Author: Brandon Johnson

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3 Components you need in your job search

Job searching is so complicated now. Too complicated. There’s so much nuance and this and that.

As a coach, I can’t help but think it shouldn’t be this hard to get a job that you’re very qualified for.

But here we are.

So, I want to share some advice with you all on the 3-part strategy I’ve seen work the best, both as a coach, and as a former hiring manager. Keep reading.

The 3 Kings of Your Job Search

There are three major components that you HAVE to nail if you wanna get hired. They are:

  1. Targeted branding
  2. Targeted resumes
  3. Targeted networking

Not necessarily in order of importance, just altogether. You have to do each of these 3 things well.

Targeted Branding

Targeted branding means you have to communicate a clear message. You need to clearly and quickly demonstrate that you have an overall profile that matches the role. Your skills, experiences, intangibles, etc. have to show that you’re ready to hit the ground running in the role(s) you’re applying for. Branding is how you stand out from the crowd and create differentiation between you and other similar candidates.

Targeted Resumes

Yes, your resume needs to be tailored to the role you’re applying for. You have to reflect their language, speak to relevant skills and experiences, and do so clearly and quickly. Without a clear and strong resume that’s easily readable, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Targeted Networking

Remember the old “It’s not what ya know, it’s who ya know” saying?

Well it’s kinda true. Simply applying isn’t enough anymore.

It’s unfortunate, but true. You need to network. Tap in with your existing network, but you’ll also need to do some cold outreach.

Do your best to get in touch with people that can get you in front of the hiring manager (i.e. recruiters, current employees, etc.). It’s hard, but it really does help and it’s definitely worth the effort.

Volume Matters

One other thing. You have to get out enough applications. But not half-assed apps for jobs you’re barely aligned for.

You have to get out enough applications for jobs that you’re a good candidate for, while doing targeted networking.

It is exhausting. It’s draining. It’s frustrating.

This is the game, though, and you absolutely can and will beat it.

Keep at it, stay consistent, and when you get tired…take a break and then get back to it.

You can do this.

Here To Help!

My goal is to get people hired. Quite frankly, a lot of you are extremely qualified for the jobs you’re applying for, but there are nuances to the process that are holding you back.

Maybe it’s your branding, maybe it’s your resume or your interview skills, maybe it’s the fact that you’re disorganized.

Whatever the case may be, coaching can help you get that next job. I’ve seen it happen with my own two eyes:

“Brandon created a very comfortable environment for me to be honest about my frustration and journey. I felt validated and seen. I also appreciated that we were strategic and tactical.

Most importantly I landed a job. This was one of my goals in hiring a coach and getting interviews. Before Brandon, I had not landed one interview in 3 months of applying.”— Adetola O.

Are you signed up to my email list? If not, let’s change that:

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If you are, come chat with me. I hold free consultations all the time, and they’re meant to be a space for us to get acquainted, chat about your goals, and see if coaching is right for you at this moment.

If it is, great. We’ll talk about options. If it’s not, that’s ok too. We’ll talk about things to be mindful of at this point in your journey.

Either way, the fall is the perfect time to get active in your search journey and put together a strategic campaign. So let’s get to it.

Click here and let’s get started!

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“I want more clarity”: How to clear the fog in your career journey

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Have you ever felt stuck in your career because you lack “clarity” or direction? 

A lot of us have been there. Matter of fact, a lot of the people I wind up coaching initially express some level of frustration over wanting more career clarity.

And it is frustrating. Because here’s what that leads to:

  • Stagnation and/or procrastination
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Boredom or boreout (yes, that’s a thing and it’s exactly what it sounds like)

But especially that first one. It’s easy to feel kinda lost in the sauce when you start thinking “Where do I go from here?” When you don’t have an answer to that, it’s somewhat natural to just say “…nowhere. Once I figure that out, I’ll get a move on.”

Let’s take a look at that for a minute, though.

The Fog In SF

Have you ever driven through heavy fog? I have because I lived in SF for a while (freakin’ Karl. Yes, its actual name is Karl the Fog. Look it up). It’s disorienting and a little bit scary. Sometimes, you can’t even see the car in front of you.

Here’s the thing you learn about driving through fog, though. As long as you stand still, you’ll never be able to see what’s around you. The only way to gain clarity about your direction and what’s coming is to move.

Standing still and thinking, reasoning, imagining, strategizing, or whatever is going to do you no good. You kinda just have to hit the gas. Lightly and responsibly, but still.

And as you start to move, the road–and environment in general–starts to reveal itself to you.

Finding clarity in your career journey is a lot like that. You don’t have to wait until the fog *hopefully* lifts. The best way to gain clarity is to start moving. You can even do it–you guessed it–lightly and responsibly.

