LET'S-BEGIN

10 Tips for online job applications

Online job applications present both opportunities and challenges. Opportunities come from being able to use online search, find and apply for many more jobs than would be possible using offline approaches. Challenges arise because, whilst face to face job search allows personal contact, online applications are completely dependent on application forms, CVs and covering emails. To get past the first step your written application has to be very effective and focused on the job role requirements.

Here are 10 tips for successful online job applications:

1. Decide what kind of a job role you want and limit your applications to concentrate your efforts and develop expertise in applying for those jobs.
2. Online searches for jobs can "discover" more vacancies of the type you are looking for by varying the words used in a query, for example as well as searching for "web content manager" try "web manager" as well.
3. Read the details of the job advert carefully, both the description of the main job content and the desired capabilities of the person required. Many agencies use key word matching software to compare whether words and phrases in your CV, application form and covering email match what they use in the job 'advert'. One way of ensuring that your cover letter contains the most used key words and phrases is to use any one of many pieces of free web based word tools.
4. Fire and forget does not work, applying for masses of jobs and hoping is not a good approach. Instead track each of your applications closely with follow up emails and phone calls. Note down when the next step in the process is due and follow up on time.
5. Do not be deterred by long lists of requirements, many of these can be "wish lists" describing the ideal candidate which, like the ideal job, does not exist. Try to identify the top 3 or 4 requirements and focus on matching yourself to those.
6. Covering email letters, that accompany an application, are the opportunity to highlight how you match the top 3 job requirements in a personalised and effective way
7. When following up an application with a recruitment agent have a list of questions ready to ask about the job. Some agents know more about the employing organisations than others: why is there a vacancy, what are the top 3 requirements for a successful candidate. Questions about the process: what steps are there in the process – how many interviews, starting when and when does the employer expect to make a decision, who will decide finally?
8. The time of day or day of the week when you make an application is not critical with the exception that avoiding Friday afternoon is desirable in case your application gets lost in the weekend email.
9. Be ready to receive a phone call from a recruitment agent once your online application is submitted, keeping in mind if you already have a job when and where to take those calls so as not to risk your current job.
10. When approaching employers directly look to see if they have a "jobs board" section on their web site. If you would like to work for a specific employer, even if you see not advertised vacancies, apply to them with your CV and a covering email letter stating why you would like to work for them and the kind of job role you are interested in.

By following these top 10 tips the chances of success with online job applications can be significantly increased. For a full online learning course on how to to get a job go to www.lets-begin.com

Francis Lowe
Founder
www.lets-begin.com

Course prices reduced

Here at LET'S-BEGIN we recognise that these are challenging economic times for everyone.  In response to these factors and to extend the reach of our training courses we have significantly reduced our prices.  With that in mind and the use of training courses you should be in good shape to start achieving your career aspirations; be that getting back into work, changing jobs or progressing up the ladder in an existing role.

If you have any questions regarding our product range please get in touch and one of our team will be happy to help.

For your chance to win a free training course from our portfolio simply reblog or retweet this post.  This offer is open until 1200 GMT 30 September 2011.

Francis Lowe
Technical Director
www.lets-begin.com

Search firms

Search Firms can really help you find the job you want, but if you want to get the best from them there are some basic rules to follow.

1. Choose the top three search firms that cover jobs in the sector you want to work in. They can help you learn more about the sector and the organisations that could offer you a job.  The more you can build up specialist knowledge of the sector the better your chances of impressing a potential employer.
   
   
2. Develop a contact person in each search firm that you speak to regularly, find out which employers are expanding or looking for new people and when the search firm might be getting a new assignment to find new employees.  Then you can schedule a call to the search firm when they expect to get the assignment.  Timing is everything to get ahead of others and have advance warning of new job opportunities.
   
   
3. Be as clear as you can be about the type of role you are looking for as this will help the search firm target the right potential jobs for you.  In parallel demonstrate a willingness to research and prepare very thoroughly for any job roles they submit you for so that they are confident you will impress a potential employer.
   
   
4.  When a specific job role is being handled by a search firm they should have lots of useful information about it including a detailed document describing the role, the organisation and the requirements for applicants.  The search firm may have placed other people into jobs at the organisation and therefore will also be able to brief you on the organisation's culture, the selection process, the people you will meet and what they will be looking for in applicants.
   
