Career Transitions: Never Saw it Coming
By Jerri Tull

As a professional recruiter I cannot even begin to count the times that candidates tell me this story: They have been with an organization or company for years. They advanced and were promoted several times and then all of a sudden their long time position is being eliminated. The reasons vary.

This life event hits loyal, long-term employees very hard. They are hurt, and they feel betrayed but eventually get over the sad feelings and move on with their career transition. It is easier for some than others, depending on the industry and their education and background.

The reason I start this article with this information is because we all tend to stay with the status quo, especially if we work for a good organization and have longevity. In this day and age, companies are sold or restructured, and they change Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) often. When these events occur, anything can happen to the staff.

With this in mind I suggest that you always keep your options open. Never give up your networking and professional group meetings, and always give a professional recruiter a few minutes of your precious time if they call you with an opportunity, even if you are happy in your current job. You may get a new boss a month later, and that could change everything dramatically! If you are contacted by anyone about a job opportunity consider yourself flattered. Your name may have been mentioned as a good candidate or that you are the type of person who can make things happen. Remember that not all jobs are advertised, and even if the position is advertised, the company may also be working with an outside source to produce quality candidates.

Step One: Your Resumé

Now that I have told you how important it is to always keep up your networking and stay aware of what is happening in your field in the job market, let's start at the very beginning. The first thing you always need to have on hand is a current resumé. Don't wait until you want to resign or your position has been eliminated to start working on a good resumé. It is your very own marketing tool, and you should be very proud of it. Do you need a professional resumé service? My answer is “no”. You know yourself better than anyone else does. There are excellent resumé formats available for you to use. What you do need is a good editor or second opinion. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have received resumés from high level candidates that have spelling errors, incorrect grammar, punctuation errors, etc. Part of what I do as a recruiter is to assist my candidates with their resumés. I point out the errors and make suggestions. If you are not working with a recruiter, then ask a friend or family member who has good grammar and writing skills to read your resumé and make suggestions.

Entire articles have been written on preparing a resumé. The resumé starts your job search preparation process. Writing your resumé forces you to organize your thoughts about your skills and your experiences. Your resumé writing prepares you for interviewing and other verbal presentations about yourself. Your resumé writing allows you to examine your career goals and will help to enhance or restore your sense of self-identity and self-worth. When you look back on all you have accomplished it will boost your ego. Writing your resumé will assist you in talking about yourself and your accomplishments and to give you confidence.

Your resumé cannot get you a job but it can get you an interview, and potentially from the interview, you will receive a job offer. Your resumé is your entree to an interview. It is your own personal marketing brochure. You are selling a product and that product is you! There are different formats to resumés such as the traditional resumé, historical resumé or the functional resumé. You must be adaptable. No one resumé serves all purposes. You may have to change the format or put different accomplishments up front for a particular employer to see. Be flexible. Do not send out the same cover letter and same resumé to each prospective employer.

Be aware that there are different types of resumé readers who will be looking at your resumé. People who look at resumés every day in their job are very fast at picking out what they are looking for. They may only give your resumé 30 or 40 seconds, and if they don't see what they are looking for, you will never hear from them. Many large companies have internal recruiters that spend a good part of their day reviewing resumés; therefore, your resumé needs to be an easy read. A non-professional resumé reader is someone who will take more time with your resumé. That might be a friend, a business associate, or a network contact. They will actually read every word in your resumé but they may not have a position to offer you.

Again, I don't think you need a professional to write your resumé, but I do think you need a good editor. Be open to constructive criticism. Ask the person editing or reading your resumé to be critical. If they don't understand something in your resumé, then someone else reading it will probably have the same issue. Try to keep your resumé to two pages. If you must have more, then three pages are maximum. There is an order to what appears on your resumé. You should have a brief summary. Be careful with stating an “Objective”. This can be a limiting statement. Many times I have had to ask candidates to remove this from their resumé. The candidate may be interested in the job I am presenting to them, but the objective on their resumé does not match what my client is looking for. Your professional accomplishments are very important. Use measurable terms where applicable. If you increased something or decreased something, state by how much and use a percentage. Do not be passive by just listing the things you do or what you would find in your job description. Let the hiring company know the outstanding things you have accomplished in your previous employment. They will be interested in what you can bring to them and can do for them.

