Job Search Archives - Page 4 of 9

A Guide to Job Hunting While You’re Still Employed

1. Explore Options Where You Are

A big thing you want to consider first is why you’re thinking of leaving, and explore options for improving your situation where you are. Doing so will depend on the level of trust that exists between you and your manager; don’t go overboard and start telling everyone at the office.

Think about what’s frustrating you at your current job and consider whether or not some changes could make things better. Would remote work or a few days of telecommuting improve your outlook? Could you move to a different department? What can you do to make your current work situation more enjoyable and rewarding? If the answer is no, or if changes aren’t an option, it’s okay to start looking elsewhere.

2. Consider Being a Boomerang Employee

If you left a previous job on good terms, it’s worth getting in touch with former coworkers to see whether there are new opportunities available. You won’t need as much time for onboarding, are already familiar with the company’s technology and culture and can often contribute much more quickly.

It’s also possible to “boomerang” with companies that didn’t hire you. If you’d interviewed with an organization in the past, or received an offer and turned it down, it’s worth revisiting those connections.

3. The Right Timing of Job Hunting

If you’re trying to land a job while you’re still employed, you need to minimize the competition for available roles; that means getting the timing of your search exactly right. Towards the end of summer is a prime time to start your search.

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How to Stay in Touch Professionally with Your Dream Company

Leave a Comment / Blog, Job Search, Set Yourself Up For Success

When you absolutely know where you want to work next, but you’re not hired yet, it pays to know how to stay in touch professionally. After all, if you want something, you’ve got to work for it, right?

But what are some good ways to keep that steady drip contact without coming across as a stalker or something? What’s the etiquette in play here?

Whether you are actively in the interview stage at a favorite development company or strategizing a future move to a really great CRE investment firm, you’ll appreciate these tips for keeping in touch. Let’s dive right in.

Keep Your Eye on the Goal

Over the past year or two, people have had an opportunity to stop and reflect on their ideal career path. The commercial real estate (CRE) space is always evolving. But even within that greater evolution, there are numerous career paths that may appeal to some more than others.

Maybe you’ve had a chance to realize what it is you really want to do in CRE, and you’ve even identified a dream company you are branding yourself to work at in the near future. Now what?

How do you get on and stay on their radar? Maybe you’ve already interviewed for the role, but didn’t get the job. Don’t give up! This one may take time and perseverance. Keep your sights on the target, your eyes on the goal. And implement some of these helpful tips and tricks to stay in touch professionally over the long term.

Networking

Your professional network is your professional net worth. Let that sink in.

It’s all about who you know. So, leverage networking to get that job with your dream employer.

Discuss your goals with friends and family who might have connections there. Check your alumni networks. Did any of the leadership at your target company go to your alma mater? Perfect that elevator pitch, and put yourself out there. Talk to anyone from that company you can get on the phone with.

Follow Up

If you’ve interviewed or connected with a hiring manager there, invest in that relationship. Follow up a few days after an interview and again ten days out. From there, check in two or three times a year.

Keep your emails or messages brief. Remember to ask about how they are doing, and when possible, discuss their interests. Always use their preferred channels of communication, whether that’s meeting for coffee or messages in LinkedIn. Show interest in their life and deepen the relationship.

Whatever you do, don’t let the conversation turn stale. But of course, give them space. If they stop responding to your communications, wait a few months before trying one last time. Then move on to another contact at that company.

Ask For Interview Feedback

Again, assuming you’ve already interviewed with your dream company, a great way to stay in touch is by asking for interview feedback.

Drop the hiring manager a simple email stating your desire to better understand how the interview went. Acknowledge that they may have chosen someone else, and ask what areas you might improve in your interview skills or past experience.

Keep in mind that, while many companies have the expectation of hiring in a couple weeks or so, the process often takes 60-90 days. That being said, top priority candidates are often hired during the process. If this happens, and you were a close runner up, asking them to re-examine their interview notes for feedback is a great way to subtly remind them that you are a) still in the running, and b) a great candidate.

