Anna Degteva’s Post

I've been thinking about the positive messages that successful job seekers post. They are often grateful for the support they've had and share lessons about their own experience. Persistence is a common key feature. I find these messages very encouraging. But they make me a little envious and I have thought that there is a place for job seekers who are yet to find a role to share what they are doing to keep their energy up and deal with setbacks. So I've decided to talk about my approach. I've been framing my attitude with Stockdale's 'Brutal Truths' and Sull and Eisenhardt's 'Simple Rules.' My brutal truths are: I don't have a job yet. I've had few interviews. My interview skills are not match fit yet. The online world is harder to penetrate than when last I was on the market. People are harder to talk to than before. Easy Apply is addictive - gives the illusion of progress and the come down of silence. Friends will help but you have to do the work yourself and it's a real chore! If you can get feedback, it's useful for the next time and also good for the morale. There are plenty of bad days but I'm still talented with lots to offer. (So maybe these truths are not so brutal) My simple rules are: don't regret the job you didn't get. If you see a job you are attracted to, try to talk to someone in the recruiting team. If you decide to apply without human contact, keep your hopes low. Actually, keep them low anyway. Do interview practice. Although job-seeking is a job, give yourself a break and do other projects. Network, Network, Network. Refresh your cv regularly. Persist, persist, persist. Finally, take heart from any positive word people have for you. (That's ten rules - enough for a book?) (PS, I tried rewriting this post with AI - it drained the note of all personality and added many of the dull phrases you've ever heard about job seeking. On this showing, human society is not at risk)

Something annoyingly funny happened to me today. I suddenly received a message request from an account I am not connected with. The message goes thus: "Hi Kaosisochukwu Veronica, How are you doing? I came across your profile I can see you are currently looking for a new opportunity. this makes me reach out to you. I would like to know more about the role you are applying for." I was elated! I mean as a job seeker, it's not every day that someone with a "Job Search Specialist" title, picks interest in your profile, and even reaches out to you. I proceeded to accept and respond to the message, and then "she" went further to ask about my career aspirations, and I responded. Note that "she" is purposely in quote, because I am not sure the woman on the profile pics is the actual person behind the account. At this point, I was feeling like, this may be one of those unexpected opportunities that come knocking on your door. I checked her profile, the account was created less than a week ago, with just one connection and zero posts. It made me raise an eyebrow, but I decided to give the benefit of the doubt. You never can tell, yunno? I should have disembarked from the chat when she asked if I had an ATS-tailored resume. I should have known that this person was a salesman, that is trying to sell their service to me. However, she came under the guise of someone who has what I am interested in, which is a job opportunity. But I proceeded anyway because I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. The turning point was when she insisted on moving the conversation to WhatsApp and requested my resume. Shortly after, I received a templated response highlighting supposed flaws in my CV, clearly generated by an AI. To add insult to injury, she proposed her services, conveniently mentioning a discounted rate in local currency. I told her that I was obviously job hunting, and therefore I could not afford to pay for her services. She tried to push it further by asking when I could afford to pay for it, and even how much could I afford to pay now, that she wanted to help me. Now, she is making it seem like I got some big problem, and may be doomed if she doesn't help me with my money. I ended the conversation and blocked this person on both platforms because I was beginning to perceive them as a conman." This is just one of the challenges job seekers face out there. There are individuals preying on vulnerability, disguising themselves as helpers while scheming to profit from the desperation of those seeking employment. Job seekers, be vigilant! In the quest for a job, one may encounter deceitful individuals who present themselves as allies but are actually out to exploit your situation. Trust your instincts and prioritize your financial well-being during your job search journey. #jobsearchjourney #jobsearchtips #jobhunt #hiringmanagers #executiveassistant