   
5. Prepare for any meetings with search firms for a specific job role by getting them to email you the job role description document and then make sure sure your CV highlights areas of your skills, knowledge and experience that match up to the key job role requirements.

By following these simple rules with a focus on full research and preparation you will persuade the search firms that they would be putting forward an impressive candidate to potential employers with a strong chance of success.

Job search satellite navigation

In tough economic circumstances the national view, often mentioned in the daily news, is that trying to find a new job is very difficult. No one would challenge that, but it does not help you actually get a job and if you are a college leaver and you want a job you have to take the initiative for yourself.

A good starting point is to remember that all national views are generalisations (designed to make the news more watchable) and within the overall picture there will be positive trends. Just like using Sat Nav. to get somewhere by the quickest route, and even avoid queues, you need your own Job Search Sat Nav. to help you track down the best places to look for a job.

Using the Job Search Sat Nav. approach here are five steps you can take for yourself to improve your chances of getting a job:

1. Who is hiring?
   Look for organisations that are actually hiring people, even in organisations that are reducing staff numbers in some departments they continue to hire more people in other departments or people with different skills. This is question of what skills and experience are in demand.
   
   
2. Where are the growth sectors?
   Look for new and developing areas of the jobs market. For example these could be connected with the "green" economy or with high technology. The growth in smart phones and applications for them is generating new businesses all the time. Companies that are exporting to foreign markets can also be good potential for jobs. Do not overlook that some more traditional trades such as plumbing and electrical engineers are also in demand.
   
   
3. Who is winning business?
   Search the news online and offline for organisations that announce expansion and success in adding new locations or winning new customer contracts. More jobs very often follow such success. Some online news sites publish lists of the most profitable and growing companies others list the most admired companies to work for. All these are good potential employers.
   
   
4. What skills are in demand?
   Identify skills needed in the new economy and get yourself onto a training course for those skills. These could range from customer service, design to manufacturing, engineering or plumbing and electrical specialists.
   
   
5. Make a job out of getting a job
   Getting a job takes time, effort, dedication, research, preparation and planning combined with a "never-give-up" persistence. Do not hesitate to ask for help, use every contact you have.

Finally keep updating your Job Search Sat Nav, look for new information online and offline to track down the places that are hiring people. Using this approach you will increase your chances of getting a job.

When you get the chance of an interview take a look at the College Leavers Programme at for professional training to help you get the job you want.

Franc Lowe www.lets-begin.com

7 deadly sins that are danger signs about your job application

When applying for jobs good practice is ask about the date when the employer will make a decision.  If you are really well organised you will also ask about the steps in the selection process and when each step is expected to complete.

Unfortunately most timescales get delayed, leaving you wondering and worrying why.  It helps to understand what the main reasons for delays are, then you can do something about it.

So here we go with the 7 deadly sins that can happen and delay or threaten your job application:

1. No job role anymore:
   Vacancies can be removed because the budget is removed and the hiring manager cannot hire anyone.  A temporary hiring freeze can be imposed or the employer may re-organise and remove the need for the job role.  Alternatively an internal candidate can be given the job.
   
   
2. Another candidate is more favoured than you are: 
   If another candidate is ahead of you in the preference of the employer you may be told there is a delay in the process.  This allows the employer to see if they can reach agreement with another candidate whilst keeping you and other applicants in reserve in case the preferred person does not accept the job.
   
   
3. The hiring manager/s are not available at the agreed dates:
   Hiring managers have their day job to do, this means interviews have to fit into their normal work schedule.  It is quite common for interviews to be delayed so that they can meet the requirements of their normal work.
   
   
4. The recruitment agent is out of touch with the employer: 
   If you are using a recruitment agent or search firm sometimes delays can happen because the agent is not in close enough contact with the hiring manager.  If the agent is new to the employer or not working exclusively on the job role this can be more likely to happen.
   
   
5. The hiring manager is leaving:
   After the hiring process has started the hiring manager gets a new job and a new one takes over.  Change is very common and this issue can result in a short delay, a long delay or no job role anymore.
   
   
6. More approvals needed
   When economic circumstances are tough employers can add extra people into the job selection process.  You could face extra interviews or the hiring manager may be required to justify why the job role is needed to more people.
   
   
7. Your references do not check out:
   The references you provide are either not available when contacted, or worse they do not give the needed assurance about your capabilities.  Alternatively the hiring manager knows someone you worked with and contacted them without you knowing.  Or your online profile in a business network is not consistent with your CV details.

