Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

*/ ?>

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 022: The Hidden Path to a Creative Career (Cory Huff) Feb 17, 2016

Show notes

Every day we bring to our jobs unique talents and ideas that nobody else has. When we have the opportunity to put that creativity to good use, our work becomes more rewarding and our employers and the customers we serve benefit.

It is a myth that a creative career means a lifetime of poverty. Nearly 1.4 million Americans work in creative occupations. And while only a small number of those become famous household names, a vast majority maintain successful and rewarding creative careers.

This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking all about creative careers. We’re joined by Cory Huff, an actor, writer, and expert on the business of being a creative professional. Cory’s website, TheAbundantArtist.com, provides resources for creative professionals looking to better market and sell their products and services. Cory shares tips on how to start and maintain a strong, independent, and financially sustainable creative career.

In this 32-minute episode you will learn:

Why a creative career doesn’t mean you’ll be a starving artist
Why "business" and "marketing" can't be dirty words for a creative professional
How to build a solid artistic career without being famous or “anointed”
The irreplaceable value of relationships for creative professionals

This week’s guest:

Cory Huff (@AGoodHusband | LinkedIn)Actor and Owner, The Abundant ArtistAuthor, How To Sell Your Art OnlinePortland, Ore.

Listener question of the week:

I really want to work for a specific company. I'm thinking about taking a lower level job to get my foot in the door, in hopes I’ll be able to move into the job I want. Is this a good idea?

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to communitymanager@macslist.org.

Resources referenced on this week’s show:

If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 021: How Women Can Win at Work (Farai Chideya) Feb 10, 2016

