Volunteering While in Transition Has Many Hidden Advantages

On July 19, 2010, In Interview Skills by Alex Freund, By Alex Freund
Share
Delicious

While in transition, you’re after a paid job, not working for free. It’s natural to feel that way, but in fact volunteering could be the thing that gets you your next position. It’s happened often to job seekers. Volunteering has many rewarding facets, and most of them remain hidden till you uncover them by performing volunteer activities. Abby Kohut, president of Staffing Symphony LLC, recommends that 20 percent of a job seeker’s time be spent on volunteering.

Volunteering is a benevolent activity that could be extremely rewarding, especially for those in transition who need to hear a thank-you once in a while. Helping others is inherently enriching and satisfying. Providing assistance for others and lending a hand to people in need certainly qualify as good deeds. And when you give, you also get.

In general, people are open to the idea of volunteering but usually don’t take steps to initiate it because of the unknown and because they don’t know how to go about finding a suitable spot. Two decisions have to be made toward that end: First is to decide what type of volunteering interests you. Second is to decide where to find it. My advice is to search the Internet for the words finding volunteering opportunities. From there you’ll be guided to settling on your decisions.

Since volunteering is unpaid, your commitment can be short- or long-term. Make sure that during involvement in volunteer activities you take advantage of the opportunity to get acquainted with other people. Volunteering makes for an excellent occasion to network with people who appreciate your commitment to volunteer. Such people will listen to you and likely want to reciprocate. Make the most of it.

Tagged with: • • • •
 
0 Comments
Leave A Response

Critical Steps in Your Career Transition

On June 29, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
Share
Delicious

One of the toughest challenges job seekers face is figuring out how to make a career transition. Sometimes transition is forced; maybe jobs in your industry or area are dwindling. Other times, you want to do something different – explore new options. Whatever the situation, HOW to transition is a critical sticking point. Having worked with clients at various levels of their careers, transition is an area that comes up time and again. Here are some things I continuously hear about and address as job seekers lament, question, and concentrate on during their ‘transition’.

There is no doubt that a transition is a tough thing. Perhaps you don’t know anyone in the field that is the focus of your transition or you don’t know even where to begin. Overcoming FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is a first step to putting yourself on a path to success. Consider the following as you foray into something new and exciting. Your initial steps should include the following:
• Research your interests. Consider taking a personality assessment (e.g. Myers Briggs, DISC) to help you uncover and understand more about what your strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes are. This exercise will allow you to learn more about yourself and promote increased self awareness.
• Research the industry. How do you even know what you think you are interested in is a real interest? Doing some preliminary (at first) and then more in-depth industry research will give you a sense of how companies in that space operate. You will learn about key players and emerging trends. From there you can…
• Research specific positions. Since this is a time of change, evaluating positions will help you understand where your background fits into the broader picture. You can then prepare your action plan.
Action: Your successful transition is largely predicated on the research you do (see above) and also establishing a strong action plan. Your action plan sets the tone of your search and keeps you on track to manage the application process. It is a well known fact that if you write something down, you are more than likely to focus your energies on achieving your desired outcome. Your action plan will consist of the following:

List of target companies. After completing your industry research, it will be time to create a list of companies that hold your interest. Again, more research is involved. In fact, the entire job search process is one that is centered on research: research about your interests; research about opportunities, companies, cultures, positions, and situations that will fulfill your personal and professional needs. Of course, this will be balanced by your ability to meet the needs of the company.

Create a spreadsheet where you will include the following to keep you organized:
• Company name
• Position title and description
• Date of your application
• Name of person to whom you addressed your application
• Date of interview
• Follow-up
Marketing Materials: Your marketing materials (aka résumé and cover letter) are perhaps the most important part of your search. This is because these documents are the first thing people see about you. You want to project a positive personal brand. Your documents should match in terms of font selection, layout, and style. Making a transition might require you to highlight relevant experience from earlier in your career. If this is the case, consider a hybrid style presentation.

Online Presence: If you don’t have an online presence (e.g. LinkedIN, Twitter, online profile) you should fix that immediately. Hiring managers ‘Google’ the names of people they are interviewing and those they are considering interviewing. An online presence (with positive information about you) is a great way to get exposure while allowing someone to learn a little bit about you before they meet with you in person. Your online presence is an extension of your personal brand. If you really want to take it to a new level, you can create an online folio – your “Professional-ME” where your résumé, key traits, competencies, and other discerning information will help the reader gain a broader understanding of who you are.

No doubt making a career transition is challenging. What about job search isn’t, though? It is up to you to make sure that your strategy and resulting plan is well thought out. Your clear understanding of industry and opportunity will put you on a path to realize your goal of making an effective transition.

Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
Careers Done Write
Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/DebraWheatman

Tagged with: • • •
 
0 Comments
Leave A Response

Résumé + Interview = A Job

On May 15, 2010, In Interview Skills by Alex Freund, By Alex Freund
Share
Delicious

The formula expressed in the title sounds so simple yet for some is difficult to achieve. So let’s together demystify the two elements for getting a job offer.

The Résumé

Because of the enormously large pool of job applicants nowadays, even a very good résumé may not get singled out when compared with the many outstanding résumés. It’s a competition for sure, and only, say, five résumés might be considered for invitations to face-to-face interviews. So, how does one put together an excellent résumé? That depends: if you have good writing skills, you can draft a résumé and then have some people whose proficiency and judgment you trust review and edit it for you until it becomes excellent. Consult career coaches, human resources professionals, or recruiters. Hopefully, you’ve developed good relationships with such people, who will agree to help by expressing their opinions.

If you are not skilled with language, I suggest you seek a professional résumé writer who has performed work for others and brought them success. This is a good investment, since otherwise, you’re merely spreading around a noncompetitive résumé that brings no action–and you will never find out why. Many people fall into that trap, and they therefore lose time and of course the opportunity to make money. So, how does one know whether one’s résumé is excellent? The answer is very simple: Excellent résumés get action. The rest don’t–or do only very rarely.

The Interview

Congratulations! Your résumé was attractive and intriguing enough to persuade a hiring manager to want a conversation with you in order to explore your candidacy for an opening, competitively with a few others. Now the real competition starts. All of those who have been invited to interview stood out too and could potentially take the job, meaning that they have the skills for it. But the hiring manager has another need to satisfy–and that is whether you fit and will be committed to the company. Ascertaining whether you fit is very much psychological on the part of the hiring manager, who is asking himself whether your future peers would accept you, whether you and he are aligned ideologically, whether his own boss would consider you a good hire, and whether you represent a promising investment. And there are other, similar questions, whose answers can be rather subjective.

The hiring manager’s final area of vital interest has to do with whether you seem committed to the job. He wants to ensure (1) that you have potential for growth within the company, (2) that you won’t move to a competitor if the company goes through some difficult times and someone else is offering you a fraction more compensation, and (3) that you deliberately targeted this company as an employer.

If you can convince the hiring manager that you’re the right choice, if you answer questions properly, and if you project positivity and energy, your chances for getting an offer are good. Good luck on your next job. Feel good about yourself. You deserve it.

Alex Freund is the founder of Landing Expert–Career Coaching. His Web site includes a current and comprehensive list of job search networking groups in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and the city of New York, and the site is visited by thousands of people every month. Landing Expert is a premier career-coaching service with the objective of preparing job seekers for interviews. Alex’s clients are gaining knowledge, receiving marketing material, and acquiring the know-how to beat the competition.

Alex can be reached at:

609-333-8866

alex@landingexpert.com

www.landingexpert.com

Follow me on Twitter.

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Read my blog.

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 
1 Comments
Leave A Response

Common Job Search Mistakes

On May 15, 2010, In Resume Writing by Debra Wheatman, By ResumesDoneWrite.com
Share
Delicious

Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:

No organized search strategy: You need a plan. Keep yourself organized with a list of things that you need to do on a daily basis. This list will allow you to focus your efforts in the areas that require your full attention. Would you go to the supermarket without a list of things you need? If you do, I will guarantee that you forget to buy something or purchase things that you don’t need. Your job search works in a similar fashion. The list will allow you to plan for a successful campaign.

No record keeping: It is important to keep a list or spreadsheet of some kind so you can review to whom you have sent your resume or the contacts made. There is no possibility of your being able to recall all of the companies or people that you have contacted – let alone those that may have contacted you. Without a record, you might miss an opportunity, or worse be unprepared when someone does reach out to you. Make sure you keep names, dates, and details of discussions you had. Your records will allow you to follow-up when appropriate and supports your organized approach (see above.)

No use of diverse search methods: You cannot simply apply online and think that the calls are going to roll in. A job search requires far more effort than the use of the Internet. The following must be done to ensure a successful campaign:
• Identifying specific companies where you might be interested in working. Once you have a list, you should do some research to get the name of someone internally to direct your correspondence.
• Conducting research regarding the names of people in senior level positions. Use trade publications and the Internet to uncover names of people. Trade publications can be a great source of information, including providing you with movement within your targeted industry.
• Leveraging your network of friends and family members. Your network should also include people you meet at local networking events. You will not be able to join every group so choose wisely. Engage with people that you meet to establish relationships that can be reciprocal.
• Identifying a few niche job boards where you can post your resume. You should not broadcast it on every board out there. You will look desperate.
• Establishing a relationship with a few key recruiters. Like any relationship, you will need to work at maintaining contact. Recruiters definitely know the market and have contacts within the companies where them make placements. You cannot work with everyone. Make sure you choose wisely; be prepared to conduct a fair amount of follow up to keep communication lines open.