Keep in Contact with Recruiters

It goes without saying that recruiters are your best friend. If you have something to offer a particular company, staying in touch with their preferred search firm is as good as hanging out in the hiring manager’s lobby (and less creepy). Here are some tips for making a good impression and keeping in the wheelhouse of recruiters on your way to that dream job:

Talk at networking events, then send a personalized LinkedIn message and connection request.
Occasionally comment on their LinkedIn posts.
Send them a quarterly update email to mention something you’ve recently accomplished and remind them of your interest.

Remember Etiquette

Of course, remember to keep it classy at all times. Follow common-sense rules of business etiquette. For example, remember to be considerate of their time and interests. Don’t always ask for favors; sometimes send them an interesting article to read or a holiday card or a congratulatory message about an acquisition they just closed.

In your communications, keep in mind what you can do for the company and those involved in hiring. When meeting in person, always make eye contact and take notes. Speak positively about previous employers and colleagues. Keep a grateful tone in all messages.

The power of asking nicely cannot be overstated!

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The Best Salary Negotiation Tips

Leave a Comment / Blog, Interview Tips, Job Search, Set Yourself Up For Success

Are you negotiating a job offer or a raise in pay in your current role? If so, a lot depends on what you do right now, before you even begin salary negotiations. Do your homework and learn about these salary negotiation tips, and you could wind up with more money in your pocket and maybe some life-changing perks and benefits, too.

How Much Are You Worth?

Especially if you’re negotiating with a prospective employer, you need to find out how much your skills and experience are worth in today’s job market. Take the time to research salaries long before you even begin discussing pay. That way you will be prepared to make your case and land a job offer that’s realistic and reasonable.

What Are Salary Negotiations?

Salary negotiations involve discussing a job offer with a potential employer to settle on a salary and benefits package that’s in line with the market (and hopefully, that meets or exceeds your needs).

The most productive salary negotiations occur between people who realize that they have a common goal: to get the employee paid appropriately for their skills and experience.

Negotiations can include all aspects of compensation, including salary, bonuses, stock options, benefits, perks, vacation time, and more.

How to Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

When you’re considering a job offer, it’s important to know the bottom line. How much will you be bringing home after taxes, FICA deductions for Social Security and Medicare, and contributions to health insurance and retirement benefits?2 That number is your net pay.

You can use free salary and paycheck calculators to estimate your net pay and figure out roughly how much you’ll bring home in your paycheck. It’s important to get a ballpark figure before you negotiate or compare job offers.

Salary Negotiation Tips

1. Know Your Responsibilities: If you are negotiating for your current role, you should review your current job description and note what you are doing above and beyond that.

2. Wait for the Appropriate Time: Once you know what you should be earning, how do you go about getting it? Start by being patient. When interviewing for a new position, do your best not to bring up compensation until the employer makes you an offer.

3. Resist Throwing out the First Number: If you’re asked what your salary requirements are, say that they are open based upon the position and the overall compensation package. Or tell the employer you’d like to know more about the responsibilities and the challenges of the job prior to discussing salary.

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Hate Networking? Try This!

Leave a Comment / Ask An Expert, Blog, Job Search, Set Yourself Up For Success

Before you say it, I know. You hate networking. Networking really can suck sometimes. Even the most extroverted and outgoing among us feel a pang of anxiety, distaste, or resistance when it comes to the idea of milling around an event, seeking the important connections, and grasping for business cards or, even worse, trolling the internet (LinkedIn) for strangers who can help you and then trying to quickly ingratiate yourself so as to elicit a favor in your job search.

Hating Networking is a Mistake

It’s a mistake not because it is critically important to the rest of your career. It is critically important to the rest of your career, by the way. The more senior or entrepreneurial you get, the more your opportunities will depend on who you know and who knows you than on your resume or accomplishments. Having a robust cadre of friends and associates who like and want to help you is key.

But if you are anything like me, knowing that something is good for you makes no difference.