If you’re struggling with finding clarity in your career and it’s holding you back, remind yourself that you don’t have to hit any home runs, get things perfectly right, or land your dream job. Here’s a couple tips:

Take A Small Step

One small yet intentional first step will do. Check out someone’s LinkedIn profile to get an understanding of their path (bonus if you actually reach out to them). Attend a networking event in a field you’re somewhat interested in. Follow the blog of someone who’s writing about relevant stuff. Anything to help expand your knowledge and field of view can be helpful. Engage your curiosity!

Aim For “Good Enough For Now”

The pressure of finding and then landing your dream job is a very high bar to clear. It’s possible, but overwhelming enough to stagnate you. Instead, ask yourself: What would be good enough for now?

What’s a simple next step that would provide me with what I need and set me on a pathway towards better things? A solid stepping stone, in other words.

Good enough for now is not only productive and positive, it’s also much more attainable than identifying and landing that “perfect” job.

Moral of the story: If you want more clarity in your career, you have to DO something. It doesn’t come just by thinking about it.

Take a free course, attend a networking event, do some informational interviews, lurk around on LinkedIn.

It may seem scary, but it’s how you learn to see through the fog.

The Brave Club!

If you’re looking for a way to be more effective in your job search (in other words, get better at landing interviews and jobs), come join The Brave Club!

It’s my group coaching program designed for job seekers. If you’re an educator, leader, or career pivoter, this was built for you.

The Brave Club is a more affordable/accessible coaching option that provides you with community, strategy, accountability, and confidence you can use to more skillfully and successfully navigate the circus that is the job search.

Check out some quick details below:

  • 6 45 minute group sessions focusing on Branding, Resume Development, Job Alignment, and Negotiation
  • Access to the private Facebook group for members
  • Regular job search advice straight to your email inbox
  • Open office hours for you to get specific answers to your questions

Register as an early member by Friday, January 24th and you can get in for only $75!

Click here to learn more and get started with bolstering your job search!

Here’s what someone from the pilot group had to say about their experience in The Brave Club:

I had a great experience for someone that has a non traditional job and has not worked in a corporate environment it definitely made me start to think differently in my current role. I feel more confident having the tools to start applying I am not as scared. I highly recommend anyone to join (already have a few friends that are interested). Come in ready to share job search and interview experiences.

-Alicia S.

This is your sign! Come sign up and let’s get to it. See ya there!

Curious about coaching?

Speaking of small steps, come talk to me! Getting to your next step isn’t always easy. And job searching sucks, especially nowadays.

If you’ve been thinking about exploring the world of coaching, sign up for a free consultation.

We’ll get acquainted, chat about your goals, and discuss how coaching can be the right resource for you. If you’ve been feeling a little stagnant or anxious about how you’re going to land your next job, now’s the time to get active.

Click here to sign up. What do you have to lose? It’s freeee!

Brandon creating a very comfortable environment for me to be honest about my frustration and journey. I felt validated and seen. I also appreciated that we were strategic and tactical. There wasn’t anything “lofty” about our meeting time. There were always take aways, notes, and resources shared.”

Adetola O.

Brandon is a wonderful supporter, provides a space to explore, and asks really thoughtful questions. Invest in yourself! You are worth it, and you will have a great friend to guide you along the way with no judgement.

Kristine L.

Brandon was awesome. He really listened and didn’t just try to keep us on a timeline or a schedule.

A. W.
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The 24 hour job application rule: Why you need to follow up fast

How’s your networking game?

More specifically, how’s your follow-up game?

Did you know that you should be following up on all of your job applications?

In fact, I tell all my coaching students they need to follow up on every single one of their applications within 24 hours or less.

Yes, that fast.

“But why? Because even when I do follow up, I almost never hear anything back.”

“What should my approach be when I do that kind of follow-up?”

“Who am I supposed to follow up with?”

These are some of the things I cover with the people in my coaching program. But keep reading for some insight.

Why You Should Follow Up That Fast

Every hiring process moves at its own pace. Once a job is posted, you never know how fast the hiring party is going to move.

By the time you see it, you won’t necessarily know where they are in the hiring process. For example, the recruiter may have already identified the 10 candidates they want to pass on to the hiring manager for interviews. And recruiters don’t always go back to the candidate pool once this happens (unless they need to).

So if you’ve submitted your application after they’ve found 10ish applicants that meet the hiring manager’s criteria, there’s a good chance your app is not going to be seen in part because the recruiter might not know you even applied.

That is, of course, unless you tell them right away. See what I’m sayin?

