As a career consultant, I’m on the lookout for books to recommend to my clients, especially those faced with unexpected job loss. Career Comeback passes the test.

One preliminary note: The cover refers to failed business ventures, but this topic does not appear to be covered. Publishers, not authors, usually write cover copy, so we can’t fault Richardson. I believe you’d have to make major adaptations to these 8 steps if your business goes south.

The most valuable information comes in the first half of the book: dealing with being fired and job loss. I agree with just about everything Richardson says. He’s one of the few authors to recommend sitting down with a financial planner right after you talk to your family. His advice on dealing with an employer after being fired is very sound. And many will find the exercises useful: Review what went wrong — in and out of your control.

So mostly I like Steps 1-4 of Richardson’s 8-step program.

Step 5 (“Find out what matters to you”) is a good start, but I think Richardson underestimates the degree to which we identify with our professions. “You’re still the same person” strikes me as one of those irritating, useless bromides. Many of us will be branded as an “ex” for a long time and will have difficulty losing that identity, no matter how hard we try. And the experience of losing a career we love can change us in deep ways.

“One role is temporarily diminished while another moves into its place…” won’t help those who identify strongly with a profession. And your other roles will be affected by job loss. Friends view you differently. You may not be able to afford the activities you enjoyed with your friends and family. Some arts organizations actually encourage high-level volunteers to leave when they no longer hold jobs.

Steps 6 and 7 – “Find your next move” and “Find your next job” — are necessarily oversimplified because they’re single chapters on topics deserving a whole book. “Go back to an old job” is possible but not likely, and you’ll be in a one-down position. And downshifting to a smaller company probably won’t hurt your career – but it might.

I disagree most strongly with sections on testing. If you’re unemployed and money is tight, skip the tests. At mid-career, they’ll almost always show you’re best qualified for the job you have. And most career tests are so unreliable they shouldn’t be used for guidance.

The section on hiring coaches and counselors needs to be expanded. Many “career coaches” have little experience with careers, except their own. Some offer expertise; others have “training” in asking questions and helping you “find the answers within you.” And you have to decide if you agree with value systems like “law of attraction.”

The fee range quoted for coaches and counselors is low. I think you should expect to pay a minimum of $125 – $250 for a single session, which may or may not include follow-ups and advance reading of materials. I do know of some coaches and counselors who offer lower fees and frankly, you get what you pay for. Packages cost less and (as the author correctly says) are more helpful.

And to choose a consultant, I recommend reviewing his or her website, brochures and other writing. Invest a few bucks in an e-book before signing up. Coaching organizations do not “verify skills.” I once tried to report an “accredited” coach’s unethical conduct. Both coaching school and ICF refused to get involved, let alone take the coach’s name off their “recommended” lists.

Step 8, “back on track,” is quite good, especially sections on buyer’s remorse and admitting you made a mistake. I would add that a return to work, following a long break or layoff, could be the perfect time to start working with a career coach. Learn from experience and make a good first start. I don’t think we ever make a “complete comeback.” We simply make progress. And, as I noted earlier, we’re different.

Despite these quibbles, I’d recommend this book to clients and website visitors who need to go from Setback to Comeback. You could do a lot worse.
Order here.

“Norman” was experiencing sticker shock. After years of career success in the corporate world, he had accumulated a healthy nest egg.

But now Norman faced a midlife career crisis. He had just learned his division would be shutting down. To keep his job, he would have to relocate to a distant part of the country. Finding a new job meant fighting age discrimination.

So, Norman thought, why not launch an Internet marketing business? He began exploring and collecting information.

Norman first encountered sticker shock when he learned about the world of Internet marketing seminars.

“Over seven hundred dollars for two days? That’s outrageous!” he exclaimed.

When you’re facing a major career crisis, it’s hard to evaluate prices. I like to draw an analogy with getting a flat tire in the middle of the night. You haven’t bought tires for years and you have no idea what’s realistic.

Worse, you feel stranded. You feel you have to make decisions right away.

And you feel like money keeps dripping away. For career change, the expenses add up. Travel. Moving. Resume Services. Business Start-up.

But I take a different view. I encourage clients to banish words like “cheap” and “expensive” from their vocabularies — forever. Instead, I encourage everyone to respond to sticker shock with three questions.

(a) How does this price relate to the market?

