You Lost Your Job, Now What?

I was reading and commenting on a post in one of my LinkedIn groups. It was about the emotional rollercoaster women go through when they lose their jobs. It is a very spirited discussion. I like that about Linkedin - all the different opinions. Anyway, one of the things I commented on is that many women (and men) just don't realize the free or low cost offerings that are out there in the real and cyber worlds.

I love giving job search training sessions but often as I am about to start training a new group, an uncomfortable thought passes through my mind. "What if they know this already and they made the trip here for nothing and won't learn anything valuable?" I am always surprised that regardless of organizational level or occupation, most people don't know where to start when writing a resume. Most people don't know what types of jobs they might be interested in and they don't know how to network or interview. Most surprising though is the fact most people are unaware of the resources available to them on the internet.

When I was displaced from my organization I was offered (and took advantage of) the use of the company sponsored career outplacement center. Here I was offered training in resume writing and interviewing and I could use the center as my “office” to find a new job. I also worked with an experienced career counselor to assess my career interests and craft my resume. Some displaced employees took advantage of this valuable offering but many did not. Why? I think that anger, shock, embarrassment, depression and other heart –wrenching emotions play a role in that. I also think that while some people do take advantage of outplacement offerings, many are not emotionally ready to actively participate.

My former organization offered this invaluable service but many do not and the displaced employees are left to figure it out on their own. Once a person is ready to move on, where do they begin? I have compiled a list of sources that I have found helpful.

1. Your state or county unemployment office. Make use of the training and make an appointment to talk to a career counselor. Many of the counselors have suggestions and brochures of some excellent state run or nationally-mandated programs. The government is offering all sorts of programs from returning to school to green jobs but you have to know where to look for them. Also, participate in the office’s support groups and volunteer on one of the many committee positions. Look at the Professional Service Groups that most unemployment offices have and attend the meetings. You will be able to network, attend free presentations on job search skills and perhaps add another skill to your resume.

2. Your public library. Many have been given grants to offer job search and computer skills training and most if not all, are free. Call up the Adult Services Librarian and ask what they have. They also offer a number of other interesting programs and this is another great place to network.

3. Your local community college. Again, free or low cost job search training or business advice. Also the government is offering Pell grants for some people to retrain or return to school and the college is up-to-date on the details.

4. Volunteer. Find an interest and get out there. While you are doing something that you enjoy, you can also network.

5. Professional Groups. Almost every profession has a group. Look for one in your area and join it. Usually the local chapters are much cheaper than the national chapters.

6. Social Networking. Create a complete LinkedIn profile and join some career interest groups. Get involved in conversations. Ask and answer questions.

7. About.com, Monster.com and other sites. Look up career advice and look at the templates designed for career- specific resumes and cover letters. There are also plenty of sites for the older job seeker.

8. On-line newspapers and magazines. Almost every day there is an article about job search. Some are full of depressing statistics but others offer great advice and even more resources.

9. Career Assessments. Type in “free career assessment” and you will find some helpful tools to help you identify career interests and motivational profiles. AARP has a couple of good ones.

10. Other colleges. Most colleges have links to their career service offices and there’s a lot of good advice about resume templates, fonts, spacing and the like. Also interviewing tips. Each college has different advice so look around.

Once you take a step to actively start your job search your outlook will improve. You are doing something for yourself, you are getting out and you are learning something new. It really does help.

Networking ...True Story

On Wednesday, August 12th a recent college graduate couldn't find a job anywhere. She was looking in her home state of CT and the surrounding areas. Wednesday night her dad was playing tennis with a man who said that his company had been looking for an entry level marketing employee for months and couldn't find a suitable candidate. His problem was that the new person had to begin on Monday, August 17th. The dad said that his daughter just graduated with a degree in marketing/advertising. They agreed to meet the next evening. The college graduate met with the marketing guy and then went into NY for an interview on Friday (August 14th). After several hours of waiting by the phone, she got the call. She was accepted and begins Monday.
The moral of the story?
1. Networking, again.
2. Be prepared with your resume and be ready to interview on a moment's notice.
3. Be flexible.

PS She still has to go through the HR Department, medical, drug and background checks.

Interviewing and your DiSC™ Style

Lately there have been a great deal of articles written about perfecting your resume or interviewing tips, what to wear on the interview or what questions to ask. What I haven’t seen is how your personality comes across in the networking, telephone or in-person interviews. I think that understanding style, both your own and the interviewer may help during the interviewing process. While there are many types of personality profiles, I’d like to concentrate on the DiSC™ definition of style.

History
The DiSC™ behavioral assessment is based upon the research of William Moulton Marston (1928) on how people respond to various effects in their environment. Studied and modified over the years, the DiSC™ is a tool used to not only assess your behavior and “personality”, but to also help you understand other people’s styles. It is used in businesses to enhance teamwork, to improve communication and customer service, to reduce conflict and value the differences in others.

