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#JobSearch : How To Help Your New Grad Land A Job. Got Kids? MUst REad!

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Exasperated Baby Boomer Patricia called about her college student graduating in a month. She said, “My daughter Emily has refused my help or the assistance of my friend who is in HR. When I ask her why, she tells me she doesn’t want to use anybody, and wants to do this all on her own. She says, ‘I can do this.’ But 55 applications later, she hasn’t had one interview. What can I do to help get her career launched?”

Patricia knows that networking is vital for a successful job hunt. But Emily does not yet have that perspective, which is illustrated by her not wanting help from family or even a friend in the HR field. She believes she needs no help to land her first job. Unfortunately, many college students think this way. Most students and recent graduates hate to network, so it should be impressed upon them that this is a step in the job hunting process that should not be passed over.

Here are some important points about networking to stress to your student. Many jobs are found through networking: talking to people, friends, family, and other college students—especially if you have friends who have already graduated and are working. Networking is not using people; it’s just talking to others to get information about the company and available job opportunities. It also gives you a leg up if a friend passes your resume on to their employer. Today, many companies give a financial reward to employees if their referrals are hired.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Offer Resume Help

Many college students have a very poor resume. They don’t know how to write it, as they likely haven’t created one before. They will sometimes ask friends for copies of theirs, as Emily did, or will get a sample from a college professor. These samples are typically not designed for marketing that student in the best possible light. A parent can offer resume help, and often the student will accept it.

First, read about resumes for new graduates. Try to find a few in the same major as your student. Don’t offer to write it for them but ask if you can make some recommendations on how to improve it. Offer some specific ideas. For example, look closely at their work experience and their job descriptions. They often need boosting. Usually, the student missed some critical skill or accomplishment you can suggest they add. If they had an internship, be sure they capture all aspects relevant to the job they seek.

Under education, the student will list their degree and dean’s list or GPA. Yet, they can aid their success by listing relevant coursework based on the job they seek. These contain many great keywords that will help their resume get noticed by an employer’s applicant tracking system and demonstrate to an employer that they have a solid foundation to bring to the new job. For example, my career counseling client, Eric, wanted a job as a financial analyst. He had been unable to get an internship, so adding his college coursework was essential. Under the education section, Eric noted the relevant classes, which were the key to landing his first job.

Here’s what his entire education section looked like.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Minor-Finance, University of Texas, Major GPA: 3.5, Graduation: May 2021

Coursework: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics, Econometrics, Business Finance, Economic Consulting, Money/Credit Banking, International Trade – Finance, Accounting, Business Law, Calculus

Reviewing your son or daughter’s transcript will give you all the necessary information to add the relevant coursework to the resume. Advise them to just list the classes that support the career area the student wants to land a job in.

Advice About Developing A LinkedIn Profile

Employers are searching LinkedIn every day to find talent. Every new graduate, or someone about to graduate, should have a LinkedIn profile. It should be as complete as possible: the headline noting he or she is a recent graduate and in what major, and the job titles the student is interested in. Colleges and universities don’t always teach students how to prepare a LinkedIn profile. Tell your student that recruiters are on LinkedIn every single day, but they must be able to find them. Recruiters actively reach out about job opportunities they want to interest them in. Offer clear directions on how to create and improve their profile.

Cover how their photo should appear. A professional picture is not necessary. They can use their phone to take the photo. It’s not a snapshot, where they cut themselves out of a family picture or social event. It is not the picture they use on Instagram. Point out that an appropriate photo is a headshot where they are smiling and look warm and engaging. They want a plain background and good lighting. Outside pictures or one taken with natural light inside are best. For more photo tips and what to wear, read the Forbes article “LinkedIn Photo Tips To Look Your Best.”

 

Forbes.com| April 19, 2022

#JobSearch : 5 Resume/CV Trends To Forget In 2022. In this article, I’m going to Go Over 5 of the Most Common Trends that you Should Abandon. GReat REad!

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If you want a CV that consistently lands interviews, it’s best to keep things simple, professional, and easy to read.

Whether it’s overusing cliché buzzwords, wasting space or not highlighting your professional achievements, there are several dated CV fads that might currently be impacting the success of your job applications. If you’re regularly not getting invited to interview, your CV might be impeding your professional goals.

In this article, I’m going to go over 5 of the most common trends that you should abandon when writing your CV, and how to write a bold, engaging CV that secures an interview.

