It's that time of the year again

Well 2012 is nearly finished and the New Year of 2013 will soon be upon us.The last few scraps of Christmas turkey are being consumed and the tinsel and the lights are looking a bit tired now. High streets and on-line e-commerce retail outlets are full of consumers scavenging for the best bargains in the sales.

For many people this time of the year is also a time to think about their job and their prospects. The British economy, dependant on who or what you read, is either showing some signs of recovery or is in for the proverbial double dip. And all this leads to unease for the job hunter. 

For those in employment, there's the question "Should I stay or should I go?". (Thanks here to The Clash) For those not in employment, there's the question, when will they say "Heigh Ho". (Thanks here to Disney and very topical don't you think. Don't get Grumpy). 

This time of the year is great for taking the time out and reviewing your options for your career. Read and revise your CV. Update your LinkedIn profile and commit to making contact with your connections. Consider how else you promote yourself on social media. Do you have a presence on Facebook? Do you indulge on Twitter?

All of this comes with a warning. Remember that once information is on-line about you, it can be seen by others - including potential new employers. So be careful and mindful about what is published by you and even about you. Your on-line presence can affect your job opportunities - so be aware of that playful moment in a drunken moment of madness at the Christmas party getting you a history you'd prefer not to have.

Nonetheless, use the new social media opportunities to their utmost. Get your name known widely for positive reasons by actively participating with your professional networks. Use your LinkedIn presence and build knowledge of potential employers and grow your connection list. Write a blog!!!! Use Twitter to get access to roles. Review the recruitment websites you use and invest time with recruiters directly - even be as bold as to massage their ego!!! (You know they love it!!!).

As for me, well I'm coming to the end of my current interim role shortly so will be looking for my next assignment, either permanent or interim. Already, I've secured a HR consultancy role (not full time) but will be looking to add to my portfolio. I'm aware that my background in both private and public sector organisations is highly valued and my strategic and operational competences add fantastic value to my employer and/or clients.

But it's always a difficult time when you have to get on that treadmill to find the job that'll help pay the bills, etc. and so I'll try to follow my own road map to a successful conclusion at an early point in 2013. I need to stay ahead of the game so although I've shared some tips with you, I'm already doing them and more. 

In closing, I'd just like to remind you that I'm happy to speak about any potential opportunities and look forward to working with you. My LinkedIn profile can be seen here and gives you a flavour of my capabilities and where I will add value to your business. Please, circulate this blog widely to your connections and, before I forget, HAPPY NEW YEAR (when it comes).

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Merry Christmas

Best Wishes to all my Blog readers and 

to all my Linked In Connections 

for the Christmas period and for the New Year.

May 2013 bring you what you wish for you and your family.

Good things come to those who wait

It was a spectacular turnround at Medinah when Europe won the Ryder Cup 2012. Many of us were awake till the early hours watching the celebrations after the unbelievable, but true, outcome. Yet another victory for the Europeans despite all looking like it was lost.

This is a lot like your job search. For hour upon hour, day after day, week after week, you scour the job vacancies and all seems lost or very difficult. But you have to take the spirit of Seve Ballesteros and be sure that it will come right in the end. Never give up. Keep trying and your reward is round the corner.

I've recently heard of several of my connections finding roles after considerable lengthy periods of not much success in their job hunt. And why did they get jobs? Because they never gave up. They believed in themselves, knowing that eventually somebody else would believe in their competences. The spirit of Seve was alive for them.

As for me, well I'm doing an interesting interim role within a public sector organisation which is facing unprecedented levels of change. Its a fascinating role at this time, trying to keep Business As Usual, while the challenges are constantly being posed. 

Of course, my aspiration remains for a full time permanent role and so I keep up my connections with recruiters and trust that one day my Ryder Cup moment will come.

As always here's a link to my profile, so if there's a role you want to discuss then please give me a call or drop me an email. And please feel free to circulate this blog. Thanks.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

One delay after another - be patient

The start of the 2012 London Olympics is still a few days off but already the news is full of traffic delays and athletes complaining about how long it takes to get across London from Heathrow to their accommodation in  Stratford. They're the lucky ones - at least they'll be in vehicles that can use the Olympic Road Lanes without fear of fines.

Waiting to hear the outcome of an interview is a bit like that as well. It seems like an eternity before you find out whether you have the job or not - indeed sometimes you never find out at all and have to assume that you have been unsuccessful. Talk about customer focused!!!

And it's the same when you're job seeking as well. There are never enough opportunities around at the time you want them. And 2012 has been a bumper year for the normal excuses - Christmas and New Year fell at the wrong time this year, lots of people took an extended holiday around Bank Holidays and the Jubilee celebrations and now summer holidays are upon us so the slow down (did it ever get out of first gear?) will also be upon us.

Delays in recruitment processes are common place and as a job hunter you just have to face up to the fact that although it's a number one priority for you, for others it is less so - even if they say different.

And you must never get despondent about it all. There are roles around, it's just a matter of finding the right one at the right time. 

You might need to reconsider your strategies. My preference is for a permanent role, but until that happens I'll take on interim roles with the view that they add something to my CV. For others, there might not be the willingness to take on interim appointments but then you are restricting yourself and may wait even longer with no finances being added to your bank balance. Very much a balancing act and a personal decision on this one.

Constantly badger the recruiters, and constantly be checking the job boards and ALWAYS keep up your networking, either via LinkedIn or in person. 

As always, please circulate this blog widely and review my LinkedIn profile. All comments on this blog welcome.

Never a quiet moment in job seeking

Well that's the end of the European Championships and all we have to do now is wait for a few weeks and the new league season will be on us. It's the close season and things are supposed to be quiet, but daily there are reports of new potential signings and transfer rumour follows transfer rumour. So really never a quiet moment and never time to stop.

