LAND THE JOB OF YOUR DREAMS
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I have titled this lesson, Land the Job of Your Dreams, but it’s really about creating a life.
This approach I am going to share with you is unconventional, that’s why it works. Most people just simply wait until they see an advertisement pop up somewhere like on Facebook, Tik Tok, and so on. Although you can apply these techniques to that approach as well, but since it’s your career, your future, and your life, this strategy is predicated on being proactive. You just can’t sit back and wait for the ideal employment to present itself. You have to be proactive and look for that job on your own.
There are two kinds of applicants, Proactive and Passive. This section is going to be geared toward the proactive group however, the passive group will be addressed in a future post. For the time being, let me just share a couple of disciplines you must have as a passive applicant. If you prefer to look for a job passively, which involves waiting for job advertising to pop up on your social media or hearing about openings from relatives or friends, make sure to adopt a respectful attitude. Employers and businesses incur enormous expenses when posting employment ads. This investment is made to assist people like you in finding a job without having to leave the comfort of your home. The business/employer is proactively in search of an employee to fill a position and there are millions of Filipinos who genuinely desire to fill that position.
However, if people simply click on the ad without any serious intent because maybe they are just being inquisitive, bored, chismoso, just surfing, or whatever, it costs the employer money. I understand you may be thinking, “What does it matter, the business is a big company and the owners are rich?” Here’s why, regardless of how much money a business earns, hiring new employees always has a budget. Once that budget has been consumed, the ads stop. With that said, clicking that ad with no intention of pursuing the job offer, you have just denied another Filipino, who may really need and want that job, the opportunity to support their family. This is not hyperbole nor is a dramatic example. This is a fact. So please, be courteous, only click on employment ads that you are truly interested in pursuing.
Another beneficial tip is do not just blast your resume throughout the internet. Do some research on the businesses where you want to work, and then only send your updated (including updated picture without filters) resume to those businesses, along with an accompanying cover letter demonstrating your familiarity with the business and the position you are applying for. Businesses get hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes every month. Thus, make your resume stand out from the competition.
If you are given an interview, SHOW UP! There is no greater sin in business than wasting someone’s time. If you choose to waste your own time so be it. However, wasting other people’s time is just rode (rude). Executives schedule every minute of their day, so when they set aside time for an applicant and that applicant doesn’t show up for the interview or doesn’t have the courtesy to text or call to cancel well in advance, that time has just been taken from the executive who was trying to help you by giving you the opportunity to be employed.
Be on time, don’t be late. When I first heard someone say, “Oh, I thought you meant Filipino time”, I laughed at the absurdity. There is only one time in business and that time is unwavering. While “Filipino time” may be an acceptable way of managing your social life, adopting it in business is unethical. A business has to be run like a well-tuned sports car. Just like in the Grand Prix and NASCAR, every second counts to every driver if they have any hopes of winning. As a matter of fact, there is never enough time in a day to do everything that needs to be done. This means that every second that you waste for being late affects hundreds of people’s time and all of their schedules for the day start to fall like dominoes. It is like throwing a pebble in the river, although it doesn’t look like much but it causes a ripple that extends throughout the entire river. Hence, ALWAYS be on time. In fact, be early so you can get your thoughts together and be relaxed when you go into the interview.
You have to find the job of your dreams before you can land the job of your dreams. So that’s what this section is going to be based on. Therefore, you can use all of these strategies anywhere you decide to hunt for a job whether it is online, such as Facebook or other social media platforms. It also teaches you how to be proactive and call on employers and businesses who as of yet, didn’t realize how much they needed your services.
Learn to be creative, and think outside the box. Don’t do what everyone else is doing in life. There is an 80/20 rule in business which has been proven to apply to all aspects of life, called the Pareto Principle. In short, the principle highlights that 80% of a business’ revenue comes from about 20% of the company’s products and/or services, 80% of the work is done by 20% of the employees, 20% of the employees earn 80% of the company’s payroll and on and on. This holds true for success as well. About 80% of the population barely get by and 20% are successful financially. The successful people know they can’t follow the herd if they want to succeed. The “herd” will only lead you to the slaughterhouse. Be different in a good way. Do what everybody else won’t and you too, will end up in the top 20%.
The first step in landing the job of your dreams is to decide what career path (job) you really want to follow. A “job” sounds like work and a career sounds exciting. I suggest you lay in your bed at night, sit in a comfortable chair, meditate, or go for a long quiet walk and start dreaming. Daydreaming is a wonderful way to explore the world and everything it has to offer. During this dream time imagine your perfect life filled with everything and everyone who makes you happy. This is your brain and you can create any life you want and no one can judge you so dream big fantastic dreams. In these dream sessions try to imagine, in vivid detail, every aspect of your life. From the car you’re driving, the house you live in and the job you are performing that affords you this exhilarating life.
Go back to this image as often as you can throughout the day and add colors, texture, sounds, and movement just as if it was a motion picture playing in your head and you are the star. This is called programming the mind. Think of your brain as the most powerful computer in the world (because it is) that has the greatest operating system ever to be built (which it does) and then think of your dreams and thoughts as software. As you think and daydream, you are programming your subconscious mind to find all of the resources needed to complete your conscious thoughts and daydreams. Your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between what you are just imagining and what is real. It can only obey. You can become whatever you think about the most. It is said that humans have 68,000 thoughts per day. It is your responsibility to make sure those thoughts, are thoughts that will enrich your life.
Throughout my business career, I have spoken with thousands of people who have made very poor career choices. Some people have taken jobs because it was the only thing they could get, some people followed in one of their parent’s footsteps and got a job in their field, some people have taken jobs because of the pay, and a lot of people have taken jobs because they just don’t know what they want to do. Sadly, these people often stay with these jobs for years and even decades and hate every minute of it. You need to really think about what it is that you love doing and what is it that you would love to do even if you were not paid well. Think of what it is that you love so much that it gets you out of bed so excited that you can’t wait to get it started. It doesn’t matter if you have any experience in that field or any knowledge in that industry, everything starts with desire and a dream.
A lot of parents make a mistake by trying to choose their children’s career path for them. For example, parents quite often say, “I want you to get a degree in accountancy, or education, or nursing, or law, or medicine,” and a lot of times here in the Philippines parents will steer their children into jobs that will help them go overseas to work abroad. This advice is coming from the heart but it really isn’t good advice. If somebody is working a job that they don’t like, they’re never going to be successful. There is an old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Working in a dead-end job that you hate is the definition of hell on earth.
However, if you get a job doing something you love and you don’t make as much money but you absolutely love your job, you are already successful. Success is the pursuit of a worthwhile dream, and if you’re working a job that is in the field you love whether it is in medicine, law, politics, or whatever you choose, that’s exactly what you should pursue. You should pursue your dream, not the dreams of your nanay and tatay, not your lola and lolo’s dreams, not your Tita’s or Tito’s dreams, your dream! Besides, if you follow your dream, you will be far more successful, and you will still be able to accomplish everything your parents dream for you, and you’ll be able to do it and be happy at the same time. As a parent, I can assure you that the most important thing to a parent is their children’s happiness.
Here is a fact: You will never be 100% happy until you are doing what is in your heart. Whatever you believe you were born to do is exactly what you must do. A painter who was born to paint must paint, a poet who was intended to write must write, a musician who was meant to make music must make music. Discovering one’s purpose in life is crucial to living happy. Sometimes we don’t realize our destinies until later in life and in that case, it is advisable to start building a solid foundation so when your destiny is evident, you will be starting your life’s true journey with a wealth of knowledge and experiences. The key point that must be emphasized is, “Your Destiny”. Whatever you believe you were born to do is exactly what you must do. The act of fulfilling your potential is known as self-actualization.
Some of you may or may not have graduated from college, some of you may or may not have some college, and a lot of you may have little to no advanced schooling at all. I want to assure you, college is not a must in life, nor is it a requirement for great wealth. Personally, I never attended college, in fact, I dropped out of school in the 9th grade. My family was considered to be poor in our community, although now that I have seen true poverty here in the Philippines, I find it appalling to hear people in developed countries like the U.S. to even utter the words when referring to anyone living in these countries. We were poor in our minds because society had brainwashed us to believe we were, even though we had a roof over our heads, clean clothes, and plenty of food to eat. If it weren’t for the fear of ruining this country, I would wish for all Americans who complain about their lot in life, and the many assistant programs free to anyone and everyone who just steps foot on our soil, to be sent here for a year to appreciate what real poverty is like and maybe, just maybe, they would be a little more grateful for their blessings of being in the states.
The good thing about the States is most companies don’t care who your mother and father are, what college you went to, or what neighborhood you live in. The great leaders of business and industry only care about ambition and a positive attitude. Are you a winner and do you project that in every area of your life? On the other hand, here in the Philippines, a college degree gets you respect, and if you don’t have one, it is more difficult to rise to the top. I said “more difficult”, not impossible. Also, with today’s technology you can get a job anywhere in the world. Fortunately, you, nor anyone else in any country for that matter is limited to employment in your own country.
I know many more multi-millionaires who didn’t finish college than I do those who did. Two famous college dropouts you may know are Zuckerberg of Facebook and Gates of Microsoft. It is not a person’s pedigree, formal education, or family name that makes them successful, it’s the positive attitude, heart, desire, willpower, discipline, self-development, persistence, goal setting and never giving up attitude that makes people successful. You can get the same education any Harvard graduate gets with a click of your mouse sitting right here in the Philippines. I always say you don’t need a formal education but you absolutely need an education whether it is acquired in an institution of higher learning, from books, seminars, audio or video programs, or so on. I do however, encourage anyone who can go to college to do so, and a little tip I always give them is to attend a college with the word University in it since people in most other countries stop listening once they hear you have attended a university. I know it sounds silly but sadly, it’s true.
Now that you have made the decision to enter the workforce, you must focus on yourself, your family and learn how to create a life that you love and that you enjoy living from the very beginning. So in this section, I will share some tips with you on how to get the ideal job in the perfect location where you and your spouse want to raise your children, and possibly grandchildren. Or, if you are single, maybe you just want to live somewhere because you think it would be fun. It really doesn’t matter, it’s your dream life and you can create it however you want.
There are seven steps you must take to land the job of your dreams.
- The first step is to follow your dreams and decide on a job/career that you love and look for a job that will take you in the right direction. Even if it is not the ideal job, make sure it is on the road to your dream job.
- The second step is to determine where it is you and your family want to start building the life of your dreams.
- The third step is to do your homework (due diligence). Confucius said, “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be failure.”
- The fourth step is to customize your resume to sell yourself (your brand) to the employer.
- The fifth step is to prepare for the first interview; in this interview, you are the one interviewing the employer and staff.
- The sixth step is to prepare for the second interview; in this interview, you’re selling yourself according to the needs of the employer based on the information you gathered while doing your due diligence and the additional Intel you gathered in the first interview.
- The seventh step is to negotiate the deal you deserve; negotiate the compensation package as well as future opportunities based on results.
The second step in finding the job of your dreams is to decide where you want to create a life for yourself and your family. Always start with the end result of any goal and then work your way back through the details. Ask yourself this question, “Where do my family and I truly want to live?” Since you are building the life of your dreams, shoot for the moon. Most people don’t realize that when they shoot for the moon if they fall short, they’ll still hit the stars. So ask yourself, “If I could raise my family anywhere, where would that be?” The great thing about technology is you can choose the climate, the location, and the school district where you want to educate your children, as well as choose from a host of other criteria and start your job search there. There are so many options available to you―pinpoint exactly where you want to live, raise your family, or even retire. Then choose your second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth choices so you do not put yourself in a do-or-die scenario―leave yourself plenty of opportunities.
There are thousands of ways to earn a great living and even if you don’t get the salary you want, you can offset the compensation with perks and lifestyle choices like good schools, safe communities, and clean living. Sometimes, perks outweigh the monetary compensation. Always be looking for creative ways to get what you really want and not get tunnel vision focused solely on the salary.
If you and your family choose 6 to 10 towns, cities, provinces, or even countries you want to live in, I am sure you’ll have at least 100 businesses with some type of employment opportunity; and if you follow these steps, you’ll land the job of your dreams with one of those businesses. Again, start with the end result (what’s most valuable to you) and work your way back through the details. If your children are still of school age, a great public school system may be your family’s priority, and if it is, start with the top ten public school systems in the Philippines or in the world! This one decision can save a family thousands of pesos each year in private school tuition and as we all know, “A peso saved is a peso earned.”
Let’s look at it in real money. If you save ₱30,000 a year per child and you have 2 children attending school, you save ₱60,000 annually. Now, let’s say you find a job in that area you desire but the salary is ₱100,000 less per year than you wanted. Minus the ₱60,000, you’ll save on school tuition and maybe you can get the owner to give you free lodging for the year as part of your compensation package, which is valued at another ₱5,000 per month. You now have added another ₱60,000 to your package―equally ₱120,000 in perks―which is P20,000 more than the initial ₱100,000 you were seeking. Confucius taught, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals; adjust the action steps.”
I run into this often here in the Philippines. Because we live in the province, I am faced with applicants all the time who choose to go to Manila over a job with me as either a caller or an assistant. They see the salary in Manila as being much higher but what they forget is that the cost of living in Manila is much higher as well. For example, if I pay someone ₱2,500 per week, that means they’re going to make ₱10,000 each month but with that, they get free lodging, free unlimited load, free food, free budget for rations, they get free travel (domestic and international), they eat in first-class restaurants, I pay for their passport, I get their driver’s license, I have someone teach them how to drive both a car and a motorcycle if they want, in some cases, I buy them a motorcycle or scooter, and they live a first-class lifestyle. They literally have no bills whatsoever, so their salary plus their bonuses are free and clear. In short, I teach and prepare them with everything they need to successfully work abroad if that is their long-term goal.
When they go to Manila, they make ₱20,000 per month which by the way, it’s not really ₱5,000 per week when people pay you per month, or by monthly, they are only paying you based on 48 weeks because you’re getting paid on the 1st and the 15th. In reality, you’re really only being paid for 48 weeks during the year and not the 52 weeks that is in a year. This is why in the Philippines; the government imposed a law that employers must pay an employee a 13th-month pay which is really not a 13th-month pay at all. It is your pay that you earned but was never paid. However, if you’re not there for the full 12 months, you will never see that other money. At least the Philippine government makes employers pay the 13th month because that is not the case in the States.
When I pay someone, I pay them each week so they get paid each week for 52 weeks. Also, when someone moves to Manila, they have lodging cost which is going to cost them ₱3,000 to ₱4,000 per month, they’re going to have fair which is going to cost them ₱100 to ₱200 per day, that’s ₱3,000 to ₱6,000 a month, and now they’re up to ₱7,000 to ₱10,000 already without their food which is going to cost them at least ₱200 a day. That’s an additional ₱6,000, now the cost of living in Manila is up to ₱13,000 to ₱16,000. What about the cost of load and data, and on and on? After all of the expenses are deducted, they can’t afford to go home and see their family, which by the way is the reason why they supposedly went to look for a job. When it all comes down to it, in a lot of cases, people actually make far, far, far less by going to Manila or abroad than they would if they just simply stayed in the province.
When it comes to callers, I have tried to hire them and have made it very easy for my callers/salespeople to make over ₱1,000,000 per year and get one-on-one training from someone who actually owned a call center and who has been in sales and marketing for over 40 years, but yet they chose to go to Manila because of the optics of working in, and for, a BPO in Manila. I have even had some of the women who worked for me say they prefer working in an office building even if they make less money just so they can dress up every day and wear makeup.
If a business owner calls a BPO in Makati or elsewhere to hire them to answer, or make, calls for their business, they will be charged, on average, ₱100,000 to ₱150,000 per month for a 60-hour week, which is 1.5 callers. I structured the compensation package to where my Filipino callers would get that revenue instead of giving it to someone else. Instead of making the ₱100,000 a month that they would by working in the province, they give ₱80,000 of that money to the company owner and they take ₱20,000 as a salary just so that they can tell everyone that they work in a call center in Manila. This is not a very wise business decision. Again, do not think this happens only in the Philippines, it happens all over the world. Employees often leave their jobs in the South and Midwest to move to the big cities like New York and Chicago for the same reasons.
I want to qualify what I am saying here. The reason why I point this out is because my experience has been primarily with married men who had young families. If you are single and you just want to go to Manila or abroad to live that lifestyle, then I encourage you to follow your dreams. But if you are a serious business person wanting to get ahead in life, I want you to approach everything with your eyes wide open. This reminds me of one of my favorite fables called, “Acres of Diamonds.”
I have fallen back on the lessons of this fable numerous times over the years and hopefully, you can learn from it as well. I am sharing it with you just as it is in one of Earl Nightingale’s educational programs. You can find the story on the internet by many different authors but I feel Earl delivered it best.
“The story was the account of an African farmer who heard tales about other farmers who had made millions by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself. So he sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent searching unsuccessfully for the gleaming gems which brought such high prices on the markets of the world. Finally, the story goes, worn out and in a fit of despondency he threw himself into a river and drowned. Meanwhile, back at the ranch or farm in this case the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing the small stream on the property when suddenly there was a bright flash of blue and red light from the stream bottom. He bent down and picked up the stone. It was a good-sized stone and admiring it, later put it on his fireplace mantle as an interesting curiosity. Several weeks later, a visitor picked up the stone, looked closely at it, hefted it in his hand, and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he’d found. When the farmer said no, that he thought it was a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered. While the farmer had trouble believing that, he told the man that his creek was full of such stones. Not as large, perhaps, as the one on the mantle but, well, they were sprinkled generously throughout the creek bottom.”
The moral of this story is, in our case, everyone is sitting on their own acre of diamonds if they just look for them and learn how to identify them, and of course, take action and do the work to harvest them. It isn’t always necessary to leave your province for the big city or to go abroad to make an excellent living. Sometimes, you can find more than you ever dreamed of in your own backyard.
So, when you’re looking for a job, take everything into consideration, think it out thoroughly, and think about the advantages that you’re going to get by working at one place as opposed to another. Think about the growth and advancement opportunities that may help you achieve your goals faster. A lot of times it is much better to work for a smaller company or a start-up than it is to work for a larger company because of the management opportunities and it is easier to be recognized as a valued employee. Consider the education that you may get along with the experience and training, and measure that against the time investment that you’re making to see if it is worth it. Sometimes it’s better to take a job that pays less but can train you and give you that one-on-one attention to make you 1,000 times better than anybody else in the job market which will make you more employable providing you with more value to bring to a business and it sets you head and shoulders above all the rest of the applicants when you’re looking to make a career move. Always, always, always, look at the perks and benefits and weigh them along with the salary. Avoid getting caught up in just the salary because that can be very deceiving at times. And whatever you do, don’t get caught up in the optics, just because you want to dress up nice and go into an office where everyone can see you are playing business person today. I say, “playing” because no competent business person would ever put optics over substance.
There is one more thing to consider which may delay the Second Step, and that is if you really want to work with a specific person or company. In that case, you must be willing to relocate to where they are. For example, those who want to work for me have to be willing to work from my compound in Northern Luzon at least for the first two or three years. This is usually not a problem unless the applicant has a family, in which case I do not recommend it because I am sure there are numerous opportunities closer to their family. I am a family man and I designed my work life around my home life because I didn’t want my children growing up without me being involved in their lives. I always do my best to practice what I preach so I strongly recommend mothers and fathers, when at all possible, to stay as close to their family as possible. We only get one shot at watching our children grow up so enjoy it while you can. But if you’re single and just starting your career, my advice is to go for it!
The third step is to do your homework (due diligence). Make a list of all the businesses where you would love to work based on geographical preference and then give them a letter coding like A, B, C, D, and so on based on your criteria. Always start with the business where you really want to work, even if there is no opening for the position you desire. Later, after studying all of this material, you will be so impressive the owner will make a position even if there isn’t one at the time. Some head-hunters will tell you to start with the lower-hanging fruit and work your way up, but I disagree completely. Go straight to the top and shoot for the moon.
Next, make a list of every business in those surrounding areas including the ones you would never consider. Start adding your new criteria to the mix and start narrowing down the list. You may want to start with 20 or so cities or towns, so as you narrow down your options based on your criteria you still end up with 50-100 businesses that you can choose from at least 10-12 businesses where you would love to work. You must also list other related businesses in those areas because when you decide to make a career move which may also entail moving your family across the country, you always want to know all of your options, just in case things don’t work out the way you planned, or even better, you may decide to branch out on your own and if you do, you’ll want to be sure there are an abundance of opportunities available to choose from.
You want to do your homework and be absolutely sure you’re going somewhere you want to spend a long time and there are multiple options available. This way, you can feel confident establishing roots, giving both, you (as it pertains to your career) and your family the ability to grow.
Before investing one dime in travel, do your research, and take excellent notes. Once you’ve settled on a business in a given area, put together a research packet on the company including all of the products and services they sell, how many employees, their mission, vision, and purpose statements, their history, who the owner(s) are, who the management team is, who is in HR (Human Resources) and everything else you can possibly think of that may help you make your decision and aid you in landing the job of your dreams. If possible, try to find out a little about the person(s) who will be interviewing you.
Don’t just settle for any job, use strategic thinking. Find a business that you are going to love, that you’re going to enjoy working with the people that you are surrounded by, and that you’re going to enjoy growing the business, not only for the owner and your career but for the community as well. Be careful not to rely on the internet for all of your data. The internet is a wonderful free tool but it is often very one-sided and full of misinformation. Complainers love posting on the internet so use multiple resources when gathering your data and keep an open mind. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and make a few calls. You’ll be amazed at the information some people are willing to share with complete strangers, especially, if you catch someone during the slow time of day and they are there all alone.
When doing your homework, here are a couple of things to consider:
- Growth potential
- Demographics
- Politics
- Real Estate
- Schools
Growth potential: Focus on areas that are growing economically; there must be noticeable growth in the business community every year. Remember, in the future, you may be responsible for the growth of the business so you’ll want to make sure it is located in an area that is growing.
Demographics: Consider your target demographic, which will be the driving force in most marketing decisions you make. You can’t earn a profit without consumers who have disposable income. Never assume you need to target consumers at the top of the socioeconomic ladder for all businesses. This is not the case for 90% of businesses. Just know the business and its target market and be sure there are enough people that fall into that demographic profile to grow the business.
Politics: The political environment can affect businesses in many ways. It could increase the risk factor and may lead to a significant loss of revenue if the political environment is not business-friendly. You should recognize that the political factors have the ability to change results, and can also influence government policies from the local to the federal level.
Increasing or decreasing taxes could be an example of a political component. The government might raise the tax for some businesses and companies and have it lowered for others. The decision will have a direct effect on your business or on the company you want to work with. That’s why you must know the political environment you are entering and stay up-to-date.
Real Estate: The three most important factors when buying a home or business are location, location, and location. Anyone who doesn’t understand how the real estate market works will tell you to buy in a good/safe neighborhood. Well, guess what? Neighborhoods change, just like everything else.
Don’t buy a property in a good or bad neighborhood. Buy in a neighborhood where you can see the future growth. Keep in mind, most of the best neighborhoods are going to be more expensive investments. For the best investment, you want to buy in a neighborhood on the verge of being the ‘next’ best.
Do your homework. There is a saying in construction, “Measure twice and cut once.” The more information on the area, on the businesses, and their potential, the better chance you have of maximizing your potential and building the life of your dreams!
Schools are extremely important when choosing where to build a life. I always thought I would never get married because I really enjoyed being a bachelor. I bought a property on the water in the States and built my custom dream home. Five years later, I was married with a child on the way. I never thought about the school district I was in. Sadly, I found out my custom home was literally one block out of the better school district. To make a long story short, I no longer own that gorgeous home. Even if you don’t have a family now, don’t ever say never because I got married at 39. You also want to know there are good colleges near as well.
The fourth step is putting together an iron-clad sales presentation which starts with your résumé. Since this is what your future employer will see first, you want it to make an impressive impact. Use your résumé as a marketing tool; it should be written like an advertisement with hooks that are going to draw in and grab the attention of the person doing the hiring for that organization. The old saying is true, “You never get a second chance at a first impression,” so put some thought and effort into it and make it the very best you can.
Your résumé should be tailored to the business in which you are seeking employment. Don’t think one version of your résumé is enough because it is not a one-size-fits-all model. You will want to customize a résumé for each business and position you are applying for based on your newly acquired Intel. Don’t just write one blanket résumé and blast it out over the internet using the shotgun approach―use the sniper approach―focus on one target at a time.
One of the most important things to consider when drafting your résumé is the way that you convey your primary objectives and prove that you have the ability and/or desire to benefit the business and/or employer. Incorporate a business plan approach to your résumé if relevant, and include testimonials from your previous employers. Make a list of your achievements, add a cover letter explaining your vision based on your research and why you want this specific position with this person or company, why you feel you are qualified for the position, and why you feel you can be an enormous asset to the employer and/or business.
Too often, I see some really bad resumes. It is obvious they were copied from the internet and have very little to no accurate information on the applicant other than their contact info. Employers are looking for great employees who bring value to the business or job. They want to know you fully understand the job you are applying for and have great interest in securing the position. They want to know you possess the skill set to perform the job and if you do, then it is the foundation of your résumé, and you will continue adding nuances as you determine which additional skills the employer or business you have chosen to pursue are looking for.
When it comes to advertising any product, service, brand, etc. the most important line is the hook and it must have the answer to, “What’s in it for the listener/reader?” Everyone wants to know, “What’s in it for me?” Your résumé must convey this immediately. This is why sometimes your cover letter carries more weight than your résumé itself. Your résumé is a sales tool and therefore it should be used as one. Owners are looking for employees who are reliable, dependable, honest, hardworking, task-oriented, team players, determined, adaptable, friendly, outgoing, personable, easy to work with, loyal, as well as a host of other flattering adjectives, but these are just words on paper. It is paramount your résumé stands out above all of the other résumés.
You must demonstrate why compared to you, everyone else is ordinary and you are extraordinary. This is where your body of work comes into play. Don’t be shy to write down all of your accomplishments. In fact, I encourage you to keep a diary of all of your accomplishments―big and small. You would be amazed at all of the things you know about business if you just take the time to jot them down on paper. Every time you think of something that you feel helped you grow a business in any way, write it down. Often, you hear people say, “I forgot more about business than you’ll ever know,” but yet, they can’t remember half of it. Write these nuggets down and create your own operations manual. Start building a résumé that impresses you. Ask yourself, “What do I look for in an employee, what do I look at first when I am handed a résumé, what are the things that grab my attention, what would I have done differently had it been my résumé?”
Your résumé is evolving every day and I strongly suggest you update it quarterly, even if you are happily employed, because you never know what tomorrow brings. You may do some things once or twice a year and never think twice about their value, but you can be assured if you are doing them, there is a good chance they need to be done and there is an employer somewhere wishing he had an employee who possessed those skills. But again, these are just words on paper, unless you have something supporting your claims that make it more real for the interviewer, so always be looking for and saving support documentation whether they are things like testimonials, awards, sales reports, and so on.
Your résumé represents your brand and your brand represents you, so make sure your résumé tells the complete relevant story and it’s telling a story your future employer is interested in hearing. If you can grab the attention of the interviewer and keep him/her interested from the moment they pick it up and make it impossible for them to put it down, you will land the job of your dreams!
A quick note for those of you who do not have a resume. In the Philippines, it is still acceptable to submit personal bios with a picture. Although I do recommend you do your best to build a real resume if possible, because it is a more professional presentation and representation of you. A few tips, don’t put you are “willing” to learn, replace it with, “I love to learn new things,” don’t say, “I’m a hard worker,” say, “I enjoy working and seeing projects all the way through completion.” If you do not have any experience don’t panic or think you won’t qualify. In your resume where you would normally put your work experience be creative and change the heading to life experience. For example, let’s say you’re eighteen years old and this is your first job. Write, “I have 18 years of experience of being honest, loyal, resourceful, helpful, productive, studious, etc., etc., etc. You will be amazed at how far a little creativity can take you.
The fifth Step is the first interview (gather information). Before I go any further, I must preface that some jobs only require one interview, and some, two or more. It’s similar to sales. Some products and services can be sold in the first presentation and others may take more time because they are bigger ticket items and the salesperson must first conduct a needs analysis to find out what the customer’s needs and wants are. Then the salesperson leaves, gathers all of the relevant materials, data, etc., and returns to close the sale. I am teaching you this process because I am assuming if you have read this far, you are serious about your career and are looking for a dream job and therefore must plan on the interview process being a multi-step process. With that said, be prepared for anything, and if you can lock up the position in one interview, all the better.
The absolute best way to start this first interview is to call the business and find a way to take the owner to lunch if at all possible and if not, ask the owner, manager, or head of Human Resources (HR) to give you at least 15 minutes of his or her time. Remember two things when making this request. First, very few businesspeople have an hour or even a half-hour, but everyone can find 15 minutes in their schedule even if it’s just to grab a quick cup of coffee or tea (if you can make the reason compelling enough). Second, “What’s in it for me?” you must immediately convey your reasoning for the requested meeting and assure the other person that you have something of value for them which they will receive by taking the meeting. Be professionally persistent and creative until he/she agrees. Spend that time in the first interview asking him/her pertinent questions you have prepared and written down in advance. Questions that will help you understand the business better and how your employment will relieve some of his/her worries, stress, burdens, headaches, etc.
When asking questions, probe deeper and deeper and unearth the pain the owner or employer is experiencing, so you’ll know how to demonstrate your ability to relieve that pain in your next interview. It is your goal to discover what keeps the interviewer awake at night and then prove to him/her that you are the solution that solves all of the problems. Get him/her to talk about the business, their dreams, the staff, and his/her goals. Get the owner to verbalize how he/she visualizes the employee who is, or will be, in the position you seek. If you ask enough of the right questions, the owner will give you all of the ammunition you need to lock up the job. The more time you spend gathering information, the greater the possibility you have on getting that job.
Our creator blessed us with two ears and one mouth which he intended us to use in direct proportion, that is, listen twice as much as you talk. A great example of this is when the employer asks you to tell them about yourself. Try not to rattle off a scripted bio you have been taught. Listen to the question, the employer wants to know about you. He/she already knows your name, where you are from, as well as probably a few other things about you that were given before accepting the meeting or are easily found on your resume. The employer wants to know about you. Ambitions, likes, dislikes, etc. Often, an employer will take out applicants to lunch or dinner as part of the interview process to see how you handle yourself away from the office. They will have their team look at your social media and so forth before considering you as an employee. They may want you to spend a little time around their team to make sure you are a good fit and so on. If you are actively listening, you’ll pick up on these things and be prepared if or when the request arises.
Another great benefit of this first interview is, it gives you the opportunity to see if you and the owner are compatible and your visions for your career are aligned. Ideally, you want to work for someone who’s positive, someone who’s ambitious, someone who is supportive, someone who wants to help you grow, and see you thrive as the business grows and thrives. You want to work with someone who rewards success with not only a pat on the back but with their checkbook as well.
The last thing you want to do is get a job where you dread going to work every day because you can’t stand your boss or you can’t stand the people you work with, so make sure that you interview as many of the staff as you can while you’re on the property as well. This doesn’t mean you ask the owner or your future boss a lot of sensitive questions about the staff, it means, be observant. Look around you, meet everyone possible, ask questions, and engage your future coworkers before you make a decision that could have a major impact on your life.
You can’t choose your parents, you can’t choose your family but you definitely can choose your boss, your mentor, and your coworkers. See if you think you’ll get along well while you’re at work and if it’ll be easy for you to work with the team and work with your supervisor because no matter how much money you earn, going to work every day happy is extremely important.
Hopefully, you set up at least four appointments, so you maximize your time and money. Your goal should be to visit as many businesses as possible in your allotted time and budget and you should prioritize those businesses based on your ranking system. Repeat the same process you followed with your first interview for each of the subsequent interviews. The information you can garner from an in-person visit will be invaluable when the time comes to make your final decision. You may even rethink your top pick and find you feel another business may be better suited for you based on your new Intel.
Now, it’s time to go home and customize your sales presentation to address the needs and concerns of the owner(s) and get prepared for your second, first formal, interview. You are just two steps away from landing the job of your dreams.
The sixth step is the second interview. This is your time to shine and sell yourself according to the needs of the owner based on all data you gathered up to this point. Before going to this interview, review all of your notes. I hope it is safe to say you know the material like the back of your hand. This is no time to cram for an exam; this material should be entrenched into your brain. You should review the material the night before and first thing in the morning, so it is fresh on your mind. Before you go to the interview, get into the zone. Getting in the zone is getting your focus on the task at hand. Getting in the right mindset for success. Below are some simple techniques that will help you get there.
Here are just a few:
- Ask yourself positive, affirming questions
- Be aware of your posture
- Go through your visualization routine
- Repeat your affirmations loud, proud, and with intensity
- Complete some breathing exercises
- Get focused on the interview
- Smile and laugh often throughout the morning
- If you feel nervous, hum your favorite song
- Calm yourself with a few minutes of meditation or use whatever tool you have that calms you like rubbing a coin between your fingers
- Attire (dress sharp and appropriate)―dress for success
In your first interview, you should have been able to assess which social style was dominant in the interviewer’s personality and tailor your presentation to that style. For example, did the owner project the personality traits of a Director, Socialist, Relator, or Analytical? Another golden nugget you should have left your first interview with was the employer’s preferred communication style, is it verbal, non-verbal, written, visual, and/or auditory communication? Since you know this valuable information, design your presentation around it and incorporate it into your face-to-face interview.
Note: The four social styles and communication styles will be added to the Professional Sales section of this website. Always be prepared for the unexpected. You may go to the interview thinking you are meeting with the same person who you had your first interview but that may change at the last moment, so be prepared for every scenario, just in case.
Make sure you’re able to articulate your plans to grow the business. Validate your statements with supporting documents and research. Demonstrate to the owner how you’re going to make it happen and the difference between what they’re doing now, and what you can do to improve upon what they are already doing. Don’t oversell yourself, but sell the facts. Remember, no one wants to hear what they are doing is wrong, especially from the new person. Tread lightly so you won’t step on anyone’s ego and focus on what you can do and what you bring to the table.
Don’t be “shy”! Be confident but not cocky. Be proud of your talents and skills, and if this is a job you really want, use everything you have to get it. This is your future and you may never get another chance like this so make the best of it and give it your best shot. Leave your “shyness” at home.
It is extremely important that you focus mostly on what’s in it for the employer, or the business. Yes, your compensation package including perks and benefits is important but always put the employer’s needs, wants, and desires first because the bottom line is, the only way to capture and hold someone’s attention is to immediately let them know what’s in it for them and in this presentation―all that matters in the beginning is what the employer is going to gain by hiring you.
Every organization can hire as many people as they want as long as those people can pay for themselves in some way whether it is by increasing revenue for the business or making life easier for the employer. If you bring more value to the business than it cost them to hire you, or you alleviate some of the employer’s stress, you’re in! It’s that simple. Even if neither one are not looking to hire someone, you still have an excellent chance of landing the job of your dreams because you have made the decision a no-brainer for the business/employer.
By learning the techniques and skill sets on this website and applying them, you are going to have the tools you’ll need to prove and demonstrate the value you can bring to any business or employer. With that education in your business toolbox, any business would be extremely lucky to have you on their team. This knowledge is not a license to be arrogant or conceited nor am I suggesting that because you now possess these skills you are better than anyone else. I am saying, you should feel confident that you are the best-equipped person for the job. No one wants to hire someone who is difficult to get along with. Everyone wants to hire someone who is confident, enthusiastic, punctual, hardworking, well-educated, and articulate, as well as someone who can grow the business and/or make life easier for the employer so he/she, can focus on growing the business.
At this point, you have sold the owner on hiring you, now it is time to go to the next and final step and negotiate the compensation package you deserve.
The seventh and final step is negotiating your compensation package. This is where the rubber meets the road. You must be crystal clear in what it is you want and have many options of how to get what you want. This package should also include a section devoted to future opportunities and earnings based on results. I love walking into my sales presentations with a contract already prepared on a Word document so I can easily edit the agreement as needed right there on the spot. Agreements can also be very intimidating so make sure you present it as just an outline of the issues discussed and only present it when it’s time to lock up the relationship. Take really good notes and grade the owner’s comments based on not only what their verbalized thoughts on specific issues but also pay attention to what their body language is saying.
You must learn the skill of negotiating the right contract. First of all, know exactly what you want and think of creative ways to get it. Be flexible and resourceful. Don’t just focus on the money side of things. Focus on the end result, not the path in which you will take to get there. Most likely, there are numerous paths available that will get you to the same place. For example, bonuses, percentage of gross revenue, percentage of net revenue, percentage of growth revenue, benefits, perks, housing, transportation, college funds, etc. all contribute to the bottom line. If you come in and your number is X for a salary but in the owner’s mind, X is way out of his/her budget, you may blow the whole deal when it could have been completely avoided by a simple restructuring of the package. This is a sales presentation and just as in other sales presentations, it must be guided by feel. As you navigate through the presentation, you are constantly feeling the owner out and adjusting accordingly.
A great example of this is how I structure my compensation packages for my PAs. I structured their compensation based on longevity as well as performance because I want to know if they are truly interested in working for me for an extended period of time. I pay a very basic salary to my PAs when they start, the reason is, I really do not know their level of commitment, skillsets, attitude, desire and so forth. Applicants write their own resumes, so if they are even remotely clever, they will be aware of how to best promote themselves on paper. Hence, no one truly gets to know someone unless they have interacted with them in various settings. For this reason, I stagger out their compensation and provide it in a multitude of areas and perks, all of which will contribute directly to their personal success as well as to motivate them to assist me in my own success.
After six months of employment, I pay for any of my PA’s college who has yet to finish or, if they want, attend for the first time. Some have even acquired their MBA while working as my PA. I work around their class schedule to allow them to continue working, get enough rest, and earn a degree. As I stated many times throughout this website, possessing a college degree is of no importance to me nor does it weigh at all in my decision as to whether or not I feel someone is a good fit for a job. However, I know the incredible weight that is put on having a degree in the Philippines and feel that since it is so important in this country, anyone who has the opportunity to attend college should do so. In short, their degree is for them, not for me nor is it a requirement that is necessary to work for me. I am seeing this same philosophy play out in large U.S. corporations who are starting to realize that it is better to hire people straight out of high school and train them in-house.
After a year, I purchase my PAs a motorcycle and have them sign a contract for 3 years at which time the motor is theirs, free and clear. I offer several benefits, too many to list here, including performance bonuses, higher pay, and a plethora of additional advantages. This is done solely to protect my investment in the PA, eliminate wasteful spending on someone who is all talk but no action, and to reward them for their loyalty and valued contribution to my life. Just to be clear, hiring a new employee is a huge financial and time commitment for the employer because it takes a lot of time and effort from both the employer and co-workers to get a new team member up to speed on their job responsibilities. And in my world, time is not gold, it’s platinum.
This is why it’s important to have the first interview. In that interview, you uncovered the owner’s perceived value of someone in the position for which you are applying. If that number was below what you want, you start with the owner’s number and work your way up to your number through bonuses, benefits, perks, etc. and throw in some performance incentives to sweeten the pie. The opposite is also true; most owners won’t consider you if you come in way too low. In this scenario, all you’re doing is devaluing yourself. If you absolutely know you can grow the business more than anyone else, there is nothing wrong with being creative and suggesting the owner hires you on a 30-day trial period at a lower salary and if you surpass the benchmarks you both agree to, then the owner signs a long-term contract with you in which you are paid your asking amount. This is called “risk reversal.” The owner assumes no risk by hiring you and now the burden of proof is on you. This offer is not as risky as it sounds because most businesses are underperforming primarily due to a lack of 3 things, innovation, perspiration, and proper education.
Remember, a company cannot pay you more than they can afford to pay you. You must be able to demonstrate that you can bring more value to the business and are willing to defer that additional compensation until you bring that value to the business. No intelligent businessperson is going to turn that offer down.
A lot of Filipinos are either unemployed or underemployed in the Philippines and abroad. When somebody is underemployed, it simply means they are overqualified for the job they are performing and getting paid far less than what they are worth. The reason for this is they do not possess the necessary skills to grow the business at the rate to satisfy and/or impress an employer. The only way to overcome this is by bringing more value to the table. The best way to get the job of your dreams is by possessing marketable skills―skills of great value to the employer.
I often hear people complain about their job or their salary and I always tell them the same thing, “You’re getting paid exactly what you’re worth to the employer.” Complaining is never going to help them improve their lot in life nor will “hoping” ever help them achieve their goals. The only thing that is going to help is hard work, learning more about your craft, and being willing to adapt to change.
Over my career, I have interviewed at least a thousand applicants and I know immediately if they are right for the job based on their enthusiasm, knowledge of the position, positive attitude, desire, and whether or not they are engaged in the conversation. For example, when an applicant applies as one of my personal assistants I always ask them, “Why do you want to be my personal assistant?” This is not a difficult question but I do emphasize the word, “my”, because working for me is completely different than working for anyone else. Aside from the luxurious life my PAs live, the education they garner is worth more than any salary they could ever hope to receive. So in the back of my mind, I am hoping the applicant gets that and knows the value of that education.
Sadly, more often than not, the answer I receive is, “I need a job,” or “I want to earn money.” First of all, wanting a job and the desire to earn your own money are admirable qualities in anyone but that is not what an employer wants to hear. An employer wants to know this is your dream job and not just the job but the job in this company or for this employer and why you want this specific job and why you want to work for this specific employer.
Personally, I long for the day when I hear an applicant say, “I want to be your personal assistant because I want to learn from you, I want to be successful and I know I can get the education needed to accomplish my dreams by working with you.” I am a caring, loving person and I have an innate desire to take care of people, and I know as your personal assistant, I have the temperament and attitude that can assist you in your business. I am also fully aware of, and want to attend to all of your personal needs as well. I am competent, independent, well-read, ambitious, and ready to start immediately. The operative word here is, “want”. Employers don’t want to work with someone who is just “willing” to do the work. They need to know the applicant “wants” to do the work.
If someone ever answer the question, “Why do you want to be my personal assistant?” with anything similar to the answer above, I would probably fall out of my chair in shock but as soon as I got back up, I would hire them in a second because I would know they really, really wanted the job and not only just wanted a job as a PA but wanted a job as “my” PA. It is this kind of response all employers are looking for. I always talk about “growing the business” and in most scenarios, that is what employers are looking for. However, employers ideally want people who can grow the business because they love the business, the product, and would love to work for their future employer.
A lot of people know what they should do, but most never do it. You must first learn what to do, and then deploy that knowledge. Remember, the person who is growing the business, bringing in revenue, and/or making life easier for the employer is going to be the most valuable person in that organization. Your compensation will be in direct proportion to the value you bring to the business or employer. You will always be compensated based on what you do, how well you do it, how difficult it is, and can or will other people do it as well as you. In short, it’s quite easy to increase your pay by increasing revenue for the business or bringing more value to the employer which will put you in a league of your own because few people possess those skill sets.
In this section, you have acquired the skill set to land the job of your dreams. Now it is time for you to apply those resources, strategies, tools and techniques including the marketing concepts and principles to grow your career. Unemployment and underemployment will be nightmares of the past because now you’ll have job security for life. Most employers and businesses are desperately searching for an employee(s) with the skill sets that you now have. The things I have taught you in this section are the same techniques I have injected into the DNA of my own company, the only difference being is, this is the process we use to acquire new business as opposed to acquiring a job. My company has acquired over 1,000 clients with this strategy so I am confident you can land the job of your dreams with it as well.
Enjoy your journey because later in life you’ll realize the journey, is where the joy is found.
*If you are looking for a job/career, and would like to apply as one of my personal assistants, please click on the “Contact Us” Tab on the menu to the left and follow the instructions. Thank you.