DiSC™ Styles
While people are a combination of styles, the DiSC™ Classic states that in certain situations such as work, people usually behave in a consistent manner and fall into certain quadrants. These styles are described as Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientious. Their accompanying behaviors are described below.

D: Dominance
 Getting immediate results
 Causing action
 Accepting challenges
 Solving Problems
 Questioning status Quo
 Taking Authority

i: Influence
 Contacting people
 Being articulate/optimistic
 Generating enthusiasm
 Creating motivational environment
 Participating in a group

S: Steadiness
 Performing in a consistent manner
 Developing specialized skills
 Be a good listener
 Demonstrating patience, accommodating and considerate
 Creating a harmonious work environment

C: Conscientious
 Attention to key directives, details and standards
 Thinking analytically and using a systematic approach to situations and activities
 Being diplomatic with people
 Using a systematic approach

DiSC™ Style and the Interview Process
Many times we are called to our line of work based upon our personal likes and also our behavioral styles. For example, a scientist may be high in Conscientious, while a sales and marketing representative may be high in Influence. A manager may have high Dominance tendencies and a writer may be higher in the Steadiness arena. Various job descriptions also highlight the competencies the employee would need to satisfactorily complete the job. These competencies obviously vary by job but as you read them in the job description or posting, pay attention to the wording. Descriptions such as “detail oriented,”, “team player”, “focused”, or outstanding customer service skills” give you an idea of the type of behavior needed for the job.
In an interview, either networking, telephone or face-to-face, your personal DiSC™ style and that of your interviewer should be taken into account. While it is critical to be prepared with behavioral examples of your past accomplishments, it is also important to consider how you come across to the interviewer.

Which Resume Format Will You Choose?

These days there are many articles on how to make your resume stand out from the hundreds of thousands that are flooding the job market. And while many of us have religiously updated our standard, chronological resumes, the times have changed and that format may no longer work. Personally, I had two resumes. One I kept updated for my career in learning and development and the other was for teaching school. I smugly thought I was forward-thinking to have two resumes and I swore that either one was good enough to get me into the door of the next phase of my career. Unfortunately, when I had to use my learning and development resume, I found that it was way too long and that in a round-about way, it showed my age. In addition, there was too much competition out there and many of the other applicant’s were a lot younger than me. I couldn’t have that so I changed my format.
When the economy isn’t as volatile and the unemployment rate isn’t reaching towards 10% it may be okay not to put so much effort into choosing a resume format. But when things are tough in the job market, it is critical to craft your resume to ensure you stand out in a positive way.
There are many wonderful sites to assist you select your resume format. There are also sites that will give you examples of the wording you can use for various positions. That’s fine I suppose and is a good way to get started if you get stuck on the wording but not if you want your resume to stand out. Let’s review a quick primer of the types of resume formats.

 Chronological: A Chronological resume documents work history in reverse chronological order. This format, generally liked by human resources departments and employers for its familiarity is generally used by people staying in the same field.

 Functional: The Functional resume focuses on skills and experience rather than chronological work history. This format is generally used by people with many years in the work place, those who are changing careers or those returning to work after an absence. Here, a functional job statement or summary of qualifications is provided up front and then supporting paragraphs detailing job accomplishments follow. For example, in my own resume for Learning & Development, I have a paragraph for explaining my job accomplishments in Needs Assessment, Training Design, Facilitation Skills, E-Learning and Measurement. The job history and education, are listed at the bottom of the resume.

 Combination: This format focuses on skills and experience first and then lists the employment chronological work history. This format allows you to state your most relevant qualifications up front like a Functional resume, while providing the employment history seen in the chronological format. The Combination resume is good for recent graduates or students, older workers, and also people returning to work after an absence.

 Targeted: This resume is customized to fit the job for which you are applying. It highlights your skills and experience relevant to a particular job. The Targeted resume will summarize your qualifications with the wording listed from the job description. While time consuming, the Targeted resume is very practical in today’s job market.

Whatever format you choose, it is important to evaluate your skills, knowledge and experience and hold those up against the job description. (See previous blog on Job Competencies, Transferable Job Skills and Other Tips) Is there a match? Do you feel that your skill-set matches the needs of this job posting? If you can answer yes to these questions, then go for it. And good luck!

