other person won't feel you are attacking him or her and you can still have that relationship for the future. Heated discussions can lead to inappropriate behavior and both sides and burning the bridge as a result of it can hinder your success in the future.

During a job search, there have been situations in which candidates burned bridges with the hiring managers over simple tasks. Throughout my college years, many of the people I interned for or heard speak at other events had one or two stories of job candidates blowing up at them over small matters such as not sending in a resume like the hiring manager had asked or following directions. Hiring managers determine whether or not you will get a chance to interview for a position and destroying that relationship before it starts can not only eliminate you from that position but probably several others. This hiring manager might know people who work at competitors in the same industry or other people looking to hire talent. Burning the bridge with a hiring manager can prevent you from getting other opportunities for positions later on.

In addition to losing it with hiring managers and other company personnel, many people burn bridges by utilizing social media or job seeker groups to voice their displeasure towards an individual or company. This practice is often not appreciated by those being trashed in these interactions and can burn a bridge with more then the person being mentioned. That person's connections might see what was posted or written and may not appreciate what is being said either.

Even though it may be hard to do at times, never burning a bridge with someone can help alleviate stress and missed opportunities later. Destroying a relationship with someone can have negative consequences that can never be rebuilt after the altercation. A burnt bridge is impossible to get across and you might miss the opportunities on the side if you decide to burn it in the first place.

Linked In: A Powerful Tool For The Professional and the Job Seeker

Since social media started booming as a popular form of communication, LinkedIn has grown to become of the best business tools available. Seasoned professionals can utilize it to keep in touch with clients, customers, former co-workers and colleagues and job seekers can use the site to look for jobs and network contacts. LinkedIn can help sell your experiences and capabilities with a well written profile and keep in touch with past and present co-workers. LinkedIn does take time but is beneficial in the end.

Even though it does take time to write up and develop, LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for the following reasons:

• it offers the capability to showcase your talents and experiences to a large group of people
• research can be done on companies, which can be beneficial for job seekers
  
• messages and introductions can be sent to contacts all over LinkedIn
  
• it can be used to network and build business relationships
  

LinkedIn is a remarkable and beneficial tool and below are tips on getting the most out of utilizing it:

Only Accept and Request To Be In Networks of People You Actually Know, Have Worked With or Have Done Business With

As a general rule of thumb, if you do not know someone requesting to be in your network, do not accept them as a contact until you have verified who he or she really is. Sometimes you can send a message to a person requesting to be in your network as a way to verify his or her identity but if you do not know the person at all, do not accept them into your network. This will help you manage your contacts and who you are connected with.

If You Are A Job Seeker and Wish To Send an Introduction to Someone, Make Sure the Introduction is Meaningful and Clear


Asking a contact to pass your introduction along to another contact is a great form of communication but take time to proofread what you wrote and make sure it's clear, concise and to the point. If your contact can't understand what you are trying to communicate, neither will the person who he or she will be sending it to! Take the time to write introductions that are meaningful and will help get your foot in the door with another person.

Use Personal Discretion When Putting Up Phone Numbers, E-Mail Addresses or Other Forms of Communication

If you don't want random calls on your cell phone, don't put your cell phone number on your LinkedIn profile. If you don't want e-mails to a personal account, do not put your personal e-mail on your profile. With more and more users utilizing LinkedIn each day, there is a greater chance that someone will take time to call or e-mail you to a personal e-mail address if it is on your profile.

Do Not Use LinkedIn to Bash Former Employers or Companies

LinkedIn messages are sometimes forwarded to other e-mail accounts and with Twitter and Facebook, information can spread very rapidly to a large number of people. Taking the time to openly bash a former employer or supervisor could end up in the wrong hands and might even eliminate you from contention for future positions. Once it is posted or written, that message can be spread like wildfire.

If A Potential Contact or Employer Calls at a Bad Time, Don't Panic!

During a job search that involves networking, getting a call back from a contact or hiring manager can be an exciting experience. Knowing you did something right to get your foot in the door is rewarding during the job search process.

Getting a call back can be exciting but chances are, there will be an instance in which you will be tied up with something else and will not be in a position to talk right then and there. Getting a call at a bad moment can happen and you do not want to offend the person on the other end by getting short, snotty or impatient with him or her.

If you are ever called by a network contact or hiring manager at a bad time, do not panic. Getting calls at inconvenient times can happen but relaxing and telling the person on the other end that you are not able to talk at that moment can help keep your foot in the door.

