Siri iPhone and the Job Search

I've been thinking about those iPhone television commercials. You know the ones; the human asks Siri, the iPhone voice for directions or to cancel a meeting. It gets kind of weird when the teenager asked Siri to call him 'Rock God" and then downright creepy when the pompous man in his spacious living room asks Siri to tell him a joke. He then laughs delightedly at her, er... its response. Can it get any lonelier?

An on-line Apple advertisement describes the application as, “Siri on iPhone 4S lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more. Ask Siri to do things just by talking the way you talk. Siri understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back.”

I can understand wanting scheduling and directions help but what about the other Seri requests? What happened to human interaction? Why not call a friend for a joke? Why not let your family tell you that you have value and are loveable? It’s almost as if we as a people are moving away from “real” human interaction because talking with a computer is easier, faster and you get to hear what you want to hear. To me, that’s scary.

This whole Siri thing makes me think of the job search. Step away from your computer once in a while and network with real people with real voices. Join a networking group, volunteer or talk with your neighbors. It may be a software program that will scan your resume for keywords but it will be a real person who will interview and hire you. Perhaps Siri can schedule your interview appointment and give you directions to get there but the rest should be all you and your ability to communicate with a human being.

On Starting Over- Earning My Wings

I am reprinting my stories or reinvention. Back in 2010 I wrote about the history of my company. It's a story of comfortably working for many years in the pharmaceutical industry to losing my job to owning Blackbird Learning Associates.

I am looking for more stories of employment transformation. Have you gone from the employed to the unemployed back to the employed? Are you somewhere in the middle? Everyone has a story, what's yours? I'd like to share your story on The Flap. Also, are there any job search tips that you can share?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Nancy
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Blackbird Fly January 22, 2010.

There is always someone in each job search class that asks about the unusual name of my company, Blackbird Learning Associates. "Where did you get that name?", or "Why did you name your company after a bird?" are the questions I often get.

I tell them the story and it goes like this...http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
When I lost my job of 21 years I was naturally very distressed, hurt and sad. As I drove home after packing up my boxes I asked my parent's (who are no longer here) to help me rediscover my direction. The radio was on in my car. As I spoke that thought out loud, the radio played the Beatles song, “Blackbird.” Now I have hummed along to that song for years but never really paid it much attention. That day, though, I listened."Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you have only waited for this moment to arise" are the words I held onto that day. It was then that I knew that if I ever opened a business, the word "Blackbird" would figure into it somehow.

Recently I decided that I shouldn't be so selfish and that I should share the Blackbird story with others. You see, I am not the only one who should spread my wings and fly. You have remarkable skills, you are resourceful and your talents are abundant. You too have only waited for this moment to arise. Go for it, soar, and know that you are a treasure. Someone will scoop you up.

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On Being Let Go October 7, 2010

I’ve been reading some very discouraging stories on the internet including LinkedIn about the unemployment situation. So many people are expressing how they are faring, how they felt after losing their jobs and also about some of the very unsavory steps some companies take when releasing their employees. It got me thinking about my own job loss and the things people should plan to do if that bleak news is on the horizon. I thought I would share some thoughts with you.

As a former HR and Learning & Development professional with over 21 years of service with the company, my position was eliminated. I was brought to a room, asked what I did and once I responded, was told that my department would no longer offer that service. That was it. Like many of you, when I learned this news, I was shocked, humiliated, angry and very emotional. Our HR Director (who is a really great guy) went over the paperwork then and there but all I heard was "blah, blah, blah". I had to call him afterwards to verify what he said.

Because I worked for a large, recognized company that values its employees, I was able to make use of an in-house Outplacement Center. I was offered training, an office, a telephone extension and other amenities. I took advantage of these services and would urge that anyone do so (if their company offers this service - not all do). I was also lucky enough to save all of my non-confidential documents, programs and thank you emails. The toughest part was going back a week later, turning over my projects and packing up.

Flash forward two years later and now I teach the things that I learned in the outplacement training. I can empathize with what’s going on and offer these pieces of advice should you need them.

Graduation Day

For the past two days we have been proudly attending the graduation ceremonies of our daughter. She has spent the past two years going to Columbia Teachers College at night. She’d work hard at being a teacher during the day then pack it in to drive down to Amsterdam and Broadway where she’d spent several hours a night learning how to be the very best reading specialist that there will ever be. She’d give 100% to the children in her classroom and 100% to her Master’s program. A few things had to give such as a social life and sleep, yet she did it and with all A’s.

At the graduation ceremonies the University President spoke of the lack of jobs for these very qualified and eager students. Our daughter is lucky because she is set employment-wise. Thousands of the other undergraduate and graduate students won’t be so lucky. Unfortunately this scene is playing out all over the country.

How can a recent graduate stand out and get noticed? Here are a few steps that may help.
1. Network: While it is critical to have a social presence through LinkedIn it is also equally important to make physical contact with people. Take advantage of your parent’s of help. They may know many contacts who can help you even if it is for informational interviews. If you were involved in a fraternity or sorority, make use of those contacts and their acquaintances. Your other friends have networking contacts as well. Make sure to return the favor with your own contacts. Don’t be afraid to let your professors or other administrators know about your job search progress as well.
As I watched my daughter interact with her professors over these past few days, I noticed a special bond between them. They let me know that she was eager, participated in the classroom discussions, she was also approachable and likable. I know that if she were looking for employment, these professors would pull whatever strings that they had to get her seen by prospective employers. Think about those types of professors or school contacts that you have made and reach out to them. (If you haven’t yet graduated, now is the time to make those meaningful, sincere connections).

