Monday, February 28, 2011

The Job Search and Gardening

This weekend I went to a mother’s retreat with my church.  It was something that I’ve never done before and it sounded like a good idea to help me return to what is important in my life.  The invitation read, “Work, Parenting, Chores; The demands on our time and energy leave us feeling depleted…” The theme of the retreat was gardening. We reflected and shared “gardening” as it parallels our lives; preparing the earth, sowing seeds, weeding, watering, resting, messes; all the things related to cultivating and harvesting a beautiful garden. 
I pushed all thoughts of Blackbird Learning Associates and job search training out of mind at this retreat and concentrated on tying the theme to my family life.  Today, however, I realized that many of these same things are related to a job search.
Preparing the Earth: Obviously you can’t just put some seeds in the ground and hope that they’ll grow.  You need to plan your garden and prepare the soil.  These same techniques are part of planning your job search.  Reflect on your career direction by first identifying your strengths, weaknesses, skill sets, career aspirations, accomplishments and networking contacts. This is also the time to prepare your resume taking care to use the proper wording and to also think about the types of questions that you may be asked in an interview.
Sowing Seeds:  When you plant a garden some seeds will take and germinate while others will remain in their hard little shells.  The same holds true in the job search. You may feel as if you are sending out hundreds of resumes but not receiving a single response.   This is normal but so discouraging.  Take the time to reflect on why this may be happening. Is your resume focused on the job requirements, is it tailored to the specific job?  Are you networking? Perhaps you are interviewing but not getting anywhere.  Are your responses specific and measurable? Do you ask questions? Do you know the company background?
Watering: Just as you don’t plant your garden and cross your fingers that it will grow without water or food, sending out resume after resume doesn’t always work.  It’s not always productive nor makes good use of your time. Remember your network contacts and now and again send them something that may benefit them.  Is there a recent article that they might find interesting? Is there an event that they may want to attend?  If you interviewed, don’t forget to follow up with an electronic or written thank you. 
Messes: Gardening is dirty and hard and sometimes you may wonder if anything is ever going to peek out of the ground.  This is also true with losing a job and starting up again.  Try not to let the negativity and uncertainty eat at you. Get out of the house for a while and get involved with other things.  Volunteer and you will meet a new network, learn some new skills and most importantly, help clean the clutter from your mind.
Weeding: Not a lot of people like weeding. Its tough work and you can’t do it just once.  If you let it go for a week or two, the weeds can overcome the garden and make it difficult for you to want to go out and clear the space.  Have patience, continue your efforts, don’t give up and understand that this job search may have a very positive impact on your life as a whole.
Resting: Slow down, don’t push too hard, refocus and don’t let the “garden“take every moment of your time.  Find time for you and your family.  If you find that you are spending too much time at networking events and not enough time to respond to job inquiries then something is wrong.  Cut an event or two out of your schedule and concentrate on what is important.
If you’ve ever grown anything you know the joy that the first glimpse of a new seedling can bring.  Eventually your garden will bear fruit, and so will your job search. 

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Using Twitter For Your Job Search

Today I'm going to write about something that I admit, I’m not very good at using – Twitter. I’m pretty savvy with my website (thank you Christine.biz) and blog (thank you me) but Twitter makes me feel amateurish.  I do know that Twitter is already a great learning tool (see Grey's Anatomy Episode 13  about Tweeting in the operating room) and it is a wonderful way to help with your job search.
I have had a Twitter account for about a year.  At first it just sat there and I didn’t have the time to figure out how to follow people or have them follow me.  Slowly, I discovered that Twitter is just one of the many tools that can be used to offer job search advice and help my business; I learned to use it a bit more.  I’m still stumped at some of the lingo and functions, but with time and research, I’ll figure them out.
Since this is a blog on the job search, I thought I’d share with you a couple of ways that you can learn AND look for a job on Twitter.  You first need to sign up for a Twitter account and then connect with people and organizations.  You then need to Tweet, or add content. The Twitter basics in the Help section can walk you through these as well as explain some of the lingo such as # and RT and @.  There are two pieces of advice that I’d like to share to get you started; job search help and looking for jobs (these sound like the same thing but they’re different).
1.       Job Search Help: There are numerous Tweets from companies, individuals or sites on Twitter that offer job search advice.  You can learn how to create a resume, interview, network, look for a job as a new graduate, senior, new mom…. The list goes on.  By simply typing Job Search in the Search box, you’ll be connected with many links and Tweets about the process.  It can be overwhelming though and you’ll need a bit of time to pick through the Tweets.  I found this great list of job search Twitter addresses from Career Rocketeer.  I’ve bookmarked it and refer to it often.

