Few things are more stressful than looking for work. Therefore, reducing or eliminating potentially stressful issues is a worthwhile effort.

I have heard otherwise competent people blame the lack of a resume on their inability to decide which style to use. In some cases that excuse covers for more profound problems, but there are those who are truly discouraged by the choices and the arguments that swirl around them.

Everyone agrees that you must have a resume. There is no quarrel on this point. But the minute you pick a style you enter a sharply divided, hostile world. Your choice will be flat wrong in the opinion of all those who chose differently. Some will explain why for a fee, others will advise free of charge, but both groups will advocate their preferences with the fanaticism of the newly converted.

If one sect is right all the others are wrong, since styles are mutually exclusive.

If you pick chronological, presenting the achievements in the order of their occurrence, adherents of every other style will argue that theirs is better. Whether you choose from functional, reverse-chronology, combination, interlocking grip, cross-cultural, gravity fed, or fat free, a difference of opinion will always exist.

Some aspects of resume preparation are really not open to intelligent debate. Here are some non-negotiables for resumes:

1. The principal function of a resume is to help hiring managers eliminate non-contenders. Therefore, an employer going through a stack of them will focus on which applicants can be cut. Being selected is less important than not being rejected.

2. The time spent eliminating applicants can be measured in nanoseconds. Try to visualize how much time an employer may spend on each individual resume.

3. The only universally applicable one-size-fits-all rule of resume-writing is that it be brief and look it. The elimination process starts the moment your resume is in hand. If it doesn’t instantly appear to be an easy, informative read, it won’t be read. To that end, use lots of white space, a large enough type size and crisp, focused paragraphs with active verbs and clear language free of professional jargon. And don’t make it longer than one page. Your chances of rejection increase exponentially if it’s longer.

4. Style is a minor factor. There are many other elements hiring managers consider more important. Style deserves some attention, but not a great deal. Remember, it’s the employer’s preference that counts, not yours. Since that preference differs from one employer to the next, you’re always shooting in the dark. Still, some job seekers insist on rambling, narrative styles, which can resemble a sort of long obituary, simply because they’re convinced it will please employers whom they’ve never met.

5. The only valid test of your resume’s quality is whether it generates interviews. If it has, it’s a good resume. A resume that secures that all-important second step is automatically, demonstrably and indisputably effective.

6. If you don’t get an interview, you may never know whether your resume is to blame. Since the appearance of your resume is under your control you must organize it properly. With so much at stake, it’s no wonder arguments over what’s proper are so stressful. But there also are a myriad of other reasons for being rejected, and no style fits every occasion.

7. Job hunting is a crap game in which timing is everything. Even if you land a terrific job, there’s always someone better qualified who the employer could have hired who may apply the next day. Superb resumes that arrive after positions are filled, or before there’s an available opening, won’t help their owners -unless you believe “resume fairies” actually file untimely resumes for later.

Accepting such sobering truths can help you stop agonizing and start writing your resume. Let experts explain their preferences, but choose one that suits you. You’re free to change styles, sharpen your skills and maintain a fresh approach.

Having several good resume versions ready to go is wise. Even if Uncle Harry is chairman of the search committee, he’ll need a resume to justify hiring you. Get it done right, and get it done right now.

Consider in this context, Dave Barry’s assessment, “A well-written resume can make all the difference between getting a job and not having a prayer of getting a job.”

Previous bad work experiences can damage your self-confidence, causing a retreat into activities that feel secure. Treating the family to a vacation or painting the garage may provide temporary ego- stroking. They don’t, however, help find a new job.

Only a focused objective and the determination to achieve it can uncover a challenging new position.

With this in mind, consider the following dictums. They’ll help you conclude your search successfully within a modest amount of time:

1. Stop Kidding Yourself. Face Reality. Even if team executives made a mistake in letting you go, they’ll never acknowledge their error. They may be a bit more generous in a severance arrangement, however, if they feel it may have been a mistake to fire you, given that you maybe in a position to help(or hurt) them later on. Use this to your advantage.

2. Don’t Feel Sorry For Yourself For Too Long. It’s all right to be upset, frustrated, annoyed, disappointed and angry during the first 24 to 48 hours. After that, such feelings will hinder your job search. Make your time work for you; don’t be a slave to each passing hour, anxiously awaiting the end of the work day.

3. Start An Exercise Program. This doesn’t require an expensive membership at the local health club. Rather, establish a schedule of walking, running, swimming, biking or some other activity that will absorb your excess energy and diminish your frustrations. Your appearance might improve a bit as well.

