Some years back, a late afternoon on New Year’s Eve. My phone rang as I walked along the newly snow-plowed sidewalk to my home. After three months of back-and-forth with a financial service provider, my to-be boss was calling me to tell me I got the job. What a way to end 2013!
Then there was the time I was given the “you’re no longer a fit” speech, which I knew was coming. (TIP: Learn to read the room.) As I was packing, a company I’d been interviewing with—as I said, I knew what was coming—called, hiring me to manage their customer service department. Within 10 minutes, I’d call my wife to tell her I had lost my job and then call her back to tell her I got a new one.
Always be reading the room. Always be looking.
I’ve had several Hollywood-ending job searches, not quite “a dream job offer, champagne celebration, and living happily ever after,” but very close.
Based on my experience, a “Hollywood-ending” job search can be moderately orchestrated, but only to a certain extent, the main influencing factors being:
Establishing yourself as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) through a compelling personal brand, LinkedIn profile, resume, cover letter, and digital footprint.
Actively networking and building relationships.
Interviewing skillfully and leaving an impression that makes your interviewer say, “We need [your name]!”
Negotiating an attractive compensation package.
Feeling a genuine sense of excitement about your new job.
Fade out
“The End”
Role credits
However, external factors such as economic conditions, employer priorities, and ubiquitous “hiring manager’s preferences” influence the aforementioned influencing factors. It would be naive to believe getting a job offer doesn’t involve some element of luck.
Ultimately, you can increase your chances of a “Hollywood ending,” but you can’t fully orchestrate or guarantee it. All you can do is put in the work, remain flexible, and be open to unexpected opportunities. While your job search should be characterized by positivity and persistence, remember that a degree of luck plays a role in your job search, as it does throughout your life.
I attribute my experiencing several Hollywood-ending job searches to having conducted my job searches by adhering to the following rules:
Think for yourself.
The Internet, especially LinkedIn, is populated with self-proclaimed job search experts—talking heads—who are willing to take your money for information you can find for free. I’ve yet to come across a “job search expert” or “career coach” who doesn’t offer rehashed cookie-cutter advice. Following the same advice as other job seekers will not differentiate you in today’s hyper-competitive job market. Thinking for yourself, a practice that is decreasing—following and looking for shortcuts are easier—will.
Because I learn by doing, I advocate DIY job searching. In addition to saving money, DIY job searching is how you learn and develop job searching skills, which, with layoffs having become the norm, is a crucial career management skill.
I attribute much of my job search and career success to thinking critically—evaluating the pros and cons against my needs and wants—avoiding groupthink, exploring unconventional paths, charting my job search course and most importantly, trusting my instincts. Nobody knows me better than me. Rocky, Whiplash, Ford v Ferrari, The Founder and Steve Jobs are just a fraction of the many Hollywood movies where the protagonist walks their own path while thinking for themselves and ends up achieving their end goal(s).
Know what you can and can’t control.
A recipe for frustration: Trying to control what isn’t yours to control.
Long ago, I accepted that employers own their businesses and, therefore, own their hiring process. Instead of obsessing over (read: wasting time and energy) how employers hire, which many job seekers do, I shrug my shoulders and say to myself, “If that’s how they want to run their business, then so be it,” and move on.
Accepting that you can’t control how employers hire will improve your frame of mind.
Acknowledge your limitations.
“A man’s got to know his limitations.” – Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) in Magnum Force.
Another reason many job seekers are frustrated is that they aren’t acknowledging their limitations (e.g., skills gaps, lack of experience). Life’s harshest truism is that none of us are equal biologically, genetically and at an intelligence level. Biology is the root reason why “life isn’t fair.” Therefore, let go of the belief life should be played on an even playing field.
At the onset of my career, I was frustrating myself by trying to compete against those with inborn aptitude or affinity—I call them naturals—for the jobs I was aiming for. It wasn’t until I acknowledged and accepted my limitations and my naturals that my job search results improved, and my career started heading in the right direction.
A sense of self-awareness, combined with critical thinking, has given me the smarts to target roles and employers suited to my capabilities and present myself authentically and confidently; after all, I’m in my wheelhouse. Take it from me, humility and honesty lead to better job search results and sometimes to an ending” worthy of the silver screen.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
The Northern Super League has fleshed out its front office with four appointments.
Jose Maria Celestino da Costa was named vice-president and head of soccer operations while Marianne Brooks was appointed vice-president of partnerships, Kelly Shouldice as vice-president of brand and content and Joyce Sou as vice-president of finance and business operations.
The new six-team women’s pro league is set to kick off in April.
“Their unique expertise and leadership are crucial as we lay the foundation for not just a successful league in Canada, but one that stands among the top sports leagues in the world,” NSL president Christina Litz said in a statement. “By investing in top-tier talent and infrastructure, the Northern Super League is committed to creating a league that will elevate the game and set new standards for women’s professional soccer globally.”
Da Costa will oversee all on-field matters, including officiating. His resume includes stints with Estoril Praia, a men’s first-division team in Portugal, and the Portuguese Soccer Federation, where he helped develop the Portuguese women’s league.
