Career Hub

What am I Thankful for This Thanksgiving? Online Networking

I've been using online tools for several years now to keep up with colleagues and build a following. But earlier this year, I decided to embark on a social networking experiment and I set up a page on Facebook to find friends from my high school class. I know that there are some "nay-sayers" out there that can't imagine reconnecting and networking with people from high school, but I think this is one of the most powerful affinity groups there is.

My group started out small as I faced numerous obstacles including locating friends whose names had changed, sleuthing around to find active email addresses for people who had changed service providers, and just dealing with a generation of boomer friends who valued their privacy and didn't quite get the whole online social networking scene. But with perseverance and the help of some friends who were already embracing the power of social networking, the group eventually began to grow. And that's when the magic started to happen.

Since I started the group in January, I have had important and meaningful conversations with people who were not mature enough to have those same conversations 25+ years ago. Friends that had a falling out and can't even remember why have reunited and apologized. Members have shared pictures from the neighborhood so people who moved away years ago could get a glimpse of the old "hood."

I felt honored when one of my oldest friends asked me to help her with the content for her new website and was thrilled to offer my expertise to another friend who needed to prepare a resume for a new career opportunity. I'm planning on having a conversation with another classmate next week to discuss the value of LinkedIn.

Everyone is sharing resources, advice, book recommendations, pictures...you name it. What started out as a "let's see if I can find some old friends" experiment has turned into a blessing. And for that and for all my friends, I am thankful.

Posted by Barbara Safani

 

Tag Along

For whatever reason, I got it in my head that I wanted to go to law school for a day with my son. I mean, come on -- he's not eight anymore and how weird would that be for The Mom to go taggin' along to school with her 24-year-old son? Well, I thought about it for several weeks, starting back in early September and told myself that if the thought was still with me in mid-October, I would ask him his opinion about my idea. A few weeks ago, I called him.

Hello Son...this is Mom. Got an idea I want to run by you...do you think it would be too weird if I would tag along and go with you to law school -- just for the day -- you know, just to see what you do and all?

Silence. More silence.

Hello? Hello? Son, are you still there?

Yeah, Mom -- that's pretty weird. So, let me see if I understand this correctly...you want to go around with me, hang out with me at law school for a day? WHY?

Well, I thought it would be fun -- you know, I'm a career counselor and all -- genuinely interested in careers, preparation for careers...I just thought it would be kinda' cool to see what you do and all...hey, I'd even buy your lunch...how about that?

Right, right...well, let me check it out with my professors and I'll have to get back to you...

His professors apparently didn't mind or find it too weird, either, as I spent a week-ago last Wednesday with my son at law school. It was so fun, and so great, and so special! I absolutely loved every minute. (My son asked me not to take notes during his class.)

After the free lunch part of the deal, we went to see Cramerica Mad Money guy on campus. That's right - James J. Cramer - Booyah! - CNBC's Mad Money host was live and in person on campus that day, taping his show from the Heartland. (I got to see the back of his head - booyah!) Even with tickets, we couldn't get a seat to the show; instead, we were escorted to a VIP room with a small tv screen. Those present were given Cramer's Stay Mad for Life -- Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer) book.

Well, I didn't make my kid (or myself) any richer that day, but I am here to tell you that the entire experience was pure gold to me. Have you ever tagged along at a career-in-the-making?

posted by: billiesucher

Thanksgiving to New Year’s Job-Search Doldrums Got You Down?

Don’t despair—this can be one of the best times to find a job! Don’t believe the myth about this being a terrible time to network and seek job opportunities. Instead, leverage the fact that many still do believe that—and use the opportunity to gain greater exposure with fewer competing candidates.

Even with companies cutting back—we’re all hearing about new reductions-in-workforce announcements every day—those same companies, and others, are still hiring. The key is to get before the right decision maker and promote your skills, the solutions you can provide.

Use these weeks to great advantage—attend networking events, holidays parties, open houses, socials through your children’s schools (concerts, festivals, book fairs, etc.)—in short, get out there and make sure everyone knows you are looking. Have that resume and networking card ready to go—and be sure your 30-second elevator speech is polished for immediate delivery.

Many gainfully employed folks are not on vacation during the month of December, so your chances of connecting with people in positions of influence and who can make decisions are high. Be professionally persistent. Even if decisions aren’t going to be made until right after the first of January, you want to be vetted and have gone through several rounds of interviews before the rest of the competition begins to gather.

