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How to Recession Proof Your Career:

Posted on November 13, 2022November 13, 2022 by Courtney Hill

How to Recession Proof Your Career:

Look, it’s no secret that we are constantly hearing about an economic downturn on the horizon. Interest rate hikes, high inflation, mass layoffs… the list goes on. The good thing is… LIFE goes on, as well! You need to keep putting food on your table, you still need a roof over your head, you already put in the work for your education.

The cold hard truth is life as we know it is not over just because the economy is down. So, you need to keep moving. You need to keep going. This means, you need to recession proof your career.

Here are 3 quick tips to do just that:

Work on “The CEO Mindset”:

This is a key concept we teach in Career Success Now, our signature career transformation program. In fact, it’s actually the module we start off with because it’s truly SO powerful. So, what is The CEO Mindset? Well, much of the concept around The CEO Mindset is moving ourselves into a mindset that a successful, top-level CEO would be in.

Often, we are stuck in an “employee” mindset. This means:
-We are living in the here and now
-We can see far into the future
-We don’t know exactly what we want, don’t manifest
-We are reliant on our employer
-We are at the mercy of what they are willing to pay us.
-…. Ultimately we are in a “scarcity mindset”

However, CEOs often see things differently! They:
-Are abundant
-Invest often
-Plan long-term
-Know their value + worth and don’t settle -Strategically network -Don’t rely on any employer for their income -Know what they want and manifest it daily

Have an Undeniably Strong Brand:

If you follow me, you know I frequently talk about the importance of having a brand that is crystal clear. A “specialist” brand… not a “generalist”. This means:
-Getting lazer clear on what your technical skills are for ONE line of work
-Getting lazer clear on what your interpersonal skills are for ONE line of work
-Writing ONLY the ones that are relevant for that 1 line of work -Declaring what kind of professional you are at the top of your resume “eg. Human Resources Professional” -Clean up you resume and LinkedIn profile so it includes strong keywords -Use a modern, fresh template that is NOT boring, black and white

Research Booming Companies & Industries:

It’s all over LinkedIn how many layoffs tech companies such as Twitter, Meta etc. are laying people off by the mass. Let’s stay away from those companies. What ones are booming? Based on my quick research: environmental, e-commerce, banking & finance, sales are all going strong. Also, the “essential” industries still remain essential. This means transportation, public/government, healthcare, heavy duty, construction. These are often still hiring.

So, I would seriously consider spending the time to research the companies within these industries and look at their careers website. Do you potentially have the skills to help move them forward?

3 Important (and underrated) Steps I Take to Land $100k+ Roles

Posted on September 17, 2022September 17, 2022 by Courtney Hill

1. I always look for ways to “solve challenges”This may be an obvious one, but very few people actively seek out challenges they can help solve.And the rule of thumb is this: the bigger challenges you help solve… the bigger your pay cheques.It’s fact!The smartest people in the world continually solve biiiigggggg challenges, and they get paid accordingly.(Think: Elon musk… using “clean energy” for transportation)So, how can you always be thinking about what challenges you can help solve?Use these questions:-How can you help the company (or person) make money?–How can you help the company (or person) save money?-How can you help make someone’s life easier?-How can you establish new, time saving processes?You should always be thinking of ways to take what’s existing… and improve it.In other words, continuous improvement should be in your blood!Because when you improve.. and actively seek ways to do things “better” vs. the “same old same old” constantly, people see you have a growth mindset.Growth mindset = higher income.Higher income = less worries!2. I keep a running list of the challenges I’ve helped a company (or person) solveOnce some time passes, make sure you keep track of these challenges you’ve helped solve!This is a very underrated habit to be in.Very few people actually keep track of this, and then when it comes time to apply to new roles or they have an upcoming interview, they FORGET!Yes, we as human beings are forgetful.Very.So, instead… be proactive and keep a running list of what you’ve done!Ultimately, keep a list of where you have:-Helped the company (or person) make money-Helped the company (or person) save money-Helped make someones life easier-Established new, time saving processesDid you know that I was once rejected from a job because the hiring manager actually said I didn’t “own” enough accomplishments?No joke.The recruiter said I talked too much about what my team and I did, but not enough about me.I was mind blown! Thinking that I would have sounded selfish.But nope.Instead, I sounded average.Just another person in the sea of applicants.Average does not get you job offers.That’s a fact.3. Create a powerful brand that showcases the challenges you’ve help a company (or person) solve!Here’s the trickiest part.We’re always taught to be humble.Not to brag. Not to show off. Not to be proud.And to some degree that’s fair.But the thing is, in your career you DO need to showcase your accomplishments.You do need to highlight your value and the above exercise does exactly that.So when you go to write your resume, each and every bullet point should be where and how you’ve helped solve challenges.I look at resumes daily and the truth is, anyone that lists their “day-today duties” only, I’m never impressed.However, if someone lists with check marks in their resume where they’ve truly made a difference, where they’ve made an impact… I’m impressed.And guess what? I call these people first.It’s simple!Accomplishments showcase how you are an A player. Not a B or C player.I can’t stand C players… and nor can businesses.A players aline with other A players and if you are one, TELL the company!Don’t be afraid to speak up.Don’t be afraid to communicate all that hard work you did.Because if you don’t tell them… no one will.It’s your career. Your life.Get after your goals and dreams.I’m rooting for you 🙂-Courtney

