Archive for the ‘Career and Employment News’ Category

Many job search candidates believe that "luck" or "chance" is the only way to get a job in this tough economy. However, landing a great job is all about initiating and implementing a solid plan!

Join The Career Clinicians for our St. Patrick's Day show (March 17, 2010), "Do You Really Need the 'Luck O' The Irish' to Land a Terrific Job?" on Blog Talk Radio at 7 p.m. ET (http://bit.ly/9NPA5l).

We will discuss:

• Key components of an effective job search marketing plan
• Career-related documents you might need, in addition to a resume
• Tools and resources available to job seekers (both on- and off-line)
• Systems to track and measure your progress
• Barriers to success
• How to know when your plan isn’t working and what to do

At the end of the show, you will have all the necessary information to develop a step-by-step plan that will lead you to the “pot of gold” at the end of the “career rainbow.”

Join The Career Clinicians as they interview one of the top healthcare industry recruiters, Cindy Keefer of Keefer Healthcare Recruiting on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 7 pm ET.

Cindy will share “insider information” on:

• What it takes to get and stay on recruiters’ “radar screens”
• What type of candidates are / are not a perfect match for recruiters
• What the role of the recruiter is when filling positions
• Common mistakes job seekers make when connecting with recruiters
• The technology many recruiters use to “categorize and search” for candidates who match position requirements
• The importance of having a great resume before contacting a recruiter

Listeners can hear the show live through their computer on Blog Talk Radio at http://bit.ly/dfsW1N

The Career Clinicians will be taking calls at (917) 889-9043.

ABC premiered a new show, "Shark Tank®" last Fall, and it has become a hit! It airs on Friday nights and I promise you will love it!

If you're not familiar with the show, entrepreneurs "pitch" their ideas to a panel of venture capitalists hoping to receive start-up / additional funding to take their product or service to the next level. In exchange for an investment in the company, the investors gain an ownership percentage in the business.

The "contestants" must request a specific sum of money, present a description of the service or product, discuss the history of the business, provide actual or projected financial figures (current  / projected sales, profit margins, costs, etc.) and a business plan, and detail how the Sharks' money will be used.

The presentations are very interactive, with the Sharks asking tough and thoughtful questions during the pitch. If the business owner has a great idea that merits an investment, he / she will be awarded either all or part of the capital requested.

As I watch the show, there are times that I want to scream! Many of these individuals "come to the table" without thinking very clearly about their target market, potential demand for the product, what experience they bring to the business, and any successes they have achieved thus far. These people are often sent out the door with some pretty "strong" advice from the Sharks.

Then, there are the entrepreneurs that really have their stuff together. They present their idea and business plan brilliantly, exude passion and confidence, detail research they've conducted, and have a clear picture of how their product meets a specific need or opens up a new niche market. I love watching these people! And, the Sharks are usually fighting over who is going to give the best deal and capital to the individual.

This show reminds me so much of how people prepare (or not prepare) for their job search! The parallels are uncanny. Like an entrepreneur pitching a product or service, you should be doing the exact same thing in your job search - except the product being pitched is you!

Here are some words of wisdom if you want the "Sharks" (Hiring Managers) to buy into your "product" utilizing the premises of this show:

• Do your research. The successful entrepreneurs on this show have done their research, know who they are targeting, and determine their product's value. As a job seeker, you need to take the same steps. Research the companies that will be a match for your specific strengths and skills, target them, and develop your value proposition that will help these companies achieve their goals.
• Develop your "business plan." Just as business owners develop "road maps" for their product or service, detailing their skills and previous successes, you need to do the same thing. However, in the job search, your business plan is your resume. Convince the potential employer, on paper, why they should even call you in to "give your pitch."
• Show the value of your "product" to the potential employer. As a job search candidate, you need to convey your "value proposition" to the employer. Figure out what makes you different and unique. Then, be prepared to show evidence of your continued success throughout your career that speaks to your "personal brand."
• Be prepared to make a convincing, confident presentation about why your "product" should be chosen over all the other products. When the entrepreneurs make their pitch to the Sharks, the ones who come out on top and get the funding are always confident and well-prepared. They also provide examples of why their product is better than what is currently on the market. For your interview, prepare a dynamic "presentation," and back up your "value"  with facts, figures, and successes.
• Be ready to answer questions or address objections. Many times the Sharks will ask probing questions to determine whether the participants really know their product's market and audience. Sometimes, they even ask about other markets where the product will be valuable. When you are interviewing, you need to be prepared to answer tough questions and determine what, if any, objections a potential employer may have about you. Further, you need to understand how your skills can be transferable to other areas of the company so you can show your versatility.

