April McGinnis, Empowerment Coach

  Look at this photo.  How do you feel when you look at it? Can you feel this boy's excitement? Can you feel his feeling of accomplishment? Have you ever won a race or conquered something and threw your hands in the air in celebration and exhilaration? Use this exercise before an interview: 1. Say these or one of these affirmations out loud to yourself in a mirror "I've got this!" or "I'm going to ace this interview!" or "This job is mine!" 2. Now, throw your hands in the air, as if you just walked out of the interview and were offered the job on the spot at a higher salary than you expected and told you start next week. 3. Repeat your affirmation(s) with your hands in the air in the mirror. The affirmation alone helps your mindset.  The physical movement of victory strengthens the affirmation. It embeds it in my mind because you feel it in your body. Trust me, it works!  If you've tried this and you found it helped, or if you try it before...

  FACT: On average, a corporate job post receives 250 resumes It takes recruiters only six seconds to review a candidate’s resume Why are you submitting resumes but getting no response? Hiring managers and recruiters are inundated with applications and they have limited time to review the applications they receive! How do you get to the top of the list where your resume is pulled and more carefully reviewed? Perhaps more importantly, why is your resume NOT at the top of the pile? WHAT KEEPS YOU OUT OF THE RUNNING? Not answering the call of the job posting Not addressing the needs of the employer Not determining what you have to offer to that specific job/employer Not identifying yourself clearly  Focusing only on what you need and ignoring your value proposition Focusing on what is important to you and not what the employer has told you is important to them HOW TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES: Read the qualifications and the description in the job posting Research ...

Trust me, if you follow these basic tips, your resume will get seen.  And your resume has to get seen to get an interview.  And you have to get an interview to get the job! You may have amazing skills, and I am certain you do! However, if your resume sinks to the bottom of the heap because you don't do these 6 things , it doesn't matter how great your skills are! 1. Key Words : This is numero uno for today's job market. So many job seekers submit their resumes without considering the key words that employers (and their "bots") are looking for!! Study the job posting, the description, the skills the employer is seeking, and  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THESE WORDS IN YOUR RESUME!!!!  2.  Use the words the employer uses. Don't interpret or alter. Use the same language and exact words used in the job posting. I'm not kidding. Resumes are often scanned for these specific words. USE THEM!! 3. Highlight your ACCOMPLISHMENTS . Avoid listing the tasks y...

What does time management have to do with job searching. What if I told you - EVERYTHING!!!!! Looking for work is a full time job. Keeping a consistent schedule, planning your day and your week, and doing a time audit of how you spend your days are all vital! It is easy to fall into bad habits.  Too much screen time, no plan for the day, being distracted by things that are a lot more fun: these are just a few examples of how a lack of time management can result in unproductive time spent on things that are not important.  Tips: Plan your days. Make a schedule and include everything that is important: meals, self-care, breaks, and job search activities. Start your day at a time that most workers and employers are at work. Send e-mails, make calls, submit applications, do some networking or improve your resume or LinkedIn profile during business hours. Audit your time . Do this for 5-7 days. Record everything you do during your waking hours and how much time you spend on these ...

Job searching is a full time job!  However , even when we are working, we do not spend every waking moment of our lives at our jobs.  I saw a post on social media that suggested ways to improve yourself and thought that it not only provided some great things to do but also some excellent ways to network and improve your resume ! Stay up to date with current trends Perform interim work (consult, temporary job) Participate (groups, seminars) Take classes or a course Volunteer It's ok to let people you meet know that you are looking for work . It's even better if you've done the work and have your elevator pitch ready that will help them to help you! Your pitch should be a brief introduction to what you are looking for and what makes you worth something to an employer - but it can also help you let people know you are safe to refer to others!  With online options found on Meet Up or other platforms, there are still opportunities to meet people and participate.  There's ...

Let's be honest, we all have self-doubt.  Job searching is hard! It can erode your self-confidence! It can create self-doubt that can sabotage your efforts! So, what can you do today to inoculate yourself against self-doubt? 1.Take inventory Make a list of your best qualities, both professional and personal. Then prioritize these best qualities in order of what means most to you and what makes you most proud 2. Consider what things sow seeds of self-doubt in you Make that list too Which of these things can you control?  3. Now look at these lists together.  Your first list will help you remember what makes you, YOU! These qualities are your BRAND! Maybe you are analytical, or an empathetic listener, or a competent decision-maker, or you serve others.  Your second list are the things you must throw in the trash - empty them from your mind. When they creep in, remind your inner critic that they mean nothing. There is nothing you can do about them because you do not co...

Let's face it - we all have "those" days. We are tired, discouraged, frustrated and feel as if we'll never reach our goals. We haven't heard from any of the recent applications we've submitted. We feel like giving up. You are not alone. You're dealing with a pandemic and lockdowns; it's winter here in Canada so it's cold and often dreary; you feel isolated and miss working; your money is tight and it feels like you're stuck. What to do now? Maybe it's time to take a day off from the job search. Get some rest. Regroup. Meditate. Reflect on gratitude and seek out the positive things about you and your progress. Take a walk outdoors if you can. Do something creative.  Restart your job search process. Plan a schedule for the week ahead. Schedule in everything: your meals, your exercise, your meditation practice, your job search activities. Then implement that plan and follow the schedule as closely as possible. I guarantee you will feel better ...

SCENARIO: You've decided to search through Indeed or another site to see what jobs are out there in your field. You find a couple that look interesting. You scan the job description, if there is one, and you review the qualifications required.  Myth #1:     Employers know that it is unlikely they will find that "perfect" candidate that can tick every           box on their wish list.  Truth:          When they brainstorm for the posting, employers will list all the qualities they wish they could find. If they happen to find someone with all of the qualities, then they hit the jackpot! They will tend to list the most important qualities they are  looking for first in their list. This may not always be the case, but it is very common. Truth:           Often employers are adding some expectations that a lot of people feel will disqualify them. Sometimes th...

Resumes are so hard to do! How do I format it? How do I know what to put in it? How do I know how to use my resume to get an interview?! You're not alone if you have ever asked these questions. Resume writing is a skill. It's not an automatic thing for anyone. It's hard work. You can hire someone to write it for you, I prefer to teach you how to write it yourself so that you have control over your own marketing of yourself! No one knows you better than you! Learning the basics takes some time but the return on your time investment is well worth it. Plus, you'll need to tailor your resume and cover letter for each job you apply for, so doesn't it make sense to learn how to do this right from the start? I have developed an online course for job seekers who want to learn the basics and I will share some tips from that course here in upcoming blog posts. If you want to check out the course, you can check it out here  Job Search Help . The first tip I will share with yo...