Unemployed in Des Moines

Unemployed in Des Moines Website Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:52:00 +0000

This blog has moved to http://unemployedindesmoines.com. Please follow this link to the new location and bookmark that site.

Escaping the Online Job Search Trap

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Unemployed in Des Moines networking at Caribou on Ingersoll, Thursday, October 15th at 10am.

Liz Layton works in Career Development Services at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers Florida. She is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a BA Degree in Arts and Letters with a Major in Speech Communication.
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Does your job search consist of surfing job posting websites and applying to any positions that you might be qualified for? And then waiting…and waiting… and waiting to hear something—anything—from the company? A new crop of frustrated job seekers has recently emerged in the United States. This group is being caught in the online job search trap. If you are one of them, it might feel like all you do is wade through postings, to spend hours filling out the applications, and finally submit them into the black hole of the internet. After all of that effort, you never hear from the company. While not even realizing it, you are only passively searching for employment. You are waiting for the employer to find you. In order to secure the best career opportunity, action is required! Using the latest “Source of Hire” statistics from Career Cross Roads to determine the way most companies fill their empty positions, here are some strategies job seekers can take to ensure they do not get stuck in the purgatory of online job seeking:

Target many employers: Over ½ of the 25.7% who report job boards as their main source of hire claim the company website is the source. If that is the case, how do people know about the jobs on the company website? They are using a targeted job search. How can you target your job search? First, research the type of company you want to work for then seek out those companies and pursue job opportunities. Once you have decided the type of companies you would like to work for, you can use reference resources to find them. theyellopages.com and zoominfo.com both provide free lists of organizations with contact information organized by industry. Once you have a list of targets, look for open positions by going to the company website or human resources hotline. If there are no immediate job opening, send your resume and a letter expressing interest in working for the company.

Use networking contacts: 28.7% of all jobs hired externally are from referrals. Networking is key to getting referrals. While you can use Linked-In and other networking social media, stronger relationships are built in person. You can meet people and form professional relationships by joining professional organizations, social organizations, or volunteering. To utilize the network you have developed, think of everyone you know and where they work. This list of organizations is your first target list. Check out each company and see if they are hiring. Then prepare a resume and cover letter for the position you want. You can proudly present your information to your networking contact and ask them to give it to the hiring manager for the position.

Despite the tips above, many organizations still require and online application to complete your application for employment. If you must fill out an online job application remember these tips:

Use exact words: To ensure that your resume does not get screened out, use exact words or phrases from the job description in your resume and application. The program is scanning application documents to make sure that they are similar to the job posting, so HR does not waste time on those without the minimum requirements. Specifically mentioning the skills you posses that match the job description will keep you in the applicant pool.

Customize your cover letter: When submitting applications and documents online, you are very limited. Don’t waste a chance to impress them by submitting a generic cover letter. The cover letter should specifically reference your skills as they relate to the job posting. Make an effort to mention why you like the organization, and why you fit!

More Interview Tips from the Experts

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Unemployed in Des Moines networking at Caribou on Ingersoll, Thursday, October 15th at 10am.

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing "generator," a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer.
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As I stated in my first article, Interview Tips from the Experts, interviews can be the most challenging and even the most overwhelming stage of the job search process for many job seekers. I had asked interviewers and career-search experts from across the web for what they considered to be the top tips for preparing for and acing interviews in today’s job market. I could not include every tip from all of the experts in my previous post; however, I did not want any of you out there to miss out on these other great interview insights and have compiled them in this second list to share with you today.

Be aware of the question “tell me about your mother or father.” It may seem like an ice breaker, when in fact it can possibly cost you the job. In many cases the values of a parent are also the values of the candidate, and that is what we and the employer are looking for. Compliments on a parent’s work ethic, integrity, and so on can give a good picture of what it is that you value as well. This answer can highlight qualities that make you stand out from the rest. How you were raised and your relationship with a parent frequently has a major impact on performance at the executive level. - Dean Bare, Stanton Chase International

When answering the dreaded "Tell me about yourself" question, understand what they're really asking for. This question is really asking, "Give me some skills and experience that will make me think that you'll add value to our organization." You need to think about crafting your answer to discuss your background and strengths in a way that brings a benefit to the organization. The most common mistakes people make when answering this is 1.) Not knowing what the organization is looking for and 2.) not sticking to strengths and work experience. - Rosemary Laack, PowerSuccessDiva.blogspot.com

Research who’ll you’ll be interviewing with on Linked In and Facebook. Find 2-3 well-respected people you know in common and have those folks phone the interviewer in advance with a personal recommendation for you. You’ll walk into the interview with the job already in hand. - Shane Vaughan, Balihoo.com

Ask for the job. At the end of the interview, tell the interviewer that you are interested in the job, and would like to know what the next steps are. If the next steps seem evasive or unclear, ask the interviewer if your accomplishments seem relevant to the performance requirements of the job. Understanding a potential gap here allows you to fill it in with an example of a related accomplishment. Make sure you do the best job possible of presenting your strengths. Sometimes you have to ask for the job to understand what points you need to get across. - Mark Landay, DynamicSynergy.com

At the end of the interview, I always ask, “Have I said anything that would lead you to believe that I wouldn't be the best candidate for this job?” At that point, the interviewer usually says something, and then I am able to counter it by clearing up any misunderstandings or to tell them how I could overcome that flaw. However, in any event, it shows that I am a problem solver, and I'm not content to let issues sit on the shelf. - Brooke Kelley, RestoretheRepublic.com/vlog

Candidates will do better in interviews by remembering just 2 little words: "for example".By adding the words "for example" to their interview answers, candidates will remind themselves to include lots of accomplishments, anecdotes and quantifying statements to their answers, which is exactly what interviewers are looking for. These 2 little words will make you stand out from the crowd. - Lauren Milligan, ResuMAYDAY.com

Special thanks to everyone who contributed to this wealth of interview insight!

Why Are We Putting All of Our Eggs in One Basket?

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Why are we doing this to ourselves?

Most of you reading this post had a full-time job with an employer and that was your only source of income. You lost your job for whatever reason and now you are again looking for a full-time job which will be your only source of income.

What happened when we lost our jobs? We lost our only source of income...which put us in a really awkward, chaotic, anxious situation. Instead of stopping to reflect on what happened to us, so we never put ourselves in this situation again, we jump right back into the game of finding a full-time job.

I challenge you to think about what your lives would be like if you were to create multiple sources of income. Wouldn't your livelihoods be less affected if one of those income streams were to dry up? Instead of having all of your eggs in one basket, spread them around.

I've been thinking about this idea a lot lately. Someone got it stuck in my head...

Wondering what you could possibly do for these jobs? Get creative. If time and money weren't an issue, what would you do? (I stole this phrase from Tim Bianci) Chances are, it's something you could turn into an income stream; if not a river, at least a stream.

What are your thoughts on this concept? I've been laid off twice this year and it didn't feel too good. I'm thinking about taking control of my income streams instead of allowing someone else to have control over my livelihood...

No Job and Running Out of Money

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Harry Urschel has over 20 years of contingency and retained search experience for senior technical, management, and executive level professionals. You can find his blog at http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/

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It’s a difficult time in the job market and I’ve been talking to many more people lately that are in dire straits. The lack of income for a longer than expected time frame has taken it’s toll on budgets, mortgages, and unfortunately… marriages. Savings have been used up, unemployment is running out, and debts are piling up. The financial stress often carries over into interviews and it sabotages the chance of getting a job even when there’s a chance. Each story has a different twist and there are no easy answers. I’m no financial expert or household budget guru, however, if you are facing a similar situation, here are some successful strategies I’ve observed and options to consider.

~ Diligently guard your attitude! Maintaining a positive attitude throughout your circumstances, regardless how difficult, is critical to a positive ultimate outcome. Without a positive attitude you are less likely to get a job, find solutions, or maintain your relationships. This is often the least considered but most important aspect in making it through your challenges. Read more about the importance of your attitude and how to maintain it here.

~ Consider a night job. I know of someone that went through job changes twice in their career when they had no money to carry them through their gap in employment. Although this person was a “white collar” professional, each time they found a midnight shift position in a machine shop in the interim to bridge their income. There were multiple reasons this was a successful strategy for them.

Since it’s more difficult for companies to find people willing to work night shifts, it was easier to find those opportunities than to find a more sought after day job. Often, the night jobs pay a premium wage compared to the same day shift as well. By working nights, it left their days free to pursue their job search during normal business hours. They could make the calls and schedule interviews without interfering with their current work schedule. Finally, one of the biggest advantages for them was that they HATED it! They hated the work, the environment, and the schedule. It was one of the greatest motivators they could find to give their full effort to their job search so that they could quit the temporary role as soon as possible. It paid some bills and helped them get their desired job faster. It may not be the right solution for everyone, but it may be a viable option to consider.

