#CareerAdvice : #FemaleLeadership – Seven(7) #FemaleExecutives Who were #Fired Share their Advice. #MustRead !

/in /by

The mere thought of getting fired is enough to make any professional anxious. But, as some leaders have found, a pink slip can actually end up being more like a permission slip—at least in retrospect.

According to a 10-year research study conducted by Elena L. Botelho and Kim R. Powell in their book The CEO Next Door, 91% of people who were once let go found a position that was better than their last one. The key is to use your experiences to your advantage. Here, seven successful female executives share what it was like to be fired and how it made them stronger:

“IT’S COMPLETELY OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.”

When she was in the thick of law school, Vicki Fulop had a realization: She wasn’t meant to be a lawyer. She wanted to work in a creative industry. After finishing her degree, she dipped her toe into fashion and beauty public relations. She loved being part of the storytelling process, and, looking back, these experiences would teach her how to build buzz for a brand.

“Don’t let anyone put you in a box or tell you what you’re capable of,” she says. “I find it incredibly rewarding to be able to pursue multiple paths in one lifetime and to connect the dots looking backward.”

In 2014, she was fired from an agency, and, though she describes the experience as painful and scary, it was also a relief. Looking for an outlet for her stress while she figured out her next move, she dedicated her time to getting her then-little-known company Brooklinen off the ground.

That’s when she decided to make the leap. “‘Why not go full-time into this startup and see where it takes me?’” she thought. “I already didn’t have the security of a salary or health insurance—so oddly, as tough as it was for me to lose my job, it was also completely freeing, because there was . . . no security to leave behind.”

A month after she lost her job, she launched Brooklinen’s first Kickstarter campaign with her husband, Rick, and they raised $260,000. From then on, it’s been one growth milestone after another.

For Fulop, the greatest takeaway was the freedom to change her mind. After all, she did it in law school, after graduation—and even now. “Don’t let anyone put you in a box or tell you what you’re capable of,” she says. “I find it incredibly rewarding to be able to pursue multiple paths in one lifetime and to connect the dots looking backward.”

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

“YOU MUST ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF.”

Shital Mars has been fired not once, but twice. The first time, she worked briefly as an executive assistant at a bank. From day one, it was clear the office was chaotic and messy, so she took on the challenge of reorganizing. Though her intentions were good, her efforts weren’t appreciated, because she had yet to build trust in her employer, she says. She was let go.

“The thing about setbacks is that they are what you make of them. Being fired taught me to find the strength to advocate for myself instead of just giving up or letting this moment define me negatively.”

A few years later, she was hired by a stockbroker who was looking for a sales intern via craigslist. She took the unpaid intern role, where she sent faxes, managed paperwork, and tied up loose ends. However, pitching wasn’t her forte, and she often refused to call leads back because she felt awkward. The broker tried to fire her, but she decided to go to the owner and advocate for herself: “I marched into his office and said, ‘I know that I’m not good at sales, but there are a lot of things I am good at, and I know there are a lot of things around here that I could do for you.’ I asked him to keep me around as an administrative assistant, and luckily for me, he did,” she says.

It was a smart choice, especially since that owner is now the controlling shareholder in the company she runs as CEO, Progressive Care. Her greatest lesson? Being your own biggest fan, and admit weaknesses so you can overcome them. “The thing about setbacks is that they are what you make of them. Being fired taught me to find the strength to advocate for myself instead of just giving up or letting this moment define me negatively.”

“BE SCRAPPY—AND HUSTLE.”

When Amanda Sains was fired, it wasn’t just about losing a job—she also felt lost in a new city. She had accepted an opportunity to direct marketing for a startup and relocated to Los Angeles to take the gig. Within six months, it became clear she butted heads with one of the founders, and that their leadership styles weren’t a match. One morning, she was called to a coffee shop away from the office.

“Let yourself deal with the immediacy, but [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][know] you’ll find yourself exactly where you need to be very soon.”

Though the founder reassured her she was doing a great job and the team loved her, they had decided to go in a different direction. “I couldn’t believe this was happening. I was embarrassed, I was ashamed, and I was blindsided. I wanted to make it work, but they had already made up their mind,” she says.

After the conversation, she hopped on her bicycle and started pedaling as slowly as possible along the beach as she made calls. She knew she would figure it out, and she was determined to remain in Orange County. Sains was only unemployed for 31 days, and today, she’s the senior brand manager for Joolies Organic Medjool Dates. More than anything, she says the experience taught her that she was scrappy and a hustler.

“Being fired is very much like a breakup: The immediate moment is painful and can seem earth-shattering. But you will look back on it after the dust has settled and be like ‘Wow, I’m so glad that didn’t work out,”” she says. “Let yourself deal with the immediacy, but [know] you’ll find yourself exactly where you need to be very soon.”

“SOMETIMES, THERE ARE ISSUES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL.”

While in college, Kellie Sirna worked for a home builder and was fired by the owner’s nephew. The reason? She outsold him, and he thought it made him look bad. Until that experience, Sima thought being a high achiever would automatically translate into career success. What she didn’t anticipate is that there are issues that are out of an employee’s control. Now, as the cofounder of Studio 11 Design, she says despite the outcome, she doesn’t regret working so hard in her first gig, and she realizes that sometimes, a bad fit is just that: a bad fit.

When there are obstacles within your career that you can’t prepare for—a downsizing, a bad manager, you name it—she says to not be afraid of feedback but also to take it with a grain of salt. And if unlucky fortune comes your way, Sima suggests using it as an opportunity to reflect. “Make a list of everything you loved about your job, everything you didn’t, and your career goals for the next 5, 10, and 15 years. Get excited for how you will grow because of this experience. Being fired will make you stronger, more self-aware, and a better employee for the next role.”

“HOW YOU TREAT PEOPLE MATTERS.”

At the age of 22, Colleen Mathis was fresh out of college, working as an intern at an agency in New York City. Having made the move from upstate, she worked long hours but felt as if she was living the dream. However, three months into the job, she experienced a death in her family. She took bereavement time off, and on the day she returned, she was fired. To put it lightly, Mathis says, she was crushed and vowed she would never treat an employee the same way.

Now, she’s the owner and CEO of Absolute R Relations, and her experience has informed her belief in the importance of running a kind workplace. “Being fired is not fun. It’s scary. You feel like less of yourself. . . . But you do learn from it,” she says. “It taught me how to treat people—and how not to.”

