Holy grail of Personal CRM Tools

(Photo credit @stilclassics)

#careertip

One of the biggest challenges I see for my clients in their job searches is staying organized, when you have multiple applications out, you’re networking with all types of people, and then juggling interview prep + offer timelines. Most people are job searching while still working a full-time job & doing all sorts of other personal projects. And job searching in tech & startups is already a non-linear process – so adding structure on your side will help you feel more in control & help reduce stress. 

When you look for a tool(s) to support you in keeping organized, there are 4 important steps to keep in mind: 

1. Track everything: You will need to keep track of (a) all of your job applications and (b) all of the people you engage with (whether during networking or the application process). Then you can use that data to identify your conversion ratios (from application to 1st interview, from 1st interview to 2nd interview, from cold email to networking call, etc). 

2. Develop your process steps + cadence: Most jobseekers send out a flurry of applications or networking emails & then wait for…ever. You should plan to stay proactive wherever possible, and make sure to outline a specific process whereby you keep these tools updated and you have a cadence for follow-ups. 

3. Build in time for analysis + reflection weekly:  If you’ve done the first two things, you’ll have some good data to analyze your job search process. What has worked well? What hasn’t worked well? Try to stay objective here – I have had multiple clients who immediately assume that no response means no interest. Stepping back, it’s easier to observe that the company just got a round of funding and might be overwhelmed with processing the flood of applications. Then, you can decide how to strategically raise your profile to a recruiter, via a referral or a direct InMail or some other option. 

4. Ask for objective counsel: We all stress during a job search. Am I a good fit? Will this be the right next move? Did I apply to too many places? Or not enough?? This is where a coach or a networking contact can be helpful. A networking contact can help give you insider information about the company you are applying to or in process with (for example, the recruiting team is overwhelmed or there is a hiring freeze, etc). A coach can help you stay objective while processing that new information & help you evaluate your best next steps. We can also help you assess your overall process, so you can stop worrying & rely on the strategies & processes you’ve built. 

Now, let’s look at some specific suggestions on tools you can use to stay organized, depending on your level of time and investment. 

• Simple

  • Best: Google Sheets

    • We all have gmail accounts & Google Sheets make it very easy to have 1 tab for tracking applications, 1 tab for tracking people, and 1 tab for tracking your stats. It’s also accessible on any device to make updates on the go.  And it’s free.

  • Runner-up: Paper or Excel

    • For some, just using 3 simple pieces of paper will help you get started without getting lost in trying to build out the best-ever job search application tracker. And for some unknown reason, others like to use Excel (ugh). 

• Intermediate

  • Best: Notion or Todoist

    • I love how clean Notion looks and how easy it is to add various kinds of objects to a page (like a database on the same page as a bulleted list). It’s also free. You can find job search and CRM templates in their Template Gallery. My only drawback is that it has limited integrations, so you will need to visit it daily to view tasks (vs having them appear in your Google calendar). Todoist is a great, clean task manager. It has multiple integrations to other tools/platforms to help keep you in sync. 

  • Runners-up: Coda, Airtable, Trello

    • I’ve used all of these at some point. Coda has online docs but seems more geared towards teams/enterprise these days. Airtable has always felt just a bit too complicated to build upon. And Trello drove me nuts with only having the one view of my work (the kanban) vs offering the ability to toggle between multiple views.  

• Deluxe

  • Best: Dex + Clickup

    • I have found the holy grail of personal CRM tools after a long & arduous search of the entire Internet. Dex is an incredibly simple, powerful & affordable personal CRM platform. It is a YC19 graduate & the founder is very responsive to product feedback. I use Dex to track my people engagement and Clickup as my project tracker. I love how flexible Clickup is. And while it can be overwhelming at first to navigate all the features, I’m happy to share a job search template if you’re interested. 

    • Note: I highly recommend both of these tools because of the features they offer, not so that I can make any $ via my referral links. But if you like them as much as I do, it can’t hurt to share a hat tip for the info. 