4. Make The Job Search Process A Game. Establish your own rules. Decide what constitutes a touchdown, a first down and a fumble. Don’t view your search as a struggle. See it as an opportunity to enhance your standard of living and yourself-esteem. Make the most of this fresh opportunity.

5. Accept The Realities 0f A Job Loss. This is a stressful period in which you’ve likely lost a long-standing set of personal relationships. You will likely experience anxiety, anger, guilt, the same emotions people feel after the death of a family member or close friend. Allow yourself a few days to mourn, and then move on. And remember, the loss of a job doesn’t mean the loss of your dignity, no matter how poorly you might have been treated.

6. Review Your Financial Situation. Accept unemployment compensation- it’s yours, you’ve earned it. Next, develop a financial survival strategy. Consider advising your creditors of your unemployed status and your sincere interest in maintaining your credit worthiness. Determine how much cash you have available if needed. Many people panic when they realize their salary will stop on a certain date. You won’t drop off the face of the earth when your severance package runs out. It doesn’t work that way. Remember that you might have IRAs you could tap. There is a cash surrender value available from your insurance policies. You could take out loans from a credit union. You could cash in savings bonds. You could redirect some of your other savings programs on a temporary basis. You could reduce some of your payments, opting instead for the minimum required amount for a few months. Perhaps you should shrink or eliminate your charitable contributions.  Seldom are people forced to dip heavily into their savings if they take time to develop a financial plan soon after losing a job.

7. Set A Target Date For The Acceptance And Start Of Your New Job. Choose a reasonable date based on an evaluation of your marketable skills and your perception of the job market, and then direct your efforts toward reaching that goal. Outline the elements of your ideal job. Include job title, salary, office size and location. Be specific and visualize yourself in the new job. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you know when you find it?

8. Review Your Wardrobe Critically. That beat-up old suit that you used to wear every Friday just doesn’t hold up anymore, especially not on interviews. First impressions are important, and a worn cuff or scuffed shoe may send the wrong message. It’s amazing how many job seekerswear$300 suits and $60 shirts or blouses, yet fail to shine their shoes.

9. Set A Daily Schedule & Stick To It. Destructive habits are easily acquired but extremely difficult to break. When the opportunity clock goes off, get up and get moving. The process of finding a job is a contact sport. The more people you contact, the faster you’ll find a new position. It can be uncomfortable explaining to people that you’re out of work, but unless you meet with networking contacts and potential employers on a daily basis, your search will drag on endlessly. Richard Bolles, author of “What Color Is Your Parachute?” says that about two-thirds of all job hunters spend less than five hours a week actively looking for new positions. How long would you last in any job by working actively just one hour each day? Your career deserves a full-time effort.

10. Resist The Temptation To Become Housebound. Unemployment isn’t the time to run family errands or spend hours shopping for a new blender. Your time should be spent focused on your objective of landing a new job. Setting aside an hour or two each day to get groceries and drop off dry cleaning is fine, but don’t allow dusty closets or piled-up mending to distract you from the work at hand. It’s inevitable: You’ll find a new job and develop a career path in Sports.

The question is, how long will it take? By demonstrating a focused direction and making yourself accessible to employers and networking contacts, you’ll shorten the time between paychecks.

1. There is a job vacancy to fill.

2. If the job is advertised, there may be a deluge with hundreds of resumes, phone calls and walk-ins.

3. There is a desire to hire the best qualified individual for the job, but there is simply not enough time or patience to review all materials.

4. The paperwork can be over-whelming.

5. The limited information from cover letters and resumes leaves it hard to identify the best qualified individuals to invite for an interview. Many look the same on paper.

What does the employer end up doing?

Don’t forget, the employer is just like you and me. The typical scenario has the employer calling his/her friends, business associates, professional peers and other people in their network for leads and possible candidates. This is the HIDDEN JOB MARKET – an informal information network for locating desirable candidates. The hiring authorities have trusted contacts that initially screen qualified candidates In the process of eventual referral.

Or maybe you’re a high-wire dare devil that prefers to work without a net: You quit your job, throw yourself headfirst into your new business and hope for the best. If you’re serious about starting your own business, you have to pick one of these roles before you begin. However, there are right ways and wrong ways to do it, and if you take the time to prepare properly, you can streamline the process as much as possible.

Preparation

First, you must consider your personality before making your move. Some people work better knowing they have some money coming in. If you fit in this category, you might consider taking a part-time job to pay your living expenses, while you devote your attention to running your business. Another option is to save as much money as you can before you make your move, while never letting the goal of owning your own business out of your sight.