Job seeking is like that as well. You cannot turn off for one moment. Every day there are new opportunities arising and you need to set aside time on a daily basis to review all the new vacancies that have arisen. It becomes a bit of an art after a time but when you are looking for a role you need to find ways to quickly get to the roles you want to review. Missing a few days means you can fall well behind and miss the opportunity.

The job board review is important but don't forget that you also need to keep in touch with your connections. Obviously they're not expecting to hear from you every day, or maybe even every week, but you need to find a way to keep you on their radar.

I use my blog. I use my Linked In profile. I use phone calls. I use email. I use Twitter.

And also think out of the box. Are there other ways to earn a living other than what you have been doing? Obviously we would all prefer to stay in our profession, but sometimes there's an opportunity to cut the cake in a different way. Often, you hear of somebody who has completely changed direction and made a success of it. So constantly review your options and don't be obstinate to sit and wait for your perfect role to come rolling round the corner.

I'm currently doing a part time role which has evolved into more hours than I started with, but still part time and still on an interim basis. There are a few other things bubbling away and one is a little bit of a change of direction but seems like a good potential. Over the next few weeks, I need to speak further with the person who has raised it as an option for me. So watch this space.

As always, please share my blog as widely as possible. To jog your memory, my preferred option is a full time, permanent senior generalist HR role, although I will consider interim roles. I have no specific inkling for a particular business sector; indeed, my career has encompassed both the private and public sector environments. Please review my LinkedIn profile and see what I can bring to your business. Call me on 07722447847 or email me via this link for informal and no commitment discussions on how I can support you and your business. 

Unemployment, self esteem and positivity

It is little comfort to read the somewhat positive news that UK unemployment has fallen by 51000 when you are not in work, or your contract is about to run out, and the future looks bleak with nothing on the horizon.

This week I have been picking up quite a lot of the feeling from my connections in the recruitment world that the job market in my particular specialism is still very difficult and there's not a great future ahead. Indeed, some of them have even said this is the worst quarter for quite a while and although there had been an expectation of green shoots of recovery, nothing had happened.  Now that might seem like bad news but it is not!!!

For me, as a job seeker I fully understand that the market is slow but that is where I have to translate that to my benefit. I still believe that there is a role for me and that being busy with actions, such as the blog and maintaining and growing my connections, will bear fruit. Recruiters remember me when I call and more often than not, they return my calls - Thank you to those of you who do that - rather than the normal refrain I hear from other job seekers that they don't get calls back. Of course, it could all be down to the fact that people want to talk to such a likeable character as me anyway!!!

And I have also seen an increase in people contacting me with discussions about other options for me to consider. Its not protocol to discuss them here but I've got things to consider as alternative avenues.

On the other hand, I've had some disappointed job seekers getting more and more frustrated at how the market is at the moment. They find it difficult to see how things can get better and their self esteem is getting lower. Indeed, it feels like they might never work again despite a long and predominantly successful career to date.

I have a profound belief that my positivity in these difficult times is a bonus. A recruiter likes to hear and feel the infectious wish to work and the positive approach rubs off. I am sure that they can feel negativity and that doesn't help a job seeker. Getting down on yourself does you and your family and friends no good whatsoever.

I like to try to surround myself with good things and good positive people, even at these difficult times. My wife especially is always positive and supportive of me. I try to see the best out of others and what they do for me and others without me even asking. And you can use that spark as well.

One of my positive learning points has come from my contact with a great coach called Steve Nicholls. I'm not here to sell him but all my contacts with him have made me more positive about myself and my targets . You can use him as well. Contact him at http://www.stevenichollscareercoaching.co.uk/ There is free information on the website via the podcasts and blogs but you may wish to invest further. A free career assessment is available as well. 

The stuff I've used there has been really helpful for me and, even if it was reminding me of some things I already knew, it reassured me that I was and am on the right tracks for delivering my role for me.

I should add, and Steve won't mind me saying this, there are other career coaches around as well  so use the one with whom you can get the best rapport. 

From my other connections there have also been many messages of support and offers of help. Thanks.

In summary, its about being positive about your career and its current temporary holding position. It will sort itself out. Don't lose your self esteem. It is not your fault but you can do things about it. Don't wait for the job to come to you -  you need to go after it, but get help wherever you can. People will be only too glad to help.

As always, a reminder for you. My LinkedIn profile gives you details of my career. Please circulate my details as wide as possible. 

I'm a senior HR generalist professional with a demonstrated track record of achievement in operational and strategic roles in both the private and public sectors.  If you have a role, or know somebody who could use that background get in touch via Linked In or call me on my mobile. I'm happy to discuss any business opportunity as long as it is legal.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Job Hunting or watching sport?

For those of you who know me you'll know that I'd probably sit in front of the TV all day and night watching football, golf or darts or actually most sports till the cows come home (including snails competing for Olympic glory in their marathon!!!). But that doesnt help when you're job seeking.

I have reflected previously on how job seeking was pretty much a war - it has to be rigorously planned and timetable yourself into when you will search and when you will contact people and so on. When there are other distractions on such as sport or whatever you would prefer to be doing then there is a solution.

Just amend your timetable and do things differently. It might mean getting up in the morning half an hour earlier or doing something later in the evening or doing something at the weekend. Importantly you do need to do it. Then reward yourself with the time on the settee with a glass of wine or a beer and some crisps. You deserve the reward.

It goes without saying which team I do not want to win, so I won't say it!!! I don't want to upset anybody out there who might have a job, permanent or interim, for me so I will maintain my radio silence on that one and plead the Fifth.

Generally though the recruitment market is still quiet with few roles around and sector specific experience still being asked for by clients. A very frustrating element in the respect that for many years, if not always, we in HR roles prided ourself on being able to transfer from role to role and business to business. My recent marketing blitz seemed to reinforce that. Hey, onwards and upwards and something will come along.

