Thinking critically in a job search is nothing more than the manner in which you approach your need.  Say for example your résumé is not working.  It does not get the responses you expect.  It is easy to arrive at a conclusion that competition is too keen.  Rather than focus your attention on what you have no control spend your time digging deeper into your situation to see if you can arrive at the real crux of the issue.

There are many reasons a résumé does not draw results.  Its focus may have the wrong emphasis.  You might have sent it to the wrong decision maker.  It reads more like a career obituary rather than bring out your talents.  Other reasons a résumé may not work effectively is that they reflect old training from another era or fail to bring out a  new technology background.

One of the most effective techniques to drive a job search is reflective reasoning.  Take time to dig deeper into that which you have control and fix your problems rather than deal with the top soil all the time.

“Critical Thinking in Everyday Life: 9 Strategies” authored by The Critical Thinking Community

Development in thinking requires a gradual process requiring plateaus of learning and just plain hard work. It is not possible to become an excellent thinker simply because one wills it. Changing one’s habits of thought is a long-range project, happening over years, not weeks or months. The essential traits of a critical thinker require an extended period of development. MORE

It is best to be more than just cautious when article after article tells us that over 75% of hiring managers and recruiters in the U.S. consider a job applicant’s online information as part of the hiring process.  Even more problematic is more than half of the HR gurus have rejected candidates because of what they found. The convenience and ease of access that allow employers to find the best fit for their organization through simple online research can be the best of worlds for you or your worst enemy.  Listen to what these professionals have to say about things you should do before an employer ‘Googles’ you online…

 ”How Employers Use Social Networks In The Hiring Process” by Mariel Loveland

 With an economy that’s seen better days, many individuals and companies are using social media to aid them in the job search and hiring process. Companies frequently search for an applicant’s social networks to help them decide if they’re a good fit for a position and job-seekers promote themselves through various social networks every day, but many don’t realize that what they post online really does have a strong effect on whether or not they get the job. MORE

How to Get a Job Using Social Media I 
View this video first before your sign up on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter or Goggle +.  There is substance behind these 7 social media job search tips.  This video offers excellent insight on how to use social media as a job search tool.  Some of the points may be taxing to grasp without interpretation however your time will be well spent if you take the to time figure out their explanations. [I think I like service your network and tell a consistent story the most.]

[Video may be hard to hear for some plus the meat of this video does not begin until the 1 & 1/2 minute mark.]

Jaazle is dedicated to helping you achieve success.  We work closely with you to develop custom job search and career development plans in an ever changing marketplace.  Whether or not we have the opportunity to work directly with you, we hope you find our collection of resources, information, and free downloads valuable.

For over 20 years I have been committed to delivering the best career planning, résumé writing and job search training strategies and techniques to individuals, groups and organizations.  [I am a student of career development analyzing, reflecting on and refining processes, procedures, techniques and technologies.]  While I do not have a canned or boilerplate presentation when speaking I do have a vision and mission.  My presentation highlights strategies which will result in a higher level of thinking.   My goal is to engage individuals to make more informed choices and better decisions.

Understand the impact of your career and job search decisions.  Take control of your employment, career and life.  The strategies listed below (delivered to both individuals and audiences) are highlights of my talks.  They give actions that can be immediately integrated to help you build a strategic career plan.

1. A Job Search is not a Sequential Event
2. There is no such thing as an isolated Job Search Experience
3. Better Understand Yourself, Better Understand Your Target Audience
4. Search by the functionality of your Occupation rather than the Title
5. Apply Strategic planning to your Job Search
6. Use SWOT to remove your Governor
7. Create a targeted Resume
8. Visualize the Experience: Practice with Scenarios to Discover Your Issues
9. Research Your Clients to identify their Needs
10. We live in an Experience Economy.  Learn to Stage the Event
11. You have several Opportunities to make a First Impression
12. Applying Socratic Questioning will lead to more positive networking (Elevator Speech) results
13. Networking works better when you have a tag line
14. Objections are king!  Long Live Objections
15. It does not count if it is not measured

Job seekers who align their search with a strategy improve their outcome of success greatly.  Select your targets by developing a job search strategy.  Conduct you job search with confidence by following a plan.  Develop your strategic plan from this list or create your own strategy.

