Career Advice Podcasts & Job Seeker Network

Tim Tyrell-Smith's Blog (28)

Networking Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Some see networking as a chore. Others see it as a waste of time. A huge mass of social blather that leads to nothing. Those people get frustrated and get stuck in their job search.

They haven't yet figured out that networking is now a lifelong opportunity. An opportunity to build out your influence in the world. And to reach more people that might need your help at the same time.

For those who see socializing, I see relationship building. Research. To understand what your net

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 11, 2009 at 2:59am — No Comments

New E-Book Now Available! "30 Ideas. The Ideas of Successful Job Search."

Well, after many months of hard work and a few pennies from my daughter's piggy bank (not really), I am excited to announce the launch of the new e-book. As I've always said, this blog is about ideas. Lots of ideas.

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on August 16, 2009 at 8:02pm — No Comments

The First 5 Minutes. How To Kick-Off A Successful Interview

I'll be honest. I can tell pretty quick whether you are likely a good fit for a job.

And I can tell in the first 5 minutes.

If that sounds unfair,

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on July 9, 2009 at 3:20am — No Comments

When Your Elevator Pitch Has A Pitch Problem

Is it safe to assume that everyone in America has watched American Idol? Based on the vote tally each week during the season, I think it is a fair bet. And if you've seen the show, you've seen the caricatures that do the judging. The caricatures include hip/cool, sure/sensible, loving/kind and rude/contrarian. They play their roles pretty well, actually. As if they were reading off a script . . . hmmm.

One of the key things we are supposed to be listening for during American Idol is so

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on June 27, 2009 at 12:21pm — No Comments

Running Through The Pain of Job Search

I ran my first and (so far) my last marathon in 2007. While not a breathtaking course visually, the Orange County Marathon left me huffing and puffing more than once on an unusually warm and breezy day in January.

When thinking about the marathon, it reminded me of the time that I dedicated to train for it. And the time I had later that year when I found myself looking for work. As I have shared before, while an out of work experience can be stressful and frustrating, it is also

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on June 11, 2009 at 4:30am — No Comments

10 Reasons You Should Regularly Read A Job Search Blog

Now, coming from a guy who regularly writes a job search blog, you might find this post a bit self-serving. And, if I'm honest, you're probably right. I would love it if you would regularly read this blog. In fact, there are two very easy ways to make it effortless: via e-mail or RSS feed sign-ups on the sidebar, stage right.

You might also be concerned about

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on May 5, 2009 at 3:43am — 5 Comments

The Danger of Being an Optimist in Job Search

In 1969, a movie was released called "Paint Your Wagon". It starred Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin and Jean Seberg. The movie is a classic but the theme song has me troubled.

How can I be troubled by a s

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on May 1, 2009 at 3:54am — No Comments

FlashCard™. Introducing A New Business Card for Networking.

If you haven't been following along, much of my effort lately has been in developing tools. For you. Tools to help maximize your effort during job search. And they are all free.

OK, I guess they are not totally free. If you would, I'd love to count you as a regular blog reader. And I'd love it if you would tell your friends about the blog and the tools. Mostly free, I guess.

This most recent series

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on April 19, 2009 at 10:44am — No Comments

A top 10. The best job search groups on Linkedin.

It is hard to imagine, but Linkedin still has a tremendous amount of growing to do.

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on March 12, 2009 at 3:45am — No Comments

Feeling frazzled in job search? Find a place to breathe.

I went to the gym this morning. I haven't been there in a while. As I was leaving the locker room, the sun was coming through the trees and the air was cool and crisp (for Southern California anyway). I paused just as I exited to hear the door quietly crush against the wood and close.

I looked up and watched the trees move and watched the sun shift through the branches. I took a really deep b

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on February 26, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

What if Edgar Allan Poe owned a Blackberry?

If you use a Blackberry to stay connected during your job search, read on . . .