It is really good to hear and see that my blogging is having such a positive impact. I'm constantly getting positive feedback from fellow job seekers but also recruiters who remember me and keep me on their radar. It convinces me that a far reaching job seeking strategy is now needed by somebody when looking for a role. No longer can you rely on one strand of a search. 

At the end of the day, it will come down to right place and right time. I am sure of that.

In the meantime, I'm working well at the current 3 day per week interim role and getting down now to the real nitty gritty elements of the change programme and people will start to see and feel the impact of the proposals. This is not the place to explain them, but for me it's good to be working.

Still though, I'm on the look out for a full time, permanent or interim, generalist Senior HR role. Please review my LinkedIn Profile and if you want to discuss opportunities then contact me via this Blog or via LinkedIN or call me on 07722447847. 

Where does the time go?

Its been three weeks since I started my interim part time role and I've been very remiss in not blogging and keeping myself in your mind. And more importantly, I've taken my eye off the ball in terms of job seeking.

Naughty, Naughty Iain!!!!

When job hunting it is such a relief to get back into the rigmarole of work and getting up in the morning and climbing into the car to go and earn some money. It's certainly a much better feeling than sitting at home, looking at a PC screen searching job boards and waiting for phone calls to be returned.

And yet I have slowed down my job search, and not kept in contact as much as I should with connections. But I know that my current role only has a certain shelf life and I'll be back to the market full time - quicker than you can drink your beer when the British weather is too hot.

So I have to get back to my regime of job seeking and work it around my current part time work commitments. The investment is in me and my family and I cannot not do anything and expect things to drop on to my plate. 

And I'll be more religious about doing as a minimum a twice weekly update for the Blog readers who are displaying withdrawal symptoms. I have had several people ask me when the next edition is coming - they need their fix!!!

Job searching is such a frustrating task so it is all the more rewarding to share experiences with others, both those in the same boat and those who just want to help. I have found LinkedIn to be very valuable. Indeed, my belief in the human spirit has been raised by the way that others have reacted to my predicament. 

Recently, I did a marketing blitz. It worked and revived my spirit and also reminded recruiters of me. A lot more contacts and connections were made and I remain convinced that the full time, permanent role that I want is out there just waiting for me. I know it is - another important thing in job hunting is to remain forever optimistic.

You may remember that my last full time interim role finished rather abruptly when the business went into administration. Its great to report that more and more of those folks are getting back in to work, but also depressing to see that there are still some of those folks struggling in the current job climate. I wish them well. If you have a role that you need filling then maybe they are in my list of connections. Check them out.

As always, I ask you to share this Blog with your connections, make comments and review my LinkedIn profile. And remember if you need a fantastically experienced senior HR professional just get in contact via LinkedIN or my mobile on 07722 447847. Look forward to speaking to you soon and blogging for you soon as well.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

Marketing Blitz Update

There is absolutely no doubt that anybody who is unemployed cannot just sit and wait for a job to be delivered on a plate. It just doesn't work like that.

The reality in the current economic climate is very much a case of get out there and be active and then be even more active and seek out the diamond that is your next job. Otherwise it'll be a long time sitting on the sofa staring at the latest version of Countdown or Deal or No Deal and worrying about how to pay bills and keep afloat.

I have recently been on the job search market (and still remain on the search for a full time role either permanent or interim) and felt that I had to do more to get myself noticed. Over the past few months since I finished a role I have taken the following actions:-

1. Updated my Curriculum Vitae and circulated to multitudes of recruiters AND religiously refreshed the CV so it got to the top of the virtual inbox that recruiters review.
2. Registered on job boards and with recruitment agencies and set up email alerts.
3. Spoke directly to recruiters.
4. Added many contacts on LinkedIn
5. Received leads from friends and connections and always followed up.
6. Attended interviews and assessment centres.
7. Wrote a blog on my trials and tribulations as a job seeker - a cathartic exercise.

All of these were great in their own way and together and is to be highly commended. I am sure that they raised my profile and indeed many people commented on my Blog which has surely been a fantastic reward for me.

And its the context and content of that Blog which had an instrumental impact when I went on a massive LinkedIn self marketing blitz.As well as launching my own business - ABespokeCV - a CV writing and job search and support business - I also individually emailed my recruiter connections and reminded them of my latest updated CV and that I was still around. 

Almost immediately I had email responses, meetings arranged and telephone calls. The response rate was staggeringly high. I was surprised but I was being proactive and  getting results. Recruiters needed reminding of what Iain Williamson brings to the HR profession. No they hadn't forgotten me but needed a reminder.

Then I had an offer for an interim part time role arrive. I've taken it because it will keep me busy and in the professional loop but also give me time to continue the search for a full time role. 

The message is yes - marketing works - but keep it up and FOLLOW IT UP. Don't do it once and let the dust settle. It doesn't take a second for somebody else to overtake you so keep up the pressure and the gruelling hard work of doing all the things in the list above. Success is only a matter of time.

As always, keep sharing and circulating my blog as widely as possible and comment as well. And review and share my LinkedIn profile widely as well. 

You can contact me by email at iain.williamson24@yahoo.co.uk or on my mobile at 07722 447847

Thanks for all your support and help so far. Please continue your efforts.

What to do?

Its been a while now since my last interim role finished rather abruptly when the business went into administration but now slowly but surely these folks are getting back into the job world. Obviously it has been a difficult time for them and even more so when it appears that as yet they have not received their due payments from the Administrators.

But the good news is that they are getting back into work. Congratulations to them and with a good following wind let's hope that it's not too long before the rest get some result.

I was in a slightly different situation from them in that I was not an employee, operating as the Interim HR Manager - their best ever, I'm told - so was not embroiled in any of the fall out regarding payments from the administrator. You may recall that I had some difficulties getting payments from the agency but these were happily resolved, apart from payments being made over a 4 months period. But at least I will get it.