2.       Looking for a Job: Once you get established and walk through the basic how tos, go to the Search box and type in your job title.  Recently I entered my title, “Learning & Development” and a scrolling list of learning and development jobs appeared.  They were global and domestic listings and many included salaries, companies and recruiting firms.  Most had a URL link or shortened URL link to save character space) that I could click to find out more information including the application process.
Twitter is a good place to connect and network too as many of the Tweets are from people in your field.  You can “Follow” these tweets and you can also post a tweet about your job search.  Since you are allowed 140 characters to type, you can ask something like, “Anyone know of an IT engineering position in NJ?”
These are just two simple ways to use Twitter to help your job search and I am sure there must be hundreds more.  I’m still trying to figure them out.  Please add your suggestions – we could all use the advice!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Job Search, Preparing: Part 3

This is the final piece to the Job Search series that I put on Slideshare. This part looks at creating a resume, interviewing and follow up activities. I would appreciate your feedback. Is there something that you'd like to see? Please let me know.
The material for these shows comes from my job search classes.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Job Search: Part 2, Networking

The Job Search, Networking describes many of the skills and activities needed to successfully network for a new position. It includes notes, activities and worksheets.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Job Search Part One: Planning

This is a SlideShare presentation on the Job Search.  It is Part 1: Planning.  I will be adding Parts 2 and 3, Networking and Preparing in the next few days. Much of the material here is based upon the material I present in my job search classes.  Much of the material in Part 1 is from the class, Career Assessment. 

Friday, February 18, 2011

Companies Moving to NJ

I'm not making a political statement here but I saw this article outlining the steps Governor Chris Christie is taking to stimulate economic growth in the state of New Jersey.  He is offering out of state companies incentives to move or expand their businesses within the state.  This article, from the GovMonitor lists the companies that are planning on moving to NJ.  It also lists those existing NJ companies that are expanding. According to the article, this move will bring about 3024 new jobs.

In the job search it's important to scan the internet or papers for news of companies moving to your area.  This move means growth and more jobs.  Remember, if a company is moving to your area, not all of the staff will move with them.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Your Questions During an Interview


Last night a friend asked me if I could suggest some dynamic questions that she might comfortably ask a Vice President on her second job interview. She did the leg work and studied up on the company and had some questions of her own but just wanted to bounce some ideas off of me.
As we got to talking, we went over the three major areas that a company wants to learn about you. If there is a good match, you are that much closer to getting the job!
1.   Can you do the job?
2.   Do you fit into the company culture?
3.   Do you want this job?

Can you do this job?
This is the regular interviewing discussion about your skill sets and measurable accomplishments.  We’ve talked about these before; you’ll need to review the key words in the job description and tie them to your accomplishments. Be prepared with specific examples of your past behaviors and accomplishments.
Can you fit into the company culture?
Your knowledge of the company, major competitors, recent news articles, key executives and company values will show that you have done your homework and have an understanding of the company. Your responses and questions will help solidify your fit into the organization. 
Do you want this job?
This is obvious but your punctuality, attire, preparation, motivation and body language along with your knowledge of the company and your responses to the interviewer’s questions will convey your desire to do the job. These, along with your specific questions for them can help translate your enthusiasm and eagerness to work for this organization.  
Don’t save your questions for the end of the interview.  An interview is a two-way conversation and your questions may naturally come up in the interview.  Here is a sample list of questions that I gave to my friend.  Like her, you may want to tailor them to your needs.  You can change them to suit the level of the person with whom you are interviewing.  For example:
1.    What are the short and long term goals of this department?
2.    What are the short and long term goals of the organization?
These questions along with more detail on interviewing techniques can be found in my book, Job Search for Moms.
a. What are the short and long term goals of the company?
b. What is the vision of the department?
c. What is the company environment like?
d. What concerns need to be addressed immediately?
e. What do you see happening with this position for the next 3 to 6 months?
f. What are the particular attributes needed to succeed in this job?
g. What are the challenges a person coming to this job will face?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Transferable Job Skills

