Name: Norine
Web Site: http://www.ekminspirations.com
Bio: Norine Dagliano, of ekm Inspirations, is an independent and nationally certified professional resume writer (NCRW, CPRW, CFRW/CC) and job search coach. With more than 20 years experience, she has crafted powerful, achievement-focused resumes, and provided logical and straight-forward job seeking tips and advice that has helped literally thousands of professionals in overcoming the anxiety of looking for work… and finding their ideal job. In addition to designing and developing top-of-the line resumes, Norine provides a variety of tools and services to assist professionals in charting a career path that leads them to success. Although she has worked with a diverse cadre of professionals, her specialties include reentry-baby boomers, career changers and professionals seeking federal employment. Samples of Norine’s professional résumés and cover letters have been published in more than a dozen books. Her career and job search advice has frequently been featured on blogs, job search web sites, and online publications and she has been quoted at various sites, including CNNMoney.com and Monster.com. Norine is an active member of the Career Management Alliance (CMA), Career Director’s International (CDI), National Resume Writers Association (NRWA), and Association of Online Career Professionals (AORCP). Norine is the only resume writer in Maryland to hold the Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) designation and is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and a Certified Federal Resume Writer and Career Coach (CFRW/CC). Past clients have repeatedly credited her with renewing their self-confidence and inspiring them to succeed. Her energetic and engaging training style has earned high praise throughout the country. She is available for workshop presentations and public speaking engagements; contractual résumé writing; and job search/re-employment assistance.
Posts by ndagliano:
- Is the content accurate?
- When you read it, do you feel proud – does it show off your best features and make you “look fabulous?”
- Is it getting you interviews for the types of positions you are seeking that pay you the salary you deserve?
- Query for contracts awarded in your state (or any state where you would like to target your search).
- After you've honed in on your state, take a look at the kinds of projects that are funded.
- Make a list of 10 or so companies and projects for which you can anticipate extra people power will be required.
- Head over to the Websites of the companies awarded contracts and apply on the company site. Indicate in your cover letter that you found out about the company by doing research at the Recovery Act grants page. This extra work alone might be impressive enough to get you the interview.
When Looks Matter
April 29th, 2010
A recent post on a career industry association e-list sparked quite a discussion about job seeker appearance and hiring standards. An association member came across a that caters to “beautiful, skilled and talented people looking for employment” and “employers who are looking to hire beautiful, skilled and talented people.” To access job leads, candidates must first register and upload their photo, which is then rated by visitors and members to determine if the account should be activated or rejected.
Is there no end to the limits some individuals will go to in exploiting the tight job market while making candidates feel less than worthy?
Okay, I will admit that appearance has always been a factor in how candidates are evaluated during the interview. After all, don’t we advise candidates to “look their best” when approaching an employer? We coach clients on what to wear, how to fix their hair and make-up, and what subtle things such as facial hair and fingernail length communicate to an employer. And we talk to clients about how they need “to look the part” to “get the part” – which is what makes some job titles, such as librarian or construction worker, immediately conjure up images that even the most diplomatic employer has to shake.
Set aside the audaciousness of BeautifulJobSeekers.com and we are still faced with reconciling the impact one’s photo has on their success in landing a job. With the widespread use of social media to match candidates to jobs, are employers - who are trying to comply with EEO regulations - feeling like they need to cover their eyes when reviewing candidate credentials on Facebook, LinkedIn and other online networking sites? Are hungry lawyers lining up to pursue action against employers on behalf of candidates who feel they have been rejected because of their apparent age, race, ethnic background – or heaven forbid, height, weight and eye color!?
I don’t know the answer, but it all makes me a little nervous. As a professional résumé writer, I have always scoffed at competitors who advised clients to include a photo on their résumé, but now I am wondering if I should rethink my position. In a country that seems to have lost its senses to reality TV, entertainment magazines, and viewer-cast ballots for who should be the next “American Idol,” maybe it’s time that employers and career services professionals have some serious conversations about how these trends are impacting the job market – and come up with some realistic solutions.
Successful Entrepreneurs Share Some Common Traits
April 22nd, 2010
I recently taught a two-day career transition workshop to a group of professionals who had lost their jobs through a company downsizing. As is often the case, one of the participants in the group had had her fill of the corporate world and was interested in starting her own business. In an effort to help her evaluate this as a viable career option, I shared with her some traits and characteristics that seem to define most successful entrepreneurs. Here are a few:
Family Background: If one or both of your parents were or are self-employed, you are more inclined toward this employment option. In addition, being an entrepreneur is highly correlated to being the oldest child, having immigrant parents or grandparents and being raised in a home where competition and excellence are common behaviors.