“NOTHING IS FOREVER—AND THAT’S OKAY.”

Nicole Pomije’s boss told her if she couldn’t produce something in five minutes—without any resources—she should put her keys on the desk and leave. Realizing she would never meet this unreasonable deadline, she packed up and headed out. It was a brave choice as a 23-year-old, especially since it meant walking away from her first real job as a conference manager, performing administrative tasks and organizing freelance consultants. Even though she was new to the business world, she realized that she didn’t want to work in a hostile environment.

Pomije went on to land a great job at a growing startup. She followed better people and eventually used her skills to start her own consultancy and open up a bakery, The Cookie Cups. She says she abides by the motto “Nothing is forever.” “The sooner you understand that perspective, the better off you will be,” she says. “Keep the jobs, employees, and people that matter around. The rest, let go,”

“WHERE YOU ARE IS NOT WHERE YOU WILL LAND.”

When Tracy Litt was 38 years old, she was on the top of her game. As the vice president of management and acquisition for a healthcare consulting firm, she led a team and worked overtime to reach goals. But then an unexpected phone call from the company’s president letting her know they were eliminating not only her role, but her department, changed everything.

At first, she says, the phone line went silent. And then, she took a deep breath and thanked him for the opportunity, while staying calm. It was through this shock that she realized an important truth she follows today: “Where you are is not where you will land.”

She decided to return to school and shift gears. Today, she’s a mindset coach and the author of the best-selling book Worthy Human, where she shares many of these positive mental strategies. “It taught me to trust myself. . . . Stop infusing negative meaning into it, simply because it was unexpected or not what you think you want,” she says. “Everything leads you to where you are meant to be.”

 

FastCompany.com | September 19, 2019 | BY LINDSAY TIGAR

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

#CareerAdvice : #InterviewingTips – Four #InterviewMistakes you Probably Didn’t Realize you Were Making. A Great Read!

/in /by

Most people feel vulnerable when they walk into a job interview. Yes, you have your track record, your skills, your personality, and your personal brand, but you know that the ultimate power is with the interviewer. Whether it’s the recruiter, the HR leader, your potential boss, or a board member, they get to decide whether or not they want you to go through to the next stage.

1. YOU KEEP REFERRING BACK TO YOUR RÉSUMÉ

There’s nothing wrong with using the phrase “As I wrote in my résumé . . .” once. But if you keep talking about your résumé, it sounds ambiguous and awkward. Are you trying to tell your interviewer that they should have studied your references beforehand, so they’d “get” what you’re saying? Are you trying to tell them that they should examine your résumé to really see who you are? Are you trying to say to them that you’ve prepared for this interview by memorizing and rehearsing your résumé?

It’s best to be in the moment when you’re in a job interview, so think about using phrases like “One of the highlights of my career is . . .” The key is to be clear and concise and be present with the interviewer.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

2. YOU GET INTO CONFESSION MODE

Imagine this scenario: You’re in an interview to get a gig as a videographer. When you are asked, “Tell me about yourself . . .” you go into confession mode. You tell me about how you almost went out of business in 2008, and you had to lay off all your workers, and it took five years to recover financially. Stop.

What are you trying to tell the interviewer? That they should hire you as a videographer because you have suffered? While the bleeding-heart strategy may be unconscious, the impact of the behavior is real. When you take this approach, you’re not selling your work and your ideas. Think of an interview as an opportunity to add value going forward, not a confessional going backward. There’s nothing wrong with showing some honesty and humility, but you still need to make sure that you show the hiring manager what you learned from your mistakes, and how you’re overcoming your weaknesses.

3. YOU BECOME OVERLY FORMAL

When you were growing up, you probably heard a lot of don’ts. Don’t talk with your hands. Don’t slouch. Don’t fidget. Don’t look away. Don’t jiggle your leg. The list of don’ts could go on and on. So, what happens in an interview? Under pressure, you default to old directives. Those “don’ts” dominate, so you end up presenting yourself as a flat-paneled seat—stiff, wooden, tight—with your hands clasped together and your jaws clenched. Instead of showing your natural personality, you become a shell of yourself—disciplined at best and boring at worst.

To get beyond the “don’ts,” you have to focus on the “do’s.” That means sitting in the chair in a balanced way with your feet on the ground. Make sure to breathe so that your body relaxes, and show your personality. Resist the urge to hide in a cloud of self-criticism.

4. YOU DON’T GO WITH THE FLOW

Every interview has an energy level that forms the set point of the interview. So rather than pushing yourself to come on real strong, or pulling yourself back from coming on too strong, you have to find your neutral. You need to adjust to the energy in the room. The key is to make a connection and not keep yourself in a bubble.

Think about walking down the hall with a colleague. You naturally match strides. Now think about speaking to someone who has laryngitis. You’ll probably naturally start whispering without thinking twice about it. So your job in an interview is to allow yourself to get in sync with your decision maker naturally. Think about your rhythm—how you walk, how you move, and how much you say. You want to create a great feeling—not a data dump.

Job interviews are nerve-wracking. There’s no way around that. But by avoiding these four mistakes, you will be taking the most critical step forward in terms of acing the interview. You’ll have the awareness you need to make the choices you want, and you’ll be in a much better place to put your best self forward.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anett Grant is the CEO of Executive Speaking, Inc. and the author of the new e-book, CEO Speaking: The 6-Minute Guide. Since 1979, Executive Speaking has pioneered breakthrough approaches to helping leaders from all over the world–including leaders from 61 of the Fortune 100 companies–develop leadership presence, communicate complexity, and speak with precision and power

 More

 

FastCompany.com | September 18, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #LinkedIn Just Added A New Way To Showcase Your Skills. #MustRead !

/in /by

LinkedIn’s newest change is one that many people might overlook. That is a mistake. Hiring managers and recruiters are paying attention to this new change, so you need to be too.

Baby Boomers have created a LinkedIn profile that may have lots of skill endorsements, but LinkedIn is now taking it all a step further with their Skills Assessment.

According to new LinkedIn research, more than 76% of professionals wish there was a way for hiring managers to verify their skills so they could stand out amongst other candidates.