While most of us will never end up on the show, Shark Tank®, I would like to suggest you watch it as "research" for your job search. I am confident you will quickly discover how pitching a product / service on this show is the same as pitching yourself to a potential employer.

You can watch previous episodes on ABC's website at http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/episode-guide

I admit it - I watch The Bachelor® on ABC. But, not for the same reasons that other people watch it. You know, the "let's see if he really finds his true love" deal. No, I watch it for another reason.

By nature, I am a strategist and I like to observe how other people make decisions and try to figure out the psychology behind WHY they make the choices they do. To me, this show is fascinating because the audience is never really given a reason why The Bachelor sends people home. So, I like to put my own reasoning to the test.

Now, if you aren't familiar with how the show works, basically ABC chooses a Bachelor and then finds him 25 women (to start) from which he is supposedly going to find his true love. In the first episode, he meets with them at a cocktail party and gets to know something about each one by sitting down with her for a few minutes.

At the end of every show, there is a "Rose Ceremony" where he hands out roses to the women he wants to stay and continue in the process. Then, as the season progresses, he keeps choosing until he is down to the final two women. From 1 of these 2 women, he selects the person he will propose to, and then (supposedly) will end up marrying.

On this season of The Bachelor®, Jake Pavelka, a 31-year-old commercial airline pilot from Denton, Texas is looking for his true love. This season intrigued me more because I worked in the airline industry for 16 years. So, I decided I had to watch it.

Even though we are only three episodes into the season, there have been some interesting twists AND some great (and not so great) decisions made by Jake based upon limited information he gathers from the women.

Based upon some of his decisions, I began to think about his process from a job search perspective because there are some definite parallels between finding a job and spouse.

Here are the parallels I see and how they can be applied to searching for a job:

1. Start with a list of 25 employers (or find 25 positions) that fit your criteria. Unlike the show finding the women for Jake, no one chooses 25 companies for you. You have to do that on your own. However, Jake must have given ABC some criteria of what he was looking for in a potential spouse. So, think about what you want in your next employer and identify those companies that fit the bill.
2. Do your research on those companies. On the show, Jake gets to read the bios of the women before he meets them. While he probably doesn't have a lot of information to work with in the beginning, as a job seeker, you have the Internet, the library, company annual reports (if they are publicly held), and possibly "insiders" at the companies from your network. However, one of the best informational websites on companies is www.glassdoor.com, which provides "dirt" and "positive" information about companies anonymously supplied by employees.
3. Conduct "informational interviews." Jake gets to conduct "information gathering" sessions with each woman on every episode. This happens through "group" or "one-on-one" dates. His time is limited to make the right decision about the women. However, as a job seeker, you can conduct multiple, longer informational interviews with individuals who work for ypur targeted companies. However, do not approach these sessions as a way to "trick" employers into a real interview. Your sole mission is to gather "intelligence."
4. Take input from other people. On this season's first show, Jake had the opportunity to receive input from last season's couple, Ed and Jillian. He also got the "low-down" on one of the women he gave a rose to from the other ladies in the 3rd episode. They basically told him that she was a "different person" with him then she was with the other women. As a job search candidate, it is important to listen to what other people say, which leads us to my next point.
5. Evaluate the information you have received. On the first show, Jillian and Ed told Jake to eliminate a woman named Michelle. In my opinion, they gave him correct information. However, it was up to him to evaluate whether their opinion was accurate. In the job search, you will receive many opinions about companies and positions. My advice is to listen to what is being said, and if the same comments (good or bad) keep surfacing regarding a certain company, pay attention.
6. Decide which companies are a "true match" for you against your established criteria. Just as Jake needs to decide which woman is his "ultimate soulmate," as a job seeker you need to stay true to your values and find a job that fits at least 90% of your established criteria. If not, you will settle for any job, end up unhappy, and start job-hopping.
7. Eliminate those companies who aren't a good fit for you. In the 3rd episode, Jake eliminated two women BEFORE the Rose Ceremony. He realized that one of the women was just playing "games" with him and the other (Michelle, the one he was told to eliminate on the 1st show) was just not right for him. He wanted to focus on the women he was really interested in and give them a chance to stay on the show.  This same premise is true when you are evaluating companies. If there's a company that isn't a good match, walk away and focus on the companies that are right for you.

While Jake may or may not find the love of his life in six weeks with limited information, I believe that in the same amount of time, you can find a great job by utilizing the methods I have detailed above during your job search.

I remember as a child wanting to borrow my sister's clothes. She was older than I and her clothes were a few sizes larger. When I would put on any of her outfits, they would simply hang on me.

There was no "definition" of my body and the clothes didn't look good on me. Frankly, I was cheating myself out of having my own "signature style" that would separate me from my sister.