Feeling Frustrated by Job Rejections? Let’s Chat! Are you despairing after hearing crickets or only seeing rejection emails? Let’s unpack some issues you may be facing.  Setting Reasonable Expectations: The average job hunt is now taking about 5 months and over 200 applications. Things have changed dramatically in modern hunting so if you feel shocked it’s ok and part of the process for most job seekers these days. Understand search dynamics: With remote roles you are competing against anyone anywhere. With local face to face roles you compete against the local population around you. What market are you more apt to make a splash in? Organise your job search accordingly. Use Job Boards Wisely: Think of LinkedIn and Indeed like Wikipedia. A great place to start but in the end, better to jump to your primary sources for the application. There’s always a chance you are applying for a role that doesn’t really exist but it’s less likely the closer you get to the primary source.  Also if there is a company you’d really like to work for it’s worth sending them your resume even though they don’t have anything posted. Loads of jobs exist that aren’t posted. It’s exhausting, we know. Build a Strong Online Presence: You are likely to exist online already via a friend’s social media so as long as you will be looked up anyway it’s worthwhile to make a professional presence for yourself as well on LinkedIn or other applicable locations.  You can’t always control what picture pops up that was taken once, but you can make sure that your professional portrait pulls up on a basic search, as well as your professional credentials. Follow Up After Interviews: Don't underestimate the power of a follow-up email or thank-you note after an interview.  The finishing touches can set you apart. Lastly, know, you are not alone. You have a credible voice that matters no matter how your job search is going. Come join us at The Job Applicant Perspective and share the specifics of how the job search is going by you! We’d love to chat. What would you add? What quirky piece of advice is useful?

Think you are under qualified for a role? The biggest barrier may be yourself.   I've had several conversations with people over the years where they have under appreciated the talents that they have.   Friends, candidates, family, it usually starts off with "I'm not going to apply for this role, they've asked for X experience which I don't have."   Now don't get me wrong here if you are applying to be a Neurosurgeon without the training and qualifications I think we can safely say that you aren't going to get a look in.   But a lot of the time job adverts or more like job descriptions disguised as job adverts put out the companies "dream wishes" of what they want a candidate to have in terms of experience. If you have the core skills go for it and at the end of the day all that can happen is that someone says no to you.   I recently had a conversation with a candidate who had no Financial Planning experience, but was Diploma qualified and has been a Mortgage Adviser. He applied for the role through the IFA Recruiters’ website. I saw his CV and thought I'll have a chat with him and see how it goes, but it probably isn't a goer (just as a note, I get back to all candidates).   I asked a simple question "You haven't done this role before, what is going to set you apart from other Candidates that have 2,5 or 10 years experience?" He had a straight forward manner and was to the point; "I'm a grafter, I don't have any bad habits, they can train me how they like and I may not necessarily be the cleverest person in the world, but I'll always be one of the hardest people working at the company, which makes up for my lack of experience." I liked the frankness, acceptance that there were going to be more experienced people than him and the fact he was ready to put in some hard work. That was good enough for me to think, I'll have a chat with the client, say some of the challenges that they’ll have, but put him forward with the reasons why I thought it would be worth having a chat. He has had his first interview, but the story hasn’t reached its conclusion yet, but he has done enough to get a second interview. If you think that role may be beyond you, apply anyway because you never know what it may lead to.

Drop a humorbrag in the comments. "Mixing confidence and humor can catch employers’ attention and set you apart from the self-promoters. A successful humorbrag comes off without the false modesty of a humblebrag. Two job seekers apply to be a sales representative. They have similar names, educations, skills, and levels of experience. But one of them adds a little extra to his resume. 'I have a proven track record of turning caffeine input into productivity output,' he writes. 'The more coffee you can provide, the more output I will produce.' This experiment, described in a recent paper by Stanford Graduate School of Business organizational behavior professor Nir Halevy, is an example of the power of 'humorbragging' — coupling self-confidence with a little humor. With his coauthors, Jieun Pai of Imperial College London and Eileen Chou of the University of Virginia, Halevy demonstrates that humorbragging can be an easy and effective way for job seekers to distinguish themselves in a crowded field. Humorbragging solves a basic but complicated conundrum for job applicants. When you apply for a job, you want to show how qualified and competent you are. But you also want to come across as pleasant to work with. Those two qualities sometimes seem at odds with each other: How can you present yourself as competent and likable? The researchers propose that humorbragging allows people to show off their skills while simultaneously coming across as agreeable and nice to work with. 'There’s an art to it,' Halevy says. 'You can’t be going for self-effacing humor if you’re trying to look competent, and you don’t want to insult other people when you want the attention to focus on you.' Importantly, a humorbrag is not the same as a humblebrag. Humblebragging averages two opposites: You’re being both modest and self-promoting at the same time. Humorbragging doesn’t involve this contradiction. Instead, it communicates two different dimensions of your personality: You’re funny but also confident. 'Humorbragging is a compound,' Halevy says. 'I’m going to talk about an accomplishment but add another aspect of my personality.' When the interviewer asks about the applicant’s proudest moment, one applicant offers a straightforward reply about baking a soccer ball–shaped cake for a little boy’s birthday. The candidate proudly says that he received 'a huge tip' from the happy child’s parents: 'It was the biggest tip the bakery has ever seen, and no one else received more since.' Another applicant offered a more humorous take on the same anecdote. Instead of bragging that they received a giant tip, this candidate concluded the story by saying: 'I am just glad that I only had to make the soccer ball, not actually kick one.' The study participants said they found this humorbragging baker more likable and more competent than the baker who only relied on self-promoting." https://lnkd.in/gYncQkKX