Recruiters are continuing to tell me that the market is not as good as they would like it. Imagine how I feel about matters!!! And now I am at the point of reconsidering and reviewing my options around salary levels. Thereby lies the conundrum.

If I apply for a role that pays at a level lower than I have worked at before how do I convince the recruiter/business that I won't leave the minute that a better offer comes along? And I am sure that recruiters/businesses automatically reject me for roles when they perceive that I have clearly operated at a higher level previously. Indeed, i had one business recently who told me that I would be bored with the job because I'd been involved with so much in roles prior to that. And so I was unsuccessful for that appointment.

Surely the fact that I'm sitting in front of them, surely the fact that I've done a round trip of 150 miles and prepared a 10 minutes presentation is more than enough evidence to confirm that I have considered all the issues and still considered the role as appropriate at this point.?

Of course, I don't particularly want to take a reduced salary level but  believe me that it is more than you get when you are signing on as unemployed!!!

But even so I am still positive that I will find the right role at the right level at the right business when the time is right. All job seekers go through ups and downs and it it important to keep strong and be positive.

MESSAGE for Recruiters and businesses - if you need a fantastic senior HR professional with an operational and strategic background from both private and public sector organisations then please contact me. My LinkedIN profile can be viewed through this link. Go there and contact me. It will do you and me no harm to have a discussion, in confidence about what value I can add.

Coconut Days Job Search

Have you ever thought that opening a coconut is like looking for a job? Bear with me I've not gone mad.

My wife said to me this morning, "Iain, how do I open this hairy monster? What's inside?"

I then had to find a hammer and open it wide for her to see its contents - by the way, for the uninitiated it tastes nothing like the chocolate bar Bounty.

And for me it resonated with my job search and how it is going. I have to keep going, making contacts, applying for roles, attending interviews, etc and at some point it will all come together and Yippee the "coconut" will open and there will be my job.

The coconut describes very well a job search. It's hard on the outside but inside it is full of delight. But then you can take the description even further, in the respect that within the coconut are different strands of the job, some will be of interest and some not so enticing, but nevertheless overall cracking the coconut you meet and achieve your goal.

I hope that very soon I can announce that I have achieved my goal. Fingers crossed.

Its been a while since my last blog because I've been busy trying to get ABespokeCV up and running. A hard task my followers but I will stick with it. If you know anybody who needs support on CV writing, job search support or even managing interviews then point them in our direction at http://www.abespokecv.co.uk/ The more the merrier and we promise excellent customer service.

As always though I'd be happy for you to share my Blog with your connections far and wide and share my LinkedIN profile with many people as well.

I hope you like the Coconut blog and I promise more delights to come.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

New Business - ABespokeCV - Delivering Your Future

Today me and my wife launched our new business - http://www.abespokecv.co.uk  Please look at our website and share it far and wide with friends and family. We are also on Twitter at @ABespokeCV

It is our joint venture and we know that we will provide a fantastic service to our customers. 

I have a long history of working in the Human Resources profession in roles in both the private and public sector and have been writing CVs for over five years now and wanted to develop this opportunity for us.

In my career, I have recruited to all levels of an organisation, up to and including Board Level appointments, and have worked with recruitment agencies, internal recruiters and headhunters and clearly know the important content for CV's.

I have extensive knowledge of how to manage the interview from the side of the interviewee, having knowledge of what is being looked for by the interviewer and want to share that with our clients. 

Our offer is as follows:-

• CV writing
• Job search advice
• Interview preparation
• Outplacement

We will be happy to discuss with you on an individual basis how best we can support you. We know that this is a competitive industry and that you might find cheaper offers around. Our strong message to you is that cheap  is not necessarily equivalent to quality. And remember this is an investment in you!!! Getting a new job and a higher salary and with a better future will repay that investment many times over and over. 

We have a history of providing high quality CVs and support to job seekers and want to share that with you. 

Please feel free to contact us via the website - email sales@abespokecv.co.uk or call on 07722 447847.

This is an exciting time for us as we launch our business but me and Roksolana would like to thank you in advance for your support.

Now I'm a "Twit" or "Twittee"!!!

It's been a few days since my last publication and it seems that quite a few of you are suffering anxiety attacks at not reading my instalments so much so that emails have been flying into my inbox asking for me to come back.

I've not been away. It's just that I've been busy developing a website further for a business that I'm going to launch after the bank holiday and I've also had a couple of interviews for jobs - telephone and face to face - so, entirely reasonably, I've been concentrating on preparing for them. Unfortunately neither was successful although I had some very positive feedback from one of them which indicated that it was a close thing. 

Sometimes feedback like that can feel hollow and just "matter of fact" but I honestly believe that the person giving that feedback was being honest and truthful. Therefore, although I was obviously disappointed it was still a fillip for me to get the positive responses in regard to my performance and presentation of myself at interview.

At this moment, the detail of my business launch is embargoed until next week - so you'll have to wait a wee bit longer. Just wait and you will see.

I've just launched myself on Twitter as well - https://twitter.com/#!/IainWilliamson2  Try it now and please follow me.I've put a link to me at the top right hand side of the blog. I'd also like suggestions or recommendations as to which recruitment job sites and job boards I should follow. 

It's not that I particularly think that I'll be tweeting a lot but I just want to make sure that I will be getting as many vacancies as possible into my inbox. Remember that at the end of the day all of this job seeking exercise is a numbers game.

We are seeing a massive increase in the use of social media in recruitment so it would be remiss of me not to give myself as big an opportunity as possible to find my next employment role. Nobody can argue with that!!!

As always please share this blog with others and share my LinkedIn profile with your connections.

Remember you or your company can engage a highly competent Senior HR professional - strategic and operational and commercially focussed - and experienced in both the private and public sectors.

