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Company Research During Your Job Search

5/13/2025

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Interviewing Goes Both Ways

Whether you are actively searching for a new role, or just have an eye out for a new position, it's important to do your homework. It's important to remember that the company is not just interviewing you for a position. You are also interviewing the company to make sure they meet your requirements for what you want and need in an employer.

When researching, remind yourself of the value of seeking information from multiple viewpoints. You'll gather different, yet often equally valuable, information from the company website, news sources, online review sites, and speaking with individuals who have direct experience working for the organization. 

Let's examine why, when, and how to conduct your vetting process.

What The Company Has To Say

When researching a company, start with the online sites that the company runs. This includes their company website, their LinkedIn company page, and their other social media presences. Your main goals include finding out more about the company and the logistics of working there to help you decide if the company seems like a good fit for you and is aligned with your career goals. 

Here are a few ideas on what to look for: 

  • Is their online presence complete and professional? Is the information current?
  • What details do they have online about their value proposition for employees? Do they mention employee perks, benefits, or their company culture?
  • What industry are they in? How many people work there?
  • ​What are their working arrangements?
  • Have they won any awards?
  • How are they active in the community?
  • On LinkedIn,  are you connected with any of their employees?
  • What is their address? If applicable, do they have office locations near you? For a possible remote position, is anyone else in the state in which you live employed there?​ 
  • Is there recent company report on the website? How have their financials been recently?

The News

Once you have looked at company-run sites, it's helpful to do an online search to see how and when they are showing up in the news. You're looking for good and not-so-good information on the organization, as reported in the news. To do this, you could type in the company's full name and the word news, all in quotes, in your favorite search engine. Alternatively, you could type in the company's name in quotes, then click the news link on your favorite search engine. 

Here are a few ideas on what to look for: 
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  • Company accomplishments and recent awards.
  • Leadership and key staffing changes.
  • Good works in the community.
  • Activities or events they sponsored.
  • Any legal news or actions.
  • Previous or planned layoffs.
  • Announcements about changes in company structure or ownership.

Online Reviews

After looking at the news, it's helpful to look at online reviews for the company. Remember, often, when people write reviews, they are either ecstatic or disgruntled--sometimes without much in between. For comparison, think about how you would rate a recent employer based on the best day you ever had at work there as compared to your worst day at work--and that both were valid in those moments.

Here are a few places to look that are focused on gathering and sharing opinions about organizations:
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  • For general impressions of the company, visit The Better Business Bureau.
  • To see history or plans for layoffs, search for WARN notices and your state.
  • To hear what current or past employees have to say, visit Glassdoor.com.
  • To hear what current or past employees have to say, visit Indeed.com.
  • Search for review sites of the company's products and services.

People With Direct Experience

In addition to the news, reports on websites, and anonymous feedback, reaching out to people with experience at a given company for additional insights is also valuable. This is where you can leverage your professional network to connect with people who have firsthand experience. 

Here are a few ideas for how to find out more: 
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  • On LinkedIn, look at the company's current employees. Search those employees for someone who is one of your current connections. Reach out to that person to ask about their experience working with the company. 
  • On LinkedIn, look at the company's current employees. See if you have a second-degree connection with any of the company's current employees. Reach out to that person to ask if they are willing to introduce you to someone at that organization.
  • Contact key members of professional organizations where you are a member. Ask if anyone there has insight on the company or knows someone who does. As for either an introduction or any insights they have to share. 

What Do You Think? 

What else do you do to research a company? Include your ideas in the comments. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Asking for Help Using LinkedIn Messaging
  • The Layoff Lady: Using 1:1 Networking Meetings for Job Searching
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide
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Creating Your Career Transition Support Team

5/6/2025

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Don't Go It Alone

Life is challenging when nothing in particular is happening. When you're going through a job change (especially one you didn't plan), it's even harder. While I'm a fan of self-reliance, I also know the value of finding people who want to support you and letting them do it. You're not weak for needing people. You are smart for planning ahead for what you will need.

You Need Help Because This is Hard

I have been through a post-layoff job transition 7 times, and it is difficult each and every time. There is the fear that it will just never end, and you'll be drifting for eternity trying to find paid work where you can pay your bills--much less in a job you want. You worry that you'll have to settle for something that may be even worse than the worst job you've ever had. You also worry that you'll run out of money and not be able to pay your bills and lose everything you own and everyone you've ever loved. While your rational mind knows this is all pretty unlikely, there will be moments when everything seems hopeless. That's where your support network comes in. 

No matter how resilient and downright badass you are, doing this alone makes it way harder. 