I know that hitting the snooze button on my alarm 5 times every morning makes me groggier and less enthused to start my day when I eventually do grudgingly put my feet on the floor.

But, oh! The heaven of just 10 more minutes in that sweet cocoon of blankets; I can just shortcut my shower. I can just take out the trash tonight after work instead. I can drink the crap coffee in the break room instead of stopping for a latte. I always find new and creative ways to hit that button.

And so do you sometimes! Because we do what we want in any given moment, not necessarily what we think is good for us. This is why there is so much attention to creating positive habits in the recent self-development literature. Because the only way to make sure you do something regularly is to turn it into the thing you want in those moments. We are genius at getting what we want!

So the reason not to hate networking isn’t because it’s good for you. The reason not to hate networking is because you have misunderstood what it is in the first place and you are throwing out the baby with the bath water. Let me explain.

Hate Networking? Here’s Why:

Standing around possibly trying to balance a plate of appetizers and a glass of wine while still keeping a hand free for shaking and business card collecting, wondering if you look stupid or if there is spinach from the mini-quiche in your teeth.
Trying to strike up conversations with strangers – some of whom could potentially make or break your career – without having any obvious common ground.
Asking for someone’s business card knowing that it will either end up in a useless pile in the corner of your desk or that you will soon be reaching out as a supplicant for a huge favor because you want them to help you get your next job.
Following up with those important people and then trying to worm your way to that favor: “I’d love for you to refer me for this job!” Or “Could you please help me get an interview?” knowing full well it is too soon to ask a relative stranger for something like this.
Or if you didn’t meet someone at a live event, cold reaching out to them via LinkedIn or email with the extraordinary burden of trying to prove your value AND convince them to help you in the 150 words or fewer recommended word count for such emails.

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How To: Present Leadership Skills on Your Resume

Leave a Comment / Blog, Job Search, Resume Ideas, Set Yourself Up For Success

Leadership is an essential function of successful management that helps to maximize work efficiency and to achieve organizational goals. Regardless of the type of the job you’re looking for or a company’s size, leadership skills are paramount. They belong to the group of the most sought-after soft skills that employers look for in candidates.

Your first contact with a hiring company or organization is through the job application and resume, so how can you demonstrate leadership skills without speaking with an employer or recruiter? It all comes down to the way you write the resume. Here are some top tips on how to optimize your resume with enhanced leadership skills.

Supply Examples of Leadership Skills

An average employer or recruiter gets hundreds of resumes for any given job position. The chances of getting an interview increase for those who stand out. The most important thing you can do when showing off leadership skills on a resume is to provide specific examples. It’s common for applicants to state they have great leadership skills without providing evidence. To stand out, mention some leadership-related accomplishments from a previous job. Ask yourself two questions: what did I do and how did I do it.

Here are a few examples:

Coached my team and to adopt a new business strategy (mention details about the strategy)
Successfully organized seminars, meetings, team-building activities, and collaborations with other companies
Had to quickly adapt to changes (include specific example) and prepare for unforeseen circumstances

Quantifiable Results

Qualities of a good leader don’t stop with the ability to motivate and lead others, they also extend to work efficiency and specific, measurable results. When writing about achievements from previous jobs, always quantify your results with statistics and hard numbers. In fact, avoid vague descriptions entirely. Employers appreciate concise writing and resumes that get straight to the point.

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Need a More Flexible Work Schedule? Here’s How to Negotiate for One!

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One of the toughest issues to deal with when it comes to employment is scheduling. In today’s world it is more or less assumed, unless stated otherwise, that you are willing and want to work a standard 40-hour workweek, from 9 to 5 (or similar) each day. It is also assumed you want to work Monday through Friday.

Let’s face it. Life doesn’t always fit into convenient 9-to-5 boxes, and a lot of us have lives outside of work. Whether you have health issues, a family to raise, other projects to work on, or simply want a different kind of life, you may not be keen on the 40-hour full time workweek. How do you secure a job with a flexible work schedule?