What Should My Approach Be When I Follow Up?

Your follow-up needs to be concise and done in a way that very quickly and clearly communicates that you’re an amazing candidate for this role. You gotta convince them that they need to add another person to their small circle of really qualified candidates. In other words, you have to be incredibly well-branded. Especially if you’re pivoting from one industry to another.

Read those last few sentences again!

Who Should You Be Following Up With?

The people with hiring say-so should be your targets. That generally means recruiters and hiring managers. If you’ve networked well, you can get right into the interview room via the hiring manager.

You might have to do some digging to find these people, but there are ways and it’s well worth it. Keep in mind that this is a–if not THE–crucial part of your job search.

Coaching Slots Open

We’re getting close to the end of the summer, and that can mean we’re heading into a time of year where hiring sees an uptick for a bit.

Getting hired is hard. If you’d like help making that happen, let me know quickly! I have a few more slots open in my coaching program.

You can get into my most popular tier for $1099 if you contact me before Wednesday, September 4th. After that, it will go back to its normal price of $1295 before going up in the fall!

It’s an offer that’s only going out to those of you seeing this post, so take advantage! Message/email me if you have questions, or click here to set up your free consultation now.

See ya next time!

~B

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Looking for work-life balance? Consider the case AGAINST passion

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Are you looking for better work-life balance? You may want to consider removing passion from the “work” side of the equation.

Ok check this out and bear with me. Time to talk about something that–*in my personal-yet-informed opinion*–has been glorified a little too much: passion for your job.

Like me, you’ve probably heard the advice a gang of times—“Follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Sounds dreamy, right? But what if I told you that being passionate about your job might actually do more harm than good? What if by and large, it’s just not true for most of us?

Here’s the thing: Passion is like that extra shot of espresso in our morning coffee (I don’t actually drink coffee). It feels great at first, but too much of it, and you’re jittery, overextended, and teetering on the edge of burnout. And that’s just the start.

Passion Can Make You an Easy Target for Exploitation

Ever noticed how companies always say they’re looking to hire “passionate” employees? There’s a reason for that. Passionate people are often willing to go the extra mile, take on more work, and do it all for less money. Why? Because they love what they do (or at least that’s what they tell themselves), and employers know it. But here’s the trick: this can lead to you being overworked, underpaid, and ultimately burned out. Your passion can very easily pave the way for your own exploitation.

Passions Change—And That Can Present A Problem

Guess what! What you’re passionate about today might not be what lights your fire tomorrow!

Uh oh!

People change, and so do their interests. When your career is tied so closely to your passion, it’s easy to then tie your identity to your career. But what happens when that passion fades? You might find yourself stuck in a job that no longer excites you, but because you’ve built your whole identity around it, leaving feels odd. Weird. Scary. Confusing. You’re about to have an identity crisis.

Passion Alone Won’t Pay The Bills

Listen, passion is great, but it’s not a guaranteed ticket to success. Just because you love doing something doesn’t mean you’re actually good at it—or that the market will pay you for it. The cold, hard truth is that success in your career often hinges more on skills, adaptability, and understanding the market than it does on passion. Being good at something and knowing how to navigate the job market are just as—if not more—important than being passionate about your job.

You’re More Than Your Job

Ever feel like your job is your whole life? That’s what happens when you’re too passionate–or behaving like you’re too passionate–about what you do. Your job becomes your identity, and any setback or irritation at work hits like a ton of bricks. How ever work is going, is how your life is going.

But here’s a wild thought: you’re more than your job. When you spread your interests across different areas of your life—whether it’s hobbies, relationships, or personal growth—you build a more resilient sense of self. This way, if work isn’t going great, it’s not the end of the world.

Tunnel Vision Is A Real Risk

When you’re too passionate, you might find yourself with tunnel vision. You get so wrapped up in your work that you miss out on other opportunities—opportunities that could lead to growth, new experiences, or even a better job. Plus, being too focused on one thing can make you resistant to change, even when change is exactly what you need.

So, What’s The Alternative?

Instead of obsessing over finding a job you’re passionate about, how about focusing on finding a job that you’re good at, that pays well, and that gives you the freedom to pursue your passions outside of work? You can still live a passionate life, and it does not have to have anything to do with your job. The goal should be to create a balanced life where your job is just one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.

For the record, I’m not telling you any of the following things lol:

  • “Stop caring about your job.”
  • “Don’t take your job seriously.”
  • “Forget them people.”
  • “Work that feels purposeful is bad.”

I AM saying that, for some of you, it’ll likely be much easier for you to achieve your work-life balance goals if you adjust the passion setting on the “work” side of your equation. It just might be too high.