The same premise can be true when it comes to writing a great resume. Many times, people will "borrow" their friend's resume and try to make it their own. Or, they will go out on a resume writer's website and "copy" the text that is written in one or more of the samples.

Another common practice is to purchase or download resume templates that have "pre-worded" sections that "could" apply to position(s) that they've held.

While these practices may seem like they will save you time and effort, it won't allow you to really convey what makes you unique to a potential employer. In this economy, you have to stand out - not look like the rest of the crowd. There could be 5,000 people out of work, all with the same skill sets you possess.

If you fall into the trap of just "putting a resume together" and utilize wording that doesn't portray your value and expertise,  the likelihood of you landing interviews will be slim to none. I vehemently disagree with these practices.

Allow me to share a story that illustrates why job search candidates shouldn't try the "one-size-fits-all" resume-writing approach.

Recently, a recruiter who sends all of her candidates to me for resume writing sent me an email and attached a resume to it. She wondered "what had happened" when I wrote this particular resume because it was full of grammatical errors and wasn't my usual "excellent work."

When I looked at that name of the person whose document she sent, I didn't recognize it. So, I downloaded the resume and looked in the "properties" section of Microsoft Word.

In the properties section was the name of a client I HAD worked with on composing her resume for utilization with this recruiter.

What I assume happened is that she felt sorry for her colleague (many of them were being downsized) and she decided to "share" her resume with this gentleman. They had held only one position in common - the one at their current company. Every other position was different in each of their backgrounds.

This gentleman had taken my format and saved it as his own. He kept what I had written for her summary and the description of the position they both held. Then,  he added in the rest of his work experience at different companies.

To say the least, the descriptions and accomplishments he had placed in the resume for his "other jobs" were poorly written, not formatted correctly, and had glaring grammatical errors. Like my sister's clothes that obviously weren't flattering on me, the format and flow of the information he wrote did not do him any justice!

From what I can gather, he was looking for a "quick fix," and didn't want to spend the money to differentiate himself from his own colleague, let alone any other individuals in his field.

So, as the late Paul Harvey would say, "And now, here is the rest of the story."

I called my recruiter and showed her the properties section which contained the name of the woman whose resume I wrote.

Not only was the recruiter disappointed that this woman would share her resume with someone else, but she also felt the woman lacked judgment by not realizing she was only hurting her own chances of obtaining future employment.

As for the gentleman who "copied" the resume, his resume and contact information were deleted by the recruiter. He shot himself in the foot and therefore squashed any chances of being represented by the TOP recruiter in his industry.

Further, what would have happened if I hadn't had a great relationship with this recruiter and she felt strongly enough to write me an email? Her opinion of me would have been tainted because someone tried to pass off my work as their own. I'm lucky that I have cultivated a reputation with my recruiters for quality resume preparation.

So, here are my suggestions if you want to stand out in the crowded world of job seekers:

1. Don't share the resume for which you have paid a professional to produce or one that you have carefully crafted on your own. The last thing you need is more competition and a recruiter seeing two resumes with the exact same information on them. It's like when people used to copy someone else's English paper in school. Both people would be called to the principal's office and suspended because there couldn't be a determination of "who copied whom." The result in the employment world is the HR Manager or Recruiter can't tell who was dishonest and will likely toss both resumes.
2. Don't use a software package or online system with canned phrases and job descriptions to write your resume. Spend the time to determine what makes you unique and what value you bring to the next employer. Then, figure out what skill sets and accomplishments you possess, and put that information into your resume. If you're having a hard time with "seeing the forest for the trees," then consider hiring a certified professional resume writer who will strategize and partner with you to bring out your personal brand and write your entire resume to reflect your unique promise of value.
3. Don't copy the wording from a sample resume you find on the Internet or in a book. Once again, your resume should reflect your value and abilities - not those of someone else.
4. Don't just "throw in" the wording from current or past job descriptions on your resume. As a former hiring manager, I can immediately tell when someone does that. Further, the 15 executive-level recruiters that utilize me as their sole resource for resume writing have stated to me that when someone does that, it tells them the person is not a leader or an "out-of-the-box" thinker, and can only regurgitate the tasks he / she was "assigned" to handle.

In closing, get busy figuring out your own "wardrobe" (resume) that will portray your uniqueness and ultimately make you stand out from the crowd! If you're having a hard time with the process, hire a "stylist" (resume writer) to ensure your "signature look" will garner the attention of recruiters or hiring managers.

LinkedIn. It's a great tool to connect with former colleagues and friends. It's also used by employers and recruiters to find candidates. I believe that everyone should have a LinkedIn account (it's free). However, the manner in which you set up your LinkedIn account is very important.