Show notes

Gender unfortunately matters in the workplace. Women, on average, earn less than men in virtually every single occupation. In 2014, female full-time workers in the United States made only 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21 percent. That pay gap has barely budged in 10 years and, at the current rate, it won’t close for decades to come. Women also struggle to move out of middle management and break through the glass ceiling into the highest level of leadership. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we discuss how women can win in the workplace. We explore the dynamics behind gender discrimination and discuss tactics woman can use to overcome systemic hurdles. We’re joined author and journalist Farai Chideya, who has written extensively about race and gender in the workplace. Her newest book, The Episodic Career, explores the future of employment, identity, and personal satisfaction. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: The myriad factors that drive down pay for women Why you should “be your own archivist” and document your accomplishments before leaving a job How to strategically “lean in” when negotiating for salary or other benefits Why the most valuable professional leads can come from people you don’t know well Why gender discrimination is about more than just pay This week’s guest: Farai Chideya (@Farai | LinkedIn)JournalistAuthor, The Episode Career: The Future of Work in AmericaNew York, N.Y. Listener question of the week: How can I position myself as an industry leader or expert in my field? And how important is it to do this? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to communitymanager@macslist.org. Resources referenced on this week’s show: AllBusinessSchools.com | Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today Farai Chideya MomsRising.org The Episode Career: The Future of Work in America Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology Women Don’t Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation--and Positive Strategies for Change Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org. Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired at the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard your host and publisher of Mac's List. Our show was brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we published on February 1st, visit macslist.org/ebook. Gender matters in the workplace. Women on average earn less than men in virtually every single occupation. In 2014, for example, female full-time workers in the US made only $0.79 for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21%. That pay gap has barely budged in 10 years and at the current rate it won't close for decades to come. Women also struggle to move out of middle management and break through what's called the glass ceiling. Even though women hold more than half of the professional jobs in the United States they only make up 34% of middle managers, 14% of executive officers, and a mere 4% of CEOs. This week on Find Your Dream Job our topic is how women can win at work. I talk with author Farai Chideya about the factors that push down wages for women and how you can negotiate better with your boss. Ben Forstag has an infographic that gives you the facts about the gender gap and other problems women face in the workplace, and Cecilia Bianco answers a question about how you can position yourself as an industry leader. Ben, Cecilia, it's good to check in with you. Let's talk about this week's topic. What examples in your careers have you seen of gender discrimination. Cecilia Bianco: Not necessarily in my career, but I remember when I was in high school I had a friend whose mom was a news anchor and she had found out that her co-anchor was earning a lot more than her. It was a pretty big debacle and it ended in her leaving because she wasn't able to get the money she deserved from that company. It was in the media and it felt like a huge deal at the time. I don't think things have changed much since then, so it's a big topic for us today. Ben Forstag: Let me share a story from my wife's career. When she was out interviewing she happened to be visibly simple fact is they didn't want to hire someone who was going to take 3 to 9 months off to take care of a child, but those are pressures that many women face. Those are situations that many women see themselves in, and so finding ways to work around that is certainly key to helping women achieve equality in the workplace with men. Mac Prichard: A story that comes to mind for me is when I was in high school I had a job working at a restaurant at a hotel. I was in the morning shift with another person, a woman in her 30s. I was 17. It was a summer job for me and I enjoyed it, but she and I, I learned, made exactly the same amount of money, which to me was even, that kind of wage at 17 seemed extraordinary. It struck me for a lot of different reasons, but one was that for me it was a part-time job and I was saving for college and spending a lot of my income on things that teenagers buy. Music, fast food, putting gasoline in a car. For her, it was her whole income. I remember we didn't make a lot, just a little more than minimum wage, and she had to save for several months just to move from one apartment to another. That made a big impression on me. Ben, let's turn to the resource that you found for us this week. You're out there every week looking for blogs, podcasts, and books. What do you have for us? Ben Forstag: I want to start off this week with an infographic I found all about women in the business world. This comes from the website allbusinessschools.com and it entitled Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today. I'll admit it's a little bit odd to talk about an infographic, which is decidedly a visual medium, on a podcast, which is a audio medium, but I'm going to try to do this anyway. I'm a big sucker for a good infographic. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, and this one is particularly good. It's super in-depth and it makes what you're seeing easier to comprehend. Mac Prichard: I certainly love visuals too. If you ever visit us here at the Mac's List office you'll find an infographic on the refrigerator. Ben Forstag: What I really liked about this infographic was that it nicely frames both the accomplishment women have made in the business world as well as the lingering barriers they face. For example, in 1965 only 1.2% of graduates from the Harvard Business School were women. Want to take a guess of what that number's going to be in 2017? Cecilia Bianco: I hope that it's a lot higher, but ... Ben Forstag: You are right. It's going to be 41% female, which is still not on par with men but certainly a huge jump. This is representative of a general overall trend of women excelling in terms of higher education. Right now women have 60% of all the undergraduate degrees, 60% of all the graduate degrees, and 45% of all advanced business degrees, which is really exceptional. The infographic also includes information about the highest paid female executives and other benchmarks of success for women in the workplace. Of course we all know that women face a lot of professional challenges, and to be blunt the playing field is not equal at all. Across all levels of employment, as Mac mentioned earlier, women only make about $0.79 on the dollar compared to men. Things are slowly getting better, but there's a lot of room for improvement. One of the most shocking facts I found in this infographic was this, that at the current rate of progress, women won't achieve pay equity with men until 2058. Cecilia Bianco: Wow. That's way too long. Hopefully that doesn't play out in reality. Ben Forstag: Are you willing to wait, Cecilia? Cecilia Bianco: Not really, no. Mac Prichard: Not to be gloomy, but it is a gloomy number. When I got out of college, Cecilia, I remember going to an event and someone there had a button that said $0.63, and this was way back in 1980, 35 years ago now. I said, "What's that about?" She said, "That's what a woman makes compared to a man." I thought that number, "Oh, that can't last. That's going to go up." Here we are 35 years later. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah. We're crawling at this pace. Ben Forstag: It's bizarre because this is such a political issue that gets brought up over and over again, but we just don't see a whole lot of movement on it. The other shocking status in this infographic was that women are significantly underrepresented in the highest levels of executive management, as Mac brought up. The one stat I pulled out that I thought was crazy is that women are only 16.9% of board members at fortune 500 companies. That's just shocking. I mean, most of these companies at least 50% of their customers are women, but the folks running the organization are not, which is insane. If this is a topic you're interested in, and I think we all should be, I'd suggest you check out this infographic. It's "Winning at Work? A Look at Women in Business Today." I'll put the URL in our show notes. I also want to do a quick plug for an organization that I've a friend who works for that is doing a lot help close that pay gap and helping women in the workforce. The organization is called momsrising.org. One of the reasons that women face so many barriers in the workplace is because they have most of the burden of taking care of children. That means watching the children on a day-to-day basis from 9-to-5 when many people go to work. That means taking maternity leave for young children. That means taking time off when your child's sick, and frankly a lot of organizations don't offer paid sick leave, maternity leave, or any childcare benefits as part of an employment package. MomsRising works with local governments and state governments to try to implement mandatory paid sick days, mandatory maternity leave, issues like that. If, again, this is an issue that you find important and that you want to do something about, I certainly suggest you check out their website. It's momsrising.org. Mac Prichard: Thanks, Ben. Ben loves to do research, but he also welcomes your help. If you have an idea for him or suggestion, a favorite website, book, please write him. His email address is ben@macslist.org. Now let's turn to you, our listeners, and to Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. Cecilia, you're here with us every week to answer our listener's questions. What do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: This week I had a reader tweet at me and ask, "How can I position myself as an industry leader expert in my field, and how important is it to do this?" When I think of industry leaders and experts, I think of people who have a strong and present voice in their field. Having a voice these days typically starts online through platforms we all have access to and can use, blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and really any platform where your voice is going to reach many people. If you want to position yourself as an expert or leader, you want to get your voice out to as many people and groups as possible and find ways to prove your credibility. Writing's a good place to start since it's an easy way to share your thoughts, especially online, and build a following of people who agree with you. Speaking at professional or industry groups in your sector is another great way to prove credibility because 1, someone has endorsed you and your voice in order to book you to speak, and 2, you're growing your network through new people in the audience. Mac, you're seen as a community leader in our field, how do you think others can position themselves as experts or leaders? Mac Prichard: A strategy that could work for anybody is to be generous and share what you know. You've laid out specific strategies that people could follow to do that, Cecilia, whether it's sharing their ideas through blogs or social media posts, I think that would serve anybody well. I would just add in addition to being generous in sharing your expertise, be consistent. You don't have to publish on the hour every hour, but if you are going to commit to, say, doing a blog, commit to a schedule. It could be as little as once a week, or if you're going to run a social media account or post, say, to your LinkedIn page, find a schedule that works for you and then stick to it and people will come to expect to hear from you. They'll look forward to it as well. Ben Forstag: I'll just echo what Mac said. I think it's so important to help other people in your field. When you help others you really position yourself as a leader and as someone with integrity. I think if you can match subject matter expertise and integrity you can't lose. Cecilia Bianco: To answer the second part, as far as how important this is to be and industry leader, I think that really depends on what level you're at in your career. Obviously entry-level people can and should mimic the actions of leaders in their field, but it's unlikely at that stage that others are going to look to you as an expert or a leader. Once you're at a higher level, it's a little bit easier because you likely have years of experience that back up your opinions and your ideas. When you're just starting out I don't think it's a priority to be seen as an expert or a leader. It's more important to focus on getting that experience that you need. Once you're further along, making an effort to become an expert in your field can go a long way towards career stability and future success. Do you guys agree with that assessment? Ben Forstag: Absolutely. I think it's important that being an expert in your field, it's more than just style. Frankly, you see a lot of folks in the online world who, they produce a lot of content and a lot of style behind it but there's not much substance behind it. I think unless you really have mastery of your subject and you're new to the field, trying to position yourself as an expert is probably not going to work. You need to get a little bit of experience before you can really sell yourself as that expert. Cecilia Bianco: Right. I think that has to do a lot with proving your credibility before you try to be a leader in that field. Ben Forstag: Absolutely. Mac Prichard: I agree. One way to get that experience and then acquire that knowledge is buy curating content that others create. One of the biggest challenges that we all face is that we're overwhelmed by information. Somebody who sifts through what's out there in a particular field and presents the best ideas that they're seeing is doing a great service and building relationships and providing value and serving others along the way. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, I definitely agree. Mac Prichard: Okay. Well, thank you Cecilia. If you have a question for us here at Mac's List, please email us at communitymanager@macslist.org. The segments by Ben and Cecilia are sponsored by the 2016 edition of our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Be…