Heads Up!

Haven’t announced this anywhere else yet, so you’re hearing it first! The prices of my coaching programs (click to see the options!) are set to go up toward the end of summer!

My job search people hear this from me all the time: Job searching is very hard and it is not an exercise in intuition.

So:

  • If you’ve been trying over and over and you’re not having the success you feel like you should be having (y’know…because you’re qualified and smart and skilled and likable)
  • If you know it’s time for the next step in your career, but you’re not sure how or where or when (now) to start
  • If you have all these transferable skills, but you’re having a hard time conveying them in a way that entices employers
  • If you’ve had people review your resume over and over, but you still can’t land any interviews…

Now is the time to come talk to me! I have support structures and journeys that will help you.

I’ll help you break down the chaotic experience of navigating the job search into something more organized and digestible, while providing you with the strategy and nuance you’ve been missing.

Swinging in the dark isn’t the way.

It’s 100% free to come talk to me, so sign up for your free consultation by August 30th to lock in the summer price.

You’ll save anywhere from $50-$300, so it’s well worth it.

Check out what a few others have said about their coaching experience:

“Brandon was awesome.  He really listened and didn’t just try to keep us on a timeline or a schedule. I got a new job [and] I think I’m going to be happier.”

-A.W.

“I’ve been raving about your sessions to all my network and friends. I can’t tell you enough how helpful they were – I felt confident and grounded going into the four (!) rounds of interviews to eventually land the job and pivot careers.”

-J.S.

“If you are looking to have a partner in what can often be a very lonely process of pivoting your career or looking for a new role and chapter of your existing career, Brandon offers as much support and guidance as you allow and invest in the process yourself.”

-Vanessa L.

Let’s do it! The fall is coming, so it’s time for us to get started. Click below to schedule your free consultation.

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Career confidence is down: Here’s 5 tips to help

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Aw snap.

I recently saw in LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence survey that people on average are feeling less confident in their careers. 

The survey looks at how confident folks are about moving up in their careers, getting and keeping jobs, and improving their financial situations, all scored on a scale from -100 to +100. The average confidence score has dropped to +24, down from +32 at the start of the year.

I work daily with both unemployed and employed people, and I see this lack of confidence all the time. It’s understandable. The job market is super competitive these days and everything is getting more expensive (a bag of chips and a 20oz drink at the gas station is like $7 now?!).

If you’re unemployed, the job search can be frustrating and even depressing. You might be qualified, but landing a job is still ridiculously hard. If you’re employed but looking for a change, finding a new job or getting a promotion can seem nearly impossible. So everyone’s confidence is in the gutter.

So then, how can you build confidence in your ability to navigate, advance, and manage your career? One great way is to stay curious. Here’s 5 quick tips for inquiring minds on how to use your curiosity to up your confidence:

Embrace Curiosity to Boost Career Confidence
  1. Look Beyond Your Current Field or Department:
    • Check out roles outside your industry, company, or department. You might find exciting possibilities you hadn’t thought of.
  2. Explore Opportunities Within Your Current Sphere:
    • Look for new roles or responsibilities in your current field, company, or department. Sometimes, the best opportunities are right under your nose.
  3. Learn from Others in Interesting Jobs:
    • Talk to people in roles you find intriguing. Their career paths and daily routines can offer valuable insights.
  4. Expand Your Network:
    • Connect with both people you know and new contacts. Expanding your network can lead to unexpected opportunities and fresh perspectives.
  5. Reflect on Personal Barriers:
    • Think about what might be holding you back. Understanding your own obstacles is the first step to overcoming them.

Approaching your career with curiosity helps you gather information. This leads to greater clarity, helping you spot gaps in your skills or knowledge. By addressing these gaps, you unlock new opportunities and gain a sense of control over your career path, boosting your confidence.

In a tough job market, staying curious and proactive can make a huge difference. Embrace curiosity, seek out new information, and take steps to bridge your gaps. This proactive approach can help you navigate your career with more confidence and optimism.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR Y’ALL!

I’m opening up more spots for free 30 minute coaching consultations for August and September! 

If you’re job searching, know (or suspect) you’re qualified, and not getting the results you’re looking for, that can impact your confidence in a not so good way.

Come chat and let’s see what’s up. Click here to get your spot. They’re already starting to go since I announced this on LinkedIn yesterday!

The fall is approaching, so employers are coming back from vacations with hopes of getting jobs filled to close out the year. Let’s use this part of the summer wisely!

  • Get some support
  • Get some insight
  • Learn your options

For free 🙂

Claim my spot
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Are transferable skills useless these days?

Raise your hand if you have transferable skills!