Brooks spent a decade with Canucks Sports & Entertainment, working in “partnership sales and retention efforts” for the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Warriors, and Rogers Arena. Most recently, she served as senior director of account management at StellarAlgo, a software company that helps pro sports teams connect with their fans
Shouldice has worked for Corus Entertainment, the Canadian Football League, and most recently as vice-president of Content and Communications at True North Sports & Entertainment, where she managed original content as well as business and hockey communications.
Sou, who was involved in the league’s initial launch, will oversee financial planning, analysis and the league’s expansion strategy in her new role.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
MAYERTHORPE, Alta. – An emergency alert has been issued in an area west of Edmonton for two armed men.
RCMP say the men are on foot after a robbery.
They say people in the area of Mayerthorpe should not open their doors to strangers or pick up hitchhikers.
They say the suspects are dangerous and should not be approached.
One man is described as white, about 30 years-old, five feet 11 inches tall, 205 pounds with dark hair and dark eyes, who was last seen wearing a cowboy hat and black sweater.
The other man is six feet tall, about 220 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black flat brim hat with red letters.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
“Communication is one of the most important skills you require for a successful life.” — Catherine Pulsifer, author.
I’m one hundred percent in agreement with Pulsifer, which is why my evaluation of candidates begins with their writing skills. If a candidate’s writing skills and verbal communication skills, which I’ll assess when interviewing, aren’t well above average, I’ll pass on them regardless of their skills and experience.
Why?
Because business is fundamentally about getting other people to do things—getting employees to be productive, getting customers to buy your products or services, and getting vendors to agree to a counteroffer price. In business, as in life in general, you can’t make anything happen without effective communication; this is especially true when job searching when your writing is often an employer’s first impression of you.
Think of all the writing you engage in during a job search (resumes, cover letters, emails, texts) and all your other writing (LinkedIn profile, as well as posts and comments, blogs, articles, tweets, etc.) employers will read when they Google you to determine if you’re interview-worthy.
With so much of our communication today taking place via writing (email, text, collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, ClickUp, WhatsApp and Rocket.Chat), the importance of proficient writing skills can’t be overstated.
When assessing a candidate’s writing skills, you probably think I’m looking for grammar and spelling errors. Although error-free writing is important—it shows professionalism and attention to detail—it’s not the primary reason I look at a candidate’s writing skills.
The way someone writes reveals how they think.
Clear writing = Clear thinking
Structured paragraphs = Structured mind
Impactful sentences = Impactful ideas
Effective writing isn’t about using sophisticated vocabulary. Hemingway demonstrated that deceptively simple, stripped-down prose can captivate readers. Effective writing takes intricate thoughts and presents them in a way that makes the reader think, “Damn! Why didn’t I see it that way?” A good writer is a dead giveaway for a good thinker. More than ever, the business world needs “good thinkers.”
Therefore, when I come across a candidate who’s a good writer, hence a good thinker, I know they’re likely to be able to write:
Emails that don’t get deleted immediately and are responded to
Simple, concise, and unambiguous instructions
Pitches that are likely to get read
Social media content that stops thumbs
Human-sounding website copy
Persuasively, while attuned to the reader’s possible sensitivities
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: AI, which job seekers are using en masse. Earlier this year, I wrote that AI’s ability to hyper-increase an employee’s productivity—AI is still in its infancy; we’ve seen nothing yet—in certain professions, such as writing, sales and marketing, computer programming, office and admin, and customer service, makes it a “fewer employees needed” tool, which understandably greatly appeals to employers. In my opinion, the recent layoffs aren’t related to the economy; they’re due to employers adopting AI. Additionally, companies are trying to balance investing in AI with cost-cutting measures. CEOs who’ve previously said, “Our people are everything,” have arguably created today’s job market by obsessively focusing on AI to gain competitive advantages and reduce their largest expense, their payroll.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that most AI usage involves generating written content, content that’s obvious to me, and likely to you as well, to have been written by AI. However, here’s the twist: I don’t particularly care.
Why?
Because the fundamental skill I’m looking for is the ability to organize thoughts and communicate effectively. What I care about is whether the candidate can take AI-generated content and transform it into something uniquely valuable. If they can, they’re demonstrating the skills of being a good thinker and communicator. It’s like being a great DJ; anyone can push play, but it takes skill to read a room and mix music that gets people pumped.
Using AI requires prompting effectively, which requires good writing skills to write clear and precise instructions that guide the AI to produce desired outcomes. Prompting AI effectively requires understanding structure, flow and impact. You need to know how to shape raw information, such as milestones throughout your career when you achieved quantitative results, into a compelling narrative.
So, what’s the best way to gain and enhance your writing skills? As with any skill, you’ve got to work at it.
Two rules guide my writing:
Use strong verbs and nouns instead of relying on adverbs, such as “She dashed to the store.” instead of “She ran quickly to the store.” or “He whispered to the child.” instead of “He spoke softly to the child.”
Avoid using long words when a shorter one will do, such as “use” instead of “utilize” or “ask” instead of “inquire.” As attention spans get shorter, I aim for clarity, simplicity and, most importantly, brevity in my writing.
Don’t just string words together; learn to organize your thoughts, think critically, and communicate clearly. Solid writing skills will significantly set you apart from your competition, giving you an advantage in your job search and career.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
