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#JobSearch : 5 Keys To Transforming Your Resume. There is No Reason you cannot Stand Out and Shine the Way we All Know you were Meant to!

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Whether or not this really is the summer of quitting, there’s no question many workers are thinking about leaving their jobs. Some supervisors have been adamant about remote workers returning. Not surprisingly, for plenty of their employees, this is a nonstarter. Even CEOs from companies like Apple and JPMorgan took a stand for returning to the office, and yet, workers who moved far from city centers during the pandemic have no interest in trading their larger houses for tiny apartments and higher living expenses once it’s over.

Other remote workers appreciate the flexibility and work-life balance of remote work. That’s one reason a found that almost 60% of workers would rather quit their jobs than quit working from home.

…Maybe you’re one of them. But you don’t have to be a remote worker or an aspiring one to need a résumé redo. Everyone from recent grads to seasoned vets should take the time to ensure that their resume is polished and professional and, most of all, that it stands out in the pile. Here’s how to do it.

Use the basics.

Far too often, people try to be different with their résumé— and I get it… It can be quite a bore for your resume to feel it’s just like everyone else’s. But usually ,the creativity falls flat — unless you’re applying to creative agencies— which is why you want to remember the basics:

  • Fonts: data shows that resumes with a font size smaller than 11 are more likely to get thrown in the trash. Not everyone’s eyes can handle the mini letters! Plus, the legibility of the actual font style matters— stick with Arial, Times New Roman, or any of the basics.
  • Margins: Don’t stretch your margins so big that the resume overwhelms the eye.
  • Results: Your resume is a document that highlights your results that are relevant to the position for which you’re applying. Don’t fill it with a full summary of everything you’ve ever done or everywhere you’ve ever worked.

 

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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 …

 

It’s About the How, Not the What

Too many résumés rely on long lists of things you did in each job, but these lists lack real texture and context! Don’t just list your experiences; describe them! The is an awesome way to ask yourself the same questions a hiring manager will. Describe the Situation, the Task at hand, and the Action you took. Then detail the Result.

In other words, don’t just write that you increased sales by 10% (though quantifiable results are great to share!). Give your results more context. For example, you could say that despite losing part of the sales team, you stepped up and incorporated new methods to drive performance, which resulted in the increase. The advantage to this method is that you convey that your techniques are portable—and hiring managers will be eager for you to recreate a similar approach in a new environment.

Get With The Times

If your goal is to land a remote job,. Start by adding the word “remote” or at the very least “partially remote” beside either your job title or location. If it represents a percentage of your total work, then say so. If your remote work concluded with a return to the office, then make sure to set apart the dates you worked from home. Don’t forget to add “remote-friendly” skills to the Skills section: Slack, Google Drive Suite, Teamwork, Zoom and Skype. Although most career sites list remote jobs, if your goal is full-time remote employment, you’ll want to focus on your attention on sites like, and.

Tailor It

In fact, your résumé should be updated for each new job application, precisely reflecting the job posting and earning a green “go” signal from the often-used applicant tracking software (ATS). In fact, around 70% of résumé submissions never get seen by an actual human. Instead they are discarded by ATS searches because the résumé Make sure to add these to your résumé before submitting. Expand on them in your cover letter.

Accept that Age is Often a Negative Number Click Delete

Yes, age discrimination is illegal, as well as many other forms of discrimination that still happen. Unfortunately, our always-on, online world makes it exceedingly easy to discriminate. A quick review of your LinkedIn or other social media postings means the hiring manager can exclude you without giving your résumé a second glance. In some industries, age discrimination is rampant. If you’re concerned by it, you should also consider removing the date you graduated from college

Click Delete

Trim away any positions from 10 to 15 years ago, and consider a new email address if your current one is not professional. Although you don’t want to copy templates, you should know current résumé formats. That means avoiding phrases like “references available upon request.” Make sure your Skills section is modern as well with Slack, Skype and Zoom skills included.

Right now, there are more jobs than there are applicants, and if you want a great job, take the time to prepare a résumé that reflects your best possible self. That’s the self that will soon be accepting an outstanding offer!

There is no reason you cannot stand out and shine the way we all know you were meant to!

Forbes.com Author:     Follow me on  or . Check out my .
Forbes.com – August 9, 2021

 

#JobSearch : What Skills Can Help You Make A Career Transition? Simply, A MUst REad for All!

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In How Universities Die, Australian academic Peter Fleming bemoans the neoliberal influence on universities over the last 20 years, which he believes is resulting in the slow demise of once-great institutions. A central part of his thesis is that universities have stopped being places for intellectual exploration and have turned into breeding grounds for the next generation of workers.

The question of whether universities should support widespread academic inquiry or act more as preparation for specific careers has been one with a long and storied history.  from Rice University last year, for instance, suggested that graduates earn more when their degree program is tightly linked to specific jobs.

