I can't emphasize this enough, if you don't have a process for your job search you will go crazy, get depressed, feel confused, and feel lost most of the time.
But if you do have a process, a series of steps you follow for your overall job search and for each opportunity individually, you'll keep your sanity, stay objective and handle setbacks better, and feel much more in control.

Here is a simple process you can follow that works amazingly well, if you follow it.

1. TARGET your efforts - don't be random, be focused. Research jobs and companies you want to target, make a list, sort them by best opportunities to least likely, and learn about the projects, needs, goals, and how you can deliver on those. Use this knowledge to refine your Resume, your Script for interviews, and your LinkedIn and networking searches.
2. INCLUDE SMALL-MEDIUM BUSINESSES - make sure you don't discount more than 50% of the market place made up by small and medium sized businesses - there are millions of them. Do a Google Map search for keywords that can reveal them, including the market your researching (Healthcare, Sales, Marketing, Nonprofit, etc) and stuff like LLC, Org, Company, Partners, Inc. You'll find hundreds of potentials clinics, stores, manufacturing, office, banking and finances, real estate, legal, and other business you might not have heard of but could use your expertise.
3. SPEND 80% OF YOUR TIME OFFLINE - this means, if all you're doing is jumping on Job Search websites and applying you're following what could be a losing and slow strategy. Instead, spend most of your time making a list of Companies you can target, then find ways to get in front of them and connect (aka networking). This can be finding a connection on LinkedIn, going to their events, conferences, meetups, or simply knocking on their door and dropping off your resume.
4. CUSTOMIZE YOUR MATERIALS - use all the above intelligence you get to customize your materials to speak to their needs. Let me repeat that, because this is super important - FIND OUT their top needs and make sure you customize your materials to show that you deliver on those needs or could!
5. MASTER YOUR LINKEDIN - for those of you aiming for professional jobs, and I hope you all are, you need to be on LinkedIn. Look back at my posts for Tips on LinkedIn to get your profile updated, add your new resume elements, connect with companies you want to target, find people to meet with, and learn all you can about your hiring manager or team! Visit it daily, if even for 5-10 minutes, searching for jobs and people, and connecting to anyone and everyone that you can help and could someday help you. Find ways to help others and give - and let the law of reciprocity do it's magic.

Alright, this is a lot to take in, but if you do these 5 steps, without thinking to much or making excuses, but simply doing them as best you can with what you know now, you're going to do very very well and get lots of requests for interviews.

Need help with any step, I'm here!

​Coach Baez

One of the biggest challenges of the job search is staying focused. We struggle with focus every day in our lives, primarily because 
- many of us have others that depend on us
- all of us are under constant attack by marketing and social media vying for our attention
- and most of us haven’t ever really been taught how to focus, really.
So how do you focus?
                                                                      ---------------------------

Below is a simple but powerful strategy for getting focused and getting things done

1. MAKE A DECISION 
   Decide that your job search is important - it doesn't mean nothing else is more important, but that it's worth daily focused time.
2. HAVE A PLAN
   You're always part of a plan. The sad part is, if you don't have a plan you're very likely a pawn in someone else's. But if you create a plan of action - setting a clear goal, writing steps to that goal, deciding what your next best step is, and getting to work on it - you then have the ability to determine what's helping you towards it and what's distracting you from it.
3. WRITE DOWN YOUR NEXT STEP
   Once you've decided to focus, you have a plan, and you know what you're next best step is, get out a post-it or piece of paper and write down your Goal for that period of time. Put it up where you can see it during your work. If you're in job search mode, maybe something like "Create list of 20 companies/jobs I'd like to target and identify one contact from each (through LinkedIn, a friend, or their website)."
4. STARVE YOUR DISTRACTIONS and FOCUS
   Now that you've decided to focus, got your plan, and know what you're next step is - 

• Turn off all distractions - your phone, your email, your notifications, your social media. 
• Find a place where you feel productive, where you won't be distracted and have what you need to get your next action accomplished. 
• Set a timer for 1-3hrs and go to it!

This simple set of steps always, always works...if you do it. 

How do I know? Because I just used it to write this post! :)
Coach Baez

I had a client ask me recently if it's bad to not get a raise, even though they performed well, and their annual review was good.

Answer? Yes, it's bad! It's common practice in business to give a raise, as that is a major incentive for individuals to meet their annual work goals. Sure, self improvement is good and you're often getting good skills over time, etc...but compensation matters! Money Matters!

Now, of course, there are exceptions to this rule, such as small and medium-sized business that struggle because of their own market's fluctuations, or commission-based positions, or because they compensate in other ways such as bonuses throughout the year.

But for the vast majority of companies and nonprofits, 2-3% is the common minimal annual raise to give annual for a good, productive staff person who has tried and met most, if not all their goals. 5-10% is often given for star performers.

In fact, 3% is technically equal to no raise. What, why?? Because cost-of-living increases about 3% or more per year. So everything you spend on to live, from food to heat to electricity tend to go up, so the 3% just barely keeps pace with that or sometimes falls behind it.

That being said, no raise is, in effect, a pay cut!

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU AREN'T GETTING RAISES?
If you're not getting raises, find out why specifically. Ask how you can work to assure that you'll get them by meeting mutually agreed upon work goals that are attainable within the year.

OR if they seem unreasonable or blow you off about it, get outta there!

The best way to get a raise, if you're in a company that sticks to the minimum, is to transition to another job! 10-15% raises from transitions, when done properly, are not uncommon. At least that's been the case for the clients I've helped through the job transition process.

And if you do the math, one transition to a new job can quantum leap you 5 years into your salary future in one move! That's huge! It's like getting 5 years of work experience for free! ;) ​

Not getting raises? Need help figuring out how best to handle it. Let me know! 

Coach Baez

I was asked by a client today for suggestions of books to help a friend get out of debt...

My top recommendations for my clients always start with books by the 3 Daves - 
- The Total Money Makeover - by Dave Ramsey
- The Automatic Millionaire - by David Bach
- The Wealthy Barber - by David Chilton

You can find links to them on my Recommended Books page to get them on Amazon.

I read all three and loved them, and their concepts are critical to getting out of debt. TTMM by Dave Ramsey talks the most about getting out of debt, and he also has a daily Podcast for free that you can find on iTunes. I used it and his "Baby Steps" to pay off $45,000 in under two years! Yes, the steps work.

A book specifically about getting out of debt and fixing your credit score, that I've heard is good is - "How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously." Haven't read it myself though.

And a book everyone needs to read, which talks about the flip side of debt...and the idea of creating wealthy vs focusing on debt is ...
"The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind". I loved this book.

Most of these books you can find at your local Half Price Books or on Amazon for super cheap, so start your debt journey by saving money that way!

And if you need guidance on how to get started, contact me for a Financial Goal-setting session. Getting help, guidance, and someone to hold you accountable is key to success in your career and finances.

​Coach Baez