Taking the Jump

Sometimes deciding whether to jump or juggle depends on how you’ve operated best in your previous jobs. Are you used to juggling 10 things at once, or do you work best focusing all your attention on one task and then moving on to the next item on your agenda? If you’re good at juggling, it can give you a head start in your business. Ultimately, in order to succeed, you will have to concentrate on running your business “with blinders on,” as entrepreneurs frequently cite single-mindedness and the ability to focus as the keys to success. Working for yourself entails both juggling and focusing, so it helps to have skills in both areas.

Freelancing

Freelancers, whether you are a consultant, writer, or professional, are frequently excellent jugglers. They display a great deal of flexibility and know-how to do whatever is necessary to make things work for them. They also know what working for themselves means. Sometimes, however, they are great jumpers as well. Taking on freelance projects will allow you to save money and devote yourself completely to your planned business.

Should You Jump or Juggle?

The benefits of working for yourself come with drawbacks that you must be aware of before you make that jump. Your business will most likely consume you and occupy your mind 24 hours a day. The responsibility falls on your shoulders, so if you are prepared for that, make the jump!

Most should have the motivation and the resources. Everyone, on the other hand, should have a defined set of goals. These goals will act not only as a game plan, but also as a way of measuring the success of your search. But how realistic are those goals?

The most important factor in conducting an effective job search is the setting of realistic goals. Being the next general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers may not be a realistic goal for most career seekers. But being the general manager of one of their minor league affiliates, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, may. It’s important to understand your own abilities and limitations. It is also as important to understand what the industry will allow.

Developing a career game plan is important, but setting a realistic plan is even more important. The following tips will help you in developing a realistic game plan.

Know what you want. There are numerous fields in the business of sports. It is important to identify where your interests lie. Do you want to work in professional sports, college athletics, events, athlete representation, etc.? The next step will help you to determine whether or not you have the experience or background to perform that type of work. Don’t pursue a position just because it sounds “cool.” Do you have the ability to perform?

Identify the specific job. Once you have determined the field in which you’re interested, it is then important to figure out what your role will be in the sports industry. Is your interest in marketing, public relations, sales, operations, etc.? Once you have an idea of what your career goals are you can then begin to assess whether your skills and personality fit the position.

What does the job entail? In order to choose the right occupation, you must first know exactly what the position entails. A marketing job for a minor league team may include sales, promotions, advertising and many other tasks, whereas a marketing job for a major league team may include marketing research and strategy. To find out what a job entails you must perform thorough research about the position. Talk to people who work in the position you desire. Find out what their daily as well as overall responsibilities are. Perform informational interviews. Network with people working within that field. Find out the skills, experience and education required to be considered for that position.

Evaluate yourself. Sit down and honestly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. How will your strengths help you in the desired position? Will your weaknesses reflect negatively on your chances of obtaining the position? Don’t pursue sports information if you hate to write. Evaluating yourself will also allow you to determine which areas of weakness you may need to improve upon. If you really want to work in sports information but lack solid writing skills, take a writing course or obtain an internship which will allow you to sharpen this skill.

Are you flexible? Now that you have determined that this is the right career for you, remember that sports is a competitive industry with numerous applicants. Flexibility is a crucial qualification in the sports industry. It will broaden your opportunity for employment. Flexibility affects three areas: location, salary and work hours. If you’re not willing to relocate or to work long hours at low pay, you may want to consider another profession or direction within the sports industry. Every position will vary. But if you’re looking to separate yourself from the competition, you’d better be flexible.

Create a plan of action. Sit down and write a course of action which will focus on getting the job you want. Make a list of all the companies who may need someone with your skills. Send letters to each of the companies, follow-up with a phone call or email. Make yourself stand out from the other applicants. If you are patient and persistent, the job you desire may open up while you are demonstrating your skills in another job for the company. In other words, be willing to take the sales position while volunteering your skills for the position you desire and learning more about it. Be a renaissance person. The more you have to offer the company the greater your chances will be in obtaining a position.

Well, before you seal the envelope containing your resume, I would like to suggest a helpful hint or two.

Follow the lead of good sales people. Good sales people don’t take “no” for an answer. They go back time and time again until they have a meeting with the customer. They will tell you that – in the sales process – someone is always sold.

In your case, either you can sell yourself an interview or you are sold a “no” response.

You, the job seeker, can’t afford to accept a “no” answer. Sales people don’t and neither should you. It is said that a rejection is nothing more than deferred acceptance.

The telephone, in many cases, is what sales people live by. You are your own salesperson. As I mentioned in the previous posting, you have to market yourself. You, too, must use the phone, rather than compete with hundreds of job seekers who send resumes and cover letters hoping to get an interview.