~ Cut expenses! That may sound obvious and simplistic, however, I find that many people don’t realize how much they can cut until they are forced to. The sooner you find those cuts, the longer your money will last. Particularly in America, we consider so many things as necessities rather than conveniences or preferences. Find expenses that can be reduced or eliminated in every area of your budget. Consider cable TV, Internet, cell phones, full-coverage insurance, eating out, groceries, dry cleaning, movies, and other entertainment. Now is a perfect time to talk to your mortgage company to explore a possible loan modification that may reduce your monthly payments. Invariably, when people really examine where their money goes each month, and don’t consider any item too insignificant, they are able to save significant amounts of cash.

~ Find money! No… it’s not likely you will find $1,000 laying on the sidewalk, but you may have $1,000 or maybe $10,000 laying around your home. What do you own that you don’t need? Craigslist and eBay are terrific tools to raise money relatively fast. Do you own a treadmill that’s gathering dust? Old books, old computer, old iPod, old cell phone, old furniture, old bicycle, old appliances, jewelry or anything else stored in your basement, sitting in your garage, or laying in a drawer that isn’t being used but could be easily sold? Do you have a newer vehicle that could be replaced by an older, cheaper car or truck? Do you own a boat or snowmobile that might be worth a couple of mortgage payments for you? Often it’s amazing what can generate money for you when you truly look around your home with critical eyes.

~ Explore Temporary or Contract work. Do you have skills and experience in an area where you might find temporary or contract positions? Companies use temporary workers in more fields all the time. It’s no longer just Administrative Assistants or Assembly workers that are used in temporary roles. Companies also use Accountants, Lawyers, Senior Executives, Programmers, Engineers, Network Administrators, Graphic Artists, Nurses, Bookkeepers, Cooks, Construction workers, Trainers, Business Analysts, Copywriters, and dozens of other roles on a temporary or contract basis. Often there are opportunities to get projects on a fixed bid, or piecemeal basis. Many can be done at home. Check with temporary agencies, contract firms, and call on companies directly for any of those kinds of opportunities.

~ Seek help. For some, it may mean seeking out and asking for help from others. Can you get help from family or friends? Can you get help from your church, synagogue, or other religious organization? Are there resources through your local Salvation Army, or other charitable organization? Have you explored what federal, state, or local benefits might be available? If your situation warrants it, seek whatever help you can.

~ Give special attention to your relationships. Often people withdraw into themselves during financial challenges rather than be open and proactive with their spouse or family. This is why one of the major causes of divorce is financial stress. Open communication and empathy with each other is critical in maintaining a marriage or friendship. Allowing the relationship to deteriorate compounds problems. Don’t allow the most important relationships in your life to blow up. Make the time and effort to give them more care than usual.

A job search can be an incredibly stressful time and financial meltdown makes it worse. If you find yourself in that situation, go into financial triage mode and find ways to keep your head about you. Whether it’s through seeking God, confiding to a friend, or getting plenty of exercise, your own mental health, persistence, and positive attitude are critical.

Times can be trying, but if you do all you can and keep at it, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Why You've Gone on a Dozen Interviews and Were Not Hired

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Crystal Cotton is a career development consultant, President of Crystal Clear Connextions, and author of career blogging site, Job Ready, Job Savvy http://www.jobreadyjobsavvy.blogspot.com/. She specializes in empowering individuals with communication skills necessary to succeed in the workplace and beyond to create meaningful and intentional relationships. Through communication workshops, seminars, and coaching, Crystal helps people connect, influence, create and achieve career goals. Get Better Communication Skills Now at http://www.bettercommunicationskills.com/ .
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With 20 years of experience in Human Resources, Recruitment and Staff Development, I‘ve had my share of really bad interviews. I confess, early in my career the bad interview experience could have conceivably been my fault. After all, the interview process can be just as grueling for the interviewer as it is for the interviewee, especially if either are inexperienced, overly nervous or just have poor communication and social skills. But, as I became more experienced, more precise with my questions and more skilled at soliciting critical information without crossing any lines of legality (this takes a great deal of intuitive skill), it became apparent that sometimes…no, most of the time; it’s not me it’s you. Yes, YOU…the ill prepared, inexperienced, unprofessional and inconsiderate job applicant. YOU are the primary reason why you’ve gone on a dozen interviews and were not hired!

Before I move on and explain, let me put in my disclaimer to stave off all the nasty-gram email I am bound to get. The job market is bad and opportunities are few and far in between. There are more job seekers than job opportunities. However, when you are getting interviews but no offers, you must look at yourself more closely. Something could be amiss.

Recently at a round table discussion with several of my HR colleagues, I posed the following question, “assuming all major qualifications are met, what’s the one stand-out thing that makes you think twice, or even disqualify an applicant for hire?” These are the things that make a difference when the playing field between you and another candidate is leveled and now the employer is making character judgments, as a means of finding just the right fit.

Eager to vent and air their pet peeves, my colleagues all chimed in, almost simultaneously. It was like HR harmony as they vocalized their top 5 reasons for not hiring an applicant. It echoed what I’ve personally experienced over the years, and have heard time and time again from employers and recruiters. It’s YOU… and your inability to make a good and convincing impression. This explains why you’ve gone on a dozen interviews and were not hired! Listed below are the top 5 reasons revealed in my informal, unscientific query. Take heed, these are opinions of people who influence and sometimes make the final hiring decision. These are experienced Human Resources Professionals who give weight to these 5 things when deciding who gets hired and who doesn’t.

YOU ARE DRESSING INAPPROPRIATELY: By inappropriate we mean too much cleavage, or too body conscious. It’s a job interview, dress like you have a clue. Tone down the cleavage. Ok, I get that some people don’t have a suit, and no-one’s saying it has to be Armani, but at least put on a blazer. Please remember that flip- flops are traditionally beach wear, and even if they are embellished with rhinestones, or made from the finest leather, they are not appropriate for a job interview.

YOU ARE NOT PREPARED: Did you do your homework? Employers are impressed when you know more about the job than what is on the posting. It shows you have a sincere interest in the job and the company. Take what you’ve learned about the company and formulate some questions to ask at the interview.

YOU CANNOT CLEARLY EXPLAIN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, GOALS OR POTENTIAL WORTH: This is a key point. So you’ve got skills, but what have you done with those skills which demonstrates your successes? Can you clearly state your goals and align those goals with the company in mind? Worth, in this sense does not mean salary, it means value. What value do you add to the company? What will be your contribution to their bottom line? Know how to express these things and you’re well on your way to your next job or career move.

YOUR RESUME DOES NOT SUPPORT YOUR INTERVIEWING SKILLS: A prime reason to draft your own resume (get the help of a professional if necessary, but know what it says and make sure it accurately reflects your skills and capabilities). When I work with people to re-write their resume, I make sure we do it together, I get their input, and see that the client understands how to present it to employers. Know that the resume is an extension of you and is the first way you are identified by the employer; know it like you know your birth date and social security number.

YOU’VE FORGOTTEN YOUR MANNERS: Never under estimate the power of being polite and just using a bit of common sense. Confirm your appointment, this shows responsibility and interest. If by some freaky chain of events you are late, call. When you get there, apologize and offer some explanation. Let me be clear, your explanation should be short and simple. Save the melodrama for your friends. Don’t interrupt the interviewer when speaking. It might lead the interviewer to think you have control issues. Lastly, say thank you for the opportunity to interview at the end of the meeting and in your follow-up communication.

Believe it or not, these things can be just as important as your skills. Make one of these faux pas and you may still be a contender. Make a few of these at once, and you’ve earned yourself a standard rejection letter. So the next time you go on an interview and things don’t go well, think about what you could have done differently.

Great Networking Today at Caribou!

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Bring a sack lunch to Net2Work on Monday, 5 October at Connxions, so we can continue our networking session from 12-1pm

Great networking today at Caribou. I know it was short notice for most of you to be able to make it today, so I'm giving you two weeks notice to make sure you can come next Thursday. I've reserved the back room at the Caribou on Ingersoll from 10am-12pm.

We had about 10-15 people show up for very informal networking. Ben Stone of RPO Consulting even made an appearance! No speaker or program, just meeting new people, catching up with people we already know and making great connections over coffee. I received a lot of positive feedback about the event, so that's why we're going to do it again.

For those of you who were able to make it, what did you think? I'd love to hear your feedback!

See you all Monday at Net2Work at Connxions

4 Tips for LinkedIn Professional Etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My offer still stands for networking today, 1 October, at 10am at the Caribou on Ingersoll - hope to see you there!

Also, bring a sack lunch to Net2Work on Monday, 5 October at Connxions, so we can continue our networking session from 12-1pm
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Brent Peterson, PMP, MS, MBA, is the founder of Interview Angel Inc, a company that offers a comprehensive guide and toolkit to executing near flawless job interviews. Interview Angel is also organizing GetConnected!Virginia, one of the largest professional networking events in the country. Discover customer testimonials, blog posts, upcoming events, and media interviews at http://www.interviewangel.com/.
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We’ll connect with friends from elementary school in Facebook. We’ll reciprocate a Follow in Twitter (unless you are a teeth whitening spammer). But when it comes to LinkedIn, everybody has their own rules.