Apply directly to organizations of  interest to you, Take temp positions, Contact professional organizations and affiliations in your field, Create a job search office, Create a list of target companies, create a personalized marketing plan, Create a social media presence, Create a LinkedIn account, Tweet, Open a professional Facebook site, Create a system for tracking your search, Define yourself, Determine a job target, Develop a Stick-to-it Attitude, Eliminate objections, Exploit a proactive self-assured style, Carry a networking business card, Find a mentor, Follow-up regularly, Go for all opportunities, Fix your barriers, Join clubs and organizations, Volunteer, Intern, Learn the hiring cycle, Get a devil’s advocate to challenge you, Maintain a positive, upbeat attitude, Follow a business schedule,  Network and more network, Participate in job fairs, Attend Tweet up events, Meet with a professional résumé writer, Practice mock interviews, Set goals, Connect goals with objectives, Start your job search now, Develop cold calling and canvassing skills, Learn how to close a sale, Study company web sites, Take advantage of local search resources, Use a placement Agency, Find a recruiter, Search out headhunters, Connect with your alumni, Visit college search Sites, Visit company web sites, Turn off your computer – talk to people, Follow economic development leads, Take a break, Do informational interviews, Study annual reports, follow promotions, moves and changes, Learn how to interpret labor market information, Visit one stop centers, Place ad in newspaper, Learn how to interpret classified ads, Ask for a promotion, Visit your Chamber of Commerce, Hire an executive job coach, Search your job through the phone directory, Research manufacturing directories, Learn from a professional salesperson, move on when something  does not work, Read the blogs of targeted companies – make insightful comments, Do a good deed today.  Walk fast – display a sense of urgency.

It is more important now in these troubled times to know exactly what skills employers seek.  While our clients’ values and interests must be considered because their needs will influence their choice of occupation, industry and organization, it is essential we help them identify how to fill the employers’ needs.  Although your clients’ principal needs are money, finances and security more than ever before, to be successful today it is essential that the job seeker view employment not just from their perspective but with an acute awareness on what their impact is on the needs of the employer.  

“ Unemployment: A jobs problem or a work problem?” By Jane Wells, CNBC.com

 Americans are finding it tough to land a job.

Or are they finding it tough to land a job they want?

“In this economy I’m willing to do anything,” says Aileen Markowsky, who calls herself a “serial entrepreneur.” I profiled Markowsky last year in a blog about the President Obama’s healthcare plan. She and her husband do a little of everything, with the emphasis on “little” in this economy.

As business slowed, “I did a Google search for ‘employment opportunities,’ ” Markowsky said. She landed on a site called Snagajob.com, filled out her information and experience, “and immediately I started getting emails.”

The emails provide her with lists of local job openings or sometimes direct job offers. “I got one from Goodyear Tire, I’ve gotten several from Apple.”

The Labor Department reported in July that job postings grew two percent from June to 3.23 million. That is the largest number of openings in three years, though down considerably from the 4.4 million in December 2007. Of course, with so many more people unemployed, the competition for each job is stiffer. That assumes everyone out of work is applying. Snagajob says it’s own site has seen job postings grow 36% in the last six months, while applications have grown 16%. Read More…

Nicholas Kristoe is right on the target.  His blog article on unemployment puts jobs right where they should be: At the top of the list.  25 million unemployed plus another 50 million or so Americans working in fear of losing their jobs probably agree.

“Readers and Unemployment” by New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Nicholas Kristoe

As my Sunday column appears, I’ll be in transit to Libya, insha’allah. But this column grew out of my family vacation this summer back in Yamhill, Oregon, where I grew up. Like everyone in journalism, I had been focused on the debt ceiling debates, but what I saw in Yamhill was a different economic scourge: unemployment. It really puzzles me that 25 million Americans could be unemployed or under-employed, and yet the issue has never really gotten much traction. In the last month or two, it has gained more visibility and President Obama says he is pivoting to jobs — but none of the proposals on the agenda come close to matching the severity of the unemployment picture.  Read More…

Just as if there is a rule that says a cookie eaten has no calories if it is crumbled, there ought have be a rule that states a résumé without a Summary (Profile or Highlights of Qualifications) section is not really a résumé. Regrettably 95% of the thousands of résumés that I have viewed during my career have not had a summary statement positioned at the top of their résumé. 