Wacky designs

When it comes to your CV, a simple design will always be more professional and effective than something unconventional. You might hear suggestions about designing a ‘creative’ CV to catch the attention of the recruiter, but an “eye-catching” design won’t do anything to help your candidacy. Your potential employer only cares about one thing: your ability to do the job well.

Ultimately, It’s your work experience and professional achievements that will determine whether you land an interview or not, so making this information simple to find and easy to read is key. A complicated CV design can actually work against you by making your accomplishments difficult to locate on the page.

Keep your CV design simple, with a clean font, a conventional lay-out with clearly defined sections, and key information listed in easy-to-read bullet points. If you’re going to use design, use it to highlight your skills and achievements.

While you might want to demonstrate a long history of stable employment, you don’t need to include every job you’ve ever done when writing your CV. Recruiters mostly care about your last 3 years of employment, so focusing on these roles is key, especially your achievements within them.

If you have a career history going back many years, you can still include older roles, but just in short summary format. Make sure that they do not take up more space than your recent employment, and only include information that is relevant to your target jobs.

As a general rule of thumb, any jobs from over 10 years ago should be left off your CV.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Clichés and buzz words

When it comes to writing your CV, the rule is simple: show, don’t tell. Writing that you’re a “team player” or “always give 110%” isn’t going to give a recruiter any concrete evidence about your skills. In Buzzwords are just fluff – they take up space while adding nothing of value.

Besides being ineffective, some recruiters will even roll their eyes when they come across a CV full of overused clichés and buzzwords. So, rather than claiming that you’re a “passionate, hard-working and creative employee”, demonstrate these qualities by giving examples of your professional achievements.

If you want to demonstrate that you’re a “team player” or “results driven” you should do so by listing achievements that highlight these qualities.

Only listing responsibilities

Your CV isn’t just about listing your former roles and responsibilities; it’s also about proving your worth to a potential employer. While a strong job history does prove a certain level of competence in your field, it’s your achievements that will help you stand out from competing candidates.

When writing out your responsibilities for your former or current job, you should add some examples of the personal successes you enjoyed while in the role. Whether it was landing a key client or optimising your former company’s workflow, this information will prove to the employer that you are capable of bringing real value to their organisation.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that achievements can make or break the competitiveness of your CV. Between two equally qualified candidates with a similar job history and education, it’s the achievements that are going to be the difference between who gets the interview and who gets the polite rejection.

Hobbies and interests section

Space on your CV is limited, so it’s essential that you use it wisely to communicate your suitability for the specific role. Having a “hobbies and interests” section is a waste of space on your CV, unless your hobbies are somehow linked to your professional life.

Instead of adding a hobbies and interests section to tell employers that you “watch TV and socialise with friends”, use the extra space to beef up the parts of your CV that are the most interesting to a potential employer.

When you’re adding any information or work experience to your CV, it’s always helpful to ask yourself the following question: “What does the recruiter learn about me from this?” If you believe that the information you’re sharing will enhance your suitability for the role (in the eyes of the recruiter) you can include it. If not, leave it out.

If you want to make a great impression on your CV, forget “trends” and stick to classic CV formatting.

Winning CVs are ones that demonstrate achievements and the value of the candidate as an employee, so don’t be afraid to brag about your professional success. Keep your design simple, keep your work experience recent, and when it comes to your skills, remember to show, not tell.

Forbes.com – April 14, 2021 = Andrew Fennell

#JobSearch : How To Make Your Job Application Stand Out. Whether you are Online or On-Site. A MUst REAd!

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Faced with too many job openings and not enough people to fill them, employers find it difficult to recruit top talent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 11 million job openings at the end of 2021, but only 6.3 million unemployed people. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to find a well-paying job with the perks and flexibility you crave. As companies hire more remote employees, they realize that they can recruit international workers, making competition stiff. And if you’re trying to make a career pivot, you may also be competing against more qualified candidates.

That’s why it’s still important to make your job application stand out in a global marketplace. Here are some ways to do just that.

Do your homework

One thing you must do is learn as much as you can about the company. Some research methods include reviewing the company website to understand its mission, values, products and culture. Talk to people that work there to get first-hand knowledge of the environment. Explore news articles and follow the company on social media so you are up to date on any breaking developments, including mergers or acquisitions. Then check out their competition to better understand the industry overall.

