Although I genuinely felt no sustained anger for the business decision that was made to eliminate my job, and I feel the number of good days far outweighed the number of bad days, there were inevitably moments when I wanted to scream… So I did. Whether it’s finding a trusted adviser or family member to talk to or simply sticking your tongue out at the laptop screen, we all need a way to get past whatever is causing the frustration. It’s important to release it, and then refocus the energy back to the task at hand. Don’t just swim in the middle of the frustration and hope it goes away; it will only linger. Address it head on, and then move forward.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

Early in the job search process, I tried to convince myself when I made
it through the final interviews that no news was good news—rationalizing
that my prospective employer had to inform the other candidates
that they weren’t being hired before making me an offer. It didn’t take
long to realize that I was kidding myself. As previously mentioned about
follow-up, if the date I was given for a callback passed or I wasn’t given a
date and an unusually long period of time had gone by with no contact,
I made a call or sent a note to keep the process moving and try to remain
relevant. In some of my more hopeful leads, I found too much silence—
no returned messages—when I attempted to contact the decision-makers.
In some cases, there really were no answers to give, since we all know that
business is constantly changing. Organizational changes can easily cause
delays or alter the original thoughts about the opening. Unfortunately, I
found a couple of occasions when individuals were delaying the inevitable
of giving me the bad news. Personally, if I’m going to get bad news, I’d
rather have it as soon as possible so I know the best next steps to take. I
remained professionally persistent, and requested full transparency when
it came to better knowing the facts and determining what I needed to do
for a better response the next time something similar became open.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

My job identity with my past employer was lost as soon as I walked
out the door. I had plenty of accolades and accomplishments to
be proud of. However, I couldn’t live in the past. I needed to move toward
the future. Have you ever been a part of a conversation that began,
“When I was with (insert company name here)…”? It’s always good to
share best practices and give people the confidence that you have the
right experience to do a job well, but it can grow tiresome for your audience.
For a more meaningful, productive conversation, articulate how
past experiences relate to what you can bring to the new company going
forward.

Think of the phrase, “What have you done for me lately?” Every prospective
employer wants to know your value proposition. When talking
about the impact you can have, or even when beginning a new position,
ask, “How is it done?” and then follow that up with, “How well is that
process working? Are there improvements that will make it work better?”
You can offer potential solutions without mentioning your prior
company. Don’t be the person who identifies themselves too often with
their past company. Your identity should be much more related to your
competencies and experience. Without mentioning the former company
name, you can still mention, “Has the company thought about or tried
any of the following solutions…?” Formulating immediate and long-term
ideas for the kind of impact you can have on the new company will go a
long way and produce something more effective than, “That’s the way it
used to be.”

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself or even be too dedicated in the job
search to think about your health. It is critical to maintain a healthy
life style by exercising and eating right. You will need the energy in your
pursuit for the best job. A healthy lifestyle also helps to keep the cobwebs
out of your head and allows you to see the path ahead more clearly. The
exercising was also a time to reflect on what was happening, or, sometimes,
to allow for a quick disconnect from the job search. Even if you
didn’t exercise or eat right before, now is the time to start. The message
isn’t intended to be preachy, but the unknown of how long the process
will take, the reality of staring at a computer screen for hours, and the
mental toll of constant rejection can take a lot out of you. I’m not sure I
can say that I bounded out of bed each day, but I can say that I attacked
each day with vigor.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

I was told by a friend that “It’s okay to be angry.” My internal response
was, “At who? For what?” My former company made a budget decision.
It’s the cost of doing business. I confirmed it had nothing to do with
job performance and began to see that good could and would come out of
the situation. I could have screamed or punched a wall. I guess I realized
early on that logic and action would get me to my next goal. I chose to
pursue my goals with action and not waste unnecessary energy on What
Could Have Been scenarios. Your work identity with your old company
ended on the day that you left. Now is the time to pursue the next stage
in your life. I only recall one truly bad day where I felt that nothing was
going right, as you may recall from the headhunter chapter. You’ll find
out about the day when I genuinely understood how headhunters worked
in an upcoming chapter.

Even looking back on the sea of red-colored Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
cells showing all my rejections or leads with no progress, I only saw
that the next phone call or email would be the one to change the course
of my life and career. If I had wasted time, someone else may have been
landing my job. I chose to attack the situation with a strong work ethic—
my job was to look for a job. I was working for myself and for my family
and I wanted to succeed—I had to get over it. It was not unusual for me
to put in ten to twelve hour days looking for my next job, knowing that
the payoff would be worth it.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

If now isn’t a good time to call in some favors, when is? We never want
to be indebted to anyone, and we should always be thinking about
reciprocity. Personally I don’t keep score as to who owes me. However,
there are helpful people you know, and some you haven’t even met yet,
who are secondary contacts who will welcome the opportunity to assist
you in any way. My wife always says that “Things always equal out in the
end,” whether it’s finding a quarter or losing one. If someone owes you,
you wouldn’t want him or her to feel obligated to reciprocate, but I do
feel confident that I’ve surrounded myself with many people who would
anyway. The key message is to not be afraid to call in a favor.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

According to discussions with several career centers, consultants, and
recruiters, I’ve heard that networking directly contributed to hiring
by as much as 85 percent. I believe it. Are you spending the majority of
your time putting in as many applications as possible, roaming websites,
or establishing networking sessions? Are you spending the right amount
of time with the right people? I want to continue to emphasize the need
to keep all options open, but it’s also important to evaluate your time and
prioritize how you choose to spend it.

