By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Thinking Through Your WhyWhen creating an online portfolio, as with many tasks in life, it's helpful to think about your goals. Thinking it through now will help you to create a portfolio that meets your short and longer-term goals. Depending on your wants, needs, industry, and timeline for completion, your portfolio could take any number of forms and be the right choice for you. Until you identify your goals, you are at risk of making an ill-advised decision that could cost you time, money, and opportunities. Identifying Your Portfolio GoalsHere are a few questions to ask yourself as you determine your portfolio goals:
My Portfolio Lessons LearnedA few years ago, when applying for jobs, I realized I needed an online portfolio to show hiring managers supporting evidence that I could use the learning and development skills included in my resume. I looked at job descriptions for training leadership roles that interested me and noted the specific keywords and skills that were most often included. From there, I chose work samples to showcase those identified skills. For each sample, I included a brief introduction to position the value of each artifact. I shared a project plan, a pitch deck promoting a company-wide change, a facilitator guide, and microlearning videos on technical, soft skills, and business-related topics. From a technology standpoint, my portfolio was a hidden page on my existing website. That portfolio page was non-searchable and not listed in website navigation, but it was available directly through the page's web address. As needed, I could include that URL on my resume, email it to hiring managers, or include it in an online job application. What Do You Think?What are your goals for your portfolio? What kind of content do you think it makes sense for you to include? As you are comfortable, share your ideas in the comments. Learn More
0 Comments
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady About PortfoliosDepending on the field in which you work, you may be asked to submit work samples at some point during the hiring process. The collection of examples of your work product is often called a portfolio. The content of your portfolio will vary depending on your goals, your industry, and the type of roles for which you are applying. Portfolios in Days of YoreEarlier in my career, I had my "me book" that I woudl bring with me when I had in-person job interviews. It was a three ring binder the included neatly organized printed samples of my previous work. I did not give this to a hiring manager, but I would do a brief show and tell and explain each document. In addition, I also included a copy of my resume, certificates from classes I had taken and certifications I had achieved, and transcripts from college and graduate school. When I attended and interview with a hiring manager or potential coworkers, often someone would ask if I happend to bring any work samples with me. I would often walk them through one or more of my work samples, described the design decisions involved in its creation, and told them the story of how I solved a work problem and how that work sample fit in. Portfolios NowNow, typically a portfolio is expected to be available online. You should have a link that you can share with a potential employer. In some cases, employer may review your work samples later on in the hiring process. In many cases, employers may ask for a portfolio link during the application process. Depending on the role and organization, companies may even not consider applications for some jobs which do not include a portfolio link. What To IncludeWhen it comes to determining what to include in your portfolio, it comes down to your overall goals. At it's most basic, you need to make sure you include samples of your work that align with the tasks and projects included in the jobs you would like to do. Here are a few examples:
Overall, you need to figure out what skills are required, and show examples of how you have done that type of work in the past. What You Can ShowcaseYour overall goals for your portfolio will help you determine what to include. Depending on what skillset you are trying to demonstrate, here are just a few of many possible focus areas for someone who is an instructional designer:
None of these examples is right or wrong. Instead these are alternate approaches you might want to take to support your overall professional goals. What Do You Think?What skills do you want to showcase in a portfolio? What skills and work examples might you include? What approach might you take to organizing your portfolio? Share your thoughts in the comments. Learn More