Maybe you’re paying too much. Maybe not.

Before hiring a consultant, attending a seminar, choosing a moving company or buying computer equipment, do some research. Learn the going rate.

Sometimes you’ll get increased value by paying more. Sometimes you won’t. But you should be suspicious of offerings that are way below or way above market price.

Author Barbara Ehrenreich, posing as a corporate job hunter, hired a resume coach who charged by the hour. As reported in her best selling book, Bait and Switch, Ehrenreich’s bill grew larger and larger as the coach found more and more ways to make the resume “perfect.”

Had Ehrenreich checked the market, she would have learned that many resume consultants charge a flat fee, not an hourly rate.

(b) Will you get value for your payment?

Spending a thousand dollars seems like a lot of money…but not if it’s the best way to earn two, three or even ten thousand dollars.

But throwing money at a career or business challenge won’t work either. You have to choose resources that make sense for you as an individual. I know lots of career changers who invested big bucks in education and training – only to realize the promised opportunities didn’t fit their unique profiles.

Norman’s seminar actually was a good value because comparable seminars cost at least twice as much. And a seminar would save him months of research time as he explored new business opportunities. He would meet a dozen experienced, successful entrepreneurs – all potential mentors and role models – in one location. To get comparable value, he’d have to travel all over the country or rely on phone and email connections.

(c) What’s your time frame?

Most clients lose money by trying to move too fast – not paying for coaches, consultants and seminars. They don’t invest time in researching options.

And let’s face it: If you haven’t dealt with a career crisis for a long time, you may not know where to begin. You’re like a motorist who has never had a flat tire – someone who’s misplaced the auto club number or even let the membership lapse because “this will never happen to me.”

One client spent a significant sum to have her resume “blasted” to a thousand employers. She actually was harmed because her name became associated with a company that was distrusted by most legitimate recruiters in her field.

Another client reacted to job loss by calling real estate agents to sell his house. “I need a change of scene,” he declared, making more calls to moving companies.

Six months later, he felt stranded. Someone suggested he give me a call. “I thought I’d love living here – but I hate it,” he said. “I didn’t even know what questions to ask before I came.”

Bottom Line: “Expensive” and “cheap” have new meanings during a career crisis. To transform breakdowns to breakthroughs, we need to discover new ways to think about money.

Based on Transform Your Dollars to Dreams
Learn more.

That was the title of a recent New York Times article. You can read it here.

The gist of the article is this: In today’s tight job market, companies can attract talent they’d ordinarily never see. And despite conventional wisdom, many of these overqualified hires are working out.

Here’s what I think (and please add your own comments below):

First, these jobs seem to work out when the company feels pleased and excited to get this talent bonus. If a company has reservations about the new hire, these feelings will carry over.

Second, you have to be honest with yourself. Some people have no problem working in downsized jobs. Others won’t. If you’re in the latter category, you may have to find a way to earn a living, perhaps by starting your own business.

Many people find it easier to take a step back when they are either self-employed or moving to a new career field. That’s why many qualified professionals begin an online career as Virtual Assistants: they’re actually running a business and they can fire their bosses anytime.

Before you invest in a stock you might ask your broker what kind of research has been done on the company issuing the stock. You might be especially interested in recent developments: a new patent, a lawsuit, a catastrophe, or even a world event that affects the company. For instance, an airline that draws significant revenue from a particular international route  might be affected by an outbreak of war, regardless of whether the airline’s own country is involved.

(1) Be sensitive to projects  are on the edge. If you are working on a project for a company client, talk to the account exec and sales reps. Be sensitive to any shakiness in the account that might shut down the project.

(2) Study your boss’s priorities (and, if appropriate, the agenda of your boss’s boss). For instance, your boss may have been told to push sales of a particular product or service package. If your own activities do not relate to that product, you might be in a one-down position when you ask for anything.

(3) Don’t assume your boss is more informed than you are (or that she will share the information with you). Talk to people in other departments of the company. Set up google alerts for your company as well as for key people in that company. One administrator at a private university wondered why she wasn’t getting more budget when enrollment was up and profits seemed to be increasing. An Internet scan revealed that the university had pay back certain student loan funds that were collected inappropriately.  There was no hint of criminal action, but the school would have unexpected expenses and a cash shortfall. The administrator not only understood why her projects weren’t getting funded; she developed a new insight into the way information was shared.