Your employment history is also important. Make sure your dates are correct. I like to see month and year. I notice on many resumés that they will just show the year (Example, 2002-2004). What does that mean? Did you begin in December of 2002 and quit in January of 2004 or did you begin in January of 2002 and leave in December 2004? There is a considerable difference in months worked. Be specific.

When you prepare your resumé and you list your current work history as, (Example: January 2000 – Present), make sure when you send out your resumé worded “present” that you are still presently employed. If that changes, be sure to immediately make the change on your resumé. A recruiting associate of mine recently made a placement. The candidate did not tell her that he was no longer with his current company, and he did not mention that to the employer even though he was asked. He was hired, relocated and then the company found out. They immediately terminated him; my associate lost her fee and had “egg on her face”. The candidate did not see the importance of this one detail, but he lost a great opportunity because of this mistake.

Your education, professional associations, technical skills and abilities, languages spoken, etc. should all appear on the last page of your resumé. Be sure that your name and a contact number are at the top of every page of your resumé.

Your references should always be a separate item. References should never be part of your resumé. Also, when giving references, make sure all contact information is correct and up to date. Let references know that they may be receiving calls if you are in a career transition.

Step Two: The Job Search

You are now convinced that your very own marketing brochure is ready. Now you must figure how you are going to find the appropriate position for which you are well suited or for which you have a desire and educational background. There is an old saying that I grew up with that applies here: “Don't put all your eggs in one basket.” Finding a job is a full time job. Every once in a while someone will get lucky but more often than not it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to find your next position. I am going to be very brief in this part of my article. I'm going to advise where you might get started, but this is not an exhaustive list or all the advice available.

If I were ready to start a job search I would check around with some colleagues to see if anyone has used a professional recruiter, how they found the recruiter, what their thoughts were about the recruiter, and if the recruiter helped them. Did they utilize a retained search firm or a contingency firm? Professional recruiters tend to specialize in either an industry or with a particular type of candidate. An example would be a recruiter who only works in the health care industry or the transportation industry. There are recruiters who only work with financial people, Certified Public Accountants, Auditors, Financial Analysts, etc. Every industry has a need for financial candidates so recruiters who concentrate on this specialty will have a variety of clients in all industries. You need to establish a good relationship with a recruiter. If you do not feel comfortable with a recruiter, then you need to find one with whom you do feel comfortable.

There is a hidden job market. Not all jobs are advertised for a variety of reasons. It may be a confidential search because the employer has an employee in place who they want to terminate but would prefer to have a candidate waiting in the wings to step in before they terminate. Some companies do not like to run ads because they receive many resumés from people who are not qualified, and they do not have a person on staff that has the time to review resumés and select the ones they want to consider. Also, advertising dollars may be limited. It is not inexpensive to place ads in newspapers, professional journals or even on the Internet.

You need to act as your own recruiter, but you should keep your professional recruiter informed along the journey so you do not cross each other's paths. As I mentioned, there are many different ways to find out about positions. Stay in touch with the college or university you graduated from. Many times, I list positions with schools that offer a degree in a specialized area that I might be recruiting for.

When you are acting as your own recruiter you will want to search job boards on the Internet including those of professional associations you belong to. Most organizations have an employment section in their web sites. There are also the standard Monster.com, Yahoo Hot Jobs, CareerBuilder, etc. When you are responding to any ad, no matter the venue, you need to format your resumé based on the information in the ad so that you will receive a response.

Step Three: The Interview

Let's fast forward to the part where you have an interview scheduled. There are two types of initial interviews. Many times the first interview may be a telephone interview, or if the position is local, the client may prefer to start with a face to face interview. The goal of the telephone interview is not to get a job but to do well enough that the hiring authority will want to bring you in for a site visit. For either type of interview you must prepare if you are going to do well.