“College major linkage strength and occupational match were positively related to wages,” the researchers write. “In particular, strong linkage increased the wages of workers in matched occupations more than workers not in matched occupations.”

Transferable skills

The flip side of the argument is provided by a  from the London School of Economics, which highlights the importance of transferable skills.  The authors suggest that in a world in which jobs change so readily, it is actually transferable skills that are increasingly important.  The problem is that not only are universities not really providing these, but employers are not investing in these skills either, despite finding them so valuable.

“Most of the skills employers find to be lacking among applicants and existing staff are transferable: gaps in complex analytical skills reportedly contribute to 40% of all skill-shortage vacancies, and a third of all skill-shortage vacancies were attributed, at least in part, to a lack of digital skills, including both basic computer literacy and more advanced or specialist IT skills,” the researchers write. “For personal skills, in both 2015 and 2017, the most common skill of this type lacking in the labor market was the ability to manage one’s’ own time and task prioritization (51% of all skill-shortage vacancies were attributed to this).”

As we are in the midst of the so-called “Great Resignation”, where many professionals are thinking of moving to new jobs or new careers, having a good handle on the skills we have that could enable such transitions is crucial. In her latest book, Next Move, Best Move, career development expert Kimberly Cummings outlines how you can conduct a “skills audit” of every skill you have gained in every role you have had during your career. Cummings advocates then tagging each of these skills according to whether you would like to keep using them in your future or not.

 

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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 …

 

Auditing your skills

Cummings provides a template you can use to conduct this skills audit, although of course, you can equally just use a notebook and pen. The key is that you are able to undertake an accurate assessment of the skills you have gained, utilized, and wish to build upon in your future career. Cummings recommends asking yourself the following questions:

  1. What are the top skills you have acquired throughout your career?
  2. What skills do you consider your strengths?
  3. What skills helped you obtain the greatest results?
  4. What skills do you find yourself teaching others?
  5. Moving forward in your career, what skills do you prefer not to use?
  6. What skills do you want to use in your next role?

 

“After answering those questions, you should have a clear list of your transferable skills that you would like to continue to use in your career,” Cummings writes.  “The exercise is worth doing because if you cannot quickly showcase your skill-set in career-related conversations, you are at risk for presenting yourself as a Jack or Jill of all trades and master of none.”

Skills in demand

Not only are soft skills likely to be among the most transferable, but they are also among those most in demand. Analysis performed a few years ago by the learning provider Udemy outlined some of the most valuable soft skills in the labor market today.

These skills include:

  • Conflict management
  • Time management
  • Stress management
  • Communication skills
  • Customer service
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Storytelling
  • Change management

Understanding not only the transferable skills you have but also the skills that are valuable in a range of professions is likely to be especially important in a future of work in which we are going to have multiple different careers. Being able to connect the dots between different careers and to understand what skills you possess and could apply in novel ways is a skill that in itself will be increasingly important.

 

Forbes.com Author:  

 

Forbes.com – August 8, 2021

#JobSearch : Tips to Tailor Your Resume to the Role. Writing a Resume to ‘Cover All the Bases’ is a Great Way to get Passed for an Interview.

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I spoke to a client recently who wanted a resume to “cover all the bases.” In other words, it needed to be general enough in case he wasn’t the right fit for the position he was applying for, he may be considered for other open positions the company had. This is a great way to get passed over for an interview! And if your resume doesn’t have the right keywords an employer is looking for, it won’t make it past the automated applicant tracking system they may be using.

Tailoring each resume to the position you are applying for by matching it to the job description is the best way. You probably have heard from an executive resume service that it’s important to do so, but in what ways are you supposed to match them?

Here are some tips to consider when writing your resume.

 

Identify Keywords in The Job Description

It’s time to grab your old-school highlighter, print out a hard copy of the job description, and make every keyword you can find. These keywords should describe the particular candidate the employer is looking for, as well as the strengths and skills you possess. Once you identify them all, plug them into your resume as high on the page as possible. Include as many keywords as you can, but be careful not to stuff too many of them in to make it sound unnatural.

 

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 …

 

Consider the Reader

When writing your resume, you have to think about it from the reader’s perspective. They are looking for specific keywords, but they are also thinking about the company’s pain points and seeking a candidate that can address those. When writing, it can be easy to focus on your past experiences and accomplishments, without giving thought to what may be relevant to the position you are applying for. They want to see how you have solved problems in the past that they may have or how you have added value. If you have done it for someone else, chances are you can do it again. They aren’t necessarily interested in anything else. By looking closely at the job description, the best professional resume writers can identify what’s appropriate to mention and what should be avoided.

 

Discover What You Truly Want From A Job

A common misconception about writing an effective resume is it should be more general instead of focused. The idea is the more general your resume is, the better your chances are of landing another open position, even if you don’t qualify for the one you really want. This can lead to a sloppy resume and an unfocused job search effort. Taking the time to truly discover what you want from a job, from a salary standpoint, cultural standpoint, work/life balance and more will help you target your resume.

