Job Search - 2020
February 2, 2020 11:03 AM Subscribe
I lost my job in a company reorg this week. Been working there for 28 years, so my job search skills are a little rusty. I'm looking for advice on getting another job.
A couple bits:
- worked in the Tech Department of a large non-tech company (manufacturing)
- held various leadership roles (e.g. director level)
- company has provided access to job search support (Right Management Manpower Group)
- severance provides significant amount of time to search
- have not spent much time on LinkedIn/resume over the years, so starting working on basics
- located in Boston/north shore
What are resources you've used successfully to develop a search strategy, help develop your 'brand', position yourself, and find another job? What have you learned looking for a job? What did NOT work for you in your search?
Thanks!
A couple bits:
- worked in the Tech Department of a large non-tech company (manufacturing)
- held various leadership roles (e.g. director level)
- company has provided access to job search support (Right Management Manpower Group)
- severance provides significant amount of time to search
- have not spent much time on LinkedIn/resume over the years, so starting working on basics
- located in Boston/north shore
What are resources you've used successfully to develop a search strategy, help develop your 'brand', position yourself, and find another job? What have you learned looking for a job? What did NOT work for you in your search?
Thanks!
Late 40s/50s senior job search dos and don'ts:
* Treat the severance as if it doesn't exist. Your job search is a new full-time job you just started. Don't make severance an excuse for a lengthy break but ALSO if your search takes a while you shouldn't feel that "running out of severance" marks some kind of inflection point that should lead you to be desperate.
* Really appreciate where the market is for compensation, benefits, vacation, etc. for your title and skill set. This isn't just a downside thing - you may be amazed how much people make particularly if you've been in a 2-3% annual raise mode for a long time.
* Be open to regular travel and even relocation. Even if they aren't what you really want, openness and even preference for travel and relocation are part of the mindset that people want in senior hires. But also be prepared to take on a lot of travel -- for a lot of senior roles, employers just don't have the luxury to let you stay in your office every day.
* Be observant and get some help on contemporary style and trends. That's a 360 degree exercise across all domains. What's hot and not in your industry and how do people talk about it? Hair and wardrobe. Tone and substance of your resume and LinkedIn page. Etc.
* Don't get suckered by contemporary friendly recruiting / HR gab. The old rules that you don't ask about salary, vacation, benefits, flex time and work from home before you have an offer in hand very much still apply.
* There are some new rules that do apply. Be prepared to be asked about your values and track record on diversity, including (as you were a director) your success in recruiting, mentoring, retaining and advancing diverse employees.
* Another new rule is that many employers can't or won't ask you about your compensation history. Be prepared for weird questions about your reviews and promotions that are trying to make up for their inability to ask about your salary and bonus, and try to have answers that aren't dollars and cents, because they might not even be able to write that down. ("I had what I believe to be market rate base salary for my title and roles, and most of the past few years received bonuses at the top of my eligible range" is the kind of answer people would like to here.)
posted by MattD at 12:03 PM on February 2, 2020 [15 favorites]
* Treat the severance as if it doesn't exist. Your job search is a new full-time job you just started. Don't make severance an excuse for a lengthy break but ALSO if your search takes a while you shouldn't feel that "running out of severance" marks some kind of inflection point that should lead you to be desperate.
* Really appreciate where the market is for compensation, benefits, vacation, etc. for your title and skill set. This isn't just a downside thing - you may be amazed how much people make particularly if you've been in a 2-3% annual raise mode for a long time.
* Be open to regular travel and even relocation. Even if they aren't what you really want, openness and even preference for travel and relocation are part of the mindset that people want in senior hires. But also be prepared to take on a lot of travel -- for a lot of senior roles, employers just don't have the luxury to let you stay in your office every day.
* Be observant and get some help on contemporary style and trends. That's a 360 degree exercise across all domains. What's hot and not in your industry and how do people talk about it? Hair and wardrobe. Tone and substance of your resume and LinkedIn page. Etc.
* Don't get suckered by contemporary friendly recruiting / HR gab. The old rules that you don't ask about salary, vacation, benefits, flex time and work from home before you have an offer in hand very much still apply.
* There are some new rules that do apply. Be prepared to be asked about your values and track record on diversity, including (as you were a director) your success in recruiting, mentoring, retaining and advancing diverse employees.