Being aware of these threats puts you into a better position to do something about them.  More than that it reduces the feeling of helplessness when you are told there has been a delay.  You can take positive action to get back into control of the timescale.

My own company has created a set of online guides, courses and programmes designed especially to help people in the job search process. 

Franc Lowe
www.lets-begin.com

See things from the interviewer's point of view

See things from the interviewer's point of view

Searching for a job is such an important, and in many cases stressful time, that we naturally concentrate on ourselves. Whether it is writing the best CV or wanting to perform well at an interview or worrying about getting selected for a second interview. It is easy to forget there is another person involved in this process - the person interviewing you who has to decide on the person to offer the job to.

Making an effort to demonstrate an awareness of the interviewer’s objectives and pressures will improve your chances of success in getting the job you want.

So what are the typical objectives and challenges that an interviewer has to deal with when hiring a new employee:

1. Hire someone who can do the job: Interviewers want to find someone with the right skills, knowledge and experience to do the job effectively and efficiently. This means you need to present yourself in your CV and at interview with these areas in mind.
   
   
2. Hire someone who passes the 'fitness test': In the interview process the 'fitness test' covers 3 key areas. First, all organisations have their own culture and style, interviewers need to ensure that the people they hire will fit in with this. Second, do you fit the interviewer's own style and way of working? Third, do you fit the team you will join? You need to find out what kind of culture exists -by asking - and explain how you could fit in with this based on your own attitudes and behaviours
   
   
3. Make a fast, effective start: A big concern for an interviewer is choosing the right person and seeing them make a good start in the job. Other managers will watch to see signs of a good start. With this in mind you should be ready to talk about how you plan to work in your first 90 days during the selection process.
   
   
4. Communicate the decision to management. Interviewers must be able to persuade their managers that the basis on which they selected a person for a job was factual, well researched and supported by references. Help the interviewer to help you by following up interviews with an email summarising the main ways you match the job and providing references.
   
   
5. Keeping the day job going. Be aware that interviewers will have severe time pressures on them as not only will they be a person short - this is why they are hiring someone - but also they have their normal job to carry out. Respect time and check at the start of your interview how long you have and keep to time. Make your answers in the interview short and concise.

Using these 5 steps along with other key techniques will dramatically increase your chances of successfully winning the job you want.

My own company has created a set of online guides, courses and programmes designed especially to help people. For a fuller guide please see our Executive Job Seekers Programme.

Franc Lowe
www.lets-begin.com

Swapping sectors

5 ways to get a job in a different sector of the economy

Wide scale job losses are forcing people to seek work in completely different sectors of the economy than ones where they have their built their experience. Witness the move from public sector to the private sector along with a down-sizing of large organisations and the growth in smaller, new companies.

Competition for the jobs that are available and pressure on companies to achieve results quickly mean the selection process for the jobs that are available is intense and long. Natural preference goes to those with experience and knowledge of the job on offer. So how can you give yourself a stronger chance of being considered for jobs outside your area of experience?

Here is a 5 step process that will help you when applying for a new job in a sector of the economy that is unfamiliar to you:

1. Research: Careful and detailed research of the organisation, the sector of the economy it operates in, the job content and the people involved in the selection process is critical. This gives you a building block on which to add the next steps.
   
   
2. Analysis of generic skills & knowledge List the generic skills & knowledge that are needed for the job and write down examples of how you use those skills in your current job. Being able to describe this during an interview show you have an organised, logical approach to your work which are generically valuable skills.
   
   
3. High speed learning & familiarisation Write down examples of where you have acquired new skills and knowledge quickly and effectively. This is a powerful technique to minimise the negative impact of coming from outside the sector and demonstrates your willingness to learn, a key behaviour at a time when everyone is facing change.
   
   
4. Fast start - have a first 90 day plan The selection process for a new job is very intense on the people who are looking for a job, there is also an equally intense pressure on the people who make the decision to hire someone. Choosing the wrong candidate reflects badly on them and damages their departmental productivity. By preparing a short first 90 day plan for your new job and showing this during the selection process you can reassure your future employers of your commitment to a fast effective start.
   
   
5. Use references A range of references about your working capabilities will provide reinforcement of your application. Do not wait to be asked for references instead actively volunteer them. Try and get 360 degree references, from your manager, from a peer or equal and from someone who works for you. A full range of references like this reassures the interviewers about your ability to be a potentially good all round employee.