Education: Entrepreneurs respect people with education, but do not view education as the answer to success – but rather a tool to achieve success. They tend to rely more upon their own skills than education to open doors for them.
Interpersonal Skills: Words like “creative, driven, independent-minded, socially bold, opinionated, bright, articulate, courageous, workaholic” are often used to describe an entrepreneur.
Employment History and Work Traits: Although they have diverse employment backgrounds, entrepreneurs are often characterized as innovators who challenge the status quo. Because they are typically more outspoken and not highly collaborative, it is common for them to have been fired from a job more than once.
Motivations: Entrepreneurs are more interested in gaining and servicing customers than they are in building a large organization to fuel their egos. They are constantly looking for purpose and the bottom line in business and social encounters and are bored by shallow people and issues.
If you’re thinking of bailing out of your current profession to start your own business, take a look at these traits and see how you measure up. Or, if getting fired is getting old, perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something – it may be you were destined to be an entrepreneur all along!
How Recommendations and a Strong Brand Can Help Job Seekers Rise Above the “Competition.”
April 13th, 2010
Monday was one of those odd days where my phone kept ringing with inquires about my resume writing and career transition services. With so many resume writers out there marketing their services – a Google search today for “resume writer” turned up 1,520,000 hits – I sometimes marvel at the fact that I am ever found!
As with resume writers, job seekers can easily get lost amongst the competition. Thanks to the Internet, employers can literally choose from thousands of applicants to fill one position. So, with more than 1.5 million resume writers competing for business, why is it that my phone was ringing today – or for that matter, any day? The answer has as much to do with my ability to secure new clients as it does with a job seeker’s ability to secure interviews.
It seems to boil down to the following two basic marketing principles: Referrals/recommendations and brand/image. Potential clients either call me because someone who previously used my services or knows of my reputation recommended me, or they came across my advertising and liked what they saw. Here is how these two principles translate to job seekers…
Referrals/recommendations: Occasionally I will meet someone who tells me that they have never looked for a job in their life – employers always sought them out. How can that be? Well, these individuals were fully aware of their talents and made sure that others in their profession and industries were also aware. They built a strong network of contacts and positioned themselves as experts in their field and as a result, were in high demand.
To get ahead in one’s career and to get a prospective employer’s attention, one needs to make their talents and expertise highly visible. This is not accomplished by blasting one’s resume out to hundreds of employers then sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring. One gains attention by “putting themselves out there” through networking, participating in professional associations, giving presentations to peers, publishing articles, volunteering, and clearly communicating ones value.
Brand/image: If potential clients do not find me through referrals, they find me through advertising. Just as a job seeker advertises their skills and experience via their resume, cover letters, and online profiles, I advertise my skills and experience through phone book advertising, my website, and online profiles. The quality of my advertising either encourages or discourages callers, just as the quality of a job seeker’s resume, cover letters and online profiles encourages or discourages employers to pick up the phone and give them a call.
In addition to the quality of the advertising, potential callers are influenced by how the product is branded. Pepsi and Coca Cola both have excellent advertising; however each unique brand appeals to a different type of consumer. Many of my 1.5 million “competitors” have excellent advertising, but their brand does not appeal to every potential customer.
However, something in my advertising appeals to certain customers, and when having to choose from multiple options, those who pick up the phone and call often tell me they felt a connection. Oddly enough, while I am talking to these callers, I too “feel the connection” and often think to myself how fortunate for us both that we found each other.
The bottom line for those in search of a new or better job is this: Know your brand, and effectively and confidently communicate to the world. Those who like what you have to offer will give you a call – those who don’t will be better served by a competitor. Persevere and even though employers can choose from the large pool of candidates, you too can rise above the competition!
Does this dress make me look fat?
April 1st, 2010
What we have here is an example of a “loaded question.” Are you asking because you think it does, and you need someone to confirm it? Or perhaps you love the dress and are fishing for a compliment. Another possibility is that you really do not know how it looks and you need someone to tell you. How one answers that question varies from individual to individual and has as much to do with personal preferences as it does with good fashion sense. Ask 10 people, and you may get 10 different answers.
