Joy Andrews lost her position as a $100K+ executive about three months ago. Devastated, Joy took some time off to clear her head and get ready for her executive level job search campaign. But now, months later, she hasn’t had many interviews and prospects are bleak. Her question to me was, “What can I do to get myself to get more interviews and get hired faster?”
In this article, I am going to give you four critical steps you must take if you want to find that $100K+ job and get hired during a recession.
Step #1 – Get organized
I am constantly amazed how executives who were driven and forceful in their jobs become lost in how to start their $100K+ executive job search. Getting organized includes these elements:
1. Treat your job search as a full time job. Totally dedicate your time to finding a job. Inform your family that your full-time job is to find a full-time job and nothing else!
2. Act as if your job search was a product or service launch. Plan your executive level job search campaign. Don’t wing it. Organize your activities in a project plan and measure yourself against your milestones and sub-goals.
3. Start your day just like you would if you were employed. Did you start your day at 7:00am and end it at 6:00pm? Then do the same for your job search.
4. Create goals for every day and every event. Get a daily goal and meet it. Develop your networking goals for each event and stay until you achieve them.
Step #2 – Get help
For many, getting help is equivalent to going to the dentist. But getting help is the smartest thing to kick-start your executive level job search campaign. Getting help includes:
1. Ask for a review of your resume. There are many services available to review your resume for free. Better yet, pay an expert to write your resume.
2. Learn from the experts. There are many experts out there that write articles like this one. Many experts also have website tools that are available for free downloads. For example, I have a free eBook at: http://www.marketyourpotential.com/ebook.asp. Take advantage of these resources.
3. Get a career coach. For executives who earn more than $100K+, getting advice for your particular situation is a wise investment Make sure, however, that your coach teaches you how to fish, not just fishes for you.
4. Get a support group. When you launch a job search campaign when the headlines are awful, being upbeat and positive is extremely difficult. Get a small group of business associates and friends who can help you during this time.
Step #3 – Get real
Just a short while ago, executives could expect to find a new position in about 90 to 120 days. Now, realistically, it can take upwards of 8 to 10 months. Getting real includes:
1. Do what it takes to survive a 10-month search. Expecting your search to go faster and not preparing for the long haul is just nuts. Reduce your expenses to just what is necessary and cut back.
2. Invest in your career. Now is the time to invest in your career and not try to “do-it-yourself.” Investments include coaching, books, tools, events, memberships, and travel to targeted cities.
3. Develop quantitative benchmarks and metrics. Analyze your job search results and measure them against standards. When you do this, you’ll be able to improve along the way which guarantees results faster.
4. Design qualitative feedback loops. Behaviors are qualitative and you can “measure” reactions to your oral and written pitch. Their reaction is a qualitative feedback loop that you can automatically gauge.
Step #4 – Get Clear
Getting a message that is clear and succinct takes work. And trying to figure out what you want next is also hard. Getting clear includes:
1. Do extensive research on target companies and industries. The Internet has a wealth of information. My recommendation is to conduct research at least 1 hour per day – above and beyond job posting searches.
2. Test your messages within networking groups. Take someone out for coffee. Try out your verbal pitch, and get their feedback. I tell my clients that they should attend at least 2 different networking groups a week during their job search campaign.
3. Know what’s happening around you. Know what’s happening around the globe. Integrate current affairs into your oral and written pitch and show how you can address the issues of the day.
4. Stay focused and determined. Persistence is the key to finding a $100K+ executive level position during an economic downturn. Direction is the result and movement in your job search is guaranteed.
About the Author:
$100K+ Executive-Level Career Coach Karen Armon prepares leaders around the world for their next move. Her popular book, Market Your Potential, Not Your Past, is a hit among executives who want a clear-cut, systematic game plan that drives careers forward. Now get her new FREE eBook, “Ten Micro-Trends that Impact Executive Careers Today” and take a critical look at today’s marketplace at: http://www.marketyourpotential.com/ebook.asp
Category: How-To Guides
According to Forbes Magazine, businesses that don’t accept credit cards lose as much as 70% of sales to competitors who do allow this method of payment. With the number of Americans that use credit cards to make purchases increasing every day, you can’t afford to lose this many potential customers or clients. Here’s a quick and easy, real-world tested guide to accepting credit cards:
Merchant Accounts: The Basics
The merchant account is the “middle man” between a credit card account and a business’ bank account. Businesses that only process cards online usually use gateway software that collects credit card information, where retail businesses typically use credit card swipe machines. Whichever method you use, it’s necessary to have a merchant account to collect the information, verify it with the customer’s credit card provider, and make the transfer of funds from their account to yours. Merchant account providers often “bundle” the costs of online processing software into the account service costs.
Billing
Generally, merchant account providers will assess a fee for each transaction, whether a sale or a return (a “chargeback”). These fees are a portion of the transaction amount or a specified dollar amount. Many companies require monthly minimums, and will charge your business the remaining amount if this minimum is not met. Billing occurs automatically, as each “batch” of transactions is processed, typically at the close of each business day. Vendors provide reports detailing transactions, charges, and payments made at specified intervals.