Admit it. You’ve received this generic LinkedIn invitation from somebody you don’t know:

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Bob

What do you do?

So I went searching for the answer…I contacted a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker) in DC, a Marketing Executive in California, and a Product Manager at LinkedIn directly.

Let’s start with the official recommendation from LinkedIn:

Whom should I invite to connect? which highlights the following..."If you know little about the connection you weaken the integrity of the recommendation and your network."

The Product Manager at LinkedIn also recommended:

A Guide to Building the Right Connections
3 Ways to Make Networking Work

At the other end of the decision tree from the official LinkedIn recommendation are LION's.

Here is the official statement from LinkedIn..."L.I.O.N is an organization that is not affiliated or endorsed by LinkedIn. There are several user created groups with this name that can be found, each with their own group's summary and meaning."

It appears LinkedIn is not a big fan of open networkers (commonplace for professional third party recruiters).

For example, LinkedIn limits a user's displayed connection to "500+ Connections", and it limits the number of invitations a user can send out to 3000 (which is why most LIONs need for you to send them an invitation to connect).

For more information on LIONs on LinkedIn, please reference Neal Schaffer's blog post.

Meet Brett Brody.

Brett is a LION and is LinkedIn to over 6,200 professionals. Brett and I had the opportunity to talk on the phone for an hour before we LinkedIn (see my criteria below). Brett is not a recruiter. He owns his own company and is passionate about connecting people. If you'd like to connect with Brett, simply send him an invitation.

Meet Tim Tyrell-Smith Tim is a marketing executive in the consumer goods industry. Tim is also the Founder of Spin Strategy, an outstanding source for career advice and resources. Tim's general rule for becoming LinkedIn to someone new is to speak first with that person over the phone.

So whatever your rule for building connections in LinkedIn, I recommend some Tips for LinkedIn Professional Etiquette:

1. Never Go Generic

When sending invitations, always include a personal note in the invitation. Answer the question: What is your connection to this person? Go beyond something system-generated like "Bob Smith has indicated you are a classmate at James Madison University" (when you know, if you did a little research, the person graduated 8 years before you). For example, if you read an article the person posted on the alumni news section, be sure to mention that. I also make a point to send a personal note back when I accept an invitation. Never forget LinkedIn is about building professional relationships so start it off with professional courtesy.

2. Be Timely

When you meet other professionals in person (clearly the most valuable way to connect) and exchange business cards, get LinkedIn within 24 hours. The other person will remember your conversation and appreciate your timeliness. For professionals in Virginia, be ready to work overtime on this opportunity at the upcoming statewide networking event that will introduce a unique way to initiate professional relationships. Your LinkedIn connections will increase exponentially if you follow through after the event. As a side note, our intention is to replicate this networking model in other cities because we are faithful it works unlike job fairs and work the room events.

3. Have a Goal in Mind

When you send a LinkedIn invitation to someone, what is your goal? I find it refreshing when someone clearly states why she reached out. I always try to follow this rule when I send invitations. Is this someone I feel I can help his business or career through some form of collaboration? Is this someone I just met and would like to get to know better?

4. Stick to Your Rules

Be consistent with your personal rules for sending and accepting invitations. Don't forget the other person has his own rules too. Unless you are connecting to a LION, never assume. Nobody wants to have his invitation rejected or ignored (archived).

So what are my 5 rules for getting LinkedIn?

1. I accept / send LinkedIn invitations if I have had the opportunity to work with you

2. I accept / send LinkedIn invitations if we have met in person

3. I accept / send LinkedIn invitations if we have spoken on the phone (and an in person meeting is not feasible)

4. I accept / send LinkedIn invitations to initiate a professional relationship where phone and/or in-person collaboration is expected

5. My goal in every LinkedIn relationship is to be able to recommend your services to other professionals who trust my opinion That’s it. Pretty simple. I believe in quality of relationships, not quantity. I believe in focusing on your needs, not mine. I believe in communication the old fashioned way.

Am I LinkedIn to people I could not recommend at this time? The answer is yes (see criteria 1 through 4), but my goal is still to be able to recommend your services to someone else. I hope the people who are LinkedIn to me have the same goal for me.

Success in your career is about your reputation to help others. Period.

Final tip: Do not ever assume a person’s LinkedIn list is the body of his or her connections. It’s not even close. For example, LinkedIn actually erased my identity earlier this year so I’m still rebuilding. Until you build an actual trusted relationship with someone will you ever be introduced to the politician the person knows at church, the executive who lives down his street, or the person he plays golf with.

To borrow a quote from Jim Roman who I heard speak this past week at a Chamber of Commerce meeting, “It’s not who you know. It’s how well you know them.” I’m not a LION, but I believe in relationships (see criteria above).

My LinkedIn address is http://www.linkedin.com/in/brentpeterson. Please help me understand how I can help you. I welcome the invitation.Please share your rules for getting LinkedIn as well as other tips you may have for others. Thanks!

Just Tell Me I Didn't Get the Job

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Please join me and your fellow unemployed at Caribou on Ingersoll at 10am this Thursday, 1 October for informal networking...

I would really like some answers on this one:

We apply for jobs. This can take the form of attaching resume/cover letter/references to an email and sending it to an email address; completing an online application through the company's website and attaching resume/cover letter/references; even sketchier is a 3-click system such as Careerbuilder's where we attached our resume/cover letter and have no idea who we are sending it to. In all three of these scenarios, we may or may not receive an e-response indicating that our application was received...From speaking with a lot of unemployed, this is a huge concern, but I'm slowly coming to terms with the "Lost In Space" reality of this process...

So, we get called in for an interview. We're on Cloud 9! We ask the correct questions at the end of the interview so we understand their timeline for making their decision and what the next steps are; basically, who is to follow-up with whom, how and when.

How many times have you had an interview and you do everything you're told to do, in terms of follow-up, and you never hear anything from them? I've interviewed twice sometimes and I never hear back as to whether I'm still in the running or if they've moved forward with another candidate. I've followed-up as they requested and now I'm left here waiting. When should I move on and stop hoping? Their timeline for making their decision has come and gone and I haven't heard a thing. I'm having a challenging time achieving closure with many the jobs I've interviewed for because of this.

I would really like some answers on this one. Whether you're in Human Resources or if you've gleaned some information as an unemployed person going through this process, please share your knowledge...

Establish Your Personal Brand through Consistent Color

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My offer still stands for networking this Thursday, 1 October at 10am at the Caribou on Ingersoll - hope to see you there!
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Marsha Hallet has more than 30 years experience in the fashion industry, the last 26 with her own company Hallet Handknits and this year with her new business Hallet Sweater Art. Her educational background is a BA from Stanford and an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, and she also currently studies figure drawing and Spanish.
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Branding is really about business, how to package yourself in such a way so you are literally "picked" from the shelf. In today's competitive job market, you will need to rely on more than your skills to get a position and establishing a personal brand will set you apart.

1. From your resume through to your interview outfit, pick a color that defines you and use it as part of your brand. The idea is to use a power color, for example red, and apply it to all your dealing with a prospective employer. How you apply depends on the industry. For example you would be more subtle in applying for a job with a law firm that an ad agency.

2. Pick a symbol in your color that you can use on your correspondence. A red dot, a red square, etc next to your contact details is sufficient. You don't need to hire a branding firm, any geometric recognizable symbol will do. The simpler the better. All follow up or confirming e-mails prior to your actual interview should carry through with this symbol or brand. Use it as part of your signature.

3. When you arrive at the interview, make this color part of your interview outfit. If you think a red power suit is appropriate then wear it. Or it can be a red career bag, red glasses, red scarf, red shoes, etc. But remember that research with the company HR on appropriate dress or visiting the company sub rosa before your interview, will both stand you in good stead. Even with red you can be relatively conservative.

4. Follow through with your business cards. If red is your brand color, then your business cards need to show that. If you are seeking a position with an ad agency, maybe your entire card can be red. If it's the law firm job you are after, possibly just your name would be red and you would choose a dark red, not a screaming red.

5. A personal color will brand you if you use the color consistently. Make sure that you wear the color at all subsquent interviews with the prospective employer and if you get the job continue using the color with your clothing an accessories.

Two-Time Victim of the Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I've got a confession to make. I got a job...and then was laid off two months after I started...to the day.

After the 4th of July, I was hired through a recruiter to do some sales and marketing support for a prominent, well-established company in Des Moines. (The challenge of working with this recruiter may be its own blog post at a later date :P)

I took the job because it was sort of in line with what I had done before and incorporated some of the social media skills I've acquired over the past several months. AND because my husband and I decided I'd been laid off long enough...mostly my husband...

I'll admit, it was a HUGE challenge having a structured day, sitting in an open cubicle (I previously had an office) and thinking about all the other projects I had going on that I had to put on hold.

After about a week, I realized that this job wasn't for me and began my job search with earnest. Let's just say that the "prominent, well-established" company in Des Moines was being sucked dry financially by a start-up company they began three years ago. I bought my own office supplies and had to bring my own cleaning supplies from home to clean my cube on Day 2. This was all a little strange to me. Why did they hire a support person if they can't buy legal pads or pencils?