As a Baby Boomer, you now have a way to validate your technical skills. These will make you stand out to recruiters and dismiss the myth that Boomers aren’t as technically gifted as younger workers. Of course, if you are like me where you have more specialized industry or soft skills, then you won’t benefit much as I don’t write programming code and I’m not an ace on Excel either. LinkedIn says they are working on the non-tech skills assessment so I’ll be sure to make you aware when they come up.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

The new feature called Skills Assessments is short, multiple-choice tests that users can take to verify their knowledge in areas like computer languages, software packages, and other technical work-related skills. If you have any of these strengths, you can take a skill assessment and if you pass you get a badge to add to your profile. This will appear as a button in the skills and endorsements area of your profile.

These assessments were created by professionals who are subject area experts already working with LinkedIn, such as those folks who create content for LinkedIn Learning.

Ken, 56, is a technical director for a large Insurance company. We were working on creating his LinkedIn Profile, and I asked if he wanted to bring extra attention to his coding skills. These are skills recruiters seek so Ken plans to take the skills assessments and if he passes (earning a 70% or higher) he’ll get a badge for his profile use. I mentioned that since he has coding skills, he might want to emphasize these in this new way. These tests measure your knowledge in specific areas, in his case C++, Java, and MS Project. When he passes, he gets a badge that can broadcast to any employer who is looking for people with those skills. The skill assessment is an honor system when taking the tests, but LinkedIn assumes most people will be honest and take the test themselves and not look up answers on the Internet.

What if you fail? Not a problem. No one knows. You have three months to wait before retaking it. LinkedIn will try to upsell you. You will get offered LinkedIn Learning classes to improve your skills. If you have a library card, check to see if you have free access to Lynda.com which is now also called LinkedIn Learning. That way you can brush up on classes at no charge.

For those who pass, they will need to retake tests every year to keep their badges and credentials up to date.

Here is the list of skills they have assessments for: 

Skill Assessment List

· Angular· AWS · Bash · C · C#· C++· CSS · GIT· Hadoop · HTML · Java· JavaScript· jQuery · JSON · Maven · MongoDB · NodeJs · Objective-C · PHP · Python · Ruby · Ruby on Rails · Scala · Swift · WordPress · XML · Adobe Acrobat · MS Excel · MS PowerPoint · MS Project · MS SharePoint · MS Visio · QuickBooks

Advertise your skills

Scroll to the skill section of your profile and select one of the available Skill Assessments you’d like to take. Any results are kept private to you, and if you pass, you will have the option to add a “verified skill” badge to your profile. If you don’t pass, you have complete control over the visibility of the results and can brush up on your skills so you can pass the next time. When you’ve passed an assessment for an in-demand skill, LinkedIn will also send you relevant job recommendations as soon as they are posted.

It’s a new trend moving towards skill-based hiring where LinkedIn hopes to play a significant role. 83% of hiring managers agree that skills and credentialing are becoming more critical for hiring talent. However, 77% of hiring managers agree that it’s hard to know what skills candidates possess without a skill assessment. Recruiters and hiring managers can utilize this new Skill Assessment tool to more effectively pinpoint which candidates are a good match based on proven skills.

LinkedIn Skill Assessments will be ramping to all English speaking members globally over the next few months on both Mobile and Desktop versions.

Author: Robin Ryan

I am a career counselor that helps clients land jobs. I offer Resume Writing, LinkedIn Profile Writing, and Interview Coaching services. I’ve appeared on Oprah, DrPh…

Forbes.com | September 18, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #CareerChange – Exploring The Next Chapter In #YourCareer . Great Read!

/in /by

When I’m coaching people on their careers, many people come to me at a crossroads. They know they are ready for something different but not sure what that is. I call this the Exploratory Stage. It’s a great stage to be in because there are so many options to explore. However, I find most people struggle with it because they want to know, with certainty, what it is they are meant to do next. Us humans don’t handle the in the meantime all that well.

That’s why I’ve listed a few tips for tackling career crossroads below.

Take advantage of being in the Exploratory Stage. This is actually a great time to let your imagination and curiosity take over. Instead of looking for answers, switch it up to looking for possibilities. As adults, we have gotten so caught up in whether or not we are making the right decisions we have forgotten how to be open and receptive to what’s out there. Instead of discounting certain industries, companies or locations, allow yourself to look at everything. After all, you don’t have to do anything. You’re just looking for now. Your goal should be to let your mind wander and see what calls to you.

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 Worldwidei n our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

Go where there is growth. If you’re going through the meantime and sense you’ll be there for a while then why not go where they are paying? At least make sure that you are taking the time to explore opportunities that could also support your financial goals. Check out Glassdoor’s recent reports of 25 Highest Paying Jobs for 2019 and 25 Highest Paying Companies for 2019. You’ll find a wide variety of industries and specialties.

Of course pay is not everything, but when you’re in a place that you don’t know where to go, why not start where the pay is good? The reason this is important beyond the money is that where there is job growth there is often change in the direction of company or industry growth. With that comes more opportunities to make your mark and contribute to the future of what can be done.

Be open to different industries and functions. In most, if not all industries, there’s no longer the old fashioned theory that you have to grow up in the industry to be of any value. In fact, having a diverse background in your field can really help you advance and broaden your leadership capabilities. Focus on marketing your transferrable skills like managing others, systems thinking, project management, service mindset, etc. Taking a leap to another industry or different function might just be the shake up you needed to get clear as to what you want your career to ultimately look like and mean.

Don’t count out your current company too soon! They may have that next chapter you need in another function or segment of the organization. Have you really explored all your options? Have you reached out to your manager to even discuss what the possibilities are? And if you feel like speaking with your manager is a dead end, consider connecting with one of the recruiters. They have a front row seat to the opportunities available across the organization.

Breathe. Last but not least, take it easy. It can feel stressful if you put too much emphasis on yourself to know the exact next best step. But if you can sit back a bit and trust your instincts and capability to tackle whatever career challenges come your way, even a wrong turn can lead to an interesting and beneficial experience to add to your résumé.

In the end, if you take advantage of your time in the Exploratory Stage you are bound to find your next career adventure. I have found people that empower themselves to carve out their own path tend to have higher levels of job satisfaction simply due to the fact that they are where they chose to be vs. someone choosing for them.