The very best thing you can do is look for a job which already is offering hours you find acceptable. Look for part time or season jobs or jobs which specifically say “telecommute” or “flexible hours” on the postings. There are not a lot of these out there, though, so that can make it challenging to find what you need. If you cannot, you will have to find another way to negotiate hours.

If you are applying for a job that lists a range of possible hours, you may have some options when it comes to negotiating the terms of employment. Do not ask about flexible work schedule during the job interview if you can avoid it. If it comes up, then you can address it directly, but otherwise, steer clear. Questions about hours often make you appear lazy. It is also easier to persuade someone to do something for you if they already want you onboard. Otherwise you just look like a high management employee who will be difficult to deal with.

The best time to talk about a flexible work schedule is after the job offer has been extended and after salary negotiations successfully conclude. Be warned that this is a dangerous business, and there is a good chance that the discussion will be a deal breaker—either for you or for the potential employer. Some workers will also wait until they are already working at the company fulfilling normal work hours to bring up flexibility in scheduling. The danger here is in getting sucked into a job you really cannot or do not want.

Need a More Flexible Work Schedule? Here’s How to Negotiate for One! Read More »

Get the Job You Want with These 8 Proven Networking Tips

Leave a Comment / Blog, Job Search, Set Yourself Up For Success

Whether you’re in a dead-end job, on the beach, or targeting your dream job, these networking tips are your key to landing the job you want.

Yes, it’s a candidate’s job market right now. If you’re looking for a better job, now is a good time. If you’re unemployed, there are great CRE jobs out there waiting for you. Maybe you’re currently employed, but not engaged. A recent Gallup poll showed that around the world only about 15% of the workforce truly likes their job.

So, how do you access that vibrant job market, tap in, and get the role you really want? You’ve taken the necessary steps to properly brand yourself for your dream job, you’ve updated your resume, and you’ve identified target companies and roles to pursue. Now what?

Try These Networking Tips to Get the Results You Want

While there may be numerous available positions right now, it’s a unique time to begin a job search. Networking isn’t as easy as it once was. You want to put your best foot forward and be strategic about this. So, what’s the silver bullet? How do you make the most of this time of opportunity and network like a boss?

1. Connect with Alumni

Social get-togethers are still limited right now, but many universities have transitioned to virtual networking events. Sharing an alma mater is a strong connection that can be leveraged to uncover and explore new work opportunities. And don’t wait for virtual events. Reach out to alumni on social media – especially those working at your dream companies or in your ideal career path.

2. Discuss Goals with Friends & Family Start with those already close to you. Discuss your ambitions and goals with your friends and family. Maybe your dream job is right under your nose. Ask! Ask those closest to you who they know who might be helpful or involved in a similar position or have a connection with a particular company.

3. Ask for an Informational Interview One of these least known networking tips is to reach out to your preferred companies, even if the role is currently filled, and ask for an informational interview. Ask the hiring manager for information about company culture, required skills, and key traits to underscore in a potential interview should the position open.

4. Put Yourself Out There Seriously. Just talk. Reach out to people you already know, someone pumping gas next to you, people you meet at the gym. Be cordial. Mention that you’re in the middle of a job search. Ask them what they do, who they know. Be friendly and open a conversation. That’s what networking is!

5. Get Contact Info

None of the above networking tips matter much if you don’t follow up. Ask for an email address or phone number. Reach back out in a week or so to nurture the relationship and inquire about any changes on their horizon.

6. Get Serious About Social Networking is especially challenging in these times when face-to-face contact is limited. And there are so many spammers on social media. So, there is an opportunity for you to stand out. Reach out to former professors, colleagues, or potential hiring managers. Don’t pitch yet. Just open the conversation, and then try for a phone call.

7. Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

Develop a 30-second explanation of what you’re looking for and what you can offer a company. Rehearse it. Your elevator pitch must be pre-written and comfortable. You want to be ready on the fly when a chance networking encounter pops up.