Customize your job application

It’s crucial to customize your job application and any other materials to the specific role you are applying for. The last thing you want to do is send a generic resume and cover letter to hundreds of employers. Instead, it’s much better to narrow your search to the positions you’re genuinely interested in and then tailor the application materials accordingly.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Focus on what makes you unique

No one has the same skill set and background that you do. Take the time to determine what makes you unique. Think through the expertise and experiences you have and how they make you an ideal candidate for the role. Highlight the personality traits and skills that will enable you to contribute to the company in a productive way. Then choose examples from your background, and make sure that you reference the positive outcomes from previous roles as well as some of your notable accomplishments.

Share your “why”

Employers don’t just want to know about your skills and experiences. They want to know why you want to work for them in the first place. In other words, of all the companies you could have chosen to apply to, why this one? What is it about this role that gets you excited? Take time to think through this question carefully. If you can’t come up with an answer, it may be a sign that it’s not the right company or role for you.

Let your personality shine through

Sifting through hundreds of resumes can be quite boring. Any effort to reveal more of your personality will go a long way. Don’t be shy. Do you speak a foreign language? Have you lived overseas? Did you climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Employers understand that they are hiring people, not robots. Ultimately recruiters and hiring managers want to know you better, which builds trust. It will also make you a more memorable candidate.

Think outside the box

Get creative when thinking of ways to make your job application stand out. One example is Jonathan Swift, a 24-year-old job seeker who wouldn’t take no for an answer. He decided to print paper leaflets containing the words “Hello, I’m Jonathan” alongside a QR code connected to his LinkedIn profile. Then he left them on the cars parked outside the company he wanted to apply for and was later offered a job. While not everyone may want to follow this approach, just delivering a job application in person rather than via email will make it more personal and help you stand out from the crowd.

The most important thing to remember during the job application process is this: be intentional! If you are just going through the motions, you are wasting your time. While you can get many things back, you can’t get time back. Time is priceless. Make it count.

Wondering if it’s finally time to make a job or career change? Take my 60-second career quiz and find out!

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Castrillon Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Forbes.com | March 29, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog : Must REad! Job Hunters Take A Stand- We’re Not Writing Cover Letters. Today’s approach? Contacting employees at companies you want to work at over LinkedIn. Thoughts??

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To Whom It May Concern: Job applicants are putting a hard stop to those dreaded cover letters.

Many hiring managers say a sharp cover letter remains one of the best ways to make the case for why you are the right person for the job. Yet many job seekers say the self-promoting exercise is too torturous and time-consuming to be worth the effort for a less-than-dream role. It’s also just plain insulting, they argue, since it’s often an algorithm, not a human, that screens and sorts the applications.

Now, as employers struggle to fill millions of openings, job seekers are using their leverage to say no to what, until recently, was a must for landing a decent position.

“People are fundamentally fed up with having to do so much to get a job,” said Gianni LaTange, a 27-year-old in New York who works in tech. Ms. LaTange calls cover letters an antiquated hiring practice and no longer applies to jobs that require them.

To get her current role, she instead contacted employees at companies she wanted to work at over LinkedIn. One employee, after a brief conversation, connected her with a recruiter, and she ultimately got an offer without writing a letter, she said.

Some job seekers say writing cover letters is a job itself, and one that yields little reward for the effort. Before Devin Miller’s most recent job, he wrote about 10 cover letters to companies he wanted to work for. Each was different, and he wanted to signal that he knew what the work would entail, he said. He heard back from none. To get his current role, he responded to a recruiter who had reached out to him and asked just for a résumé, the 33-year-old Mr. Miller said.

Mr. Miller briefly looked for a new information-technology job in November because he was moving to Boston. This time, though, he said he applied only for openings that didn’t require a cover letter—and got several interviews and an offer.

“It just doesn’t align with my or my peers’ current interests in how they want to proceed with their career,” said Mr. Miller, who, in the end, opted to stay with his existing team and work remotely.

Behind all of the cover-letter hate lurks a major disconnect between job seekers and the employers trying to hire them. A recent Resume Lab survey of 200 hiring managers and recruiters found 83% said cover letters were important to deciding whom to hire, especially when it came to understanding why the applicant wanted the job or explaining a career switch or break. Nearly three-quarters said they expected a cover letter even if it wasn’t explicitly asked for.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

If you don’t take the time to explain yourself, they’re not going to consider you,” said Jill Tipograph, co-founder of Early Stage Careers, a career-coaching company for college students and 20-somethings. Early-career applicants especially need cover letters to differentiate themselves, she said. It’s about “laying out the facts and the foundation of what you’re bringing to the table,” she said.

