I'll Get By With A Little Help From My Manager

I volunteered for a couple of hours at a job search fair yesterday. My job was to review the resumes of some of the people came to the fair. As I sat at the table with the other reviewers I felt myself getting uncomfortable, frustrated and even angry. I wasn’t angry with the people who came into the room; I was angry at the companies that let them go.

I understand what is going on in the economy because I am a statistic myself. I realize that as unfortunate as it is, small companies and large companies alike have to let people go. I get that. What irks me though, is that many of these places let their employee’s go without any reinforcement or direction. I don’t care what this lousy economy has done to your business. For Heaven's sake, take care of the people who worked for you. How hard is it to do about ten minutes of research and put together a list of local resources that you can enclose in the termination packet? The internet has an abundance of tools and links to assist the laid off worker. All it takes is a few minutes to type in a key word such as “resume”, “interviewing” or “job search” to connect to a variety of sources.

It is shocking enough to be terminated from your place of employment, whether you enjoyed your job or not. To be unprepared as to how to plan for and begin a job search is daunting and depressing. A little compassion and preparation on the part of the manager or HR department can show the displaced employees that even if you can’t offer outplacement assistance, you can give them some tools to get back onto their feet.

A few blogs ago I posted a list of free our low cost options for the job seeker. If you can't come up with any resources yourself, copy that list and tuck it into the separation packet. It may show the terminated employee (and those left behind) that you have some compassion.

The Resume - What Are Your Areas of Expertise?

If you are planning to stay in the same business with the same or similar type of job, an important part of your resume is the inclusion of the skill sets and terminology appropriate to your industry. If you have these skills, they should be stated up towards the top of your resume in an area called, “Areas of Expertise”. You should include about six of them and they should be orderly. Why? Simply because they stand out or “pop” and the person reading the resume won’t have to go digging through your resume to find them. It is easier for them (or their electronic counterparts) to see if your skills meet their needs.

Let me give you an example. I am a learning and development specialist, formerly called a training specialist. My job is to design, develop and deliver training programs. I also measure training, work with vendors, understand e-learning, create needs assessments and have a solid understanding of adult learning. Where did I get these words? Well, for one, if I didn’t know these words, I shouldn’t be doing what I do. Two, I visited the professional sites for people in my business and read about the newest terminology and technology. I also went to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/ and looked up my profession. There, in a wonderful, easy to follow layout, were all the skills needed to do my job. Three, I looked at learning and development jobs in the on-line help wanted sites. Voila! There, in black and white were the skill sets that various organizations were looking for.

What next? After reading all these learning and development buzz words, I measured myself. I wrote them all down and asked myself where I excelled and where I could use some help. I then prioritized the skills where I shine (at least I think I shine and program evaluations and manager feedback helped validate this) and I chose the top 4 – 6 that I could confidently list as my “Areas of Expertise”. To these I added any other competencies that I felt were tops in my skill set. When I finished, it looked like this:

AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Presentations and Facilitation
Vendor / Resource Management
Curriculum Design / Needs Assessment
Program Measurement
Leadership and Team Development
Coaching
On my resume these are listed in two columns - for some reason it is not showing properly on the Blog

Here is another tip. When you are looking for a job and note the skills necessary for the position and you match these skills (never pad your resume with untruths), make sure you add these skills, written in bullet form on your cover letter. Again, you are catching the eye of the reviewer right away. Good luck!

Using a Professional Resume Writer

As I have written in the past, I give Job Search Workshops. Topics include resume writing, interviewing skills, networking and job search tips for the older worker. I love giving these classes but it always amazes me that so many people are simply not prepared to start the job search. I guess that’s why they are attending the training. After every training session though, I have folks come up and ask me to review their resumes. I’d love to and I do but it can’t be done in the few short minutes before the location closes for the day or night. It’s pretty overwhelming to be handed banking, accounting, food service, teaching, management, landscaping, interior design or any other type of resume and asked if it’s any good. I just can’t answer that question in 30 seconds or less.

It is for this reason that I have added “Professional Resume Preparation” to my own resume/company description. Not only do I like to write the resumes but I find it so interesting and energizing to research various occupations and then interview the client for their hidden job talents, competencies and transferable job skills. Once the resume is prepared, my client’s can’t believe the skills they possess from their former or existing jobs and they are dumbfounded when they see their transferable job skills. I certainly don’t make these things up – I can’t. Once we start probing and get it on paper though, the client realizes that they are a very valuable commodity (I love this part of my job!)

If you are thinking about having a professional create your resume, start preparing. If you don’t have an existing resume, create something. Give them something to work with or else you may be charged for the extra leg work on the part of the resume writer. Here are some things to include in your preparation:

1. The position you are seeking (your career interest)
2. Your skills, knowledge and behaviors (see Job Competencies Blog article)
3. Your positions for the past 10 – 15 years. Include the full names and addresses of the companies. Include the dates (months and years) that you worked there.
4. Your transferable job skills (see Transferable Job Skills Blog article). Some of these activities can also be used in a community service category in your resume.
5. Your name, address, phone numbers and email addresses.
6. If you are a student or recent college graduate, list your course work, any special projects or task forces you were on in college and your summer jobs. (Those summer jobs and special projects may contain valuable transferable job skills.)

Good luck. It is difficult to put a resume together and sometimes a little push from a complete stranger will help you get it done.

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!