Interview Series - Career Experts - Julia Erickson from My Right Fit Job CareerMetis.com

Interview Series - Career Experts - Julia Erickson from My Right Fit Job In this interview series, we caught up with Julia Erickson from My Right Fit Jobwho shares her expertise and insights about job search, career change, etc. in today’s marketplace.Tell us a little bit about your companyevalI help people find and do their “right fit” work â€" work they love doing and where they provide the most value to an employer.I craft marketing materials for them to find their next gig, coach them to be most effective, and help them get promoted.How did you get started in this path?I decided coaching was something I could do because I’d always coached my staff, had had a coach for years, and had an MBA in leadership.I started by posting one ad offering free coaching, and built the company from a single client who referred me to a few other people.I began by offering free or low-cost coaching to help me develop my system, gain confidence in my ability, and gather material for blog posts that eventually became a book.Is this something you decided early on in your career?The bulk of my career was in non-profit management and leadership.After some health issues emerged, I could no longer manage a full-time position nor a long commute.I needed to find something that used my brain and could be done from home.Career coaching turned out to be the one path that emerged from several that fulfilled me and really helped other people.What is the Best Career Advice You’ve ever received?I’ve received a lot of great career advice.First is to do every job with excellence, and doing more than is asked of me. That way, I would be noticed by those in positions to promote me. It did work, when I asked for the promotions.Second, I was told to keep my resume updated, and always be looking for my next job. I did this, and it kept me aware of my marketability as well as helping me appreciate my current job â€" and I was ready when someone recommended me for a job.Third, it was suggested that I keep up relationships with people I’d worked with or for, j ust because I liked them. Those were the people who ended up recommending me for great jobs.And finally, my father always said to hire people smarter than me in their areas of expertise, which I did. It resulted in my building a fabulous team who in turn built a great organization. I was confident in my own abilities so wasn’t threatened by them, and we had lots of fun doing excellent work together.evalWhat is the most exciting part of working in thisindustry?I love seeing people start to feel really confident in their abilities and their capacity to have an impact on a company or field.That confidence always makes a great impression on potential employers, and means they will land a job they want in fairly short order.How do to stay abreast of the industry as an expert?I have a community of people on Twitter and LinkedIn with whom I engage and share information and tips with, plus I read a LOT.I find great information about the work world and hiring everywhere, including Harvard Business Review, SHRM, Fast Company, Twitter, LinkedIn, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, O Magazine...also podcasts and television shows.Plus my clients teach me a lot, especially those who hire.What are some of the things that you see job seekers struggle with the most?Most job seekers struggle with knowing what employers are really looking for. They may think only of their own needs, when the truth is that employers don’t care about them.Employers only care about their own needs and how the prospective employee can help solve the employer’s problem.I also find that very few job seekers know how job search actually works. We’re not taught how to find a job, so most people have a very unrealistic idea of what they have to do to find a job. It takes a lot more time and effort than many people think they have to put in.What are the common mistakes that you see them do?Common mistakes include:Writing a resume that lists only what you did or do at jobs instead of what diff erence you made.Sending a generic cover letter or no cover letter at all.Trying to give the “right” answer in an interview instead of YOUR answer â€" because employers want a real person, not a fake.Applying to every job you can instead of focusing on jobs that will use YOUR talents and skills and for which you can make the case that you are a good fit.How should job seekers approach job search today?The smartest job seekers will find and work with a career coach, someone who knows how job search works today.If they don’t want to do that, then they need to go to the best blogs and read them to get the best advice about what to do.They need to be willing to put in a lot of time and effort.Job search is at least a part-time job. It requires research, writing, personalizing cover letters, writing a resume focused on accomplishments and impact, and above all networking.Approach job search as a marketing campaign, where you are marketing your “features and benefits” to employer s who need exactly what you can produce in terms of impact.What is the biggest trendJulia Erickson and My Right Fit Job have also been featured in our recent compilation of the most resourceful career experts and career blogs â€" Top Career Advice Websites.