Yet only 38% of candidates attach cover letters to their applications even when it is requested, according to ResumeLab, which provides advice and online templates for building résumés and cover letters.

Kevin Grossman, president of the Talent Board, a nonprofit hiring and recruiting research group, said that many of the employers his organization works with no longer look at cover letters, in part because of automated application-screening tools. The exception, he said, is when hiring volume is smaller and recruiters have the time.

Another reason cover letters often fail to impress: “Most of them are extremely generic,” said Keith Wolf, managing director of recruiting firm Murray Resources, who advises job seekers to tailor them to the specific job opening.

Spending even a few minutes dashing off an enthusiastic message can reveal a person’s strengths and motivation in ways a résumé often can’t, said Sherrod DeGrippo, a vice president at a security-software company whose division hires about 10 employees each quarter.

“Don’t agonize over it—it’s not a make-or-break,” she said. “It’s a help, it’s a bonus.”

Hadassah Williams, 30, who works in administration, has used a similar strategy. She started writing more casual notes instead of formal letters when a job listing indicates cover letters—which she hates writing—are optional. They take about 40 minutes to write and can be customized to the role she is applying for, she said.

Julie Fugett’s views on cover letters have evolved over her career. As a chief information security officer in higher education, she used them to evaluate candidates’ attention to detail and communication skills.

But when she recently applied for a vice president role at a cybersecurity firm, Ms. Fugett decided not to submit one. She had seen tech-industry pushback to the practice on social media, and she didn’t want to appear out of touch.

She got the job—and was delighted she could skip the cover letter. She has since wondered whether cover letters can invite bias against talented candidates who, say, speak English as a second language.

“I have yet to meet a single person, including myself, that enjoys writing a cover letter,” Ms. Fugett said. “I’ve still written plenty of them, but it’s always a little painful.”

 

WSJ.com | March 26. 2022 |  Lindsay Ellis

#JobSearch : You Need To Stop Using Fluffy Language When Answering Job Interview Questions. Like, “Could you tell about me a time when you received tough feedback at work?”

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A good interview question will generally ask you to recall a time when you did (or didn’t ) do something. It might sound like, “Could you tell about me a time when you received tough feedback at work?”

Now, not every interviewer asks good interview questions. For example, in the report “6 Words That Ruin Behavioral Interview Questions,” we learned that fewer than 20% of hiring managers could correctly identify major problems with their interview questions.

But assuming you’re interviewing with a well-trained hiring manager, you can expect to be asked questions beginning with the words, “Could you tell me about a time when…” or, “Tell me about a time when…”

How do you effectively answer that type of question? Simply put, use lots of specific details and avoid fluffy language.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

In the Leadership IQ study, Words That Cost You The Interview, poorly-rated candidates used 40% more adverbs in their answers (e.g., very, really, quickly) than highly-rated candidates. And poorly-rated candidates used 103% more absolute language (e.g., words like always, never, unquestionably) than their highly-rated peers.

Here are some examples of poorly-rated candidate responses to the question, “Could you tell about a time when you received tough feedback at work?”

  • “I can honestly say I’ve never really gotten tough feedback. But I don’t think tough feedback is always a negative thing. In fact, responding well to tough feedback can show that you are working hard and trying to be successful. But, my personal track record on getting tough feedback is pretty clean.”
  • “There are people who think they are always right and give you tough feedback even though they don’t really understand the issue. It can be frustrating when one is doing really superior work and still gets criticized. That’s why I always make sure to thoroughly understand a situation before I give feedback to anyone.”

Notice how those answers don’t offer any specifics? A well-trained interviewer can quickly see through fluffy responses like, “I can honestly say I’ve never really gotten tough feedback” and “I always make sure to thoroughly understand a situation before I give feedback to anyone.”

Those types of vague and unspecific responses tell a seasoned interviewer a few things. First, it may be that the candidate is lying. Have you ever met anyone that honestly has never received tough feedback at work? Of course not.

Second, it could be that the candidate believes that their clichéd answers sound sufficiently deep and thoughtful to impress a hiring manager. That’s a disturbing level of arrogance. Third, perhaps this is a candidate that is utterly lacking in self-awareness and truly hasn’t heard or internalized tough feedback.

The underlying causes of these fluffy answers don’t really matter; what’s important is that a competent hiring manager will not react well to these types of responses. A candidate who wants to impress a hiring manager will demonstrate a command of the details of their career history and forthrightly share specifics.