People Want to Help You: Make Sure to Let Them

As an extra added bonus, people want to help you! I'm always inspired by all the people who came out of the woodwork to check on me, told me about an open position, thanked me for helping them once upon a time, or offered to refer me for a role. Everyone has struggled with something at one time or another, and someone has helped them. Let other people help you. 

Building Your Team

It also takes a village to get you through a career transition. Relying on one person for everything is all kinds of stressful. Know that people want to help, and it's a matter of figuring out what you need, letting people know, and reaching out to people as needed. Going through a job search is challenging, even in the best of circumstances.

Types of Help You Need

Here's a starter list of the types of help you may need during your job transition. More specifically, here is some of what I needed. Use this as a starting point and add details as it helps you:
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  • ​Emotional Support: You'll have all the feelings. Figure out who you can talk to about what. Sometimes you'll laugh, sometimes you'll cry, sometimes you'll vent, and on the most trying days, maybe all of the above. 
  • Communication: Just telling people what is up can be draining--because people. Realize, too, that your telling them about your situation may result in them inadvertently trying to allay their fears that the same thing will happen to them. Find a friend who can help you spread whatever news there is to convey. Telephone. Telegraph. Tell a Karla. Find those people who love to connect with others (and even share some of the same social circles) and enlist their help.  
  • Sounding Board: When you're making big decisions--or doing something you don't do very often, having someone to talk things through will is mission critical. Personally, I don't even always need my sounding board people to say much--just to sit there and listen (or at least just not talk over me) as I talk myself into or out of the idea I'm considering. There is so much value to writing or talking through ideas as you choose your next steps.
  • Logistical Support: Sometimes, you'll need a hand figuring things out. Maybe it's having someone to watch your kids for a bit so you can have a phone interview. Perhaps it's help with a ride if you're having car trouble. Whatever it is, it may seem small to them, but it'll solve a problem for you. 
  • Fun: There will be many, many times when you just need a distraction. Watching a movie. Having coffee. Talking about non-job search related things. Having a conversation where you don't have to be "on" and can just chat with someone. It doesn't have to be elaborate. It just has to be a welcome break from all those "shoulds" to be something other than a job-searching human.
  • Cheerleader: You also need someone to give you a pep talk. Whether it's someone who'll send you a quick "You've got this!" text or someone to remind you to take a deep breath and tell them your remarkable story, remember that encouragement is essential. They can also help you celebrate successes and remind you of your innate value when you're struggling.
  • Accountability: You'll also need someone to help you keep on track. It may be as easy as them asking if you applied for that job you talked about. Or asking you if you updated your resume like you said you would do.­­­ Create the positive peer pressure to help you follow through on what you need to do.
  • New Ideas: There is a certain amount of trial and error when looking for a new job. Whether it's optimizing LinkedIn, figuring out how to network with new people, finding the best way to position your work experience, or where to find jobs, there's a lot to learn. Whether you tap into someone who works in that industry, or a hiring manager, or a resume writer, figuring out how to be a more effective job searcher is useful. 
  • Connectors: Each of us has people in our lives who seem to know all the things and/or all the people. Let them help you connect with the right person, opportunity, or idea at the right time.

Who Can Help

When it comes to help, I start with my inner circle--close friends and family. I'm also sure to widen my support team beyond them, too.

I also move beyond that immediate group. I interact with my LinkedIn connections. I tap into online groups including job search groups, The White Box Club, and even LinkedIn groups focusing on networking or a content area (like sales enablement).

I interact with in-person membership groups like ATD or the Omaha OD Network. Or I seek out non-work connections through social Meetup groups or activities. Sometimes, I just spend time in coffee shops to indirectly interact with other people. It's a matter of figuring out what you need and finding a person to help.

Asking for Help

Know, too, that there will be times when you need to straight up reach out to someone because you need help. Each person will have their areas of interest and expertise, so be sure to keep that in mind when asking for help.

It's helpful to consider who you might contact for different needs. Here are a few cases when I was job searching and I reached out to people to ask for help:
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  • Before a job interview, I would text my daughter to let her know I had an interview. She woudl then text back encouraging words and follow up afterwards to see how it all went. 
  • If I need non-job search social interaction, I'd reach out to my former "lunch ladies" coworkers with a link to my Calendly and ask if they're up for a catch-up conversation (then they would pick a time for us to chat.)
  • If was having a rough day, I'll reach out to my best friend to talk a bit. 
  • If was unsure if my resume was clear, I'll contact a former coworker to give it a look and make suggestions on what I could do better.
  • If I wanted to talk shop but not directly job searching, I'd contact a LinkedIn connection I hadn't chatted with in a while and see if they were up for a virtual coffee meeting. I got to have a fulfilling interaction with another person and glean a few professional insights, too. 

