How do you get your resume in front of the right person? Well if you use the old traditional ways, you can be sure that it may be a great feat. The right person by my definition is the hiring manager and short of a person introduction, you have work to do on many levels to ensure that they see your resume.

First thing I recommend is that you have a well written resume and cover letter that is targeted for the position that you are interested in. The next thing that will help you in this market is networking. I know you are probably hearing that word a lot lately, but it so critical to your success in your job search. You can get your resume in front of the right person without networking, but the odds of them landing on you amongst all the other candidates competing for the same job is astronomical. I know may be discouraging, however the reality is that there is a lot of competition. A lot of qualified applicants are in the market, and you want them to land on you. So you have to differentiate yourself from ALL the other competitors in the race. Networking will help you do that - differentiate yourself. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Determine if you know someone who knows someone you need to know - a friend that may be willing to make a personal introduction

2. Determine if you know someone in your network - online network, using LinkedIn. Yes, you need an online network of people “working” for you. Use your network to get an introduction.

3. Do something unusual. I have heard of everything from getting the name of the hiring manager and sending a Federal Express package, with your resume and cover letter in it, to bumping into them at a local event. Creativity works for some, not for all, but it doesn’t hurt.

4. Develop a blog and share your expertise. This may take a little longer, but if you can pull it off, it is a great tool to help differentiate yourself from other candidates and gives the hiring manager additional information about you that no one else may have.

Those are just a few suggestions. Sending your resume in with the masses, is relatively a lost cause if you are serious about getting a job. This is by no means a reason for not sending your resume, but you need multiple access points into the organization so that you are not relying on one method and “hoping” someone notices you. That to me is like a wall flower at the dance, hoping that some will come over and invite them to dance. Probably not going to happen and if it does, the wall flower may have been standing there all night and on the last dance, the question is asked. You want to enjoy the party. You want to get in this and give yourself a chance to compete for jobs as early in the process as you possibly can and than outshine the other competitors and get the job.

Image Credit: sxc.hu

How do you jump-start your marketing creativity? We get in our daily routines: get up, shower, get dressed, go to work, get some coffee, answer email, take a break, do some work, go to a meeting, come back, return calls, answer email… on and on. It gets monotonous. No wonder you’re not generating new marketing ideas!

We all need to shake up our routine a little in order to find our creative side. Go for a walk. Stop and look at the sky. Or trees. Or grass. Go to a park and let your mind wander. Sit and people watch at a mall or train station. Distract yourself.

Then sit down with a notebook and try some brainstorming. Think about what you just saw or did. Can you think of a new way to introduce your product to the people you just saw? They’re all busy — how can you stand out?

If you were at a park, look at all of the green around you. Is there a way to make your product greener? And then incorporate that in your marketing? It would be easy to jump on the “green” bandwagon right now. Maybe your product is already green. Could it be greener? Better? Could it help those busy people you just saw, rushing to and from bits and pieces of their lives? What about that harried mom corralling two little ones? Can your product help her in some way?

Sometimes just getting out of your office or cube can help you change your mindset. You’ll see new customers and new ways of attracting them. When I was writing a lot of procedure-heavy copy at a previous job, I’d take a bunch of my paperwork and go sit outside. It just so happened that the view included the water. I’d sit in the grass, watch the birds, listen to the water, and think. It was great for clearing my head, removing distractions, and getting down to writing. Or brainstorming. Whatever I needed at the time. The change was immensely helpful.

Changing up your routine can really help you generate new ideas. Give it a try and see what works for you. Clear out those distractions and give yourself time to think. Then get those ideas down on paper. What routine changes work for you?

image: morgueFile

To be successful as a freelancer—or as an entrepreneur of any kind—you have to stand out from the pack. It takes ingenuity, creativity, dedication, and perseverance to turn the run-of-the-mill into a stand-out-in-a-crowd business.

Over the years, businesses along the “Mother Road,” also known as the old Route 66, have learned about flourishing in the good times and persevering through the bad.