The summary section should be the first section on your résumé following your personal information.   A summary section delivers an impact right at the top of your résumé—it’s the employer’s first impression of you.  It is the Summary that causes employers to say, “We have to meet this person.”  Including a summary statement on your résumé helps you shine above the competition. Ensures that you phrase the skills and qualifications to meet the employer’s needs rather than your own goals.

The summary statements (should) complement your skills to the targeted job description.  Your summary statement should be customized to fit each position that you pursue.  Make adjustments on your summary to fit the position. Change your statements to match your skills to the position you seek.  Your summary will not meet the employer’s need if you wrote your summary in advance of reading the job advertisement. 

A clearly focused summary differentiates you from other candidates.  Sadly however those résumés that do include a summary, a huge majority of these summaries missed their mark.   Quite frequently those job seekers with a summary fail to tweak the summary to match the job announcement.   This generally translates to your résumé becoming two points in the office ‘basket’ ball game. 

 Elements of the Summary Statement

Summary statements do not begin with action verbs. These statements are not the same as the ‘Task Statements’ that you position under the employer’s name on a reverse chronological résumé or the statements that are listed in your skill groups on a combination functional reverse chronological résumé.  Summary statements begin with nouns and adjectives to promote your skills and abilities.

Summary statements can be written in paragraph form, or as bulleted sentences. Summary paragraphs should consist of approximately 75 words.  Formatting your summary paragraph in full justification at the top of your résumé has a nice appeal. This is the only time you should format a section on your résumé in full justification.  (Full justification (or fully justified) aligns the left and right edges of text with the margins. For more information, consult your preferred formatting reference.)

Bulleted summaries typically comprise five, single-line statements. If you utilize bulleted statements, their length MUST extend across the page—four or five words (1/2 line) usually indicate a weak statement. On the other hand do not allow your bulleted statements to extend to a second line (for example, with one or two words dangling). This reflects poor planning.  It is like an accountant being a penny off in the checking book or on a financial statement.  Revise such statements so they fit on a single line.

Think of your summary statement as an abbreviated résumé. It should be able to stand on its own, and the reader must be able to connect you to the position advertised.  If you cannot give your résumé summary a resounding WOW, it is not ready yet for publication.

[Note: Not every résumé requires an Objective but every résumé calls for a Summary.  If you include an “Objective” on your résumé, ensure that a “Highlights or Summary of Qualifications” follows just below the “Objective.”]

[This article was published in the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals’ Advantage June (Volume 24) Newsletter.  The Newsletter is distributed to approximately 4,500 workforce professionals across the United States.  (Congratulations Larry)]

Scenarios are one of the best ways to teach and help job seekers to get to the next level. I tend to open my presentations and training instructions with scenarios. Presenting a situation to the group helps me to determine their level of thought and how they approach decision-making and problem solving.

Consider this case problem: As an analyst, Susan finds that many of her responsibilities envelop a broad cross-section of the organization that can be linked to the bulk of the company’s revenue producing activities. While finishing her last project she proved her worth to the organization and gained significant respect of several senior members of the management team. When the senior analyst announced a retirement date, Susan decided she would seek the position.

Question: What should Susan do first?

Most times the responses begin with tactical tasks. This method of solving problems is referred to as a symptoms approach. In other words, the responses generally are:

• Update a résumé
• Make it clear management knows you want the position
• Return to school to pick up new skills
• Step up your performance in key areas
• Find a mentor
• Network

I’m not saying the ideas are not good ones. In most instances they probably are short-term solutions even if your client gets the interview and the job offer.  A symptoms approach does not address the real issues that may prevent career success for your clients. This is because the tasks identified do not get to the root causes. Not bringing the root cause to the surface delays the process of making an informed decision. Done wisely, this process of root cause analysis eliminates the same problems from recurring.

Raising your clients’ focus through a process of defining the most important issues in order to make informed decisions are steps leading to long-term success. In a job search, you want to get your clients to their root causes in order to improve their search steps. If their resumes are not working, they need to find out why out and fix the real issue.  Or, if they are not being invited back for second interviews, they need to determine why not.  This can be achieved by training your attention on getting your clients to drill down into their root issues. Or you will continue to find yourself in these recurring situations, and continuing to address your clients’ job search barriers or constraints again and again. [Ground Hog Day]

Critical thinking is spending 95% of your time defining the problem and 5% finding the Solution.  (Larry Goldsmith)