Author:  H.V. MacArthur

I believe we can all find careers we love with people we enjoy—but it requires a new mindset as we navigate the unspoken rules in today’s workplace. I’ve built my 20-plu…

Forbes.com | September 18, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – How To Respond When You Don’t Get Your Dream Job. A #MustRead for ALL!

/in /by

“If you change your mind, I‘m the first in line, Honey, I’m still free, Take a chance on me”  – Abba

This is a story of a candidate who refused to let me reject him.

My company needed summer interns in our sales department. We secured a table at a university job fair and posted our position. We sorted resumes and selected the most appealing candidates for interviews on campus.

We were looking for candidates with customer-facing experience. This position would have high interaction with customers, and interpersonal skills were critical.

Grades weren’t everything, but with so many candidates, we didn’t need to stretch for someone with poor marks.

On the first day, we worked the table, selling our company and meeting candidates who had yet to see our online posting. We left a few slots open in our interview schedule the next day, in case we met interesting candidates at the fair.

I met a young man who immediately made an impression on me. He had a great personality and did his homework on our company.

He learned about us from a friend who spent a summer with us as an intern. He confidently told me, “This is my dream internship.” It sounded like a cheesy pickup line but after a day of boring conversations; his energy was appealing.

I scheduled him for an interview the next day.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

Personality Only Gets You So Far

Within twenty minutes of the interview, it became apparent to me that my guy was all sizzle and no steak.

His grades were terrible, and he couldn’t offer a compelling explanation. He didn’t belong to any organizations, wasn’t working his way through college and didn’t have a personal situation that hurt his grades.

His work experience was incomplete. Most of his experiences were small odd jobs, working small stints for family and friends.

After the interview, he was the only candidate to ask me for the job. He asked me point-blank, “Do you think I have what it takes for his job?” It was charming, and I liked him enough to give him a direct answer.

“No, I don’t. Your grades are horrible, and the only reason I can discern is that you haven’t made much of an effort in your classes. You want a career in sales but have yet to apply to a position where you might build those skills. I don’t see any effort to join an organization or extracurricular activity that might broaden your skills.”

Taken back by my direct answer, he paused and persisted, “Thanks for being honest. What do I need to do to change your mind next summer?”

He dropped a follow-up, open-ended probing question. Dang, my team had experienced sales-people who didn’t handle rejection that well.

“First, show me that you can take school seriously. String together two solid semesters in your classes. Second, find a job where you can work directly with customers. You could work at a call center, restaurant or retail shop. Find something where you have to work hard and communicate with customers.”

He wrote furiously while I talked.

“Thanks. Can I have your card and keep in touch with you? I plan to do all of this and keep you informed of my progress.”

He asked for permission to stay in touch and provide further evidence, another key trait of great sales reps (and a skill that was lacking with some on my team.) I gave him my card, and he promised to keep in touch.

If you need me, let me know, Gonna be around, If you’ve got no place to go, When you’re feeling down. – Abba

Rejection Is Only The First Position In A Negotiation

I assumed I would never hear from that kid again. He proved me wrong.

A few weeks later, he sent me an email. He found a job as a greeter at an Outback Steakhouse on campus. He thanked me for the suggestion and promised to follow up later.

One month later, he reached out again to tell me that he had been promoted to a waiter position, and was now earning tips. He shared a few stories about difficult customers and what he was learning.

Shortly after the new year, he reached out again to tell me that he made Dean’s List for the semester, and offered to mail a copy of his report card. I let him know that wasn’t necessary and encouraged him to keep working.

He kept emailing me into the Spring semester.

  • He joined a marketing organization and ran for an office position.
  • He was named “Employee of the Month” at Outback.
  • He read a sales book and shared what he learned from it.

He wouldn’t let me forget his name. I started to wonder if the interns who were starting that summer were as excited about my company as he was.

I received that answer soon enough. Two weeks before our interns were set to start, I received an email from one. She had an opportunity to spend the summer in California with a friend. She would not be joining our company.

I emailed my guy and asked him if he was ready to step up from Outback. He emailed back and thought I was joking. I called him and told him that if he was half as persistent in sales as he was in pursuing that internship, he would make a lot of money.

He started two weeks later.

‘Gonna do my very best, And it ain’t no lie, If you put me to the test, If you let me try.” – Abba

How To Respond To Rejection

If this is your dream job, you won’t quit after the first rejection.

How many married couples share stories about how one rejected the other the first time they were asked out? You can count this writer in that fraternity, given how many times I had to ask my wife before she let me take her out.

  1. Ask the person who interviewed you for feedback. Most companies will attempt to reject you via letter. It is efficient and leaves a paper trail. If you are persistent enough, you can get your interviewer on the phone. Ask the question, “What do I need to work on if I want to be considered for this position in the future?”
  2. Follow up in writing with a summary of everything you learned from that conversation. “From our conversation, I learned that I need to work on these five things to be considered for a future position. This is how I intend to act on your advice in the coming months.” Document your plan in writing and be appreciative that this interviewer was willing to coach you.
  3. Set a reminder to follow up every month, without fail. Write a summary every month with what you are working on in your career. Tie that email to some piece of advice the interviewer gave you.

Managers value persistence over just about any trait. Business is tough, and resilience is often one of the first attributes that leaders mention when describing their top performers.

Every time you send a follow-up email or leave a voice message, you demonstrate an attribute that your prospective employer covets. You might catch them on a day when they are frustrated with a lack of resilience on their team.

Business is constantly changing. A company’s hiring needs today could be completely different in three months. Companies grow and require more positions. People leave companies and positions open. Make it easy on that manager to pick your name the next time a position opens.

If it is your dream job, you won’t quit with the first rejection.

Author: Ian Mathews

I worked for two decades as an executive with two different Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, I led a $4B business with over 700 employees. Since 2001, I have hired

… 

Forbes.com | September 17, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer -Three Things To Remember If You’re Considering A Job Transition.

/in /by

There often comes a time in your career when you start to think about changing jobs. Whether internally in your company or externally, you start to look for something new.

For more than 20 years, I’ve been involved in the hiring process for companies of all sizes. In the past, I’ve written about how to land an interview during your job search and how to get the job at the interview. But, let us back up a little and think about where you start when you are considering a job transition.

Assessment

Your job search journey should start with your own personal assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (or a SWOT analysis).