* Another new rule is that many employers can't or won't ask you about your compensation history. Be prepared for weird questions about your reviews and promotions that are trying to make up for their inability to ask about your salary and bonus, and try to have answers that aren't dollars and cents, because they might not even be able to write that down. ("I had what I believe to be market rate base salary for my title and roles, and most of the past few years received bonuses at the top of my eligible range" is the kind of answer people would like to here.)
posted by MattD at 12:03 PM on February 2, 2020 [15 favorites]
Ask A Manager has lots of info and resources on job hunting. You can also search her extensive archives for answers to specific questions.
(I went through this almost two years ago after 18 years with my old company. It’s rough—but you WILL make it through this!)
posted by bookmammal at 12:29 PM on February 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
(I went through this almost two years ago after 18 years with my old company. It’s rough—but you WILL make it through this!)
posted by bookmammal at 12:29 PM on February 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
I recently found another job, and I am in my late 50s.
A few pieces of advice I didn't see upthread:
- LinkedIn referrals and endorsements are a thing people look at. I figured it was kind of bogus, but this is a way recruiters search for you.
- Also, on LinkedIn, there is a switch to say you want to be contacted by recruiters. Flip the switch -- that's how I got my new job.
- Finally, on the advice of a recruiter, I signed up for a resume building service. I got 35+ years of experience down to 1 page, and my resume looked a lot cleaner and more modern. The site I used was: https://enhancv.com/.
Best wishes to you!
posted by elmay at 2:17 PM on February 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
A few pieces of advice I didn't see upthread:
- LinkedIn referrals and endorsements are a thing people look at. I figured it was kind of bogus, but this is a way recruiters search for you.
- Also, on LinkedIn, there is a switch to say you want to be contacted by recruiters. Flip the switch -- that's how I got my new job.
- Finally, on the advice of a recruiter, I signed up for a resume building service. I got 35+ years of experience down to 1 page, and my resume looked a lot cleaner and more modern. The site I used was: https://enhancv.com/.
Best wishes to you!
posted by elmay at 2:17 PM on February 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
I just went through this. I'm 48, was terrified, and actually ended up getting offered the first job I applied for. I put together the strongest possible CV, in three versions tailored for three different role types. I bought new clothes, got a haircut, and covered the fuck out of my modest grays (I am a woman, this matters much less for male-presenting people.) I updated my makeup and have taken up nails as a fun hobby.
I put time into updating my LinkedIn and joined the Pro version, which I suggest; there's a switch to let recruiters know you're in the market. You will need to build your connections on LI, but do it -- put the time in. I did not tell anyone I was looking for a job and did not reach out to my network, but I had a specific reason for that and you should; it's probably the best way to find a job.
At Director level, a recruiter is not the worst idea ever. I don't know anything about that market in Boston, though, sorry.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:24 PM on February 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
I put time into updating my LinkedIn and joined the Pro version, which I suggest; there's a switch to let recruiters know you're in the market. You will need to build your connections on LI, but do it -- put the time in. I did not tell anyone I was looking for a job and did not reach out to my network, but I had a specific reason for that and you should; it's probably the best way to find a job.
At Director level, a recruiter is not the worst idea ever. I don't know anything about that market in Boston, though, sorry.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:24 PM on February 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Nthing LinkedIn, but don't spring for the Pro version. It's not worth it. But definitely do the following:
- Update your profile and put in a very complete history of everything and anything you've done with the company. Make it readable, but get as many buzzwords in there especially if you were in manufacturing. Think about what technologies and skills a company would want to see if they were hiring you. Jam the "Skills" section with buzzwords too.
- If you've finished tangible products, try to put pictures into the work area or even youtube videos if they exist.
- Add a headshot - it simply makes the profile look more complete. Make your profile fully public. Privacy advocates will frown at this but you need as many eyeballs on your profile as possible. You can go back to private when you're working again.
- Once that's all sewn up and looking polished, turn on the "I'm Looking" switch.
I recently went through a layoff and it's a grind. Keep a spreadsheet and track every contact you make with a company and/or recruiter. Mark the dates and who you talked you. Helps with keeping your mind in the game and it's also good when unemployment want to see how your job search is going. Scrub that spreadsheet when you get up in the morning and then do it again in the evening to see if you need to do any followup. Make it a habit.