When tailoring your resume to a specific role, be clear about your career goals, think through what the reader is looking for, and focus on the keywords the job description has mentioned. Do this with every position you apply for, tweaking your resume carefully to address each employer’s specific needs. This is the best way to showcase your specific skills for a specific role.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – August 5, 2021

 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 4K Reads! Answers To New Employer Job Interview Questions. Questions for Today’s 2021 Job Interview!

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Interviews seemed to be a lot harder than I remember,” says Nick, a Baby Boomer executive who called for Interview Prep Coaching. “I was so unprepared for some of their very difficult questions. I know I blew it.” With more employers hiring and more jobs being listed every day, the interview piece of the hiring process is one people take for granted. They think because most are on ZOOM that it will be easy. He found out, like most others, that thinking is entirely incorrect.

Today, some of the new questions that employers are asking are challenging to answer. 

Expect that your first question will be the common one: Tell me about yourself. Using a technique I call the 60 Second Sell is the most effective way to open the interview. It is a tool that helps you target your skills to meet the employer’s needs. First, you summarize your five most marketable attributes straightforwardly and concisely. Think of this as your 60-second verbal business card that summarizes your best skills, accomplishments, and previous experience in a well-thought-out fashion that will immediately make the employer know why they should hire you. For more specific details on using this technique, read the article Best Way To Open An Interview To Secure A Job Offer.

What is your superpower?

This seems to be a hot new question that many people, especially in tech, are being asked. You should interpret this question to mean what’s unique about you? You must select your crucial strength and relate it to the job they are asking you to perform. Here is a good example. I was prepping an Account Executive for a top Sales Rep role and he said this question had stumped him before. After some discussion, I determined his superpower was his ability to connect to prospects and customers instantly. He instinctively knew if the other person wanted an analytical approach or a more social conversational style. His communication ability allowed him to be an expert networker and great at prospecting. That became his answer and the employer he interviewed with was impressed and said, “Great superpower. I like that answer.” And yes, he did land that job.

What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

Keep in mind if you said your superpower already, then only touch on it here. Add in 2-3 other vital skills you have and provide detailed work examples of how you have successfully applied the skills in previous roles. Offering work examples are critical as it allows the employer to envision you can do the same things for them and deliver similar results. When answering the weakness question, it is now better to illustrate a weakness you have overcome. For example, you might say, “When I started at XYZ company, I had no background in eCommerce advertising platforms, only digital marketing. In my new role, this was a blatant weakness. So, I took the initiative, attended classes, and quickly earned several important certifications in this space. I also attended company and industry webinars and tutorials to get myself up to speed quickly. As a result, I have been able to work successfully in the eCommerce arena for the last two years.” It is vital to conclude with how you have overcome the weakness, and it is not a weakness anymore.

 

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 …

What research did you do on the company? 

You better have done a lot of research and be knowledgeable about the company and the specific job duties. You cannot fake this answer. Look at who their competitors are. Read any recent press articles about the company. The employer feels if you do not take the time to learn as much as possible about this company, you will not put in the extra effort to succeed on the job. A wise idea is to also go onto LinkedIn and ask to connect to the recruiter and hiring manager as well as anyone else you interview with.

Why do you want this job?

You need to be able to identify precisely why you want to work for this company first. Prepare an answer that shows you know who they need. Discuss what attracts you to them and the job. If you have direct industry experience, bring it up. Also, add in 2-3 key points on how your X and Y skills or background will allow you to get up to speed quickly and make some vital contributions fast. Be specific. A great deal rides on you convincing the interviewer you have the passion and drive to perform the work.

As a manager, what strategies have you used to address diversity challenges?

Diversity has become a hot issue, and many companies are now asking questions on this subject. Be sure you give a specific work example and not just a generalization. You might say, “Many of our customers are from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds, so being savvy on how to act and what to say shows insight and good business acumen. As a result, I have taken several classes on diversity and became more sensitive to this issue. I do my best to promote tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion. I work with some resistant people who I identified needed additional training classes and coaching to be more sensitive. I mentored them privately. In addition, I also had HR set up a training course for my teams and indirect reports. I sell it as a terrific way to get more input from every person on the team, which allows us to come up with new ideas, enhance productivity, and process/system or design improvements. That approach has been successful for me.”

Have a sophisticated list of questions to ask

You need to show you have done your homework. Asking good questions impresses the employer. Write out these inquiries and cover things like the boss’s management style, what impact COVID had on the company and anything else you want to know. Do not ask about salary or perks – wait until you get the job offer before you ask those questions. Be specific about your job duties and industry. For example, a product marketing manager would need to ask in-depth questions on any new products in the pipeline, the sales process, technical issues, competitors, market position, etc.