Learn More

  • ​The White Box Club​ on Meetup
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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LinkedIn Is Your Billboard: Optimizing Your Profile

2/11/2025

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your LinkedIn Profile: Purpose

While your resume is a concise 1-2 page marketing piece intended to showcase your skills as they apply to a specific job, LinkedIn is your professional billboard to the whole working world. 

When actively searching and applying for a job, you’ll include your LinkedIn profile on your resume. Hiring managers and recruiters will often view your profile to see which connections you might have in common and to learn more about you in general. Furthermore, recruiters may source you (invite you to apply or interview for an opportunity) based on the content of your profile.

Whether you are actively applying for a new job or simply building your professional network, it's a good idea to review your LinkedIn profile regularly and make updates to ensure your information is current and complete.

Your LinkedIn Profile: The Basics

Filling in these fields on your LinkedIn profile will make it an even more valuable tool as you build and grow your professional network:
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  • Profile Photo: This is the primary image, displayed in a circular frame, that represents you on LinkedIn. It should be a headshot—a photo featuring a recent picture of you focused on your face. You don’t need to suit-up for this either. Make sure you’re pictured solo, and the photo has the look and feel that best represents you.
 
  • Background Photo: When someone views your LinkedIn profile, they’ll see your profile photo, front and center, and your background photo along the top of your profile. Be sure to include a background photo aligned with your professional brand. You can even use a tool like Canva to personalize your background.  
 
  • Headline: Your headline defaults to your current job title and company name. Since this is a high-value space, I suggest personalizing this text based on your LinkedIn goals. For example, if you're job searching, consider including your target job title and your most relevant skills. Keep in mind that when you comment on someone's post, they will see your name and the first part of your headline. Overall, the keywords in your headline impact your findability on LinkedIn.
       
  • Experience: List your recent work experiences and share a few details on each role. For each job, fill in the required fields, including your dates of employment. For the description, include a sentence or two about what you did and keywords to highlight your skills further. Consider focusing on your last 10-15 years of work experience.
 
  • ​Education: Include the schools attended and degrees earned. I suggest leaving off years since they may cause people to speculate on your age or form opinions on your experience level. Adding schools attended here is a great starting point for connecting with others who attended those institutions. 

​Your LinkedIn Profile: Next Level

Here are a few ways to make your LinkedIn profile even more impactful: 

  • ​​About Section: The About section is at the top of your LinkedIn profile and gives you a chance to tell. If you're job searching, this is a great place to include details about who you are and what you are looking for in your next role. You also have room to add additional bullet points if you like. Write this in the first person (using “I” language) and further showcase who you are professionally. 
 
  • Customize Your Profile URL: By default, your LinkedIn profile's URL (web address) will be long and not very meaningful. You can customize your URL to make it friendly. I suggest using some version of your name. This minor update will look more professional on your resume—and make your profile easier to find. 
 
  • Emojis: While you don't want to add too many cutesy emojis, using these tiny graphics is a nice way to break up longer bodies of text. Using a unique graphic for a bulleted list, an envelope next to your email address, or a splash of color to divide up long bodies of text, you can leverage emojis to liven up your profile and posts. 
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  • Skills: Within LinkedIn, you can select up to 50 skills that will be included on your profile. This is another great opportunity to look at keywords you commonly see in job listings for your target role. For added impact, you can indicate which skills you used in the experience section, too. 

What Do You Think?

What information do you include on your LinkedIn profile and why? What details do you skip and for what reason? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Learn More

  • ​How To Customize Your LinkedIn Profile URL
  • How to Add and Remove Skills on Your LinkedIn Profile
  • ​​How The LinkedIn Algorithm Works
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Layoff Lessons Learned: Insights from Layoff #4

2/4/2025

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

A Note About The Numbers

Learning from experience can be one of the best ways to make needed changes. Learning from stories is another great way to glean valuable information. I invite you to review my lived experiences and see what insights resonate with you. 

As a bona fide Excel nerd, and meticulous planner, I kept detailed records on my job search journey from layoff #4 through finding a new role. Here are a few statistical highlights of what on earth I did with myself in the months between when my previous role ended and starting a new job. 

I’m including several numbers in this article. Keep in mind that while I pride myself in my ability to count and do basic math, I’m dealing with a very small sample size. This article can only barely be called “research” and is more appropriately described as me sharing my personal experience. With that disclaimer, on to the numbers!

How Long Will This Take: Job Search Length

  • ​Total days in job search: 140
  • Working days in job search (removing Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays): 93

Please Look At My Resume: Applications Submitted

  • Total number of applications submitted: 49
  • Number of applications where I had a professional connection within the company: 24 
  • Number of applications where I knew someone who knew someone within the company: 6
  • Number of applications prompted by a recruiter contacting me: 4
  • Number of applications where I had no professional connection within the company: 15
  • Hall of Fame: Most Life Affirming Message After Applying for a Job:
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    Hi Brenda,

    Thank you so much for your interest in [Super Cool Company] and for taking the time to apply for the Product Training Manager position. We just wanted to let you know that we received your application, and that we're looking forward to reviewing it.