Now keep your hand up if you feel like you’re having 0 luck landing a job despite having transferable skills.

Awkward.

In theory, transferable skills are super valuable. In fact, you can google transferable skills and find all kinds of blogs and articles talking about how in-demand they are.

In reality, though, what tends to happen is transferable skills don’t land you a job.

Transferable skills on their own will not land you a job.

On their own, they are kinda useless.

There’s hope, but first, let’s look at why I’m telling you they’re useless on their own.

AN EXAMPLE

Let’s say I’m a hiring manager, and I’m hiring for a Project Manager role. There are 100 candidates in the pool for this position.

Keep in mind that my hiring team and I have limited time and resources.

Why would I hire a teacher with transferable skills, when there’s 30 perfectly good project managers in the pool?

What are the chances of that?

What are the chances of me using my limited resources to even interview that teacher with transferable skills when I could just interview the 30 perfectly good project managers?

The odds are probably not very good.

Now if I had UNLIMITED resources (i.e. time, money, energy, hands, etc.), then sure I might take the time to really dive into exploring how actually useful and relevant your transferable skills are (they are). I might actually come to understand how effective you are at delivering the results I need via your transferable skills, especially once you’ve been trained.

But I don’t have unlimited resources, sooo I’m probably just gonna make it easy on myself and hire someone who’s already a project manager. Sorry.

This is why you’re not getting interviews or jobs off the strength of your transferable skills.

But again! There’s hope!

In order for your transferable skills to be useful, you have to do something with them.

You have to translate them.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
  1. First of all, you have to identify what your relevant transferable skills are. What is it that you can do that would be useful in a different context? What functions have you performed that require abilities you could use in a new field or role type?

You have to be intentional and specific about this step first and foremost.

  1. Once you’ve identified them, it’s time to learn how to tell stories about them. In particular, it’s time to stop talking about your “teacher” experience like teacher experience, and instead start talking about it like “project manager” experience.

An employer is not going to connect the dots between your transferable skills and the role for you. You have to do it for them.

This second step is the part that trips people up. In order to talk about your teacher experiences and skills like project manager experiences and skills, you need to learn how project managers talk about their stuff.

What do you know about what project managers actually do on the day-to-day? What tasks and functions do they execute? What terms and lingo do they use? What outcomes do they work toward (emphasis on this part)? So on and so forth.

You gotta learn how to tell the story correctly, and that means telling it in a way that is (1) recognizable and (2) speaks to the relevant impact you can have through your skills.

Without this, your transferable skills will not do you much good.

BRANDING PLAYS A ROLE

Part of developing your brand is identifying your core tools, and learning how to sell/pitch them. In other words, what skills are you really really good with, and how well do you convey your proficiency with them?

Getting your framing down.

When you get really clear on your brand, you’ll be more aware of your core skills. You’ll become better at telling stories about how you have and can use them. You’ll be more effective at conveying your ability to drive impact and outcomes.

And this will help you translate your transferable skills into a set of tools that can actually help you land that project manager role.

If you’re looking to pivot from one role type or field to another, branding is a valuable step for you.

Would you be able to tell me about your brand right now? If the answer is no, we should talk.

I’m running a Build Your Transferable Brand program designed to help you put together your brand in 2 1-on-1 sessions with me. The details and benefits? See for yourself:

It’s a $400 program, but you can get it for $300 for the next 7 days! This deal is vanishing on August 2nd!

Let’s get to it right now so you can be up and running in time for the fall (as in, when hiring typically picks back up again).

Click here to get started.

Wanna talk about it? Send me a message!

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Silencing Your Self-Saboteur: How to Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy in Your Career

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Job searching is hard enough. There’s just a lot to navigate:

  • Writing a great resume and cover letter
  • Networking well
  • Interviewing well
  • Finding the right jobs to apply for
  • 100s and 100s of other applicants competing for the same roles
  • Already working another job
  • Etc.

You have to finesse and fight your way through all that, and yet sometimes those might not even be the biggest hurdle.

The biggest hurdle for a lot of us when it comes to job searching–and really any major life or career goal–is Big Bad Us.

Ourselves.

Not the competition, not the resume, not the this or that.

YOU.

You are in your own way. You need to get out of it.

And that’s much easier said than done.

So. If you have a sneaking suspicion that you may have been in your own way, keep reading.

ACKNOWLEDGING HOW AND WHY

Usually, when we’re in our own way it’s because there’s some kind of internal block going on.

Let’s call them “gremlins.”

