Job Hunt

Had Enough? Leave Your Job The Right Way

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Most of us have seen the YouTube videos or read about people who have quit their jobs in a very public way. While this approach may be momentarily attractive, it is never a good idea. You owe it to your future career to resign professionally and with grace.

Here are a number of things to help you leave your job the right way:

Make sure you have your new job locked down first. Before telling your supervisor; this includes a written offer with all details, including start date, agreed to.

Don’t quit in a fit. Be sure you are resigning for the right reasons — e.g. you have found a better opportunity — and not because you’re mad about something. The better opportunity could be a better commute, more money, growth opportunities, or whatever. The key thing is to know why you are leaving and make sure the reason is sound and the decision is well-considered.

Prepare to give at least two weeks’ notice. While rarely required, two weeks is considered the minimum notice as a professional courtesy. If you are leaving a private sector job, realize that once you give notice, you may be asked to leave immediately.

Put together a status report of all pending projects, meetings, deadlines and the like. Make sure that nothing is forgotten. You may want to offer suggestions on who could take over specific duties.

Draft a professional resignation letter. Your letter should be short and sweet. Thank your supervisor for the opportunities he or she provided and mention how much you learned working for the organization. Be sure to include future contact information and the effective date of your resignation. This is not the opportunity to provide snark or make nasty comments about your supervisor or your organization.

Give your resignation letter to your supervisor in a face-to-face meeting if possible. Regardless, your supervisor should be told before any of your colleagues. If you are in the private sector, you may want to prepare for a potential counter-offer. The government offers retention bonuses as well (if you present a bonafide offer from a nonfederal organization) but they are not common.

Once you have announced your resignation to your supervisor and colleagues, clean up your workspace and remove personal items. This is a courtesy not only to your employer but also the person who will occupy your space after your departure.

Be professional and work hard every day until your departure. It is important to leave your organization on a positive note. The best way to do that is to complete your pending work and leave clear instructions with your supervisor on anything left unfinished so that the transition can be as smooth as possible. You want to ensure a positive reference and leave to door open for a possible return.

Four Steps to Plan Your Career

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No one cares more about your career than you do. As an employee, you need to be proactive in your career—this includes creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with your supervisor. And, if your supervisor does not offer this opportunity, seize the reins yourself! There are four steps to planning your career: Assess, Explore, Plan, and Take Action.

Planning your career can seem like a difficult task, but with the right approach, you can open up new doors without feeling overwhelmed. No matter where you are in your career – whether you are a long-time federal employee, a new employee, or a Veteran entering the civilian workforce – career planning with this four-phase career development model can help you break things down into manageable steps. Here’s how it works:

Assess
During the Assess phase, you get to ask yourself an important question: What do you really want to do with your career?

You can start this process on your own – it’s as simple as brainstorming about your interests, priorities, and goals. Or, you can get feedback from people who know you well.
As you assess yourself, be sure to focus on your strengths. While it’s important to understand and work on your shortcomings, the biggest career growth can actually come from further developing skills or behaviors in which you already excel. Finally, as part of the Assess phase, you should think about the tradeoffs you are willing to make in your career. For example, if your goal is getting a higher paying job, think about how long a commute you are willing to have in exchange. Considering tradeoffs like this can give you more insight into your actual priorities.

Explore
During the Explore phase, you are looking for opportunities that move you toward your overall career goals. This means researching various career paths on your own or through conversations with others.

A good first step in the Explore phase may be to find a mentor in the career field that interests you who can talk with you about next steps or good developmental opportunities for you to complete.

Another great activity is to shadow someone in the workplace. Job shadowing is when you observe someone for a day to learn more about whether that person’s career field or specific job could be a good fit for you. Express interest to the person you want to shadow and see if he or she has enough time available. Then, work with your supervisor or mentor to set it up.

In the Explore phase, keep in mind that any activity that helps you discover more about a career you may be interested in is worth considering. This includes the activities above but can also be as simple as having lunch with someone who is knowledgeable about another career to get his or her insider’s perspective.

Plan
Now that you understand yourself and the career possibilities in front of you, you are ready to create a plan. Coming up with a solid plan can be easy when you approach the process with an Individual Development Plan (IDP). IDPs provide the structure you need to stay on track.

You can set effective career goals in your plan using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timebound) method, which will help you think about the concrete steps you will take to achieve your goals. Is there training you need to complete to be eligible for a new position? Or are there experiences you can get in your current position that will qualify you for your next? For instance, if one of your goals is to improve your communication skills, you might plan to gather feedback on your communication skills from your peers and supervisors and then spend time learning about different communication styles. Or, you could take a course to learn about communicating effectively during meetings.