    Have a great day!

Now We're Talking: Interviews

  • Total number of interviews (phone, webinar and in-person): 45
  • Total number of companies who interviewed me: 20
  • Number of companies who interviewed me only once: 10
  • Number of companies who interviewed me multiple times: 10
  • Hall of Shame: Most Interviews for One Job Without Getting an Offer: 10

I Know People: Referrals and Getting an Interview

  • Likelihood of getting one interview if I had a professional connection at the company: 54%
  • Likelihood of having multiple interviews if I had a professional connection at the company: 33% 
  • Likelihood of getting one interview if I knew someone who knew someone at the company: 16%
  • Likelihood of getting one interview if I had no professional connection at the company: 13% 

I Will Never Work Again: Job Search Low Points

  • Number of automated job applications with no response at all: 14
  • Number of rejection emails received without any personal contact: 13
  • Positions filled with an internal candidate after I had interviewed: 3
  • Positions put on hold indefinitely after I was selected to interview: 3
  • Jobs where I withdrew (aka “The non-negotiable salary is half of your target salary.”): 1
  • Hall of Shame: Least Encouraging Automated Response After Applying for a Job

    We have received your application. The processing time for applications may in some instances be up to 4 weeks from the application deadline. We hope that you’ll be patient with us in the meantime.

    If you don't hear from us in 4 weeks, you will likely not be part of the selection process. When a position has been filled, all applicants will be notified.

    Kind regards
    ​
    The Recruiting Team

    (Please Note: This message was automatically generated. Please do not respond.)

Everything Works Out: Lessons Learned 

  • Remember, you only need one job. It helped me to keep this in mind. 
  • Use LinkedIn to find out who you know who works for a given company. 
  • If you have a professional connection at a company, ask for their help.  I had more success in getting interviews where I had a professional connection who could refer me in or vouch for me. 
  • Even if you don’t have a connection at a company, apply anyway.  Applying gives you a shot at getting the job, while not applying at all ensures that you won’t get the job.
  • Keep doing the right things. Sometimes, it feels like you network, and apply, and interview and still don't have success. Verify that you are for sure doing the right things, then keep doing them. Eventually something will pop.
  • Remember, you only need one job.

What Do You Think? 

What lessons have you learned from previous job searches? Share your best practices in the comments. 

Learn More 

  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide
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Growing Your Professional Network: Adding LinkedIn Connections

11/19/2024

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your Professional Network

When I think about building my professional network, adding new LinkedIn connections is one of my markers of success. I use LinkedIn as a tool to create, build, track, and maintain my professional relationships. 
People around a table.
LinkedIn Website

Turning People You've Met Into Connections

When I first started using LinkedIn, I connected with people I had met in person. At that time, my network mainly included the following people: 
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  • Family and friends
  • Current and former coworkers
  • Current and former business associates (vendor contacts, customers, contractors)
  • Colleagues from professional development groups
  • People I met in person or via phone/webinar in a business setting
  • People I met through introductions from my current professional connections

Creating New Professional Connections

When the pandemic hit, I realized I needed to shift my approach, or I would not meet anyone new--and I've continued to add to my professional network. I also realized that since more companies were open to hiring remote people, I needed to broaden my network beyond the people I would encounter in person. In addition to the people I used to connect with, I now also started proactively sending connection requests to the following types of people:
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  • Other members of my LinkedIn groups
  • People in my geographical area
  • People in the fields of talent development, change management, instructional design, and organizational design
  • People who work for companies that interest me
  • Recruiters
  • People with common interests or experiences
  • People with mutual connections
  • People who presented at sessions I attended
  • People who attended online sessions that I also attended

Again, the more people I meet, and the more people I connect with who know about my professional value, the better I will be able to find a new role that meets my requirements more quickly.

Opportune Times To Connect

I often connect with people when there are specific reasons to connect that are noteworthy, including the following:
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  • People recently laid off:  I empathize with their job loss, mention job search-related resources, and invite them to connect.
  • People recently hired: I congratulate them on their new role, mention our commonality, and invite them to connect.
  • People who just completed a degree, certification, or other educational program: I congratulate them on their accomplishments, mention any commonality we have, and invite them to connect. 

Personalizing Connection Requests

Since LinkedIn now limits the basic account to only 5 personalized connection requests per month, I adopt multiple strategies to build rapport with people. In some cases, I still send a personalized connection request. This can be especially helpful when I send a connection request to someone I have not met before. 

