Why Everyone Should Have Their Own “Little Black Book”

Traditionally, a “little Black Book” is a place to write details about all your lovers, past and present. You keep it close so you have access to it at all times. So….you may be wondering how this little black book relates to interviews, resumes and careers overall?

Let me start off by saying that, yes, I have a little black book, but it’s not what you think. My little black book is a place to put details of ideas past and present. I keep it close so I can write ideas down as they come to me and I could not imagine living without it.

When I was planning my business, ideas would happen all the time. In the grocery store, while travelling to the campsite, before falling asleep. I needed to have everything in one place so that I could refer back to it when I really started to get into the details of writing, planning and publishing content.

I took many free webinars and I read a lot of free content and I needed to keep everything in one spot. Training documents, blog content ideas, people I met along the way, legal business stuff….it all goes in there. That is what I am suggesting you do throughout your career.

Keep reading for my suggestions of how a little black book can help you plan and succeed in your career search.

#1: Buy a book that you really like, it doesn’t really have to be black

You want something that you are going to be inspired to grab at a moments notice. You can buy it as plain, or as fancy, as you like. I chose a 3-pack journal set from Costco. I use the other two books for home things like budgeting, and I use the black one for all things related to Brooks Interview Coaching. I liked this journal because my style is very much minimalist so this black and white journal worked great for me.

#2: Use the book to write every interview idea and every piece of information you learn as they happen….do NOT wait to do it

Get into the habit of writing ideas, and interview examples, as they happen. You will never remember them as vividly if you say you will do it later. I keep my book right beside me in my home office and I carry it in my purse when I am not at home. If you have an idea….stop whatever you are doing and document it. If you are taking a free webinar course, or reading training documents, write down the ideas and inspiration as you learn new things.

#3: What should you write in it?

I thought of my business idea in July of 2020 when we were driving back from a camping trip in Waskesiu. I talked it over with my husband, messaged a friend who had started his own business and decided I was going to explore the idea. I picked up the journals at Costco that night and started planning. Things I wrote down included:

• Why I wanted to start the business and what my credentials were to be qualified to do this type of work

• Who my target customer could be and what problems I could help them solve with my business

• What products and services I would offer and ideas to get them planned out and developed into final products

• Information from various webinars and live sessions I watched from people like Louise Henry (She is a techy guru that makes things easy to understand for non-techies like me), Kendal Netmaker (He is an Indigenous business role model of mine), Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK- an organization with lots of support for new entrepreneurs) and the list goes on and on. Everyone is giving away free content in hopes that you will pursue their paid content further. Keep this in mind because the free content is usually very valuable.

Your book can contain any information that will help you plan and prepare for upcoming job searches. Keep it in one place for inspiration and motivation later.

So, how can you use this for you career search?

If you have read this far, I am confident that you know it takes time and lots of work to prepare for an interview. If you wait until you are invited for an interview, you will spend your time stressed and “cramming” because the information you need is not readily available. And…this interview will most likely happen soon so you won’t have much time to prepare. Wouldn’t it be great if you had ideas and interview examples ready to go so it didn’t take as long …. and you could actually have time to relax before your interview?

Here are my ideas of what to use your “Little Black Book” for during your career:

• Decide what skills, competencies and types of questions you should document depending on the industry you want work in. If you are going to be in customer service, things like customer service, problem solving, customer escalations and times you went above and beyond for a customer are probably important. If you are going into an accounting field, things like efficiencies you developed, training you did to keep your technical knowledge up to date, analytical examples where you problem solved, are things you can focus on.

• Take a few hours to think back in your life and come up with examples that really stand out to you. Write them down and then, from that point on, move forward by writing examples as they happen in your career and life. Examples can happen in volunteer positions as well. Have your book handy for when inspiration strikes outside of work.

• Write your examples and ideas in a format that will be interview ready. This can be writing your examples out using the STAR method - include what the situation, task, actions and results were. Or….write it down using my elevated STORY method which you can learn if you purchase my e-book or have a coaching session with me. The STORY method takes interview examples a few steps further than other interviewers who will be using the STAR method.

• Plan out what you could include in a job portfolio so you can provide it to interviewers to wow them. Plan out what a 30-60-90 day action plan could include, brainstorm what documents you could include that would highlight major work projects. The list is endless.

• Write examples and idea of ways you can enhance your resume. I teach my clients that your resume should highlight the accomplishments you had in the position rather than just listing job duties. Keeping a list of accomplishments can be valuable information to use in your resume and in the actual interview.

If you decide to get your own “Little Black Book” you will be amazed at how easier your interview preparation can be. You will have examples ready to use on short notice and can focus your time on other preparation. The majority of your interview preparation can then focus on researching company information and doing a brief review of the examples you have prepared.

Tell me….what steps do you already take, proactively, to plan ahead for your career and job interviews?

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