Full show notes at the publisher

BONUS: Four Principles to Guide Your Career (Ben Forstag) Feb 08, 2016

Show notes

Few people's careers play out exactly as planned. Changes of interest, new opportunities, and life in-general all interfere with the perfect, linear career plans we made with high school guidance counselor.

But even if you don't know exactly where you career is going, you can still control its direction. The key is being clear about what's important to you as a person and a professional. You don't need a detailed roadmap--just some guiding principles.

On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ben Forstag, Mac's List managing director, shares the fundamental concepts that have driven that have animated his career. Ben reads "Four Principles to Guide Your Career", his contribution to Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond).

If you’re looking for more advice on building a meaningful and rewarding career, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The updated 2016 edition will help you get clear about your professional goals and provide you with actionable steps for getting where you want to be.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Full Transcript

Mac Prichard:

This is Find You Dream Job. The pod cast that helps you get hired, have the career you want and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List.

On today's bonus episode, we're sharing exclusive content from our new book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond compiles job search tips and career management tools into one simple easy to read guide. It's the definitive tool kit for anyone looking for meaningful work. The book also includes special contributions from an array of job search experts and today you'll hear from one of them.

Here's Ben Forstag, Managing Director of Mac's List reading his contribution, Four Principles to Guide Your Career.

Ben Forstag:

Four Principles to Guide Your Career. Careers develop continuously over forty or fifty years of our working lives. They're subject to both internal forces, like family dynamics and changes of interest and external ones like the economy and the local job market. Accordingly, I've always been dubious about mapping out an entire career in advance. The linear progressions of model career development, law school, clerkship, federal prosecutor, night circuit, supreme court, rarely play out so cleanly in real life. I've certainly worked to navigate my career's direction. However, rather than targeting a predetermined destination, I focus on the journey itself. My career plan is less a road map, than it is a set of four practical guidelines. Here they are.

Do what you're good at. We've all heard the dictum do what you love. This is great advice if you have strong passions and a clear vision for how to monetize them, but sometimes, the things we love most don't translate into a job that pays the bills. At least, not right away. In these situations, I urge people to focus first on their skills rather than their passions. Do what you do well. Skills can transfer to different jobs, industries and interest. Focusing on professional strengths gives your career flexibility while also eliminating potential avenues to work in the field of your choice. Ultimately, passion and skill are two sides of the same coin. There's a reason you're good at some things and not others. Your skill set is a reflection of the interest and enjoyment you derive from doing those activities. In this sense, doing what you're good is actually a way to do what you love.

Keep learning. Taken by itself, the do what you're good at rule could lead to a monotonous and boring career. That's why it's important to stay curious and explore new interests and skills. Read books and blogs, take classes, network outside of your field. Do anything that exposes you to new ideas. You may discover professional interests that you never imagined. Throughout my own career, I've tried to say, 'yes' to learning opportunities whenever they appear. As a result, I've gained new passions for statistics, data analytics and coding. A surprising development for someone who went out of his way to avoid math classes in college.

Stay balanced. It's good to be passionate about your job, but it's also important to have passions outside of the office. One of the best things you can do for your career is to have a healthy work/life balance which provides an escape valve from the stresses of work. It can also insulate you from the inevitable down periods of your professional life.

Live your own dream. This is the final rule, but perhaps the most important. You have to evaluate your career according to your own criteria, not anyone else's. Measuring yourself against other people's success is like trying to live their dream rather than your own. Try to focus on what you want in life to do. Without worrying about what others may think. Remember, professional contentment is neither objective nor relative. The only question is whether your job and career path bring you happiness.

Mac Prichard:

If you're looking for expert advice and insider tips like what you just heard, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond. You'll find everything you need to get a great job whether your in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between.

The 2016 edition includes new content and for the first time ever, it's available in paperback, as well as in an array of e-reading devices including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. For more information on Land Your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond, visit Macslist.org/book.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 020: Reinventing Your Career (Michelle Hynes) Feb 03, 2016

Show notes

Everybody knows that changing jobs regularly is the new normal. The days of working for just one or two employers through your adult life are long gone.

But what about switching not just jobs, but careers? Most of us will be in the workplace for four decades or more, so it’s a choice each of us will face. In fact, we may have three or four distinct careers over the course of our working lives.

This week on Find Your Dream Job, we’re talking about the challenges and benefits of changing your career. Our guest expert is Michelle Hynes a career coach who specializes in helping people in the midst of work transitions. Michelle has, herself, gone through several career changes. She shares her insights on how to reinvent yourself, not just to improve your marketability, but also to increase your happiness.

In this 30-minute episode you will learn:

Why everyone--no matter your age--needs to plan for career change
How changing careers can empower you as a professional and improve your life
How to use informational interview to guide your career change
The importance of continuing education, training, and certification
How to manage the uncertainty involved in switching careers
Resources for older professionals looking for an “encore career”

This week’s guest:

Michelle Hynes (@mhynesPDX | LinkedIn)Principal, Michelle Hynes ConsultingPortland, Ore.

Listener question of the week:

What advice do you have for working professionals who would like to shift careers to a new field?

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to communitymanager@macslist.org.