Your first assignment will be to find out everything you can about the company and the people that work there. Is it a private or public company? What is the stock price? Where is the corporate headquarters? How long have they been in business? What other businesses do they own or subsidiaries they might have. Once you feel you have a handle on the company, then find out as much as you can about the person who will be interviewing you. Does an internal recruiter or Human Resources (HR) professional conduct the first interview? Will your initial interview be with the person who has the actual job opening? Don't feel timid about asking these questions. You can state that you want to be as prepared as possible and you want to understand the process. Some companies like to conduct group interviews. They might have a one or two managers tour you. They want to hear the feedback from those managers on how you interacted with other employees or people you encountered along the way. You will also want to find out if the position you are interviewing for is a newly created position. If not, what happened to the previous person who had the job? You cannot do too much advance preparation. All of this information is very important to the preparation process. If you happen to be working with a professional recruiter they should have all this information to share with you.

Be very familiar with your professional accomplishments. Even though you have included them in your resumé you may wish to prepare a separate list.

You need to research the position so that you can prepare your own questions for the interview. Remember that they are taking a look at you but that you are also taking a look at them. Before you accept a job offer you want to make sure you are making the best career decision. Once you have some information on the exact position you will be interviewed for, be prepared to share with the interviewer how you will benefit them as it relates to the position. There is nothing inappropriate about having your questions written out. Be a good listener. The interviewer may answer many of your questions on your list. Don't ask a question that has already been addressed.

You never know when you go to an interview if it will be with a skilled interviewer or someone who has no specific training in interviewing. A skilled interviewer is someone who will put you at ease and allow you to open up and share all kinds of information. I warn my candidates to be careful in this situation. Stay on track and don't talk about things that could possibly be a negative to the interviewer such as religion, politics, etc. A skilled interviewer will also ask you open ended questions. They may present a particular work scenario to you and ask you how you would handle the situation. They are looking to see how fast you can “think on your feet” and also if your answer is an appropriate one. The interviewer may tell you all about the job and then ask you why you think you are a good candidate for the job. Think about your key attributes and be ready to sell yourself. Talk about your competence, knowledge, communication skills, ability to get along with people both up and down the organizational chart, your business integrity, and your positive attitude. Have all this information in your mind and how you will talk about yourself without appearing to be arrogant or egotistical. Be confident in your ability to do the job.

People hire people they feel comfortable with. The best skilled candidate does not always receive the job offer because the person interviewing them doesn't like them. I'll share one story that happened to me. I had worked very hard for one of my clients to find a quality candidate. They made an offer to one person and that person decided to turn it down. Back to the drawing board and I found another excellent candidate. Since he was coming from out of town I decided to do the reference checking ahead of time. His references were absolutely outstanding. I was sure I had found them another good candidate. I always tell my candidates to call me after they interview so I can get their take on the interview before I talk to my hiring authority. The interview had just finished and it was not fifteen minutes later that my client called. They told me there was no doubt my candidate could do the job but they just didn't like him. Of course I responded, “Can you tell me more?” It all boiled down to the fact that there was no chemistry there. In recruiting we tell our candidates that 75% of the reason a candidate receives a job offer is simple chemistry.

There are things you can do to improve your chances of creating that chemistry. First of all, the preparation I mentioned previously will help. Be on time for your interview. Don't arrive too early. If you do, sit in the lobby or in your car and walk in no more than ten minutes ahead of time. Always dress very professionally. We live in an era when the dress code at work has become very relaxed. However, when you go on an interview you want to have on your Sunday best. Pay attention to every detail. Make sure your shoes are polished, and finger nails (both men and women) are well groomed. For women, be sure you do not wear too much makeup or perfume. I always tell my candidates to err on the side of being conservative. If you are wild and crazy in your dress let that side of you out after you have the job. Many people have tattoos. If you have them, you should cover them if you can. Many older interviewers will be turned off by tattoos. If you smoke, don't have a cigarette smell on you. Nonsmokers do not like to hire people who smoke. This may be a form of prejudice, but it is a fact that some of these simple things can keep you from receiving an offer. Also, when you arrive and are introduced to your interviewer, or he/she comes out to greet you, be sure to shake hands firmly and look him/her in the eye. Tell the interviewer that it is a pleasure to meet him/her. Good eye contact can help to immediately establish chemistry.