Here are the ones I usually see in the people I work with:

  • Imposter syndrome
  • Fear of failure
  • Lack of confidence

They manifest in phrases (internally or externally) like:

  • “I just don’t think I’m qualified.”
  • “Maybe one day I’ll have more time.”
  • “I’m procrastinating, I know.”
  • “I don’t have the confidence for that yet.”
  • “I’m worried I’ll make a mistake.”
  • “I’m just not sure what the right first step is.”
  • “What if it doesn’t work?”
  • “I’m not sure I’ll be able to do it.”

Any of this sound like you? You may have a little gremlin in your ear! That’s ok, most of us do.

If you have goals that you KNOW you really want to accomplish, but “for some reason” you keep putting it off, or refusing to fully acknowledge it, or the universe somehow just keeps getting in the way, you miiiiight have a gremlin.

You need to do something about it so you can get out of your own way.

The first step to getting out of your own way, though, is recognizing what the blockage is for you, and acknowledging that it’s actually there.

In other words, if you struggle with imposter syndrome, you have to admit that to yourself.

What that does is it allows you to more directly combat the problem and interrupt it.

Once you’ve identified what the blockage is, it’s important to understand some key things about it.

UNDERSTAND THE GREMLIN

A lot of times, your gremlins are not actually real.

They may be based on real and valid concerns and experiences, but there’s probably not a whole lot of evidence that JUSTIFIES them being a substantial influence in your life.

For example, if you struggle with imposter syndrome holding you back from making a big career transition, that’s based on a valid concern, but the truth is you’re probably much closer to not being an imposter at all.

Have you ever really been an imposter before? 

→ “No, not really.”

Have you ever been hired or selected for something and subsequently exposed as a fraud?

→ “Not…that I can think of, no.”

Has anyone ever given you the feedback that your skills are trash?

→ “No.”

How do you know that your qualifications aren’t transferable?

→ “I don’t, I guess. I just don’t know that they are or how they’re transferable.”

Again, these are valid concerns. No one wants to be exposed as a fraud. No one wants to give their best shot at something that really matters to them, only to fall short.

But the point is that a lot of you have very little evidence in your history to point to–if any at all–that actually supports your imposter syndrome.

Will you have to learn some new things? Possibly.

Will you have to apply yourself and find out? Absolutely. So you need to get out of your own way and do that.

Which brings me to my next point:

YOU DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEFEAT YOUR GREMLINS

That’s right, I said it!

You don’t have to vanquish your fear of failure, or your lack of confidence, or whatever it is.

You just have to learn to now allow it to make or influence your real world decisions.

Ever been to a park or something and seen a little kid in full tantrum mode because their dad is telling them it’s time to leave?

“nnnOOOO I don’t wanna leave!!! I wanna stay at the park! You’re a bad daddy!!”

The dad is just like “Nope it’s time to go home. We’re not staying at the park.” *stuffs kid in the car*

Exactly.

Your imposter syndrome is going to kick and scream and try to lure you into getting in the way.

Your lack of confidence is going to tell you you have to sleep at the park tonight because it’s safer there.

Your fear of failure is going to tell you you just don’t have enough time, energy, skill, or whatever else to get started.

And that’s ok.

You don’t have to throw it out the car. It just doesn’t get to drive and it doesn’t get to sit in the front seat.

It definitely does NOT get to tell you you’re sleeping in the park tonight.

You have to coach yourself into acting in the presence of whatever it is that’s causing you to get in your own way.

Once you get there, I bet you’ll start making some progress on those goals you got stashed in the back of your mind and heart.

This is hard.

If you want to talk to someone about it, come let me know. You can sign up for a free consultation with me when you’re ready.

COME ALONG!

I want you to sign up for my free email list! As you learn to start getting out of your own way when it comes to your career goals, you’ll need some new tools.

I’ll send you some good gravy that’ll help you navigate your job searches and career pivots.

You’re reading this, so I must’ve struck a nerve. This is your sign to start getting active.

Sign up today for some free coaching in your inbox and let’s make some moves.

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Nervous interviewer? 3 confidence-building tips for interviews

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Intense sweating?

Blanking out?

Clicking your pen?

Rambling?

You might be a nervous interviewer. I see lots of people who are anxious before their interviews. It’s natural. It’s a sign you care a lot. It also sucks because it gets in your way of performing well and landing that dang job. 

BUT, with the right mindset and preparation, you can approach your next job interview with confidence and boost those chances of success. Let’s explore some tips and insights I share with my clients that can help you navigate the interview process with more ease.

#1: YOU ARE QUALIFIED! EMBRACE THAT AND RELAX

Most people who struggle with interviews often experience anxiety because they anticipate being asked questions they either won’t be able to answer at all, or won’t have a good answer to. 