Using these 5 steps along with other key techniques will dramatically increase your chances of successfully winning the job you want.

My own company has created a set of online guides, courses and programmes designed especially to help people. For a fuller guide please see our Executive Job Seekers Programme.

Franc Lowe
www.lets-begin.com

9 point plan to carry out a macro sales analysis of your business

In a tough market it is equally important to have both the detailed view of your business and also the "Macro" or high level big picture.  But high level views can sometimes be a bit vague and so here is one approach which is a bit more pragmatic with nine steps to consider

Step 1 - Market Sectors
Careful tracking of demand for your goods or services from each sector of the market you deal with is needed to allow early identification of changes.  Sales resources can be re-allocated to sectors that show potential to grow or remain stable vs. those sectors where demand is dropping.  Customers are usually measured on their potential to place orders but now equal consideration should be given to profitability and ability to pay.  Early decisions to exit unprofitable sectors or customers will help sales maintain successful levels of business.

Step 2 - Customer value propositions
Sales and marketing must jointly define and agree the customer benefits (or business case) for each of the goods, services or solutions being sold.  If sales of a specific solution are poor and the benefits prove hard to define this must lead to questioning whether the solution should continue to be sold or its price or specification being revised.

Step 3 - Filling the pipeline
No matter how effective an organisation is in winning business it must always maintain an adequate flow of new qualified leads (note: not just enquiries) into the pipeline.  Exactly how many leads are adequate needs to be kept under assessment by considering the ratio of qualified leads to orders.

Step 4 - Speed of follow up to qualified leads
A common failing is timely follow up of leads, which can be a result of poorly qualified leads (which are in reality only enquiries) or sales force ineffectiveness.  Irrespective of the cause in a tough market sales must rapidly follow up leads to ensure potential customers are engaged before they go to competitors

Step 5 - Sales process changes
Customer’s can change the way they buy, taking longer to decide or adding in extra steps and procedures into their buying process (your sales process).  By monitoring the sales process regularly changes to these indices will help give you advance warning of potential delays to orders and keep the forecast accurate.

Step 6  - Seniority of customer decision makers
Smaller spending budgets can mean you will need to sell to much more senior people in your customers to win orders.  Sales force training to engage effectively with customers at this level helps protect ongoing business and the orders you expect to win.

Step 7  - More RFPs, RFIs & E Auctions
Make sure that the customers who you are forecasting business from are not adding in the stage of issuing an RFI or planning holding an E-Auction. It is essential to have had engagement with the customer to shape the requirements to match your solution to avoid getting drawn into a massive amount of work and then lose the business

Step 8 - Final price negotiations
Track how long and hard these are to win.  Lengthening timescales or much lower pricing can mean that either the customer has some overall cost reduction target or that a competitor has offered much lower prices -or both!

Step 9 - Warranties or service penalties
Customers may want to see extended warranty periods for free or increased service penalties for non performance.  Both represent costs to your business.  Aside from agreeing one response can be to specify that the customer must do more "self-support" or more of their testing prior to raising a service call.

Find out more about this and other relevant topics in our online course Sales and Sales Management in a Tough Market (buy now at 50% off).

Richard Lowe
www.lets-begin.com

Interviews live - Behaviours and personalities

I want to discuss the impact of behaviours and personalities, specifically how although when you go to a job interview you are probably slightly nervous that it is just as likely the interviewer has some stress or pressure as well. For example all the time they spend interviewing people they know their other work is piling up and may be late.  Also keep in mind very few interviewers have been trained to interview people, and it's not easy either!

So with this knowledge try and prepare yourself for the interview and be ready to handle a bit of pressure or sometimes abrupt behaviour, or lack of attention from the interviewer.

Some job interviews can deliberately put you under stress to see how you react; this is understandable if the job you are applying for demands someone able to work calmly under pressure perhaps in emergency situations or dealing with customer complaints in a service department.  The effective way to handle this kind of interview question is to ignore any provocative remarks, deal with the underlying question and answer it factually.

People often employ people who appear to be similar to them in their comments, looks and behaviors.  It is worth studying the interviewer to try and figure out what they are like and if you add this to asking what are the top 3 criteria needed in a successful applicant you should get a good picture about what the interviewer is looking for.