I include the following components when personalizing a connection request:
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  • Greeting: Hi, [person’s first name spelled correctly].
  • Personal Note: Include details on how you met, compliment them on a previous post, share a helpful tip, comment on their situation, or point out something we have in common.
  • Invitation to Connect: I’d like to add you to my professional network. and/or Let’s connect!
  • Signature: [Your Name] 

Interacting Before Connecting

Personalizing a connection request isn't the only way to help you gain that new connection. Here are a few tips you can use without a paid LinkedIn subscription: 
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  • Make sure your profile headline is descriptive. When people see your connection request, and look at your headline, seeing "Looking for my next opportunity" tells them far less about you. Instead, starting with your area of focus, industry, desired job title, or other specifics will give them more reason to connect with you.
  • Interact with one of their recent posts. This helps boost how many people see their post and they will see your name, profile picture, and start of your headline. This name recognition make them more likley to accept your connection request. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Using 1:1 Networking Meetings for Job Searching
  • The Layoff Lady: Growing Your Professional Network: Attending Webinars
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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The Art of Job Application Follow Up: Email Messages

10/8/2024

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Eye on the Prize: Getting the Interview

There are a lot of opinions on how to interact with employers early in the hiring process. They include everything from sending a basic “I applied” email to off-the-wall rom-com level gesture like sending the hiring manager a cake with your resume attached to the inside of the box. In this article, we’ll focus on using email to follow up after you have formally applied for the job.
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Regardless of your approach (and my overall follow-up recommendations are closer to the email than the cake end of the spectrum), stay focused on what you’re trying to accomplish. Remember, your goal at this point in the process is to get your application into the “must interview” pile. 

What Follow-Up Email Messages Will and Won't Do

Let’s first set a few expectations on the impact sending a follow-up email message will have:

  • If you are not a generally qualified candidate for the job, you’re not going to “follow-up” your way into an interview.
  • If you follow-up badly, you may very well “follow-up” your way right into the “no” pile.
  • Following up with the wrong person won’t help your cause.
  • If you’re going to follow-up, contact either the hiring manager or the recruiter.
  • Sending a follow-up email may help the hiring team remember your name--which may help especially in remote roles with many, many applicants.
  • Even if you are a strong candidate, and following up with the right people, you may or may not get an interview.

Like with most of the hiring process, there is no guarantee that you will get an interview for any given role. However, doing the right things consistently gives you a better chance of having a positive outcome. 

My Horror Story: Follow-Up Gone Awry

Once upon a time, I was the hiring manager for an instructional designer position. A person who I had never met, but who knew a colleague of mine, had a background in instructional design and was interested in the job. Through our shared colleague, that person (who I will now refer to as “the candidate”) ended up with my name and work contact information.

What followed was an example of the worst-case scenario of a how a candidate reaching out to a hiring manager can actually be detrimental. From mid-December through the end of the calendar year, over the course of 10 business days, the candidate (who—reminder—I had never before interacted with in any way) contacted me 16 times via phone and email about the open position.

I do not remember what all the candidate asked during each request (because blocking out awful memories is a real thing). I do remember one early request was asking how to apply for the job. Given that this role was with a technology company, and I needed someone who could work independently and solve problems, a candidate who wasn’t sure how to apply for the job through a pretty typical Careers webpage was not going to be a top candidate.

In addition, after they managed to apply, they then called and also emailed the recruiter multiple times, again in the spirit of follow-up.

The good news—we definitely knew the candidate’s name. The bad news (for them)—we knew for sure we were NOT going to interview them.

Worst Practices: Job Application Follow-Up

As a hiring manager, here are the issues I’ve seen when people follow up on job applications:
  • They reach out with no plan or point.
  • They reach out too many times.
  • They reach out many times with too small of a gap between messages.
  • They reach out to the wrong person.
  • They reach out with a large ask.
  • They are DEMANDING about what the hiring team should do for them.
  • They push too hard on next steps. 
  • They disregard specific directions in the job description regarding what follow-up is acceptable. 

Finding the Right People and Contact Information

Remember, typically the two people to follow up with regarding your job application are the recruiter and the hiring manager. The first challenge is figuring out who these people are, then getting their email addresses.

In some cases, the name of the recruiter may be included on the job posting. Through using LinkedIn or the company website, you may be able to find a professional email address to use for them. You can also potentially do some digging through LinkedIn and find out the name of the recruiter through their LinkedIn posts. It could be little to no effort to find their email address, or a genuine project, to find out that detail about the recruiter.

For hiring managers, some job listings will include the title of the hiring manager (who the position reports to), or even sometimes their name. Again, you may be able to use LinkedIn to find their contact information, or you may find the naming scheme a company uses (like [email protected]) to figure out their email address. You may also need to contact HR or a current employee to find out more, or there might be fee-based services you can use.