When considering your strengths, start with thinking about your tangible items, like degrees, certifications and other types of training and education. Then, you can start considering the more intangible positive aspects of your personal makeup, such as being a team player, thinking strategically, being a fast learner, etc. Do not stop at a list of positive intangible traits; cite some examples of when you displayed these traits in a work situation — this will help you when writing your resume and interviewing.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

Be honest about your weaknesses. Consider your lack of experience in areas or if you have had employment issues in the past that might be difficult to explain. Businesses will always ask if you were ever let go from a previous position, and they will often take notice of lapses in employment on a resume. Be honest with yourself up front so you know which issues might arise during a job search.

Opportunities are things such as a shortage of qualified candidates in a certain geographic area or a hot career field. These things can make it easier to get hired and should be considered. Sometimes, the opportunity is not in the city you live and work in today. Threats, on the other hand, look at the challenges you might face entering the job market today. Some say that we are in the tightest labor market in years, which makes it difficult to get noticed in today’s uber-competitive recruiting environment.

Conducting this type of personal assessment can help set yourself up for success early on.

Research

Before you start surfing the job boards and posting out for every job under the sun, start with some research on job types, industries and target companies. Using your SWOT analysis, examine what you might be good at and where the opportunities lie. This will help you target companies that are hiring for the jobs you might be good at.

If you start looking at the jobs that are posted that you would like to move to, see if you meet the minimum and preferred requirements for these jobs. It is generally a lot easier to close the gaps in education, certification and experience while you are still in your current job, versus after you are unemployed.

Assistance

There are many ways to get some assistance as you consider a transition and prepare to step into the job market. Finding people in the types of positions you are looking at can help develop mentors and might make good connections should you apply to their company. Many types of career fields have some sort of professional association you can join. These associations can provide a wealth of knowledge, education and training, as well as connect you with possible mentors.

Leverage professional social media to research local job placement agencies. Find some connections and discuss with them what jobs are hot and ways to get in front of hiring managers. Agencies make money from placing candidates, and when they can place candidates quickly, that looks good for them. Having ready talent at their fingertips is an asset, so they will definitely be in your corner.

If you are looking into a new executive position, there are a couple of other ideas to consider.

First, you can seek out headhunters. Like job placement agencies, headhunters are always looking for people with talent they can represent. There are also reputable executive search firms that you can connect with that are helpful. Both of these resources will work with you to help build your brand, increase your connections and find you an executive position. The major difference is that the hiring company normally pays a headhunter, while you pay for an executive search firm.

Searching for a job, especially in today’s competitive market, can be very challenging. Looking before you leap is always a good idea. It is a lot easier to ensure you are ready before you leave your current position, so take a little time to prepare yourself.

Author: John Knotts John Knotts President and Owner of Crosscutter Enterprises — Your Success Incubator www.crossctr.com
Forbes.com | September 17, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – The 10 Best And Worst Ways To Look For A Job. #MustRead !

/in /by

Some of the 10 traditional job hunting methods that follow have a pretty good track record and will repay you for time spent pursuing them. But others have a really terrible track record and are a waste of your time and energy.

The success rate figures cited are a mash of studies I’ve seen, plus, where no studies have been done, my own impressions over the past 45 years of working with job hunters or career changers and writing What Color Is Your Parachute?:

1. Looking for employers’ job postings on the Internet. This method apparently works just 4% of the time, on average.

The anecdotal evidence is sometimes impressive. You will hear stories of job hunters who’ve been tremendously success­ful in using the Internet to find a job. For example, there’s the systems administrator in Taos, N.M., who wanted to move to San Francisco and posted his resumé at 10 p.m. on a Monday night on San Francisco’s Craig’s List site. By Wednesday morning, he had over 70 responses from employers.

(More: The No. 1 Thing to Do When Job Hunting)

The question is: Are stories like this flukes or is his a univer­sal experience? Sadly, it turns out that this job-search method actually doesn’t work for very many who try it. One exception: if you are seeking a technical or computer-related job, an IT job or a job in engineering, finances or health care, the success rate rises to around 10%.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

2. Posting, or mailing out, your resumé to employers. This works at getting you a job (or, more accurately, at getting you an interview that leads to a job) only 7% of the time, apparently.

And I’m being generous with that estimate. One study suggested that only 1 out of 1,470 resumés actually resulted in a job. Another found the fig­ure to be even worse: 1 job offer for every 1,700 resumés floating around out there.

3. Answering local newspaper ads. This method works some­where between 5 and 24% of the time. The range is due to the level of sal­ary being sought. Job hunters looking for low-level salary jobs find this method works 24% of the time; those looking for a high salary find it works only 5% of the time.

(More: 6 Great Online Tools for Your Job Search)

4. Going to private employment agencies or search firms for help. These agencies used to place just office workers; now it’s hard to think of a category of jobs they don’t try to place, especially in large metropolitan areas. This method apparently works between 5%and 28% of the time.

The wide varia­tion in the success rate is due to the fact that these agencies vary greatly in their staffing (ranging from extremely competent down to inept or running a scam). But, at their best, agencies are four times more effective than just depending on your resumé.

5. Answering ads in professional or trade journals, appropriate to your field. This method apparently works only 7% of the time. A directory of these associations and their journals can be found at Directoryofassociations.com.

6. “Job Clubs.” There are hundreds of job-hunting support groups that call themselves “job clubs.” Sorry, they are not. They tend to meet only once a week, and then for only a couple of hours. That’s why their job-hunting success rate is usually around 10%, if that.

A true “job club” is something quite different. When the late Nathan Azrin coined the term, it meant that job hunting was a 9 to 5 job, Monday through Friday, every week, for group members. You met with other job hunters between 9 am and 12 pm each day. From 1 to 5, you went out and visited places individually, doing informational interviews or keeping appointments you’d set up. Before going out, you’d share with the group what kind of job you were looking for, so you had other eyes out looking for leads. These job clubs had success rate of 84%.

7. Going to the state or federal employment office. It could be the unemployment service office or one of the federal government’s nationwide CareerOneStop business centers, now alternatively called AmericanJobCenters to get instructions on how to better job hunt and find leads. This method works 14% of the time.

8. Going to places where employers pick up workers. If you’re a union member, particularly in the trades or construction, and you have access to a union hiring hall, this method will find you work, up to 22% of the time. But the job may last just a few days.

Moreover, this is not a method open to a large percentage of job hunters. Only about 7% of private sector employees are union members these days.