This morning I had to do some work for a huge event at my son's high school.  In April the school is hosting its annual Fashion Show and Basket Auction.  This event draws over 700 guests and makes a lot of money for the technology program within the school.  Back when my son was a freshman (he’s now a senior), I volunteered to work on the Mother's Auction Committee.  The goal of this group is to collect donations and using these, create stunning gift baskets for auction.  Other than the fashion show, featuring the high school seniors, these baskets are the biggest draw of the day. So today I am entering all the donations that we have received to date into an Excel spreadsheet.  This information is used for the event program and it also ensures that the donors receive a proper thank you.

I never used Excel prior to getting involved with the committee and I'm certainly not an expert.  Still, I now consider it part of my skill set.  Some of the other skills that I have polished as a result of the Fashion Show are:
1. Leadership.  We have over 20 volunteers looking for direction on asking for donations and then creating the baskets.
2. Delegation: Dividing up the tasks and giving each volunteer the creative freedom he or she needs is part of the process.
3. Problem Solving: Handling last minute donations, working with other committees, broken donations... the list continues.  The skill needed to decide what needs to be done and communicate it properly is used frequently.
4. Communication: Creating programs, working with other committees, working as a team are many of the components of this fund raiser.
5. Time Management: Ensuring the donations are requested and received on time, creating baskets within a limited time frame, displaying the baskets prior to the event.
6. Process Modeling: Designing a process model for future Program Chairs to follow.

These are just some of the skills needed for one outside or volunteer activity.  These skills can be captured on a resume or discussed in an interview.  Think about what you do as a volunteer.  What skills do you use? What are the results of using these skills?  Come up with measurable STAR (Specific, Task, Actions, Results) examples for each of the skills. 
What can you come up with? What transferable skills do you have?

Monday, February 14, 2011

The "T" Cover Letter

When I first started writing Job Search for Moms, the "T" cover letter was a relatively new job search tool. I like the format because it is easy on the eyes and it matches the requirements in the job post to your particular skills and accomplishments. In a T-format cover letter, the first paragraph contains an introduction including the job in which you are interested, any networking information you may have and a branding statement tied into the organization’s business needs. The second paragraph contains the “T”. Rather than writing a qualifications summary paragraph or listing your skills in bullet points, you can create a "T" column that matches the job skills needed by the employer with your particular skills and experience.

I've included a sample below although the format here on Blogger doesn't allow me to insert the "T column.


Proper Salutation/Address Information Date
Dear Mr. /Ms. Last Name;
The open position for a Human Resources Assistant, listed on the (company) website calls for many of the abilities I have developed in my 10 years of Human Resources experience. My background indicates experience and successful implementation of a number of innovative recruiting processes with (company) including:

In the body of the cover letter, set up a "T" column. On the left side of the "T", write out several of the job requirements. On the right side of the "T", state your accomplishments as they relate to each of the listed job requirements.


There are other areas of my background including my educational background, solid social networking and employee referral abilities, on-boarding program design and organization skills that may also be of interest to you. I look forward to the opportunity of meeting with you personally to discuss how I might fit into your organization.
Sincerely,
Name
Phone number

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Plan, Prepare, Plan, Prepare...

Sometimes you think you are all grown up and professional and then you do something so, well…dumb.  My husband calls it my "bull" as in "Bull in a china shop" but I call it my Sagittarius.  We Sagittarians are known for speaking off the top of our heads; sometimes just not thinking before something pops out of our mouths.  I've been like this for as long as I remember and don't know if it has to do with my astrological sign or if it is just something inherent in my being. My son has it too.  I vividly recall when seeing a man with an ill-fitting toupee in the grocery store, be blurted out loud in front of everyone, "What's that man got on his head?" I'll let that one slide because he was younger then and didn't yet realize that some things are better left unsaid. After a talk about it on the ride home he realized that words can be hurtful. 