After the two months I worked there, of the job duties I was hired to do, I would say that I devoted about 5% of my time to them. The other 95% of my time was devoted to cold calling in order to drum up business for the start-up side of the company. This was a responsibility that wasn't made known to me by the recruiter or my supervisor before I was hired. There are a lot of things I'll do, but cold calling isn't one of them. Let's just say that I'm not that good at it...Had I known this before I was hired, I wouldn't have taken the job.

So, 2 months after I was hired, the day after we returned from our Labor Day vacation in Northern Wisconsin, my supervisor called me into his office at the end of the day and told me that they were going to have to let me go:

"You've been sitting in on all of our meetings; you know what the state of the company is. We just don't have any money. We'd hoped that there would have been an improvement in the last 30 days."

I asked him 2 questions before I packed my things and left. "Was it something I've done?" This determines whether or not they'd contest my claim for unemployment. He confirmed that it was through no fault of my own. "When is this layoff effective?" He said immediately. That's all I needed to hear.

Now I'm back to being Unemployed in Des Moines and loving it. I am working part-time for the Iowa United Nations Association planning events for the Des Moines/Ames Chapters, but I am still looking for a full-time gig or freelance opportunities. If you'd like to connect, please let me know.

I've noticed that there aren't that many networking opportunities this week. Wondered if any of you would like to meet up for coffee - the more the merrier. Just let me know and we can make a big group of it. I'm thinking Thursday at 10:00am at the Caribou on Ingersoll downtown...send me an email suzanne_hull@hotmail.com or make a comment below this post. Have a great week!

The One Best Thing You Can Do For Your Job Search!

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Harry Urschel has over 20 years of highly successful professional placement experience across Technical, Functional, and Senior Executive roles. He is Executive Recruiter and Owner at e-Executives
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One challenge in a job search is that it seems there are a hundred things to do and you have to do all of them, all the time. That’s mostly true. The more avenues you can pursue, and the better job you can do pursuing them, the higher the likelihood you will find a new position sooner. However, if there were one thing you could give the greatest focus to that might have the greatest impact… what would that be?

Attitude!

Maintaining a positive attitude is one of the most difficult yet most important things you can do for a successful job search. It affects every other aspect of your search and will have a dramatic impact on how your are perceived by potential employers.

A positive attitude makes you more effective in networking calls, meetings, interviews, and every form of contact with other people. People with a positive attitude are more pleasant to talk to, more engaging, and more appealing in many ways.

A positive attitude makes it easier to do the things that you otherwise don’t care to do. Having to contact people that you don’t know may be as appealing to you as a root canal. However, approaching it with a positive attitude will make it much more palatable. Approaching it with a defeatist attitude or sense of dread will cause you to procrastinate, feel miserable, and probably make a poor impression with whoever you may be calling. The same is true at meetings and interviews.

A positive attitude makes you a much more attractive candidate to a potential employer. Someone that comes across as ‘down’, discouraged, bitter, or fearful does not inspire an employer to think “Here’s someone I would love to work with every day!” Someone that is optimistic, upbeat, cheerful, and looking forward to a new opportunity is much more interesting to a hiring manager. It is often the primary reason why one person gets hired over another with similar skills.

So how do you maintain a positive attitude in a tough job market? That will vary from person to person. What works for one may not help another, but here are some suggestions…

Turn off the TV! It is extremely rare to find anything on TV that encourages you, inspires you, or cheers you up in any way. News broadcasts focus on bad news and trumpet the latest ‘crisis’ 24-7. Sitcoms, reality shows, and dramas don’t tend to highlight the best in people, but rather thrive on stories of people at their worst. Think of how often you walk away from watching TV and feel more motivated to get some work done. Probably not often. Your attitude is likely to be much better without much TV.

Be careful of who you talk to. Others around you can be a huge influence on your attitude. They can either encourage you or bring you down. Make it clear to your family and friends that you are working hard at keeping a positive attitude and ask them to help you do that. When you network with others, don’t stick around if they are dwelling on doom and gloom. It’s difficult to keep your own attitude up when you’re listening to someone else complaining about how bad things are. Guard your attitude and don’t let others bring it down.

Exercise! It’s hard to maintain a great attitude when you’re sitting on the couch and eating everything in sight. Your body can have a great affect on how you feel. Better yet, when you exercise your brain emits endorphins that give you sense of well being. Almost invariably, people that exercise regularly have a more positive attitude. Do it. It works!

Feed your mind with good stuff! The old computer cliché’ is true for our minds as well… GIGO… Garbage In, Garbage Out. The converse holds true too… Good stuff in, Good stuff out. Reading things that are encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting can do wonders for your attitude. For some it may be scripture, for others it may be biographies of great leaders, or poetry. It may be listening to uplifting music or something else that has a positive impact for you.

Do what you should be doing. One of the best ways to keep a positive attitude is to feel good about what you’re doing. If you are spending your days pursuing your job search as you planned, you will likely feel good about yourself. If your day is more characterized by procrastination and distractions and feeling like you haven’t accomplished much you will likely feel down. Do what you’re supposed to do! You’ll accomplish more and build your attitude every step of the way.

Nothing works for everyone, but pick the things that work for you and do them. A positive attitude will be the most valuable asset for your job search!

Project Lemon-Aid

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I attended my first Project Lemon-Aid event this week and boy, was it refreshing! I really don't understand why everyone who is unemployed in Des Moines weren't there on Tuesday. There's really no excuse :)

The event took place from 8am-noon at Connxions in Urbandale. It was my first time at Connxions and it has great meeting space in addition to its bookstore and coffee/munchies cafe. Pumpkin chocolate muffins - never seen those before - they smelled delicious!

The event started off with a four-person panel representing RDG Planning and Design, Deerfield Retirement Community, Home Depot and Doll Distributing. It was refreshing to hear the perspectives of representatives from smaller companies.

From 10am-noon, participants had the opportunity to attend, one-hour breakout sessions on topics such as "Plan B", Social Media, Networking and Resume Writing led by experts in the respective field.

What did I glean from attending this event:

Tim Bianci is an amazing facilitator - wait, I knew that already :)

If you're applying for jobs and you don't have directly applicable work experience, have a brainstorming session and add items to your resume that are applicable, but that you don't get paid for.

I like to follow-up with companies I've sent resumes to, but I haven't figured out a way to make it look like I'm not stalking them...until now...keep abreast of what the company is doing in the media. When they are mentioned, send the company a note mentioning the article and your congratulations...this gets your name in front of them again.

Check out Elevate America; Governor Chet Culver announced a major public-private partnership between Microsoft and the State of Iowa to provide free technology training for up to 5,700 unemployed Iowans, starting July 15, 2009. If you aren't taking advantage of this yet, you'd better get signed up fast!

Net2Work

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

If you weren't at the Net2Work on Monday at the Botanical Center, here's what I got out of the event:

From 8:30-9:45am there was an informal networking session with over a dozen business professionals with expertise in the career search process including employer representatives, recruiters and career counselors. I wasn't able to make it to this session. Did any of you find it useful? I talked to a gentleman today at Project Lemon-aid who said he went to the morning session and he said he was able to speak with a representative from Marsh. He had applied for a job there and said it was extremely beneficial to meet the hiring manager in an informal setting.

Then came the traditional 30-second introductions at our table from 10:00-10:15am. I always try to sit at a table where I don't know anyone so I can meet as many new people as possible...tough to do when I've been going to these events for a while :) 3 of the 7 others at my table I knew already, but made great connections with the rest of the group.

From 10:15-11:00am, the below panel spoke about interviewing expectations. They answered 3 prepared questions they had received before the event: how to prepare for the interview; how to shine during the interview; and how to follow up after the interview. The panel included:

Kaci Rother, Des Moines University
Kris Benge, Nationwide
Joey Leonhardt, Marsh
Sue Cheek, Mid American Energy
Kerry Funke, Nationwide
Kendra Sones, Wells Fargo

After the panelists answered the prepared questions, they opened it up to Q&A which could have gone on all morning and part of me wish it had...What if the event started an hour earlier and we had more time to engage with the panelists? Or what if the "facilitated table discussion" from 11am-noon was shortened up a bit to allow more time for the "meat & potatoes" of the presentation? After the panel, there was facilitated table discussion during which career search professionals at each table continued the discussion and provided expertise and advice. This doesn't need to be an hour long in my opinion.

What did I take away from Net2Work? Even though I've been to quite a few of these events, I still manage to take away some great information.

When you're "reinventing" yourself, i.e. applying/interviewing for jobs that aren't necessarily anything you've ever done before, be passionate about the company and bring that passion to your resume, cover letter and interview. Be clear that this is an area that you would like to transition into and make sure they understand what skills you bring to the table...

This is something that I'm experiencing firsthand: During the past 8 months, the jobs I'm applying for have changed a bit. At first, I was straight international sales/marketing support and now with my experience using social media and managing online communities, I've started applying for jobs that require this skill set. Do I have much experience doing this sort of thing? NO, but I've gotten interviews because I can demonstrate that I'm learning and growing as much as I can in this field and I'm passionate about making this transition.