How To Use Increase Your Job Offer Rate Using Videos

Posted on September 16, 2022September 16, 2022 by Courtney Hill

Get an interview by skipping the resume and sending a video pitch.

These 3 simple tips will help you make it all happen.

1. Gather your top 5 companies and desired roles

So… here’s the thing.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of submitting a video with (or as) your application.

Easier said than done, right?

Well… start small.

What I mean by this is write down the top 5 companies you want to submit your video to.

It’s really about quality > quantity.

Look on LinkedIn! What ones REALLY peak your interest?

Write down 3 ways you feel you can really help this company.

AKA… what skills do you have that they are wanting?

What problems do you think you can help them solve?

Why YOU? What makes you passionate about them?

Make brief notes about these companies and keep it simple.

2. Get your tech together, look good and use this script format

Once you’ve made your notes on the top 5 companies you want to submit a ~1 minute video application for, start prepping for the recording.

Filming tips:
-sit in front of a window where there’s good lighting or use a ring light
-wear a nice dress shirt, comb hair etc.
-don’t worry about a fancy camera, your phone should be sufficient
-always, ALWAYS smile!

Script format:
-Introduce yourself (smile – look friendly!)
-Say what value you know you can provide to the company (skills, accomplishments)
-Conclude

… who are you, what industry are you in, how much experience, what makes you passionate about your role?

Example:

(intro)

“Hi there, my name is Courtney Hill and I’m an HR professional with 10+ years of experience!

I am passionate about human resources because I genuinely enjoy partnering with employees, managers and leaders at all levels of the business to implement and strengthen HR strategies such as recruitment, compensation and more”

(value)

I see you are looking for someone who brings ___________ (technical) skill and __________ (technical) skill

I actually have 3 years of experience with that skill (eg. HRIS platform) where I utilized it at Costco to recruit 40 new staff members!

I also see you are looking for someone who is a strong team player.

At my previous company, I organized a group of HR generalists together, and met 1x a week. We actively put time and effort towards solving _____ problem and did that in 1 month!

(conclusion)

I would love to chat further and meet the hiring manager and team.

Please feel free to give me a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX or email me at XXX.

Have a fantastic day!”

Make sure you try to keep it to 1 minute.

Attention spans now-a-days are short.

3. Send this 1 minute video to the hiring manager or with your online application

Once you’ve recorded all 5 videos with the format above, attach it to your online application.

Feel free to go the extra mile by trying to find the hiring manager’s email, or recruiters.

Hunter.io is a good email finder for company emails.

Or, you could reach out to the appropriate people on LinkedIn too.

Remember, going the extra mile often pays off!

_______

Action steps:

Research 5 companies
Record the video with the script above
Send

Alright, that’s it for now!

See you next week.

Courtney

3 Ways You Can Land Higher Paying Role in The Next 30 Days:

Posted on September 6, 2022September 16, 2022 by Courtney Hill

1. Position yourself as a “specialist”

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but I’ll say it again.

No one likes generalists…

Someone who markets their self as a “I can help you do anything”, and “I have lots of different skillsets you could benefit from”, ultimately attracts no one.

People want to know you have the exact experience + interpersonal + technical skills that will get them from A to B.

They want a specialist.

And it’s also no secret that there are billions of people on the planet.

It’s competitive.