As I am going through my current job search, I am struck by the adage I often repeated to my seasonal staff: "Camp is a real job," I would say, referencing a campaign by the American Camping Association, "so highlight your transferrable skills." As it turns out, I should take my own advice. For frontline staff, those transferrable skills are public speaking, problem-solving, grit, collaboration, and more. For leadership level staff, they are leadership, conflict resolution, event logistics, initiative, and more. For camp staff at all levels, they are invaluable for future success. Hard skills are trainable. Anyone can learn the current marketing platform or sales software. Soft skills, on the other hand, are not. They are forged by repeated experiences in an environment where failure is seen as an opportunity for growth. This got me thinking: what are the soft skills related to securing a new role? Grit is definitely a major one. After all, you will face rejection after rejection in your search. But what else? What might be more applicable? Answer: Storytelling. The ability to not only say what happened, but to give what happened meaning is crucial to a successful job search. Your resume tells what happened, but it is in the cover letter and the interview where we can tell our story and captivate the recruiter. At camp, we would tell stories to occupy time, teach morals, pass on traditions, and build trust with each other. We told stories to strengthen culture and gain funding for our programs. We told stories that went over everyone's heads that we were clapped off-stage and tried again at the next campfire. We told stories to show that there is always joy and hope. I wish there was an easy formula for telling a good story that shows recruiters that I am the candidate they want. ChatGPT is convincing enough, but it lacks the heart that all good stories have. As we learned from telling stories at camp, not every story moves every audience. The best stories are those that are relevant to the audience, are told from the heart, and contain enough spontaneity to show that you believe what you are saying too. This process is anything but easy. It takes time and effort and revision. It is spent by pouring out words that people may never read in the hope that you find the right ones. When it feels like you are wrestling with the words to make them take the shape you want, you need to keep wrestling. When every word feels like it is clawed from the pit deep inside your self and won with blood, that is when you know you are close. Keep digging. If you find the story to be trash, throw it away and work on the next one. Searching for a job is finding the right audience for your story. You will tell stories that do not land you a job offer. You will tell stories that were perfect for the job two rejections ago, but came too late. That is no matter: keep telling stories. As we learned telling stories at camp: there's always another campfire.

Are You Drowning in Doubt in this Job Search Abyss? The endless applications. The radio silence after interviews. The gnawing feeling that maybe, just maybe, you're not good enough. This job market is soul-crushing. We pour our hearts into resumes, tailor cover letters like love songs, and ace interviews only to be met with...nothing. It's enough to make anyone question their sanity, their worth, their very existence. Drowning in self-doubt? You're not alone. This relentless search is chipping away at even the most confident among us. We see perfectly qualified friends jobless, colleagues laid off, and the fear crawls in: Will I ever be good enough? But here's the truth, whispered amidst the rejections: This isn't about you.This is a broken system, an uncaring algorithm, a game where the odds are stacked against us. So, take a deep breath. Scream into the void. Cry it out, because it's okay. Remember, you're not just a resume; you're a human being deserving of respect and dignity. We aren't robots, we feel and think independently and are greatly impacted by this relentless Chinese water torture. This isn't a pep talk. It's a reality check and a battle cry. We're in this together, and together, we'll rise above the noise and find our paths. Remember, you are stronger, braver, and more valuable than any algorithm can ever know. #jobsearchstruggles #mentalhealthmatters #youarenotalone #fightlikeapro P.S. Share your story in the comments. Let's lift each other up and remind the world that we are more than just job seekers. We are human beings, and we deserve better!