Transaction Types
The fee assessed for each transaction typically depends on the way the sale or return is recorded. Swipe machines or those with signature capture devices carry the lowest risk of fraud, and thus transactions are less expensive to process. Online transaction s or those that are “keyed in” are typically more expensive, depending on the security measures taken to record the transaction. Vendors assess higher fees for “chargeback” or return transactions.
Service Contracts
Most businesses sign a service agreement that covers a specified period of time. Canceling your account before the service term expires generally carries penalties and fees, much like breaking a lease. Your per-transaction and monthly minimum rates are set when you apply for an account and sign the service agreement. The best rates are reserved for those businesses with a stable financial history and high credit card sales volume- many vendors offer “tiered” rate structures, where the per-transaction rate decreases the higher your sales volume rises. Though newer businesses just starting out might not be eligible for the best rates right away, they can negotiate for better terms as the business becomes more profitable.
Equipment and Software
Credit card processing equipment and software costs are often included in the service contract you sign with a provider. If you own or manage a retail store, chances are you’ll only need hardware, such as a swipe terminal or a signature capture device. Businesses that sell products online can puchase “gateway” software that is billed along with the merchant account service bill. Credit card terminals can be purchased, financed, or leased. It’s always a good idea to ask if there are any discounted models, or if a certain model is included with an account agreement.
Choosing an Account Provider: Where to Start
The most popular places to find a merchant services provider are through referral or using a vendor match service. You can consult businesses similar to yours in terms of size and sales volume: Ask who they use as a provider, if they are satisfied with the service they receive, and if they have any particular recommendations. A vendor search service allows you to compare several different companies, ask for quotes, and choose a vendor based on your requirements. Make sure you compare several different merchant account providers before signing a contract for services.
Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.
In the movie, “A League of Their Own,” the baseball coach talked to his dispirited team, saying, “Of course it’s hard. If it wasn’t hard, everybody would do it!”
That’s the way it is with success. It can be hard. But there are four sure-fire ways to achieve success at almost anything every time without failure.
4 Ways to Achieve Your Goals & Succeed Every Time Without Failure
1. Work hard.
There’s no substitute for hard work. Simply put, there “ain’t no free lunch.”
When I look at highly successful people, I think, “It’s no wonder they’re doing so well. Look at everything they’re doing.”
Could the same thing be said about you? If someone were to follow you around for a week and painstakingly record everything you did to advance your career, would that person walk away with a long list of all the things you’re doing to get ahead? Or would that person have a long list of the excuses you gave and the time you wasted?
Sometimes people fool themselves into thinking they’re putting out a 100% effort … when in reality, they’re not. For example, many people are out of work these days, and I’ve often heard them say, “I sent out 100 resumes, and I didn’t get any response. I did everything I could.”
One hundred percent effort means that you’ve exhausted every possible opportunity for reaching your goal. If you’re looking for a job, 100 percent effort would include researching individual companies you want to work for, sending these companies personalized letters, calling to follow up, calling other people in the industry, and networking.
One hundred percent effort means telling a potential boss, “I’m sure you’ve got a lot of applicants here. But I believe so strongly in my ability to meet your needs, I’ll work for you for 30 days with no pay. Let me prove to you my ability. In 30 days, evaluate my performance. If it’s not up to par, let me go. But when I prove myself to you, I expect to be given the job and paid for the 30 days of work.”
Now that’s putting in 100% effort! And that’s what you need to do to succeed in any area of life … because success is more often the result of hard work than the result of talent.
2. Practice endurance.
To many people, “endurance” is a nasty word. They would like to come by success the “easy” way. They want it to fall into their laps.
But that’s an extremely rare occurrence. 99.99% of the time, success comes AFTER you “endure” awhile. And all the greats in every field of endeavor have learned how to “endure.”
As professional tennis player Bjorn Borg noted, “My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories.”
Could the same be said of you?
Or do people … secretly behind your back … say you bail out when things get a little tough? Do they say you give up way too easily or throw in the towel too quickly? Do they point out the fact that you seldom finish what you start?
If you answer “yes” to any of these latter questions, remember the words of John Quincy Adams. He noted, “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” In other words, there’s power in perseverance.
3. Keep on believing.
Believe in yourself. Believe in a power bigger than yourself. Believe in success. And believe you can be successful.
That’s what Lee Iacocca, the former chairman of the Chrysler Corporation did. When the world told him to let his debt-ridden company die, Iacocca refused. He didn’t wait for the economy to change or for a government bailout to rescue him.
Iacocca kept believing in himself, in his company, in his products, and in his workers. He pronounced, “So what do we do? Anything — something. So long as we don’t just sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.”
4. Stay committed.
Everything else being equal, commitment wins every time. So fight back any feelings of discouragement that might get in your way. Don’t allow yourself to hang it up when things get rough.
If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to remember the letters M.I.H. It stands for…Make It Happen.
As you pursue your goals, as you strive towards excellence and success, follow these four points and you’re sure to win. After all, most people don’t fail. They just give up.