Networking and the Generations

Over the Fourth of July holiday I spent some time at the beach with my sister. On Sunday one of her friends joined us and they spoke of a former co-worker who left the company to take another job in June. I asked how she found the job since the national unemployment rate for June was 9.5 %. They said she found the job through a neighbor. Chalk up another job found through networking.
Recent reports show that in 60% – 80% of the time, networking results in obtaining a job. But we’ve always known that, haven’t we? How long has the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” been around? I heard that from my parent’s when I got out of college and was looking for a first job. Back then I thought I could do it myself and that I didn’t need anything other than my knowledge, skills and well, just being me. I was wrong. When I finally found the job of my dreams, it was through someone my mother played golf with.
I was surprised that my parent’s actually asked for help for me. You see, they were born on the cusp of the Traditional Generation, those born between the years 1922 – 1945. Also called the Silent Generation, Veterans and the Greatest Generation, they didn’t believe in asking for help or for a hand-out. They believed that you kept your problems to yourself and worked things out on your own. While their children, the Baby Boomers grew up optimistic and eager to take on the world, I wonder if some of their parent’s misgivings and distrust has held them back today as they currently seek employment.
In the job search sessions I give, I have noticed that the subject of networking brings about mixed feelings among the participants. Some nod their heads knowingly while it seems to make others uncomfortable. Those who are 40 years old and younger don’t seem to have a problem with the tips and exercises we use to promote networking. I have noted others who are slightly older seem to have a harder time knowing where to begin. Maybe it is just so overwhelming to think about the neighbors, committee members, religious organization acquaintances, former school buddies, basketball team mates or whomever to reach out to.
Back to the beach conversation. The woman who got the new job is a member of Generation X. I believe that this generation along with Generation Y, believe that they are marketable business commodities and will take advantage of networking opportunities. I think it is easier because of how and when they were brought up. It’s also the message that I’m sending my own kid’s.

Are We Born With Leadership Traits?

I am reading a book called The Ladies Lending Library by Janice Kulyk Keefer. It is about a group of women who, along with their children spend the summer of 1963 renting cottages along a lake in Canada. They spend the week reading, gossiping and wishing they lived the lives of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. While they drink gin and swap stories on the beach, their children plan and scheme and get into harmless trouble. I haven't finished the book yet but the children in the story got me thinking about something I have often wondered. Are leadership qualities something we are born with or something to cultivate as we get older?

In this book, as in life, there are certain children who take the lead in games, sports, music, school and well...everything. They are the ones who had the ideas to build the fort or climb the tree. They were the ones who, when going for the bike ride, would lead the group. They delegated the tasks when building the sandcastle. When the sandcastle was finished, and the waves took it away, they were the ones who lifted our spirits and told us that we'd always make another one tomorrow. I always thought that in the pecking order of children's games and lives, they were the "leaders".

Looking at their lives now, many have had successful careers. Some are doctors, some teachers; some own their own businesses and some are senior leaders in organizations.

In the training classes I give, I often ask the participants if they led the group on the bike ride or if they were in the pack. The responses I receive often reaffirm the characteristics I see from their behavior in the class. Those who "led the bike pack" are often more vocal and offer more suggestions and encouragement. Those "in the pack" are a bit more quiet yet insightful once they get going.

I'm not trained to study human behavior but I've been doing learning and development a long time and think that leadership is an inherent quality. We can train leadership skills but those "in the pack" may take a little longer to pick up and apply them.

Job Competencies, Transferable Job Skills and Other Tips

The other day I met with a recent college graduate. His Mom, one of my friends asked me to look at his resume and give him the feedback that only a stranger can give. He wants to go into advertising and while his resume noted that, the rest of it needed a tune-up. We did a couple of things. I asked him questions and took notes while he spoke. I wound up with 3 pages of notes and found that none of that good, solid experience was on his resume. This is what we did:
1. Job Competencies: I gave him a worksheet listing six common job competencies and the definitions of each. They are Communication, Organization, Analytical/Problem Solving, Leadership, Interpersonal and Technical skill sets. I asked him to go though the definitions and:
· Rate himself on how accomplished he is in the competency
· Check the competencies he enjoys doing
· Provide real life examples of how he used the competencies (especially the ones he likes and those where he excels.)

2. Transferable Job Skills: This is where it always gets interesting and fun. When he looked at the Job Competencies his face dropped and he said that he may have used one of them during a job as a summer intern at a corporation during his Sophomore Year in college. He couldn’t even imagine how these competencies would fit into his other summer jobs or even his college course work.
His other summer jobs included working at an ice cream parlor and being a camp counselor. Transferable Job Skills are those life and work skills that transfer to another job. For example, when he was a camp counselor, he ran a football league for 100 children who were between the ages of 8 and 12. When I asked him what running a league involved, he went through the list of organization skills, planning, follow through, time management, writing communication brochures, speaking with parents, recruiting coaches and referees, decision making, ordering uniforms and the like. The same holds true with the ice cream parlor job. He trained workers, was responsible for the money, handled customer complaints and so much more than making sundae’s.
Once these skills were out in the open and listed on the Job Competency worksheet we could move on.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/ or the Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Information for Kids: http://www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm . I asked him to go to these websites and look up the advertising industry. These sites list industry trends, salary and the needed training and education for hundreds of jobs. The career site for children is easier to navigate. He went to both and searched for key works to describe the jobs he is interested in. Those words will be strategically placed in his resume. I also asked him which of these advertising profession words matched the Job Competencies/Transferable Job Skills that he liked and was good at. There were matches!

The three steps that I used with this recent graduate can help anyone better prepare for writing their resume. Once the Job Competencies and Transferable Job Skills are identified, half the work is done. By the way, it is helpful to ask someone close to you to review your skill set and note if there are any other Job Competencies and Transferable Job Skills that you may have forgotten.