The modern-day version of “pickup work” is the so-called sharing economy, where you can use, say, your home (Airbnb) or car (Uber or Lyft) to make extra money.

9. Asking for job leads. With this method, you ask family members, friends and people you know in the community (or on LinkedIn) if they know of any place where someone with your talents and background is being sought. It works 33% of the time.

By asking for job leads, you have an almost five times better chance of finding a job than if you had just sent out your resumé.

10, Knocking on the door of any employer, office or manufacturing plant. This method works 47% of the time and works best with small employers. Sometimes you blunder into a place where a vacancy has just developed.

By knocking on doors, you have an almost seven times better chance of finding a job than if you had just depended on your resumé.

Author: Next Avenue
America is in the midst of an age boom and with it, an amazing transition. In general, those over the age of 50 are expected to live longer than any previous generation….
 

 

 

Forbes.com | September 5, 2016

#CareerAdvice : #Networking -How To Become A #SocialMedia Marvel In Nine Minutes. A #MustRead for All!

/in /by

Digital branding is my primary focus these days, and that means helping clients get past their resistance to social media. The number one reason they tell me that they don’t engage in social media is:  “I just can’t find the time to do it.”

So what if you made a habit of committing no more than nine minutes a day. Could you find nine minutes?

You can actually get a lot accomplished, deliver value to your audience and not wear yourself out when you’re willing to commit a few minutes a day. To make this work, though, you need to commit to doing it every day. When you do, your nine-minute habit becomes three hours a month of social media engagement.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

Here’s how to make it happen:

Step 1: Focus On One Platform

Don’t squander your efforts by being on every platform—Facebook plus Instagram plus Twitter plus LinkedIn plus YouTube equals social media taking over your life. It will be impossible to be consistently visible on all those platforms unless you make it your full-time job. Instead, choose up to three, preferably just one platform to start. How do you choose, you ask?

Pick what sits at the intersection of these two criteria:

  1. You enjoy them. There’s no sense picking YouTube if you abhor creating videos. You’ll be more likely to keep up your 9-minute daily social media habit you’re having fun with it. If you like to write brief, pithy content, choose Twitter. If you love visuals, choose Instagram
  2. Your people are there. When using social media for professional purposes, the goal is to be visible, valuable and available to the people who are making decisions about you. There’s no sense in tweeting at the frequency of Kim Kardashian or Donald Trump if your target audience isn’t on Twitter.

Step 2: Choose The Right Time

Identify your best time to engage in social media. We know that true habits are easier to form when they take place at the same time every day–like brushing your teeth. Your social media habit might take place first thing in the morning or right before you leave work or during lunch. Or, to make it even more efficient, consider a time when you can double up on productivity. For example, if you commute to work on a train, that’s the perfect time to also connect with your online community. If you wait in line every morning for your triple tall half-caf, iced skim caramel macchiato, get your phone out and make the wait more productive.

Step 3: Engage

Be strategic in deciding what you want to talk about. Your topic should help you demonstrate your thought-leadership and give you an opportunity to express your point of view. Remember, being visible on social media does not mean creating new content every day. If you’re just starting your social media habit, here’s a good mix of items for your daily do:

  • Like and comment on content that was posted by others.
  • Share others’ content, adding your point of view to make their post even more valuable
  • Share something you learned, a favorite quote, a relevant statistic
  • Post your own content (article, tweet, picture, video, etc.)

Step 4. Make It Easy

There are lots of things you can do to automate the time-consuming parts of social media.

  • Use a social media posting tool like Hootsuite or Buffer to post multiple items and schedule them over time.
  • For responding to your connections/followers’ content, create shortcuts on your phone for standard responses. Apple iOS makes it especially simple to do this.
  • If you prefer speaking to typing, just talk your message or update.

The point is to find ways to make your social media habit more efficient and more aligned with how you like to work. Personal branding is all about being authentic, so if you dread your social media routine, your posts will seem phony or forced. Do whatever you need to do to keep your new habit from feeling onerous.

That’s it! If you have been reluctant to engage in social media, follow this process. Commit to your nine-minute habit and watch your digital brand soar.

Author: William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and creator of the complete LinkedIn quiz that helps you evaluate your LinkedIn profile and networking strategy.

 

Forbes.com | September 16, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – How to Survive a Recession. How to Recession-Proof Your Career. #MustRead !

/in /by

Some experts believe is a recession is inevitable. In the last recession—which kicked off in 2008 and lasted 18 months—some 2.6 million American workers lost their jobs. And so, it’s no wonder workers across the country are worried, career experts say.

But there is some good news: The unemployment rate remains low, and consumers continue to spend in the economy—two indicators that companies are unlikely to scale back too much in the event of a recession. What’s more, as Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist of Glassdoor, told Market Watch, Americans’ money may be safe, too: “Most Americans are not invested actively in the stock market,” he said. “The psychology of slowdown hasn’t infiltrated the real economy.”

Of course, we understand if you’re still concerned, for your job and future. And that’s what this guide is here for: We’ll walk you through what to expect in the event of a recession, from what jobs might be safest to how to build a back-up plan and what you can do if you do lose your job.

Jobs That Are Safe (and Jobs That Aren’t)

While it’s safe to say most jobs aren’t truly recession proof, some career fields may be safer than others if a recession hits. “Anyone in medical care is considered pretty recession proof,” says Jill Jacinto, a millennial career expert. “It’s a service people will always need—especially as Baby Boomers continue to age and require more of them.” In that sense, Jacinto says that people who work as doctors, therapists, nurses, pharmacists, and senior care providers may be the safest. 

In addition to jobs in the healthcare industry, “government positions, the financial industry, IT, and technology are … more recession-proof industries,” says career coach Hallie Crawford. 

Jobs that typically aren’t safe, on the other hand, are retail and service-based, Crawford says. (In fact, she says, these are often the first industries to be hit by a recession.) What’s more, “if we look back at the recession ten years ago, the hardest hit areas were architects and construction, travel agents, event planning, and real estate,” says Jacinto. “This makes sense since people are scaling back from buying homes and cosmetic home improvement projects when money is tight. They also are forgoing vacations and large-scale events.” Of course, Jacinto adds, “people working in media also got hit with massive layoffs since advertisers were shrinking budgets.” 