Stay totally positive, pumped up, and enthusiastic. When people express concern or worry about your state of unemployment, especially during the holidays, state with sincerity your conviction about landing the right job, feeling very excited about the prospect of opportunity being ‘right around the corner,’ and, in short, using the law of attraction to surround yourself with positive energy and people who genuinely want to help you! We all like being around upbeat people, so make sure your outer persona reflects confidence and optimism.

Network like crazy—be sure your profiles are up-to-date (with a great headshot) on twitter, linkedin, zoominfo, ziggs, plaxo, and other key professional networking sites. Consider reading a motivational book such as "You, Inc." (Beckwith).

Keep conversations and dialogues going—follow up to each and every lead and word of encouragement with a note or e-mail. Stay top-of-the-mind among every one you meet and don’t hide the fact that you are job-seeking. Reread your resume and letters of commendation to give yourself a boost about all you have to offer the right company. Know that you’ll land a great opportunity—just don’t take your foot off the accelerator these next four to six weeks!

-- Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW

Recession-Proof Cities (Metro Areas) as of November 2008

If you're considering moving to a recession-proof area, this may help you. 
 
6 cities (metro areas) are still recession-proof according to our analysis of the latest BLS data available on November 23, 2008:

1. Merced, CA

2. Grand Junction, CO

3. Billings, MT

4. Laredo, TX

5. Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA

6. Morgantown, WV

Another 29 are almost recession-proof.
 
To see all 35, including the total number of new jobs by specific industry in the last 12 months, go to http://jobbait.com/a/rpa.htm. 

Overcoming Job Search Anxiety in An Unstable Economy

Many people are feeling fear, anxiety and immobility in the volatile economy we are facing today. As a career coach, I am seeing this fear translate into negative expectations and powerlessness as the unemployment statistics soar.

This week I attended a teleclass by Dr. Lynn Joseph on using a visualization technique that can help job seekers release fear and harness their own power and value to obtain what they are seeking. In studies conducted by Dr. Joseph, the majority of job seekers who used this technique became reemployed more quickly than those who did not. 

For anyone who is feeling stuck or hopeless in their job search -- or is just getting started and wants to keep negativity at bay -- Dr. Joseph's book, The Job-Loss Recovery Guide: A Proven Program for Getting Back to Work - Fast! and it's companion guided visualization recording, The Job-Loss Recovery Program, can help.

Posted by Louise Garver

What Keeps Recruiters Up at Night?

At the Kennedy Recruiting Conference I attended some interesting presentations and - of even more value - had the chance to speak with a number of recruiters, both internal and external. One theme that cropped up over and over is - even given the current economic downturn and relatively high unemployment -  the challenge of finding good candidates.

Despite sophisticated applicant tracking systems, countless job posting opportunities, recruiter sourcing through social networks, and enormous data-finding capabilities, recruiters still have a hard time finding enough candidates and the right candidates for specific jobs. What this means for you, the job seeker:

• Be specific about your expertise. Vague, general overviews don't tell recruiters enough about you to conclude that you have what they need.
• Be visible in your areas of expertise. Attend and speak at professional association meetings. Write articles and blog postings. Comment on others' blogs. Share your expertise and your opinions... and let the recruiters find you.
• Research where your expertise and interests might lead you. For example, if you are a clinical practitioner (maybe a nurse), have some knowledge of hospital technology systems, love to travel, and are eager to move away from direct patient care, you could have a satisfying and lucrative new career as a technology implementation consultant to healthcare systems. Bottom line: look for needs that intersect with your knowledge, experience, and personal interests, then find companies that respond to those needs.

One disturbing trend I noticed is the continued preference for passive job seekers. There is still tremendous bias towards those who are employed and lingering beliefs that "the best people don't get laid off." Having worked with extremely talented professionals who were, in fact, affected by corporate downsizing, I know this is nonsense. Plus, there are so many reasons that an individual might be unemployed that using this as a recruiting criterion seems extremely silly.

My final thought about recruiting: It needs a shot in the arm from the marketing department. In fact, successful companies need to market themselves to future employees just as seriously as they market their products or services to consumers. Yet most HR people are not marketing oriented, and despite the ubiquitous trend toward employment branding, most companies don't invest the resources and talent necessary to make their recruiting function as vibrant as their marketing area. Those that do make the investment will reap the rewards - a more talented, more engaged workforce that creates and supports a winning culture.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

When the Going Gets Tough, Turn to Friends at Work

These days I'm searching for news and stories on the Web that inspire hope, optimism, or at the very least, healthy coping.

