KQED called me up to be the San Francisco Bay Area career hero on the California Report with Scott Shafer. Scott let me use his own career as an example for how to find a strength in seemingly irrelevant work experience. We also discussed taking a different approach to networking, and some things that employers look for in job candidates.

Check out the podcast; they even included the original take which has plenty more advice for people looking to beat this tough job market.

Comments welcome. Also, let me know what you’re looking to hear more about. In other words, what should Scott and I have been talking about?

These groups are rebelling against the traditional mode of getting guest speakers and spewing off elevator speeches to one another over Triscuits and coffee. Instead, they’re looking to collaborate as entrepreneurs and visionaries to come up with the next best thing. As reported by CBS, these “unconferences” are completely spontaneous and require no prep before hand. Just show up at a nightclub, have a rum and coke and share your ideas.

It’s not about networking to find the right employer; it’s about mind-melding to create the next life-changing startup.

Try it out. It’s your chance to make history with a total stranger.

Stay on the BrightSide.

Don’t lead with your job title.
Good public speakers never lead with their name or credentials. Similarly a savvy job-seeker should never lead with her job title. Instead say what you do in layperson’s terms. For example, a Technical Project Manager would say “I coordinate human resources software implementations”. A Marketing Executive might say “I make people want to learn more about pharmaceutical products.” Much more interesting (and unexpected).

Talk benefits not responsibilities.
Tell your listeners how you’ve benefited your supervisors and colleagues. Start with the results of your efforts, then if time permits talk about how you got there. This is an age old marketing trick that works every time, especially in person. Plus, you’ll find that in discussing your impact, you light up much more than if you were merely describing your day-to-day job responsibilities (yawn).

Shut up and listen.
You’re not the only one looking to self-promote. The best way to build an ally in your own pursuits is to make sure they feel listened to. Instead of merely waiting for your turn to speak, help the other person go deeper into what they wish to talk about. They’ll remember you better and will truly want to assist you in achieving your own goals.

Start a discussion forum.
At most networking functions, everyone’s intimidated and quick to feel alienated in a room of strangers. Instead of sticking with a 1-on-1 format, bring in a third party to your discussion by asking their opinion on a subject, recalling the conversation you had earlier, or simply making an introduction for you and your new friend. 3 is a magic number. No one feels scrutinized and each party gets to talk as much or little as they want. And, most important, you get credit for making it happen.

Stay on the BrightSide

The closest you can come to giving someone a job, is giving them someone that can give them a job. We all have great people in our personal and professional network and, while they’re not for sale, they could certainly serve as an invaluable gift to an unemployed family member or friend.

Instead of taking an afternoon to browse the mall, take a minute to browse your mind for people you know that are in a position to help the people you love and care for. Remember, this goes beyond thinking of hiring managers and HR people. Consider any of the following open-minded people as job-search resources:

• People who hold (or have held) the target job function (e.g. Marketing Manager, Financial Analyst)
• People with knowledge of, or experience in, the target industry (e.g. Healthcare, IT, Alternative Energy)
• People who have serviced organizations in the target industry such as vendors, resellers, business partners, consultants, subcontractors, and clients/customers.
• People in Academia who have taught or done research related to the target job function or industry
• People you trust who would enjoy making a new connection.

If you’ve ever been unemployed for any length of time, you may remember how overwhelmed and isolated you felt, watching the rest of the world go on with their working lives while you ponder existential, emotional, and financial dilemmas. You may also remember how great it was to meet someone who could inform your job search, even for just a few minutes. It’s these serendipitous connections, these accidental yet meaningful encounters that inspire us to keep searching.

So until you can go to a wholesale grocery store like Costco and buy your friend a promotion with full benefits alongside your gallon of milk and lift ticket to Tahoe, consider giving the gift of connection. It’s cheap, easy to ship, and could turn into a treasured keepsake.

Stay on the BrightSide.

“This resume doesn’t say anything about me.”
“They left out the most important part.”
“They just didn’t get me.”

The common thread? Each of these three people paid $150 or less for their resume. They went the inexpensive route, a seemingly smart maneuver when money’s tight. But now, they have a resume that isn’t serving their needs, and they’re out 150 bucks.

Anyone of sane mind, wants to save money when they’re out of work or under the ominous shadow of looming unemployment. It’s hard to justify shelling out $400-$1,000 on a resume when there’s no revenue coming in. Ironically, it’s those who attempt to save money up front who end up spending more in the long-run.

Allow me to explain:

1. If you’re used to making $50,000/year and you’re out of work, you’re losing $1,000/week. The average job-search takes 3-6 months which puts you $3,000 in the hole at the minimum. With an optimized resume written by a quality professional, you’ll expedite your job search, lessening your time out of work and halting the negative cash flow.
2. If you opt for a cheap resume writer at $95-$150, chances are you’ll get a cheap resume and wind up spending either more of your time rewriting it OR more of your money paying another professional to rewrite it for you. In the end, you spend more and waste more time–the two activities unemployed job seekers loathe most.
3. When you do land a job, a professionally written resume will help you negotiate a higher salary, earning you thousands more dollars in the long-run–more than paying for your initial investment.

So take the wiser (and predictably less expensive) route: Opt for a seasoned, quality resume writer with the credentials, years’ experience, and personal touch to make you look good on paper. You’ll be glad you did.

Stay on the BrightSide.

I can think of at least 3 things your LinkedIn website offers that a resume does not:

1. Who you know. At even a glance, hiring managers can see how engaged you are in the community, what type of people you commiserate with, and what industries your circles touch. Remember, your next employer is hoping to benefit from not just you, but your professional network as well.
2. Who knows you (and likes you). Recommendations on LinkedIn are invaluable because they are unable to be edited by the flatteree. Also, recommendations often touch on soft skills rather than specific accomplishments. As a resume writer, I often look at my clients’ recommendations to get a feel for their personality. Even over inflated recs start from truth.
3. Questions & Answers. One way to show further expertise, as many of us have done on this thread, is by asking and answering questions. An intelligent and insightful comment goes a long way. Why do you think so many people respond to these things?