Chamberlain also told NBC that “there was some very weak job growth for some blue-collar sector jobs,” such as transportation and mining, which may make these jobs less recession proof.

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 Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article:

Skills You Should Hone

Whether you work in a field that’s more (or less) recession-proof, it’s smart to hone certain skills that will be valuable no matter the state of the economy, our career experts say. After all, as Jacinto says, “the people who tend to survive layoffs are the ones most adaptable to change.” 

So, your first step, she advises, should be to learn or take courses on the newest skills needed for your particular job or industry—even if your work isn’t requiring you to do so. You should also practice being the “yes” person, Jacinto says—the one who is proactive about taking on projects and making your boss look good. (Making yourself indispensable is a good idea all the time.) 

Crawford says that tech skills, regardless of where you work, are important to hone. “Knowledge of technology is always going to be a must-have,” she points out. Plus, project management skills are skills that can transfer to almost every job and industry, and they can be highlighted on a job application. “Every organization will need people to manage projects effectively,” she explains.

How to Build a Back-Up Plan

Having a back-up plan will give you peace of mind and a clear path to follow should a recession hit. Jacinto recommends that your backup plan include strengthening your network and personal brand. “Check in with your network and develop new relationships,” she says, “so if layoffs hit, you’ve already done the meet-and-greets and can ask for job recommendations and referrals.”

You should also “mentally prepare yourself for having to accept less money, benefits, or—the most likely outcome—taking on more work during a recession,” says Crawford. In recessions, companies may try to do more with less, and your job—or a new job—may look very different than you envisioned. “Consider ways to be more efficient with your job, in case you are asked to take on an additional workload,” Crawford suggests. You should also think about ways to reduce your spending, too, she suggests, so that you’ll be financially prepared for whatever may come.

Talking to Your Boss About Recession Concerns

If you’d like to speak to your employer about potential recession risks, you can—but carefully. “You should not flatly ask, ‘Will I be getting laid off?’” warns Jacinto. “Chances are that your boss has no idea—and more importantly, you want to position yourself as a strong employee.” 

Instead, Jacinto and Crawford agree that you can broach company and economy issues in a one-on-one setting and in a way that doesn’t address your job specifically. You can ask: “How the organization is doing knowing the current state of the economy, and if the company or your department should do any planning for a possible recession,” says Crawford. “Your boss will likely not want to alarm any employees to a chance of staff reduction, but taking a proactive stance and opening a possible conversation for a plan of action is a positive way to address it.”

You may also want to set up a time to present to your boss how valuable you are the company, Jacinto says. “Put together a presentation that walks them through your day-to-day projects but also your accomplishments year to date,” she says. “How many new clients did you add? Have you increased ROI or decreased budgets? Letting your success speak for itself subconsciously tells your boss you are essential to the business and not the person they should mark to leave.”

What to Do If You’re Laid Off

If the worst should happen and you are laid off during a recession, you may have some options. 

Now is the time to review your employee handbook and study your company’s policy on layoffs and severance, says Jacinto. “You might be owed a nice amount of money, and better for you not to leave it on the table,” she says. You may be entitled to unemployment, payment for unused vacation days, and more. If the handbook doesn’t make it clear, schedule a meeting with HR. 

Crawford encourages you to find out what insurance benefits, if any, you’ll be entitled to in the event of layoffs. If they aren’t provided, you may want to check out COBRA for the short term. 

If you’re laid off, it may also be smart for you to ask your employer if there’s an opportunity for you to work as a consultant or contract employee, even part-time, says Crawford. “If the layoff is permanent, ask if they see any chance to be re-hired in the future, if they are willing to give you a recommendation on LinkedIn, and if they are willing to be a reference for you,” she says. “And ask for any connections or referrals they may have to other organizations for possible jobs.” The company may be able to point you toward a great opportunity—or at least in the right direction. 

 

GlassDoor.com | September 16, 2019

#BestofFSCBlog : Resume Writing – How To Build A Crazy Effective #Resume That Gets Top Results. A Must Read ! !

/in /by

One of the most common questions I receive each month in my career coaching work is about how to build a truly compelling resume that will stand out from all the competition and generate positive responses from the nation’s top organizations.

Today, it’s not nearly as simple and straightforward as it used to be twenty years ago. We have to be very savvy in how we craft our resumes and LinkedIn profiles and in how we talk about ourselves. But we also have to illustrate powerfully our personal brands, and choose carefully the specific words and phrases we use to demonstrate what we do and how we do it, and why that matters.

To gain a better understanding of what you need to know for today’s job search, I was excited to catch up with Austin Belcak, founder of Cultivated Culture, where he helps people land amazing jobs without traditional experience. Austin joined me on my Finding Brave podcast offering powerful advice about how to land a dream job at the salary you deserve and we’ve just recorded a new episode on building the most compelling resume you can. Belcak is now helping professionals get even better results from their resumes through his free resume builder with ATS-friendly templates approved by recruiters from companies like Google, Microsoft, Barclays, and more.

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:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/fscnetwork

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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 job search, resume, networking ) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

Continue of article

Here’s what Belcak shares about how to build a truly stand-out resume:

Kathy Caprino: Austin, from your work with so many professionals seeking to land great jobs, what are the biggest changes you’re seeing regarding resumes in today’s job market?

Austin Belcak: The hiring landscape has gone through some remarkable changes over the past 5-10 years.

We’ve seen a rise in robot-driven candidate processing and a huge jump in online applications. While I personally believe we’re moving out of the resume era and into the LinkedIn era, resumes still play a major factor in your ability to get hired.

If your primary focus is applying online, you need to make sure you’re using a proven resume template and that your resume is optimized for keywords that Applicant Tracking Systems (resume scanning robots) are looking for.

But even if you beat the robots, your resume is still going to have to convince a real human if you want to score that interview slot.

I’ve had thousands of resumes come across my desk at Cultivated Culture and the ones that consistently land interviews do two things:

  1. They don’t summarize; they focus on selling
  2. They’re naturally keyword optimized

Caprino: What is the ONE the biggest mistake people make when writing their resumes?

Belcak: The absolute worst thing you can do on your resume is summarize your experience with vague buzzwords and jargon. I’m talking about bullets like:

  • “Results-oriented salesperson with a track record of success”
  • “Team-focused collaborator with stellar leadership skills”
  • “Proven manager focused on servant-leadership to drive results and exceed goals”

None of those bullets tell us anything specific about the candidate.