How to CLOSE the Interview 

The most effective strategy to close the interview is to use the 60 Second Sell you created to open the discussion. It contains your top 5 selling points on how and why you can excel in this job. Once you have asked all your questions, and it seems the interview is concluding, say this, “Thank you for meeting with me today. I am very interested in the position. Let me summarize for you what I can bring to this position…..” Then give them your 60 Second Sell.

Keep in mind that confidence is vital! Use short, concise answers. Do not ramble. Listening is essential to ensure you understand the question, especially if there are two parts to it. Being able to master these new tough questions will allow you to sell yourself more effectively when you face the interviewer.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
WSJ.com Author:  Robin Ryan
WSJ.com | July 29, 2021

#YourCareer : Why Ageism In The Workplace Still Seems To Be Okay. “Workplace Equality for All! (Unless They’re Old).” Your Thoughts??

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A headline on Stanford University Business School’s Insights site caught my eye recently: “Workplace Equality for All! (Unless They’re Old).” The piece described fascinating research by NYU’s Michael North and Stanford’s Ashley Martin which found that workers who openly oppose racism and sexism were still prejudiced against older workers.

Overall, 31% of job seekers aged 55 and older report they have been looking for work for 27 weeks or longer.

As these researchers explained in their American Psychological Association article about their study, ageism is alive and unwell in the workplace. What’s more, North and Martin discovered after interviewing 348 people, the younger people were, the more likely they were to hold ageist views on older workers. Little surprise that an AARP survey said 78% of older workers saw or experienced age discrimination in the workplace in 2020; in 2018, 61% did.

To learn more about the ageist notions reflected in the idea of equality for (almost) all, I recently interviewed North. Highlights from our conversation:

Next Avenue: What made you interested in doing the research that led to the ‘Equality for (Almost) All’ study?

Michael North: I actually get asked this a lot, because I’m in my thirties. From a personal standpoint, I had this experience when I was twenty-two, where I was a research assistant for a psychology professor who was coordinating a study on age and wisdom. And he said ‘You’re going to have to interview people for two hours at a time. Half the time, that person’s gonna be in their thirties and half the time that person is going to be in their sixties, seventies or eighties or even older. And as I was leaving, I remember thinking this was not something I was particularly looking forward to — I was fine with the people in their thirties, but I thought the older persons would be boring.

As it turns out, it was a life-altering moment for me, because I enjoyed interacting with all of these groups. I actually ended up enjoying interacting with the sixty and above group more. I just thought that people in their sixties, seventies, eighties and beyond were more interesting.

They were also more interested in me. They were more inquisitive about what the study was about.

A couple of years later, when I was applying to graduate school in social psychology, my wonderful graduate mentor and I got to talking about aging and ageism and age-based prejudice. She said ‘Not a lot of people focus on this. It’s a very much under the radar.’ And so, we basically agreed to study this. That really was the starting point.

 

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 …

 

Going in, what was your focus for this study you and Ashley Martin did, and why?

Our focus was about this idea of older adults sort of being subtly nudged out the door: It might feel like people aren’t taking you seriously as much as they used to. You’re left out of meetings. You might get talked over. Your opinion might get missed.

There’s this sort of subtle tension where older adults are expected to step aside and get out of the way and stop creating this perceived logjam in the distribution of resources or jobs or positions of influence, so the younger generation can get their turn.

And is this true regarding the way people view both older men and older women?

We did an earlier study and found that older women are spared from some of these expectations compared with older men.

Tell me about the correlations you found regarding racism, sexism and ageism.

Ashley noticed a pattern in our data in earlier studies. The more people tended to endorse this idea that there should be equality for everyone and striving to reduce prejudice toward traditionally discriminated groups, there was this surprising correlation. Those who were more egalitarian — who were striving to reduce prejudice toward traditionally discriminated groups — were less likely to endure racist views and less likely to endorse sexist views but weirdly, they were actually more likely to support ageist views, endorsing this idea of succession; that older adults should step aside and make way for younger generations.

And you found this ageism was more true of younger people?

Is it the case that the younger you are, the more you endorse this idea of succession? The short answer is yes.

How young are we talking?

That’s not easy to answer. It’s just by and large, the younger you are, the more you endorse these views.

Everybody knows people shouldn’t be racist. People shouldn’t be sexist. I guess what I’m not sure I understand is why does it still seem to be okay to be ageist?

The most direct way I can say it is ageism is socially condoned to a point where it’s not uncommon for folks to overlook it as a prejudice.

I think people see a certain ‘truth’ to ageism that ‘making me feel young is normal.’ If you go to any local pharmacy, it’s quite socially condoned to see birthday cards that say, ‘Ha ha, you’re old now.’

I’m often taken aback how stand-up comedians and late-night talk show hosts make jokes about older people. And there’s really been no real backlash toward making those kinds of jokes. There hasn’t really been a huge, organized civil rights movement to combat this.