Job seekers must learn that – much like salespeople – if they don’t make the calls, there is lost opportunity, little success and no sale. After all if you can’t make the all-important call for fear of rejection, who is rejecting whom?

Since most job seekers avoid the telephone and choose the “easy way” of approaching a company for an interview by sending a resume, they soon discover that the Human Resources Department’s function is to screen, not hire, individuals. Therefore, most resumes are rejected because of some omission or lack of experience.

Are you willing to make that phone call to acquire that perfect lead?

Start with a written marketing plan covering the following points:

1. What are your marketing objectives?

2. What is your positioning?

3. Who is your target audience?

1. MARKETING OBJECTIVES

To determine your marketing objectives, consider the responsibilities you want on your next job, the industry and environment in which you want to work and what you can reasonably expect in the way of title and salary.

2. POSITIONING

You must take into account your positioning. Your resume and cover letter will stress your experience along with education and any additional skills you have accumulated. Positioning should show your target audience that you are worthy of their consideration. Effective positioning sets you apart from your competitors. Do you have a specialized area of expertise? Let the prospective employees know you can help them in many facets of their operation.

3. TARGET AUDIENCE

Total success depends not only on having effective positioning and a strong presentation, but, most importantly, on identifying your market audience- i.e. reaching the decision makers who can turn your marketing objectives into good job offers. After narrowing the field to the particular organizations offering the best opportunities, identify the decision makers you need to contact by title and job function. Find out as much as you can about these people who hold the titles at the various companies you are targeting.

BUILD YOUR DATABASE
Starting from a description of your target audience, build a personal marketing database. Direct marketers rely on databases. So will you. A database is simply an organized collection of information about customers and prospects. Your database needs to keep track of potential employers, professional contacts and resources. Keep organized notes on everyone you speak with who can help you reach your objectives. Jot down names, titles, companies, address, fax and telephone numbers, when you spoke or met, how you found them, what follow-up you will make and any other relevant information.

PROFESSIONAL MARKETING
This process is professional marketing, not job hunting. Take charge of this transitional phase of your career, whether you are moving from one company to another in the same position, moving up in your field or changing careers all together. Develop a marketing plan to make things happen.

What does your personal marketing plan look like?

It is not only what you say, but how you say it. Non-verbal communication, or body language, also impacts your audience.

Research indicates how three types of communication affect your audience: verbal communication is 10 percent of the total impact; voice quality is 40 percent of the total; and non-verbal makes up the remaining 50 percent.

Consider the example of Mike, who was about to be interviewed for a project manager’s job in his company. He researched the job and prepared himself for the interview. He felt positive about his chances. During the interview, he appeared relaxed and confident until the interviewer asked him why he wanted to change jobs. His verbal response was logical, but the interviewer noticed that, as Mike answered the question, he shifted in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. Mike’s unconscious non-verbal signals sent a message to the interviewer that perhaps there was more to the story.

As it turned out, Mike had been having problems with his boss and was afraid he was about to lose his job.

Analyzing body language is a complex process and no one gesture or response can be universally interpreted. Looking away from a person during a conversation, for example, may not always indicate nervousness or shiftiness. It may instead be a way of gathering your thoughts.

Nevertheless, you should be aware of how people typically interpret certain non-verbal behaviors so that you will be sensitive to how others may interpret your responses in an interview situation.

To project a positive non-verbal image, try to visualize yourself as a poised, competent and enthusiastic person and you will probably communicate that image to your audience. Have a pleasant facial expression and make good eye contact with your audience. Do not slouch or fidget. If you are tense, your body language will reflect it.

Another important consideration for interviews is your personal image. There is an old saying that it takes only 10 to 15 seconds to create a first impression and a lifetime to undo it if it is a negative one.

There are several things to pay attention to that affect your personal image:

• Make your first 10 words count. The best way to start an interview is to send a “thanks” message, e.g., “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning, Mr. Williams.” Be sure to refer to the person by name if possible.
• Tune into others. Make eye contact and smile. If you act friendly and confident, others will respond positively.
• Walk with a purpose. Move with vigor and vitality. Don’t walk like you are about to collapse.
• Be impeccably groomed. Your professional attire will strongly affect the impression you make.