A similar scenario holds true when a job seeker solicits feedback on their résumé. Here’s a recent example of how this plays out: Last week I completed the first draft of a résumé and sent it to the client. She was extremely pleased and with some minor adjustments, we were ready to finalize it. Then she showed it to a “headhunter” who recommended some additional changes. After incorporating those changes, she met with another headhunter, who also recommended changes. I would be willing to bet that if she were to show it to two or three other headhunters, colleagues, friends or family members, she would hear two or three additional recommendations of what she should change.
For most people, looking for work is not something they enjoy doing. No one likes to put themselves out there and risk being rejected. Often job seekers will avoid putting them selves out there by repeatedly “massaging” their résumé until it is “perfect.” And as long as they keep soliciting feedback that will lead to more changes, the résumé will never be perfect – thus they can avoid the stress of putting themselves out there.
When a job seeker asks me to give them feedback on their résumé, I always begin by asking three questions:
If he or she answers “yes” to every question, than it really does not matter what I - or anyone else - has to say about the document. As with dresses, there are many styles of resumes and many opinions about what is good and what needs fixing. Find what works for you – then use it!
Where Is Your Tax Money Going? Head To Recovery.gov To Find Out and Look For a Job!
March 23rd, 2010
I received a call this morning from the accountant working on my tax return; it seems I still owe taxes beyond what I prepaid quarterly in 2009. I could use this space to write about how I sunk into an instant depression right after shaking my fist at the "income tax demons." Instead, I decided it would be much more beneficial to me and readers of this blog if I were to offer some useful information about where my (and your) tax money is going. And, more importantly, how some of our tax dollars are actually creating jobs.
Enter , the official U.S. government stimulus package website. If you have not logged on to the site, I recommend checking it out - especially if you are in the market for a new job.
Recovery.gov isn't a jobs site, per se, so you will have to do some digging for what you really seek -- specific open jobs created from the stimulus package. Across the top of the home page are several tabs; there are two you will want to click on.
The first is labeled "Opportunities." Here is where you will find links to actual job openings. You can search by keyword, job title, location or any of the other usual ways you would search a job board. There are job opportunities listed in every field imaginable and every industry - private sector, as well as federal positions.
The other tab to click on is labeled "Where is the Money Going?" If you are willing to dig into the site, you will find a gold mine of information, including the names of new projects funded by the Recovery Act and the companies who have been awarded the funding. From this link, follow this four-step process to mine for opportunities:
I can't guarantee that these activities will lead to a happy ending in your job search, but every savvy job seeker knows that the more strategies one employs to uncover opportunities, the shorter the job search. Plus, it really does take some of the "sting" out of having to pay taxes when you see that some of our tax dollars are creating jobs - and that's good news for all of us!
The Luddites and Technology of Getting a Job
February 8th, 2010
It happened again – my phone rang at 7:00 p.m. and one of my clients is on the other end of the line expressing her frustrations with trying to complete an online job application. I deal with these frustrations quite frequently. Many times the caller is what one might refer to as an “older worker” (a.k.a. 50+) who has some basic computer literacy, but is unfamiliar with this “new way” of applying for a job.
After consoling my client by acknowledging that these online applications “can be tricky,” I logged into the same employer’s website with the intention of “talking her through the steps.” After registering for the site and trying to jump past the lengthy questionnaire (#1 What is the total dollar value of merchandise you took from a store without paying?); it was not long before I too was frustrated. I could not access a page I previously clicked through where I was to “copy and paste an ASCII résumé.” After a half hour, we both gave up!
Have you heard of the Luddites? They were a group of British textile workers who, between 1811 and 1816, protested – often by destroying machinery—against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life.
I have the pleasure of working with many talented and highly-motivated job seekers who, like the Luddites, are feeling like technology is “leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life.” It is not so much technology, but the realization that they may never land a job unless they know how to Tweet; have a dynamic LinkedIn Profile; posted a Visual CV; learned how to Skype an interview – or merely copy and paste an ASCII résumé in the box.
When I look at the current unemployment statistics and read about the number of people who have “given up” after months of job searching, I can’t help but wonder if the numbers would be lower if more job seekers could master the “technology of getting a job.” It’s not just “older workers” who are struggling, but anyone (bus driver, warehouse worker, or even a registered nurse) who does not need an email account to do their job, but can’t apply without one to even get an interview!
If given the choice between hiring a candidate who can email, blog, tweet, and Skype or hiring a person who has the skills to do the job, a solid work ethic and the right personality, I am sure most employers would choose the later. The challenge for us all – employers, job seekers, and career service professionals – is to help bridge this disconnect and put more people back to work.