About the Author:
Dr. Alan Zimmerman has taught the 12 keys to peak performance and incredible success to more than one million people. Now you can get a FREE guided tour of the 12 keys in his life-changing “JOURNEY TO THE EXTRAORDINARY” program simply by visiting: http://www.journey-to-the-extraordinary.com
One of the best ways to save money is to start with the expenses that are the easiest to reduce. Over 68% of business owners cited “cost savings” as the primary reason they’d switch phone systems, according to a recent survey. Phone systems are an often overlooked source of cost savings. By switching to VoIP or a hosted service, you can save tens of thousands of dollars a year in service and maintenance costs alone. Here’s our real business-tested, expert approved, step-by-step strategy for switching to a more cost effective phone system:
Make a list of requirements. If you already have a phone system, this is easy. Do you need voicemail, videoconferencing, call monitoring features, or more? If you’re a brand-new business, start with the basics- ask around to see what kinds of features are absolutely necessary and pick a system where you can add features later on an as-needed basis.
Do a little research on types of systems. Phone systems basically come in 4 flavors- landlines, internet-based, and combination of both. Traditional landline systems (Regular PBX phone systems and KSU systems) that use routing software (if you need lots of extensions or features) can be housed in your office or off-site by a provider. Internet-based systems use an internet connection to route calls. The type of system you choose makes a BIG difference: according to a recent study, switching to VoIP can save a business with over 500 employees up to $300,000 yearly.
Work out the nuts and bolts. If you have a current provider, you’ll need to work out the particulars of the switch. Consider things like downtime, number portability, and installation timing. Switching from a traditional landline model to a hosted PBX or VoIP system can take up to a week.
Negotiate your contract. Before you sign a brand new contract with a new provider, consider bargaining with your current vendor for more services, features, and upgrades to save on your overall cost. If you’re satisfied with your current service, bargaining is a great way to save without the hassle of switching to a new provider. One of the best ways to lower your bill is to lengthen your contract, expanding it to include more services at a lower cost.
Consider all potential expenses. Consider costs beyond those quoted by your service provider for equipment and setup expenses. Training is a good example. VoIP or hosted systems can have complex features that employees will need to learn how to use. Make sure you have the available budget to pay for training- at the very least, to pay for the time it will take for employees to learn how to use the new system. Some setup costs might not be apparent in the quote, for example, fees associated with switching internet service providers or upgrading your connection to handle the additional traffic a VoIP system will create. Make sure you consider all costs associated with the switch to get the big-picture estimate for how much money you’ll end up saving.
Merrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.
As a broadcaster and popular interview guest, I’m often asked how interviews can be leveraged as a great marketing tool for your business. In fact, that was one of the points we discussed in my 5-week mentorship class, Insider Tips To Shine As A Radio Guest. It’s a great question because today, interviews are one of the best low to no cost ways to position yourself as an expert, sell your products and programs, and introduce yourself to new markets all over the world!
So, now that you have the interview under your belt, what do you do with the recording?
Here’s 9 ways you can leverage your interview (taken from my mentorship class):
1. Look for ways to naturally tie in what you wish to promote as a special event, product, program or service within your responses. I’ve done this repeatedly in advance of a new class or product so I can create some buzz that will drive traffic to my registration page. I’ve hosted my own intro calls and been a guest on other programs prior to an upcoming program to reach a larger audience of potential sign ups. It’s a great way to introduce yourself and give them a taste of what you are promoting.
2. Collect interviews and offer them as a special bonus to download off your site to build your opt-in list. (Be sure you have permission from the show host or station to market the interview). I’ve also done that many times with interviews I felt were some of my best and it has been a great way to offer a high value bonus to a new audience in a joint venture campaign, affiliate promotion or cross promotion.
3. Select your best interviews to compile for your digital press kit. If you’re planning to build your reputation as a speaker and market yourself as a great guest, considering a digital press kit is a great idea so hosts, products, and program directors have something tangible they can review in choosing to book or hire you as a speaker or guest. I use Brent Law to do all my digital and media production. (He created my video movie)
4. Create a media page on your site and upload shows or add links to past interviews. This is a great way to market yourself by offering high quality content that will benefit the listener. You might also add articles and testimonials. A media page can provide promotional resources for JV partners to use in advance of your book or program campaign.
5. Transcribe presentations to market as a free or paid report. Could be an additional bonus for an existing product or program.
6. Use content from your presentations to write articles, create new products and programs. Re-purposing material is a great way to expand on a point you wish to speak about in more depth. Use the content as a marketing tool, to create income generating products or services.
7. Compile past interviews for a book. A colleague of mine used the outlines and content development from her shows to write her book.
8. Upload the interview as an audio onto your site to market your expertise. Use the interview strictly as a marketing tool and free resource. You can also edit a clip from your interview if the content is relevant to something you are promoting. I’ve done that with several of the audios and products I sell on my site.
9. Offer listeners a special bonus, gift, tip, or discount if they contact you, subscribe to something on your site, or sign up for a program or buy something. Place a time frame to create urgency so listeners will take action. Be sure whatever you offer is of quality no matter if it is free. You’re building credibility and a reputation in the marketplace in everything you say and do.