I would also like to thank my wife, Roksolana for her continuing support to me in my job search. She is great.

Tweet

Sector Experience

Yesterday I had a useful discussion with a recruiter about a role that she is trying to recruit for on behalf of a client and she was apologetic to me that her client was being so specific about the background required for the role. She could see that undoubtedly I have the competences to do the role but having had her remit for the role and also having seen previous candidates being rejected she knew it would be a futile exercise for her to try to place me. And importantly we did not want me to be sitting here waiting for the telephone call to interview when she/I knew that there could only be one outcome.

That approach was refreshing for me to see. Of course, I was disappointed because this would have been a blue chip top notch employer and they would have had a fantastic employee!!!

But what it got me thinking about was how I could brand myself differently so that recruiters and potential employing businesses could see my background met their needs. I can't hide the fact that I have so many years of experience and in so many different business sectors - indeed, I see that as very much a bonus for me in my sales pitch. I have constantly shown that I can fit into different organisations, different sectors and deliver a superbly professional HR service.

So what I am working on at the moment is a "comparison table" for me to circulate to people that will help them to see behind the sector. For example, I can claim to have retail experience. Some of it comes from the early part of my career, but there is more recent experience on my CV as well - and maybe that doesn't shout from the current information. 

What about international experience? What about matrix reporting organisations? Etc etc.

I guess what I'm doing is trying to give people more evidence to allow them to make more positive decisions about my application to work for their business. In the public sector, they'd describe it as a Personal Statement. But for me this will be more than that and will be a real strong branding exercise for me that will tell My Story and show that experience never goes away.

For all job seekers, it is frustrating when you read an advert and think that you're a perfect fit and then hear nothing more. Maybe this is a way to dot the i's and cross the t's. Go a bit further and the pot of gold will be there. Maybe. It can't do any harm.

We often talk about HR being a transferable role and that it should not be a barrier to getting a job in any organisation. I need to take that a bit further and showcase myself so that readers of my CV and any other documentation, on line or not, offer me interviews and jobs. So its a work in progress but something I feel I need to complete asap.

As always thanks for reading. Please share and like and comment as appropriate. My LinkedIn profile is there for you to view and contact me if there's an HR role you would like to discuss with me.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Selfish and Self Obsessed Job Seekers

It is a 24 hour job looking for a job. Hunting down that elusive role takes up all your waking time and as the situation continues maybe even effects your sleeping time as well.

It becomes an all consuming exercise. You wake up. You turn on the pc. You read your emails. You look at job boards. You apply for jobs. You make telephone calls. You rewrite your CV. You read more emails. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Then back to bed for sleep.

Doesn't that sound like a miserable existence? Yes and that is why you have to think about the others around you and recognise that you need to give them time as well. Of course, they are supportive of you and want you to find a role as soon as possible but never forget them and what they do for you.

My wife, Roksolana, supports me in any way she can. It might be as simple as a cup of tea or a bite to eat but it's support. She also tells me to get away from the pc and rest for a bit - that way she gets me refreshed for more of the job search.

She helps me prepare for interviews and helps me to think wider in terms of what I am looking for and doing to achieve it. She acknowledges my skills and competences and reminds me why she married me - you will excuse me if I don't explain everything in this edition of the blog.

It will be our joint reward when I find a role and we will celebrate. AND I WILL THANK HER AGAIN. We'll probably have some fantastic Moldovan wine. She is a superb support to me at all times. 

My message is that although you have to be quite self centric in your job search, don't forget those around you. They need you as much as you need them. Never forget them and always thank them.

Yesterday I was venting my spleen on the lack of candidate feedback in recruitment processes. There were quite a few comments as a result so if you want to read them then please click on the link. More comments always welcome.

In closing, as always here's a link to my LinkedIn profile. Happy to talk about any potential opportunities as soon as possible

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Tarred with the same brush?

The biggest frustration for any job seeker is when a job application is made and no response is received. This applies to whether the original application is made via a recruitment agency or direct to the Company. Ask anybody looking for a job and they will be able to recount to you a story or two or three and more of when this has happened to them.

And I am in that boat as well. This edition of the blog is not a rant about recruiters or Companies but a plea for professionals to be aware of their responsibilities to their customers - the person looking for a job.

I totally understand that when there is a vacancy in the current climate there will be considerable interest shown by applicants. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Well you know what I mean.

But in these times of electronic information exchange it doesn't take an awful lot of work to send off an email to a bunch of people who have not been successful this time around and won't be invited for interview. You never know the people you have selected for the first round of interviews might not come up to the specification and there is a "hidden gem" in those other applicants. 

I've been tracking my responses from businesses and recruiters and, to be fair, recruiters generally have been good to excellent in terms of keeping me up to date with my applications. Indeed, some even phone me to give me personal updates - now that is fantastic customer relations. These recruiters know that at some point Iain will be back in work and will remember how he has been treated and maybe there will be an ongoing relationship - yes you will know it as business development activity.

But on the other hand, many companies don't answer at all. Those that have the online recruitment application processes will automatically generate a receipt of an application but you never hear anything else. I have a specific example of applying for a job, hearing nothing else about it and then seeing it advertised again!!! 

What do I do? Apply again? Assume I've been unsuccessful? Forget about it? 

Guess what - this business to which I refer has just been shortlisted for a Recruitment Award.

Ok maybe this did turn into a wee bit more of a vent of my spleen than I initially intended but there you go. My message is that we still have the vast majority of recruiters and businesses performing well in their recruitment/customer processes but a small minority let them down. So it would be wrong to tar these groups as all the same and no good. They are predominantly excellent or, at least, well on their way to excellence.

As always please feel free to comment, and share with others. And, of course, look at my LinkedIn profile and contact me to discuss any HR roles or opportunities for me to get involved with your business.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Tales of a Diary in Job Seeking

Thanks again for some kind views and comments about my blog. Yesterday I was talking about how during the day when I was "working" my mood ebbed and flowed in line with the weather of torrential rain and then a sunny vista reflecting how I was feeling about my job search.