What does “results-oriented” even mean? That you orient yourself around results? Does that mean you actually get great results? If so, what are they?

I see a lot of people get frustrated because they don’t hear back from their applications, but you need to put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes. If you received 10 (or 100) resumes that all say “track record of exceeding goals,” how would you be able to differentiate?

If you want to stand out and get noticed, you need to focus on selling and driving tangible value in your bullets. Speak about the specific initiatives you drove, the skills and tools you used to drive them, and the results you achieved.

Instead of, “Managed team of salespeople to generate new business and exceed targets”

Try, “Managed team of salespeople who generated $27M in new business last quarter (117% attainment).”

Caprino: What additional steps can people take to “sell” instead of “summarize” on their resume?

Belcak: If you want your experience to jump off the page, you need to focus on the value you drove.

There’s a field out there called Copywriting which is focused on how written words influence behavior. You come in contact with it daily when you scroll through the news or social media. Those headlines you see have been carefully crafted to grab your attention and earn your click.

With the rise of big data, marketing agencies have been able to put numbers behind the specific tactics and formulas that lead to more clicks and higher engagement.

I’ve spent the past 7 years studying the principles of copywriting and I’ve baked them into a simple, easy to follow Resume Bullet Formula:

If your resume bullet contains a word mix matching that formula, you can bet that it’s going to be much more compelling than the majority of bullets the competition is using to describe their experience.

Let’s look at an example:

Say you’re a marketer who leverages customer data to refine targeting on the company’s digital advertising, increase sales and lower cost-per-lead.

A mediocre bullet describing your experience might look like this:

“Leveraged customer data to run targeted ad campaigns and drive cost- effective leads.”

An awesome bullet leveraging the formula above might look like this:

“Overhauled digital ad targeting based on comprehensive customer data analysis – sales shot up 37% while CPA dropped 18%.”

This bullet is 18 words long and balances out to:

  • 17% Action Words (overhauled, comprehensive, shot)
  • 39% Uncommon / Industry Related Words (digital, ad, targeting, customer, data, analysis, CPA)
  • 33% Common Words (based, on, up, while, dropped, sales)
  • 11% Measurable Metrics (37%, 18%)

That’s right in line with our target word mix. See how compelling that is?

Let’s look at another example for a support engineer who helped a company improve its support process to eliminate a ticket backlog.

A mediocre bullet might look like this:

“Helped improve support processes to reduce ticket backlog and better serve customers.”

A strong bullet leveraging our formula might look like this:

“Developed tiered triage system that eliminated 40% of JIRA ticket backlog in less than 8 weeks.”

This bullet is a nice length (16 words) and its word balance comes out to:

  • 13% Action Words (developed, eliminated)
  • 38% Industry Terms (tiered, triage, system, JIRA, ticket, backlog)
  • 38% Common Words (that, of, in, less, than, weeks)
  • 11% Measurable Metrics (40%, 8)

Perfect!

Caprino: How can people optimize their resumes’ keywords to get past the robots?

Belcak: When I write resumes, I always work through the advice I mentioned above first. We want to focus on convincing the human that will eventually read our resume before we work on injecting keywords.

Once all of your bullets are focused on driving value and selling your experience, we can shift gears to keyword optimization.

When it comes to finding the right keywords for your resume, there are some paid tools out there but I want to give you a free workaround using a site called Wordclouds.com.

This site will help you identify the major words the resume scanning robots are looking for so you can include them in your resume. Here’s how:

Step 1: Find the job description for the role you want. Highlight and copy the entire job description.

Step 2: Head over to WordClouds.com and click on the “Word List” button at the top. Towards the top of the pop up box, you should see a link for Paste/Type Text. Go ahead and click that.

Step 3: Now paste the entire job description into the box, then hit “Apply.”

WordClouds is going to spit out an image that showcases every word in the job description. The larger words are the ones that appear most frequently (and the ones you want to make sure to include when writing your resume). Here’s an example for a data science role:

You can also get a quantitative view by clicking “Word List” again after creating your cloud. That will show you the number of times each word appeared in the job description:

9 data

6 models

4 experience

4 learning

3 Experience

3 develop

3 team

2 Qualifications

2 statistics

2 techniques

2 libraries

2 preferred

2 research

2 business

When writing your resume, your goal is to include those words at the same frequency as they appear on the job description.

This approach isn’t foolproof but it will help ensure that your resume is generally aligned with what the applicant tracking systems are looking for.

Caprino: Outside of the advice above, what’s one thing you’d recommend everyone do with their resume?

Belcak: Make sure your LinkedIn profile is hyperlinked on your resume.

ResumeGo, a site for hiring resume writers, ran an experiment on the effects of including your LinkedIn profile on your resume. They created 24,570 resumes and bucketed them into three categories:

  1. Resumes that did not contain a link to the candidate’s LinkedIn profile
  2. Resumes that contained a link to a bare bones LinkedIn profile
  3. Resumes that contained a link to a comprehensive LinkedIn profile

ResumeGo then submitted these resumes and aimed to measure the callback rates for each. The results showed that applicants who included a link to a comprehensive LinkedIn profile on their resumes received callbacks at a rate of 13.5%, which is 71% higher than the 7.9% callback rate of candidates who didn’t include their LinkedIn profile at all.

This is a super easy tactic that anyone can do in a few seconds to boost their chances.

Caprino: Any last words on what you’ve found are the top keys to a job-winning resume?

Belcak: Writing resumes can feel like a hopeless task, especially with the low callback rates candidates are seeing from online applications these days.

The main reason most people don’t hear back is because they get caught up in the minutiae of one page vs. two, what font to use, etc. instead of focusing on changes that actually get results.

The tactics in this article aren’t just fluffy suggestions–they’re backed by the results I’ve seen from the thousands of resumes I’ve reviewed at Cultivated Culture. If you take the time to implement them, I promise you’ll see better results.

For more information on creating an awesome resume that gets results, visit CultivatedCulture.com and check out their free resume builder tool.

To improve your networking and interviewing results, work with Kathy Caprino in her Career Breakthrough programs and her Amazing Career Project 16-week course.

Author: Kathy CaprinoSenior Contributor Careers
                                                     Forbes.com | September 14, 2019