When I do interview for jobs with this "new, self-taught" experience, I am very well prepared to answer questions regarding my ability to do the job. Always anticipate questions and have answers prepared.

One of the panelists mentioned that we should give ourselves a pat on the back for just making it to the interview phase. I wholeheartedly believe this. Give yourself a break sometimes! You may be one of 300 applicants for a position. If you get an interview, give yourself a pat on the back. This is an extremely competitive environment right now. Don't beat yourself up so much; celebrate and recognize the successes.

The panelists addressed how we should follow-up after an interview. They said that when we walk away from an interview, both parties should have a clear understanding of what the timeline is for the decision and how we should follow-up with them. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is when they NEVER follow-up with candidates when they say they will. I've had first and second interviews with organizations and I have NEVER heard anything back from them. And I'm talking after 2-3 months...I followed their process of how to follow-up and I hear nothing back. This is what I have a problem with. If I didn't get the job, just tell me...

Something dawned on me a couple weeks ago. Another person in transition and I wanted to go to go to Net2Work and then grab lunch afterwards; we're actually encouraged to do so by the facilitators of Net2Work in order to continue the networking process. I don't know about you, but I'd rather save my money instead of going out to lunch...so my friend and I decided to pack a lunch and ended up driving down to the Chinese monument/display on the river and having a great picnic. Honestly, the only reason I leave Net2Work when I do is because I'm starving. Who would be interested in packing a lunch and picnicking after the next Net2Work? I'm game. If the weather's bad, we might be able to just stay in the room and have an indoor picnic!

How to Avoid Identity Theft in Your Job Search

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Jeremy Miller, director of operations at Nashville-based Kroll Fraud Solutions, has unique frontline experience in the areas of identity theft discovery, investigation and restoration. At Kroll, Miller leads a team of licensed investigators specializing in cases of identity theft and fraud.
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With the U.S. unemployment rate approaching double digits, it is not surprising that many Americans are prepared to do whatever it takes to gain employment. In fact, many job seekers resort to a “desperate times call for desperate measures” approach, loosening their data security practices by divulging personal information to recruiters, businesses, and job search sites alike in the hopes of increasing their chances of securing a job.

The bad news is that identity thieves are well aware of this increased vulnerability among job seekers and use it to their advantage. There are an increasing number of studies that show identity theft and personal data theft is on the rise. The good news is that understanding the risks before you begin your job search can not only help you avoid identity theft, it can make your job search more productive, too.

Below are some of the key factors that you should keep in mind to protect your personal information from fraud during the job search process:

Remember: your resume is a hot commodity for a scammer. Resumes are an essential tool for someone looking for a job. After all, they say a lot about you and your professional background – information which is very important to potential employers. Still, there are some items that should never be disclosed, particularly if you intend to post your resume on career Web sites like Monster and USAJobs. Social Security Number (SSN), driver’s license number, and date of birth should never appear on a resume. The same goes for job applications: you might consider writing “prefer to provide this information during the interview” in the fields where these pieces of personal information are requested.

Proceed cautiously with career Web sites. Not all job posting Web sites are created equal, and online job scams are rampant. Make sure you review the privacy policy and user terms and agreements before you post your resume on a career Web site. You may also want to do some online research to ensure that the site you are working with is credible When in doubt check with online resources such The World Privacy Forum’s Consumer's Guide to Online Job Sites. That said, it’s important to remember that no matter how credible the site or how well it safeguards the data it keeps, no one can guarantee what happens to your resume after it has been downloaded by a recruiter or potential employer. For that reason, you may want to inquire if the site allows you to mask your name and contact information, thus giving you the ability to choose who can and cannot contact you.

Know how to spot bogus job ads. Job-related identity theft scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Despite the best screening efforts used by career sites, scammers always find a way in. You might be looking at a fraudulent job ad if it:
- Offers considerable pay with few to no duties
- Promises payment of wages in cash
- Contains no physical address or contact person
- Requires you to open a new bank account or accept company checks to “test” a wire transfer service
Most employment sites offer information on known scams, and should be notified immediately if you suspect that a posted job isn’t legitimate. You can also conduct an Internet search on the company or check with the Better Business Bureau to determine if the potential employer has a bad reputation.

Keep a record of your job search activity. Maintaining good records will not only help you track the progress of your search, but it will also provide a “paper trail” in the event you become a victim of identity theft. Record where and when you distribute your resume, maintain lists of contact information for businesses and recruiters/representatives you come in contact with, and keep track of any additional information (e.g., applications, etc.) you provide to prospective employers.

Carry good data security practices with you offline. Keeping personal information off a resume is only the first step—other vulnerable situations include phone interviews, job fairs, and e-mail and phone conversations with recruiters. Scammers know that as long as someone thinks an offer is genuine, they are more likely to provide sensitive information. Make sure that you know who you’re talking to and never divulge any personal information if you have doubts about their credibility. It is important to remember that virtually all legitimate businesses or recruiters will not ask for your SSN or other information until after you have begun a formal interview process.

Think before your post! Social networking sites (e.g., LinkedIn and Facebook) and are a great way of communicating your talent and expertise with a larger community of individuals. But sometimes staying connected comes at a cost. What many do not realize is that the more information you reveal online, the greater your chances of having that information accessed by the wrong person. Carefully consider what information you include on your profile page. For example, is it really necessary to share your date of birth and address with potential employers? When in doubt, remember this: if you wouldn’t give this information to a stranger on the street – you probably don’t want to put it online for the world to see.

Need any more encouragement? Consider this: according to the Federal Trade Commission’s 2006 Identity Theft Survey Report, 10 percent of all respondents who said they were victims of identity theft spent 55 hours or more resolving the problem. That’s precious time you can ill-afford when looking for work. Don’t waste it unnecessarily! For additional resources and links on the subject of identity theft and data breaches, see this list put together by Kroll Fraud Solutions.

How to Prepare for the Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Lisa Rangel, PHR (Professional in Human Resources), is the Managing Director of Chameleon Resumes and a graduate of Cornell University. She knows first-hand what resumes hiring managers respond to and from what interviews companies make hires resulting from her 13+ years experience recruiting for international recruitment organizations and boutique search firms.
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Preparing for the interview is the most important task you can do to position yourself where you can land the role for which you are applying. How thoroughly you prepare will set you apart from the legions of candidates out there. It is suggested that you allot a solid 5-10 hours minimum preparing for the interview practicing interviewing tactics, familiarizing yourself with probable questions/answers, and knowing all you can about yourself and your experience. On top of that, you want to spend 3-5 hours researching the company, position and the hiring managers. Don’t wing it. A professional interviewer will be able to determine if you have done your homework or not.

What to Research?

The Company:

1. Company Website – About Us, Management, and Career Page
2. Google – where does the company show up? What is currently being said about them?
3. Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn – for current corporate culture information.
4. Hoovers/WSJ.com/Fortune.com/EdgarOnline/Dun & Bradstreet – for current news, corporate information and financials
5. Industry Specific Resources & Trade Publications

The Background of the Interviewer(s):

1. LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter
2. Professional: background, achievements, education and experiences
3. Personal: Hobbies, Family, Interests, etc…
4. What do you have in common? School? Interests? Keep it professional

The role for which you are interviewing:

1. Ask for a copy of the job description (this could be different than the ad posted)
2. Google the job title for duties and responsibilities
3. Vault.com – has interviewing tips on specific job titles/industries
4. Industry specific websites offer job responsibility information—make sure you understand what is being required for the job in terms of duties, achievements, and responsibilities.
5. Look an LinkedIn for other people with similar titles and network

What to know about YOU?

Your Resume

1. Ensure understand each bullet and term listed on your resume instinctively. Do not memorize it—synthesize it into your knowledge base.
2. Be able to communicate how your experience, academic training and talents listed on your resume mimic what the employer is requiring of the candidate hired for the job.

Your Goals

1. Write down your career goals – what you want and don’t want in a career. Be sure they are well defined and practice communicating them with confidence.
2. Be sure your goals and the related time frames associated with completing them are realistic. Check with a trusted colleague, mentor or friend to ensure your achievement time frame is realistic. Coming across as realistic is a sign of experience and maturity, two traits you want to convey on an interview.
3. Be prepared to discuss your motivation behind these goals. Employers want to see when things get tough, you will persevere in the job due to deep rooted motivators.

Your Characteristics and Traits

TELL A STORY: Have examples ready from your professional life to demonstrate realistically your desired work ethic, integrity and ambition and other traits desired by the target company. Telling a story works so much more effectively than simply saying “I have integrity.”

Your Challenges

1. Be prepared to handle challenging, and even downright negative, questions about you, your experience and your manager/co-workers. Here is a secret: We all have them…so those that can speak most comfortably and diplomatically about them and can demonstrate how they learned from these mistakes/situations win the game…are you going to win?
2. Where have you made mistakes and learned from them?
3. What decision have you made recently that did not work out as you planned?
4. Tell me about working on a project with a difficult co-worker…what was the outcome?