There’s a federal age discrimination law, but it’s not being enforced very much. And the courts have basically gutted it. So workers may feel it’s okay to be ageist.

Absolutely. Age discrimination is now extremely difficult to prove.

Think of how many hiring decisions, firing decisions, promotions, raises and opportunities are allocated based on so-called ‘fit.’ Man, the word ‘fit’ is so loaded when it comes to age, right? It’s a code word.

Tech companies don’t explicitly say old people need not apply, but in almost every way, that’s kind of what they’re saying in their job descriptions. Not to mention in their ball pits and Foosball tables that some of their workplaces have.

I’m sixty-four and trying to put myself in the shoes of people in their twenties and thirties. I could see why some would think older people are blocking them. There are a lot of older workers, and when you’re young, you often want to move up the ladder. I don’t know that I would call this ageist. I would call that maybe just sort of a realistic view of the world of work and demographics.

Well said. Thank you for phrasing it that way, too, because I think it’s really, really important if we’re actually going to solve this issue.

Like you said, there are certain pragmatic realities. I think the question is: To what extent is it a bias and to what extent is it not? That’s a huge question and really difficult to answer.

What do you think?

It seems like everything is becoming more competitive. There’s sort of a tension between the old guard and the new guard. So, I can see being younger and being like, ‘Well, if these older folks would just get out of the way, that would free up resources and opportunities.’ And you know, it’s tough to say that’s a hundred percent wrong.

I would say though, it’s not as simple as that.

As the economy does well, younger and older workers all do well. As the economy does poorly, they all do poorly. Generations are not in direct competition with one another, even though it might seem that way.

Are older workers blocking younger workers?

If you were to just think about how an organization typically runs, the kinds of roles, by and large, that someone in their fifties or sixties tends to do are probably pretty different than someone in their twenties. An entry-level job is vastly different from a more managerial job.

One of the big, misguided arguments against hiring older workers is there’s this belief that older workers don’t perform as well as younger workers. And I’m sure that might happen in some cases, or in some industries or in some roles. But statistically, job performance does not decline with age.

What do you think is an ageist view in the workforce?

It seems really unfair to dismiss an older person in the room’s viewpoint because ‘they don’t know how things work anymore.’ What most of the other people in the room don’t realize is that this person probably saw the same kind of thing unfold back in like 1979.

And they actually remember what worked and what didn’t. And they probably have something pretty incisive to say about it. Will it be the perfect answer? Not necessarily.

I think it’s a healthier view to say, ‘My elders have been there before; I have a lot to learn from them.’ And vice versa. The older guard should not just dismiss the younger guard and say they’re gunning for your job.

Are there things employers could be doing that could help educate people that some perceptions of older workers are wrong?

It seems to me, if you’re a business and you have senior employees and they want to stick around and want to contribute, there are ways that you can do that.

I actually have a piece on this in the Harvard Business Review, co-authored with my friend Hal Hershfield, who teaches at UCLA. It’s called ‘Four Ways to Adapt to an Aging Workforce.’

They include things like offering flexible work arrangements and making certain ergonomic changes.

It’s saying: We recognize that there is value in older workers.

 

Are there things older workers could, or should, be doing that could help change perceptions about blocking and succession?

Do whatever you can to contribute. I know that sounds really silly and obvious, but if you’re making the effort to help out your colleagues, to mentor, that’s a hugely gratifying way of contributing.

If a younger person sees an older person who is overtly giving back or helping out the younger generation, the older person is seen in even more positive regard than if a middle-age or a younger person is doing the same thing.

 

Will we see less ageism in the workplace, and why should we?

I’m an optimist. If you are living, you’re aging. And whether it’s in your workplace, in your community or in your family, showing cross-generational empathy goes a long way.

Author: Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Next Avenue

Next Avenue
July 30, 2021

#YourCareer : Arguing with the Boss: A Winning Career Strategy. “How Come I Didn’t Figure this Out Before?” MUst REad!

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Knowing how to disagree agreeably with higher-ups increases your chances for advancement, career coaches, management consultants and recruiters say.

“It takes courage and emotional intelligence to stand up to your boss,” observes Kenton R. Hill, an executive coach in Portland, Ore., who wrote “Smart Isn’t Enough,” a 2010 book. “You’re more likely to land a bigger role if you help your boss be successful,” he adds.

Executive recruiters “question your integrity” if you’re a candidate who claims that you’ve never clashed with your supervisor, writes Russell S. Reynolds, Jr. , founder of an eponymous big search firm, in his new memoir, “Heads.” Tales of seamless harmony suggest “you lack the power of your own convictions,” he says in an interview.

John Stroup, CEO of Belden Inc., a maker of electrical cables, says he’s more apt to promote managers who are savvy about challenging him.

AGREEABLE DISAGREEMENTS

More ways to turn dissent into a career-enhancing move:

•Practice what you intend to say, and be concise.