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady The Value of a Backup PlanCareer Resilience is all about being ready to deal with what comes. Thinking through scenarios, or contingency planning, is one way to prepare for possible outcomes. By thinking through your next steps before you are in that situation, you can ensure that you are better prepared for whatever does come to pass. After seven layoffs, I know the importance of ensuring my financial security. Here are my best practices for preparing for a possible job loss. The Scenario: Unexpected Job LossWhat would you do if you went to work tomorrow and found out it was your last day at work? If you've never had this experience, this prospect might be almost unthinkable. Let's take a few minutes for you to think through how this change might impact your life. Here are a few key areas you would need to address. Budget ImplicationsOnce you find out your job is ending, you'll need to figure out how to pay your bills without what may be your main income stream. You would need to find out about any final money you would receive from your employer, including your last paycheck, a vacation payout, and maybe even some kind of severance package. You would also need to explore other possible money you could access to pay for your main expenses until you could find a new job. This might include unemployment payments or your savings. In addition, realize that your health care coverage might end with your job. You will need to determine how you will pay for any health-related costs. This could include switching to a family member's plan, finding and paying for other health care coverage, or determining how to handle possible health care costs outside of an insurance plan. Each of these options has a different price tag and level of risk. Budget Questions To Ask YourselfAsk yourself these questions about your current budget for your household:
Possible Contingency Planning Stepshile all of these questions might seem big and scary to contemplate, remember you're not in that situation at this time. Right now is a good time to do some research and preliminary thinking on how you might manage each of these factors. Consider doing the following to help inform your contingency planning: Your Income
Your Expenses
Your Savings
What Do You Think?What questions do you think you need to focus on as you do your contingency planning? Share your thoughts in the comments. Learn More
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Learn all the things!Whether you're gainfully employed or looking for a new role, continuing to learn and grow is a valuable career resilience strategy. While you can certainly pursue college degrees or certifications, there are many informal ways to increase your knowledge. Here are three of my favorite ways to continue learning and growing. Strategy 1: Social MediaStaying current on industry trends can be a challenge. One way to learn a little bit at a time is using social media. I use LinkedIn to learn a little at a time on topics that matter to me. Follow thought leaders and regularly read their posts to learn more about emerging trends and technologies. In addition, follow companies to stay current on their new products and positions in the marketplace. You can also follow hashtags for keywords you like to learn about. Here are a few topics I consistently learn about from social media posts:
Strategy 2: WebinarsWebinars are an excellent way to learn about a topic in more detail, usually over the course of 30-60 minutes. In a webinar, you can hear a speaker lead you through content, highlight important points, and string those ideas together into a more cohesive whole. In addition, you may also have the opportunity to interact with other webinar attendees. Webinars may focus on presenting content, answering questions from live attendees, or getting the group to share ideas on a specific topic. Here are a few webinars I have attended and what I took away from each:
Strategy 3: Professional OrganizationsProfessional organizations are a great way to learn more about a wide variety of topics. For one, you can attend regularly scheduled meetings, which typically have an educational component, to learn industry-specific content. Most groups have a social component, whether it is networking time during meetings or separate events that focus on getting to know other members. There are also volunteer opportunities, from helping check people in at a monthly meeting, being on an event-specific committee, and taking on a leadership role. These opportunities provide multiple ways to learn from a structured event or learn by doing. Here are a few professional organizations I have been a part of and ways I have learned content and skills:
Learn More
Looking BackThere are several days each year when people typically look back and assess their lives. This could be the anniversary of a death, a holiday full of memories, or your birthday. For me, the day I reflect is Groundhog Day. February 2, 2006Early in 2006, my life was at a crossroads. My then-husband and I were in the process of getting divorced, and I was figuring out how to transition from a house to two houses and what co-parenting my 2-year-old daughter would be like. The one shred of stability I had was my job. I was happy to have one thing I could count on not changing. …and then February 2 happened. That morning, I went to work. I took a few minutes between meetings to create a spreadsheet to figure out if I could afford to buy a condo I’d looked at the night before on my own. As I saved my file, I got a tap on the shoulder that I had an impromptu meeting. I grabbed a pen and a legal pad and walked into a conference room full of executives who informed me that my position was eliminated due to restructuring because of the company being acquired. Welcome to layoff #2. I was in shock. I returned to my desk, deleted my spreadsheet (which had just become irrelevant), told my coworker Brad “I’m gone,” and found