For those hiring managers that are unaware of what LinkedIn is, they’ll most likely be intrigued or intimidated, but not disgusted. Is a little ol’ link really going to turn someone off completely?

Nonetheless, your LinkedIn website should only seek to complement your resume. Never leave something off the resume with a link saying “click here for more info….”

I suggest including your LinkedIn web link at the bottom of the resume (instead of in the header). It can be used as a sort of new-wave “References available upon requests.” Use the entire last line of a resume to be specific about what the reader will find at the other end of the link. Say something like “Professional recommendations, industry-specific advice, and extended list of affiliations available at ….” This way, the reader knows whether it’s worth their time to take a peek.

And this question is really all about respecting the readers’ time isn’t it?

Stay on the BrightSide

1. Generally speaking, your references should include at least one supervisor, a peer, and (if appropriate) a direct report, client, or contact from a partnering organization. Never supply a prospective employer with less than three references.

2. References should attest to—and be able to elaborate upon—the skills you’ve claimed in your interviews. In particular, be sure to supply references who can discuss your reliability, intelligence, adaptability, conscientiousness, productivity, resourcefulness, and ability to handle responsibility.
If you’ve claimed to have a rare and valuable skill, such as mental telepathy or the ability to translate Japanese into Afrikaans, provide at least one reference who can confirm that you do indeed possess this skill.

3. It’s important that the references you supply have worked directly with you and that they know the details of your job duties. You might be surprised to learn how many of your co-workers are unaware of what it is that you do all day!

4. Keep it local. Whenever possible, use references who live and work in close proximity to your prospective employer.

5. It’s critical that you tell your references in advance that you’re looking for work and would like them to supply a reference for you. Tell them what tasks you anticipate the new job will involve, and indicate which of your skills you expect to be relevant.

Do this in a face-to-face conversation or, if that’s not possible, over the phone. Please, for your own sake, do not do this by email unless you’re absolutely certain you can count on this person saying only positive things about you relative to the responsibilities you’ll have in this new position.

Why? Because you’ll miss the opportunity to witness their reaction to your request for help. If you sense any discomfort or hesitation on their part about giving you a reference, we strongly advise that you DO NOT use them. Our experience is that such people’s anxiety is conveyed in their voices and body language, and hiring managers (telepathic beings that they are) pick up on it, probe deeper, and invariably discover unflattering truths.

6. Verify all of the information your references provide for you. Make sure the phone numbers are current, and that their outgoing messages are clear, professional, and distinguishable. Ideally, you’ll want direct phone numbers for each reference. However, if they can only be contacted through a switchboard, make sure their extension is included and valid. The same goes for email addresses; make sure they’re current. Send a ‘thank you’ email to your references; it’s a good way to ensure the address is current, and they’ll certainly appreciate your gratitude!

Why all this double-checking? Because there’s nothing worse than enduring weeks and sometimes months of grueling interviews, only to be rejected at the last minute due to defunct contact information for one of your references. We’ve seen it happen. Despite all the ‘warm fuzzies’ you created in your interview, a busy hiring manager may penalize you for wasting his or her time.

7. Some people, especially colleagues who are still employed at the company where they worked with you, will tell you that they’re sorry but they can’t give you a reference. They’ll cite company policy about having to refer such inquiries to Human Resource representatives, who in turn will only tell callers the dates during which you worked at the company and what your title was when you left.

If this is the case, your references are telling you one of two things, and it’s important that you guess correctly.

• The first option is that they’re reluctant to be questioned because they hold negative opinions about you or your work. Under these circumstances, accept that this person will be (at best) an ineffective advocate for your cause and drop the matter immediately. No amount of education, persuasion, or bribery will change their minds; it’ll only annoy them. Another reason not to persist: companies are routinely sued for wrongful defamation when aggrieved ex-employees learn that a current employee provided negative information about them.
• The second option is that the person fears being overheard and reprimanded by ‘the authorities’ for breaking the ‘never give a reference for an ex-employee’ rule.

If you believe a person in category ‘b’ would provide a positive and persuasive reference, simply ask if the hiring manager can call him or her at home, after hours. If he or she agrees readily, you’re safe. Express your gratitude and ‘sign them up’ (being sure to get their home number and an idea of when they prefer to be called). If, on the other hand, they continue to express reservations, desist immediately, thank them, and look elsewhere.

8. Avoid supplying ‘character’ references who do not have recent, first-hand knowledge of your effectiveness in the kind of job for which you’re applying. They’ll only make the hiring manager wonder why you didn’t suggest someone with more relevant insight into your work.

9. You may be concerned about ‘burning out’ your references—that is, having them receive too many calls from potential employers or clients. Although this is a nice problem to have, it’s still a problem. To solve it:

• Don’t give your references’ contact information to a hiring manager, Human Resources representative, or recruiter unless they ask and you decide you really want the job. (However, do recognize that if it looks like you’re teasing your prospective employer by withholding this information, they’ll assume you aren’t serious about the position and will focus their efforts elsewhere.) And never include your references with a résumé you post to job boards; recruiters will solicit them for business faster and more persistently than you dreamed possible.
• Place limits on how many of your references may be called, and for how long they should be kept on the phone. However, be reasonable about this—three-minute phone calls are hardly sufficient to assess a professional’s qualifications. Most references are willing to devote 5 to 15 minutes of their time to help a current or former colleague.

Choose wisely.