8. Volunteer

This may be the most overlooked of these networking tips, but it can be very powerful. There are so many causes in need of your help. Your ability to be a rock star just by showing up and helping out are immense. If you are dedicated to volunteer causes, it’s likely that you are also the type of person that will excel at work. These events present immense potential for opening new relationships and growing your network rapidly.

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Signs You Aced The Job Interview…Or You Didn’t Ace It

Leave a Comment / Blog, Interview Tips, Job Search

You just wrapped up a job interview for a role you’re excited about. You think it went well. But wait, did it?

Now that you’ve had some time to take a breath and reflect on that conversation, the confusion and self-doubt have kicked in. You’re chewing your nails and overanalyzing every answer, offhand remark, and facial expression, searching for clues about whether or not you can expect a second interview. Were you the candidate who stood out the most from the interviews?

You aren’t alone—we all do it. The job search is filled with a lot of uncertainty, and there’s no surefire way to get inside your interviewer’s head. Fortunately, there are a few signs you aced the job interview (and conversely, there are some clues you can pick up on if it didn’t go so well).

Signs You Aced the Job Interview

Before we jump in, a friendly disclaimer: When it comes to the interview process, there’s really no such thing as foolproof signs. While the things we’re about to discuss are generally positive, they aren’t a guarantee. Similarly, if these things didn’t happen in your interview, that doesn’t mean it was a disaster. There are always exceptions.

Got it? Good. Now, let’s talk about some signs that you likely hooked that interviewer and are one step closer to landing that job.

Your Interview Ran Longer Than Scheduled

Your interview was scheduled for half an hour, but it was closer to 45 minutes or an hour before your conversation wrapped up. Chances are, your interviewer is interested in you and was highly engaged in the information you were providing.

Your Conversation Flowed Naturally

While this is easy to forget when your nerves are running high, interviews really are human-to-human conversations. Kaplan explains that if your interaction flowed more like a natural discussion and less like an interrogation, that’s a positive. Polite small talk and some friendly back-and-forth indicate that the interviewer was not only interested in you, but also felt a certain level of comfort.

Just be aware that some companies conduct very structured interviews with set lists of questions asked in a certain order to satisfy diversity and inclusion criteria or abide by other company policies, so don’t get discouraged if your interviewer seemed to stick to the script.

Your Follow-Up Email Got a Quick Response

You know the importance of sending a thank you note after your interview, and you took that advice and wrote a friendly, personalized email. That message received a response almost immediately to thank you for your time and to tell you that they’ll be in touch soon.

A quick reply is confirmation that you’re top of mind and they want to keep you engaged in the hiring process. Even better than that? There was an email about next steps in your inbox before you even had a chance to press “send” on your own thank you note.

Signs Your Interview Didn’t Go So Well

Now let’s talk about the flipside: You have this sinking feeling that maybe your interview didn’t go as well as you hoped. If you noticed some of the following signs, they could mean that you need to continue your search and prepare to nail future interviews with other employers.

Keep in mind that nothing is a guarantee, and the only way you’ll know for sure is when you get either a polite rejection email or hear that the company wants to invite you to do a second interview, an interview assignment, or another next step.

Your Interviewer Wasn’t Paying Attention

If your interviewer appears to be somewhere else mentally or you notice them looking at another screen during your video interview, Kaplan says, they might be disinterested or disengaged from your conversation.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that they were taking a quick look at your resume or their list of interview questions. So don’t place too much weight into a brief distraction or break in eye contact. That’s way different from a lack of commitment to your entire conversation.

You Didn’t Have an Opportunity to Ask Questions

If you were given the opportunity to ask questions but your interviewer provided really curt or vague answers, that’s also not a great sign for your candidacy or for that employer’s commitment to respectful and transparent communication.