A reader congratulated me on the contents and asked me to reflect how I managed my day because that would be of interest to others and maybe help them to manage their job search better. And interestingly when I was talking to a recruiter this morning the same type of discussion came up.

I remember many years ago before the time of the internet, there was not the mass options that there is now to support a job seeker in his/her search. It was a case of wait till Friday for the Glasgow Herald and the Evening Times to be published and see what was going. Other than that it was probably The Guardian (or The Gruniad, as it was fondly known because of its propensity to misspell words). Then there was the excitement waiting for the twice monthly published IPD magazine.

Job Hunting was an altogether more genteel and slow art form in those days compared to now. It wasn't exactly pipe and slippers but you get the gist.

Now it is light years away from that and not a moment can be lost. It's a few years ago when I was introduced to the delights of Chris Evans on radio in London and now I have returned to him. It started when I traveled to Burton-upon-Trent and even now, although I don't actually need to get up for the 0630 start, more often than not I'm listening and starting to think about my day.

It's like a military plan that I work to - using my log book and my outlook calendar. I have a form of reminders to contact people and ask what's what and is there anything on the go.

First thing in the morning is a review of the email alerts that have come in overnight. I  try to stop looking at jobs  from about 1800 - otherwise it would be absolutely constant. And this way my reward can be the football or darts on TV or taking my wife to Tesco or Ikea.

I will then review websites just to check for any latest up to the minute, as it were, jobs.

I have a strategy for calling people based on something I learned along time ago about the way British business works. Namely that meetings will normally start on the hour. So if you call somebody at five minutes before the hour you can bet that the person is just going to a meeting and can't talk to you. "I'll call back later".

But if you call at five minutes after the hour or slightly later you will more likely find them at their desk - waiting for the next hour to come so they can go to that meeting. Now they do have the time to speak to you. Try it and you'll see it works.

Of course, I also review my connections on LinkedIn and see who they have connected with. That way I have found more potential suitable connections for me. It's not a competition to have the most connections but to find ways of getting work for Iain Williamson.

My way of relaxing during the day is to take time for breakfast beautifully prepared for me by my wife who is extremely supportive of me at this testing time for both of us. And then there's lunch as well.

She constantly supports me at all times, encouraging me to keep on top of my job hunt and don't stop trying.

My reward for my hard work during the day is to have a nice glass of wine with my wife and relax.

Towards the end of every day when it comes to the time to write the blog, I find it useful to review what has happened during the day. What more could I do? What will I do differently tomorrow? Who hasn't returned my calls? Who do I need to speak to tomorrow? What else do I need to do?

And by writing the blog I hope I'm sharing with you all the frustrations of a job seeker and that eventually things will be resolved. I am constantly sure that tomorrow my job, for me and my family, is round the corner.

As always, thanks for reading this week. Share the blog with others and review my LinkedIn profile. Have a great weekend with your family like I will.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

How the day and job seeking turns

Its been one of those interesting and frustrating days in job search terms and very much like the weather today. Simply at one extreme it has been cold, drizzly and wet and at the other it has been warm sunshine.

I know what you're thinking he's finally gone round the bend, cart him off to the madhouse this instant. Call the doctor.

No. No. Don't rush. let me explain.

This morning I was sitting at the pc and reflecting over the lack of impetus in my job search and thinking how slow things had been. The rain was pelting down on the conservatory roof, the sky was black and my tea had gone cold. 

It felt like that was it for the day. Nothing to look forward to. I'd reviewed my email alerts and nothing doing. I'd scoured websites for what seemed like the millionth time. And worse was to come.

I've recently had to have Windows reinstalled on my PC and now although obviously it was working fine it had meant that Skype was not functioning. I could hear and see the person I was Skyping but he could not hear me.  I had to resort to the old typewriter approach and eventually we actually talked by phone with Skype pictures on!!! Comedy.

And then things brightened up. My wife brought breakfast and for those of you who know me, particularly from  The Webb Group, it was a running joke how much food my wife gives me to eat. It is so much that we have had to have the floor of the house reinforced - no that's a joke!!!

Anyway and then I started to see light on the job front. A flurry of roles appeared that were interesting , a few phone calls arrived and Hey Presto, the sun was shining.

Oh, and I also got Skype fixed as well. Recruiters - Happy to use this to talk to you or any contacts.

And the moral of today? Yes it's undoubtedly difficult in job seeking and it sometimes feels like all is fruitless, but then all change. You can't get down and let it affect you. 

I'm sitting here today with things bubbling along and wanting a job and, importantly, knowing that things can only get better. It reminded me of somebody's comments yesterday which essentially said it was good that I kept my morale high despite my situation. Thanks to that comment I feel again, despite a bad start to the day, that things will sort themselves out. I guess my wish is sooner rather than later.

As always, thanks for reading and continue to comment and share my LinkedIn profile with your connections.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

Etiquette on applications - to talk or not to talk?

One of the most difficult things to manage when you're not in a job and on the daily trudge to work and back home at the end of the day is missing the daily interaction with people. Don't get me wrong, I'd be quite happy to talk to my wife all day.

Sitting in front of a screen on the PC waiting for the emails to update and for LinkedIn to update or trawling through website after website is very boring and quite lonely. Especially when all I want to do is talk to somebody.

To break that monotony what I have taken to doing much more religiously than previously is to contact the recruiter prior to sending in my application. I don't know if it will make any difference to the application process but it feels a much more comfortable way to apply. 

For me, it is all about making the connection with somebody and even if we both acknowledge that there is not a match for a particular role then at least they will know more about me other than what is on my CV or my LinkedIn profile. Perhaps that will lead to a more positive result next time around. It all helps I'm sure.

