Closing the Book on this Amazing KIT List Adventure!

My dear friends and KIT List Community,

With heartfelt gratitude and a deep appreciation for each of you in this remarkable community, I want to let you know that I’m closing the book on this incredible KIT List adventure this February.

After 25 ½ years, I want to thank you all for being a part of this unique community that grew to over 72,000 top professionals simply by word of mouth and the power of friends helping friends. We estimate that over 135,000 people have been a part of the KIT List community as people unsubscribed as they found jobs, and then returned when they were looking again.

Thanks to you, we’ve been able to share over 176,000 job postings. We’ve also had many free “FriendWorking” events to learn a better way to network by helping others first. I’m grateful to the many hiring experts who generously shared their inside tips both in person and online in our free hiring experts panel events.

I’ll still keep many of the job tips and career management resources up online, as well as parts of the KIT List site. Please see the Resources section below for the links!

I’ve had the honor of meeting many of you in person over the years and connecting by email or phone. I’ve been touched by the quiet courage and heroism of so many who lost their jobs but had families depending upon them – often in very adverse situations like a dying spouse, a sick child, or some special need that made their burden particularly heavy. Yet their spirit of hopefulness, and the desire to do whatever they could to provide for their families kept me inspired to keep the KIT List going during the many times over the years I just wanted to close everything down.

A Time for Something New

Now that there are so many strong job search and career platforms, the KIT List has served its mission and purpose.

I’ve been hoping to dedicate my time to some new things that have been on my heart for a long time. It’ll be involving creativity and kids, who are our hope and future! I’ve also been winding down the KIT List for the past few years since I haven’t had the bandwidth that it demands.

The team at one of the many KIT List Events (Amy, me, Kelly)

I originally planned to close the KIT List in early 2020 – but then COVID hit the whole world. So, I didn’t feel I could close the community in good conscience when so many were out of work during such unprecedented times. That’s when my sister and co-moderator, Kelly, and I created videos to encourage everyone, and provide tips via interviews with hiring experts on how to get a job during a worldwide pandemic. The links to the “The Corona Videos” series are in the Resources section below.

A Bit of Background

In case you don’t know our story, I had no idea what I’d accidentally started in 1997 with my simple “Keep in Touch” email list with my friends at SGI. Had I known what it would entail back in 1997… I would have run for the hills! But I really believe it was God’s idea since I never intended to start anything like this. As friends told other friends about the KIT List, it grew to what I jokingly call “72,000 of my closest friends!” But once it took a life of its own, I just wanted to be a good caretaker of this unique community (that predated LinkedIn and the big job platforms).

It really meant a lot to hear from many of you when you got a job, and how heartening to hear that many of you landed multiple jobs from the KIT List! Someone recently told me that they’d landed four jobs over the years! It was so fantastic to hear from so many recruiters and employers that the KIT List community was their “secret sauce” for finding top candidates.

My Dad was the Real Inspiration for the KIT List

It was actually my Dad who modeled the spirit of helping many friends by keeping in touch over the years through phone calls, helping them find jobs, making hospital visits, or a sending handwritten card of encouragement. I still treasure his many notes to me, and they perk me up whenever I feel down! I wrote a tribute to him in my blog, which I’m SO grateful that I did since he died suddenly just a few weeks later. Here’s the link to “The Man Who Inspired the KIT List.”

Dad before Parkinson’s…he never lost his sense of humor!

Resources for Job Search Will Remain Up!

Over the years, we’ve had many free events with panels of career experts, plus special “FriendWorking” events to learn a warmer and better way of networking where you come with the idea of helping others first. We had hundreds turn out most events!

I’ve also tried to share encouragement and job tips (as well as the life lessons I was learning!) with our community over the years through my email messages to the entire list, and later through the blog posts. I’ll keep the blog up so people can access those tips and resources. Also, I was invited to have a KIT List show on a local TV station a few years back. I’ll keep those shows up since the interviews and inside scoop from the hiring experts remain very relevant. In fact, I received emails from people saying they watched them prior to job interviews – and LANDED THE JOB!

KIT List Resources to help you find a job you’ll love:

• KIT List Blog – More career resources and job search strategies, how to network better through FriendWorking – plus messages I sent to the KIT List to encourage everyone during tough times and share personal life lessons I learned from my own “bumps in the road!“

• KIT List “Get That Job!” TV Show – The inside tips and best practices from the hiring experts on how to nail your job interviews – and ways to grow your career (we get emails from people who landed their dream job after watching these videos before interviews!).

• KIT List “Corona Videos” – My sister and co-moderator Kelly and I interview recruiters and employers on how to get a job in a pandemic (or any difficult market!)
  

A Heartfelt Thank You

It’s been an honor and privilege to serve this wonderful community. I’m so very grateful to the people who stepped up to volunteer their time to help me when the workload became overwhelming.

As the KIT List grew so quickly, I struggled to work on the KIT List in the late-night hours after I’d finished my own marketing consulting work (my paid job!). Some very special people stepped forward to volunteer their help when I was hitting the proverbial wall.

I want to thank Val Cienega, whom I hadn’t met at the time, but was a member of the KIT List community who came forward to volunteer as a moderator for many years! My dear friend from SGI, Amy Sloniker Plunkett, also pitched in and helped with the sheer volume of work needed to moderate and keep our community free of spammers and protect it from those wanting to exploit this large community. Then my wonderful sister, Kelly Connelly, joined in as well. Each of these gifted people had their own MORE than full time “real jobs” and helped in their spare time. I am deeply grateful to them!

Sometimes the best things in life are the unexpected ones. The KIT List was a surprise to me – and it took a life of its own thanks to each of you spreading the word to help your friends and colleagues.

The spirit of the KIT List is due largely to YOU. Your kindness and helping others will continue and grow in other wonderful ways. Thank you for being a part of the KIT List family!

Although the KIT List is officially closing in February, the power of helping others keeps growing as a force for good as you continue to share your gifts in our world.

Thank you for enriching my life in more ways than you will ever know,

Sue Connelly

Your KIT List Founder

You’re invited to two events! Job Strategies Expert Panel on 5/20 and Salary Negotiations on 5/21.

Hi Everyone,

I’ll be on a panel along with some savvy industry experts on how to land your dream job (or get a promotion!) on Monday, May 20th.

The second event the following evening will cover Salary Negotiations.

Both events are free and you are welcome to come — and to share this invitation with friends and colleagues. Due to space limits, you must register first!


Job and Career Panel Sponsored by LinkedIn Local
Monday, May 20th
7:00 – 8:30 PM
Northside Branch of the Santa Clara Library
695 Moreland Way, Santa Clara, CA

Join us for a lively and informative panel discussion sprinkled with important tips that could make the difference in nailing your next job, with some great stories as examples — and a few laughs as well!

Hear from the expert panel:

• Oscar Garcia, the ever-engaging and inspiring Linkedin and networking expert and founder of Aspira
• Sue Connelly, the founder of The KIT List
• Krista Mollion, our LinkedInLocal Bay Area Host
• Albert Qian, the founder of Albert’s List
• Connie Brock, the former Program Manager at ProMatch (which has been an excellent resource for many KIT List members!)

Register* (for adults ONLY) at:
https://nslinkedinlocalmay2019.eventbrite.com

NOTE: Registration does not guarantee entry if you’re not on time for the program and the doors close. 

Santa Clara City Library has teamed up with LinkedInLocal Bay Area to provide potential job seekers tools to increase their network. We have assembled an all-star job and career panel that will help you get to your next promotion or job opportunity.

About LinkedInLocal:
LinkedInLocal is a community driven initiative, of super-keen LinkedIn users, not affliated with Linkedin company, to take online connections offline, by hosting local professional networking events worldwide. In just one year, it has really taken off and at last count has 20,000 members in 61 countries, with almost 650 hosts and co-hosts. Read more here and about the SF Bay Area group  here.

 

Salary Negotiation Seminar
Tuesday, May 21st
7:00 – 8:00 PM
Northside Branch Library
695 Moreland Way, Santa Clara, CA

Salary negotiation is one of the most difficult skills for job seekers to master. According to Monster.com, 43% of workers think they are underpaid. Learn how to get paid adequately negotiate your salary!

Learn how to:

• Effectively research your position’s peak compensation.
• Figure out your opening job offer.
• Advocate for your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Decide when to accept or decline a salary… and do it gracefully without scaring your future employer.

Register* (for adults ONLY) here: https://nssalarymay2019.eventbrite.com

*A ticket does not guarantee entry to the program if you do not arrive on time. Any leftover seats will be given away to the waitlist after the doors open. Doors will close immediately after the event begins or after the event reaches capacity. Your attendance to this program grants permission to the City of Santa Clara to take your photograph and/or your child’s photograph for marketing purposes.

 

See you next Monday at the panel event! And you’re also welcome to sign up for the Salary Negotiations event the next evening.

Here’s to finding a job that you’ll love!

Sue

 

3 Tips for Building a Healthy Network

By René Siegel, CEO, Connext

Hello Everyone! I asked René Siegel, a long-time supporter of the KIT List who hires consultants for high tech clients, to share her best tips on job networking. René has also generously shared her time, wisdom and wit at a KIT List event on a panel of hiring experts. Read on and try these out!
– Sue

Building your personal network sounds as simple as finding people you like or with whom you have something in common. We think of them as our posse, our community, our peeps. Perhaps people who inspire us.

But here’s what people don’t tell you about networking. Your circle can also be a cage. You can surround yourself with the same people, for years and years, without making sure they’re the right people for you, right now.

Here are three tips for building a healthy network:

1. More is not better.
You may assume the more connections and opportunities you have the better. I have thousands of connections but only a few dozen are truly my dearest colleagues, the ones I rely on to inspire me and always have my back. It’s like weeding your garden. You need to keep pulling the weeds or they will overtake and ruin your garden. Working with people you already trust increases your chances of success and reduces headaches. You don’t have to delete them, but, you can say no (no, thank you) to bad business and bad people as you carefully build your brand.

2. Take me or leave me.
Many people only come around when they want something from you—like the ever popular “Can I pick your brain?” request. Be selective with whom you share your expertise. Sometimes it can lead to a lucrative opportunity, but mostly you’re just adding coins to the karma bucket and that’s okay, too. Delete those who drain your mojo. And if you’re going to be generous with your time and expertise, don’t be afraid to ask for something in return like a referral or recommendation.

3. The more diverse, the better.
No matter the stage of your career, you need to proactively meet people who are different than you. Different ages, different industries, different expertise, different backgrounds. After a 20-year career working with lots of 20-year veteran colleagues, I started speaking to university classes. That led to a part-time teaching role that re-energized my business model! You’ll be far more marketable if you’re surrounded by diverse people who challenge what you know with their ideas and experience.

Everyone in your circle might not be in your corner. It’s your responsibility to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones. Be picky about the people you invest your time with and go the extra mile for.

There are bad clients and crazy bosses who may want to take advantage of you. People can suck the life out of you—if you let them.

You should be picky about the people you invest your time with and go the extra mile for. Not everyone deserves that from you.

 

 About the Author

René Shimada Siegel is extremely passionate about empowering colleagues and advocating for the next generation of communicators. She is the CEO of Connext, Silicon Valley’s marketing and communications consultancy. For two decades, her company has made life easier for hundreds of technology clients with specialized contractors ranging from recent grads to senior strategists. Current clients include Adobe, LinkedIn, Google, and Salesforce. René also passes on her real-world experience to students as an adjunct public relations professor at San Jose State University.

As an entrepreneur, René’s been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Working Mother, Newsweek Japan, CNBC, and Dan Pink’s Free Agent Nation, among others. She’s also been a regular columnist for Inc.com and a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, career strategies, and personal branding.

Anyone interested in learning more about Connext can reach René at rene@connextme.com.

 

Join us for the “FriendWorking” Networking Event on 8/15

Hello Everyone,

I am speaking at an event next week on how to network in a more personal and authentic way, with the idea of helping others first. I call the idea “FriendWorking” since it taps into the magic of friends helping friends.

Though I’ve hosted KIT List FriendWorking events over the years, I’m actually the guest speaker for this event hosted by the Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP).

Now that that the ASAP has already invited their members —  I can now invite our KIT List people! But there is a limit of 40 spots, so the event will close soon.

This is also open to anyone who would like to network in a much more effective and enjoyable way!

Join us for this special evening of FriendWorking to grow and deepen your network by connecting in more meaningful ways. 
I will be teaching the same techniques that I share at the KIT List events — and have everyone mix and meet through some fun and very informative exercises!

Grow Your Network Under the Summer Sun (“FriendWorking” Event)

Wednesday, 8/15

6:00 – 8:00 PM

Workspan

950 Tower Lane, Suite 1975

Foster City, CA

Please register here by 8/14

NOTE: There is a $30 charge for this event since it is hosted by the Association of Strategic Alliance Partners, and it is not a KIT List event.

Just remember, a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet! It’s worth it to make the effort to get out and meet new people and see what magic unfolds…

I hope to see you there!

Sue

1/17 Networking Event: Using Social to Land Your Job from a LinkedIn Expert

Hi Everyone,

I heard Oscar Garcia, former Community manager at LinkedIn, speak at the Santa Clara Library a few months ago and was very impressed with his tips and strategies which he shared. I learned things I didn’t know about! I’m going to this event, too!

The Santa Clara Library is hosting another event with Oscar — combined with a networking opportunity to put your social skills to work in a comfortable and in-person environment.

Kick off the new year with some effective and positive networking — and land your dream job.

Here’s to a very special 2017 for all you!

– Sue

 
Networking 101: Socializing to Get Your Next Job (Free Event)

Tue, January 17, 2017
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PST (networking after)

Santa Clara Library – Northside Branch
695 Moreland Way
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Register (space is limited):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/networking-101-socializing-to-get-your-next-job-tickets-30599289298?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing

Most people are finding their next job opportunities or promotions through their network. Gone are the days of sending in your resume through the computer. It is not about “what you know” as much as “who you know” that could get your next job.

Learn from Oscar Garcia, CEO of Aspira (and former Community Manager at LinkedIn) on how to cultivate and maintain a thriving network to find our next opportunity.

Then following Oscar’s presentation, there will be a networking after-party at Yan Can Asian Bistro in Rivermark where you can work on your socializing and networking skills (it’s just across the street!).

This program is sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.

5 Ways to Building Meaningful Connections on LinkedIn

Hi Everyone,

When I saw the “Top Entrepreneurs in the Bay Area on LinkedIn” with my friend Jayne Brodie’s wonderful face on that list, I asked her to share her methods for doubling her network with our KIT List community. Read on!

– Sue

I have actively been using LinkedIn for the last 3 months to grow my business, and have learned very quickly that making strong connections on LinkedIn is very similar to making strong and meaningful connections live.

During these past few months, I’ve doubled the size of my LinkedIn Network, increased the size of my personal sales by 18%, and made some powerful and profitable new connections; and equally important, my sales funnel is full.

Now more than ever with the holidays in full swing, it’s a great time to leverage LinkedIn as a way to solidify connections and keep in touch.

Here are My 5 Steps to Building Meaningful Connections:

1. Clearly identify your target market – who are you looking for?
   Before you start your search using LinkedIn, first create a profile (in Word or Excel) of your ideal connection and then list keywords to search for them.  Be clear about who you’re looking for and what their key traits are…some examples would be entrepreneur, wellness coach, personal trainer, jewelry designer, whoever is a candidate for buying your services, or connecting you to someone who would buy or fill a need that you have in your organization. You can narrow this down by zip code or geographic area as well if your services are local, or go national or international if they are not.

2. Look for people that are active on LinkedIn, with over 500 connections.
   Since you are using this platform to network you want to find others that are doing the same. In both the laptop and mobile devices, this feature is in their profile summary at the top of their profile page.

3. Create “Advanced Search” criteria to narrow your search down and find commonality with your market.
   You can do this by zip code, what college you went to…any key phrase. On a laptop or desktop, this feature is located to the right of the search bar at the top of the page. (At this time, this feature is not available on mobile devices.)

Advanced Tip: You can look for multiple areas in common with connections as well which boosts response rates. Example: If you market to personal trainers, you could look for personal trainers that are also alumni of your college, have a specialty within their profession, or that share another common interest or have a really specific need you could fulfill.  This gives you multiple touch points to begin your connection with. You want to show you’ve done your homework (it’s a fast process) and stand out from the crowd.

4.  Reach out with a personalized message about what you have in common with them and why you want to connect.
   Don’t send out the standard LinkedIn connection message, and don’t pitch your services right away! Your goal is to build rapport, relationship, and create a true connection. Not everyone will respond. It’s truly a numbers game and you have to reach out to enough people to find those true connections.

Advanced Tip: When you hit the “Connect” option a drop down list will come up with options about how you know this person / why you want to connect. I always choose “friend” so LinkedIn doesn’t question that connection. Go down to the “Include a Personal Note” section and type in a personal note.

Example: With the personal trainer example we started with, here’s what I would write if I coached personal trainers and was looking for connections: “Hi Paula! I saw your profile and wanted to connect as we have so much in common. We are both alumni of XXX and I work with Personal Trainers!” That’s it!  You will stand out by creating curiosity and being relevant. By going the extra mile and really creating that relationship (and interest) up front, your acceptance rate will be higher and you’re inviting a conversation right away.

5. When the connection is accepted, reach back out and start a conversation.
   I never say anything about myself until asked, I ask questions about them — what they do and how LinkedIn is working for them, what types of clients do they work with, or how is business going? Whatever seems most relevant to them by what they’ve put out there on their profile. Sometimes this means going back and forth five times, sometimes once. When the conversation gets going, I always take it offline with a phone call or coffee. The chat feature is amazing to start the ball rolling, but it’s not a true conversation tool.  The key is to leverage it to then begin the real conversation offline.

When there is engagement after a few back and forth messages and if it’s a good match, take it offline so you can have a real conversation. The messaging component of LinkedIn has opened up so many doors, but it’s still a messaging platform. Conversation creates connection.

Top Tips to Keep The Momentum Going

1. Set a time on your calendar to work LinkedIn every day.
   15 minutes a day will go a long way. Make a goal to reach out to 5 new people a day and start connecting. If you can make it 30 minutes it will go that much faster. The key is consistency.
2. Over time your messaging folder will be really full. Avoid the temptation to just follow up and stay in the chat feature.
   To keep that sales funnel full, you must be doing two things…adding new people to it AND following up with those with whom you’ve started conversations.
3. Once I started offline conversations, I moved these connections over to my regular CRM system so I could track them and keep everything systematized in terms of follow up.
   The good news is you will build a lot of new connections…and make sure you have a way of tracking them that works for you.

 

About the Author:   

Jayne Brodie is a lifelong entrepreneur. After a long and successful career owning an ad agency, she made a career change after turning 50. You can learn more about Jayne and connect with her on LinkedIn. She was able to reach the “Top Entrepreneurs in the Bay Area on LinkedIn” by the daily activity listed above and continues to leverage LinkedIn in support of her rapidly growing business, coaching women entrepreneurs on how to create residual income streams alongside their busy lives.

Job Seekers’ Seminar on “Creating Your Great Elevator Pitch” on 12/3

Hello Everyone,

There is a great Job Seekers’ seminar coming up on Thursday, December 3, 2015.

This seminar is sponsored by CSIX Connect, which is a terrrific job search and networking group for which I have a lot of admiration. CSIX’s founder, Hamid Saadat, was kind enough to share his job search expertise with the KIT List community on one of the TV programs I hosted, called “Get That Job!” If you’d like to see the YouTube video of the show, and hear Hamid’s sage advice along with another HR hiring expert, Tom Brouchoud, Head of Talent Acquisition at EMC and former Director of Global Talent at Sandisk. You can watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHSlVMUbNuE

Please pass this information on to other friends who want to create an effective Elevator Pitch that will attract the right job to them!

Warmly,

Sue

Job Seekers’ Seminar
Your Elevator Pitch: Making Your ’30-second Commercial’ Really Work for You!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Saratoga Federated Church
Richards Hall, located at 20390 Park Place
Saratoga, CA 95070
The cost to attend this meeting is $10 — cash only, no checks or credit cards. The fee covers program, lunch, tax, and tip.

RSVP at the CSIX Meetup site:
http://www.meetup.com/CSIX-Connect/events/226029593/

Delores Marik Ph.D.

The Job Seekers’ seminar will be part of CSIX Connect’s regular weekly meeting. It will be presented by another great friend of mine, Delores (Dee) Marik Ph.D., with whom I had the pleasure of working when I was consulting at Hewlett-Packard. Dee now has her own coaching practice — and I can tell you from personal experience how great she is in career coaching and resume advice since she gave me excellent feedback on my own resume! You can find out more about Dee and her coaching work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marik

This seminar will focus on your Elevator Pitch, also known as “Your 30-second commercial.” Dee will discuss what an elevator pitch is, why you need one, and when you should use it, and how to make it work best. Plus, there will be an opportunity for you to create and practice your elevator pitch during the meeting.

The CSIX weekly meeting agenda is as follows:

10:00 – 10:30   Arrival of attendees, check-in, open networking
10:30 – 10:40   Meeting starts, new member introductions
10:40 – 10:55   Job leads, contact requests, announcements, etc.
10:55 – 11:10   Open networking
11:10 – 12:00   Speaker presentation
12:00 – 1:00     Lunch and table networking

CSIX Connect is a Silicon Valley job searchers’ networking and support group that meets every Thursday at 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  If you are actively looking for a job, it’s a smart idea to join them on a regular basis!

For further information about CSIX Connect, including information about parking restrictions and future programs, please visit http://www.csix.org.

Job Fair in San Jose next Wednesday, November 4th

Hi Everyone,

I want to share news about job fairs, networking events, and other free career resources that are available in the greater Bay Area and beyond. If you hear of something, please email me and I will share it with our KIT List community!

It’s really worth it to go to job fairs, since I can speak from personal experience — I found a job myself early in my career at a job fair. Meeting the HR teams personally is a tremendous advantage. 

So, put on your best professional attire, print out a bunch of resumes, give yourself a positive pep talk for confidence building, put a smile on your face and…GO!!!

There are a series of job fairs coming up through HIREevent in San Jose (11/4), San Francisco (12/7), Modesto (11/17), and Sacramento (12/8). The full list can be found at www.hirevents.com.

Here are the details for the San Jose job fair:

Silicon Valley HIREevent

Wednesday, November 4th

Noon – 4:00 PM
Biltmore Hotel
2151 Laurelwood Road

Santa Clara, CA 95054

Even if you think you may be too senior to go to some of these events, I always think it’s worth it to just get out and interact with new groups of people with whom you’d never have exposure. Also, the companies there have jobs all levels, so you just never know what might be the perfect fit for you!

If you aren’t an extroverted type of person (and even extroverts feel uncomfortable at these types of events, by the way!) grab a friend for mutual moral support and make the effort to go.

Half the advantage of doing this is simply getting out of the house. If you are in between opportunities, it’s always important to just…get…out!

Take advantage of the many opportunities for networking groups and professional organizations to get exposure to people in your particular field. It’s worth it to go to the lunch or dinner for your local professional business organization.

A different way to look at networking 

I firmly believe in the concept of what I call “Friendworking” since I am not fond of the word networking. Like most people, I feel uncomfortable with usual way of networking, even though most people would consider me an extrovert. In truth, everyone feels uncomfortable and awkward at these types of events, and I somehow felt that it seemed self-serving.

I found a way to turn it around in my own mind so that I could feel authentic and really tap into the true power of helping people. It creates this magical momentum that actually ends up attracting good things for yourself as well.

The idea of Friendworking is to go instead with an attitude of “I’m going to go there to help and connect others.” It puts you in a stronger role of a host, looking out for others and making THEM feel more comfortable, introducing them to other people at the event, and having a “What can I do to help YOU?” attitude. This actually changes your demeanor and body language, and you’ll actually feel more relaxed! I wrote more about it in a previous blog post:

https://kitlist.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/it%E2%80%99s-your-%E2%80%9Cfriendwork%E2%80%9D-not-a-network/

Try out the concept of Friendworking yourself, and remember that even in a room full of strangers…that a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet!

Have some fun with the process, go with an attitude of helping others, and see what happens!

Warmly,

Sue

It’s Worth it to Reply to Job Postings!

Hi Everyone,

You don’t see the emails we get from people who’ve landed jobs from the KIT List, so I want to encourage you to keep up your efforts. It really is WORTH it!

In fact, with the new KIT List web site that’s in final development, I’ll have a Testimonials section where you can read quotes from our KIT List recruiters and employers who’ve hired great people — and from job seekers who’ve landed jobs that will help keep you inspired!

I know it can be discouraging when you’re in the job-search mode. I also hear many job seekers worry that their resumes go into a black hole when they reply to jobs on the web. On the big sites, that can be true.

With the KIT List, there’s a big difference:

• Your email goes directly to the recruiter or hiring person who posted the job.
• Since we purposely don’t market the KIT List, the people on the KIT List have been referred by another friend or colleague. This has kept the quality of the people on the list high as top people refer other talented people.
• Since we’re smaller than the huge job boards, you’re not one of hundreds replying to a job and getting sorted via a software screening program, so your response will be seen by a real person.

For that reason, it’s also important to take the time to write even a brief cover note when you reply to a KIT List job.

Don’t Overlook the Power of a Good Cover Letter

Over the years, I’ve seen people blow their chance to make a good impression either by not including a cover note at all, or by writing the following:

• “Is this job still open?” Of course it is, they just posted it!
• “What’s the rate (or salary)?” Please don’t do that! Instead, show your interest and value to them first. Save the salary query until the interview, and better yet, let them bring it up!
• “Here’s my resume”

Tips for Your Cover Letter

I’ve talked to many recruiters over the years, and even had them as panelists at KIT List events and on the KIT List TV Show. Some recruiters don’t really look at cover letters, but you’d be surprised that so many actually do! Don’t run the risk of getting weeded out by not having a cover letter when it’s a recruiter or hiring manager who DOES care about a cover letter.

Your cover letter can be brief, but these are a few things that you should include:

• Something stating your interest in the role
•  The actual job title since they are likely hiring for multiple roles
• A few bullets from your experience that pertain to the key requirements listed in the job description
• Make sure you do not have any typos or grammatical errors
• Include a nice closing statement
• Your name and a good number to reach you

Avoid These Other Common Mistakes

It’s also a mistake is to reply to a job for which you are not remotely a fit. You don’t have to be a perfect match with all the requirements, but some people get a bad reputation for replying to just any job. Stay on focus and you’ll be a stronger candidate.

Another mistake is that you get put off by a long list of requirements and you don’t feel like you’re an exact fit. Job descriptions can be unintentionally misleading if it’s been cut and pasted from many other job posts, or if the person writing it didn’t research it well with the hiring manager. I’ve asked recruiters and they said that if you’re a 75% to 80% match with the job requirements to GO FOR IT! Don’t disqualify yourself prematurely.

Don’t get disheartened during the job search process. You never know what effort will be the one that will connect you with the right job. Keep at it, make a great impression with a good cover letter, and we hope you find a job you love soon!

Free Phone Interview Preparation for Women on 9/16

Hello Everyone,

The Silicon Valley and Bay Area are quite robust with free and low-cost career and job resources.

One upcoming event is worth attending since so much of the job search process depends on successful phone interviews before you ever meet the team in person. It’s always a smart idea to keep those skills fresh, especially if it’s been a while since your last search, or to pick up some essential tips if you don’t feel you project your best over the phone.

This event is being conducted free-of-charge by the experts at CareerGenerations in a unique spot in Palo Alto called Deborah’s Palm Women’s Center.

The details are below and feel free to share this with other women who’d benefit from this free training!

Warmly,

Sue

Free Phone Interview Training for Women

Wednesday, Sept. 16

5:30 – 7:00pm

Deborah’s Palm Women’s Center 

555 Lytton Avenue

Palo Alto, CA  94301

Parking is available behind the house (cross streets are Webster & Cowper) at 555 Everett Court.

Employers are starting the interview process with the often challenging “phone screen.” Come and find out how you can best prepare yourself for these meetings so you can move on in the interview process as smoothly and quickly as possible!

The session is free, but pre-registration is required. Light refreshments provided.

Join this fun, interactive session where you’ll learn how to leverage your strengths, distinguish yourself, and be more comfortable during phone interviews.

No cost. Pre-registration is required.

Please note this session is for women only.

To Register, please click here. 

If you have problems with the link, below is the full URL:

http://careergenerations.com/events/free-phone-screen-interview-prep-for-women-sept-16/

About Deborah’s Palm:

www.DeborahsPalm.com

Deborah’s Palm is a non-profit organization offering all women a place to unwind, connect with others, discover new options, and restore a sense of well-being. In a warm and welcoming environment, women can find encouragement and support via professional counseling, access to resources, activities, classes, mentoring and community service projects.