Tell Them What Problems You Can Solve
February 1st, 2010
A few years ago I drove past a billboard that read “Look Better Naked.” The advertisement was for a fitness club. That’s good advertising! To often businesses advertise their product or service by describing what they are offering. This business cut to the chase – they found my pain point and positioned themselves as the solution.
Too often job seekers approach employers (their prospective customers) by trying to “sell” them with all they have to offer: education, skills, and experience. Whenever I begin working with a job seeker, I always ask this one question: “If I were an employer/company, what problem(s) can you help me solve?”
Are you a trainer that can turn my novice sales staff into rainmakers? Are you a HR manager that can reduce staff anxiety while riding the waves of change? Are you a maintenance mechanic that has a sixth sense about how a machine should sound and can preempt a costly breakdown?
You see, employers hire people because they have problems that need to be solved. It could be a good problem – such as landing a huge commercial account and needing more personnel to help ramp up production; or a bad problem – such as loosing their market lead over the competition and needing a new approach to advertising.
To be effective in your job search, you need to figure out the problem and position yourself as the solution. Then develop your job search communication message (elevator pitch, résumé, cover letter and interview responses) around strong examples of how you have solved similar problems for other employers.
As for me, I always thought fitness clubs were overpriced and too upscale for my taste, but this particular club sure did sell me on the idea of looking better naked! Some problems we are willing to pay a premium price to solve and when the “seller” offers the solution, it is easy to forego the competition. Think about it - what solutions do you have to offer that will make employers willing to pay a premium price and forego the competition?
Look For Work the Way You Live Your Life
January 25th, 2010
When I first began my career as a résumé writer and job search coach, a more experienced colleague shared the following observation: “People look for work the way they live their life.” I was not sure what she meant by that, but after working with job seekers for the last 20 years, I see this truth played out over and over again.
I just finished meeting with an awesome young man who graduated from college two years ago with a major in history and a minor in computer science. He has been unsuccessful in finding suitable employment and has reached his maximum frustration level. I looked at his résumé and talked with him about his search activities.
I learned a lot about this young man in the hour and a half that we spoke. For one thing, he loves to talk and gets very excited when he is talking about the things that interest him. He is creative and intuitive and stated that prior career testing revealed that he has strong inductive reasoning and is good at gathering and synthesizing information. He thrives in an environment where out-of-the box thinking and risk taking is rewarded. On the flip side, he admitted that he gets bored with routine work, has terrible handwriting, is extremely unorganized, and he tends to overlook details.
So what does this have to do with his job search?
Like many job seekers, this young man was following the advice of his parents and friends (individuals who, like most, learned how to look for work by trial and error.) First, he wrote a résumé the way he learned from his college career center: Begin with your education, list all your “relevant” coursework and mention your employment (in his case, waiter and bartender.) Then he proceeded to rewrite the résumé each time someone new looked at it and told him what to change. Next, he went online and posted the résumé on some major job boards. Lastly, he searched leads and applied for anything with the word “computer” in the job title.
It was no wonder he was getting frustrated. Aside from the fact that he was not sure how his degree related to specific jobs and he did not know what market to target, he was not looking for work the way he lived his life. To the contrary, he was looking for work the way others thought might be a good way to live one’s life—regimented, by the book, and with keen attention to detail and order.
How frustrating for someone with his internal programming! Where was the creative and innovative approach to solving problems and executing projects? How was he nurturing his need to talk to people and gather/synthesize information? What risks was he taking when all he was doing was reading job announcements and sending his résumé?
I recommended a new strategy and approach: First, I suggested he read and synthesize information about various careers (I recommended O*Net). Then we brainstormed a list of industries he might want to target based on his interests and values. I instructed him on how to conduct informational interviews and we identified some people in his current network that he could contact as a spring board for talking to and meeting more people. I encouraged him to spend his time in the company of people who do what he wants to do – clubs, associations, networking groups. I suggested looking for a mentor or volunteering his time for a “day on the job.”
By the time he left, he was excited about not having to rewrite his résumé again (at least not until he knew what he was selling and who he was targeting) and he was thrilled at the prospect of talking to people who are doing things he likes to do, gathering more information, and meeting more people. He actually liked this “new way of looking for work.”