When you get a call at a bad moment, always try to accomplish the following:

- thank the person for the call
- in a calm manner and without sounding rushed, mention you are not in a position to talk
- get the person's contact information and ask when a good time to call back would be

Some examples of what to say can consist of the following:

"Thank you (insert name here) for calling me back. I am interested in discussing the opportunity more with you. Unfortunately, I am a bit tied up at the moment. Could I have a phone number and a time in which I can call you back later today or tomorrow morning?"

"I appreciate you taking the time to call me about the opportunity. Unfortunately, I cannot take your call at this time. What is a number and a good time for me to reach you again?"

"I want to thank you for taking the time to call me. I'm afraid that I am a bit tied up at the moment but would still be interested in discussing the opportunity. What is your phone number and can I give you a call back later today or tomorrow morning?"

If you can, try to avoid statements like "Well, I'm busy!" or "You called me at a bad time" so that it doesn't feel like you are pointing a finger at the person on the other end. Most of the time, if you are calm, polite and ask for a time in which you can call back, the person on the other end will understand.

If you are driving and get a call on your cell phone from a network contact or hiring manager, chances are, that is not always the best time to talk to someone about a networking or job opportunity. Finding a parking lot or another place to take the call is ideal and you can approach the situation in the following ways:

"I appreciate your call (insert name here). Unfortunately I am driving at the moment and cannot really talk. I'm interested in talking to you about the opportunity; can I call you back in 15 minutes when I'm at home?"

"Thank you for calling me (insert name here). Unfortunately, I am driving and cannot talk right now. When would be a good time for me to call you back?"

"(Insert name here), I appreciate you giving me a call. Unfortunately, I am on the road and cannot talk right now. Is there a time later today in which I can call you back?"

If you are calm, polite and offer to call the person back when it is best for him or her, you will still keep your foot in the door and maintain that initial contact.

The Resume; The Key To Getting Your Foot in the Door

On a daily basis, hiring managers are often forced to sift through hundreds of resumes in a short amount of time. With little time to spare, hiring managers have to decide quickly who will get the phone calls for interviews and put the other resumes in the trash. Being able to keep your resume from hitting the trash can will mean the difference between getting your foot in the door and possibly getting a job.

In order to have a resume that stands out, you don't have to resort to goofy tactics or gimmicks to catch the attention of the hiring manager. Some people have resorted to sending balloons, wild animals (no joke), and even printing their resumes on different colored paper to get them to stand out (anyone remember the resume Reese Witherspoon had in the movie Legally Blonde?). Having the right content is what will get your resume noticed and help get your foot in the door for the interview.

With great content, your resume has a better chance of catching the attention of the hiring manager when he or she is going through lots of resumes in a short amount of time. Below are some tips on how you can tailor the content of your resume to make sure the hiring manager considers you to be a candidate for a position:

1) Keep your content concise and to the point- having lots of experience is helpful but keep in the mind the person looking at your resume will only have about 10-15 seconds to read each resume in the pile. Having content that is long, lengthy and hard to follow will make it difficult for the hiring manager to grasp and could make it easy to pass you up. Keep your content concise, to the point and easy to read for the hiring manager

2) Don't Be Afraid to Use Bullet Points- using bullet points can make it easier for a hiring manager to look at your accomplishments (more on that later) and follow the content in your resume. It also helps the hiring manager determine whether or not your experience is relevant to the position he or she is interviewing for and makes your resume an easier read.

3) Add Sizzle By Adding Accomplishments to Your Resume- prove to the hiring manager that you can get the job done by listing your accomplishments for each position. If you increased sales at one job, give a percentage of how much you increased sales. If you increased participation or membership, explain and give a number by how much. Make sure your accomplishments show the hiring manager you can make and meet goals and prove you can make a positive difference in the workplace.

4) Tailor Your Resume to the Job You Are Applying For- read the job description and ask how you can tailor you resume so that the qualifications the hiring manager is looking for can be shown in your resume. It's not unusual for someone to recreate the same resume 10-15 times for each specific position. Make sure the content of your resume reflects what the open job is looking for and prove your skills and background match the qualifications.

5) Have Another Set of Eyes Look at Your Resume- you never know what someone else will point out, good or bad, when looking at your resume. While you might not catch it, someone else might catch something that doesn't make sense, spelling errors or anything else that might get your resume thrown in the trash.