Take Action
Now, you’re ready to put your plan in motion. Depending on the goals you have identified, you may be taking a few hours of training each week, shadowing another employee to see what it takes to succeed in his or her position, or applying for a new job. As you complete your planned steps, don’t forget to gather feedback on your activities from a supervisor or mentor. You should also review and adjust your IDP as you go based on your progress toward your career goals.

By using these four phases for your career planning, you will be well on your way to the career you want. But remember to be flexible – developing your career is a continuous process. As your priorities evolve, you should feel free to bounce back and forth between the four phases, getting what you need from each.

Make Your Job Search Part of your Routine, Always Network

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I often hear comments along the lines of, “I’ve never had to look for a job, they have always just fallen into my lap.” While that may have been true in the past, for most of us, a successful job search requires organization and effort. You will need to develop a routine to be successful in your job search. It is important to do something to move your job search forward every day. You will need to create a new set of priorities and schedules—and write it down so you can hold yourself accountable.

Since you’re employed but seeking new opportunities, you need to make an extra effort to make time for your job search. Be consistent in the amount of time you spend each week looking for a job. Don’t spend 40 hours one week and then nothing for the next two weeks! The hardest part is getting started. Once you get the momentum into your search, you will want to keep moving forward. Set a schedule and stick to it.

First you need to decide whether you’re looking for another federal job or if you want to transition to the private sector. If you want another federal job, you should create a search agent on USAJOBS. The search agent should target the agencies, positions, grades, and occupations you’re interested in. You should also update your federal resume, making sure to include quantifiable accomplishments and metrics to give your work context. In addition, take a look at your LinkedIn Profile (you have one, right?). While the federal government doesn’t typically use LinkedIn to conduct job search, hiring managers will often look at LinkedIn to “check you out” prior to interviewing. You can and should use LinkedIn for networking—reach out to potential contacts and let them know you’re thinking about making a change, and ask them to notify you if they have an opening that might be of interest. You should also network in person; attend professional meetings if possible and let your friends and others know that you’re open to a job change.

If you have decided to transition to the private sector, the underlying concepts are the same; you need to have a private sector resume that uses key words, has accomplishments and metrics, and shows that value you offer to a potential employer. If you haven’t written a private sector resume in many years, please know that they have changed. The old “objective” statement at the top of the resume has been replaced with a “qualifications profile” that immediately showcases who you are and what you have to offer a prospective employer. Likewise, it is considered old fashioned to include a section on references in your resume; instead, you should have a separate reference page.

Unlike the federal government, most of the private sector uses Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to screen applicants. If you’re applying online for a position — whether through a company’s own website or a portal like Indeed or Monster — it’s likely that your resume and application will be entered into a database. This makes ensuring that you customize your resume for each job posting essential, as ATS is searching for key words.

Networking is essential for a private sector job search; even with the widespread usage of ATS, it’s humans that still do the actual hiring. Having a referral from someone already in the organization you are targeting is very helpful. Research consistently indicates that more than 40% of jobseekers identify networking as the reason they found their most recent job. Social media is also critical to your private sector job search; many recruiters and companies use LinkedIn to “source” applicants. Your LinkedIn presence should present a positive professional image—and your other social media, such as Facebook, should not undercut that image. You should also make sure that the job titles and dates on your resume match those on LinkedIn.

It is also important to track your job search. Keep a list of the jobs you applied for, the dates you applied, and the results. You may also want to keep copies of the specific job postings so that you can properly prepare for interviews when called. Prepare a list of people in your network and then develop a log of when you reached out, what you discussed, and any appropriate follow up. Sign up with various job search boards, but be careful about putting personal information such as addresses, social security numbers, and the like, in the public domain. Read professional journals so you know what is going on in your industry. Attend job fairs. Develop your references. And most importantly, do something every day to further your job search!

Creating a Job Search Plan

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I often hear comments along the lines of, “I’ve never had to look for a job, they have always just fallen into my lap!” While that may have been true in the past, for most of us, a successful job search requires organization and effort. You will need to develop a routine to be successful in your job search. It is important to do something to move your job search forward every day.   You will need to create a new set of priorities and schedules—and write it down so you can hold yourself accountable.

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10 Common Private Sector Resume Myths

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Many people who haven’t looked for a job in a long time are still carrying around a number of myths about what a private sector resume should look like. Here are the 10 most common myths:

Myth #1: Private Sector Resumes Should Be Kept to a Single Page

Wrong! Depending on the number of years’ experience you have, a 2-page format is quite acceptable. Generally, anyone with 5 or more years’ experience should use a 2-page format.