Remember also that everyone you meet from the moment you step onto the employer's premises could directly or indirectly have an influence on who gets the job so it pays to be polite and friendly - but not over friendly -to everyone.

Let us now explore six different personalities of interviewers

1. The professional interviewer, often from the human resources department, is used to asking some very searching questions.  But in return, you can ask back your own questions for example about training programmes and career paths.
   
   
2. The talker, some interviewers love the sound of their own voice, ask a question and you may find you get a full life and organisational history.  The problem here is to make sure you do get time in the interview to sell yourself into the job.  Be sure to show interest in what the interviewer is saying and try and keep mentioning your skills and how they fit into what the interviewer is saying.  
   
   
3. The ‘I'm great' person is constantly saying how excellent they are at their job.  Listen, acknowledge them and their achievements and try and find small ways to comment that you have the same outlook as they do, not in a competitive way but in a way that seems similar to their outlook.
   
   
4. Bullies or aggressive interviewers are more difficult to deal with, but fortunately it's unusual to experience this kind of person today.  First you must decide if this is a stress interview designed to test you, if it is deal with it as we already discussed.  If is not a stress interview and you feel the interviewer is being unpleasant or rude -and they would be your future manager -maybe this is not the job for you.  You are perfectly entitled to withdraw from the interview if you are being subject to unreasonable behaviour.
   
   
5. Quiet interviewers should be approached in the same way, quietly. If you're a loud person yourself, quieten your voice.  You need to ask your open questions, probe around, and find out what's going on, what they think, and what's important to them.  When you've identified what this person is thinking, then go through the process of matching yourself to their needs, but do it quietly. 
   
   
6. Open, assertive interviewers are similar to the professional interviewer. They may not be professional interviewers but will be easy to get along with, be aware that you be drawn into being very open about yourself and you may give away more than you planned to say.  The open, assertive type is also in all probability a very good judge of character.  As with all aspects of the interview, using your eyes and ears will assist you greatly.  You have two ears and one mouth.  Use them in that ratio.

Check out our online learning course Get that Job (buy now 50% discount blog offer) which covers the whole process of how to get a job.

Richard Lowe
www.lets-begin.com

How to build a customer business case to increase sales success

Being able to explain the value proposition of what you sell in terms of the business benefits to the customer is a vital skill in any market conditions.  In a tough market, when many organisations have dramatically reduced their spending, every decision to purchase products or services must be justified with a strong and compelling business case.  This must prove how much money will be saved or generated as a result of using the product or service.

Tough markets force changes on customer's purchasing criteria and for that reason suppliers must have a clear definition of their "ideal customer".  Precisely what are the characteristics of the ideal customer?  For example their size, location, type of business, pressures they face and the problems they will spend money to solve.  Data should be gathered from the sales force, the customer base, marketing, and business partners.  Competitors also need monitoring to detect early signs of a change to buying priorities in the market.

A generic business case for the product or service is only a starting point; this must then be tailored to appeal to different decision makers in the customer who will each have their own criteria that need addressing if they are to approve a decision to buy.  For example finance managers may consider cost reduction aspects of the decision; operational people will evaluate the ease of using the product and the efficiencies it can deliver whereas service managers will be concerned with improvements to their own customer service.

Detailed examination of existing customers is essential:

• their decision to buy,
• who was involved,
• the criteria they evaluated the product against
• what triggered the decision to be taken

Business cases to buy products or services may come from a variety of different reasons.  Some organisations will be motivated by reducing costs and efficiencies.  In the commercial sector companies may be motivated by being able to launch a new service to their customers and generate revenues.  The need to comply with government regulations can drive others to buy

Building a business is a consultative process and needs to engage the customer's people in order to obtain the data on which the case is built.  Simply sending a spreadsheet projecting potential savings or gains is not effective and is almost certain to be dismissed by the customer. 

There are some steps and tools that can be used to construct a business and these are discussed in our online course How to protect your topline in a downturn (buy now at 50% off)

One very powerful tool to use is a set of questions that are designed to uncover the amount of savings and gains that the customer should be able to achieve by buying your product or service.  For this to be credible the question list - and the likely range of answers - needs to be built from data obtained from existing customers.

Without a compelling business case customers will, in the current economic conditions, delay buying decisions and probably decide to do nothing!  By direct contrast suppliers who adopt business case selling achieve higher value sales, increase their win rates and by definition lock out the competition more often. 

Richard Lowe
www.lets-begin.com