Edgar Allan Poe wrote a short story in 1843 called The Tell-Tale Heart. If not familiar, the story is about a man who kills another man. He hides the body under the floor boards and calmly responds to police when questioned. Until, that is, the (supposed) beating of the dead man's heart causes him to experience an unquestio

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on February 25, 2009 at 10:00am — No Comments

Job Search by Candlelight

Job search by candlelight struck me as a compelling way to think about the contemplative nature of the job search e

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on February 24, 2009 at 7:00am — No Comments

Does your resume have "bunny prints"?

OK. So, I'm cheating a bit. I got the idea for this post from Karen Burns who writes a great blog called Working Girl. Karen wrote a post a few days ago called If You've Been A "Job Hopper" that I really liked. It's a big issue for job seekers these days because there are still a huge number of HR folks and hiring managers that use "job hopping" as a first screening tool. Too many one

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Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on February 23, 2009 at 1:46am — No Comments

Quick Tip - Consider a mock interview

Have a big interview coming up? Are you ready? If you are ready, it means you've identified your strengths and weaknesses, you've researched the company, you know your prior accomplishments and have identified ways to make each of them relevant to the hiring manager, etc. But are you ready for the interview itself? One of the key tactics to prepare for political debates, big football games, and important legal trials is role playing. I remember when they did the post-mortem on Obama's debate w… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 26, 2008 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments

Quick Tip - Use vetting techniques like Obama

I think pretty much everyone has heard of the term "vetting". It is used a lot in politics to make sure that a decision is fully researched before it is made. According to Merriam-Webster there are two ways to think about this: 1. to subject to usually expert appraisal or correction 2. to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance So, based on this, it would seem that vetting should play a pretty important role in the job search community. You clearly get vetted by recruiters, hiring managers… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 24, 2008 at 10:00am — No Comments

Signs that your job search is on the right track

How do you know if you are on the right track? What indicates that you are doing the right things to maximize your chances to land that next great role? Are you looking for a horseshoe faced the right way or a lucky clover? Well, there are signs, of course. Here are some you won't find. You won't find a "GREAT INTERVIEW!" sign. It's unlikely that a recruiter you just met will hold up a card that says: "STOP: MY NEXT PLACEMENT ON BOARD". Finally, don't keep your eyes peeled for a "YIELD, TOP CA… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 21, 2008 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments

Like an out of body experience

I was thinking the other day about how sometimes during job search it is easy to lose perspective. That if you try to… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 4, 2008 at 12:30am — No Comments

Quick Tip - Check your cell phone message

When you are out of work (aka "in transition"), your old office phone goes unanswered. Your old office door is locked and your old office mail bin is empty. Where and how are people now contacting you if there is interest in your resume and background? You'll either get an e-mail or a voice mail, right? The voice mail will come on your cell phone if you are smart. Why? It is a controllable medium (unlike the home phone which can be answered by an assortment of less than professional 6 year olds… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on November 1, 2008 at 11:30pm — No Comments

The worst days during job search...

In my experience, the worst days during job search are those when nothing happens. No calls come in, no e-mails arrive, you have no events or coffees scheduled, etc. During my job search last year, I preferred a decision or any kind of communication (even if negative) to the emptiness of a quiet day. I remember vividly a day when I came out of a networking meeting with no expectations, checked my voicemail and found three messages. Two of the three were negative but all three cleared up long li… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on October 30, 2008 at 11:34pm — 2 Comments

Tell Your Job Search Network What You Want

Sounds reasonable, right? "Tell your job search network what you want". Yet I can't tell you how many people don't really know or have a very difficult time getting it across. The result? A network that wants to help, but sadly, cannot. An example: Last year I attended a structured networking event sponsored by a popular recruiting firm here in Southern California. These events put you at a table with other job seekers. The goal is to build new connections by sharing backgrounds and career obje… Continue

Added by Tim Tyrell-Smith on October 8, 2008 at 9:00pm — 2 Comments