Pops
Arcadia, Oklahoma

Whether they call it pop or soda or “coke,” the 66-foot-tall neon bottle makes Route 66 travelers call time out for a pit stop just northeast of Oklahoma City. Technically, Pops is a gas station with a restaurant in it. But there’s nothing ordinary about this place, from the futuristic gas pumps to the 500+ flavors of pop—including 60 varieties of root beer alone—displayed by the thousands on glass shelves. This place catches the traveler’s eye and turns a routine into a fun experience. In order to have a successful freelance career, you want to put 60 different skills on display in an eye-catching way to wow a variety of clients.
Cadillac Ranch
Amarillo, Texas

Ever since Texas millionaire Stanley Marsh 3 created this public art installation in the 1970s, travelers from all over the world have been stopping to spray a little paint on these decrepit old Caddies. And when development began competing for the land they were on, he just moved the cars to a better location. Now they’re right off the Interstate, perfect for an impromptu graffiti stop. You might have to change your approach, your thinking, and sometimes your location to catch the attention of potential onlookers, or clients.
Yellowhorse Trading Post
Lupton, Arizona, at the New Mexico State Line

Trading posts are advertised at many exits along this stretch of I-40. Frank Yellowhorse, a Navajo, made a name for himself many years ago with his interesting signage and his genuine passion for making sure vacationers enjoyed their stop. Yellowhorse was friendly, always put the customer first, and made sure their experience was good enough to make them come back again and again.

Frontier Motel and Restaurant
Truxton, Arizona

This mural, advertising the cafe at the Frontier Motel, is often photographed, but the town itself is one of the veritable ghost towns along the stretch of Route 66 that was bypassed by the construction of the Interstate (as depicted in the Disney/Pixar film Cars.) Be prepared to weather the tough times, and you might have to restore your sign along the way.

Jack Rabbit Trading Post
Joseph City, Arizona

After Jim Taylor started this place in 1949, he needed to differentiate himself from the other trading posts along the route. His trademark signs, featuring that alluring, iconic jackrabbit, were placed all the way to Missouri. Back then travelers spent days and days on that road, seeing those signs all along the way, without necessarily knowing what it even was. When they reached the sign that said “Here It Is,” guess what—they stopped to find out! Selling yourself, or your brand, is about generating buzz and making potential customers curious about exactly what it is you have to offer.
Snow Cap Drive-In
Seligman, Arizona

Juan Delgadillo’s sense of humor and crazy antics made his place famous worldwide. People from all over the world have traveled thousands of miles to open this door (which knob?) and get squirted with fake mustard before diving into a basket of fries or an ice cream cone. His son carries on the tradition today, and he’s good in his own right at making you feel like part of something special. Regardless of whether it’s about making hamburgers or serving ice cream—or providing a freelance service—the Delgadillos have understood for years that it’s the element of surprise, the unexpected touch of going well above and beyond, that makes a experience legendary.

All of these photographs were taken recently, and these businesses truly have stood the test of time—even after the Interstate system passed them by. To me, it’s a good metaphor for today’s times. Freelancers and entrepreneurs today definitely will need to stay on their toes to keep the Information Superhighway from passing them by.

What are your ideas for making sure the Information Superhighway doesn’t bypass you?

Photo credits: Shelley DeLuca

From the comfort of your home you can search for jobs online. I could actually stop writing this post and publish it, however it would be of little value for you if you are a job seeker. That is my point - if all you do from the comfort of your home is search for jobs online, or hang out on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, there would be very few results from your job search.

From the comfort of your home, you can relax, develop your job search strategy, research organizations and update your resume and cover letter. Once that fun stuff is complete, you must get dressed and get out. There are people for you to meet and places for you to go.

What are your plans for tomorrow? For next week? From the comfort of your home, you can watch television. Watch CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. They have a lot of bad news about the current climate in our country. Or you could get up and out and make something happen that will move you forward in your life.

I love my home, it is comfortable, warm and cozy. But if I remain in the comfort of my home, I wouldn’t have a job for too long. And if you don’t have a job, but you need one, than get out of the comfort of your home so you will have a home to come back to.

