Archive for March, 2009

“So what have you been doing with yourself since getting canned?”  Whether asked in an interview or built into a resume screen, the question can be damning.

Your resume takes on the monumental task of summarizing your professional self and selling strangers on your fit for their job opening.  Many firms use a two-stage process to screen resumes.  The first screen will usually be based on facts or keywords. These screens are quasi-mechanical and typically very fact driven.

For the human screen, the narrative that your resume tells can be important.  Gaps in your work record break the continuity of your narrative.  In tough times, however, gaps aren’t necessarily a deal breaker.

One interviewer even pointed out the lighter side — that an employment gap can highlight a purposeful, selective job search.  In a climate like this, it’s hard for employers to differentiate a genuine interest from an I’ll-take-anything attitude.

I spoke to some professional career counselors and resume analysts for advice on how to structure a resume in a way that explains these gaps.  Here are three nuggets of wisdom

1) Segment your work history

In our poll, 23 percent of voters said they intend to work odd jobs to pay the bills during unemployment.  For those of you who have taken on unpaid, part-time, or short-term contracts since becoming unemployed, it may make sense to list these positions under a “short-term positions” section.  Even if these positions are less than glamorous, it shows how you have spent your time since getting canned while drawing a contrast between your career and your temporary work.

2) Draw attention to volunteer work or independent projects

It’s hard to get canned from volunteer work.  In our current poll, over 10 percent of respondents indicated that they intend to do some charity work while they look for their next employment opportunity.  Volunteer work is a great answer to the “what have you been doing with yourself?” question.  Most people relegate this information to the bottom of the resume.  When your work history reveals an employment gap, you should consider moving it closer to the top.

3) State your objective, clearly

Lots of people add an “objective” line to the top of their resume. Objectives usually read something like this: “A senior-level position at a talent management company.”  Where you have been unemployed for some time, this is a chance to passively emphasize how selective you have been. Think: “A chance to leverage my experience in talent management at a small- or mid-sized agency that is positioned for growth in the theater industry.”

I created a section on my resume called “Volunteering, Hobbies, and Fixations” to draw attention away from a five-month employment gap. In almost every interview I had, it drew commentary.

MSNBC’s Tamron Hall interviewed co-founder Mike Trapanese this past Monday, March 16th. They liked him so much that they asked him to come back soon! We’ll update you with the date and time as soon as we have them.

You can view Monday’s interview by clicking here.

A successful friend — my career advice maven — offers the following advice for recession job hunters: don’t worry about the salary. In good ‘ole 2006, when job hunting was like fishing with dynamite, salary (and therefore opportunity cost) was more important. Today, a job hunt requires less explosives and far more tactical skills.

Few candidates have leverage these days when it comes to comp. negotiations. This doesn’t mean you should accept a pittance; it just means that there are more important things to focus on. For times like these, he recommends that people look two to three years down the road and make career moves that put them in good shape for an economic upturn.

A good job during a recession showcases one of the following characteristics:

1. The ability to develop skills and connections that help you get your dream job when the economy recovers
2. The opportunity to benefit financially (and directly) from a surging economy

These suggestions are straightforward, but the implications are far-reaching. Thinking about these two maxims, the following four strategies emerge as attractive options:

1. Work for the government
2. Start your own company
3. Get involved with a non-governmental organization (NGO)
4. Start freelancing

Each week we will publish an article on one of these four strategies. To keep it relevent, each article will be guest-authored by someone who has been successful with one of these strategies. Stay tuned!

Chris Merritt-Lish, co-founder of TheCanned.com, was featured on Fox News yesterday discussing how the Web site can benefit the unemployed.

Click here to watch the interview.

We’d like to apologies to anyone who tried to access the site between 11:50AM and 12:10PM this afternoon. Both MSNBC & Fox News aired a segment on TheCanned.com and our Web server was swamped with traffic, causing some temporary downtime. We’re now back up and running and will continue to bring you the lighter side of unemployment. If you’d like to contact us, feel free to send an e-mail to contact@thecanned.com.

TheCanned.com was featured in the NY Daily News article, Unemployment site TheCanned.com is brainchild of laid off workers, in Sunday, March 15th’s paper. Journalist Carrie Melago wrote a spectacular article describing what TheCanned is all about — The Lighter Side of Unemployment.

Check out the article here!

D. E. Shaw is a large hedge fund that thinks very highly of itself. Like all hedge funds, it looks to attract the very top talent available. Unlike most, however, D. E. Shaw is interested in candidates from all backgrounds.

This firm is huge. $30+ billion managed globally across many different investment approaches. The common thread in its products is that it looks for areas where technology innovation can build a competitive edge. D. E. Shaw looks to bring in talented people from all walks of life to create a culture of innovation (or so goes the company line). Its Associate program is one way to get a foot in the door.

Associates rotate to a different role every four months. Each rotation will focus on a different aspect of the business, from HR to investing. Of the many perks that come with the position are free lunch, casual dress, and a very competitive salary.

How to apply

Fill out a short online form on the D. E. Shaw Web site here. If you pass an initial screen, a representative from Strategic Growth (a.k.a HR) send you a full application. The application is short, but looks for test scores, awards, and achievements. You have a better chance of getting an interview if you’re a Rhodes scholar or competitive chess player than if you went to Harvard and worked at Bain & Co.

Headhunter. Staffing agent. Recruiter.  Or my personal favorite: poacher.

For those of you looking for a service job, you’ve probably encountered a headhunter or two during your job search. There are literally thousands of them in this country. Increasingly, they act as gatekeepers between job seekers and the best opportunities out there. I’ve worked or spoken with about 20 different staffing firms. In the end, I got my new job thanks to one (props to Joanna).

Working with headhunters is tricky, though.

First off, headhunters are paid by the employer. Their commission is typically a percentage of a candidate’s first year salary. This creates an incentive for them to place you, but do not be mistaken: they do not always have your best interest at heart. Once you’re interviewing with a firm, it is common for unscrupulous headhunters to lie their faces off to sell you on taking the job. There are exceptions (again, props to Joanna), but this seems to be the norm.

A good headhunter will make you feel like he or she is working for you. Keep in mind that despite the title of “staffing solutions professional” or “human resources consultant,” headhunters are essentially salespeople. Likewise, it is always your job to sell yourself to them as you would in an interview. The more likely they think you are to get hired, the better an effort they will put forth.

Lastly, it is always in your best interest to work with multiple headhunters. You don’t need to tell them, but the more lines you have in the water, the more likely you are to catch a jobfish.