  • Runners-up: Relatable 

    • With the shutdown of my former CRM Contactually, I was invited to join Relatable’s beta. While I enjoyed the intros feature and the focus on building a personal (not business) CRM, I wasn’t a fan of how it displayed your follow-up tasks. Others are raving about it so I wanted to share (tip: mention you used Contactually and you’ll get off the waitlist quickly).

• Others to consider

  • Project Trackers: Asana, Monday, Smartsheet

  • Free CRMs: Hubspot, Zoho CRM

Tips for staying motivated during a career pivot

(Photo credit @kellysikkema)

#ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. I’ve kicked off the Pivoting into Tech Workshop Series, happening on Fridays between 12-1pm ET. Sessions 1 & 2 are already over, but you are welcome to join me for Sessions 3-5!

   Session 1 was ‘Understanding the Tech Industry’ - click here to check out the video replay.
   👉Upcoming Sessions:
   💥Tech Resume Revamp: Jan 28

   💥Develop your 30-Second Tech Networking Pitch: Feb 4

   💥Finding the Right Tech Contacts: Feb 11

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3. You are welcome to share this public link with anyone who you think could benefit from these workshops!

#careertip - Motivation

The Pivot Post-it! 

I shared this tip with someone recently & it was super helpful to keep her motivated. Making a career pivot is often hard. And when you’re currently in a bad or boring work situation, it can make it even harder. So here is a mini-motivation step you can take right now that serves as an in-the-moment reminder of your goals! 

1. Set a date for your departure & write it on a Post-it. Aim for a date that is motivating to you but realistic so you don’t get discouraged (say, 3 months from today).

2. Write down 3-4 companies you want to pursue. It’s ok to put down the dream ones - this is to help keep you motivated!

3. Add other words or visuals of encouragement. This is for you - so if it helps to add things like ‘You go girl!’ or ‘You can handle whatever comes your way!’ or silly stickers, go for it!

4. Stick your Pivot Post-it to monitor or desk & look at it whenever you are bored, frustrated, or otherwise dissatisfied with your current work situation. You might be surprised by how a simple piece of paper can help you keep your energy directed towards your future goals, and not wasted on the situation you’ll be leaving soon.

Try it out and let me know how it worked! 

Another thing I’ve admitted to myself in working from home: it’s ok to admit that you’re only about 40-50% as productive as normal. Here’s some advice on how to recover: 

• The Guilt-Free Guide to Getting Back on Track After a Completely Unproductive Day

Still struggling to get motivated? It happens to all of us!

• One approach is to remind yourself why you were a great hire in the first place! How to Find Your Job Search Value Proposition

Check out these 3 tips for handling job search-related stress

(Photo Credit @elisa_ventur)

A few of my current clients have been expressing that they are more stressed about their job search these days, so I wanted to share three tips on how to manage job search stress. 

1. Do something physical to release the stress from your body. 

   • I listened to a great Brene Brown podcast where the guest speakers talked about the physiological aspects of stress and that you need to complete the chemical chain reaction caused by the stress neurochemicals -- and that physical movement is what can complete the chain reaction. 

   • Get up and walk around or go exercise. Sometimes a simple 30-second shake of your arms & legs will allow your body to process the stress chemicals. Personally, I am a fan of silly dance breaks when I’m working alone at home. Two great songs for this are ‘Hey Ya’ by Outkast and ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing’ by Stevie Wonder.  

2. Take a break from job searching for a set period of time! 

   • It can be for a few hours, a day, or a weekend -- but allow yourself the time to recharge your energy bank. Continuing to push forward usually only results in more stress, which can cause under-performance in interviews -- the exact opposite of what we all want!

   • Make sure to give yourself a specific timeframe for your break, so you don’t stay away from the search for too long. 

3. Talk to someone you trust. 

   • Sometimes you just need to get the stress out of your head & have someone else listen to you & validate what you’re feeling. Talking to a trusted friend, family member, colleague, or coach can help you release all those negative thoughts and gain valuable perspective on your situation. 

   • Make sure you are clear with that person on what you need. Are you seeking advice on what to do next, or simply an ear to let you vent a little? If you’re not sure, lean towards just getting the support you need in this moment (you can always then ask someone to give you advice.)

Feel free to use my YouTube ‘Dance Break Music’ playlist to build your own!