From the comfort of your home life is happening. I talk to job seekers every single day. Most of them are struggling to find something in this difficult market. That is real. I understand how difficult it is. The problem is that most job seekers are looking for jobs from the comfort of their home rather than getting out there - in the field, and knocking on doors. Get your self in front of hiring managers. If you are not sure how to do it, get CREATIVE! You will not find hiring managers from the comfort of your home. It’s up to you! Enjoy the comfort of your home! But don’t use it as an excuse to for remaining unemployed. Get up and out there and make something happen. At the end of the day, go back to the comfort of your home and get your plan for tomorrow!

Image Credit: sxc.hu

“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten - the same result.” That is the definition of insanity and in this insane economy, you better have some relative sanity to combat the foolishness. Whether you are employed or unemployed, creativity and out of box thinking should become your favorite companions.

For those of you who are employed, you must be focused on preparation and planning. What will you do, if your job was gone tomorrow? Everything looks great today. No layoffs or very few in your organization. Everyone seems relatively happy despite the economy. The business leaders have assured everyone that all jobs are secure, and no layoffs are expected. But then tomorrow comes and all of a sudden you find yourself without work. Your job is gone in a moment. Now what? What do you do next? What is the first thing you should do if you lose your job unexpectedly? Shout!?! Celebrate!?! Cry?! What is the right response? If you are waiting for a response from me, I don’t have the answer for YOU!

For each of us the response will be different. However, I will say this, be prepared. Have a plan. Write some things down that you would like to do. Evaluate where you are in life and what you want to do next, when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe everything is great in your world, but a day is coming in the not to distant future where you may need to answer the question. Be prepared to answer it, so that you don’t have to go insane, thinking that you have to do the same thing you’ve been doing only to get to the same place you may find yourself. Everything about jobs, hiring, career planning, and even the jobs that we do today and the way we do them is changing.

For those who are unemployed, creativity and out of the box thinking will help you move out of your comfort zone and move to action. You will find a way to generate an income. You will shift your perspective on the state of the union at your house. Out of the box thinking means that the word “no” is only a speed bump to your destination. You are not moved by the economic climate. You are willing to evaluate all the possibilities for employment and generating income and when the possibilities run out, start a new list. Creative thinking involves breaking out of one pattern in order to create a new one. That is what it will take for you to get different results in the midst of your job search.

According to Friday Reflections, all too often, we become ensnared by the familiar. We make rules based on the reasons that make sense to us. Then we follow these rules. As time moves forward and things change, we typically remain the same. And the reasons for the way we do what we do may no longer make sense but we are stuck in the cycle of how we always do what we do. In this insane economy, give yourself permission to be creative, and to think outside the box.

Brainstorm some creative ways to find a job. Brainstorm a strategy for keeping your job if you are employed. And be prepared for a different result no matter what happens.

Image Credit: sxc.hu

by Michael Michalko

The way we think determines our thoughts, and our thoughts determine the language we use. Pay attention to how your friends and colleagues talk. You will find that many speak a language of exclusion, a language about “what is not,” instead of “what is,” or “what can be.”

This is because we have been educated to speak in deficit by describing what is missing, what is excluded, what’s wrong, what is not there. We often describe things, good or bad, in terms of what the experiences are not. For example, this morning I ran into an old friend and asked him how he was feeling. He answered, “No complaints.” Now what does that mean? Does that mean he has a list of complaints taped on his bedroom wall that he reads every morning to see if he has anything to complain about?

You give an idea to your supervisor at work and you hear, “Not bad.” Does that mean every other idea you offered was bad? You suggest that you implement a new plan or idea and you hear, “It won’t hurt.” Does that mean that everything else you implemented did hurt? You want to do something and you hear “I don’t have a problem with it,” or “It certainly wouldn’t be out of the question to do that.”

How many times have you heard a friend say to you something like “Why don’t we get together on Monday?”, What’s interesting is that when someone asks another person “Why don’t we,” the receiver frequently resists with some type of a “no.” When someone says “Why don’t we..?” our first unconscious impulse is to begin to think of reasons why not to get together. The phraseology creates ambivalence. However, if you were to change the question to “How about getting together on Monday?,” or “Let’s get together on Monday?” the ambivalence disappears.