However, if you’re applying for jobs you know you’re qualified for, the chances of running into a question you can’t handle are pretty close to zero. 

Remember, the only reason you’re even in the interview is because you have the skills and experience the employer is seeking. Rather than letting anxiety take over, allow yourself to relax and trust in your abilities. When you’re relaxed, you’re more likely to feel confident and provide thoughtful responses.

They are not going to stump you!

#2: BRING YOUR PERSONALITY TO THE INTERVIEW

It’s easy to slip out of your natural personality in an interview because the power dynamic can make you nervous. To combat this, consciously remind yourself to stay grounded in your personality in the interview. 

One thing that can help you stay in your personality is breaking the ice early. Try making a casual observation about the interviewer’s room or background during the initial introductions. 

For example, you could say something like, “Wow, I just gotta say, your cork board is huge! I need me something like THAT!” or “Before we start, I just wanna say your background kinda reminds me of that one scene in Finding Nemo!” or “I see the sun is shining where you are, and it’s reminding me I need to go get some sun today!” 

These small personal touches can help you relax and allow your true personality to shine through.

#3: PAUSE BEFORE RESPONDING

Even when you know you have a solid answer to a question, resist the urge to respond immediately. 

Instead, take a brief pause – a second or two – before answering. Look up, thoughtful as always, and then provide your response. This small pause can help you gather and organize your thoughts, preventing rambling or incoherent answers. 

Additionally, it conveys valuable intangibles to your interviewers, such as confidence, an ability to think carefully on your feet, and comfort handling pressure (even if you don’t actually feel that way in the moment).

And there ya go! Start with these tips, and go from there.

Remember, if you’re applying for jobs that align with your qualifications, you’re likely to have good answers to the interview questions.

By embracing your qualifications, bringing your personality to the interview, and pausing before responding, you’ll help yourself take the edge off your anxiety in your next job interview.

Good luck out there interviewers!

Curious about more?

You’re job searching–or thinking about job searching–and not having a good time?

You’re putting off job searching because you’re worried about the stress?

Yeah it’s hard out there.

Coaching might be a good resource for you, but if you’re like most people, you’re probably not sure.

If you’d like to know more about coaching, how it has helped others in your situation, and how it can help you, fill out your info below or email me at brandon@begallantcoaching.com.

I’ll send you a quick email with some brief information you can read and digest on your own time.

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Or you can just sign up for a free consultation with me here.

Either way, let’s stay connected!

~B

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4 Negotiation tips to help you get the bag next time

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We all want to get paid what we’re worth, right? 

Yeah, we do!

But negotiating your salary can feel awkward and uncomfortable if you don’t know what you’re doing, and a lot of us coming from Higher Ed don’t have any negotiation experience. 

Too many people leave fat stacks of cash on the table because they just don’t know what to do when the opportunity to negotiate comes. Rather than lean into the discomfort, they wind up avoiding the opportunity altogether by just taking whatever is initially offered.

If that’s you, I understand. It’s awkward, after all. But don’t be like that anymore! With some smart moves and a little swagger, YOU can score a way bigger paycheck when you land your next job.

Does an extra $10k or $15k sound nice? More?

Check out these 4 insider tips:

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  1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFOREHAND. Knowledge equals power when it comes to negotiating, y’all. And you want to get the knowledge you need early. Before you even start interviewing, spend some time researching typical pay ranges for your role, experience level, and location. Sites like Glassdoor and PayScale have a lot of good info. Once you’re locked and loaded with real numbers, you’ll be able to negotiate with authority.
  1. DON’T NAME YOUR PRICE FIRST. Here’s a rookie mistake to avoid: blurting out a number if/when they ask about your salary expectations. Boom, you just lost all your leverage! Instead, keep it cool and deflect gracefully. Tell them you want to learn more about the full scope and compensation package before discussing numbers. Break a communication rule: ask them what they would typically pay someone with your high-value skills and experience. Make them show their cards first so you don’t accidentally get yourself low-balled.
  1. NEGOTIATE LIVE OR IN-PERSON. Serious money talks shouldn’t go down over email where things can get lost in translation. Request an actual face-to-face meeting, video call, or at the very minimum a phone chat. Having a real-time convo lets you read between the lines, sell your value proposition, and negotiate more effectively on the fly. Negotiation is all about influence and persuasion. You lose some of that when you’re not able to look the person you’re talking to in the eyes.
  1. GET IT IN WRITING. Once you’ve finessed your way to the deal you’re happy with, get every detail documented in writing before accepting. That means base pay, bonuses, equity, benefits – the whole nine yards. Having it all spelled out officially means it’s a done deal and eliminates the opportunity for any shadiness later on. Oh, and when I say “Get it in writing,” I don’t mean an email. I mean a contract or offer sheet. An actual document.