Anyway, today on my facebook business page I posted a very informative article that I found on tips for getting back to work after a long absence.  It was for the age 40+ job seeker.  In my Sagittarian haste I wrote, "Here is a great article for the old job seeker", rather than, "Here is great article for the older job seeker." I know it may sound trivial and wasn't intentional but still, I didn't proof it before posting. So does this relate to the job search? Yes, plenty. 

1. Proof, proof, proof.  Run your resume and cover letters through spell and grammar checks. Then run it past real life "people" checks. 
2. If you are replying to comments or starting a comment in a LinkedIn or other group, copy and paste the comments in Word first, check them and then post them. 
3.  If you are interviewing, think before you speak - be prepared.
4. Going in a thousand directions at once is going to cause mistakes. Slow down.

These are the rules I try to follow but sometimes my “Bull” or Sagittarius comes out.  We're only human, right?

Friday, February 11, 2011

Job Search: A Few of My Favorite Things

Many times in my job search classes, people ask me what, other than a good resume can help them with their job search. That’s a good question, especially since many times there are more than 100 applications for each open position.  There are some things that you can do and while some require an investment, others are free but worth their weight in gold.   What can you think of?  Here are a few that I can immediately think of:
1.       A profession photograph.  Have a family member or friend take a picture of you against a background with some color.  Don’t have a busy or white background and try to make sure it is a headshot. Unless you have a tripod, don’t try to take it yourself because your arm holding the camera always shows and that looks funny.  I suggest you look around for a reasonable priced professional.  In the NJ and PA areas, I found Da Visons Photography.  They are highly professional, affordable and a joy to work with. They have a Facebook Business Page you can visit and “Like”.  Try to use your most professional headshot for LinkedIn and save the soft and fuzzy stuff for Facebook.

2.       A business card. Either go to a printing company or create a template yourself with VistaPrint.  The quality of the stock and typeset of VistaPrint  is great and you can’t beat the price. 

3.       A professional email and voice mail. Don’t let either take away from your professionalism.

4.       A grammatically correct and well-written LinkedIn profile. Take a look at some of the other profiles from positions that are similar to yours.  Join the LinkedIn group, Linked Strategies to learn some of the expert tips to make your profile searchable and professional.  I also like the blog, "The Essay Expert"  for many reasons including the grammar assistance.

5.       A professional website or blog. If you want to create either of these but have little or no expertise, sometimes you need a little help.  You can hire a professional to design or guide you in this activity or you can do it yourself.  A wonderful resource is Christine Biz.  I like Christine's advice and her easy to understand instructions.  She also has some great website templates. Christine has a Facebook Business Page full of great tips that you can "Like".

6.       Hope. One of my favorite blogs is The Golden Rule Guy, written by John Fox. John writes from the heart and provides encouragement to any job seeker.  His writing style is soothing and comforting.
Can you think of anything else?  Any suggestions?

Monday, February 7, 2011

Job Search Questions Wanted

Is there a question that you have about the any part of the job search process? Please comment below or send me a note and let me know.  I can use it for a couple of things:
1. Write a blog about it, and/or
2. Use it in a radio show interview (to be aired on March 12, 2011)

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.

Nancy

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Job Search for Moms - Book Review

My recent book, Job Search for Moms has only three chapters; Planning, Networking and Presenting. That's it - the only three steps you'll need to begin the arduous task of looking for a new job or career.  Rather than present you with a laundry list of every possible piece of job search advice, these three steps take the mystery and well, pain, out of the whole job search process.  So what do the chapters on Planning, Networking and Presenting involve?  Here are a couple of highlights:

1. Planning: The theme of Chapter One is Focus on You, Focus on the Job. With tools and charts, this chapter will allow you to reflect upon your needs including those that are financial, emotional, and educational.  By identifying your strengths and development needs, skill sets, transferable job skills, career wants and experience you will be better prepared to speak about yourself and share your knowledge and abilities.   The chapter also looks at careers and shows you how and where to review the key words that match your skill sets.  By focusing on you and focusing on the job, you’ll be better prepared to set goals and move ahead to the next chapter; Networking.

2. Networking: This chapter looks at the number one way to find a job.  Included are the methods to build relationships, identify networking opportunities and contacts, gain knowledge of the hidden job market and clarify insider information.  You’ll also learn how to develop yourself within your current position or in a different career direction through informal and informational interviewing.  Creating a  social media presence is also emphasized.

3. Presenting: Now that you're done planning and understand networking you are ready to create your resume, plan for your interview and move forward.  This chapter (placed last for a reason) presents the tools you’ll need to put your job search into high gear.  It includes resume types, behavioral interviewing, questioning techniques, resources to find company information, the flow of any interview and follow up activities.

Job Search for Moms stocked with charts, questions, telephone conversations, email samples, internet resources – everything any job seeker needs to get moving with the job search. The material was gathered from a series of job search classes presented by Blackbird Learning Associates.  The book is available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble or Lulu.com.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Workforce 55+

As an older job seeker, have you considered Title V of the Older Americans Act?  This program, established in 1965 offers older job seekers as opportunity to participate in part time work.  It is described as a program offering "part-time opportunities in community service activities for unemployed low-income persons who are fifty-five years or older and who have poor employment prospects."  New Jersey unemployed job seekers can find more information at Workforce 55+.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Creating A File of Your Accomplishemnts

I used to save everything but luckily over the years I've managed to purge books, clothing, shoes, old toys and so many other things.  I think the television show "Hoarders" scared me!  One of the things I never threw out though were my old performance appraisals. 

Back when I was a corporate trainer I taught managers and non-managers the art of performance management.  That included goal setting, coaching, performance appraisal and development planning.  One tip I passed to every person who walked through the training room door was this, "Create a "Me" File, or a file of your accomplishments and add to it weekly. A physical or electronic Me File is a tool that contains all of your measurable accomplishments, or results.

The point of the Me File is to remind you of your many accomplishments during the yearly performance cycle.  Back then, I suggested that as soon as you sat down with your manager to review your goals, you needed to prepare your new file.  It should contain a copy of your goal statements and any notes and accomplishments that relate to these. As the performance cycle spins on, you might include emails from clients, managers or peers, thank you letters, specific reasons why a goal couldn't be met, or specific reasons why a goal was met or ahead of target. It should also include your final appraisal and development plans. I would suggest that people take about 15 minutes before the close of the workday on the last day of the work week to add notes to the file.  Of course people would use the file however they liked just as long as they kept one.  No one can remember their day to day work activities and having a file like this is a refreshing reminder of all that you do.

How is all this related to your job search? If you get notice of an impending reduction in workforce (and you may be part of that reduction), gather up your Me Files and take them home.  Much of the data and detail will allow you to note your job accomplishments and this  is the fuel for your resume.  If your performance appraisal was written correctly (and sadly many/most) aren't, you will have a wonderful record of your specific job accomplishments.  You'll be able to capture how many, how much, with whom, why and why not. 

If you never saved this information you'll have to recreate it.  You can start with a chart listing your specific job tasks and then add your accomplishments as they relate to these.  Also add any training or development activities that you attended. It's harder to remember a year or two down the road.

Unfortunately, many companies don't have any performance planning systems in place. That's a shame. Still, if this is the case for you, you can still create a Me File. Fill it with everyting that relates to your job and be sure to include all the notes and comments relating to your performance.  It will help you in so many ways, including your self confidence!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Career Resources Are Out There

Last night I gave a class in one our public libraries on career assessment.  As usual it was a great group of people all eager to learn something new to apply to their job searches.    One of the things I noticed again (and I see it in every class) is that most people aren’t aware of the rich resources that are around them.  Now I spend much of my time looking for these resources so that I can pass them along; it’s my job but some people aren’t aware of what’s out there.  Here are some of the more obvious resources:
1  Free career assessments – look to the government sites such as O*Net or Oprah Winfrey's great tools.
3. Free training- look at your libraries, community colleges, adult schools
4. Networking and Professional groups
5. Job descriptions- look at the Occupational Handbook and job boards and compare the wording of these positions to your skill set.
6. Salary calculators
7. Low cost business cards such as those from VistaPrint
8. Volunteer opportunities (remember networking and skill set development)
9. How-To articles and resume samples on major job boards
10.LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook
There are so many more, what have you found that has been helpful in your job search?

Please Visit a Dermatologist

Today I had surgery for a Stage 0 Melanoma. It was discovered about a month ago when I went to my dermatologist for my annual skin screening...