When it comes right down to it, it is important for you to determine how much time and money you want to dedicate to finding this information. You also need to decide if the time you spend on this quest is worth the value you will gain from sending a follow-up message. It's your call.

What To Include In Your Follow-Up Email

Once you’ve identified the person to contact, and have their email address, think about what you’ll say in your message. Here are my recommendations on details to include: 

  • Greet the person by name. 
  • Introduce yourself.
  • Mention that you’ve applied for the job and include the title of the job and the company name.
  • Share a brief summary (a sentence or two or a few short, bulleted points) on why you applied and the skills you bring to the role.
  • Include your contact information (email and phone) and invite them to contact you.
  • Thank them.
  • Your first and last name, email, phone, and LinkedIn URL

How a Follow-Up Message Might Look

Subject Line: Following Up on my Support Manager Application

Body of the Message: 

Hi, Annette. I’m Esme Whitlock, and I'm sending you a quick message to introduce myself, and let you know I just applied for the Support Manager role with Super Cool Company. Because I have a background working in tech support specialist and help desk supervisor jobs in manufacturing companies, I think I am a great match for this position.

As indicated in the job description, I have experience setting up a knowledge base using Super Cool Software and training new staff on using internal resources. I also enjoy hiring and training new associates and helping them grow their skillsets to meet performance goals. These skills, and my desire to grow in my career, drive my excitement for this role with Super Cool Company.

If you’re interested in talking to me directly about the Support Manager role and my qualifications, please contact me via text/phone at 555-555-5555 or via email at [email protected].

Thank you!

Esme Whitlock
555-555-5555
[email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylinkedin/ewhitlock

Follow-up Email Timing and Frequency

There are also various opinions on when to contact a potential employer and how many contacts to make.

I suggest emailing once sometime between the day you apply and a week after you apply to briefly introduce yourself and get your name in front of the hiring manager and/or recruiter. If you decide you want to do a second message, I suggest waiting until a week or two after the first message and modifying the message so it is not just a repeat of the first message you send.

Remember, you get to do whatever you want to do. Some hiring managers and recruiters may be very open to messages, and others might prefer to avoid being contacted. I believe reaching out one to two times with a few days in between contacts should show your interest without venturing into being way too much.

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Your Weekly Job Search To Do List

9/3/2024

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by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

A Harsh Truth About Job Searching

Whether you are employed and searching for a role that is a better match or in a post-layoff career transition, job searching has many challenges. Perhaps the most frustrating part is that you can't control when you will get a new job. The whole process takes as long as it takes. To make the waiting and uncertainty more bearable, focusing on the aspects of your job search you can control is helpful. 

Measuring Success

When working toward a goal, it's always helpful to identify your goals and track your progress toward those goals. This will also help you to evaluate what you are doing and adjust as needed to help you see greater success. There are two kinds of indicators to help measure success: leading indicators and lagging indicators. 

When working toward a goal, most people focus on lagging indicators. In a work setting, if I deliver a training session to help boost product sales, future sales numbers are a lagging indicator. Many factors contributing to future sales are outside my control—like what competing products exist, commission rates, or market conditions. Ultimately, sales numbers are a lagging indicator of success because they show up later on.

Focusing on lagging indicators is how we are encouraged to measure progress in much of life. We look to the scale to show us if we lost weight, our temperature to see if we are healthy, and an accepted job offer as proof of results. While these are all the ultimate measures of success, they are the outputs of many tangible factors we can track and control. Which brings us to...

Along the way, it’s more helpful to focus on leading indicators. These are the easily measurable, countable, check-off-able items that are within your control. In my sales training scenario, leading indicators of success would include holding the training session, the number of attendees, knowledge check results from each participant, and the presence of a reference document. I can control all of these things, count them, and check off tasks completed.

Focusing on the right leading indicators doesn't guarantee I'll achieve my lagging indicators of increased sales, but that success is more likely to happen. Similarly, if I commit to the daily tasks of walking for 30 minutes, eating 5 servings of vegetables, and drinking 64 ounces of water per day, I am positioning myself for more success in my weight loss goal. Those right actions, and tweaking them as needed, will eventually lead to that number on the scale moving in the right direction. 

Job Search: Lagging Indicators

Within the context of a job search, here are a few lagging indicators of job search progress. You can also not directly control these actions happening:

  • Finding a current employee to refer me for a specific job at their company.
  • Getting a collegues to put in a good word for me with a potential employer.
  • Hearing back from an employer about an initial interview.
  • Being invited to a follow-up or final job interview.
  • Recieving a job offer.

All these lagging are definitive, and are indicators of legitimate progress toward getting a new job. You also can not directly make any of these things happen. 