Myth #2: Education Should be Listed First

Wrong! At this age and stage, you are most likely “selling” your experience, not your education. Most employers value your experience most of all. The exception to this “rule” is for people who are new to the workplace and academics.

Myth #3: Unique/Unusual Resumes Attract Attention and Are Better Read

Wrong! Please, do yourself and your readers a favor; stay away from “gimmick” resumes. You do not want to be seen as nonconformist, oddball, loner, etc. Exception: Creative jobs requiring these traits

Myth #4: Exaggerate Accomplishments — Nobody Will Check

Wrong! Skillful interviewers generally ask probing questions and will not accept surface answers to interview questions. Exaggeration (and out-right lies) will likely be uncovered (if not during the interview, then during the reference check) and you will lose the job.

Myth #5: References Should Be Listed on the Resume

Wrong! Listing references is on your resume is considered old fashioned. If a potential employer wants references, they will ask for them. All job seekers should have a separate reference page available.

Myth #6: Resume Content is More Important Than Layout

Wrong! The layout of your resume needs to be attractive and visually appealing. White space is important. And you want your resume to stand out from the pile. Regardless of content, a poorly organized or sloppy resume will likely go unread.

Myth #7: Personal Photos Enhance Resume Appearance/ Effectiveness

Wrong! Regardless of how attractive you may be, use of personal photos are a major no-no (unless you’re looking for an acting or similar job). Many employers may discard a resume with a photo automatically so they cannot be accused of discrimination.

Myth #8 The Cover Letter is Often More Important Than the Resume

Wrong! The advent of Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and online applications has changed thinking about cover letters. Many veteran employment professionals will only read the cover letter after they have read the resume—if at all. And, they know that cover letters often repeat the same information that is in the resume. Of course, if a job posting specifically requires a cover letter, be sure to include one. You want to demonstrate that you know how to follow directions!

Myth #9: Functional Resumes Have Greater Marketing Impact Than Chronological Resumes

Wrong! Generally, a chronological resume is more common, easier to follow, and typically more effective, especially when you have had a positive work history and career progression. Some reviewers of functional resumes may think you are trying to hide something—that’s never good. Stick with a chronological resume.

Myth #10: Objectives are Important

Wrong! Objectives are only about what YOU want (and besides, who doesn’t want a job that will allow them to grow, use their skills, etc.) Instead of an objective, you should use a Summary or Profile to show what you bring to the table.

Thinking About Leaving the Government?

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It is a difficult and confusing time for many federal employees, especially those who work for agencies expecting large budget and/or personnel cuts. Even if you are not in one of those agencies, you may still be struggling, as the song says, “should I stay or should I go?” There are plusses and minuses to both, of course.

There’s a saying in the careers industry that you’ll know it’s time to make a job or career change when you start asking yourself if it’s time to make a change. While there is truth to that, there’s more to making your decision.

What May Make You Want to Make a Change?

The first step is to assess the reason — or reasons — why you may want to make a change. Change can be difficult — it usually is — so you want to make sure that the reason you are considering a switch isn’t something temporary that will fix itself, if given enough time.

Some of the reasons why you may be considering a job or career change are internal reasons. These can include:

• How you feel about going to work. Do you dread getting up and going to work on Monday?
• You’re bored at work. Maybe you’ve been in your position for several years and you’re just not excited anymore about the work you’re doing.
• How you feel about your co-workers and/or boss. Do you like the people you work with? Are you appreciated for the work you do?
• Organizational politics are affecting your work. For example, the mission of your agency has shifted and it is something you are having difficulty accepting.

External factors — that you have no control over — can also impact your decision to make a job or career change. These can include:

• There’s been a change in leadership in your department or in the organization. One of the top reasons for making a job change is when you get a new boss. Maybe his or her leadership style or priorities just don’t feel right to you.
• You were asked to do the same job for less money. If you can’t afford to make less but work the same amount — or more — this may prompt you to look for a new job.
• Your workload was reduced, along with your opportunity to earn more. Perhaps your job has been downgraded or no longer has a career ladder; either of these may impact your ability to earn even the same amount as before.

Things to Consider

Even if you’ve identified the internal or external reasons that make you want to consider making a change, ask yourself this: “Is there an opportunity to improve my current situation?” As previously mentioned, some of these things may be temporary and the issue may resolve itself. But the other piece of the puzzle is you. Is there some way that you could make a change that would improve the situation?

If you feel your current situation can’t be improved, the next thing to do is develop a plan. Change can be difficult — the bigger the change, the more difficult it may be. You want to make sure you’re running towards something you want to do, and not running away from something you don’t. Being impulsive may lead you to do something you may later regret — like one of those viral “I Quit” videos that are fun to watch, but may lead to long-term ramifications when prospective employers Google your name.