Knowing your background, skills and talents is the best way to communicate to hiring managers how you are right for the job. Armed with strong knowledge of yourself coupled with research about the job, company and culture, you will be able to show how you are the right match for the job. This is an investment in yourself. You are worth it.

Interview Tips from the Experts

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing "generator," a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer.
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Interviews can be the most challenging and even the most overwhelming stage of the job search process for many job seekers. I have asked interviewers and career-search experts from across the web for what they consider to be the top tips for preparing for and acing interviews in today’s job market. While I could not include every tip from all of the experts, I have selected and compiled the best and most unique ones in this list to share with you today.

-Research the business and job ahead of time. Find out what people wear to work and dress a step up from that, because employers assume people will become more lax with time on the job and you will want them to think you are worthy of eventual advancement. Even if you are wearing a dark, power suit, wear a color close to your face (shirt, tie or scarf) that makes you look healthy and vibrant. - Barbara DesChamps, ChateauPublishing.com

-Bring paper copies of your resume. Two good reasons: The interviewer forgets or misplaces your resume. Or, you're interviewing with several people and not everyone has a copy. - Rick Saia, PongoResume.com

-Don’t ramble or dominate the conversation. If more than half the interview is you talking, you are talking too much. Give your interviewer free rein to speak, and really listen. Don’t just use this time to plan what you’re going to say next. Truly pay attention. Truly paying attention will make you stand out, it being rarer behavior than you’d think, and is the foundation of every successful human interaction. Which is what you want your interview to be. - Karen Burns, KarenBurnsWorkingGirl.com

-Manage the nervousness. It's easy to become overly anxious about an interview when you start to put a lot of emphasis in your own mind on how much you want this job. You become worried about your own "performance" (did I answer the questions right?), and you unconsciously signal your urgency to the interviewer. Instead, bring your curiosity, and think of the interview as a conversation and not as an interrogation. Go to the interview intent on learning as much as you can about the position, the interviewer, the company, your prospective manager, and your coworkers, so that you can assess whether this job is, in fact, a good fit for you. By shifting the spotlight in this way, the emphasis is not on having the right answer but rather on having the right questions. - Wendy Gelberg, GentleJobSearch.com

-Use body language to your advantage. Lean in slightly toward the interviewer as he or she talks. This shows you are engaged and interested in the conversation. Also, smile, but not too much. You want to show your enthusiasm for the position and the organization, but you need to be careful not to have the smile just plastered to your face. It has to be genuine! - Heather Huhman, ComeRecommend.com

-Really use your resume by referring to it and expanding on the information during the interview. For example, lets say the interviewer asks, Name an accomplishment you are most proud of you can respond by saying something like: “In the introduction of my resume, you will note I highlighted the fact that I am a sought after change agent who paves the way for smooth running organizations. To piggyback on that thought, I’d like to mention the time I reversed ABC department’s prior history of low efficiency by shifting the managers mindset from a reactionary put out fires outlook to a proactive approach.” By elaborating on a resume statement during the interview, you are providing context for your written accomplishments. - Linda Matias, 201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions

-Never be negative. Interviewers know that past behavior is indicative of future behavior, so never talk about anything negative (i.e., “I hated my boss” or “I hated the management.”). Remember, this is still an interview. Even if something was negative in your past, turn it into a positive. Let’s say you were bored in your last job, you can say, “I looked to take on additional responsibility because I was able to get my workload done in a timely manner.” - Terry Starr & Bradi Nathan, MyWorkButterfly.com

-Line up your references ahead of time and know what they are going to say about you. Don’t assume that, just because Joe Schmoe was a good ole boss to you ten years ago, that he will automatically sing your praises when called upon – out of the blue – to recommend you for a position. Always invite someone to be a reference. A first-rate initial question to a prospective reference is: “Are you familiar enough with my job performance to give me a positive reference?” If someone hesitates or is lukewarm with their response, that’s a good sign to pick someone else. You must know in advance that your references can confirm the content of your resume and speak confidently of your contributions, strengths and performance. - Jane Perdue, TheBraithewaiteGroup.com

-ALWAYS send a thank you for the interview letter to everyone that you met at the facility. I'd suggest CC'ing the secretary and everyone you talked with as well. There are some companies that will ask the receptionist if the applicant asked any questions while waiting for the interview or if the applicant treated her with respect. So, thank everyone you met, and if you got the interview through a contact, thank that person too. - Steven Freedman, TampaBayHR.com

Are You a Talker???

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Harry Urschel has over 20 years experience as a technology recruiter in Minnesota. He currently operates as e-Executives and writes a blog for Job Seekers called The Wise Job Search.
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In an interview, are you a talker?

Many people that can normally carry on great two-way conversations, talk way too much in an interview!

Whether it's nerves, a compulsion to make sure the interviewer knows everything about them, or a false idea that they are supposed to dominate the interview, people often hurt their chances of progressing in the hiring process because of an overactive mouth.

A good interview is a two-way street. As a candidate, you should be determining if the company, job, and team are the right fit for you just as much as the hiring manager is determining if you're the right solution for them. Asking questions and effective listening are a critical part of effective communication. If you're doing significantly more than half of the talking, the interview is not going well.

So how do you make sure you get it right? Preparation!

Here are some points to consider as you get ready and when you're in the middle of it:

~ Find commonly asked questions, and write out your answers. The process of writing them out helps you solidify your answers in your mind in complete sentences. In preparing for interviews, most people only think about the general example or idea they would talk about for a given question. However, since they haven't formulated the sentences in advance, when they are asked they tend to just keep talking until they think they've got it all covered. You don't have to memorize your answer word-for-word, but by having formulated complete, concise sentences once, you will be able to articulate your answer much more succinctly and effectively when you're asked.

~ Practice, Practice, Practice! The old cliche' is true... Practice makes perfect. Practice questions with your family over dinner. Practice with your spouse one-on-one. Practice while watching yourself in a mirror, or practice while hiding in a closet if you have to... but practice!

~ Give them an escape hatch. There's nothing more frustrating than someone that keeps talking without hardly taking a breath when you want to move on. Watch their body language closely. If they start fidgeting, squirming, or look as if they are trying to say something... Stop! Give them the chance to urge you on, or to redirect the conversation. Best to give a brief answer, then ask: "Does that answer your question, or would you like more detail?" Letting them give you permission to extend your answer prevents an uncomfortable situation.

~ Ask relevant questions, then listen! One way to make sure you're not the one doing the vast majority of the talking, is to get them talking as well. Peppered throughout your interview, you should be asking relevant questions as well. As much as possible, they should be related to the topic you're currently discussing. If they ask you about your ability to work on a team, give your answer and then ask something like: "Can you describe the team I would be working on?" It keeps the conversation going both ways and makes you appear more interested in the role. Resist the urge to interject additional comments while they are talking. Wait until they are done, then you can add one more brief idea to the topic, but let them move on to the next question as soon as possible.

~ Make sure you're answering the right question! Occasionally someone will misunderstand the question and run off down a rabbit trail answering something else entirely. It's even worse if you don't give them a chance to stop you. If you're not 100% sure of the question, be sure to ask for clarification. Say something like: "To be sure I understand, are you asking about ____?" This is also another reason it's important to give a brief initial answer and then ask them if that's what they were looking for and if they would like to hear more. Give them a chance to get you back on track.

~ Have plenty of questions prepared for the last part of the interview. Invariably, near the end of the interview you will be asked whether you have any additional questions. Make sure you ALWAYS have additional questions. To say you have no questions at this point comes across as a lack of interest in the position. In order to be ready, create in advance a list of 15 or 20 questions you would like answered. Take them with you in a folder. Then at the appropriate time, say: "Yes, actually I do..." Look down your list and select ones that haven't already been addressed. You can say: "We already discussed this one, and this one, and this one, however I would like to ask you..." Don't ask something that you already talked about earlier, it appears as if you weren't paying attention. Also, this is not the time to actually ask 10 or 15 questions. Depending on time, ask 3 or 4. However, in order to have 3 or 4 that haven't already been discussed, you may need to have 15 to 20 prepared. Asking questions is the best way to get them to talk as well.

For a successful interview, neither you nor the interviewer should be doing 65% or more of the talking. It should be a conversation leading to mutual discovery about each other and your suitability for the position. Preparation is the key. So get busy!

Monster.com Career Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I told myself that I would never do it again, but I did.......I attended another career fair. You'd think I would learn my lesson the first or second time. I don't know what prompted me to go today other than the fact that I was HOPING that it would be different than all the other fairs I had attended...I was sorely disappointed.

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the Embassy Suites downtown at 9:50am (it started at 10:00am) and there was already a line of people out the door and down the sidewalk! I had only put an hour and a half's worth of money in the meeter for parking!

This was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I'll give monster.com props for organization, but it took me 25 minutes before I was even speaking with a company! And I was speaking with companies for only 20 minutes.