Ways to Achieve the Bigger Goal

During your job search, it's important to focus on activities that can position you to reach those milestones. Here are the broad areas you can impact:
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  • Build or strengthen networking connections with people who work in my industry or for a possible employer (which may lead to a referral)
  • Highlight my professional skillset through my LinkedIn profile (which may lead to an employer reaching out about an open position)
  • Apply for jobs that are a good fit for me (which may lead to a call back)
  • Improve how I position my work experience (which may lead to my resume being selected for an initial phone screen)

Job Search: Leading Indicators. 

Now, turn those squishier ideas into leading indicators. Do this by creating specific, countable, check-off-able tasks on your to-do list. Here are a few examples: 

  • On LinkedIn, spend 15 minutes each weekday reacting to and commenting on posts made by my connections and companies that I follow.
  • On LinkedIn, make a post each Tuesday at 10:00 am that starts with a sentence about a valuable skill I have and includes a link to an article about that skill. 
  • On LinkedIn, make a post each Thursday at 2:00 pm that includes a work-relevant inspirational quote.
  • On LinkedIn, send five requests to connect with new people each week.
  • Identify five jobs that meet my job search criteria.
  • Apply for three jobs with tailored resumes.
  • On LinkedIn, follow the LinkedIn page for each company where I apply.
  • Take part in at least one professional development activity per week.

Having this list of tangible actions to take will keep you on track to achieve your goal of finding a new job.

Keep On Doing The Right Things

Some weeks, you do a lot of waiting, which makes you feel like you are terrible at everything and destined to be stuck right where you are. Other weeks, people will trip over one another clamoring to talk with you about yet another amazing job opportunity. During those weeks, you feel like this is all easy and you can do no wrong. Stay the course and keep on keeping on knowing that eventually something will pop.

What Do You Think? 

How do you sustain momentum during your job search? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Learn More

  • ​Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way To Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones 
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide
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The Why and What of Posting on LinkedIn

8/13/2024

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Using LinkedIn To Build Your Brand

Sharing content on LinkedIn is a great way to engage with your connections, add value to your professional relationships, and promote who you are and what you know. However, only about 1% of LinkedIn users ever post anything at all--which I think is a huge missed opportunity to stand out.

Why People Don't Post on LinkedIn

When I've asked people what is stopping them from posting on LinkedIn, the overwhelming answer is, "I don't know what to post." ​Like with most everything in life, it comes down to your overall goals.

Whether I'm promoting myself in general or actively searching for a new "day job" in L&D, my goals remain consistent: to share knowledge and strengthen relationships. There are many ways posting on LinkedIn can help. I suggest using LinkedIn to share posts that support who you are as a professional. 

Types of Posts

You don't have to write a long, original manifesto to post on LinkedIn and make an impact. Here are examples of what you can post on LinkedIn that will help you "build your brand" and share what you're all about, both professionally and as a person:
​
  • Showcasing your expertise
  • You as a person
  • Inspirational content
  • Promoting others
  • You doing things
  • Your work samples
  • Sharing insights
  • Sharing opportunities and resources

​Let's look at a few examples of my posts.

Showcasing Your Expertise

Who are you professionally? What are your skills? What do you bring to the table as a possible employee of a given company? For me, my skills include training leadership, needs assessment, relationship building, instructional design, project management, technical writing, facilitating classes, and more.
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You as a Person

Who are you? What is it like to work with you? What are your interests? What do you care about? ​For me, I love helping people to succeed. I love removing obstacles so people can be successful. I enjoy board games, inline skating, my cats, my family, and a good cup of coffee. I am also kind of a nerd. I also own a velvet Elvis--because of course I do.​
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Inspirational Content

What picks you up when you are down? What insights struck you? What motivates you? For me, I love quotes about the value of lifelong learning, self care, and shifting your mindset. 
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Promoting Others

Who inspires you? Who do you learn from? Who shared a useful resource that benefitted you? For me, I enjoy finding awesome people to learn from and sharing useful articles with others who might also find them helpful.
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You Doing Things

What do you do? What did you write? How do you volunteer? For me, I lead classes, go to professional development meetings, deliver webinars, inline skate, and, on rare occasion, beat my now-adult child at a board game.
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Your Work Samples

What projects do you work on? What do you write? What content to you create? What experiences have you learned from? For me, I teach custom webinars, write blog articles, assist other instructors, and design learning.
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Sharing Insights

What have you learned about your chosen profession? What's a tip you like to share? What's your go-to strategy for solving a problem? What's something unique you have noticed?  For me, I make observations, see unique solutions to common problems, or see how training and learning are out there in the world. And also coffee.
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Sharing Opportunities and Resources

What problems can you help people solve? Who do you know who is a go to person for a given topic? What is a solution you learned about from a common problem? For me, I share information for people who want to get into corporate training, share job search resources, point people towards others who share topic-specific content. 
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Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: What To Include on Your LinkedIn Profile
  • The Layoff Lady: Strengthening Professional Relationships - Interacting With LinkedIn Posts
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Growing Your Professional Network: Attending Webinars

7/2/2024

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by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Network Building in the Beforetimes

Pre-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 again plentiful, webinars continue to be popular since they are a flexible way to bring people together to learn. Be sure to think of your network during virtual events, too.