Failure to maintain a positive outlook: One of the best, and most important things you can do for yourself and your search is to develop and maintain a positive approach. Every person you meet or interact with represents an opportunity. Given that people are drawn to those that are positive, a strong finish necessitates that you give positive vibes. Under no circumstances should you complain or be the picture of doom. It will take time; you will work hard – BUT in the end, the person who can remain engaged and willing to embrace a proactive and positive focus will generate results.

Failure to follow-up: Your search requires that you reach out to people on an ongoing basis, including people that you have already spoken with. To remain top of mind, it is imperative that you have a plan to conduct follow-up. This doesn’t mean that you should constantly call or email people. Following-up is a strategy too. If you are keeping your notes and remain organized, you will have the dates that you contacted people and can space your interactions so that you remain memorable without being overbearing.

Failure to prepare for your interviews: Preparing for your interviews is important to ensure you are successful. You should be reviewing information about the company and position, and studying your resume so you are prepared to discuss the information in detail. Do some research on commonly asked interview questions so you can answer appropriately if someone throws you “What is your greatest weakness?” question. Make sure you are able to connect your achievements to how you will make an impact in a new role.

Poor appearance and grooming: You should dress to impress during your job search. This means that you should be dressed in a suit when you interview. Even if the company has a dress down policy, you are not yet part of the group. First impressions are lasting ones. If you go into the interview looking sloppy and unkempt, you are not going to make a positive or lasting impression on your audience – except that you did not look the part.

You have the power to establish a strong job search strategy. With a plan, you can and will achieve your goals. Preparation is half the battle; your winning is entirely predicated on how you establish and implement your program!

Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.

Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com

Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter

Tagged with: •
 
0 Comments
Leave A Response

Endear Yourself to the Buyer

On April 24, 2010, In Interview Skills by Alex Freund, By Alex Freund
Share
Delicious

Nobody likes to be a nobody, but unfortunately, that’s what you are at the beginning of the job search process, provided you’ve just joined the ranks of those in transition. Those who are the decision makers about your future do not initially know anything about you, so you have the chance to impress them, and you want to make darn sure it’s a very good impression.

So, how are you going to positively influence hiring managers, human resources folks, and recruiters? To start with, record brief greetings on both your answering machine at home and your mobile phone, and project a clear, mature, businesslike, and overall positive message. Your children are cute, I’m sure, but leave their greetings for sharing with family and friends and not potential employers. Next, get into the habit of answering your phone professionally. Answering with “Hello, this is John Doe,” with a friendly and inviting tone of voice, is best. Get into that habit even if you think you can identify the person via caller ID. Don’t make exceptions to the rule, because you’ll be sorry if you didn’t answer properly when it’s someone you really want to impress. You also want to make sure your e-mail address is nothing less than professional. An address like bigmama@yahoo.com or anything cute or sexy could be detrimental to that first impression.

Your next opportunity to create the right image is via your résumé. This is probably the single most important document you’ll be evaluated by, and it will determine whether the hiring folks want to invite you to an interview or not. Remember that the first impression is a lasting impression. This is an extremely critical stage because résumé readers typically review large numbers of résumés, and having only one opening to fill, their intention at this point is to reduce the number of résumés to three to five final candidates for interviewing. In fact, this process of reviewing the résumé is divided into two parts. The resume reader’s objective is to eliminate résumés that clearly seem to lack something. It might be something as simple as an unattractive appearance, improper use of language or grammar, lengthiness, overly detailed experience, or a lack of accomplishments.

On one hand, many résumés contain listings of job duties as described in job descriptions and not actual accomplishments. The résumé reviewer expects to read about accomplishments on the job. If your résumé doesn’t pass this 10- to 30-second scan, it’s likely that it will be set aside and never resurface again. Unfortunately, you’ll never find out that that was the case—except by the lack of any next steps.

On the other hand, if your résumé passes this first-blush review, it will be read thoroughly, along with another 10 or 12 others, and will be ranked on a competitive basis. Probably only three to five candidates will be called in for face-to-face interviews. With that decision, you move on to the next stage in the job search process, in which you have to get ready for the final test, which is to convince the hiring manager and others interviewing you that you are their ideal candidate. Good luck.

Alex Freund is the founder of Landing Expert–Career Coaching. His Web site includes a current and comprehensive list of job search networking groups in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and the city of New York, and the site is visited by thousands of people every month. Landing Expert is a premier career-coaching service with the objective of preparing job seekers for interviews. Alex’s clients are gaining knowledge, receiving marketing material, and acquiring the know-how to beat the competition.

Alex can be reached at:

609-333-8866

alex@landingexpert.com

www.landingexpert.com

Follow me on Twitter.

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Read my blog.

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
 
0 Comments
Leave A Response
« Previous Entries
Go To Top »