Subjective Emotions or Objective Truths? I see many folks looking to get a new job after being let go from a previous gig, people wanting to find a new job or people looking for a career promotion. You will read many articles or talk to friends/advisors who advise that there is a need to update or reformat your resume, expanding your networks and make finding a new job your job. My advice is to put these plans on the back-burner and work on yourself first focusing on objective truths and away from subjective emotions. Your mind is divided into 2 sections, the Subjective and the Objective brains. These brain sections dictates what you do, how you think and how you react to situations and issues you face every day. A healthy balance is when people can move freely back and forth between the two based on specific environments and situations. Before you go for a walk as an example, your subjective brain tells you there are bad people out there waiting to pounce because you saw it or heard it on TV. Your objective brain tells you that while this is a possibility, based on where I am walking and the time of day, the risk is possible but low enough to just go ahead and enjoy your walk. Should you go on your walk will be dictated by which side of your brain you are listening to at that moment. Going back to looking for a new job or changing your career, both the subjective brain and the objective brain come into play dictating your actions and attitude and ultimately your success. Most people are driven by the subjective brain after they encounter adversity. This brain tells  you: -   I am too old and no one will hire older people -   I am ethnic and that is why I am not being successful -  All my work contacts are not helping me find a job and they don’t really care about me -  I am just not a lucky person and the world is not fair As long as your subjective brain is driving your agenda and thought patterns, your chance of being successful with just an updated resume is very small. Use your objective brain and ask yourself: - Is the job I am interviewing for even a real job, or am I just checking off a box as the company needs to interview a number of people to make it look fair? Objectively you can’t catch a fish if you are fishing in a pond that doesn’t have any fish. - Can I really get promoted if I am not in the power base? Company management just like politics, is composed of power bases or clicks in which you are either “In” or “Out”. This rather than talent is a major determining factor on whether or not you get promoted. Objectively you need to get into the power base to be the gateway for your promotion. - If you send out enough resumes, you will eventually get a job. Objectively this strategy leads to failure, discontentment and resentment. On the bright side, even a blind squirrel can find a nut now and then. To consider.. “ Change the way you look at things and the things you look at changes”

After my post last week grew legs, I started contemplating what would be helpful to share that would create real impact for fellow job seekers. I spent some time reaching out to other job seekers and had great conversations. It seems we are all covering common job search tactics and that proactive support from our networks to increase our visibility, highlight our impact, and provide social proof might help. ➡ Here are three easy things you can do right now on LinkedIn to support someone: 🏹 ENDORSE SKILLS This is so quick and easy - it literally takes less than a minute. Pop over to their profile, scroll down to skills, and smash some Endorse buttons! From what I have learned from various sources, skills play a key role in search appearances, and skill endorsements can lead to higher search rankings and visibility. (Experts on LinkedIn Recruiter and search, feel free to chime in here!) ✍ WRITE A RECOMMENDATION Help shine a light on someone's superpowers and why you loved working with them! While recommendations may not increase search appearances, they provide social proof that can be helpful to recruiters and hiring managers. In my previous job search experience, my LinkedIn recommendations were mentioned more than once by interviewers. If you need help with where to start with writing a reco, hop over to ChatGPT, give it a list of qualities and achievements, and ask it to draft a few for you as a starting point. 💌 SEND A MESSAGE It takes less than a minute to send someone a message letting them know you are thinking about them. Whether connecting someone with someone else in your network, sharing a job lead, or just checking in, sending a message is a signal of support. Job searching can feel isolating, and as we roll into the holidays, it will likely feel even more so for some. Pop into someone's inbox and brighten their day. 😊 Truly hope this helps. If you are currently looking for your next opportunity, I wish you luck and am happy to support you however I can. Pop into my inbox to connect! 📪 Also, as always, I'm open to feedback and discussion in the comments. ⬇

This is the CV that unlocked the door to The Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts. This is the resume that enabled me to defeat Sauron and obtain The Ring of Power. This CV got me a 7-figure offer at [insert name of giant global tech company]. This resume raised Lazarus, type “Help Me” in the comments to receive a copy. - Like Instagram, LinkedIn has become a place of fairytales, where people push fantasy for personal gain. I have seen a few leading LinkedIn contributors with large followings make some of the claims above and, but a week later, admit they had struggled to get the job and needed a recruiter to advocate for them. LinkedIn is so noisy these days, it’s hard to know fact from fiction. One fact I can share is that having these precious CVs and templates on your computer and trying to fit yourself into them won’t work for most people. Why? Well… Because you are not that person. You probably don’t have their experiences, skills, communication style, mentors, advocates or connections. You’re probably not even based in the same city or country. You don’t know their true story and all the contributing factors, just what they choose to share with you on this platform - with the intention of getting your attention. There is a lot of great information being shared on LinkedIn, but I advise you to take everything you see here with a (very large) grain of salt. When the post gives the impression that it will take you to the promised land, you are likely being sold something that will waste your time (and maybe even money). If you want an impactful CV, it has to be woven in line with your own personal tale, not someone else's. - Image created using ChatGPT. Words are my own.