Finally, work with facts but pay attention to rumors. Rumors can be wildly exaggerated but often contain some basis in reality. Even more, a persistent rumor can tell you a lot about the company’s culture.

For more information on planning a strategy for your own career, see http://www.midlifecareerstrategy.com/coaching.html

Here’s an article with the title of Five Rules for Job Security from the CBS Moneywatch site.

But in fact they are not about giving you job security. Nobody can do that. Instead, they are about

• mitigating the effects of job loss and
• protecting your financial security in the event of job loss.

The distinction is important. These days you can’t count on job security, although it makes a great headline. The story opens with an anecdote about a marketing executive who was unexpectedly laid off. Fortunately, he had already started a part-time Internet business. He was able to bring in enough revenue to keep paying the bills till he found another job.

What the article doesn’t add is that having this financial security probably gave this man an edge when he applied fora new job. Employers tend to hire people who are confident. I like to think that getting a job is like getting a bank loan. It’s easier when you don’t need it.

This man’s approach, along witih the other techniques proposed in the article, seem to suggest creating a form of career insurance. By way of analogy, when someone steals a precious possession, your insurance allows you to replace it. Nothing guarantees that your object won’t be lost stolen. But insurance can mitigate the damage.

I’d be happy to talk to you about ways to develop your own career insurance. Click on my coaching page to learn more about my services.Ca

A job interview can be scary and stressful. After all, just getting to the interview meant you had to jump through hoops. You might be one of six interviewees chosen from over 300 applicants. But getting past the other five can be a minefield.

One challenge clients often raise is, “What about my problems with my boss in the job I just left?”

or

“What if my new boss is an acquaintance of my old boss?”

For instance, one career changer told me, “I’ve been job hunting for a long time. My past boss was abusive and he didn’t like me. It’s a small world. What should I do?”

Relax. Chances are your old boss is just a ghost who will never materialize in daylight. Your old and new boss probably don’t know each other. The odds of your name coming up are quite small. Of course, if your new employer calls your former boss for an off-the-record chat, there’s nothing you can do. You won’t even know about it, since those chats probably violate company policy. Still, the odds are in your favor. Bosses know they will look bad when they insult a former employee, unless they have straightforward factual information.

During your interview, you don’t need to bring up the past, recent or distant. If you are asked directly about your previous job, focus on enjoying a positive experience. Focus on what you learned, not what went wrong.

Your interviewer is not your therapist. She wants the answer to one question: “How will you contribute to the organization, department and mission? How will you make her look good?” Regardless of what you are asked, imagine framing your answer as, “The way I will contribute is…”

One surefire tip to banish ghosts: Make a list of all the ghosts that could possibly appear to embarrass you. For example:

Ghost #1: You’ve been out of work for eight months. You might be asked, “What have you been doing?”

Ghost #2: “Why did you leave your job? Why aren’t you working again?”

Think of every possible awkward or difficult question. Write out the answer as a soundbite that focuses on your contribution. Consider reviewing your responses with a career consultant or coach.

And I invite you to learn more:
Irrevent Guide to Mid-Career Job Search: Click here.
Consulting and Coaching (Often just an hour will make a huge difference): Click here.

When I work with clients or create ebooks, I typically advise, “When an interview is over, it’s done.” I do recommend a certain amount of follow-up. Perhaps you could write a note or call to say something, “I just wanted to know where you are in your process.”

These days, when so much business is conducted by email, your application can be lost. In fact, I tell my own readers and prospective clients, “If you don’t hear from me in a day or two, please try again.” But I discourage seeking feedback from potential employers. They’ll rarely be honest because (a) they’re afraid of lawsuits, (b) they don’t know themselves or (c) they can’t tell you the real reason they didn’t hire you is that somebody’s nephew gets priority.

But one laid-off senior executive seems to be using a request for feedback as a reason to get in touch with a hiring decision-maker. This mid-life career changer turned a no-response into a consulting assignment. He obviously has strong communication skills: no surprise because he has a stellar track record. Read the full story here.

This story, from the WSJ’s career section, deserves notice because it comes from a WSJ blog of laid-off executives with stellar credentials, living proof that an Ivy League degree doesn’t make anyone bullet-proof.