Signs You Aced The Job Interview…Or You Didn’t Ace It Read More »

Real Estate Hiring Trends For The Year Ahead

Leave a Comment / Ask An Expert, Blog, Industry Insights, Job Search

2020 was a challenging year for virtually all industries, but for real estate, it was a particularly bumpy road. Offices were left vacant, retail shops shuttered, hotels and restaurants faced unprecedented hardships, and 2020 left many real estate professionals working from home, scheduling virtual tours and pivoting their business models the best they could to face the road ahead. But now, it’s a new year.

Real Estate Hiring Trends Going Forward

As we enter 2021, real estate professionals are cautiously optimistic about their roles and hiring across the industry as a whole. While many are excited about the prospect of a pandemic-ending vaccine and a return to normalcy, most recognize the road to recovery will be long and filled with hurdles, especially for the hardest-hit asset classes like retail and hospitality. Despite that, 45.8% of respondents said their compensation actually increased in 2020, and 59% believe their compensation will increase in 2021.

The pandemic was not the only major event of 2020. Protests across the country sparked discussions about race, and while some in the industry believe these rallies will have little impact on the way the real estate world approaches hiring, others think that they could be a major turning point that will cause the industry to re-examine some of its hiring practices and place a greater emphasis on hiring diverse talent.

And while many things changed, some remained the same. The vast majority of survey respondents said they are still employed at the same job they had prior to the pandemic and a majority also said they would consider relocating or making a career move — just as the bulk of respondents replied in 2019.

So what are the major challenges the real estate industry is facing in 2021? Where do industry professionals see the year heading?

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How to Begin Your CRE Job Search in this New Environment

Leave a Comment / Blog, Interview Tips, Job Search

With workers laid off in a myriad of industries, including commercial real estate, it must be incredibly difficult to begin a CRE job search now, right? There’s so much uncertainty in the markets and so many others competing for the same jobs. Where do you start? How can you strategically launch your job search during these tricky times?

Begin Your CRE Job Search Right

These are scary times. And it’s important not to jump into this half-baked. Maybe you were a happy analyst whose furlough never ended or a property manager looking for new opportunities. What was your state of mind before the pandemic news came? Were you looking to change career tracks or seek advancement in your current path?

This is the perfect time to get in touch with who you are and reflect on your future. Things have changed, and maybe you have, too. Don’t rush into this. Begin your CRE job search right by asking a few questions like:

Will my position still be in demand in this new environment?
Am I good at what I do and where can I bring the most value?
Do I enjoy this role? What am I passionate about?
What new opportunities have current events created?

Develop Your Brand

Once you’ve decided whether to stay in your current career field or go after a different side of the commercial real estate industry, it’s time to brand yourself. In a competitive market, getting hired at your dream firm doesn’t happen by accident. You must stand out from the crowd.

If you’re serious about developing a high-impact brand for yourself in this new job search, here are a few steps with which to start:

· Learn the key mission of each target employer
· Identify which of your skills best match that mission
· Craft a targeted branding statement that highlights this match

Learn New Skills

One of the best things to do when you begin your CRE job search is improving your skill set. The difference maker between you and the many other candidates is often the skills and certifications you have on your resume. Be sure not to underestimate the power of soft skills such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving.

Can you take a few classes right now in your down time? Can you update any outdated certifications? Perhaps take on larger roles in volunteer organizations? Closely follow the requirements in your target roles, and align your current strengths with those parameters.

Work with a Recruiter

If you are targeting a successful CRE company, chances are that firm already knows the importance of partnering with a search firm. They’ll likely prioritize candidates who have already been pre-screened by their search partner and interview those people first. Or in many cases, they will work on retainer, in which case, the recruiter is the gatekeeper.

Here at Building Careers, we actively nurture our relationships with numerous CRE professionals and leading CRE companies. We’ve been matching the right candidate to the right role for years. If you’re a good fit for the job you want, we will be a powerful advocate on your behalf. And if the fit just isn’t right, chances are, we’ll know of the best alternatives.

If you are one of the thousands of CRE professionals laid off or furloughed during the current crisis, don’t be nervous. You can begin your CRE job search right and stand out from the crowd. Let us know if we can help!

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