Speaking to these folks is like my work for the day. Indeed, I spoke to one person on three separate occasions today. It is this interaction which helps to relieve the monotony of the job seeking process and let's me see that these roles actually exist. 

I had some great feedback from my post of yesterday and my visit to the Job Centre. Thanks to everybody for that. Today's was visit was rather more briefer and the person that I worked with confirmed what I already knew - it's been quiet in the  recruitment market over the past two weeks!!! Oh well, there's always two weeks time to look forward to when I am due back. Unless I have a job...........

I've also been getting a lot more offers of support from my LinkedIn connections and from new people who have become connections via their exposure to this blog. Many thanks and gratitude for that but still work to do folks. So as always please share as far and wide as possible this blog and my LinkedIn profile.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

Job Centre Report

An interesting day today, kicked off with a visit to the Job Centre for a review of my ongoing unemployment. It's not the most inspiring place to visit and not one I'd recommend for anybody but for 2.67 million people (or thereabouts) it has become part of their life.

I was kept waiting for about half an hour while the team sorted things because somebody had gone sick and eventually I was dealt with by a member of staff who had not dealt with Job Seekers status updates for a while so was not exactly au fait with that part of the IT system. She was only trying her best.

My overriding feeling sitting there was how many members of staff there were and yet I wasn't seeing them doing a lot. I hope that's not unfair but a fair bit of walking up and down, and from one desk to another was done. And there was me waiting for my appointment which happened 30 minutes after the due time!!!

To be fair to the team, a member of staff did explain why there was a delay. So a thumbs up for that piece of customer focussed thought.

The ritual signing on is normally on a two week basis but because I had been away on holiday, and therefore not available for work if it had arisen, I had to finish one claim and then restart another on my return. What a palaver!!! It doubles the work for everybody!!! 

Guess what? I have to go back tomorrow to sign on. Can anybody tell me why today could not have been sufficient? What is going to change in the 24 intervening hours?

Anyway, it reinforced my resolve to find a role soon. So back to the internet job boards, back to the agencies, back to my connections and back to LinkedIn. 

And fingers crossed something will come across that will rid me of that purgatory that is JobCentre Plus.

Please circulate my LinkedIn details to your connections and to anybody else who needs a seasoned HR professional. As always, happy to talk to anybody.

Thanks for all your support.

Snails Pace.

There's only one way to describe today. Slow. Or was it in reverse? 

Last week I was talking positively about the end of the Easter holidays and the anticipation that the job market would seriously pick up. It's true to say that recruiters are back at their desks but my anticipated upturn has not come to fruition yet. I'm hoping it's just a case that they are getting re-acclimatised and that things will pick up from tomorrow.

It's so easy to get downhearted about a situation like this but I'm being stoic. It's something I've talked about before but it is important to stay upbeat. I'm sure that people can tell when you are down beat and that transmits across the phone when you are talking to them - so you lose the enthusiasm and, by default, some of your personality that will be selling you to a recruiter. 

Yes, I will tell a recruiter I'm fed up. It's understandable bearing in mind that I'm looking for work but the recruiter doesn't want to hear that forever on the call. So I talk about the blog, my Linked In activity, my job search overall, etc, etc. and overwhelm them with my enthusiasm for a job role.

Yet there are still a few things on the go and the right role will come along soon. And I'll keep beavering away with My Job.

It was also interesting to hear today from several of my connections that this daily update is becoming a "must read" for them and importantly keeps me in their mind. So again we see the power of LinkedIn.

As always, please look at my LinkedIn profile and pass it to anybody who is searching for a consummate HR leader. Thanks.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Typical Friday and help for telephone interview needed

It's raining and it's been a frustrating day for my job search. I guess it's the back end of the Easter holidays and so many people are still away from the office that means that progress is slow.

The main thing is that I am still positive about my job search. There's no future in getting down about things because that helps nobody. I'm still sure that my next role is just around the corner. I know that I missed an interview opportunity while I was away on my pre-planned holiday but that's just a reminder that in any job search you have to be instantly available and flexible to attend interview. That situation couldn't be helped - actually I was attending the opera in Moldova - Tosca - when the recruiter tried to contact me to get me to go for interview on Good Friday. 

In yesterdays blog, I told you about Moldavian wine. I forgot to tell you how fantastic the ballet and opera is. The ballet performers are trained by The Bolshoi in Moscow and exceptionally talented. And all at a stupendous price equivalent to approximately £4.80 at today's rates. I know you won't believe that but it is true.

Everybody will have a story like that to tell during their job search I am sure but for me it was good to get away from the stress of the job seeking activity. Now I'm refreshed and ready to go and get the job done soon. I'm looking again at refreshing my CV on the job boards and considering its contents.

Today I had a telephone interview for an interim role and hope to find out if I'm through to the next stage by the end of next week. It was a difficult experience because I haven't done many of them. 

My view was that I should prepare for that encounter as if it was a full interview. I prepared my "potential answers" and my questions. In addition, I got my information about the business and the role and tried to envisage myself working for them.

Does anybody have any tips on how to manage or prepare for this type of interview? I know it is becoming more prevalent because I spoke to one of my connections on Linked in who has had a couple of them now.

What is important to do? When it's a face to face encounter at least you can see and feel reactions from the interviewer at the time. On a telephone you get none of those aids.

Can anybody point me in the right direction for that? 

I'm going to have a restful weekend of golf, grass cutting and hopefully a successful result arises in the Cup Semi Final. I won't tempt fate like the last time!!!!

To all My Readers, have a great weekend and don't forget to pass my LinkedIn details to any of your connections who my be looking to recruit a Senior HR professional. I'm happy to talk to all and sundry. Thank you.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012

Easter or Not Easter

When is Easter not Easter? No it's not a trick question. 