If you listen to children before they are educated in school and creative geniuses, you will discover they speak a different language, a language of inclusion, a language of “what is.” When you ask children how they feel, they’ll tell you. They’ll say “Great,” or “Awesome,” or “I’m ill.” Offer an idea to a child, and the child will reply “Great,” or “Interesting.” Suggest an idea and the child will say “Cool,” or “Let’s do it.” In the same way creative geniuses will also always frame things in a positive way.

It seems most adults have learned to phrase ideas with negatives such as no, never, don’t and not. As you read this, you’re probably thinking “I never would have thought of that,” or “Not a bad insight.” Rephrase this thought to “This is the first time I ever thought about that.” Or, “That’s an exciting insight that could explain a lot.” Notice how the rephrasing from “what is not” to “what is” affects your perception of the information. You now feel interest, curiosity, surprise and even fascination. You can feel your consciousness expand.

By changing your language and speaking patterns to about “what’s there” in a positive way–you guarantee a feeling of optimism and real output in performance. I have a friend who owns one of the most storied hotel chains in the world. I asked him what the most significant factor was for his success. He told me it is the language of the employees. They are trained to say to phrase their speech in a positive way. When someone is thanked for doing a service, the employee will always say “It’s a pleasure,” instead of saying something like, “No problem,” whenever you thank them. This training in positive language, “It’s a pleasure,” has helped make them into becoming optimistic and friendly employees, which, in turn, creates a pleasant hotel atmosphere.

Think of the times when you have found yourself at a loss for words when we try to express our sympathy to a friend who has lost a loved one. Many of us say things like, “I really don’t have the words to express my sorrow,” or “I don’t know what to say.” Suppose you change this to “It’s so difficult for me to find a way to express my sorrow,” or “It’s so difficult for me to find the words that would adequately express my deep sorrow for what you are going through.” By rephrasing into more positive terms, it does more good for you and the other person.
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Michael Michalko is an expert on creative thinking. He is the author of “Thinkertoys,” “ThinkPak,” and “Cracking Creativity.” His website is http://www.creativethinking.net

So yesterday - I think it was yesterday - I ran into Men With Pens. Today I went back because I had a bit of time to really poke around.

I found this: Getting Creative With Your Content It’s a decent rant about creativity, the lack of it, the way it stalls, along with a challenge to read Copyblogger’s The Content Crossroads: Supernatural Success at the Intersection of Ideas.

Take a break. Read both posts… then, well, I don’t know what then. I’ve got some writing to do for clients and I’m feeling inspired. How about you?

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

I don’t know about you, but when I tell someone I’m a freelance writer I seem to get one of two basic responses:

Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing - a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision - for those who want to get a book written.

One of the things I do in addition to writing is pottery. I find hand building taps something primal within me. Part of it is just about playing in the mud, but there’s something else.

Usually I get to play this week once a week for about two hours in a lovely studio in San Diego’s wonderful Balboa Park. Spanish Village is an artists coop and to become a full-fledged member you have to jury in. I’m getting ready to try again this summer, and I have to submit five pieces. I’ve been working on a series of sculptures.

Yesterday, I was at the studio for five hours. I build one sculpture and started on two more. Suddenly, I realized I was done!

It was exactly the same feeling I get when I’ve been writing well and it’s over for the day. And when I looked at the clock I realized I’d been potting for four hours – which is about my limit on good writing per day.

I guess it’s about creativity and how long we can keep it up. Maybe it doesn’t matter what the output is as much as how much we put into it.

Write well and often,

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If you’ve poked around my sites you may have discovered that in addition to writing I also coach writers. I just launched the official website announcing my coaching services. It’s called Writing With Vision.

I’ve also added a Notes From A Writing Coach Category. Here I’ll share some of the things I tell my coaching clients. If you want to ask some questions, please do so… in comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Write well and often,

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