•Use “I” statements to describe the problem. For example, “I feel like this project is not going as well as it could,” instead of “You aren’t doing this right.”

•No name-calling or disparagement.

•Give your supervisor time to explain his or her rationale.

•If your third try fails, don’t circumvent the boss to plead your case with others.

Source: WSJ reporting

However, he cautions that it’s not a good move right off the bat. At his previous employer, Danaher Corp. , he saw some newly recruited senior managers wash out because they urged him to adopt approaches used by their old company without first establishing their credibility, he recalls.

Mr. Stroup prevailed in a disagreement with his Danaher supervisor about a risky strategic shift because they had developed a strong rapport. That man, an executive vice president, “recognized my strengths,” Mr. Stroup recollects. “I felt comfortable enough to push my point of view.”

The skeptical boss let him offer certain customers complete solutions for their specific needs—a departure from standard operating procedure. The idea was a success, and Mr. Stroup, a division president, was appointed a group executive not long after.

Even recently hired executives can benefit from locking horns with the boss, provided they choose battles wisely, keep their cool and build a compelling case that boosts their superior’s reputation, leadership experts say.

“Disagreement is great as long as it’s fact-based,” says one senior executive, who was hired to run a key unit for a big retailer in 2009. (He asked to remain anonymous so as not to embarrass his onetime employer.)

The executive, who reported to the CEO, did not agree with his boss, who long believed that small-business owners patronizing his business unit were shopping to supply their firms. Rather than airing his disagreement, he first spent 90 days analyzing purchase data and found that those customers mainly bought goods for their families.

 

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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 …

 

When he presented the data to the CEO, the executive cast his research as fresh insights—and not the boss’s bad call.

“How come we didn’t figure this out before?” the surprised chief asked, and later endorsed the lieutenant’s plan for revamping the company’s marketing appeals to small-business owners. In early 2012, the executive landed a more powerful post at a major packaged-goods concern.

Tyco International Ltd. assesses managers’ leadership behaviors twice annually, including whether they feel comfortable “saying the emperor has no clothes” during meetings, says Laurie Siegel, its senior vice president of human resources. “The only real career-ending move here is to not bring bad news forward.”

That said, smart Tyco managers also know when and where to air those disagreements.

Ms. Siegel says she and CEO Edward Breen often disagree on an employee’s advancement potential. But she voices her objections to him one-on-one before alerting the full board. “He’s comfortable that I will challenge him” in front of fellow directors, so long as there are no surprises, she says. Mr. Breen couldn’t be reached for comment.

Bosses and boards both prefer leaders with the gumption to articulate strong views, provided that dissenters are “genuinely trying to advance the enterprise” rather than themselves during clashes with their supervisor, notes Douglas R. Conant, a retired chief executive of Campbell Soup Co. and a director of Avon Products Inc.

Several years ago, an executive vice president of a cell-phone refurbishment firm rejected a department manager’s request for an executive post because he doubted her claim that the promotion would benefit the business. “She equated the proposed title with being able to tell people what to do,” recalls Susan Heathfield, a human-resources consultant in Williamston, Mich., who coached the EVP.

The middle manager’s authoritarian style “was seriously at odds with a company that was striving to empower people,” and made her employees feel she only cared about herself, Ms. Heathfield adds. The woman repeated her request for weeks. Unpromoted, she quit months later.

At other times, patient persistence is key for winning an argument with the boss – as Barrett Stephens discovered. He’s second-in-command at RSR Partners, the mid-sized search firm that Mr. Reynolds started in 1993 after leaving Russell Reynolds Associates Inc.

A year ago, a three-man marketing committee created by Mr. Stephens suggested picking a consultant to craft its first strategic marketing plan. Mr. Reynolds nixed the proposal for being too costly.

Mr. Stephens says he spent months cajoling his boss to reconsider marketing ideas from colleagues “who know more about the subject than he did.” The constructive feedback impressed Mr. Reynolds. In July, he approved a revised marketing plan even though “this is not something I would have chosen to do,” he admits.

 

WSJ Author:  Joann S. Lublin at joann.lublin@wsj.com

 

WSJ.com | August 9, 2012

#JobSearch : 3 Secrets to Strengthen Your Resume. In Order to Make your Resume Stand Out, Here are Some Secrets to Strengthen It.

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No matter how strong you think your resume is, there’s always room for improvement. Even the top-rated resume writing services will write, proof and edit any given resume multiple times before it gets into the final form. Sometimes it only takes some minor tweaks, but other times a complete overhaul is necessary.

In order to make your resume stand out, here are some secrets to strengthen it.

 

Utilize Keywords Properly

Potential employers look for keywords at the top of every resume. When you’re writing a professional resume, it’s important to use unique keywords that stand out, rather than using general ones used by every other applicant. Instead of saying you are a “team player,” write about a specific project in which you were a team leader and had to collaborate with others in your organization. The exact keywords can come from either the job description or the industry you work in, but the focus should be specific and unique.