When you realize that the interview may be coming to a close, be sure to ask the interviewer when you or your recruiter might expect to hear something. Ask about how you compare to other candidates. If you truly want the job, then tell them that. Let them know you are interested. Be enthusiastic; don't be passive. What you want is an offer. Once you have a job offer you know they want you, and that is the time you start discussing compensation. Never, ever bring up compensation on the initial interview. If they ask you what you currently make you have to tell them exactly what your compensation is. If they ask you what you have in mind for the job you are interviewing for, try to have a range in mind rather than a specific dollar amount. If a professional recruiter is sending you out on an interview, he/she will know the compensation range. I never take a job order without knowing the salary range.

Ask the interviewer for a business card. When you leave, go back to your office or home and immediately send a thank you note. By having the business card you can make sure you spell the name correctly and have the correct title and address. Try to have that note in the mail no later than the next day. You may think that thank you notes are a given but I can't tell you how many times I have to remind candidates to do this. I allow my candidates to send a formal typed note or a handwritten note. The jury is still out on email thank you notes. Sending a note right away demonstrates your follow up skills and that you are a gracious person who appreciates the time given to you and the opportunity to interview.

Step Four: The Job Offer

You receive an offer! What wonderful news. However, the offer is not exactly what you thought it would be. Never, ever immediately turn down an offer. Act excited but tell them you will need 24 hours to think about the offer. That will give you some time to decide how you may wish to present a counter offer. I have to tell you that sometimes this works and other times it does not. Sometimes the client has given you their very best offer and there is no room for negotiation. By going back and asking for more, the company may rescind the original offer. So be very careful. If you are working with a professional recruiter they should be able to handle the counter offer for you, or they can advise you on whether your decision to counter is a wise one or not. Remember that no matter what you want in compensation, it doesn't matter until you know they want you and make an offer. If you are excited about the offer, the compensation is what you expected and the company is what you are looking for, accept. Inquire as to when you will receive a formal written offer so you can officially resign if you are employed. Most offers are contingent on physicals, drug testing, background checks, etc.

If you receive the dreaded call that another candidate was selected, always be gracious. It is sad news, but it happens to wonderful candidates all the time. Here is what I tell my candidates. Send another note to the person who interviewed you and congratulate them on their selection. Let him/her know you are disappointed but that if there is another position or another opportunity you would still be very interested in talking to them again. This puts your name in a positive way back in front of them. Sometimes candidates accept a position and never show up. You might have been a second choice and now they would like to ask you if you would reconsider but they are afraid you might be offended that you were not their first choice. Keep the door open. I can tell you from experience that it works.

You now have a new position. Don't forget to notify everyone who might have assisted you in your job search. Tell them the good news and thank them for their efforts on your behalf. Again, it puts your name back in front of contacts in a positive way. Everyone loves to hear good news. When I receive information like that I immediately make a note of it in my records so that I know where I can find the candidate just in case something pops up in a couple of years that I think they might like to know about.

While you are in your job search you need to remain positive and have supportive people around you. That can be family and friends. Jhoon Rhee, who is credited with bringing Karate to America in the late 1950s, is still very active in his 70s. He has a motto that he lives by. Rhee states that you will be successful if every day you spend some time doing each of the following: Prospecting, Networking, Follow-Up Calls, Thank You Notes, Exercise, and Self-Improvement. If you are in a job search doing each one of these things every day you will move closer to reaching your goal. Remember that looking for a great opportunity can take weeks or months. Don't give up. Once you get that new opportunity, keep an open mind to additional opportunities that will come your way.

Remember that some people never saw it coming.

Jerri has worked in the health care industry for over twenty years. She has a background in hospital operations in the areas of human capital, business development, and education.

After many years of working on the provider side of health care Jerri decided she really liked the concept of being able to match candidates to hiring authorities. She became a professional recruiter in 1995.

Since that time Jerri has placed health care professionals locally, state wide and nationally. Jerri's company is Tull Systems. If you would like to contact Jerri, please email her at jtull@satx.rr.com .