You're also going to discover that 50% of the companies out there completely suck at recruiting and keeping you in the loop. Don't be afraid to poke at them when you sense the lead is going cold. 99% of the time it's not because they don't like you, they're just swamped or distracted with other tasks. You will also get contacted by these people after you've landed a job. Watch and see. Those are fun phone calls.
It's a decent market out there right now. It could be worse. Go get 'em and best of luck to you.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:26 PM on February 2, 2020
- Update your profile and put in a very complete history of everything and anything you've done with the company. Make it readable, but get as many buzzwords in there especially if you were in manufacturing. Think about what technologies and skills a company would want to see if they were hiring you. Jam the "Skills" section with buzzwords too.
- If you've finished tangible products, try to put pictures into the work area or even youtube videos if they exist.
- Add a headshot - it simply makes the profile look more complete. Make your profile fully public. Privacy advocates will frown at this but you need as many eyeballs on your profile as possible. You can go back to private when you're working again.
- Once that's all sewn up and looking polished, turn on the "I'm Looking" switch.
I recently went through a layoff and it's a grind. Keep a spreadsheet and track every contact you make with a company and/or recruiter. Mark the dates and who you talked you. Helps with keeping your mind in the game and it's also good when unemployment want to see how your job search is going. Scrub that spreadsheet when you get up in the morning and then do it again in the evening to see if you need to do any followup. Make it a habit.
You're also going to discover that 50% of the companies out there completely suck at recruiting and keeping you in the loop. Don't be afraid to poke at them when you sense the lead is going cold. 99% of the time it's not because they don't like you, they're just swamped or distracted with other tasks. You will also get contacted by these people after you've landed a job. Watch and see. Those are fun phone calls.
It's a decent market out there right now. It could be worse. Go get 'em and best of luck to you.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:26 PM on February 2, 2020
After I was laid off, I was put in touch with some outplacement help. One thing they said is that the first person to read your resume will probably be a computer. Don't go overboard, but tailor your resume and cover letter to match terms in the job description. Use the exact format they use. If they are looking for someone with "HR" experience, don't write "Human Resources."
Another thing would be to put all the experience you have, regardless of how long ago. Years ago I used an old software language. My current job is in the same sort of situation where there are still some long running systems which need to be updated. If I hadn't included it, I might not have been hired.
Good luck!
posted by cali59 at 6:54 PM on February 2, 2020
Another thing would be to put all the experience you have, regardless of how long ago. Years ago I used an old software language. My current job is in the same sort of situation where there are still some long running systems which need to be updated. If I hadn't included it, I might not have been hired.
Good luck!
posted by cali59 at 6:54 PM on February 2, 2020
Seconding Miko's comment, and adding that my company used Right Management too. There are a lot of great tools on their site. Use the person they assign you to your full advantage.
Sorry you're going through this. In my case, it turned out to be just what I needed. Hope it goes that way for you, too.
posted by spandex at 1:04 AM on February 3, 2020
Sorry you're going through this. In my case, it turned out to be just what I needed. Hope it goes that way for you, too.
posted by spandex at 1:04 AM on February 3, 2020
Don't limit yourself to LinkedIn.
I was looking for a job in January, and LinkedIn got me a couple of contacts, but when I posted my CV to Monster I got about 25 phone calls in 3 days. (This in France, in BI. YMMV.)
posted by snakeling at 12:55 PM on February 3, 2020
I was looking for a job in January, and LinkedIn got me a couple of contacts, but when I posted my CV to Monster I got about 25 phone calls in 3 days. (This in France, in BI. YMMV.)
posted by snakeling at 12:55 PM on February 3, 2020
I agree with all people say about LinkedIn. Don't ignore the social feature, either. You can post links and videos and such - post something every week or two - use it to showcase things you're interested in and demonstrate engagement in your field.
posted by Miko at 1:40 PM on February 3, 2020
posted by Miko at 1:40 PM on February 3, 2020
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One of the most critical things I did after a job loss was carefully compose an email sharing that I was looking for a new opportunity, specifying what I was looking for, and asking for any thoughts, leads, or mentions people might offer. I sent it to literally everyone I know. This was super helpful in a lot of ways - it dramatically multiplied the eyes and ears out there thinking about me when an opportunity came up; it renewed a lot of relationships as people wrote back and checked in; it gave me the opportunity for reciprocity later down the line; and it helped me get clarity about what I was looking for. And not least, it generated actual leads. Highly recommend .
posted by Miko at 11:21 AM on February 2, 2020 [11 favorites]