 

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

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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 …

Balance The Design of Your Resume

The best executive resume format will stand out, but not go overboard. The perfect balance incorporates white space and not having big blocks of text. Your goal is for your reader to glance quickly at the resume and notice something different about it. Even a two-second pause is enough time to get the reader to think about reading more. Bullet points are also critical components when writing a professional resume, and it’s easy to incorporate them when you have more than two sentences in any given section.

 

Control Where Your Reader’s Eyes Go

The top-rated resume writing services you use will help you dictate what the reader actually looks at. The strongest resumes have two different parts to them, even though it’s just a single resume. Having a quick visual appeal when the reader glances at it is the first part. But then the content has to be interesting and relevant for the reader to continue reading – the second part. Using bold text, italics and underlining are easy ways to draw your reader’s attention to important points you want them to see. Without these small visual cues, the information you want them to see may get looked over without a second thought.

By incorporating these secrets into your resume, you’ll have a stronger and more engaging document for a potential employer to read.

 

FSC Career Blog Author: Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – July 26, 2021

#JobSearch : How To Get Hired For A Job That Isn’t A Perfect Match. See Postings you Do Not Match their Qualifications? MUst REad!

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If you see a job posting where you match some qualifications but not others, it doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t apply. Job postings are often inaccurate. The hiring team may not be sure exactly what they need, so they draft the posting with what they know and this changes later on, but no one updates the posting. The posting could be a copy-and-paste creation from a similar job that’s close enough, but not exact. Or, the posting might be more aspirational – i.e., including every single thing the hiring team hopes to get – but they would be willing to settle for less.

That said, when I recruited, I saw too many candidates apply for jobs where they had absolutely no relevant experience. This was interpreted as laziness on the candidate’s part since they didn’t bother to read the posting. It also showed poor judgment because the candidate was wasting their and the employer’s time. I once did a search for an After Effects animator, and some applicants didn’t have any After Effects experience, or even worse, no animation experience at all. Applying for a job where you don’t meet the main requirement is not a stretch; it’s delusional.

As a candidate, how do you know if you’re stretching or delusional?

Focus your case on the most important aspects of the job

Look at the main responsibilities of the job as described in the job posting. Can you be productive from day one? If the job is focused on financial analysis and you have that experience, then you match the most important aspects of the job, even if the job posting might mention a database you didn’t use. On the other hand, if you happen to know that database because you have been an IT manager and part of your job was rolling out that software, but you didn’t actually use it for any financial analysis, then you shouldn’t apply for that job.

If you could explain to your prospective manager how you would approach the role from day one, then you have enough of a match to apply. It may turn out that certain aspects of the job are more important than you initially thought and therefore you aren’t an exact match or you actually aren’t interested, but you won’t know that now. I would err on the side of applying v. not because job postings are often not completely accurate.

 

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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 …

 

Appeal to the main decision-maker

Your resume is the first thing the prospective employer sees if you apply to a job posting as your first step. If your background isn’t obviously relevant – for example, you worked in a different industry or your job title isn’t an obvious match – then you might be overlooked because resumes are reviewed in seconds. Whether or not the application calls for a cover letter, you should include one, either combined with your resume or as a separate upload. If the application doesn’t call for a cover letter, I would combine the cover letter with the resume to ensure the employer can’t view one without the other.

In a cover letter, you can personalize your appeal and explain exactly how your background matches the role. Even better than a cover letter would be a verbal pitch to the hiring manager, either through a referral from someone who knows both of you and can make an introduction or by reaching out cold. If you don’t think you have a compelling enough pitch to make the hiring manager want to listen to you, then you may not be as strong a match as you think!

Anticipate and address objections

In the cover letter and/or verbal pitch, as well as all along the interview process if you do get called in, be prepared to address any push back that you are not an exact match for the role. What will you say about the qualifications that you are missing? You could point out examples of how you are currently learning skills you are missing. If you have experience that translates (say, from one industry to another), show specific examples of how the apparent differences actually line up.

I had a client who had changed careers from financial services to education and was hired for a role despite competition from very experienced educators. While she had no education industry paid work experience, she did have volunteer and Board work (you can work on a career change outside your current job!) which demonstrated a genuine commitment. More importantly, she showed how her analytical experience from finance was aligned with introducing a more metrics-driven performance culture, a key priority for this prospective employer. Rather than her finance background being a liability, she made it part of her unique value.

Use stories to make your evidence relatable and memorable

When you do make your case that your background is a good match, don’t just provide a laundry list of skills, experiences or even results. That’s a basic requirement that should already be evident in your resume and LinkedIn profile. People hire people, and your average person isn’t going to be able or interested in regurgitating back a list. Instead, tell stories in your cover letter, your email outreach and your interviews about how you got your results, how your experiences unfolded and how your skills were developed and put into good use.