2. Volunteer: Yours is the generation known for helping others. Get out there and give back and in doing so, make connections.

3. Clean up your resume: Make sure that your resume is ready when your networking contacts ask for it.

4. Make up some business cards: Find a source for reasonable yet professional cards and create a batch to have on hand.

5. Join a Young Professional Group: Many United Way organizations have a branch featuring activities and opportunities for the newly graduated. As the group says, “Getting involved in the community is a great way to build your resume, learn new skills and create important relationships, both on a business and social level.”

These five steps all lead to the same thing, networking. Funny how that works. If you just graduated, congratulations and good luck following your dream!

PSG to be Rebranded

With so many of NJ’s unemployed up in arms about a recent announcement concerning the restructuring of the PSG (Professional Service Group), I’d like to address the rumors. PSG is not being disbanding; it’s coming back with a new name and will be bigger and better than ever!

PSG is being rebranded and will be rolled out in July, 2012 as Jersey Job Clubs. The goal of the transformation is to have Jersey Job Club coverage in every local area - county and major cities throughout the state, and also to begin six statewide sector-based Jersey Job Clubs. This is exciting news!

The former PSG group serviced less than 1% of the over 400,000 unemployed people in NJ. In addition, the people serviced were located in mostly suburban areas and not the cities where unemployment rates are the highest. Many people who would have liked to attend the meetings, trainings and networking events were put off by the word, “Professional” in the title; they felt the group was for managerial level professionals or those with advanced degrees.

Over the next two months, members of the Bureau of Labor and Workforce Development will be conducting a series of focus groups with former PSG members, facilitators and jobseekers to understand the needs of jobseekers and to compile a list of best practices. The Jersey Job Clubs will also incorporate many exciting tools including jobs4jersey.com resources and resume registration, effective job search techniques, interview preparation, labor market information and speakers who will provide consistent information around the state.

I look forward to the rollout of the Jersey Job Clubs and hope that you will join me in welcoming the change.

Goal Setting and Your Job Search

Today I am starting a journey of personal transformation. While I look forward to what is ahead of me, I worry about the adjustments that I’ll have to make. One of the things I did to kick-start my plan was to set goals. I plan on reviewing them every morning and then again at night. You can do the same thing for a job search. Here are a few tips on how to do that.

In my book, Job Search for Moms, I talk about goal setting as a fundamental part of any business planning process and as such, should also be a vital first step 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’s 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’s helpful to break each broad goal statement into manageable smaller statements. This step not only keeps you on track, but allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment when it's achieved. A time oriented goal statement should include specific target dates and the approximate time you will need to complete each of the steps. It 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. Here are a couple of sample goal statements that may help you take the necessary steps in one phase of your job search; writing your resume.
Resume Development Checklist

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

Identify specific skill sets by....
Create measurable accomplishments by…
Create career history by....
Create summary statement by....
Choose resume template by...
Type first draft using selected template by....
Get feedback from contacts by....
Type final version by...

Wire Wrapping and Resume Writing

Last night I went to a class at a local library to learn how to make a wire-wrapped ring. As I listened to the instructions and looked at the tools that we were about to use, I didn’t think that I could ever craft anything resembling a piece of jewelry. Two hours later, after wrapping and hammering and filing, I walked away with not one but three rings, all different and all progressively better than the first one. Of course this morning as I looked at my finished products, I thought about how I could relate the jewelry class to writing a resume.

1. Follow the Instructions: Before diving into the project the instructor explained the wire-wrap process. She introduced us to our tools and explained the purpose of each one. Many (most) people dive into writing a resume without any idea of how to start. Before even thinking about writing your resume, take a free class or go on-line and learn about the different types of resumes and the purposes of each. Get comfortable with this project.

2. Organize Your Tools: As I took a seat at the table, displayed in front of me were the tools that I needed for the projects. On a felted placement were the wire, clippers, beads, hammers and ring sizer (called a mandrel). When preparing to write your resume, your invisible placemat should contain all of your “tools”; your skill set, measurable accomplishments, milestones, strengths, certifications, etc. You should also be aware of the newer jargon or wording in your field (the mandrel). Once all this is in front of you, you will be better focused and ready to start.

3. Practice: My first ring was a mess. I felt as if I had ten thumbs as I tried to thread and weave the wire. There were gaps and bumps and my finished product didn’t fit any of my fingers. The instructor encouraged me however and reminded me that I had never done this before. Good advice. If you haven’t written a resume in ten or more years, you’ll notice that the rules have changed. Rather than giving up, go back to steps one and two or get some feedback on how you can improve. It may just be a matter of rushing through it.

4. Take Your Time: The faster I went, the more mistakes I made. The instructor started the class by telling us that if we rushed, we’d make mistakes and the number one rule of wire wrapping is to take it slow. I can honestly say that ring number three looks almost professional. As I was wrapping and practicing the instructor reminded me to slow down and watch what I was doing. The same can be said about the resume. Slow down, have someone take a look at it and then finish it off.

There were twelve of us in the class and we were all at various skill levels. There were the newbie’s like me to the seasoned pros. As we shared our finished products, I was amazed at the results. Even though we all had the same tools and we all heard the same instructions, the rings were as unique as the people crafting them. The same thing can be said about the resume.