Resources referenced on this week’s show:

If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 019: How to Make (and Keep) Professional Resolutions (Victoria Crispo) Jan 27, 2016

Show notes

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to do something different in your career? The list of changes you seek in the next 12 months could include a raise, a promotion, or a new job. Or maybe you want to improve your professional skills by stepping up your networking, increasing your industry knowledge, or adopting new work habits. Whatever your goal, you’re not alone. More than 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, according to some estimates. (Alas, research suggests only about 8% of people stick to those resolutions.) So what are you doing to ensure your professional resolutions turn into a reality? This week on Find Your Dream Job, Mac talks with Victoria Crispo, career development expert and manager of career content at Idealist. Victoria shares her advice on how to set and attain achievable career goals so that 2016 is a year you move closer to your dream job. In this 33-minute episode you will learn: How to unpack your big career goals into specific and measurable objectives Why you need an accountability partner The biggest mistakes to avoid when you’re setting career goals Tips for making big (and possibly scary) career choices This week’s guest: Victoria Crispo (@_AskVictoria | LinkedIn)Manager of Career ContentIdealistNew York, N.Y. Listener question of the week: Should people who want to relocate move before they have a new job lined up? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at cecilia@macslist.org. Resources referenced on this week’s show: Ten Questions You Should Ask When Facing A Tough Career Decision The Scientifically Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears IdealistCareers.org Stickk.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. -- FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is "Find your Dream Job," the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of "Mac's List." Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, "Land your Dream Job in Portland and Beyond." To learn more about the book and the updated edition that we're publishing in February, on February 1st, actually, visit MacsList.org/ebook. A new year means a new start, and as 2016 beings, you're probably making resolutions to something different in your career. The list of changes you want to see in the next 12 months may include a raise, a promotion, and a new job, or maybe you want to improve your professional skills by stepping up your networking, increasing your industry knowledge, or adopting new work habits. Whatever your goal, you're not alone. More than 40% of Americans make New Years resolutions, according to some estimates. In spite of those good intentions, however, most of us don't have much success in keeping our promises to ourselves. Researchers at the University of Scranton found that only 8% of Americans achieve their goals. This week on "Find your Dream Job," we're talking about resolutions, why most of them fail, and why those that stick work. We're recording this in January, but the issues that we're talking about and the information we'll share with you today you can use in any month. Our guest expert this week is Victoria Crispo, who will tell us what people who are successful at keeping their resolutions do differently. Cecilia Bianco, our community manager, has advice about what to do if you're thinking about this is the year that you move to a new town. Ben Forstag, our managing director, has 2 blog posts you can use to make difficult career decisions. All right, Cecilia, Ben, let's talk about your New Years resolutions before we move onto our guest expert and our resources this week. What's on your list? Cecilia Bianco: Well, for me, I try to make my resolutions based on something I learned in the previous year. Last year, I learned that if I don't keep up with having all my work organized, then I kind of start to fall apart. In the coming year, I want to make a huge effort to stay organized throughout the entire year. Ben Forstag: For me, I want to be better about getting out there networking on a regular basis, going to industry events, and just social mixers here in town, just so I can meet other professionals in Portland and in other areas. In the past, I've always done that sporadically, and my goal now is to set a regular schedule, a modest schedule, maybe once or twice a month, but have a schedule and go do that consistently. Mac Prichard: Good. For me, I've found in the past that I have the most success when I just focus on just one or two things, so one of my resolutions last year was to publish the Mac's List book. We brought that out as a PDF this year. The 3 of us have talked about the new e-course that we hope to introduce in the second half of the year, and that's on my to-do list. I'm curious, before we move on, are there tips that you have for our listeners about once you make those resolutions, the things you do that you find make it more likely that they'll happen? Cecilia Bianco: I find that if I set aside time on my calendar to actually meet that goal, then I'll end up doing it. Setting a weekly reminder on Fridays, or something like that, "It's time to get organized," will keep me on track. Mac Prichard: I'm also impressed, Cecilia, we share our calendars as a team, when I see that you blocked out time on your calendar to do certain tasks. That prevents the rest of us from interrupting you by scheduling meetings or appointments. Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, it helps. Ben Forstag: I think for me it's about setting realizable goals for yourself. There's always this inclination, when you set a resolution, to say, like, "I'm going to go from not running ever to running a marathon this year." That's a nice audacious goal, but sometimes it's just too much. It's really hard to reach that goal. The moment you find that you're not on the right step in the progress, you just give up. I would say for me, my goal is not to go to a networking each week. It's once a month, right. It's a modest goal. I can do it. It's achievable, and if I can do that for the next 6 months, then maybe I can adjust my plan and say, "It will be twice a month, now, or 3 times a month, or once every week." Just setting realistic goals that you know you can hit, but that are going to create a real effective change in your life. Mac Prichard: Keep it realistic. Put it on your calendar, and those are ways you can make it happen. Speaking of resources, let's turn to Ben, who is out there all the time looking for tools you can use. What have you found for us this week, Ben? Ben Forstag: This week, we're talking about career resolutions. Resolutions, as you know, often involve some kind of change, taking a new job position, going back to school, confronting your professional challenges, and things like that. Change can be scary, right? Especially if we're talking about taking a step into the unknown, something that you're unfamiliar with, taking that new job, where it's a big question mark of what it's really going to be like. This week, I'm sharing 2 blog posts that I've found that can help you manage your fears and make the right career decisions, the right career decisions for yourself, that is. The first post is from the Life Hack blog, and it's titled, "10 Questions You Should Ask When Facing a