myself sitting in my car with a box containing all of my formerly workly possessions. From the parking lot of my ex-workplace, I called my soon-to-be ex-husband to tell him about my now ex-job. His only response was, “Huh.” Then, It Got A Little WorseThat weekend, I was on a road trip to visit some of my high school friends for a fun weekend of reminiscing and going to the Snowflake Ski Jump. On my way there, a local cop pulled me over for speeding. As I sat there, I glanced at the notification I’d just received from unemployment sitting in my passenger seat—the one that said I’d receive less money than the last time I’d been laid off—meaning I wouldn’t be bringing enough money in to cover my half of the mortgage. As the officer approached my window, I could feel the tears well up. I could not get a ticket, too. I would cry (as I often heard people threaten to do), but this was no empty threat that would come to bear only through theatrics. I was legit going to fall apart if this happened. This moment—sitting in the car with indications of my life failures greatest hits smacking me in the face was a low point in my life—rivaled only by my dad’s unexpected death when I was still in high school. Then, It Got a Little BetterFortunately, I think because of my street cred, which included being a native of a town nearby, I drove away ticket free. One thing had gone okay. Then I saw friends, connected with new people, and spent more time with my daughter. I also had the time and space to figure out what to do with myself now. The Transition BeginsIt was an ugly, ugly few months. I applied for countless jobs. I put our house up for sale. My daughter’s dad (new language from the book Mom’s House, Dad’s House) and I decided to move in tandem to Minneapolis, Minnesota from Madison, Wisconsin. I looked for jobs, made business connections, and stayed with friends on the way to and from my regular trips to Minneapolis. I didn’t sleep well for months. A tree fell down in my front yard the day of my open house, so I figured out how to have a giant tree removed while driving on I-90 back home from a job interview. That May, I found a job, a preschool for my daughter, a new place to live, and reconnected with one of my best friends from high school. Later, my daughter's dad found a job and moved to Minneapolis, along with his new girlfriend (a lovely person and good to my daughter). Then, to mix it up, I totaled my car, dated and broke up with a couple of people, and got Shingles three times in a row. Some days, after work, I would lie on my floor and look at the ceiling in my apartment, my low-cost therapy as I acclimated to all of the life changes. I adjusted to my new normal after going through every significant life change (save a death in the family and someone I love going to prison) I could think of to endure. Then, It Kept Getting BetterIn October, on the same day, I was approved for a car loan and found out that my house in Madison had new owners. Over time, I made two great friends from my job and got comfortable in a new city. I started dating someone who was great, then bought a house with and married that guy--who is an awesome stepdad and cat dad. I got laid off again and got another good job, then got laid off again and got an even better job. Things have gone pretty well through layoffs, reemployments, trials and tribulations. Through it all, my husband is awesome, my now-adult daughter is amazing, and the cats mostly tolerate my presence. A Frame of Reference for GratitudeSometimes, I see people who are unhappy with what they have. The strange upside of having gone through rough times is that it gives you a frame of reference. It reminds me to be grateful for the roof over our heads, my husband playing video games with our two cats in his lap, my healthy, happy daughter, and an ongoing stream of new challenges and adventures. I’m grateful for being active, able-bodied, and having a strong sense of well-being. I am grateful for winter heat, summer air conditioning, and all the machines that do my housework. I treasure mother/daughter movie nights, trips to the skating rink, and building relationships with new friends and colleagues. I value my roller derby skates, my outside roller skates, and my inline skates. I appreciate my cats, Zippy and Meathook, and the combination of disdain and affection they have for me. I am genuinely grateful for it all. Groundhog Day is my annual reminder to remember all these things. Learn More
by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Welcome To The SuckThe process of being "in transition" is like no other. Not only do you have no outwardly dictated plans on any given weekday, but you don't know how long your unstructured time off will last (another week, another month, a few months?) or what your day-to-day life will look like once the transition is over. There's also the issue of figuring out what to do with yourself when you're not job searching--in addition to feeling guilty because you're not doing more job searching. As an extra added bonus, there are the occasional freakouts about money, nervousness about career prospects, and the once-in-a-great-while "I will never be employed ever again!" full-on panic. Suffice it to say that job searching can be full of obstacles that make the process hard to manage. Knowing the possible