Finding a job is a project, and like every other project you have executed successfully, the way you go about it needs to reflect your personal style. Don’t rely solely on the advice of well-meaning friends and relatives about the “right” way to look for work. Tap into your natural skills and talents and let the process unfold. You may be amazed with how quickly you will find what you are looking for when you stop trying tackling the project the way you “think” it should be done.
Know Your Interviewer’s Style before You “Break the Ice.”
January 18th, 2010
Job interviews typically start off with introductions and then some basic “small talk” to break the ice. Knowing how to handle the transition from “Hello” to “Tell me about yourself” depends, in part, on your interviewer’s “style.”
There are three basic types of interviewers: the Dominant, the Dependent and the Detached.
The Dominant interviewer is the easiest to talk to if you have done your homework. They are professionals who have been trained on how to interview. Most likely they will greet you with a handshake and offer their name. Their office and desk will be neat and professional. They will have a copy of your résumé in front of them and prepared questions. If they have not already broken the ice, you could begin the conversation by commenting on the award on their wall or bookcase (it is common for these individuals to have them) or mention something else positive you have noticed about the interviewer or the company.
The Dependent interviewer is the poor guy who got tagged to do the interview and may be more nervous than you to be there. The Dependent interviewer often will not know your name (or in some cases why you are even there!). Their office or desk may be in shambles as they shuffle papers looking for your résumé. With this interviewer, you will want to take more control of the interview. You may break the ice by saying how pleased you are to have an opportunity to talk with him about the company and the position (a subtle way to remind him why you are there and give him time to get his thoughts together.) Because the Dependent interviewer probably had very little, if any, preparation for the interview, they may not know what questions to ask so they may launch into casual conversation to “get to know you.” Be careful of this type of interviewer because you may find yourself chatting about things best not mentioned in an interview. If you do not take control of the interview and guide the questions and answers, you may leave there thinking what a friendly guy he was, but not knowing anything at all about the job.
The Detached interviewer is rare and most frequently experienced when interviewing for highly technical jobs. This individual is more apt to make his or her mind up after reading the résumé and sees the interview as an unnecessary formality. You will recognize this person when he comes into the room because he will not make much eye contact and will be quite regimented. There really is no way to break the ice or make small talk with this individual, because it goes against his grain. Just take a seat and politely wait for him to begin the interview. I had a client once who told me that he had a Detached interviewer who only asked him one question – “Why do you want to work for this company?” After my client answered, the interviewer got up and walked out of the room. After waiting a few minutes, he looked out to the receptionist and asked “is he coming back?” and she replied that he went to a meeting!
And speaking of the receptionist – keep in mind that the interview starts as soon as you enter the lobby. Only make small talk with the receptionist if they appear to have the time and interest – and make sure the conversation is on brand!
Making the Sale: It’s NOT All About You
January 11th, 2010
I was doing some interview coaching with a client earlier this week; a delightful young woman whose résumé illustrated an extremely impressive academic and career background. She had applied for a graduate program and was extremely nervous about her upcoming interview. In addition to helping her prepare for the interview, I was also trying to assess what might have contributed to her not being accepted following an interview with another school.
She seemed to be doing fine until I started hitting her with some of the standard interview questions: What do you know about our program (company)? What would you say are some of the biggest challenges faced by our industry? What are your strengths? Why should we accept you into the program versus someone else?
We all hear how important it is to “sell” oneself during an interview, and this young woman was really pushing hard for the sale. She answered every question with almost a sense of urgency about needing to tell the me everything possible about her skills and experience. Within the first 10 minutes of our “mock interview session” I had to stop her. Our interaction was beginning to remind me of a blind date I had many years ago – one that I could not wait to end.
Like my client, this date sat across the table from me and talked endlessly about all of his wants, needs, interests and accomplishments. He clearly demonstrated that he never did any background “research” about me and never once asked me about my wants, needs, interests and accomplishments. It was clear that this interaction was “all about him” and, in spite of the good first impression I had of him, I quickly lost interest.
The best way to make a sale is not by simply extolling all the wonderful features of your “product.” If you really want to make the sale, close the deal (get the job offer) than do this: Learn all you can about the employer before the interview; find out what is important to him and identify his needs. Then as you answer and ask questions, link your features (skills, experience and achievements) to how they will prove beneficial to the employer should he choose you.
Confidently talking about how much you have to offer is important, but even more important is choosing the aspects of your career and personality that are of greatest value to each particular employer and talking about these. Sure the employer is interested in you, but he is even more interested in knowing the benefits of choosing you over the competition.