Tough Career Decision." The author provides some good, high-level questions you should think about whenever your career is at a fork in the road. I'm going to kind of cover this broadly, here. It's a post I'd suggest you go through and read because the author does go into each of these questions in detail. In general, his questions are: Are you willing to learn new things? Will you learn about yourself? Does this new opportunity scare you? Does a new opportunity change the way you think about success? For example, have you been thinking about success solely in terms of money, and then this new opportunity re-frames success as fulfillment, social good, or something like that? Does it excite you to talk about it? Does it affect people in your life, and how does it affect them? Is it fiscally responsible? Does it elevate your skills? In other words, how does this position position you for future career choices you have to make? Is it an advancement in skills and opportunities, or is it stepping back? Is it in line with your brand? Does it provide value? In other words, does it solve major problems or improve the quality of life? Simply, these aren't clear yes-no questions. This is not the cheat sheet for making decisions in your life. These are really more open prompts. They get you thinking about the full impact, cost, and benefits of a prospective change. I love how each question frames the decision-making process around your own needs as a professional. I'd really suggest you check that out. Again, it's, "10 Question You Should Ask When Facing a Tough Career Decision," and it's in the Life Hack blog. I'll have the URL to that in the show notes. Mac Prichard: That's a great list. One thought that occurred to me as you were talking, Ben, is a question I saw posed on a different blog, which is: When you think about how you want to be known professionally, whether it's as a manager, speaker, or a writer, ask yourself: How are you spending your time doing those things, and does your calendar reflect that? If it doesn't, then something's out of whack. Ben Forstag: Yeah. I think these questions are kind of the micro way of getting at that general, big question in there because I think sometimes that's a little bit too big of a thing to figure out or to put into your mind. This really gets at that. I particularly like the question about, "Does it fit with your brand?" That's just a fancy way of saying, "Does this fit with who you see yourself as and who you want to be as a professional?" Sometimes, people make decisions that don't fit with their brand. I think, at the long run, that's typically a bad decision. It's something you want to think about when you're making that big career change, whatever kind of change that is. The other blog post I want to share is from the Muse. It's called, "The Scientifically-Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears." I'll admit, this title is a little bit click-baity, but I think the content in here is really good. We can excuse that title. We all know that sometimes fear immobilizes us and makes it almost impossible to make a good career decision. I know this has been true for myself in the past. I was once in a job that I was miserable at. Every day was painful to go to work. I didn't like it here at all. I didn't leave because I had this voice in my head that says, "What happens if you leave? You'll never get another job. You'll be destitute on the street." That's all just crazy talk in your head. (laughter) Mac Prichard: I think we've all had that, that vision. Ben Forstag: So we're all a little crazy, right? Mac Prichard: Mine involves sleeping in a cardboard box. Ben Forstag: Okay, well maybe we can be neighbors, when we meet. I like this blog because it shares some tips on how you can overcome that knee-jerk fear reaction that you have, which is often not based in anything real. The author borrows from some controlled exposure strategies that psychologists use to treat other fears, like the fear of flying, or arachnophobia. Basically, it's a 3-step process. 1: Analyzing the fear, figuring out where that fear comes from, what it's costing you, how it manifests, and so forth. 2: Creating a plan to slowly expose yourself to that fearful situation so that you can give yourself a little leeway and test the waters without jumping right into something that you find scary. Then, 3: Executing on that plan in a meaningful way. I also like that the examples the author uses here about fears in a workplace situation. It's not just about switching jobs, which is a great unknown out there, but also about issues like how to confront a boss that you have issues with, which can be a very scary situation, or the fear of meeting personal professional expectations, which is one I, frankly, struggle with. Again, that blog is, "The Scientifically-Proven Way to Overcome Your Career Fears." It's on the Muse blog. Again, the link will be in the show notes. Mac Prichard: Thank you, Ben. If you've got a suggestion for Ben, please let us hear from you. You can write him to his email address. It's ben@macslist.org. Let's turn to our inbox, the high-tech mailbag, and hear from you, our listeners. Cecilia joins us to answer one of your questions. Cecilia, what are you hearing from listeners this week? Cecilia Bianco: Yeah, this week our questions is, "Should people who want to relocate move before they have a new job lined up?" That's a great question. I don't necessarily think there's a general yes or no to this question. It really just depends on your circumstances and how much of a risk it's going to be for you to relocate without first having a source of income. That being said, I do think it's easier to get a job once you're in the city that you want to work in. If you're able to relocate without taking a huge financial or personal risk, I would probably suggest it. Ben and Mac, you've both relocated more than once. Did you move before you had a job? Ben Forstag: Well, I've done both. Back in the early aughts, I was living in Spain. My visa in Spain ran out. I had to move back to the States and didn't have time to find a job beforehand. Without a job, I moved to Washington D.C., somehow convinced an apartment building to let me move in without any provable income. It took me a while to find a job there. It was scary, but in that situation, I didn't really have many other choices, so I did that. When I moved to Portland, I actually got a job lined up before I moved out here. I think that was a unique situation, though, because first, it's pretty rare, but second, I had a very strong case to make that I was moving to Portland whether I had a job or not. I think that reassured the employer that this wasn't just some flighty application. In the case of moving to Portland, I said, "My wife and I already have plans to move to Oregon. Here's the move date. We've already lined up housing and everything else." The employer knew that I was a real candidate. I wasn't just someone from Washington D.C. applying for a job. Mac Prichard: I've been lucky enough to have a job to each city I've moved to for the first time, Washington D.C., Boston, and Portland. I will say when I went to D.C., I had just graduated college and was coming off a political campaign. I had a promise of a job for 4 weeks, and it turned out, once I got there, I stayed at that position for 2 years. I didn't think twice about getting on the Greyhound bus from the Midwest, and I think it was just youthfu…