You can also make a bad impression in other ways:

• Sloppy language. Do not use slang such as “you guys” or incorrect language such as “irregardless.”
• Using lazy words. You may have a master’s degree in computer science, but if you use sloppy phrases like “you know” and “got it”, you will lose credibility.
• Giggling. Many people laugh or giggle to hide their anxiety or discomfort in a stressful situation. Don’t do it.
• Hiding your hands. If you have a tendency to gesticulate wildly, don’t solve the problem by putting your hands in your pockets. Using your hands to make a point is perfectly acceptable as long as you don’t overdo it. Hiding your hands in your pocket can be perceived as sneaky.
• Inappropriate touching. You may shake hands with people, but any other type of touching can be misinterpreted and considered offensive.
• Gum chewing. Absolutely not under any circumstances.
• Throat clearing. Constantly clearing your throat can be very distracting to your audience. Try to swallow quietly if you must.

Observe your non-verbal communication skills to the best of your ability and change any actions that may be construed to make a bad impression. The last thing you want is for the excellent verbal skills you possess to be overtaken by distracting non-verbal actions.

It is necessary to position yourself correctly in the sports industry to succeed. If you use your time effectively to get ahead, the payoffs are worth the opportunity costs. Always remember that lost time is never found again.

It is fundamental to gain experience, build networks and allow your inner passion to create your drive for success in the sports industry. Experience increases your wisdom as well as your marketability, and is something that you can acquire with little or no effort.

For example, it is easy to obtain a part-time position in the athletic department at your college or university or to do some volunteer work for one of the professional teams in your area. This will provide you with valuable and practical knowledge necessary to market yourself throughout the sports industry. Not only will the experience make your resume more attractive when pursuing careers in sports, it will also provide your network with something to assist in helping you to obtain a position.

Networking is creating interconnected systems of individuals that are linked together by a common goal. This will create a network of people to contact in pursuing your career aspirations. Your personal network is built upon the people that you interact with while working for the athletic department or a professional sports organization.

You will find that your network consists of many individuals that have sports opportunities just waiting to be realized. This is the key to finding a position once you get out of college. The great thing about building such a network is having someone to turn to when you are in need. The accessibility to these contacts contributes directly to your success.

There is only one way to be successful and that is to spend your life the way you desire. If sports is your passion and you are confident that you possess the appropriate skills and knowledge to be successful, the only thing that can halt your progress is not being positioned correctly in the sports industry. Have confidence that if you have done a little thing well, you can do bigger things well too.

The sports industry can be discouraging to those individuals that either don’t have the passion for sports or that have not positioned themselves appropriately in the industry. The bottom line is, if you have gained the necessary experience, built solid networks and have gone the distance to obtain a position in the industry, then you are on the road to victory.

One of the jobs of the representative is to look out for “problem applicants.” These include:
• The Non-Stop Talker
• The Non-Talker
• The Smooth Talker
• The Hostile Applicant
• The Evasive Applicant
• The Nervous Applicant

The staffing representative is trained to know the company well and be a good judge of character. In other words, if they hire turkeys, their staffing representative days are numbered! The above characteristics won’t necessarily label you a turkey, but they are “red flags” to any interviewer that a problem could exist.

The Non-Stop Talker: What more do we need to say about this? One critical point should be noted; if you are doing all the talking, then the interviewer has a poor chance of getting all the necessary information about you that he/she needs and at some point may give up.

The Non-Talker: This is just as bad. It is very frustrating for an interviewer to try and drag answers out of an applicant in order to complete a successful interview. These interviews have a tendency to be very short with the staffing representative wondering why you came to interview in the first place.

The Smooth Talker: No one is that good! The key here is to be you. The emphasis in companies today, since most are downsizing and have fewer employees, is to go for production, not in being “smooth.” Companies are looking for employees that are more concerned about getting the job done.

The Hostile Applicant: This is probably not news to you. Again, with companies reorganizing, this forces employees to work more with each other in groups. If you are angry at your last boss or company or are carrying a chip on your shoulder, the message to the interviewer is that you will probably behave the same way in their company.

The Evasive Applicant: Hit the hard question head on! Don’t play word games in the interview trying to search for “the right answer.” Many times an interviewer is trying to find out if you can make a tough decision or face a rough issue. Some questions are designed to find out what you are made of rather than if you know the right answers. Have some backbone in the interview.

The Nervous Applicant: If you are nervous, the interviewer is going to be nervous. This will impact how he/she conducts the interview. One of your jobs as an applicant is to make the interviewer comfortable with you. Get the interview on a level where you can exchange ideas as professionals. The interview becomes more of a directed conversation than an interview. It is not unusual for an applicant to be selected because of their ability to establish quick relationships with employees during this brief interviewing visit.

Avoid these characteristics and you’ll have a strong chance at winning the interview part of your job hunt!