People remember stories, and after they read or hear yours, they can then relay the highlights to the rest of the hiring team. People are moved by stories, so you can enroll them on your quest to land this job. As much as we like to believe we’re all rational decision-makers, we are swayed by emotion and then justify with reason later on.

Matching the job posting is just one step in the hiring process

Getting past the job posting In the application process is the first step of multiple interviews, potentially sharing a work sample and reference checks. Preparing for job interviews right now, even when you’re in the application stage, is crucial to ensuring you have enough time to adequately prepare. Interview preparation is also a great way to curate stories, ways to address objections, specific words to sway key decision-makers and the elements of your case to prove you are indeed a match for this job. You don’t need every single qualification in order to apply, but you do need a solid case that you can do the job from day one.

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Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Ceniza-Levine

Forbes.com | July 24, 2021

#YourCareer : Success Strategies for Your 1st Month in Your Executive Position. Now that You’re at your New Job, what are you Supposed to Do?

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You’ve worked so hard on your job search to find a perfect fit for your career and it’s finally paid off. Now that you’re at your new job, what are you supposed to do? Depending on the nature of the job, you may be thrown right into the fire and be slammed with work right away. However, most employers will ease in a new executive and allow them to get a feel for their new position, their co-workers and the overall culture in general.

The first month of your new job is critical for setting the standard of your work and becoming familiar with systems and processes you can’t develop or learn through a LinkedIn profile. Here are some things to do during the first month of your new job.

Fit In With The Culture

You likely did some research about the culture of your new company during the job search. It was important to learn about the culture while writing an executive bio, and the professional resume writing service you used likely took the culture into consideration as they crafted your resume as well. However, there’s nothing like getting first-hand knowledge and experience to learn how people operate on a daily basis. You should have a basic knowledge of the company’s culture before you even begin your first day, but taking further steps to ensure you fit in as much as possible will benefit you as well.

 

Make Internal Connections

Connect with anyone you can within the office during your first month. You may have seen some of your coworkers’ LinkedIn profiles, but stop by and have a short conversation whenever you have a chance. This goes for anyone outside of your department as well. Connect with them on a work level and a personal level as appropriate so they will get a sense of who you are and you will establish your reputation along the way.

 

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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 …

 

Build Your Credibility To Set The Standard

Your professional resume writing service helped you build credibility in your resume, but now it’s time to show it. Go above and beyond the job duties given to you during the first month. Building this credibility right away will help set the standard and give others the impression they can rely on you to get the job done.

 

Don’t Be Overly Ambitious

Just be careful about being too ambitious, since you don’t want to show up anyone during your first month. This goes for questioning internal policies and procedures as well. It’s ok to make suggestions at times, but it’s also important to understand every company operates differently and some of these things need to be accepted without rocking the boat.

 

FSC Career Blog Author: Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – July 20, 2021

 

#JobSearch : Network without the Social Anxiety (my friend is an introvert). There are Ways to Effectively Network without Causing Stress. GREat REad!

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She said she would rather have a root canal than walk into a room full of strangers and be expected to talk. The thought makes her cringe. She just shakes her head and says, “No. Uh-uh. Nope. No.” 😅

Can you relate?

Now that we are getting back to face-to-face gatherings, for some, in-person networking brings on a host of feelings including anxiety, social awkwardness, and energy depletion.

However, networking is a big part of a career as an executive, so being reluctant or hesitant to take part in different networking events can be a problem. If you don’t put your name out there, the chances of them getting into the right hands decrease significantly. There are ways to effectively network without causing stress.

✅ Choose events wisely. Research to find out what companies will be there. Decide if it is something you’d really like to do.

✅ Get there early. Whether it’s a Zoom meeting or an in-person gathering, the earlier you arrive, chances are there won’t be as many people and you can chat with the few that are there.

 

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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 …

✅ Don’t work the room. Plan on talking to five people–more if you are up to it. This way you know you have an “out” but still feel good that you talked to five people.

✅ Ask questions. If you don’t want to talk, listen! Most people like talking about themselves. This is networking without extending too much of yourself–yet the other person ends up thinking you are great!

✅ Observe body language and be approachable. Standing in the corner of a room with your arms crossed isn’t a good way to appear approachable. Look around and see what other people are doing. If you see someone handing out resumes and cover letters, approach them and do the same. A smile and a handshake are two of the easiest ways to be approachable, and neither require much effort.

 

✅ Always make eye contact. Simply making eye contact with another person shows you have confidence. And if you don’t have confidence just yet, make eye contact anyway. Faking your confidence over a period of time will eventually lead to you actually getting more confident.

✅ Who will be there? Research to find out who will be there. Who do you want to talk to? What do they do? How will knowing them help you?

Having a basic plan to “get in and get out” will alleviate networking stress and make the event more enjoyable for you.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – July 5, 2021