This doesn’t mean that a candidate should wallow in their failures. Share specifics about the tough feedback you received (or whatever the question asks) and then immediately share specifics about what you learned, how you grew, what steps you took next, etc. Good interviewers want details, and generic fluffy answers undermine their confidence that the candidate is honest and self-aware.

Forbes.com Author:  Mark Murphy  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | May 23. 2022

#JobSearch : To Avoid Regretting A New Job, Ask These Two Questions During The Interview. Got Interview? MUst REad!

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It’s rare to find a recruiter or hiring manager that will disclose the unvarnished truth about what it’s really like to work at their company. Especially in tight labor markets, they’ll paint the rosiest picture possible to persuade you to join their team. But you need to be choosy and push for a peek behind the curtain to see what it’s actually like to work there.

That’s why you need to ask these two revealing questions:

  1. Could you tell me about a time when one of your employees had a great idea that improved the business?
  2. Could you tell me about a specific frustration experienced by one or more of your employees?

 

Let’s look at the logic and science behind each question.

The first question matters because the study The State Of Leadership Development revealed that only 27% of employees say their leader always encourages and recognizes suggestions for improvement.

If your future manager can’t give you a specific example of an employee having a great idea that improved the business, that tells you that either the manager doesn’t encourage new ideas or they don’t implement them. Either case is equally bad and should be a giant warning sign that you’re likely to be frustrated in your job (assuming you’re someone who generates good ideas).

Also, be wary of answers like, “Gosh, I really can’t give any specifics because the people here are always coming up with great ideas.” Generic and unspecific answers are just as bad as non-answers. If a manager is truly soliciting and implementing their employees’ ideas, they won’t have any difficulty finding specific examples. In fact, not only will they have examples at their fingertips, they should be eager to tell you all about the smart and creative people on the team.

There are also cases, although less common, where the manager does, in fact, implement their employees’ great ideas but selfishly takes the credit for themselves. But it doesn’t really matter why the manager won’t tell you specific examples; all of the possible reasons are bad.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

The second question matters because the Frustration At Work study discovered that around 60% of employees say their frustrations at work are so severe that they want to look for other jobs.

There is no workplace on earth where employees don’t experience frustrations. But there are plenty of companies where managers don’t listen to, or fix, those frustrations. This question provides a simple test of your future manager’s candor, transparency and willingness to hear hard truths.

If the manager can’t or won’t disclose any of the frustrations their employees undoubtedly experience, it’s likely that they won’t take meaningful steps to alleviate your frustrations once you’ve taken the job.

These two recommended questions are mild enough that a good manager should have little trouble giving you detailed answers, and that’s the point. Your goal in the interview is to quickly and efficiently discover whether your future boss is a decent leader and someone for whom you could work. There are dozens of other issues that will affect whether you accept the job, like compensation, location, hours, titles, benefits and more.

But unlike the quality of management, those issues tend to be more transparently communicated upfront. Clarify them all, of course, but the manager issues will require a bit more explicit probing with the two questions.

 

Forbes.com| March 18, 2022 | Mark Murphy

#JobSearch : How To Be Lucky In Your Career: 5 Ways To Create Good Fortune. The Vast Majority of the Time, Luck Really isn’t Luck at All.

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You’ve heard it plenty of times: the super-successful person who is interviewed and credits luck for her success, or talks about simply being in the right place at the right time. But if it’s just good fortune, what is there to learn? And how can you get access to the fairy dust that seems to have made that person’s career advance?

What is luck, really? The chances of finding a four-leaf clover on your first try are one in 10,000, but your odds of advancing your career are significantly better—when you take intentional and proactive steps.

While there may be some career successes for which pure luck was a factor, if you look more deeply, they are probably the rare exceptions. Luck is actually something you make for yourself and something you can prepare for—taking advantage of good work and intentional effort, which almost always precede the discovery of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Also consider that ascribing your success to simple good fortune undercuts your success. You’ve worked hard and done some great things—and deserve the kudos and credit that come from the results. Luck may be something, but great thinking, hard work and developing relationships are much more.

 

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Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

How to Create Luck in Your Career

Here’s how to create the conditions for luck to be yours (and the efforts you can embrace and take credit for when you succeed).

Be Proactive

One of the keys to being lucky, is being ready and moving ahead based on a sense of what’s happening around you. Stay alert and read your context. If you sense your company is considering big changes in your division, have a strategy for your next steps. When you see your group may be reporting through a new leader, reach out and connect with them. Or when you see your customer needs are starting to change, be ready to recommend a new product, service or direction.