Connect with Webinar Attendees

Like 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 Branding

When 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 Connections

During a webinar, I often take a screenshot 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 Connections

After attending a webinar, here is my process for adding new LinkedIn connections:
  • Refer to the list of attendees at a webinar.
  • Search for each person on LinkedIn.
  • Skim their profile for things we might have in common or ways that we might be able to help one another.  These might include our geographical location, people who we both know, their industry, their current role, if they are looking for work, and if they had any recent activity (posts, articles, or likes) on their account.
  • Decide whether or not to send them a connection request.

One Option: Personalizing a Connection Request

Personalizing connection requests is a great way to start building a relationship with a new professional contact. Here are the key components I include:
  • Personalized greeting
  • ​Statements on what we have in common 
  • Invitation to become part of one another's professional network
  • Optional: suggested next step
    • Offer of job searching help
    • Suggestion on something in particular to do
    • Sharing additional information
    • Suggest a phone call, virtual/in-person meeting
  • Signature

Personalized Connection Request Examples

Here 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

Other Options: Showing Your Value as a Connection

Now that LinkedIn limits the number of personalized connection requests those with the basic membership receive each month, sending personalized connection requests might not be an option for you.

In those cases, here are a few other options for helping to show your value to a potential connection: 
  • Send a non-personalized request right after the event ends. This way, people may associate you with the webinar you just attended.
  • Take a moment to react to and/or comment on recent LinkedIn posts made by your potential connection. This way, they may recognize your name and be more likely to accept your post.
  • Make sure your headline is descriptive and up to date. This way, when people receive a non-personalized connection request, they at least have a better sense of who you are from your headline and if you might be a valuable connection. 

​After The Initial Connection

How do you further nurture that relationship? Here are a few ideas.
  • React to other people's posts.
  • Comment on other people's posts with your insights.
  • Share someone's post to your feed and @mention them to thank them for sharing the information.
  • Send a quick message to a connection sharing helpful information they will appreciate. 
  • Congratulate people on their career milestones and successes.
  • Wish them a happy holiday/Friday/weekend on occasion.

Continue to Build The Relationship

After 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

  • ​The White Box Club Group on Meetup
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​​
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Using 1:1 Networking Meetings For Job Searching

5/28/2024

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

The Value of Professional Networking 

When 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 Meetings

So 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 Interview

Whenever 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 Meetings

Here are a few common types of networking meetings: 
  • Talking about a particular job opportunity with a specific organization. Usually, the goal of that meeting is to gain insight from someone who works at that company to help you decide if the company sounds like a good fit, how to tailor your application to the organization, or even get a referral in.
  • Talking about someone’s career path to gain insight into what you might do to get into a specific job or field. In this case, you might ask someone about how they got into a particular role—like a manager or an instructional designer or a digital marketer---with the goal of you figuring out what next steps you might want to take to get to a similar role.
  • General job search career advice. In this case, the person you’re meeting with knows that you are in a career transition and is willing to help you figure out your next steps. This could be them recommending job titles that you should look into, companies they know who are hiring, or people you might want to talk to in order to get closer to your goal of finding a job. Sometimes, this meeting might lead to the person saying, “I think you should talk to  [SuperCool Person] who [can help you with an area where you need help].

​Networking Meeting Best Practices

Here are a few best practices for networking meetings:
  • Thank the person for meeting with you and for their input.
  • Let the person know your goals for the networking meeting.
  • Let the other person talk. Remember, you're there to learn from them. Be sure to listen to what they have to say!
  • Ask them for the advice they wish they had received.
  • Ask them for their recommendations on the next steps you should take.
  • Ask them what you can do for them. Remember, they typically meet with you because someone they value asked them or they genuinely want to help. Be sure to return the favor!
  • Be ready to help that person in the future--whether it's liking one of their LinkedIn posts, sharing a post they made, or helping them promote a job opening they have. Be a good LinkedIn/professional networking neighbor. 
  • Send them a quick thank you message afterward and reiterate any next steps you talked about.
  • Follow up with anyone who they introduce you to. Even if you end up not doing a lot with that connection, be sure to be professional about it all. 

​The True Power of Networking Meetings

When 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 More

  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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