There were quite a few good companies represented: Principal Financial, Wells Fargo, McDonald's, The State of Iowa, Mrs. Clark's Foods, CDS Global, Aviva...but not enough of them. Only 27...and it was the same old routine:

1. "We're not taking resumes, please visit our website to apply."
2. "Please go to our website to view openings"
3. There were no positions I was interested in applying for
4. There were positions I was interested in applying for and I already have applied for them

So, this begs the question, "Are Career Fairs Worth Our Time?" I say it depends on what you're looking for and if you've got anything else better to do with yourself. I didn't have anything else going on today, so I thought I would check it out. If you had a background in IT, Production Work or Housekeeping, you probably struck gold today. Ran into a guy with a background in nuclear engineering - wonder if he had any luck.

How about you? Were you able to make it to monster.com's career fair? If so, what did you think? What is your take on career fairs in general?

Net2Work Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I attended today's Net2Work session at the Des Moines Botanical Center. Andy Drish and Josh Ingalls gave an amazing presentation on how Social Media can help us in our job search.

To give those of you who couldn't make it a short overview, when researching a company you're interested in working for, your research should include:

Chatting with employees - use LinkedIn to see if you already know someone who works there or if there is a 2nd or 3rd degree of contact with someone within the organization.

Watching videos and reading comments - http://www.youtube.com/

Reading third-party reviews - http://www.jobvent.com/ and http://www.glassdoor.com/

Connecting with other applicants - if you can find out who else has applied

Job Openings - subscribe to job searches using an RSS Feed and iGoogle

Josh Ingalls spoke about taking control of the online content that is out there. All too often, when our names are googled, content comes up that we may or may not want potential employers to see. Josh created a simple and professional website including links to his online presence making it extremely easy for people to find information about him. This website shows up on the first page of google search results. It's all about taking control.

I would also suggest creating a Google Profile for yourself which is guaranteed to appear on the first page of google search results.

Top 100+ Job Search Hashtags on Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Brent Peterson, PMP, MS, MBA, is the founder of Interview Angel Inc, a company that offers a comprehensive guide and toolkit to executing near flawless job interviews. Discover customer testimonials, upcoming events, and media interviews at www.interviewangel.com. Brent is also on Twitter at (twitter.com/InterviewAngel.com) and in LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/brentpeterson.

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing "generator," a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer.Visit his website. Chris is also on Twitter at (twitter.com/CareerRocketeer) and in LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisaperry.
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Twitter is becoming an increasingly popular social media job search tool for professionals and students as more career experts, recruiters and employers join the Twitter ranks to post their advice and job opportunities. But with thousands of different people to follow and countless tweets to read and search through, it can be challenging for anybody to identify exactly what they are looking for.

This is where hashtags come in handy. For those of you who are new to Twitter, a hashtag is essentially a keyword or label following a "#" symbol that people post in their tweets to "tag" their messages in specific categories and/or make it more searchable for those seeking tweets on specific topics.

You can search for tweets using specific hashtags (with or without the "#") in the search box on the right hand of your Twitter profile, and Twitter will generate a list of all the recent tweets posted with that specific keyword or hashtag.

For job seekers, this is a great way to find job opportunities and job search tips for your resume, interviews, you name it. Whether you are seeking career advice or job opportunities, developing your personal brand, taking the next step in your career or simply just want to keep track of news and updates from the career industry, we both have compiled the list of the Top 100+ Job Search Hashtags on Twitter.

If you see one or more that are missing from this list, please comment below or send us your additions, modifications, and descriptions to the current listings. Our contact info is noted below. Thanks!

#aiga
#areallygoodejob
#avoidthisjob
#BA
#benefits
#business
#candidate
#career_change
#career_coach
#career_evolution
#career_fair
#career_suicide
#careerchange
#careering
#careerism
#careers
#coaching
#compensation
#Consultant
#crealism
#creative
#CV
#dreamjob
#employee
#employer
#employer-branding
#employers
#employment
#employment_trends
#employment-counselor
#employments
#entrepreneur
#exec
#executive
#finance
#franchise
#freelance
#gettingthegig
#greenjobs
#gsojobs
#happy_2_be_employed
#hireme
#hiring
#hired
#home-employment
#hotjobs
#hr
#humanresources
#internship
#interview
#interviews
#interviewing
#interviewmistake
#jobadvice
#jobangels
#jobhunt
#jobless
#joblisting
#jobposting
#jobposting
#jobs
#jobsearch
#jobsearching
#jobshouts
#jobtips
#laidoff
#management
#marketing
#MBA
#mcm
#needajob
#norestfortheself-employed
#pay
#personalbranding
#pmi
#PR
#pre-employment
#recruiter
#recruiting
#recruitment
#resume
#resumes
#rtjobs
#sales
#salesjobs
#self-employed
#sportsjobs
#stupid_career_coaches
#sustainable-employment
#telecom
#thejobsguy
#too_much_work
#training
#twackle
#tweetmyjobs
#unemployed
#unemployment
#wirelessjobs
#work-life
#work-life-balance
#WSJcareers

Check out the following articles to learn more about using hashtags on Twitter:
Hashtags on Twitter: How Do You Follow Them?
Ultimate Guide to Twitter Hashtags
How to Understand Hashtags on Twitter

The Introvert’s Guide to Landing a New Job

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Harry Urschel has over 20 years experience as a technology recruiter in Minnesota. He currently operates as e-Executives and writes a blog for Job Seekers called The Wise Job Search.
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From the outset… it must be understood that THE best way to land a new job is through networking, and networking is most effective over the phone and face-to-face.

However, for many people, the thought of actually taking the initiative to contact someone they don’t know is overwhelming and often is just not going to happen. For those people, contact online and by email is much more palatable and realistic. Here are some pointers to make the process as effective as possible.

~ Create an effective resume and tailor it for each position. If your resume doesn’t easily show how you are an obvious fit for a particular position, you will not likely be considered. It’s critical that you tailor your resume for each position you pursue in order to highlight your relevant experience and skills for that role. You can get additional help here.

~ You still have to connect with real people! In this market, it’s not realistic to expect success by simply submitting a resume online and waiting for a call. The competition is too steep, and even if you’re a perfect fit for a particular job it’s very difficult for them to find you. The only way to get noticed is by taking extra steps by contacting people.

Submit your resume through the online posting, however, additionally send an email to the best contacts you can find at the organization through LinkedIn, JigSaw, and Google. You can find additional help in finding contacts here. Your email should include a SHORT introduction of why you are a unique fit for the role, and have your resume attached. Send a similar email to multiple people in the organization.

~ Follow up matters. Submitting, and emailing the resume is not enough. A professional follow up sets you ahead of the vast majority of other candidates. A few days after presenting the resume, send another email with a BRIEF message of your interest and one or two compelling reasons you are a strong fit for the role. Attach another copy of your resume so they have it handy and make sure your contact information is prevalent in your email. Ask if there is anyone else in the organization they recommend you connect with. Send a similar note to each of the people you emailed originally.

~ Persistence Pays! Following up on a regular basis… professionally, pays dividends. Most candidates simply submit their resumes and wait. Candidates that get called are the ones that show extra initiative and stay in the forefront. Creating a marketing plan of follow ups, adding a little more information each time, helps to set you apart from the crowd. Each note should be very brief, professional, and show your value to the organization. Additionally, send a hand written Thank You note thanking them for their continued consideration and your sincere interest in the role. This should be done with multiple people in the organization. Although it would help for each of them to be related to the role you are pursuing, it’s not necessary. Even someone in Accounting can pass along positive information to someone in Engineering. Be sure all your contact information is included in each email.

~ Create a network list and update your network monthly. Most people want to help, but if they don’t know you are looking or don’t know if you’re still available they can’t. Create a list of EVERYONE you know… friends, family, former co-workers, neighbors, other parents at your kids sports teams, etc. Send them an email letting them know you are looking for a new position. Let them know BRIEFLY what you do. And let them each know that you would be grateful for any additional contact they might provide of people they think might be worthwhile for you to connect to.

Then send out a monthly email to everyone on your list and everyone you’ve contacted since the last time with an update of your search. Let them know of companies you’ve pursued, interviews you may have had, leads you’ve been chasing down, and great contacts you may have made. Let them know you are still looking for the right opportunity and would continue to welcome any new contacts or leads that may have come to mind.

Often you may connect with someone, and they come across a contact or opportunity weeks later, but think you are probably not looking any more by that time. This is a way to show that you are active and still interested. Send them regularly.

~ Keep records. Be sure to keep careful records of what information you sent to whom and when. You don’t want to duplicate the same note to the same person, and you want to be able to refer to what you’ve sent when you do get a call from someone. Few things can mess up your good work more quickly than if they ask you about something you sent and you have no idea what they’re talking about. Keep track of all your activity!

The process can often be accelerated and more effective by making phone calls and actually talking to people. However, if that is more than you feel you can handle, an effective online / email / snail-mail campaign can be effective as well. Whatever you do, don’t just apply and wait. Your job search will become MUCH longer than necessary.