BONUS. Don’t settle for the first offer they give you! Even if it’s more than you were expecting and more than you were hoping for. Always ask to negotiate to see if you can actually get more because you just might be able to! Remember: whatever you miss out on in negotiations is gonna be hard (maybe impossible) to recuperate without leaving.

At the end of the day, we gotta live, and that takes money and compensation. It’s hard out here these days, so don’t be shy about demanding top dollar for your skills and experience. Get prepared, stay smooth, and get that bag!

It’s hard just getting to the negotiation stage, huh?

If you’re having a hard time getting to the interview and job offer/negotiation stage, it’s not just you.

Fact is, hiring is a mess right now and mad competitive.

If that is what you’re experiencing, though, you might have a branding problem.

In other words, you might be struggling to clearly convey why YOU– of all the people with similar qualifications and skills and experiences–are the one that can actually provide the right kind of value.

Exactly how are your skills transferable? How can you move the needle?

If you solve that issue, your chances of landing those interviews and securing those offers goes way up.

Come check out my Build Your Transferable Brand program. It’s quick and easy, and I’ll have you up and running with your personal brand in just 2 50 minute sessions.

I know some of you are tired of spinning your wheels and getting little-to-no results (because I’ve talked to some of you). This is your sign.

Let’s get you up and running before summer starts and hiring slows down.

Click here and let’s do it!

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4 Reasons why your brand can unlock your job search

Come sit ’round the fire, job seekers!

Let’s talk about something more valuable than your resume in the job hunt jungle: your brand. 

Does it sound like a marketing buzzword? 

Yes.

But IS it some kind of marketing buzzword?

…yes. But it’s actually the real deal this time.

It’s not just about what’s on your resume; it’s about who you are and how you present yourself to the world.

So, I’ve been chatting with a bunch of people lately (including some of you reading this), one on one, and when I ask about their brand, I see a lot of deer-in-the-headlights looks. 

Blank stares, awkward laughs, you name it. I’ve also been hearing a lot of confusion on things like how and where to start in the job search, especially for those of y’all who are looking to change industries. Very understandable. It’s like we’re all in this maze, and nobody’s sure where the exit is. 

But here’s the thing: your brand is your map. It’s what guides you to the right opportunities and helps you stand out from the crowd (click here for help on that).

Here are four solid reasons why nailing your brand is the key to job hunting success:

1. CAREER ALIGNMENT

Ever feel like you’re wandering aimlessly through a job fair, not sure which booths to check out? Your brand is like a compass, pointing you toward roles that fit your skills and values like a glove. It’s all about finding your groove and going after the gigs that make your heart sing, both from a values standpoint and a skills standpoint.

2. IMPACT COMMUNICATION

Hiring managers are busy people. Recruiters are also busy people. They don’t have time to decode your resume and figure out what you bring to the table. You need to be able to do this quickly by identifying what’s important to them, and drawing accurate parallels between what they need and what you have. That’s where your brand comes in handy. It’s your elevator pitch, your value proposition, your secret sauce for showing them why you’re the right person for the job. It’s what allows you to clearly communicate how you can move the needle in a way that is unique and necessary.

Oh, and if you’re wondering about how to communicate the transferability of your skills (I’m lookin’ at y’all, education and non-profit professionals) this is at the core of that.

3. NETWORKING PROWESS AND OPPORTUNITIES

You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Well, your brand is your VIP pass to the networking party. When people know who you are and what you’re all about, they’re more likely to hook you up with the right opportunities and introduce you to their circle of connections.

4. CONSISTENCY & RECOGNIZABILITY

Think of your branding as your personal logo. You want it to be consistent across all your job hunt materials — your LinkedIn profile, your resume, your cover letter, you name it. That way, when employers see your brand popping up everywhere, they’ll recognize you and remember you more.

Figuring out your brand is not obvious, but it’s worth the effort. So, if you’re feeling lost in the job hunt wilderness, take a step back, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let’s figure it out together.

The Build Your Transferable Brand program is meant to help you craft a brand that you are clear on and ready to use to your advantage in your job search.

Your brand will help you set yourself apart from others via the stories you craft in your resume and cover letter, interviews, LinkedIn, and networking opportunities. The transferability of your skills and the value of your impact will be clearer to the people you come in contact with.

And it’s only two sessions! If you’re still job searching or considering a pivot, meet with me for two sessions and I’ll have you up and running with a newly crafted brand you can actively use to your advantage this spring.

Early bird pricing is still active, so the program is only $295 and will last until May 5th. Click here and let’s get started!