So what makes you different?

Are you positioning yourself as someone who is clear, and EXACTLY what the employer needs?

If you don’t have a powerful brand (resume, cover-letter, LinkedIn profile) just yet, consider doing that here right now.

The job postings are gold mines when it comes to knowing exactly what employers are looking for.

However, less is more.

Only take the KEY aspects, no little, no more.

2. Connect with recruiters that specialize in your field:

Are you an:

-Accountant?

Find a recruiting firm that specializes in placing accountants.

-HR professional?

Find a recruiting firm that specializes in placing human resources professionals.

–Executive?

Find a recruiting firm that specializes in placing executives.

and so on…

A simple Google search can often help you find the “right” recruitment firm for you.

Or… use LinkedIn to search for a specialized recruiter as well!

They need to make money by placing you, and you want to make a higher income.

So, it’s a win-win.

Make it happen today.

3. Create a list of 50 companies that employ people with your skillset.

Are you a software engineer?

Are you a HR professional?

Are you a marketing professional?

Are you a sales professional?

Create a list of 50 companies in your area that you KNOW employ people with your skillset.

Google, LinkedIn, magazines, articles… these are all good places to find this data.

Once you have that list, REACH OUT to some of the managers for those departments on LinkedIn or email via Hunter Email Finder here.

Most companies are subliminally “always” looking for good talent.

A VP I know recently said to me, “we are always willing to onboard top talent”.

THAT’S when you know a company is forward thinking and doing well too.

Find these companies.

Reach out.

Simple.
_______

Action steps:

Ensure you have a powerful, specialized brand (We can help you here)
Find 5 recruitment firms or recruiters that specialize in your skillset
Make a list of 50 companies that employ people like you

Time To Change Careers

Posted on March 17, 2021February 11, 2022 by Courtney Hill

If you have stumbled upon this blog post, chances are that you are wondering if it’s time for you to change careers.

Do you work in a bank, but find yourself daydreaming about being an artist? Do you feel like your life is stuck in a rut? These are just some reasons why you may need a career change. We’ll investigate these and some more reasons in this blog post!

Is it time to change careers? 4 reasons why it might be

You feel like you are not making a difference

The average Canadian works typically for nearly 40 hours a week. If you feel like you are not making a difference in this huge chunk of time, then you might need to call it a day with your current job.

Make a list of your primary job duties, and consider how the company would do these duties if you were not there. If there are some distinctive things that you do that nobody else in the office would be able to, there might be a reason to stick it out with your job.

However, if you feel like you could be easily replaced, it might mean that this job is no longer the right path for you, and your fate lies elsewhere.

You dread Monday mornings

Everyone looks forward to the weekend. However, if you feel yourself pining for Fridays all week and then get a sense of pure dread every Sunday evening, it might be time to shake things up and seek a new line of work.

Make sure, however, that you take the time to assess whether you are just feeling some weekend nostalgia, or if you are seriously unhappy in your line of work.

If you just feel a bit tired at the thought of going back to work, and wish you could spend another day doing as you please, that might be a sign that you’re just enjoying your weekend life. If you quickly adapt into ‘work mode’ once you’re on the way to work, this might show that your work life is actually ok.

However, if it’s a struggle to get through Mondays, and the dread of going to work occupies most of your Sunday, it may well be time to make a change.

You have a hobby that you wish you could spend more time on

Most people have some hobbies, that’s true – but some people manage to make a job out of their hobbies.

For example, avid photographers might take the plunge into selling some of their prints, and eventually become a self-employed photographer.

If you have hobbies that you think you could monetize and find yourself wishing that you could spend more time on them, it might be worth taking a gamble and leaving your job.

Your job isn’t worth the money any more

Some people stay in jobs for the money, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. For some people, it is essential – especially when they have mortgages to pay off, student loans to pay back, and families to feed.

But, if you are comfortable enough in your financial situation, and you can’t motivate yourself to go to your job for the money alone, it might be worth taking the plunge and changing careers.

Many people who change careers end up accepting a pay cut but are happy to trade it for more job satisfaction. As long as you don’t rely on the money, it might be worth putting your happiness first.

Conclusion

If you resonate with any of these signs or are just troubled with the idea that your job may no longer be suitable for you, it might be time to change careers. If you would like some advice about changing careers and are based in Vancouver, British Columbia, please reach out to us.