JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Paul Hill, author of The Panic Free Job Search: Unleash the Power of the Web and Social Networking to Get Hired
(Career Press)
The Panic Free Job Search will transform you. You will become self-confident, focused, and have the clarity to know what you want in your next job and most importantly what actions to take to get the next job that will advance your career.
You will have a clear step-by step job search plan, the tools you need to find and impress the right decision makers, the ability to deploy effective tactical interview techniques, the know-how to close the deal and get the job that is right for you.
Regardless of your employment status, The Panic Free Job Search will show you how to be proactive and take ownership of your career management. You will learn how to be a candidate and not an applicant and how to avoid being sucked in to playing the “click and send” your resume lottery game.
Instead, you will exploit the new way employers find candidates through the web and social network sites and expand your career opportunities by attracting employers, recruiters, and other professionals to you so that you will never ever have to do a traditional job search again.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write The Panic Free Job Search: Unleash the Power of the Web and Social Networking to Get Hired?
Paul Hill: For over 25 years as a head hunter and President of an International recruitment firm, I dedicated my efforts to advancing professionals’ careers. When the last recession and financial crisis hit, I was slammed with professionals wanting my help to find them a job. The unfortunate part is, as a head hunter I could not help everyone and that weighed heavy on me. I found most of my days were spent being a psychologist helping dislocated workers deal with the devastation, loss of confidence, identity, and shame that unemployment wreaks on many. They were rudderless not knowing how to put together a job search plan, racked by financial uncertainty, and panicking over the fear of never being able to find another good job.
These job-hunters were relying on what I call the “click and send” lottery, applying to jobs online and not getting anywhere and constantly being pounded by rejection. By default, I was now not only a psychologist but also a trainer teaching people individually the ins and outs of the new job search. Having dealt with my fair share of challenges, I had developed a system over the years for getting myself back on track, achieving goals, and coming up on top which I gladly shared.
Those career professionals who followed my advice and got hired urged me to write a book. I had never considered writing a book but I knew in my heart that the unemployed as well as the unhappily employed could really benefit from my experience and insights.
I spent time visualizing what I wanted, then I set a goal to have my book published. I figured out who I would need on my side, and then I made a committed decision and jumped blindly and enthusiastically into the greatest and most challenging project of my life.
JP: What sets The Panic Free Job Search: Unleash the Power of the Web and Social Networking to Get Hired apart from other books in the same genre?
PH: Many books will teach you about passion or self-confidence or job search, but this book shows you all three with a specific emphasis on how to use innovative tools and tactics to manage your career as well as get you hired.
The book guides you through a system called A-C-T, alignment, confidence, and tactics. Regardless if you are devastated by job loss or employed and striving for a transition or a better job, the book gives you a system for overcoming your fears and anxieties, to become focused on an achievable new job or career goal. It provides solid research and “Smart Search” tactics, including promotional and marketing secrets that will help you reach the hidden job market, and it shows you how to attract employers with your irresistible offer, through ProfessionaliBranding; creating a compelling professional image online (not to be confused with personal branding), so you will never have to do a traditional job search again.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to The Panic Free Job Search: Unleash the Power of the Web and Social Networking to Get Hired getting out to the public?
PH: I believe one of the biggest influencers that is driving book sales is reputation or credibility – word of mouth or “social proof” – what others have to say about me and does what I teach work? One of the things I pride myself on is that every week I put myself out there to job hunters and broadcast an interactive show on Vokle that is live streamed on my site www.transitiontohired.com and on Facebook. I take questions live, from job-hunters, and I believe the accessibility job hunters have to me through my interactive show has really helped and will help push book sales up.
I have been in the job search trenches for over 26 years getting professionals hired and that track record builds immediate trust with job hunters. Nobody can guarantee that you will get hired nor do I, and my clients appreciate that I am honest about that. What they tell me they really like is I do guarantee they will be satisfied with my services and products.
What takes it over the top is the 5 star customer reviews about the book on Amazon and the testimonials on LinkedIn as well as on my site from satisfied clients.
Lastly, it takes a great team to bring it all together, from my website designers/developers, planners, my Chief Operating Officer, my literary agent, and my publisher – the quality of the book, layout, print, and editing is superior and that is the result of a great team effort at Career Press in NJ. I give major thanks and kudos to everyone who made this project possible.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish The Panic Free Job Search: Unleash the Power of the Web and Social Networking to Get Hired?
PH: This was and still is one of the greatest challenges of my life, I still look at it with a critical eye always jotting down improvements for the next edition. I worked on the book for over 3 years and often would write for 16 hours a day for weeks at a time. I wrote and re-wrote the book 3 times and I would always give myself a goal and deadline per chapter.
I write a chapter in 3 stages – I start by just writing not correcting anything, just with my head down never looking at the display. I just pour out what is in my mind. Once I finish a chapter, I let it percolate for a day or two. Then I print it out and start organizing my thoughts better on paper. I have another go at it arranging and doing my best to bring everything together on the computer. Again, I give it a break, and then I run through once more with a very critical eye and end up with a first stage finished product as I call it. Then I usually read it out loud to someone. This is when the real magic happens, and the chapter gets refined.
JP: What’s next for Paul Hill?
PH: Most people need a coach – someone to keep them on track in order to reach their goals, especially if they have been terminated. So many end up in a downward spiral, struggling, financially burdened and unemployed for a long time. Everyone learns differently, and I want to give professionals a complement to the book.
I am developing an audio series Get Hired: Your Personal Job Search Coach and Targeted Action Plan series which will be based on the book. As an audio series, a job hunter can take it with them anywhere and have me by their side with my voice and enthusiasm encouraging him/her to follow a step-by-step action plan. Just like in my book, I don’t just tell the job hunter what to do but show them step-by-step how to do it. It is a motivational series that gets people feeling good about themselves, gets them physically active, and gives them a guiding, but stern, hand to keep them on track to reach their goals.
http://www.TransitiontoHired.com
http://twitter.com/GetHiredFastTrk
LinkedIn http://ca.linkedin.com/in/gethiredfasttrackexpert
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/gethiredfasttrack
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