issues is the first step towards figuring out how to mitigate each challenge and move forward. Here are five unfortunate reasons I have discovered about dealing with an unexpected career transition and a few coping strategies for dealing with each. Reason 1: You Won't Always Interview For "The Perfect Job."Congratulations! You just found THE PERFECT JOB! You have all of the required and preferred qualifications! It's at the right level with your dream company, and you even know someone who works there who will say great things about you! Surely your days of job searching are coming to a close because you are the purple squirrel for THE PERFECT JOB! Enter reality. I'm sorry to say that you may not even manage to get so much as an initial phone screen for this position. Even when you feel like the job was tailor-made for you, someone in a decision-making position may not agree. Why might that happen? For one, the position may not actually be available. Some organizations post job openings to gauge interest in the position even though they have no plans to hire anytime soon. Conversely, the role may have been open for a while, and the selection process may be well underway. There could also be an internal person who will take the job without additional people being considered. In some cases, companies may have a policy that they need to post positions externally for a given length of time, even though they already have a candidate in mind. Still other organizations may decide part way through the hiring process to leave a position unfilled but not remove it from their posted jobs. Assuming the job is really, and for true accepting applicants, there may still be issues. For one, key organizational stakeholders may lack common agreement on what a job role will do and what constitutes being a well-qualified candidate. Decision makers may also each have their own non-negotiable requirements for the qualifications for the potential hire--which may or may not relate to the person's ability to do the job. Remember that no matter what the issue is, it seldom has anything to do with you personally. It's just the life of recruiting for and trying to fill positions with the best candidates they can find--sometimes with people who are (unfortunately) not you. Coping Strategies
Reason 2: People Who Aren't Good At Their Jobs Will Make It Hard.Remember a time at your last job when you had to deal with someone who was not good at what they did for a living? Like the rude salesperson who never did their paperwork right and missed deadlines? Or the recruiter who didn't keep good notes and forgot who they had phone screened? Or the company leader who wanted to approve every decision but would become unavailable for a week or more? During your job search, you'll realize those people exist in other organizations, too, and they sometimes stand between you and the job you want. It could come in the form of an administrative assistant who is supposed to coordinate your travel for an in-person interview--who didn't make reservations and then went on vacation, leaving you scrambling to find someone else to help. It may be the recruiter who doesn't realize that a learning management system and a learning content management system are roughly the same thing and wrongly screens you out early in the process. It may be the hiring manager who is overly concerned with your lack of industry knowledge and doesn't believe that anyone could just LEARN what they now know. It may be an insecure possible future coworker who wants to avoid hiring someone who might outshine them. Like the rest of life, things are not always "fair." You may not get the job, even if you are a strong candidate. And so it goes Coping Strategies
Reason 3: Along The Way, Someone Will Dislike You.I don't know about you, but I am friggin' delightful. I'm also able to connect and get along well with most people. However, during the interview process, no matter who I am or am not, it will not match what someone else thinks the candidate for the position should be. Whether they thought I should have smiled more, made a different outfit choice, or given more detailed examples, someone's negative reaction to who I am may take me out of the running for a job. People often have their own pet theories about what they'd like in a coworker, manager, or direct report. They may be convinced that having the title "account manager" is pivotal for success, that all candidates must have a master's degree, or that people who ride horses are pretentious. You might also have the misfortune of reminding them of the mean girl in high school and BOOM--instant dislike. Again, life isn't necessarily "fair." Coping Strategies