In addition, always be exploring. Be curious about your market and your customers, obtain certifications or additional credentials which match your interests and seek learning in new areas all the time. By staying attuned to the next things that interest you, you’ll be ready in case your present situation changes, and you need to make plans for the future.

Be Connected

Statistically, your next job or career step is likely to come not from your primary network, but from your secondary or tertiary networks. By definition, the people you’re closest to, probably have access to the same information as you related to new opportunities. But your more distant connections will have access to information about opportunities which you probably don’t. And this is a great way to ensure you’re “lucky” in your next steps—by staying connected to a network of people who will know about new possibilities.

Reach out to others and strengthen your network all the time—even when you’re not looking for a new role. Focus on building relationships, not just adding to your number of contacts in a transactional way. Seek to add value for others, and stay connected when you see people get promoted or change jobs. Send notes to wish people congratulations or forward articles which may interest them. Nurture connections on a continuous basis and in a meaningful way, and when you need some good luck to facilitate your next career step, you’ll have people to whom you can reach out and from whom you can seek support.

Be Brilliant

When you’re looking for the next opportunity, your past and current performance will be under scrutiny, and they will fundamentally shape your prospects. Consider the example of a woman who learned her husband was being transferred to another country. It was the right decision for their family to pull up stakes and make the shift. As a result, she had to give up her current role and seek a new role—and she hoped to stay within her global company. Because she had a great record of performance and good relationships, she was able to reach out to the leader of the new region and a position was adapted for her. While she could have attributed this to luck, in reality it was the result of her reputation and credibility based on her strong track record.

Performing brilliantly in your role today (even if it’s not your ideal position) is always one of the best investments in your role for tomorrow—and creates the “luck” which will be part of landing the next opportunity.

Be Flexible

Sometimes, when you need to make a shift, the perfect role may not emerge. In this case, it can be wise to take what’s available and know you can move on from there. You don’t want to settle for something drastically beneath your capabilities or for a bad cultural fit or a poor work experience, but if the role is close-to-right or requires you to compromise on things which aren’t core to who you are, then taking a less-than-ideal role can be a legitimate and smart move. It’s always easier to find a job when you’re already employed, and in the real world most people need to be employed to pay the mortgage and put groceries on the table.

So take the next step, even if it’s not your final step. Know you can learn from whatever you’re doing and trust your ability to grow and advance. Also be flexible with your partner and family. Sometimes your job will take priority and sometimes theirs will. The best partnerships acknowledge the dance of career ebbs and flows. Be flexible for the times when your partner’s job takes priority and be firm when it’s time for your career to blossom.

Be Brave

Career advancement often requires you to let go and take a risk. The next big-time assignment or the moment to leave an organization for a cool new job require you to go out on a limb. Be smart about assessing the opportunity and all that goes with it, and be diligent about determining whether it’s the right fit for you and your future. And when you determine it is, shore up support, take the plunge and make the decision which will pave the way for your future.

In Sum

The vast majority of the time, luck really isn’t luck at all. So put in the effort, do great work and flex toward the next new opportunity. And in the process, take credit for all you’ve accomplished and be confident about all the places you’ll go next. Now is a great time to explore, be proactive and build relationships which will move you positively forward.

Forbes.com | March 13, 2022

#YourCareer : The Psychology Of Persuasion: Get What You Want More Often. Communication is Critical to Successful Negotiations.

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Psychology has become increasingly mainstream in recent years, with enormous attention being paid to how our psychologies, often unconsciously, influence how we behave in professional spaces as well.

The relevance of psychology to negotiation is especially important. On the surface, it may appear that we are negotiating prices, terms and conditions but it really all comes down to the need for both parties to come to one shared opinion or solution. That said, in negotiation it’s critical to understand the psychology behind opinions. This can form the foundation for a successful outcome.

Understanding Attitudes

In the research, psychologists will often refer to opinions as “attitudes.” In this context, an attitude can be anything from a strong moral conviction around a particular social issue, to a preference for one brand of coffee over the other. Attitudes are important for two reasons: they can be durable and they influence behavior.

Sticking to the coffee example, generally speaking people tend to have fairly strong opinions about the beverage. Usually, people either love it or hate it, and coffee drinkers typically have a preference for a particular blend or brand. A daily Starbucks drinker may have a particularly durable attitude, meaning it could be difficult to persuade them to switch to McDonalds or Tim Hortons on their morning commute. Similarly, there may be hints of influence as well. When out of town or traveling, they may find themselves seeking a Starbucks or even purchasing Starbucks brand instant coffee at the grocery store.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Why Strength Matters

Not all opinions or attitudes are equal. While a particular attitude can influence behavior, it’s the strength of the attitude that will determine how much influence it will ultimately have.

Politics is a good example. If a citizen has a strong attitude in favor of a candidate, there is a higher chance that they will actually vote for them. If their attitude is weak, they may show a preference in conversations (or on surveys) but not actually take the action to vote that candidate into office.

This thought process applies to almost all attitudes, so in negotiations it’s important to uncover your counterpart’s attitudes and the strength of each one. This information can help negotiators identify which opinions are flexible and can be addressed and which should be avoided due to their durability.

Using the Right Language

Communication is critical to successful negotiations, and using the right language is equally important to navigating attitudes and opinions. Talking the same “language” is necessary to reaching an agreement. This means looking beyond the superficial opinions on a topic, and finding the underlying attitudes that align.

For example, let’s say two people sit down. One chooses to consume dairy as a part of their diet and the other person does not. On the surface, it may appear that they disagree. That said, perhaps there is a shared attitude around the importance of health and feeling good. Person A avoids dairy because it makes them feel bloated and ultimately they don’t believe it’s healthy for their system. Person B consumes dairy because they see it as a nutritious and healthy part of a diet that will keep them strong.

Talking the “health” language may help bring these two individuals to a common resolution, as opposed to focusing on the surface topic of dairy—where they disagree.

Incorporating Empathy

Empathy is a super-power, and using it to understand attitudes in negotiation will almost always improve outcomes. Once again, it all starts with asking questions to identify what attitudes and opinions your counterpart possesses, and how strong each of those attitudes are. Core attitudes are more durable, so it may not be worth attempting to dissuade people away from them; however, it’s still possible to demonstrate empathy for why they feel so strongly. For weaker opinions, in the process of moving towards a common resolution, incorporating empathy can be key. Allow empathy to help you explore your counterpart’s perspective and what they are truly looking to accomplish through these negotiations.

Attitudes and opinions play a huge role in the everyday behaviors of individuals, making them necessary to consider for successful negotiations and conflict resolution. Begin by asking questions and taking time to understand where your counterpart has strong attitudes and where there may be flexibility to begin moving toward a common ground.

 

Forbes.com | March 13, 2022 | Kwame Christian

#Your Career : When a Change in Times Means a Change of Plans. One Thing is Certain: Many of Today’s Changes we are Seeing in the World Today are Here to Stay.

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Most would agree that present-day living looks a lot different from what it used to be before the pandemic. While some would say it is for the better, others may be finding the drastic changes we’ve experienced throughout the pandemic unsettling, to say the least. But wherever you are on the spectrum, from loving it to loathing it to at least tolerating it, one thing is certain: many of the changes we are seeing in the world today are here to stay.

Here’s how to make the most of it and embrace the unknown instead of looking ahead with apprehension. 

 

Doing more of what you love

Adjusting to a new way of living has meant for many a change in lifestyle. And if you’ve found that you haven’t been able to adapt to these changes as easily as you had hoped and you want to find new meaning in the days that lie ahead, the solution is simple – find ways to do more of what you love. You’ll not only be happier for it, but you’re sure to experience a level of contentment you might never have known otherwise.

You can start by focusing on how you can grow and strengthen aspects of your life, whether it be health-wise, reaching your fitness goals, or even new career goals. Speaking of reaching new professional heights, perhaps you’ve had the novel idea of starting a business yourself as a result of your newfound passion. 

In which case, you could start with looking into an LLC as a type of business worth pursuing if you are a solo entrepreneur. Do I need an LLC to start a business? If you want to start off small with a company with fewer requirements, specific tax advantages, a lot less paperwork, and flexible enough to accommodate your changing needs, an LLC could be the ideal business solution for you. A formation like ZenBusiness can help you make quick work of this task. 

Or maybe as the pandemic has progressed — we are a year and half into this thing after all! — you’ve been able to grow a business and now you’re ready to take it to the next level. You can take advantage of the many folks looking to change careers right now by looking into freelancer sites to find the right people to help you make your business bigger and better than ever.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Show your support

If anything, the pandemic has taught us the steadfast resilience of humanity and how important relationships are in the broader scheme of things. As everything shut down, many of us found new ways we could connect with friends, loved ones, coworkers, clients, and more virtually. For many, it led to the revelation that we are all connected to each other in some way and that we need assistance and support from one another to reach our goals–and we’re the better for it.

So if there are people struggling in your community as they try to come back from the devastation that the pandemic has caused, why not lend a helping hand to those in need? And if you find yourself needing help, well, then gladly accept it. 

 

Revel in nature

Spending time outdoors and reveling in the beauty that is nature is beneficial for your overall physical and mental well-being. And as much as nature is something to truly behold, it also deserves our respect. We need to tend to it well, and to acknowledge our dependence on our earth that gives so much to us and expects little in return. 

When change is a good thing

Indeed, change can be unsettling and can even seem a little frightening. Still, it can also be exciting and liberating, freeing us from stale mindsets that need to be readjusted to see the beginnings and promise of a new dawn. And if change is inevitable (as it most assuredly is), then we may as well do our best to embrace it! 

 

FSC Career Blog Author: Ms. Gloria Martinez . You can reach Gloria @  g.martinez@womenled.org

 

FSC Career Blog – March 9, 2022

#YourCareer : Intimidated To Engage On LinkedIn? Here’s Some Advice. Great REad!

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Before corporate and intellectual property attorney Lacy Bell graduated Emory Law School, she created a LinkedIn profile to facilitate easy networking with law school colleagues and hopefully help secure employment post-graduation. Later, as she launched her own law firm during the pandemic, she created a LinkedIn profile for her business as well. She certainly understood the importance of maintaining a presence on the largest professional social media platform, but she also faced a challenge—her own intimidation about actively engaging on LinkedIn.

“Like most of my peers, I had not engaged much on LinkedIn because it is a professional workspace and can be intimidating when you’re at the early stages of your legal career and trying to walk the line of being an individual with your own opinions and views, but also understanding that past employers and future employers are watching and have access to anything you post,” she explains. “Unfortunately, it can be intimidating and just feel like more work outside of work.”

Bell certainly isn’t the only professional to feel anxious about diving into the powerful LinkedIn ecosystem. Early career professionals in particular may have anxiety around figuring out what to post, what not to post, how often to engage, who to tag/hashtag, etc. As someone who posts on LinkedIn regularly, I’m surprised how often I encounter posts that start with some version of “I’ve been wanting to post on LinkedIn for a long time, but I was too nervous to do it.” Like Lacy many of these timid posts are authored by successful, accomplished individuals who still feel like a bit of an outsider on the platform. While starting to engage on any new social media platform can feel awkward, the stakes may feel even higher on LinkedIn as the site is often mined by employers and recruiters for valuable opportunities.

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

 

Global Creator Programs Lead at LinkedIn Callie Schweitzer insists that it’s perfectly fine to observe initially but also cautions against overthinking it. “If you’re just starting to get more active on LinkedIn or interested in upping how much you’re posting or how involved you are, just start commenting,” she suggests. “Follow people you’re interested in, connect with people, and start pursuing different areas. Build who you are and your presence that way.” She also urges newbies to experiment by engaging with different content types and learning from a range of creators.

One great way to explore a range of content types while also learning about the creator journey may be by following participants in LinkedIn’s new Creator Accelerator Program. It’s a 10-week incubator-style program designed to support creators on LinkedIn through coaching, recognition, and resources. Among other support, LinkedIn provides a $15,000 grant to help creators build engaged communities, spark productive conversations, and connect to meaningful opportunities. “I’ve loved following  Creator Accelerator Program participant Elizabeth Leiba as she shares how she’s learning to use and love video even though writing is her ‘safe space,’” explains Schweitzer. Indeed, following some of these creators may be a great way to learn alongside them and build your confidence muscle at the same time.

Follow people you’re interested in, connect with people, and start pursuing different areas. Build who you are and your presence that way.

Before long, attorney Lacy Bell took the plunge and crafted her first post, and she has no regrets. “It felt good to share my content and officially introduce my firm on LinkedIn,” explains Bell. Posting about her selection to Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 in Georgia by the National Black Lawyers last year, she explains “I was initially hesitant to share it, but I am grateful for all the overwhelming support and impressions that post received.”

As for those who professionals who are still terrified at the prospect of dipping their toe into the waters of the most recognized social media platform for professionals, founder and managing attorney Lacy Bell implores them to just do it. “If there’s something positive or otherwise in your professional career that you want to share with your network, try to put your fears aside and do it,” she insists. “LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with other professionals who can support and assist in so many different ways.”

Forbes Author:  Dana Brownlee       Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com – February 28, 2022