For my own resources on job hunting, visit my list of Special Reports and my coaching opportunities.

http://blogs.wsj.com/laidoff/2009/08/31/after-several-interviews-patiently-waiting-for-answers/?mod=rss_WSJBlog

An examiner.com columnist wrote an in-your-face column about job-seekers who won’t take action. In this case, he encouraged them to make calls to coaches to get “free” advice. He couldn’t understand why coaches weren’t being inundated with free calls.

Wow…did he get an earful! Most of the comments were scathing.

Read the article and comments here and (in case you can’t see it) below is my response. Please click on “comments” to add your input to this blog (and “share this” if you would like others to see it).

As a career consultant, I would discourage anyone from calling a coach for “free advice and tips” unless you are seriously interested in following up with paid coaching. Here’s why:

(1) Most coaches use their “free” calls as sales calls. Marketing coaches teach techniques for turning the free call into a way to convert queries to clients. You won’t get a lot of great advice in a short call.

[That's why I stopped offering free calls awhile back. Instead, prospective clients can listen to hour-long mp3 calls where they find out what I'm really like.]

(2) Coaches are busy. Even though they say, “No obligation,” I don’t think it’s ethical to take an hour of someone’s time if you have no intention of buying. Anyway, many of the most successful coaches are too busy to take calls.

(3) Free calls typically don’t help you make a wise decision about hiring a coach. I like to say, “The whole dynamic shifts when money changes hands.”

(4) You can get lots of free info when you visit sites by career coaches: articles, mp3 recordings, even live teleseminars. That’s a legitimate way to get free help.

(5) Not everyone is coach-able. Not every situation benefits from coaching. And no coach is right for everyone.

Please click on the “Comments” button to add your opinion.

Ford Myers : Get The Job You Want Even  When No One’s Hiring

This book is one of the better career change and job search books I’ve read in a while. The best sections come at the beginning (as happens with most career books). There’s good advice on introspection and I especially like the Ideal Day Exercise.

The book is divided into bite-size chapters, each just a page or two. With the Table of Contents, it’s easy to find what you want.

Chapters 7 and 8 are especially good.  Career advice in the 21st century has been turned upside down. You can’t stop the storm so learn to walk in the rain. Yes!

For implementation, I like the advice on networking. Myers is right: These days, job search doesn’t include networking. It’s ALL networking.

The resume sections look good, but I would check with people in your own industry. I still find it hard to believe people get jobs with functional resumes. There’s a good example of a cover letter on page 124.

Some quibbles:

On page 27, the author suggests substitute teaching as a temporary stopgap career. I’ve never heard of substitute teaching in “colleges and universities.” The closest reality would be taking a position as an adjunct, where you teach one course for $1500-$3000. You get lots of work and little respect. Sometimes those jobs do help you network but you can’t count on it. If you’ve never taught, you’ll be amazed at how much energy you need (even for a 50-minute college class) and how tired you’ll feel afterward.

On page 168, the author provides a good sample acceptance letter – for an entry or lower-level job. For a job paying over $70,000 (the salary mentioned) you won’t be expected to track your hours and you probably won’t get by with 35 hours a week. An executive acceptance letter would have more detail.

Obviously reviewers can’t comment on every single chapter. However, I want to emphasize that Myers wisely warns readers about scams. He doesn’t go far enough. I once got hired by an executive who decided to pay for a resume blasting service, i.e., get his resume sent to thousands of “hiring managers.” They promised to “put him in front of” employers who had the power to hire him.

I explained that only recruiters (also known as headhunters) could do this legitimately. Nevertheless, he was not deterred. He’s not alone. The author would do many job hunters a service by warning against specific scams and recommending steps to take when hiring a career coach or counselor. Sadly, many job hunters go for the scams and then distrust legitimate professionals who warn them. They think we’re being self-serving. By the time they figure things out, they can’t afford the real deal.

Yesterday I met a smart, attractive twenty-something executive at a networking event. He described himself as, “Unemployed.”

But after about five minutes of conversation, it was clear that he’s not really “unemployed.” He’s keeping busy with consulting assignments. He has a workload many longtime self-employed professionals would envy.

“I’m not really a consultant,” he said.

Why not? You don’t need a license. You’re walking the talk. Go for it.

Often people who get laid off find themselves taking on projects…and they get so busy they stop looking for corporate jobs. What’s wrong with that?