Clients often pay me to set up a new or update their current LinkedIn profile after we have completed their resume, as they want to be sure to be "found" in the search results.  Being kind of a search engine optimization geek, I love to figure out the best keywords and keyword phrases to get them top rankings.

However, there is one issue that I have been finding lately. Many of my clients are either currently using or want to use their email address associated with their employer.

While it may seem like a great idea at first since you can import contacts from various email programs, I would caution against it. Or, at the very least, set up the account FIRST with your company email, and then change the email address to a personal address (instructions are below).

Here's why. First, your employer may have a policy against using your company email address for anything outside work. So, check your company's policy.

Second, you could be fired or laid off. If either of those situations happen, you will not have access to your contacts or be able to update your profile, as your email address will likely "vanish" from the company's system.

I have also heard stories of employer's "claiming rights" to your contacts - especially if any of them are customers. If that happens, you would likely have to rebuild your list.

And, if you have a company-owned laptop or desktop computer where you receive email, and they take it from you, you've now lost all of your contacts.

Further, some employers have "rules" about supervisors or other employees providing recommendations for you in any manner (whether on LinkedIn, elsewhere online, or in writing).

While you will have to check your company's policy on this, I think it might be harder to enforce that rule if you have your LinkedIn account is attached to a personal email address. Of course, I'm not an attorney, so I would suggest you consult with one!

So, how do you change your work email address to your personal address in LinkedIn? Here are the steps:

1. Sign into your account
2. Go to the "account & settings" link in the upper right-hand corner
3. Scroll down to the Personal Information section in the right-hand column
4. Find and click on the "email addresses" link
5. Enter a new email address in the box provided and click "add email address"
6. You'll be directed to go to that email address to confirm it
7. Go back to the "email addresses" area,  check the box next to the new address, and click "make primary"
8. Check the box next to your company's email address and click "remove."

As an idea, you might want to let your contacts know you are doing this. Send them all an email (you can import your contact list into an Excel file - good idea to do this anyway) stating that future LinkedIn emails will come from your personal address.

As a final note, I always suggest that my clients obtain an email address from a service such as gmail.com to be used only for job search. Use that email address on your resume and when setting up accounts on job boards, replying to online ads, or making contacts with recruiters.

Why do I suggest this? Well, you won't have to wade through "Aunt Martha's recipes and Uncle Bill's jokes" to find a response about a great job!

As a professional who writes resumes and provides career-related services and advice to clients all over the world, I realized that there was a great deal of information being dispensed about the right and wrong ways to manage a career. With so many differing opinions, and sometimes incorrect or inaccurate advice, it would be easy for job seekers to become frustrated and not know who was telling them the truth.

Knowing how prevalent this was, I felt compelled to provide a “solution.” I knew job seekers needed trusted individuals to whom they could turn to for preparation of career-related documents, and interview and career coaching, as well as information about job search and career management in one centralized location.

I began to think how I could provide a single resource that would meet the needs of job search candidates. I wanted to make sure the information provided came from experts who have spent years in their area of specialization. But, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I needed a "partner" to assist me in this mission.

After much thought and consideration, I identified another career industry professional who has a reputation for operating with integrity, delivering quality products / services to her clients, and basing her insights regarding career-related matters on experience, facts, and research, rather than opinions.

When I contacted this professional, she was excited and immediately decided to join me in this new endeavor. We brainstormed together on determining our mission and the methods by which we would deliver our expertise. And, that's how The Career Clinicians was established.

Who are The Career Clinicians? Well, we are career industry professionals who operate our own individual resume writing and / or interview and career coaching practices. But, we are also a team of individuals who want to educate professionals and job search candidates on methods and tools to enhance their careers.

The Career Clinicians are:

Kathy Sweeney, NCRW, CPRW, CEIC, CCM of The Write Resume
Norine Dagliano, NCRW, CPRW, CFRW/CC of ekm Inspirations

We decided the best way to communicate our expertise was to utilize online tools, including a website, a blog, BlogTalkRadio, Twitter, and social media sites, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace.

Our website, www.thecareerclinicians.com, is packed with information and resources to assist with your career journey.

On our Radio Show, which is broadcast live every Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-career-clinicians, The Career Clinicians will provide direct advice, as well as hosting guests. Our guests span the entire scope of the careers / employment industry, including recruiters, human resources professionals, and authors.

You can call in or listen to it online. If you can’t attend our live broadcast, the previous shows will be archived on our website at www.thecareerclinicians.com/radio-show.htm.

If you would like to read updated information on employment-related topics, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CareerTriage.

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share our expertise with you. We hope that you will gain insight into the confusing world of job search and feel better prepared to embark on your own journey toward career success.