I was invited to a local networking group about an hour away—in
Maine, everything is considered local based on how spread out the state is. I
strongly considered going until I compared the amount of time to get there
and aligned the types of business people who would be there compared to
my goals. Most of the attendees would be owners of small businesses. As
much as I am a supporter of small business, my immediate goals would
have been sacrificed each week for several hours to attend. I couldn’t afford
to give up prime contact hours. I don’t want to contradict my emphasis on
casting a broad net, but we can only throw it so far when there are only
twenty-four hours in a day. I chose to reprioritize my time around these
prime hours. There are a growing number of professional groups that are
phenomenal in getting people together to share stories and provide opportunities.
This particular one didn’t work out for me, but I was able to attend
several others at libraries and career centers that were productive for me as
one-time shots. It’s important to regularly evaluate whether something is
moving you forward toward your goals. The value may change over time, as
well, so be sure to reevaluate as time goes on.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

According to the August 2013 article “When Clubs Mean Business”
by Jennifer L. Blanck in Toastmaster Magazine, “Communication
and leadership skills ranked at the top of employers’ list of attributes desired
in new hires, in both 2011 and 2012 Corporate Recruiters Survey.”
This is consistent with many other studies that show the importance of
communicating, influencing, and inspiring. Go back and read some of
your past performance appraisals and talk with past managers, friends,
and colleagues, to learn which specific skills you have and which ones you
need to refine. Strong communication and leadership skills are a requirement
to not only land most jobs, but to succeed in them. When you can
prove that you can do both, companies will be willing to pay for these
skills.

“Why should we hire you?” This standard question often throws off
too many people. Simply saying that you have these skills out loud won’t
get you very far. Many people already know the importance of these skills
and will say, “I’m a great communicator and leader.” However, what is
that person really saying? It’s hard to tell. When you go down this route,
you must provide tangible examples of both. More importantly, it’s important
to clearly articulate what value you will add to the company. Do
you truly understand your unique value? How can you distinguish yourself?
In addition to the experiences that may help, what is your expertise?

I liked to provide examples of instances when I showed extreme flexibility,
cleaned up some messes, or started up brand new pieces of the
business. I will caution you of the dangers of living in the past only. To be
effective, you should be able to take these past experiences and translate
them into your future—how you will make the new business better. Your
SWOT, multi-generation plan, and more importantly, your differentiating
story, can start to come alive with specific context. That is the value
proposition.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

As part of your homework, it’s critical that you know with whom you
are talking—not just his or her name and title. Do you know their
interests, their past roles, their accomplishments? If it’s not an interview
but a networking session, it may be a slightly different conversation since
you’re not restricted to protocol about interview boundaries. I wouldn’t
recommend being too casual, but I suggest being more creative in your
approach about topics to discuss.

I suggest keeping things professional; however, you do have more latitude
to talk about potential common interests and connection points.
For example, you can talk about running marathons or how many kids
he or she may have in their family, when it makes sense. Conversely, try to
understand what topics are taboo. I once asked a contact how his wife was
doing, as I knew the couple when they used to live nearby. He mentioned
their recent divorce. I couldn’t have gotten every bit of information in
advance to ensure the conversation went smoothly, but I could have been
more attentive to the fact that he was only talking about his kids, and not
pressed the question about his spouse unless it came up more naturally.
It made the discussion awkward for a little bit. We recovered, but it was a
good lesson in the importance of a better awareness of the surroundings
and situations. As much as personal connections will enhance the relationship,
I’ve learned to do enough homework to be sure, allow others to
bring subjects up first, or to stay away from personal topics until a deeper
relationship is forged.

What do you know about the audience with whom you’re interviewing?
Look for more than personal facts, especially in an interview, since
the dynamics are slightly different from a pure networking session. Do
you know the person’s style and personality type? Does the person you’re
interviewing with like humor? Are they “down-to-earth;” are they shirtand-
tie-type where everything stays extremely professional; are they looking
for past history or go-forward dialog? Stay true to yourself in the
interview but when you know how to adapt, it can be a key factor to
making the most of the conversation.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

In addition to SWOT Analysis and multi-generation plans mentioned in previous blogs, it’s imperative
that you do your homework prior to meeting with people from
any company—even if it’s not an interview. Homework goes far beyond
a company’s website. Doing your homework includes using LinkedIn
individual profiles prior to networking sessions and engaging in group
discussions on pertinent subject matter. Just because it’s not an interview
doesn’t mean you can go in and wing it. You need to be ready to be engaged
in a dialog rather than simply begging for a job. During a networking
session, I once asked the individual how to get actual interviews with
some of her peers whom I had already networked with in the past. Her
response was, “You already had the interview when you networked.” That
was a powerful statement that has remained with me: every conversation
is a potential interview.

If you are fortunate enough to get an official interview, you must start
digging in even further to gather more information. You can start by going
on the company website—the operative word is start. In your effort to
be seen as unique among the masses, understand that going on the website
is what everyone else does, too. It’s important to understand the company’s
mission and culture, but that is only surface information. How do
the mission and culture come alive? Who do you know working there or
who previously worked there? Do you have anyone in your Facebook or
LinkedIn contacts? Can you look at current employee or alumni groups
on LinkedIn, looking for people you may know or can connect with prior
to the interview? Do you know people at a career center who may have
contacts? Look for HR connections though LinkedIn or group discussions.
If you have Twitter, look for how the company is sending out their
regular messaging. Look for news features or articles about the company
to get a holistic view. It’s vital to do more than read the company’s mission
statement.

Homework may also include role playing, mock interviewing, or
bouncing ideas off your mentors in preparation for job interviews and
networking. You can read the “Practice Interviewing” chapter for more
tips.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby