Saturday, January 29, 2011

Your Resume Again - A Work in Progess

When I first lost my job, I blew the dust off my resume.  I tweaked it, shared it with a few co-workers for critique and started submitting it.  Then I sat back and waited for the phone to ring. The phone never rang.  How could that be? How could a company not see the value, enthusiasm and well, just ME that I could bring to their workplace? What was wrong with them?  What was wrong with me?  It stung. 
I then brought it to the attention of a career counselor at the outplacement office that my former company so graciously offered (by the way, if your company offers this, swallow your pride and use it).  He diplomatically pointed out to me that my resume, “ah um, aged me.”  He was right!
That was two years ago and since then I have learned a lot about creating a resume.  This may seem like old news to some long term unemployed but if it helps and you take a second look at your resume, then my job is done.  Here’s what I know:
1.    The resume you create today is a template only.  It needs to be adjusted for every position for which you apply. Seriously. For some reason, many people skip this step.
a.    Align your resume with the key words in the position.  Look at the job description and requirements and use this wording as guidance.
b.    Support your resume statements with measurable results (money saved, processes improved, and percentages of whatever great things you did).  ***
c.    Your resume is not a job description so stop writing it like one.
2.    Format your resume for electronic submission. Review the submission requirements (Plaintext, pdf.) and submit your resume as requested.
3.    Dump the Objective and refresh your resume with a Personal Branding Statement.
4.    Toss the “References Available upon Request” statement. Prepare them on a separate document.
5.    Capture the last 10 – 15 years of employment only. The position you had 16+ years ago is not relevant. The exception to this is if you are applying for a job similar to what you had back then.
These are the top five issues that I see again and again in my Resume Preparation classes.  I know that it is extra work to tailor your resume for each position but if it is going to make you and your hard work stand out from the rest of the hundreds of application, isn’t it worth it?
NOTE
** I heard a great tip the other day.  Someone in class said that tailoring a resume to every position can be a recipe for disaster (i.e. pain in the butt) because you may leave yourself open to typos, grammar and spelling mistakes etc.  Another class participant provided this tip:
Prepare a Word document containing ALL of your job accomplishments. Put these measurable accomplishments under various headings.  This man's Word document is over 25 pages long!  This document should be spell and grammar checked by software and people.  When it is time to prepare a tailored resume for a job, go through the document and choose the appropriate wording/measurements to copy and paste into your resume template.  Ah, priceless advice.  I liked it because it is also a good way to review your past and validate your wonderful accomplishments.

UPDATE 1/30/11: Here is an article about the same thing.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Job Search for Moms

Job Search for Moms is available for a limited time at a 15% discount.  Just enter coupon code OPENBOOK305 at checkout.  Sale ends Monday January 31, 2011.

Are Your Happy?

Losing your job, being snowed in, eating for comfort, no one to talk to, facing the same chores, noticing that the format of your favorite newspaper or website has changed...fill in the blank.  Change is uncomfortable and whatever the source, it may make us feel anxious, depressed, moody, lonely or unhappy.
 
I heard a statistic the other day from Dan Buettner, author of Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way who said that people need several hours of interpersonal contact a day in order to feel content. As I listened, I thought of the job seeker, especially the person who has been looking for a long while.

If you lose your job, especially in the winter months, you may feel very isolated and lonely.  At least in the summer, it is easier to get out of the house. We talked about a similar issue the other day in the blog, How Do You Get Over the Job Search Blahs.  It’s tough to hit the wall in your job search.  I have several suggestions but would love to hear your suggestions.

1. Call your doctor or another health care professional if you notice that you feel out of sorts for a while.
2. Get out of the house and join a networking, walking, singing, exercise group.
3. Go to a class.  There are plenty of free classes and your library may be a good resource.
4. If snowed in, turn off the television and listen to some music, dance, read, etc.
5. Call a friend.
6. Volunteer.
7. Journal your feelings.

Please add to the list.  One other thing, if you have a friend who has lost his or her job, please reach out to him or her.  Your friendship can make a big difference.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

January 27, 2011 Snow

Another snow storm, another opportunity to see the beauty of the season. Shovel, worry, complain... I prefer to view it in silence for just a minute and let it restore me.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Professional Services Group - PSG

I've noticed quite a change over the past two years in the job search process and job seekers are becoming quite savvy.  Yesterday I gave a "Job Search for the Age 40+ Worker" class for a local Professional Services Group (PSG).  There must have been 50 people there and they were all on top of the newest strategies and tools to help them with their job search. How’d they do that, I wondered?  The answer was right in front of me.  They make it their business to stay on top of the job search process.

PSG groups offer many services for the job seeker.  You'll find trainings, career fairs, social events, websites, member profiles and so much more. What I liked best about this group was their terminology and support.  Right before they started the meeting they went through the list of those who had "landed", or found a job.  Whether or not the person was in attendance, the room erupted into applause.  It was so warm, genuine and almost as if I had walked into someone's living room.

If I were a local employer, I'd attend one of the PSG Monday meetings. The expertise is extraordinary.  I watched people making an effort to get involved in committees so that they could sharpen their existing skills and learn new ones. I watched people who I knew never did any public speaking in their former jobs, take a microphone and announce a project or make a request.  I saw train-the-trainer huddles going on as people with hopes of landing, passed on their expertise to the newer members.  It was like a business being run on a Monday morning; only the local office was a church basement. 

Bravo to the PSG and other networking groups that sharpen the skill sets of the unemployed and give them a sense of community and purpose.  For more information on Professional Service Groups, please contact your local unemployment office.  I met with the Central Jersey PSG Chapter; please see what your state offers. 

Friday, January 21, 2011

Articles for Moms Returning to Work

Angele Sionna, Earl Childhood Parenting Examiner from the examiner.com™ has introduced a series of articles focused on mothers returning to the workplace. According to her opening article, “the series will include tips and interviews with human resources experts, resume experts, and successful moms with stories that inspire as well as taking a look at resources to help moms looking to dip their toes back in the workplace water or jump right back in. It's for stay at home moms, work at home moms, moms who work part time and moms that have gone back to work full time."

The article yesterday focused on the identifying skill sets and designing a functional resume. I was interviewed for today’s article, Back to Work Moms Q&A: Advice from Job Search for Moms author about the challenges of returning to work.

Do you or someone you know have similar concerns or challenges?  Please share your thoughts.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

How Do You Get Over the Job Search Blahs?

The other day one of my blogging friends posted a note about writer's block and "hitting the wall" as far as coming up with content.  I responded with some suggestions and let her know that I was pretty sure that it was only temporary thing. Her other friends offered similar encouragement and who knows, all that talk and support may lead to new, exciting blog content.

Well guess what? I hit that same wall this morning. All my ideas for job search tips or techniques have disappeared today. I didn't write any content ideas down (as I had suggested to my friend) and my mental gas tank was on "E" for empty.  I don't know why I couldn't write anything today.  It could be the weather, the rain, the snow, arguing with my son last night, the fact that the Christmas tree was still up, the laundry, wanting a vacation... I'm sure that you get the idea. What I was left with today was a feeling of discouragement and the "blahs". 

I did realize something though.  As a job seeker, a job search trainer or a blogger, we can't be up and positive every day.  It's normal to feel discouraged at times or totally frustrated that nothing seems to fall into place. It's OK.  Sometimes we need to give ourselves a day off. Read a book, take a walk, listen to music, dance, play basketball, meditate or do something that will make you feel better.  I took down the Christmas tree.  Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to get back on track. 

What do you do to beat back the blahs?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Libraries

There’s been a lot of press about our library system lately – budget cuts and closings have been mentioned in the news over the past year or so.  That’s the negative.  On the positive, there have been many articles written how our libraries are changing based upon the needs of the populations they serve.  Many new offerings have been communicated such as classes in knitting, English as a second language, local author readings and of course, job search skills. Not only have many libraries upgraded their computer and internet connectivity to ensure quicker on-line job search, they are also offering classes on how to access these sites.  In addition the libraries are the perfect source to sharpen your skill set.
Take a look at your local library listing and see what’s scheduled and let your library know if there is something else that you’d like to see.  If enough people express an interest, your library may bring it in.  Here are a couple of FREE sessions I found on a local library calendar:
·         Intro to Word
·         Using the Internet to Find a Job
·         Self Defense
·         Tax Talk
·         Decluttering and Organizing
·         Interviewing for Success
Our libraries have been and should always be one of the cornerstones of our communities.  Take advantage of them – not only will you learn something, you’ll also have an opportunity to meet the nicest people and attend a top notch class for free.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Friday, January 14, 2011

Job Search Classes Scheduled

Before the term "Blogging" was invented, I was training.  I love training and believe that this occupation is what I was born to do.  Every career assessment I've taken agrees. 

Please check out my website.  I've listed my upcoming job search classes.  With the exception of one class, all of them are free.  Various grants to the NJ public libraries allow me to present a series of job search classes. Please come by (you'll have to enroll).  We have an unbelievable amount of fun in these sessions and you will walk away with what you need to design and execute an awesome job search plan.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Your Learning Style and Updating Your Skill Set

The other day a friend mentioned to me that she was concerned that her skill set may be diminishing because she has been out of the workplace for a few months. With software updates and upgrades it’s sometimes difficult to maintain a high level of expertise when you are no longer working.  Another concern is that many job postings require new skill sets. Where can you get the training you need and find the best training for your particular learning needs?
Before I opened Blackbird Learning Associates I worked for various corporations as a Learning and Development (L&D) specialist.  As an L&D specialist I’ve been trained to understand adult learning behavior.  One of the first things taught is that adults prefer to learn in one of three ways: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. To figure out how you learn, you can Google or search for various on-line adult learning surveys.  One, The Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire from North Carolina State University is free and you can get your results and the meaning of your results immediately.  
Let’s relate this to updating your skills.  
1.     Auditory: Since you prefer learning by hearing, you favor a lecture, an audio presentation, teleseminar and other types of learning where you can listen.
2.     Visual: You prefer seeing or visualizing something. Look for training in video, teleconference, on- line or reading material rich with color and diagrams.
3.     Kinesthetic: You have a preference for live classes or on-line sessions where you can practice and take pre and post tests. You may also favor teleseminars or group discussions where active participation is encouraged.
Where can you find these types of trainings? There is something for every learning style on the internet and many are free.  Depending on your style, look for readings, video presentations, YouTube clips, papers, questionnaires, and radio interviews. Look locally for classes at your libraries, adult education schools or community colleges.  Your local unemployment office is also a great resource for hands-on classes in job search skills and the latest technology as are any professional or networking groups.  If you participate in LinkedIn, ask your group members for suggestions.
It’s up to you to choose the platform and there are plenty of free resources.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Your Personal Brand and a Chamber of Commerce Brochure


During our monthly Chamber of Commerce meeting last month I volunteered to create a brochure highlighting the benefits of joining the chamber.  The board plans to translate the brochure into Spanish and then distribute both the English and Spanish versions to the local businesses in our downtown. Funny how something as straightforward as a Chamber of Commerce brochure can parallel your personal brand and help with your job search planning. I’ve listed the major brochure headings and where you can use similar headings to create your brand.
Mission Statement:  A businesses mission statement describes why a company exists.  It’s a short portrayal of why they are in business.  This can be used to describe your personal brand. What drives you? What can you do to improve business?
Membership: For the purposes of a Chamber of Commerce, this statement identifies the types of organizations eligible for membership.  For you, it’s identifying the types of businesses or audiences that you would enjoy working for.  List them, research them, and look for members in LinkedIn or other professional sites.
Benefits:  The benefits of joining a Chamber include contributing to the vitality and growth of a town. In perspective to a job search, how can you contribute to the growth and vitality of an organization? What are your strengths, what are your marketable accomplishments, how can you contribute to the success of an organization?
The value of networking cannot be underestimated for either a shop owner or a job seeker. The ability to communicate the benefits of a/your business, services or abilities is vital! 
Try jotting these concepts down. Once you put it all together; your mission, membership or audience, and benefits you’ll be better able to visualize and then speak to your specific brand.  This, in turn, will increase your networking confidence.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Power of Volunteering

The other day I read an article about a potential law that basically states that if you want to collect unemployment insurance, you must prove that you are volunteering. I don’t know how that will go over but it had me thinking again about the importance of volunteering as it relates to the job search or career change.
Why Volunteer?
There are many reasons to volunteer including getting out of your house and making a difference. As far as being beneficial to your job search though, there are three major benefits:
1.     Improve/maintain your current skill set (Think: resume)
2.     Learn new skills (Think: resume. Think: career change)
3.     Grow your Network (75%-85% of jobs are gained through networking)
In every job search class I take an unofficial pulse of the volunteer activities of the people in attendance.  Less than half of the people I’ve polled have volunteered since losing their jobs.  In addition, as a whole, 100% of every group never recognized the three major benefits of volunteerism.  What’s keeping people away?  The responses vary but generally fall into the, “I never thought about it”, “I don’t know where to go”, I’d like to but I don’t have the time”, and the always present, “If I were volunteering, when would I have the time to look for a job?”
The benefits of volunteering outweigh the responses.  Even if you offer an hour or two a month, you are out of the house, sharing your skills, learning new skills and meeting the people who might be able to network for you.
What do you think?

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Off Topic - The Shooting in Arizona

Have you ever seen so much hatred spewed in the name of free speech? Have you too been amazed at the self centered, “Me, me, me, I’m right and you’re an ignorant ass if you don’t agree with me” mindset of more and more people lately? Has it become so commonplace that when someone causes a despicable act or a horrible crime against someone that immediately the majority of voices rise up without substantiation to blame it on politics or some other ridiculous motive?
Today as I watched the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords (D -Az) and others unfold, I opened my computer to read the account of the event on Yahoo News. As I scrolled down to the Comments section, I was sickened. Torrents of hate and finger pointing and joking were pouring out of the computer like venom. Of the thousands of comments, possibly only 20% expressed any serious concern for the victims.  Those that did were laughed at or even threatened.