Position Yourself for the Career You Want Not the Job You Have

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Dan Schawbel is the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He is the bestselling author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, April 09), as well as the publisher of both the award winning Personal Branding Blog and Personal Branding Magazine.
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I prefer the term career over the term job. A job is a single occurrence, while a career is something built over the course of your life. A career is typically made up of many jobs. Sometimes they are interrelated and other times there is no real direction, therefore there are multiple careers leading to nowhere. I’m not into the word “job” or “job searching” because I believe they are old terms and an old way of thinking. The new terms are “people” and “people searching” and we’ve realized the change in purpose and career path due to the accessibility and connections made through the web. I’ve been thinking a lot about positioning lately, which is why today I want to direct your attention to something I both believe in and hold to be mandatory in a world where the future is uncertain.

Position yourself for the career you want not the job you have.

This big idea will change the face of how people brand themselves online and how they position themselves for success. My belief is that most people aren’t breakout stars or experts. A network isn’t built overnight either. Also, you can’t have everything you want today, which is where sacrifice and dedication come in.

Your goal is to command your career and create your future.

It’s not where you are, it’s where you’re going

I tend to examine a lot of online profiles to see whose doing things right and who is less “forward thinking.” Most people seem to be caught up in the moment, without really think about where they are heading in their careers. When this occurs, they tend to stay exactly where they are, without much progression. Of course, many people have different aspirations, but from most surveys I’ve read, 80% of people hate their jobs.

If you want to be able to make money doing what you love, you have to (and I repeat) have a future plan or destination. Whether you’re a consultant, entrepreneur, you’re currently employed or you’ve been laid off, the same idea applies: position yourself today to become a player in that area tomorrow.

Forget your job title and focus on your brand

I want you to examine the picture on the right. You’ll notice that there are two LinkedIn profiles, but both are positioned very different. What most people don’t know about LinkedIn, is that the “headline” in your profile is the single most important element. If you’ve filled our your LinkedIn profile information, your last job title and company appear in your headline automatically, unless you revise it manually.

If you don’t update this field, then your title and company become your brand. This is terrible for a few main reasons.

1. When someone goes to search for someone with your expertise, they won’t find you. No recruiter or hiring manager is goin to type in “Senior Account Executive.” If they type in “sports” and “LinkedIn,” they may find Lewis though.
2. Do you think Mike really wants to be known as a Senior Account Executive for Eclipse Financial, Inc.? Do you think he wakes up every single day with a smile and he wants to be in that position for the rest of his life? I would say there’s an 80% chance he’s doesn’t! I could be wrong though.
3. You won’t get any opportunities that reflect your passion and others will, causing you to stay stagnant in your career.

This LinkedIn example is just one. Most people aren’t thinking about their futures so all of their online properties and offline ones, such as business card, aren’t positioning them for success.

Your turn

How are you positioning yourself online and offline?

Experience vs. Experiences

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Matt Bader is an ex-college hockey player who is currently implementing lean six sigma and continuous process improvement techniques. He is the President and Chairman of Checking For Charity Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to changing the world through competitive hockey events. He plays guitar and loves to read and learn. Here's one of his posts that caught my eye:
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Recently my wife and I moved to Boston. Being in the Air Force I just show up and start my new job. Yeah I have to learn new things and get settled into a new routine, but I don’t have to actually go out and find a new job. My wife on the other hand had to start completely over. She was teaching in New Jersey, but with our move we thought it would be a great time to pursue one of her passions as a career. She has always been a fitness enthusiast so the thought of getting into the fitness industry was a natural transition. She decided to get her personal training license and begin interviewing for those type jobs. Despite having a degree from the University of Arizona in Physical Education, two years teaching experience, experience as a spinning instructor, a personal training certification, a life’s worth fitness activity all she heard throughout the majority of the interview’s was how they were hesitant due to her lack of experience. Besides being frustrating as hell, it really got me thinking about experience versus experiences and how people look at the two concepts.

Part of me can kind of understand where some of the people she interviewed with are coming from. I mean she had never had a personal training job before. She didn’t have experience doing that profession. What if she wasn’t any good at it and that person had hired her. They would have invested time, money and effort into an individual that just wasn’t cut out for that position. And most importantly, they would have delayed fulfilling their original goal; to fill a vacant position with a person who is the most qualified and competent for the job.

However, the other part of me can’t get over how blatantly off center this line of thinking is. Experience and experiences are different animals, and typically employers pay much more attention to the latter which, in my opinion, is the wrong approach. What does experience mean? Well it means that the applicant has familiarity with the position and it can be safely assumed that the individual has some basic knowledge of the duties to be carried out. Placing value on experience may well indeed save you time, effort, and money in the short run but is it the best strategy in the long run? I would argue no.

Think of it this way for a minute. By placing the emphasis on experience you are In essence blinding yourself to many other evaluation factors that are much more important and will have a much larger impact on your business’ bottom line. I can hire a person that has worked at McDonalds for 30 years and has only cooked fries the entire time (This is nothing against McDonalds. In fact I just read an article the other day that listed how many people had worked their way from cooking fries at Mickey D’s up to become CEO’s, late night talk show hosts, etc.). If I want a fry cooker tomorrow then placing emphasis on experience may be the way to go. However, if I want to hire the best employees to give my business the best chance of succeeding in a highly competitive environment then experience emphasis is obviously flawed. It’s kind of like the buggy whip analogy. The best buggy whip maker was probably making buggy whips (for horse and carriages) well into the mass production of model T’s. He probably did his craft better than anyone in the world at that time. But the automobile eventually put him out of business. He had a ton of experience that made him extremely competent at his specialized job, but that doesn’t mean I want to be him!

Maybe it’s because I have never officially hired anyone in my life. Maybe it’s because I am a naive “Gen Y’er” that is completely delusional. Or maybe, and this is a big maybe, I am not completely full of shit and once in a blue moon a decent original thought comes out of my head. I propose that weighting experienceS (emphasis) more than experience is a more effective way to surround yourself with people that will help you and your company succeed.

Let’s use my lovely wife as an example again. Personal training experience…none. But what experiences has she gone through that have shaped her to become a successful personal trainer and valuable team member to a company?

1. A proven ability to learn. She has a degree in a related field from a respected university. Just because you have experience as a trainer does not necessarily mean that you are educated in the science of the body. Do you want a trainer that tells you incorrect information?

2. Breadth. She has demonstrated success and results in multiple related fields. Whether it was teaching PE, instructing spinning, classroom teaching of health, or anything else on her resume there was a theme ever-present that she could succeed in different roles.

3. An ability to lead. Could you control 50 screaming pubescent middle school punks while they run around with hockey sticks in their hands? I would much rather go back to my Jr. hockey days and fight angry 6 foot 5 guys with hockey stick than try to control a bunch of kids with hockey sticks. She has taught spinning for numerous fitness levels.

4. Innovation and dedication. She created work out clubs before school for kids struggling with their weight. She did multiple after hours intramurals.

5. Personality. This may be the most overlooked and painful (in the long run) part of focusing primarily on experience instead of experiences. At the end of the day you need someone who you can work with. You need someone your customers will love and enjoy working with, especially in a service industry like the fitness industry. There are plenty of experienced assholes out there, and sadly their experience is probably enough to keep them gainfully employed in their niche until they finish out their days. You probably meet these experienced assholes on a daily basis whether it be at Kinkos, your local auto body shop, or even a large fitness center. Does the person you are interviewing have the personality, the aura about them, the 'it' factor that makes you think they will be a valued asset to the company in the position they are applying for? Or more importantly for a future position that isn’t available or even created yet?

I am sure there are numerous other traits that I haven't listed that are overlooked when you focus primarily on experience. However you get the point that there are a lot of benefits to looking beyond experience and on to someone’s experiences. Just continue to ask yourself "how has this person’s life and life experiences shaped them to be the perfect member of our team?" If you aren't asking yourself that question you are surely missing out on talent that could be the missing piece of your organization's puzzle.

More Employers Check Social Networking Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Suzanne) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Nick Reddin has been with Manpower since 2001, working in multiple states including California and Illinois. He has over 12 years of experience in the employment services industry; the majority of his background is in working with Fortune 500 companies to achieve their workflow goals. Nick specializes in change management and driving operational efficiencies. He is an expert on the changing world of work and consults with many companies in helping them prepare for coming changes.
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Forty-five percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, up from 22% when asked last year, according to a survey released today by CareerBuilder.com.

Of employers who use social networking sites to find candidates or do background checks, 29% use Facebook, 26% use LinkedIn, 21% use MySpace, 11% search blogs and 7% use Twitter.

The top industries for employers that use social networking sites to screen candidates are information technology (63%) and professional and business services (53%), according to the survey.

Content that caused employers to not hire candidates included posting of provocative or inappropriate photographs, content about a candidate drinking or taking drugs, bad-mouthing of a previous employer, poor communication skills and making discriminatory comments.

However, some content encouraged employers to hire a candidate. This included profiles that provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit, supported professional qualifications, showed the candidate was creative and showed solid communication skills.

The survey included 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals in the U.S.