Reason 4. The Process May Be All Over The Place.The job interview process can be anything from one interview to many, many, many interviews, depending on the organization and the role. Typically, I expect to have a phone screen with an entry-level HR person to confirm that I can speak in sentences, an in-person interview with the manager and potential coworkers, and a final interview to demonstrate skills and/or meet with a company VP. In addition, a given employer may want you to do more to show that you have the skills necessary to do the job. For example, you might be asked to pass written assessments, submit work samples, present to a group or complete a project. They may even have you come into the office for the day and "work" as if you are already in the position you are applying for. Interviews could take place over the phone, via web conference, through email, in person, or (more likely) a combination of all of the above. Some companies will have a pre-defined, structured process for the pacing and format of interviews. Other organizations will appear to be making it up as they go along. You may also inadvertently skip steps and realize near the end of the process that you should have talked about a basic topic like salary range or work location. Sometimes, it may seem that the interview process is never-ending because you have yet to talk with every single person in the organization. Coping Strategies
Reason 5: Their "Fast" And Yours May Be Different.I remember being a child and how LONG the year seemed. It always took forever to get from my birthday at the end of August to Christmas. Enter adulthood. I find myself consistently marveling that it's already whatever day/month/season it is because it seems it was just that other day/month/season. In this scenario, your employer is the adult, and you are the child. Some companies will be motivated to fill positions and move quickly. In contrast, others might have days, weeks, or even months between your contact with them--all because something that wasn't filling that position became a priority. What about that two days the employer estimated it would take them to contact you? It may turn into a week or two. Since they're busy addressing customer issues, traveling to client sites, and doing their expense reports, they didn't even realize it took that long. Or, as any job seeker doesn't want to hear, you may not be getting the job. Responding to a candidate quickly usually shows that the potential employer is interested. In many cases, taking longer to respond may indicate lagging interest. Such is how the whole process works. Coping Strategies
Learn MoreBy Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady The Value of Professional NetworkingWhen it comes to job searching, professional networking is a critical component of success. Ideally, you make initial connections with people through LinkedIn (maybe even after meeting them in person or at an online group event). While this is a great start, there is value in building relationships beyond that initial connection. A 1:1 meeting can significantly strengthen a networking relationship and help you learn how you and your new connection can help one another succeed. About 1:1 Networking MeetingsSo what exactly is a networking meeting? Back in the day, I remember hearing people talk about doing "informational interviews." In short, if you were interested in having a particular job or working with a specific company, you would contact an organization or individual and ask if they would meet you for an informational interview. In this 1:1 meeting, which could take place via phone or in person, you might learn about the company, what they are looking for, skills to acquire, and more. It also allowed you to start to build a relationship with a company--or a possible advocate in the person doling out said information. Fast forward to now. Today, a networking meeting is typically between you and another person deciding to spend a half hour-ish together. This meeting, sometimes called a coffee chat, could happen virtually via Zoom or in person, often over coffee. If you're job searching, the typical focus will be on how to progress in your job search. Someone may agree to a networking meeting because you have things in common (like a field of work, background, professional goals), because they are generally committed to helping people when they are job searching, or because you have a mutual acquaintance to ask that person to meet with you to help you out. Networking Meeting = Informal InterviewWhenever you have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with someone, remember that you are taking part in a type of informal interview. Whenever I meet with someone in career transition, my goal is to help them figure out their next steps, offer advice (if they ask and are interested), and give them ideas on further steps they might take, including who they should speak with next While I go in with this idea, the amount of help I'll provide also depends on how this networking meeting goes. Ideally, we have a good, productive conversation, and I think to myself, "I totally want to help this person more." If the meeting goes well, I'll refer them to specific resources that might benefit them (like a networking group they might want to join, a company to check out, someone to follow on LinkedIn) and even put in a good word for them to have a networking meeting with someone else who might get them closer to their goals. In addition, if it goes REALLY well, this is a person who I'll refer to others for openings, pass on job opportunities, and maybe even hire someday. If the meeting doesn't go well, I'll share a few resources, but I may not be willing to help them as actively moving forward. Remember, any interaction you have with people will impact their desire to help you in the future. Types of Networking MeetingsHere are a few common types of networking meetings:
Networking Meeting Best PracticesHere are a few best practices for networking meetings:
The True Power of Networking MeetingsWhen people talk about how they "networked" into a new job, typically, that means they leveraged their initial connections to help make inroads with new contacts, who helped them get closer to a new position. The holy grail of networking meetings is when the person you meet with agrees to introduce you to someone else they know who could help you. That process repeats until you're talking to a hiring manager or influencer who can help you get an interview for a job. Having good networking meetings is a critical step in that process. Learn Moreby Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady Network Building in the BeforetimesPre-pandemic, "networking" typically meant attending in-person events, shaking a few hands, and having a somewhat meaningful conversation with another human. While in-person opportunities are available again, it's still a good practice to continue to build your network when interacting with people online. Enter the WebinarLike many people, I have attended (and delivered) approximately a bijillion online meetings, trainings, and interactive instructor-led sessions. I've been approaching these sessions with a mind towards not just attending, but also making new connections. Although the process differs from in-person interaction with people, I have managed to connect with more people (and often form more meaningful connections) than attending in-person meetings and “working the room.” As someone who runs introverted and communicates effectively in writing, this was an opportunity to turn webinars into a bonus network building exercise. Your Personal Webinar BrandingWhen attending a webinar, I make sure that people are able to see who I am, my full name, and a picture if at all possible. I use the same photo I use on LinkedIn so that people associate me with that picture. I also make sure that my first and last name are present so people have a chance of being able to find me after the session--or will recognize my name. In addition, during the webinar, I interact during the session. This usually involves commenting in the chat when prompted--which is also an opportunity for other attendees to see my full name. During any small group interactions, I'm sure to turn my camera on so people can see my face, hear my voice, and see my name. If the presenter asks people to share out loud, I usually turn on my camera, and share my thoughts. Again, this is another opportunity for people to hear my voice, see my face, and see my name. Each of these "impressions" helps people start to get to know me at least a little bit. Finding Potential ConnectionsDuring the a webinar, I often take a screen shot of the participant list, and a gallery of attendees if people are on camera. Whenever possible, download the chat from the session. This helps me identify who was active in the webinar and gives me additional information on anything they might have shared during the session. I often make notes on notecards during sessions to help me remember who might have said what and key content covered. All of these details can help me when interacting with attendees later on when I send LinkedIn connection requests. Researching Potential ConnectionsAfter attending a webinar, here is my process for adding new LinkedIn connections:
Personalizing a Connection RequestPersonalizing connection requests is a great way to start building a relationship with a new professional contact. Here are the key components I include:
Connection Request ExamplesHere are a few examples of messages that you can use to invite people to connect. Currently, LinkedIn allows you to include up to 300 characters when personalizing connection requests. Hi, Jen. I see we both attended today’s White Box Club meeting. I’m also in career transition and seeking a new role in learning and development. Let's connect! I'm also always up for a 30-minute "virtual coffee" meeting to discuss how we can help one another as we job search. --Brenda Hi, Jack. Great to interact with you a bit at this morning's Excellence Share. I love sharing ideas with fellow L&D professionals. Let's connect! --Brenda Hi, Javier. I see we both attended today's "Sales Enablement Best Practices" webinar. I definitely enjoy learning from this group. Since you mentioned that you are job searching, be sure to check out The White Box Club on Meetup to help you as you find your next role. Let's connect! --Brenda After The Initial ConnectionHow do you further nurture that relationship? Here are a few ideas.
Continue to Build The RelationshipAfter connecting with people initially, be sure to continue to nurture those connections. Posting useful content, and occasionally messaging people is one way to do that. Ideally, you can add value to the relationship before you are in a position where you need to ask those individuals for help. Learn More |
Just get laid off?
Click here for info on what to do first. Author7-time layoff survivor Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady, waxes poetic on layoffs, job transitions, & career resilience. Buy The Book!Were you recently laid off from your job and need a roadmap for what's next? Pick up a copy of my book, Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide!
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|