In tough times, many of us are tempted to withdraw, turn inward, and freeze. I have yet to meet a person who thinks this feels at all good.

The CareerDiva Eve Tahmincioglu has some sage advice on how to see our coworkers as allies in the war against job and economic uncertainty. First step: drop the paranoid view that in today's employment climate you can't afford to get close to coworkers.

The way to reduce your stress is to reach out and connect with people. Invite someone you'd like to get to know for coffee. Talk about what you're worried about and what you can do now to prepare for possible layoffs.

Camaraderie, a "spirit of friendly good-fellowship" according to my online dictionary, is needed in our workplaces now more than ever. What will you do to connect with the people you work with?

Posted by Heather Mundell

Survival in These Troubled Times

Listening to NPR's On Point this morning about unemployment survival, one of the callers, Anonymous, happened to be a woman who's nine-months pregnant and as of this morning, lost her job. The panel of experts offered her some suggestions.

If you have lost your job (this morning or seven months ago), have no money, no savings, and don't know where to turn, here are four resources you may find of value to help you get started in the career transition process:

www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/onestop/onestopmap.cfm

www.careeronestop.org/

www.findlegalhelp.org

www.jobhuntersbible.com/jobhunting/index.php

If there's a particular site, source, or resource you've found especially helpful during these troubled times, please share your tips and thoughts. It may be just the thing someone needs to know or hear about this day.

posted by: billiesucher

Does your boss listen to you?

 A question posted on the MarketingProfs.com forum that I regularly contribute to asked about what to do with what sounded like a narcisistic boss. Here were my thoughts;

Unfortunately situations like this are not as uncommon as you might think. Sounds like your supervisor is either inexperienced or has been trained in the old management model of control and fear.

Short of leaving to find a better situation and assuming you are not alone in being dealt with this way here are some thoughts:

- find someone with longer tenure who works or has worked in the past for this supervisor. Did they find similar things happening? How did they deal with it?

- what are your supervisors expectations? Do you know in detail what your key performance indicators (what you are going to be judged on) are?

- if she is prone to passing the buck, hate to say it but make sure you cover your butt just in case things get ugly. After she has outlined what needs to be done and you have agreed what she needs to do to help you do that confirm it in an email with dates for completion etc.

- if she is being insulting then you need to call her on it. Tell her that you do not feel that is necessary and you do not appreicate it.

- start networking internally to find another position working for a leader not an unconscious incompetent.

Do you have some other ideas? Let me know in the comments.

Or raise your Google ranking and at to your online personal brand by checking out the full thread of the discussion at MarketingProfs.com by clicking HERE and adding your own "toonies worth"

If You're SO Good, How Come Your Resume's SO Bad?

Earlier today, I received a phone message from a caller who offered this:

A recruiter just said these words to me: If you're so good, how come your resume is so bad? Apparently, the recruiter had gone on to say to the caller that he was having a hard time figuring out the candidate's resume story.

Is your resume working for you, or against you? Is your resume helping you generate interviews or is it hurting your chances of getting hooked up with a potential employer? Are you making it easy for someone to get you and your story, or are you making it hard for yourself to get noticed in a sea of talent?

Small things. Big things. Details. Things you don't even know that you're doing can get you ruled out and the bad news, sad news for you is this: you don't even know it! You don't even know that time and again your resume gets passed over by what you don't say, by what you don't include, by what you don't express. Therefore, it is no surprise that you can't and won't get noticed by virtue of what you are and aren't doing. Here's a quick exercise you can do as a self-check of your resume:

Take a look at your existing resume document, then ask yourself these five simple questions in a matter of five seconds - GO!

1. Will the reader know within one second my name and how to get in touch with me?

2. Will the reader know within one second my target goal?

3. Will the reader know within one second why I can do the job I say I am interested in doing?

4. Will the reader know within one second where I'm currently working (or most recently worked) and my bottom-line contributions and career successes?

5. Will the reader know within one second the nature and extent of my education?

Stop! Time's up -- your five seconds are over. Did you pass go? Are you in or out, from the reader's perspective? Even if you allot five seconds per question, the point is, your resume reader doesn't have a lot of time to devote to figuring you out. Maybe they're overwhelmed with other resumes, e-mails, information, text, paperwork, documentation, meetings, and who knows what else. What can you do to make the reader's life less complicated, not more complicated as it pertains to you and your resume story?

posted by: billiesucher