Full show notes at the publisher

BONUS: How to Get an Oregon Government Job (Mac Prichard) Jan 25, 2016

Show notes

Government jobs are always tough to land. Mastering the oft-byzantine formal application process takes practice and insider know-how. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Mac Prichard shares his experience applying for government jobs. Mac has worked in multiple departments for the State of Oregon, as well as for several local and state-level elected officials.

Mac reads "How To Get An Oregon Government Job", his contribution to the Mac's List book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). And while he speaks primarily about his experience in Oregon, the practical lessons Mac shares are generally applicable to any government job, whether at the federal, state or local level.

If you’re looking for more advice on developing a brand that attracts employers, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). The 2016 edition, available February 1, includes new content and will be available on a wide range of e-reading devices, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks. You will even be able to order a paperback edition!

To learn more, sign-up for our ebook mailing list at www.macslist.org/book. When you join this list, we'll send you publication updates, insider ebook content, and special pre-sale price discounts.

Make 2016 the year you land your dream job!

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 018: Advancing Your Career Through Collaboration (Kare Anderson) Jan 20, 2016

Show notes

You will find competitors in whatever career you choose. No matter how small or niche your field, some people always stand out in your profession. Education, experience and other advantages contribute to these people’s success, but how you lead you work life can makes a huge difference, too. One of the best ways to stand out in your field and in your career is through creative collaboration. Embracing mutuality--sharing of your strengths, acknowledging your weaknesses and partnering with others with complementary skill sets--strengthens your professional credentials in an increasingly interconnected economy. And people who can facilitate collaboration are best positioned to solve employers’ most pressing challenges. This week on Find Your Dream Job, our guest expert is Kare Anderson, Emmy-winning journalist, TED presenter, and author of Mutuality Matters and Moving from Me to We. Kare believes that collaborative problem solving is the key to a dynamic, engaging and impactful career. She shares her thoughts on how to improve mutuality and the value of team collaboration. In this 32-minute episode you will learn: Why collaboration is a valuable, in-demand skill in the modern workplace How to leverage your professional networks to facilitate collaboration How to embrace mutuality as a tool for networking and job-hunting Tips for improving your teamwork skills--even if you’re an introvert Communications tools to facilitate collaboration This week’s guest: Kare Anderson (@KareAnderson | LinkedIn)Journalist and SpeakerAuthor, Moving from Me to We, Mutuality Matters, and moreSan Francisco, Calif. Listener question of the week: Is it a bad idea to accept a job working for or with family members or friends? What should I consider before accepting? Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at cecilia@macslist.org. Resources referenced on this week’s show: The Life Hack Blog - The Ten Things Good Team Players Do Differently Psychology Today Blog - The Introvert’s Guide to Surviving Teamwork The Big Interview Blog - Answering Behavioral Interview Questions on Teamwork Say It Better with Kare Anderson Moving from Me to We Mutuality Matters Slack.com Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond) - 2016 Edition If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org. -- Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support! Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT Mac Prichard: This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host, and publisher of Mac's List. Our show is brought to you by Mac's List and by our book, "Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond)." To learn more about the book and the new edition that we're publishing February 1, please visit macslist.org/ebook. Whatever career you choose, you'll find competitors, no matter how small or crowed your field may be, some people always stand out in your profession. Education, experience and other advantages play a part in these people's success, but how you lead your work life can make a huge difference, too. This week on Find Your Dream Job, we're talking about how you can advance your career by combining your strengths with the complementary skills of others. Our guest expert this week is Kare Anderson. She and I will talk about specific steps you can take in your professional life to break out of the pack. Ben Forstag has several online tools you can use to improve your teamwork skills, and Cecilia Bianco tackles the question that comes up in every workplace: Should you hire family and friends? We're in the Mac's List studio, and I'm here with Cecilia and Ben. First of all, Ben, welcome back from your paternity leave. Ben Forstag: Thank you. Mac Prichard: Congratulations on the new son. Ben Forstag: Thank you. Little Fox, as we call him, is doing very well. Mac Prichard: I love that acronym. Well, it's a pleasure to have you back. Now, when you two think about peers you've had, either at school or in the workplace or elsewhere, who've stood out, what have you seen them do? Cecilia Bianco: I think the biggest thing that stands out to me is how engaged someone is in their field. If someone's really focused on attending events, workshops, and joining the right groups for their career, I think that goes a long way to making them stand out. Ben Forstag: One thing that I've seen that I really like is people who maintain active and high quality blogs. I think this is so important because it shows a dedication. This is something you do weekly or on a regular basis. It positions you as a subject matter expert regardless of how big or small that subject is. It's quite notable when you are the subject matter expert on it. Third, it is a showcase for good quality writing. I think those things are so important, and it's just a great way to position yourself with employers and other professional prospects. Mac Prichard: I think the common denominator that runs through both of the examples that you two have shared, and they're great examples, is a topic that our guest is going to talk about this week, which is the importance of giving to others. She has a book that we'll talk about, "Mutuality," but the idea is this that by helping others and being part of a community, whether it's by writing a blog or participating in professional groups and/or going to events, you're giving of yourself, and you're thinking about the needs of others and how you can help. First, let's turn to you, Ben. I know you have a resource for our listeners this week. What have you found? Ben Forstag: This week I want to share three blog posts all about the importance of teamwork. When I say that word I know some people are rolling their eyes, and other people are getting great big smiles. Teamwork is one of these clichéd words that really divides people. What do you think Cecilia? Are you a teamwork person, or a work alone person? Cecilia Bianco: I'm more of a teamwork person. I think, as you said, it's become really important in today's work market. Almost all of our listings have that listed as a qualification: How do you work on a team? Mac Prichard: I enjoy teamwork, too. I have to say when I was in graduate school, I got a lot out of that experience. One of the most important gifts I got was they had us work in study groups, and I had not done that as an undergraduate. That gave me the experience to work with others and helping others in the group, and I found I got a lot more out of my education as a result. Ben Forstag: I'm of two minds when it comes to teamwork. Part of me really sees the value in it. It's undeniable that this is a skill that employers are looking for. I would guess that ninety-five percent of every job description that we get here at Mac's List includes teamwork as one of the things they're looking for. At the same time, when I was in graduate school, team projects were always those projects where I thought, "Oh man, now I've got to do extra work to cover