Prove to the hiring manager you are right for the job by having content that is concise, to the point and matches what the hiring manager is looking for. By doing that, you will have a better chance ending up with your foot in the door and getting a new opportunity.

If Someone Has Helped You Along the Way, Keep In Touch

Getting help along the way is key to success but don't lose touch with those who have helped. Many have helped us grow as professionals, find the right network contacts and pass our names along to others who can help and keeping in touch is a sign of respect and could lead to possibilities further on down the line.

With the power of the Internet, keeping in touch with people has become easier and more efficient with e-mail, Facebook, LinkedIn and other tools. Taking a few minutes each month to send a quick message to a network contact doesn't take much effort and keeps you fresh in that person's mind. You don't have to go into too many details and a simple, "How are you doing?" can generate a nice message in return.

Around holidays and important events, sending a card or e-card is another great way to stay in touch. Taking a few minutes to send a simple greeting during an important time in somoene's life can show a network contact you care, are interested in staying in touch and gives them a reason to respond to your messages later on.

Many have helped us get to where we want to go along the way and by keeping in touch, you never know what the door might open up to later on.

Don't Give Up

During a job search, getting turned down for a job or several jobs is no doubt frustrating and can shake your confidence. Feeling like you are getting close to landing a position and then being turned down is difficult to deal with and upsetting. It's hard to get back up after getting knocked down but how are you supposed to get another job if you simply give up?

Getting turned down for several jobs is part of the job-search process and it's no doubt that it can be upsetting and frustrating. There are instances in which you might feel you are a fit for a position only to lose out because someone had more experience, the company decided to promote from within, etc. Sadly, rejection is a frustrating part of the job-search process but giving up won't help you get that next position.

Rejection is hard to take but there are ways in which you can still be considered for future positions with a company that turned you down. At certain times, sending an e-mail to the hiring manager or putting in a quick call to ask why you were not selected for a position could open the door for more possibilities in the future. That shows the hiring manager you are respecting his or her decision and it gives you an opportunity to learn what you could do different in your next interview. Taking a few minutes to find out why you didn't get selected could open the doors up later on for other positions and help you improve your interview skills.

If you find yourself getting rejected for quite a few jobs, don't be afraid to network with other people who could help you improve your interview skills, resume, etc. Take time to sit down with people you trust and explain how you answered certain interview questions, have them look at your resume, and offer them to provide feedback. Feedback isn't always easy to handle but can point you in the right direction on how to improve the way you interview, write your resume and cover letter, etc. Take time to talk with others on how you can improve your job search and get your foot in the door at more places.

Going through a job search is a difficult process and getting turned down can make it easy to give up. Throwing in the towel won't get you the next position and there are ways in which you can learn from getting turned down. Taking time to call the hiring manager to understand why you didn't get selected and seeking advice from others could help you improve your interview skills, your resume and get your foot in the next door. No matter how many doors get slammed on you in the job process, those who keeping looking for the open window to go through instead will find themselves back to work because they did not give up.

Job Seekers, Watch What You Post On Facebook!

Facebook has grown to become one of the most popular forms of social media over the past couple of years but caution needs to be taken when using it. If you are currently looking for a job, the content on your Facebook page might cost you an interview or a job offer. Employers are constantly looking at Facebook profiles to see if anything offensive or inappropriate is posted. If a company is considering spending a good amount of money to hire and train someone for a job, they have to take whatever steps are necessary to make sure the candidate will not hurt the company and Facebook has been monitored for this purpose.

Facebook has been a great social tool but keep the following in mind before posting something on there:

1) An Inappropriate Joke or Picture Might Be Funny To You But Not to Others- it's tempting to post certain pictures, comments or stories on Facebook but keep in mind that inappropriate material could be offensive to others. When looking for a job, you do not want to offend someone who has a hiring capability so if it's inappropriate, it's best to leave it off.

2) Watch What You Are Photograhed Doing and How Those Pictures Will Be Used- if you are at an event and do not wish to be photographed, it's okay to say that to the photographer. If you are hanging out in a social situation, be aware of who is taking pictures of you and where those might go. With more Facebook apps becoming available for Smart Phones, it's easy for someone to simply upload a picture within minutes of taking it. Make sure to have your own camera with you and be in control of what pictures are taken with you in them.

3) Use Common Sense- if it looks like it could offend someone, don't post it on there. Once it's posted, it's easy for it to get shared through other channels and spread to a larger number of people. The more people it reaches, the better chances you have of someone with a hiring capability of seeing it.