What’s wrong with people these days? What happened to our country that just ten years ago came together as one? Where did the hate come from? Where did the offensive, self-absorbed, boorish behavior spring from?  Why do a great many people feel that it is their God given right to threaten or offend someone while hiding behind a computer?
People are flesh and blood. People have lives. People can change lives. No wonder our country is so disagreeable. People have become so used to typing vicious words that they have actually forgotten how to feel.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Twitter and the Job Search

Today I read a report from Jobvite, Inc. (a recruiting platform).  It stated that in the upcoming year, 80% of companies plan to recruit through social networking with 78% using LinkedIn, 55% using Facebook and 45% using Twitter.  The report also notes that many companies are eliminating the added expense of posting job openings to job boards or working with recruiters and plan to move ahead with a push to recruit through social media. 

We've talked about using LinkedIn in your job search but haven't really said much about Twitter or Facebook.  Today I thought I would give you a couple of links to some helpful articles on using Twitter.  While the article from CIO article was published in 2009, it still contains some very useful information on setting up your Twitter account and using it in a way to get you noticed.  I've been Tweeting for a while and I learned a couple of new things from this article. One thing it stated is when setting up your Twitter account, you can link it to your LinkedIn profile.

Another one of my favorite, easy to follow, "go to" sites is About.com.  They have an interesting article about using Twitter to find various job sites. E-How also has some very easy to follow steps on starting up Twitter and using it for your job search.  It even lists some Twitter addresses to get you started.  Finally, I’ve listed Twit Job Search so that you can enter some job titles and see where it takes you.

I’ll have more on this subject soon but I suggest getting started if you haven't already.  That 45% rate is pretty high. My Twitter name is @Nancy_1, feel free to follow me!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Facebook Page

Come on over and "Like" my new Facebook business page, Blackbird Learning Associates.  I post links and articles dealing with the job search on a daily basis.  Sometimes I link to this page/blog but the content and the contacts over on Facebook are different. I am always looking for new content and suggestions so please feel free to speak up here or over there.  Thanks and looking forward to seeing you.

Goal Setting for the Job Search Process

As promised, here is a piece from Job Search for Moms about setting goals to maintain your focus on your job search. As you can see, the steps listed here are not just for Moms.

Goal setting is a fundamental part of any business planning process. Here too, it should it be a vital part of your job search plan. Setting goals allows you to visualize your future, clarify your steps, and focus on dates. It is the cornerstone of the job search planning process in that it allows you to focus on necessary steps while weeding out any needless distractions. It is also highly motivating and a useful way to measure your time and progress. Within the context of the job search, your goals should be written in specific terms, they should have precise time frames, and they should be measurable. A specific goal tells you exactly what you want to accomplish. It is helpful to break each broad goal statement into manageable smaller statements. This step not only keeps you on track, but it allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment when each step is achieved. A time oriented goal statement should include specific target dates and the approximate time you will need to complete each of the steps. A measurable goal statement should include concrete criteria or action steps that will allow you to measure your progress. Setting goals in the planning process of your job search allows you to focus and move in the right direction. It also gives you a sense of purpose or accomplishment to check off each action item as you move forward. Try using the “Resume Development Checklist” to create your goal statement and take the necessary steps toward producing the resume.


Resume Development Checklist

Prepare final version of resume by August 12, 20__.

  1. Identify areas of expertise by....
  2. Choose resume template by...
  3. Create career history by....
  4. Create summary statement by....
  5. Type first draft using selected template by....
  6. Get feedback from contacts by....
  7. Type final version by...

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Agggg! I Hate New Year's Resolutions!

It's 10:15 am on New Year’s Day and I am reading all the resolutions my friends have written on their Facebook pages. Good for them but not me, I never made or followed resolutions.  It never made sense to me that I had to declare that I was going to change or do something differently because it happened to be the first day of the first month of a new year.  It just set me up for disappointment if I broke my promise.  Who needs that?  Instead, I make objectives throughout the year and then a couple of goals to keep me on the straight and narrow to get there. For example one February my objective was to clean out the coat closet by month end. That was an easy objective and not one that was going to disappoint me if I didn't get it done. I then set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals to help me accomplish the tasks. They went something like this:

1.  Sort coats, mittens and hats by size by Friday (date).
2.  Organize coats, mittens and hats by (date) to donate or toss. 
3.  Donate usable coats, mittens or hats to church by (date). Toss remaining items into receptacle in the Pep Boys parking lot on the same day.
4. Admire spacious closet daily. 

You can do this with your job search too. In my book, Job Search for Moms I talk about breaking your job search goals into SMART manageable steps because you don't want to overwhelm yourself or set yourself up for disappointment.  Your job search goals are so much more important than cleaning out your coat closet but the premise is the same.  I'll share those tips with you tomorrow (shoot; now I have to make another goal). 

Happy New Year! We'll get there, step by step.

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...