up for other people." It's something that I'm always working on, and I know I can improve on. That's why I thought this was an interesting topic. It also feeds into what we talked about earlier about working with others and giving to others in a team environment. The first post I want to share comes from the Lifehack blog, and it's called the "10 Things Good Team Players Do Differently." As Cecilia mentioned terms like teamwork and team player are often used so much they lose all of their meaning. I really liked this post because it outlines some basic behaviors that make someone a good team participant. Here are the ten attributes of team players according to the blog: They're reliable. They're unafraid of failure. They share information. They say what they think. They don't dominate meetings. They stay positive. They understand and respect team dynamics. They know when to say "no." They are adept at problem solving. They go the extra mile. This all sounds great, Mac, right? This is exactly the kind of person you want to hire. Mac Prichard: Right. Ben Forstag: If I had any criticism of this blog piece, it might be that this sounds like the ideal person. A good team player is a just a great listener, does everything right. I do like it because they are concrete things to think about, and how you behave in the office, and how you work with your colleagues. Just things to keep in the back of your mind about how you could improve your relations and your productivity with others. If you heard that list and you thought that doesn't sound like me at all, my next resource is for you. This is a post entitled, "The Introvert's Guide to Surviving Teamwork, and it comes from the Psychology Today blog. As I mentioned earlier, I actually consider myself something of an introvert, and I know how difficult it can be to assert yourself in a group setting. I like this post because it outlines some mindsets and skill sets and deliberative practices you can use to become an effective team leader. The general idea here is that introverts play an essentially role in effective teams. You're needed for the team to be effective, and the role you play as an introvert is being the level-headed listener, the aggregator of good ideas, and the implementer of group decisions. I love this quote from the blog. The author writes, "Extroverts love to talk, but are much less enthused about having to walk away and do the work. This is the introvert's chance to shine. You can be the one who puts your hand up and to work on a project offline." I think that's an important thing to keep in mind because teamwork requires different kinds of people. If it's just a bunch of talkers, nothing is going to get done. Lastly I want to share a blog for how you can talk about your teamwork skills with a prospective employer. As I was thinking about this subject yesterday, it really struck me that what a challenge it is to illustrate your skills as a team player in the interview process, because in most of the things we're doing in an interview is trying to show how great ... like you're the number one guy, you're the expert in everything, you have all the answers, and teamwork is not one of these skills where being the guy with all the answers is an asset. That's often a liability. This post had some interesting answers on how you can answer behavioral questions related to teamwork. It comes from the biginterview.com blog. I'll have the URLs for all these blog posts in the show notes. It's a very long post, but it includes some sample interview questions around teamwork, discusses why employers are asking these questions, and provides some strategies on how you can best answer these questions in a way that shows the skills you have as a team player without bragging, without going over the top, and really presenting yourself as an ideal candidate for their needs. Cecilia Bianco: Your point about focusing on behavioral interview questions I think is really important because if you're trying to act like a team player in an interview, the best way to do that is through examples, so being prepared with examples that show you're a team player is a great way to go. Mac Prichard: I think your point, too, Ben, about how in interviews there's a tendency to try to please the prospective employer by saying I can do everything and I'm a star in everything. I think smart employers know they're not going to get a hundred percent of everything that's in a job description, and a candidate can't do everything. I think it's important for candidates to remember that, because if they are hired, they will be part of a team. They will have strengths that they can bring to that group, but they can't do everything. If they're managers themselves or they become managers one day, they're going to recognize the value of being able to identify strengths in others, and draw people out in those strengths, and give them opportunities to display them. Ben Forstag: Really, that's the value of teamwork essentially. It's a way to maximize people's strengths and cover up their weaknesses by combining compatible strengths and collaborating that way. Before I leave I just want to share this one awesome quote that I came across. It's about the value of teamwork, and this comes from Bill Gates. He said, "Creativity is less of an individual characteristic than it is an emergent property that surfaces when people convene around a problem." I think that kind of gets at the heart of why most employers nowadays want you to be a good team player because it helps you come up with unique, good solutions to problems that individuals by themselves can't figure out. Mac Prichard: I think together a team is stronger and an organization is better for it. Well, thank you Ben. Ben is always looking for suggestions, and he's always thrilled when he hears from people who have ideas for him, so please write him. You can reach him at ben@macslist.org. Now let's turn to you, our listeners. It's time to hear from Cecilia Bianco, our community manager. She's going to reach deep and far into the mailbag, and pull out this week's question. Cecilia, what do you have for us this week? Cecilia Bianco: Actually our question this week came from Twitter, not the mailbag, and it's, "Is it a bad idea to accept a job working for or with family members or friends? What should I consider before accepting?" I personally worked at a family business, and I know it can definitely create tension among other employees. There's a lot to consider and talk about before you accept the job. The most important thing you can get do is set boundaries with the family member or friend before you actually take the job. Ben, I know you've worked with family before, too. What ground rules did you have in place to make it a successful experience? Ben Forstag: A few years ago I was working at a nonprofit, and my father actually got hired by the nonprofit as a consultant to do some sales work for them. It was a tense situation, but we made it work, and mostly because we had a couple informal rules. One of them was when he started I made it clear that I had no managerial authority over him, and he had no managerial authority over me. We worked in two separate departments and had two separate people that we reported to, which helped. I also removed myself from pretty much any decision that had to do with what he was doing. You're not always able to do this in an organization. Fortunately in the organization I was with there were enough other people that could pick up the slack, and I could step out of some conversations simply because I just didn't want to be involved with that piece. Then the third one, and I think this is the most important, is I made a deal with my father. We weren't going to talk about work when we weren't at work. I think it's important to have a work life and a private life. If your private life turns into a second work life because all the same people are in both camps, you lose that area to decompress and to relax. Off hours we didn't talk about work. If he had a complaint about…

Full show notes at the publisher

Ep. 017: The Social Media Job Search (Joshua Waldman) Jan 13, 2016

Show notes

According to one estimate, 80% of employers Google candidates before inviting someone in for a job interview. What will people see when they Google you? Photos from your college spring break trip to Mexico or an up-to-date LinkedIn page? What impression will you create online? That you’re the life of the party or an accomplished professional?