While you were enjoying the additional days off here that come either side of Easter, I was on holiday in Moldova with my wife and Easter didn't happen. What? I hear you say. Well Moldova is a former Russian Republic so has predominantly a Russian Orthodox religious background - and the Russian Easter is this coming weekend. 

So either I have had no Easter or have I had two?

The other things I learned were that when England supporters go there for World Cup qualifying later this year, they will be surprised at how friendly the people are and the choice of food is good. I can recommend hotels and accommodation for anybody that wants to know. Remember though that I support Scotland!!! Honestly if anybody is going, we'd be happy to give them some advice.

But, and this is very very important. Moldova is a fantastic producer of wine. The climate is very supportive of that industry and is their greatest export activity. You'll find it difficult to get some in the UK though. Maybe me and Roksolana  should set up as an importer. If President Putin loves it, then I am sure you would. Honestly it was very very good.

Nonetheless, It was great to get away from the daily toll of job search for a short while. Admittedly I still did some work on it but not the daily grind like when at home. Now that I'm back, I'm refreshed and back at the coal face. Phone calls, emails, job searches and applications were all part of today. 

There are still a few people not available because of holidays but my search goes on. I've updated my Linked in profile and asked for connections to share it. So for my part I'm doing a lot. But I need to double and redouble my efforts if I'm to be successful. A few things are still on the go, but nothing is finished till the work is done.

Please feel free to contact me for any discussion on any role. Always happy to talk.

Twitter and Easter wishes

Been a busy day today with the phone red hot with quite a few leads coming to the fore. I hope that this is the start of the flood of opportunities coming my way and I start to see the fruits of my labour. Fingers crossed folks for this start of Easter week. 

My blog of yesterday when I was talking about LinkedIn and its part in job search. There is no doubt in my end that it's a tool that job seekers cannot omit. Just make sure that you get your footprint as farflung as possible. 

I had some interesting feedback from it. A couple of my connections have recently been successfully appointed as a result of LinkedIn - indeed, one of them was from The Webb Group acting on a link to an advert that I had given him. So folks, it works. Yippee.

A recruiter also recounted to me the story of how he sourced an appointment via one of his connections whose wife had recently been made redundant. He was able to place her. Fantastic news again. 

I forgave him for placing her because it wasn't a role that I would have wanted anyway!!! (G - sorry couldn't not mention it and rib you a wee bit.)

Then it got me thinking about Twitter. I have never used it but as you will all know with LinkedIn updates you also see from time to time Twitter updates. So the question I have is whether Twitter is a contender for recruitment opportunities. One of my connections tells me that once you get past the inane bits that are vacancies advertised by recruiters.

Can anybody tell me if these are just repeats of vacancies or are they exclusives? I need to know before I get into this aspect of social media. In job search terms, every avenue must be explored. PLEASE FEEDBACK YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.

I'm taking a few days away from Blog writing so want to wish you all Happy Easter and for all job seekers everywhere good luck with the job hunting. I hope you'll miss me - where we're going has snow on the ground and will be there for a while yet and is very very cold. (PS Not Scotland.)

If you want photos of where I've gone/been, then comment here.

(C) Iain Williamson 2012

Is LinkedIn useful or just a distraction?

I remember the days of a long time ago when I was fresh out of University and looking for employment. In those dim and distant times, it was about scouring the local and national newspapers and professional magazines to find a role - and sending a handwritten letter and a handwritten Curriculum Vitae. These were the days before the arrival of the internet and email and even then we complained about the cost of stamps.

Now it is rare that anybody would send a letter or a handwritten CV. We're now in the era of instant job adverts and instant applications. The internet has made it very easy to apply for roles from your office while at home on a twenty four hour basis. There are myriads of job boards and recruitment agencies all have an online presence.

So now a job seeker has absolutely no reason for not finding roles. The task is to find those that fit and hope that you are the best candidate at the end of whatever the recruitment process might be.

I have noticed that LinkedIn, the social network for business, is becoming much more of a recruitment board as well as a method of connecting with like minded folks who want to be a connection. And with this element of growth, what is happening is that many businesses will do a search on LinkedIn and they might actually know about you before you even apply.

The important message here is that an online presence is just as critical as your Curriculum Vitae. The two will work in tandem to get you where you want to be. So keep your profile up to date, correct and accurate. If you can then get recommendations from people who you have worked with. These are important because they show the effect you have had in that business. Make sure that you have also added achievements for your role - it is exactly the same as in your CV - achievements shout loudly on a CV rather than just a list of your responsibilities.

So for a job seeker, as a minimum you need a current CV and an online presence. There are other business networks but LinkedIn is the most prevalent and with 150 million members worldwide (as of February 2012) in a job search it cannot be omitted.

Nowadays, I can get my CV to many recruiters instantly and they can see my competences and achievements in seconds and start to think about where could I see Iain working. A powerful tool, I think you will agree. If you want to see my profile then click here now and you will be taken to it. Please feel free to share it with your connections as well. I'm not shy - as long as you do it for legal reasons!!!

But it can be a distraction when you are job searching. It is important to get a wide representation because you never know where the next role will come from but not all roles are advertised there and it can become a competition to see how many people you are connected to. Having a large number of people as connections is not a sure fire way to getting a job - but it helps. 

Don't forget to keep ears and eyes open for the other outlets of roles, always remembering that not all roles are advertised.

Incidentally, today my connection list passed the 500 mark. I'm not particularly in a mood to celebrate that event but I'm sure it will help at some point.

Anyway today I've been on the phone again because the online presence will never replace the fantastic effect of interaction with a real person. Messages from today are a repeat of what I've been saying over past few weeks - get Easter and financial year end out of the way and we will possibly see more roles come on line.

And I will keep my work on LinkedIn going as well as the light relief of my new life as a "journalist" with this blog.

(c) Iain Williamson 2012