Using social media in your job hunt isn’t only about playing defense. Facebook and other personal accounts can make a big positive difference in your career.

This week on “Find Your Dream Job” Mac talks with Joshua Waldman, CEO and founder of Career Enlightenment, about how to use social media in your job search. Joshua is the author of Job Searching With Social Media For Dummies, and he’s also written for Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable and the International Business Times. Joshua’s career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Reader’s Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. When he’s not writing, Joshua presents keynotes, trainings and breakout sessions around the world.

In this 28-minute episode you will learn:

Why your online profiles matter
Tactics to leverage LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in your job search and career
How to improve your online profiles and use them effectively
Common mistakes professionals make with social media
How to appropriately send “cold call” requests on LinkedIn
A free tool to clean-up your social media accounts

This week’s guest:

Joshua Waldman (@joshuawaldman | LinkedIn)CEO & Founder Career EnlightenmentPortland, Ore.

Listener question of the week:

I'm thinking about asking to connect with someone on LinkedIn. The problem is -- I've never actually met them. Is this ok to do?

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at cecilia@macslist.org.

Resources referenced on this week’s show:

If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ep. 016: How to Ace a Job Interview (Janet Brumbaugh) Jan 06, 2016

Show notes

“Wing it” and “job interview” are two phrases that should never go together in the same sentence. Before you walk into an interview, you need to prepare yourself, do your homework, and practice what you will do and say.

But how do you prepare responses when you don’t know the questions? And what, besides having good answers, contributes to a successful interview?

This week on Find Your Dream Job we talk about the interview process and share tips on making a great in-person impression with a prospective employer. Mac chats with executive recruiter and career coach, Janet Brumbaugh, of Janet Brumbaugh and Associates. Janet helps her clients hone their interview skills by video-recording them in mock-interviews; she then reviews the tape with the jobseeker, to identify mistakes and opportunities for improvement. In this episode, Janet shares her expert advice on how to your own interview performance and outcomes.

In this 33-minute episode you will learn:

The specific research you should do before an interview
What employers are looking for during the interview process
How to make the interview less of an interrogation and more of a back-and-forth conversation
The questions you, as the candidate, should be asking at the interview
How to respond to oddball interview questions

This week’s guest:

Janet Brumbaugh (LinkedIn)PrincipalJanet Brumbaugh and AssociatesWest Lynn, Ore.

Listener question of the week:

What questions should I ask an employer in an interview?

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer on a future episode? Please send your questions to Cecilia Bianco, Mac’s List Community Manager at cecilia@macslist.org.

Resources referenced on this week’s show:

If you have a job-hunting or career development resource resource you’d like to share, please contact Ben Forstag, Mac’s List Managing Director at ben@macslist.org.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BONUS: Portland's Threads--And Yours (Aubrie DeClerck) Jan 04, 2016

Show notes

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We hope you all had a festive holiday season and that you're staring 2016 re-energized to build the career of your dreams!

To kick off the new calendar year, the Mac's List team is sharing a bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, featuring one of our most popular guests, Aubrie De Clerck of Portland-based Coaching for Clarity.

In this 3-minute episode, Aubrie reads "Portland's Threads--and Yours", her contribution to the Mac's List ebook, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond).

To learn more, sign-up for our ebook mailing list at www.macslist.org/ebook. When you join this list, we'll send you publication updates, insider ebook content, and special pre-sale price discounts.

Make 2016 the year you land your dream job!

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Mac Prichard:

This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life. I'm Mac Prichard, your host and publisher of Mac's List.

On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, we're bringing back one of our most popular guests, Aubrie De Clerck of Coaching For Clarity. Aubrie is included as one of the local job search experts in Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond), and in today's episode, she'll share her contribution to the book with you, our podcast listeners.

Here's Aubrie De Clerck reading "Portland's Threads--and Yours", from Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond).

Aubrie DeClerck:

In any search, it's up to us to tell our story: Who we are, what we can do, and how we stand out in doing it. Our story is not simply about identifying transferable skills. To find fulfilling work, we need to communicate our threads, the things we're best at, the things we can't stop doing even if we try, the things we do naturally are gifts in a way that creates confidence in ourselves and shows our value to an employer.

Take Portland as an example. We all know about keeping the city weird, but what is consistent about the town that filters into all the community does? What are Portland's threads? Here are two: unrestrainable creative self-expression, and ongoing commitment to environmental protection. How do we know with confidence that this is truly what Portland is about? If we were writing a resume for Portland, we would give specific examples.

For unrestrainable creative self-expression, think about our food and drink: Microbreweries, coffee roasters, adventurous, award winning restaurants and farmer's markets. As for the arts, International Film Festival or Jazz Festival, Tango Fest and monthly art walks. Our annual events that include the Bridge Pedal, the PDX Adult Soap Box Derby, Tour de Coops and Time-Based Art Festival. Then our iconic local businesses: Powell's Books, food carts, Hollywood Theater, and Voodoo Doughnuts.

As for our ongoing commitment to environmental protection, we have compost at the curb. Sixty-three percent of all of our waste is recycled. Investment in public transportation, including our new MAXX Orange Line, strong urban growth boundary, buffer bike lanes, LEED certified buildings and more. With clear examples identified, how do you assign value to them? What do these threads mean about Portland?

To me, they create a great quality of life and keep our community vibrant, essential components for a city I choose to live in.

As you create your personal brand, ask yourself: What are my threads? How do they give value to others?

Mac Prichard:

If you're looking for more expert advice and insider tips like those that Aubrie just shared, check out Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond). This is the definitive guide for finding meaningful work, whether you're in Portland, Oregon, Portland, Maine, or anywhere in between. We're making the book even better. The 2016 edition will include new content and be available on a wide array of e-reading devices, including Kindle, Nook and iBooks, as well as a paperback edition. For more information, visit www.Macslist.org/ebook.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected