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#ResumeWriting : What is an ATS? What is SEO? What are Keywords in Resumes? Think your Resume Got Read? Think Again!

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Job seekers and resume owners are often confused about the terms and definitions of ATS, SEO, and keywords.  Some clients think there is a certain set of standardized words you insert into the resume to get seen after they upload the resume into an online system.

Here is an easy breakdown of the terms and how these resume elements are used by recruiters in the job placement industry.

ATS is the acronym for Automatic Tracking System. The ATS is the software application (often cloud-based) that recruiters use to receive, house, sort, document applicants who apply to specific job requisitions.  Recruiters also perform a procedure called a Boolean search in the SQL database to find applicants with keywords or key phrases in their resumes.  The Boolean search is an automated, and faster method to reduce the number of actual resumes recruiters have to read by identifying the ‘more qualified candidates’ in the system by keyword inclusion.

SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization. Using an Internet browser (e.g., Google, Bing, Opera) to find information means implementing Boolean search using key words to find Search Engine Optimized pages or documents.  The search engine will look for websites with the keywords or phrases and the sites with the ‘most number’ of those keywords or phrases will show up in a result queue, with the most optimized websites at the top of the list.

Recruiters use the same Boolean search process in an ATS (resume database) as an Internet search.  Once the recruiter conducts the search either in the entire database or only within applicants to the specific job requisition, then resumes with the ‘most mentions’ of a key word or phrase will rise to the top of the result queue. Recruiters don’t have time to read 100, 200, 300 resumes, so rely on SEO keywords to find the ‘most qualified’ candidate based on the higher number of mentions of those keywords in the resume.  They will glance through the top 5-10 resumes in the results queue, and if these candidates fulfill the minimum qualifications, they will proceed to interview or push the resumes to hiring managers for decisions.  It is likely the remaining 90, 190, or 290 resumes will never be read and ‘marked’ en masse as ‘other candidates more qualified.’

 

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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 …

Keywords are single words or phrases directly relevant to a job-seeker’s career, skills, experience, and/or education.  For instance, a computer programmer should mention all the programming languages s/he uses as keywords.  Logistics careerists should use the words supply chain, logistics, supply, warehousing, and inventory as keywords, with metrics, to describe their job tasks and achievements.  Salespersons should include keywords related to revenue, sales, marketing, advertising, and income streams.  Property managers should include metrics for units rented, the values of rental properties, descriptions of how they manage or provide maintenance of facilities and vendors contracting for repairs as keywords and phrases.

Executives (C-suite) should not mistake words like ‘leadership,’ ‘guiding,’ and ‘support’ as keywords – these are vague and subjective.  Corporate executives and/or financial directors should have action verbs as keywords and phrases, including development, research, accounting, finance, investments, mergers and acquisitions, supervision, management, director (of something), and/or project or program management.

The action verbs at the beginning of a bullet should be followed with a documentable, objectively written action with a result.  One example, loaded with metrics, would be, “Managed >$20M in contracts for services, current, and future deployment projects including aircraft support equipment, office supplies, and electronics; managed and monitored contracts valued at

~$2.14M for parts and required services, $3.02M in Aircraft Ground Support Equipment requirements, and >$10M in electronics and future deployment components.”

Knowing what these terms mean, and how to use the processes to your advantage, will assist in writing a more objectively-worded, keyword-loaded, and action-based descriptors of your career and experience.  The more keywords, phrases, objective language, documentable metrics, and easy to read bullets in the resume, the faster recruiters will be able to find you, consider your strengths, and pick up the phone to interview.

SEO Key Words for web post:  achievements, action verbs, applicants, ATS, Automatic Tracking System , Boolean search, career , cloud-based, definitions, descriptors, experience, hiring managers, Internet browser, Internet search, interview, job description, job placement, job requisitions, key phrases, keyword inclusion, keywords, metrics, objective language, online system, optimized websites, phrase, qualifications, recruiters, result queue, resume database, Resumes, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Optimized, SEO, skills, software application, SQL database, subjective, system, terms, websites. Examples below:

Key Word Hash-Tags (#):  #achievements, #actionverbs, #applicants, #ATS, #AutomaticTrackingSystem, #Booleansearch, #career, #cloud-based, #definitions, #descriptors, #experience, #hiringmanagers, #Internetbrowser, #Internetsearch, #interview, #jobdescription, #jobplacement, #jobrequisitions, #keyphrases, #keywordinclusion, #keywords, #metrics, #objectivelanguage, #onlinesystem, #optimizedwebsites, #phrase, #qualifications, #recruiters, #resultqueue, #resumedatabase, #Resumes, #SearchEngineOptimization, #SearchEngineOptimized, #SEO, #skills, #softwareapplication, #SQLdatabase, #subjective, #system, #terms, #websites

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., an Associate with First Sun, has a successful business and consulting firm in Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach (Dahlgren), and Gloucester, VA.  Her background is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry.  She is the author of 940+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women’s studies, genealogy lineages, and has illustrated ~118 adult coloring books.  Her books are listed on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting, and an associate with First Sun Consulting, provides resume writing, editing, publishing, and print-on-demand consulting.  Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@me.com or visit her website at www.dboyerconsulting.com.

 

                                                                                                                                          FSC Career Blog – July 31, 2022

 

 

 

#YourCareer : Negotiating Like A Pro: Tips From An FBI Special Agent. Helpful When it Comes to your Salary, Job Offer(s), or Just Life. Great REad!

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Melissa Fortunato is an FBI Special Agent and Crisis Negotiator. Over the course of her career, she’s been involved in a number of high-stakes scenarios that required her to lean heavily on the skills of negotiation. She joined Negotiate Anything to share her most exciting stories, as well as her best advice for winning in everyday negotiations.

The Importance of a Full Assessment

Prior to entering a negotiation, it’s important to complete a full assessment of your counterpart. This may require more time than expected, but the outcomes will be worth it. Fortunato shared how she once went so far as to “marry” her undercover colleague just to get closer to a group of targets. She invested the time (months legitimizing her cover) which then presented a perfect opportunity for building connections: a wedding.

For Fortunato, conducting a full assessment meant finding strategic ways to connect with the targets in order to learn more about them. For the everyday negotiator, this can mean adding a little more time to the preparation phase of your strategy, as well as making calls to find out more about your counterpart. These calls could be to former employers, former partner organizations or other associates. While it may feel uncomfortable at first, entering a negotiation with a complete picture of your opponent will make it all worth it.

 

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 …

 

Diversity As a Strategic Asset

While diversity should certainly be prioritized from a human rights perspective, we can’t overlook its role in a strong negotiation strategy. Diversity means a wider variety of backgrounds, strengths and opinions. This increases the odds of making a connection.

Every person is different, which means every counterpart will bring a different set of experiences, beliefs and emotional triggers to the table. The more diverse your team is, the more likely you are to make a connection. Connection is the foundation of strong negotiations.

“In any kind of negotiation, take advantage of all chances you get to make a connection,” Fortunato explains.

 

Prioritizing Empathy

While it may seem counterintuitive to some, empathy is the key to building strong connections and resolving complex negotiations. In one scenario, Fortunato was negotiating with a target who had shot a police officer and fled the scene. After a 15-hour barricade standoff, it was clear their current tactics were failing, so she decided to soften her approach. This slight shift in tone encouraged the target to engage with her while SWAT positioned themselves for the arrest.

While gender dynamics can be leveraged in certain situations, empathy should not be limited to women. Everybody has the potential to learn and build empathy in negotiations; all it requires is a simple shift in approach. Always be willing to forgo some of your original points if it’s clear the conversation is not moving in a positive direction and don’t hesitate to bring a new person into the conversation.

“There’s a strength in being able to see another person’s perspective and adjust your stance,” Fortunato shared.

 

Ask Questions Without Fear

Fortunato shared a personal story about a time in her life when her daughter was hospitalized but she found herself too afraid to ask the doctors important questions. She’s not alone in this experience. Many people hesitate to ask questions out of fear of looking “stupid.”

The truth is, not only will asking questions give you access to more information, but it also makes you look more engaged, intentional and thoughtful. Your counterpart will regard you as somebody who pays attention and is interested in what they have to say. This will level-up connections and strengthen your approach.

Just Listen

Fortunato wrapped up with an important reminder for listeners: as intimidating as negotiations can be (especially in her line of work) it all comes down to human interaction. Successful negotiations rely on listening and understanding, as most humans just want to be heard. If somebody feels they are being listened to, they are more likely to switch their position.

Consider this: with all of the power and artillery the FBI has to help manage crises, why would they continue to prioritize connection through expert negotiators?

“Because it works,” Fortunato shared.

Follow Melissa Fortunato on LinkedIn to learn more. To listen to the complete episode, click here.

Forbes.com Author:   Kwame Christian

Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | June 28, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

 

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 …

How to Create Luck in Your Career

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

Be Proactive

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

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

Be Connected

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

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

Be Brilliant

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

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

Be Flexible

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

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

Be Brave

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

In Sum

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

Forbes.com | March 13, 2022

#CareerAdvice : The 30 Fastest-Growing Jobs And Careers For The Next 10 Years. Great REad! Got Kids?

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If you are starting out your career or have been in the workforce for a while, it’s important to look into the future. Hockey star Wayne Gretzky famously said, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” It’s the same way with your career. You  need to look forward. Anticipate the emerging trends. Figure out how you can leverage your skills & degree to pivot toward a fast-growing career instead of being stuck with a job that’s going nowhere.

I write about the monthly jobs report compiled by the United States Department of Labor. Every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows how many new jobs were created or lost. The data captures a moment in time. This division, as you can imagine, has access to a wealth of information and statistics about jobs and careers.

While most economists, Wall Street professionals and nerdy guys like me pay attention to the monthly jobs reports, the BLS has some compelling reading for proactive people who strongly desire to advance their careers. It has put together lists of the fastest-growing jobs and careers. Additionally, the BLS shares how much these roles pay.

Before we go into the jobs, let’s look at the sectors that offer rapid growth. To start with, the BLS anticipates that overall employment in the U.S. will grow from “153.5 million to 165.4 million over the 2020–30 decade, an increase of 11.9 million jobs.”

Employment in the restaurant, bar, travel, hotel and what’s referred to as the “leisure and hospitality sector,” as a catch-all, is projected to increase at the fastest rate. This will occur in response to the the country’s reopening and recovery. During the pandemic, workers in the leisure and hospitality space were one of first to lose their jobs or get furloughed. Now, due to nearly insatiable demand, the jobs have come roaring back. The bounceback has been so enormous that restaurants and businesses complain they can’t find enough workers. Large corporations, such as Walmart, Amazon and Target, have had to respond by offering sign-on bonuses, increases in wages and free tuition to entice people to join their companies.

 

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 …

As you can imagine, in the current and eventually post-pandemic environment, healthcare will take precedence. Understandably, concerns about our health and safety will propel the healthcare and social assistance sector’s continued growth. This space is “projected to add the most jobs of all industry sectors, about 3.3 million jobs over 2020–30.”

Within healthcare, employment in the individual and family services industry is projected to increase the fastest, with an annual growth rate of 3.3%. Some of the fast-growing healthcare occupations include nurse practitioners, physical therapist assistants and physician assistants.

A rising demand for the care of an aging Baby-Boomer population, longer life expectancies and continued growth in the number of patients with chronic conditions will call for a steady need for healthcare providers.

Technological advancements are expected to keep growing at a fast pace. We see an acceleration in artificial intelligence, robotics, self-driving vehicles, cryptocurrencies, gaming, virtual reality, online collaborative video platforms and the metaverse. There will be needs across the gamut, ranging from large tech giants to scrappy startups. As business continues moving online, demand will outstrip the supply of suitable job candidates.

According to the BLS, “Computer and mathematical occupations are expected to see fast employment growth as strong demand is expected for IT security and software development, in part due to increased prevalence of telework spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.” The downside is that technological changes facilitating increased automation are expected to result in declining employment for office and administrative support occupations.

Tangentially, there will be a large need for people to interpret the vast amount of data to help business leaders make smart, informed decisions. Demand for new products, such as the Internet of Things, and for analyzing and interpreting large datasets are also expected to contribute to fast employment growth for statisticians, information security analysts and data scientists.

We are likely to see a retirement boom. This will open up opportunities for younger workers. Demographics show that by 2030, Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years old. As they age, many will start retiring or leave the workforce. The BLS states, “The increasing share of people ages 65 and older contributes to a projected labor force growth rate that is slower than much of recent history, as well as a continued decline in the labor force participation rate, because older people have lower participation rates compared with younger age groups.”

Other trends, such as moving toward environmentally friendly initiatives, the massive adoption of pets during the pandemic, a mental health crisis, working from home and the desire to improve our health and lives, will create all sorts of new opportunities.

Here are the jobs that the U.S. Labor Department and BLS project will be the fastest growing jobs going into 2030, along with the median annual pay:

 

  • Wind turbine service technicians: $56,230
  • Nurse practitioners: $111,680
  • Solar photovoltaic installers: $46,470
  • Statisticians: $92,270
  • Physical therapist assistants: $59,770
  • Information security analysts: $103,590
  • Home health and personal care aides: $27,080
  • Medical and health services managers: $104,280
  • Data scientists and mathematical science occupations, all other: $98,230
  • Physician assistants: $115,390
  • Epidemiologists: $74,560
  • Logisticians: $76,270
  • Speech-language pathologists: $80,480
  • Animal trainers: $31,520
  • Computer numerically controlled tool programmers: $57,740
  • Genetic counselors: $85,700
  • Crematory operators and personal care and service workers, all other: $28,420
  • Operations research analysts: $86,200
  • Actuaries: $111,030
  • Health specialties teachers, postsecondary: $99,090
  • Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists: $42,150
  • Interpreters and translators: $52,330
  • Athletic trainers: $49,860
  • Respiratory therapists: $62,810
  • Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors: $47,660
  • Food preparation and serving related workers, all other: $27,080
  • Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary: $75,470
  • Woodworkers, all other: $33,630
  • Phlebotomists: $36,320
  • Software developers and software quality assurance analysts and testers: $110,140

 

Forbes.com – September 16, 2021 – Jack Kelly

#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.

 

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 …

 

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

 

#BestofFSCBlog : #YourCareer – Keys to Pivoting to a New Industry. Over 4K Reads! GReat REad!

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There are many reasons why you may be thinking about pivoting into a new industry for your career. You may have simply burned out on your current career, landed your dream job, or just feel like you need a change. Your industry may have been negatively impacted by worldwide event!! No matter how excited you may be about the switch, it’s only natural to feel a little stressed because of the transition.

However, before you spend hours writing and rewriting your executive bio to make it sound attractive to a new industry, here are some tips to consider.

 

Identify Transferrable Skills

If you’ve been working in your current industry for a number of years, you have developed a depth of skills to do your job effectively. However, not all of these skills may be essential or even useful in your new career. If you aren’t sure which skills naturally fit with your new industry, check with an executive resume service. They work with people with all different backgrounds to find careers in multiple industries. They will be able to help you identify your pertinent skills related to your new industry, so you can write your executive bio accordingly. You can also use LinkedIn. Find individuals who have the career you want and check out their profile. What skills do they have? Do you have these as well?

 

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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 …

Network and Volunteer

Networking is the #1 way to find a new job. So, it only stands to reason that the more people you know in your new industry, the easier time you’ll have finding the job you desire. Begin networking your way into your new field of interest. Use your LinkedIn profile to find connections to the industry, asking your network to make introductions. Begin following company pages of interest. Identify volunteer opportunities that would put you in contact with other business professionals, as well. As you connect with new and current professionals, they can help educate you about the industry. If you have people who are making introductions for you into a new industry, this can help compensate for any skills deficiencies you may have.

Find Your Fit

Be sure to prepare for the transition. It will take time to find the position, and you don’t want to jump ship into something you don’t really want, just because you didn’t take the time to get your affairs in order. Before you leave your current industry, make sure your finances are in good enough shape to carry you through several months of downtime. The last thing you want to do is add to your stress level because you’re running out of money. You may end up settling for a job you don’t want just to pay the bills. Take your time as much as you can. Visit an executive resume service to make sure you have the best resume possible to hand to recruiters. By taking your time and being patient, you’ll be more satisfied with the end result and the process of getting there will be less stressful.

 

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 – June 24, 2021

 

#JobSearch : How To Identify Your Next Career Move. Very Few People are 100% Sure of What They Want to Do Next.

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Very few of my career transition clients are 100% sure of what they want to do next. Most people either take their transition as an opportunity to take a step back and explore what would be a more meaningful or fulfilling career for them or they come to the coaching with a few potential paths in mind, unsure which would be best for them.

If you fall into either of these categories, there are several exercises you might do to help point you towards the right path. Among these is conducting a “mini-360” to get feedback from friends and colleagues who know you well. Keep in mind that no assessment—including this one—will ever provide the ultimate answer to the question “What should I do next?”

Instead, this exercise will give you data to consider and incorporate with all of the other data that you are collecting that may highlight certain themes for you to explore further in determining what might be next for you. I often compare the career transition process to a treasure hunt, and the answers to this mini-360 can provide both interesting and compelling clues to help you get more clarity and move forward in your search.

This is an easy but powerful exercise you can do in requesting feedback from as few as 3-5 people or 10-20 or more with a brief email. Recognizing that some people will not reply, I recommend reaching out to at least 10-15 people. The more responses you have, the more likely common themes will emerge.

To be clear, I am not advocating letting other people decide your professional path for you—in fact, you want to stay away from what my colleagues and I call “the should’s.” For example, “My parents say I should find something more stable than a startup,” or “I got a law degree, so I should really do something in the legal field since I spent all that money on law school.”

Feedback from others can be helpful since they are likely more to be objective in identifying your gifts and talents that you have either taken for granted or have a blindspot around and don’t recognize the extent to which you are really good at something in particular, whether that’s communication, creativity, or coaching others. This might help you identify jobs or career paths that play to your strengths.

Below are some questions to ask in your mini-360. You can, of course, customize this as you wish.

What three adjectives would you use to describe me?

If most people mention adjectives such as “creative, innovative, and forward-looking,” one might infer that data analytics might not be a good career for you, but perhaps product design or marketing might be. Likewise, if the adjectives are along the lines of “caring, compassionate, and helpful,” perhaps something in the helping professions like teaching, medicine, counseling, or coaching would play to your strengths.

 

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

Article continued …

What do you see as my greatest strengths or talents?

Answers to this question will either make you feel seen, understood, and appreciated or they may shed light on strengths you didn’t even realize you had. For example, someone once told me that I was a risk-taker. I looked at them very puzzled, as I didn’t think of myself that way. I asked them what it was about me that had them see me this way. They responded with actions or decisions I had made that I had never thought of as risky, because they were things that I wanted to do. But they were, in fact, risk-taking. They pointed out that I moved to a foreign country not knowing anyone with only a rudimentary knowledge of the language and left a high-status job in investment banking to do so. I also co-founded a leadership development firm two decades before that was a popular thing to do, while taking zero salary each year, relying solely on my business development skills to earn a living. Sometimes, it takes someone else to show us what we can’t see. We can have blind spots around strengths as much as development areas. Given my appetite for risk, I probably wouldn’t be happy in an opportunity that had limited financial upside.

What competencies, if acquired or developed further, would most benefit me in my career?

Sometimes, a fulfilling career is just around the corner, but there might be a competency—defined as an area of knowledge, a skill, or a trait—that is underdeveloped or missing, the presence of which, would expand your options and make you a more compelling candidate for a particular role or career path. This might involve learning a software program, understanding the regulatory environment in a particular sector, or learning to speak up more. These competencies may also be driven by market trends like digital transformation and the increasing applications of artificial intelligence across sectors.

In what types of situations am I at my best?

Getting feedback on the situations where you are at your best is also helpful to know in thinking about what’s next. Are you at your best presenting to small groups, solving complex problems, or when you’re engaging with clients? The answer to this question can also inform the type of work that would allow you to be in these situations most often. For example, if you’re at your best when engaging with clients, this might point to the professional services sector or a business development or client service role.

What have you seen me get most excited about?

To be fully engaged in your work, it needs to align with your values and interests. If others see you get excited by projects that are global in scale and the latest consumer technology, these interests may point to various target employers. Likewise, if you value collaboration and variety, these values may point to careers in consulting where the work is typically project-based and done in teams.

In what types of jobs or careers would you see me thrive the most, and why? Which ones would I not enjoy, and why?

These last two questions asks the feedback provider to “put it all together” and suggest positions or career paths that might (or might not) be a good match for you based on what they know about you. Hold these suggestions lightly—this is where some projections or “shoulds” may emerge, or if it’s a longtime contact or close family member, they may be stuck in an old image of you. But there can be some good ideas found among these answers for you to explore as well.

The benefit to asking a number of people these questions is being able to step back and identify the patterns and themes that emerge. Notice how they resonate with you. Do they intrigue you, excite you, or repel you? Which ones warrant further exploration? And what additional questions do these responses raise for you? The data you collect here can inform the next step of your exploration that ultimately leads you to your next career move.

Author: Rebecca Zucker

I am an Executive Coach and founding Partner at Next Step Partners, a global leadership development firm that provides Career Transition Services, Executive Coaching,

 

Forbes.com – February 3, 2021

 

#BestofFSCBlog : 5 Ways To Update/Change Your LinkedIn Profile For A Career Change. Holiday Season is Prime Time for Networking! MUst REad!

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If you hope the new year brings a new career, you’ll want to promote your background in a way that translates to your new target field. Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool to reposition yourself for a new industry, role or both. LinkedIn is public and searchable, so not only prospective employers and recruiters might view it, but also potential connections who can offer information, leads or other support.

LinkedIn is a social network, and we’re still in holiday season – prime time for networking! Therefore, updating these five aspects of your LinkedIn profile so that it supports your career change should be a priority:

1 – Rewrite the Headline for your new target industry and/or role

If you don’t customize the phrase that appears right below your name, it can default to your current title and company. That’s sufficient if you want to continue working in the same industry and role. However, if you aspire to change careers, you don’t want your old industry and/or role to be the first thing potential connections and employers see. (Your headline may be the only thing employers, recruiters and other potential connections see if you appear in search results, and people decide not to click since your headline isn’t relevant.)

For example, let’s say you are currently a marketing manager at a bank, but you want to do marketing for a media company. You could change your headline to include your marketing expertise overall – e.g., Marketing Manager | Partnerships | Direct Mail | E-commerce. This takes the focus away from banking, which isn’t relevant, and highlights your marketing expertise, which still fits.

 

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

Article continued …

 

2 – Highlight new activities in the About section

Similarly, when you summarize your background in the About section, open with the most relevant and substantive qualifications for your new field, even if your experience in previous industries or roles is lengthier. You want to catch the reader’s attention early, since they may not read everything, or even if they do, once they see you in the old industry or role, they won’t see you as a potential fit for something new.

For example, you might have 20 years of experience at the bank, but you could still open with your enthusiasm for the latest media trends. If you are working at all in your new industry (even if it’s a side consulting project or volunteer work), highlight that first. If you have certifications or are an active member of a relevant professional association, that can also legitimize your interest in the new field. If instead you open with a laundry list of your old experience, expertise and skills, by the time they get to the new stuff, they will see you as a newbie and therefore a hiring risk.

3 – Showcase your new expertise in your Activity

In addition to the About section, your Activity – e.g., posts you write, comments on other posts, videos or presentations you attach – can be tailored to the new career and showcase your expertise. Being active in your new field is also a good way to make and expand your network in that field. An insider may take note of your insights and make introductions for you to others.

For example, you could summarize insights from books or courses you are taking to learn about your new field. If you conduct informational interviews (and you should), you could highlight key takeaways from these meetings. You don’t need to produce content from scratch – you could follow executives in your target function or dream companies and comment on what they post.

4 – Include substantive consulting, part-time or volunteer work in Experience

The work experience you include in the Experience section doesn’t need to be paid or your primary job, as long as it’s substantive. Yes, you could also put volunteer work in the Volunteer section, but then it might be overlooked. Your goal is to catch the reader’s attention early before they have formed an opinion about you as being too deeply embedded in your old career.

This also includes how you organize the description about your current job — if some aspects of your job are more relevant to your new career than others, highlight these first. For example, a client of mine made a career change from financial services to education. It seems like a big pivot given she had decades in her original industry. However, in her last job, even though the bulk of it was financial, she also had some mentoring and training activities which she listed first.

5 – Speak to your new audience with relevant keywords

Whether it’s your headline, summary, activity, experience or other section, review what you include and how you describe it from the perspective of your new target field. Avoid jargon that only applies to niche areas. Generalize your skills so that multiple industries can see your value.

For example, I had a client in the transportation industry switch out references to passengers for customers. Another client in healthcare switched out patients for clients. A seemingly small change does make your profile more welcoming.

Put your LinkedIn URL in your email signature so your entire network has your updated information

Of course having an updated, career change-friendly profile is meaningless if no one sees it. Putting your LinkedIn URL into your email signature (your personal one, not your current work!) is an inobtrusive way of attaching your background to every correspondence. While it’s presumptuous to send people a resume (and people who don’t know you well may not open an email with an attachment), posting a URL gives access to the same information but more subtly.

As a career changer, most of your network will likely be in your old career rather than your new target, so your existing connections may not know all your adventures in your new career. Pointing them to your profile in each and everh email is an ongoing reminder of what you do and how much you’re working towards something new.

 

Forbes.com – December 30, 2020 – Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#YourCareer : Scientists Discover The Link Between Your Personality & Degree Of Career Success. Can Personality Change Boost Career Success? A MUst REad!

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You might have noticed that some people seem to scale the career ladder quicker, while others often get stuck at lower rungs along the way. The differences in career trajectories are often a function of personality type. A body of research has shown, for example, that optimists have lower stress levels than pessimists and scoot up the success ladder faster and farther than pessimists. New sales personnel with an optimistic outlook sell 37% more life insurance in their first two years than pessimists. In two new studies, scientists reveal the personality traits that predict career success.

Five Personality Types And Career Success

The first study examined the “Big Five” personality dimensions: neuroticism, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and openness to understand their relationship to career outcomes. The results will be published in the February 2021 issue of the Journal of Vocational Behavior.

Researchers at Cleveland State University surveyed 496 employees (318 men and 178 women) in a diverse set of occupations and organizations on the five personality dimensions. Results of a statistical analysis showed that extroverted employees had greater satisfaction with salaries, promotions and overall career satisfaction; whereas workers who scored high on neuroticism (for example, moodiness, anxiety, worry, fear or frustration) were less likely to be satisfied with their careers.

Those who were high in agreeableness had less career satisfaction, and high openness scores were negatively related to salary level. The research team detected a significant negative relationship between agreeableness and salary among those in people-oriented occupations but no relationship for those in occupations not involving a strong “people” component.

Can Personality Change Boost Career Success?

A second study published in the December 2020 issue of Psychological Science found that if you make a personality change, it can lead to higher levels of job success. Dr. Kevin Hoff at the University of Houston and his research team tracked two representative samples of youth for approximately 12 years from late adolescence (about 17 years old) to young adulthood (about 29 years old). Growth in emotional stability, conscientiousness and extroversion were the personality traits that most predicted career satisfaction and success. Specifically, conscientiousness changes were linked to career satisfaction; emotional stability changes were tied closely to income and career satisfaction; and extroversion changes were linked to career and job satisfaction.

Youth who developed higher levels of conscientiousness and emotional stability during the transition to employment were more successful in aspects of their early careers. This is the first study to assess the predictive power of personality changes for a broad range of career outcomes across more than a decade of young adulthood. Overall, the findings show that personality has important effects on early career outcomes—both through stable trait levels and how people change over time. According to Hoff, “The study showed you’re not just stuck with your personality traits, and if you change over time in positive ways, that can have a big impact on your career.”

 

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

Article continued …

Optimism And Career Success

Extroversion has a leg up on the career ladder for success in both studies. Emotional stability and conscientiousness are not far behind. But neuroticism stands out as the biggest personality obstacle to career success which matches previous findings that pessimism holds workers at the lowest rungs. While extroversion is not necessarily a prerequisite to achieve career success, emotional stability, conscientiousness and a degree of optimism are. Your mental health and mindset towards your career carry more weight than how outgoing you are. If you’re an introvert, you might find it hard to change, but you can get mental health support if you need it, and you can learn to be more optimistic.

Optimists are not smiley-face romantics looking through rose-colored glasses, nor do they possess some magical joy juice. Their ability to look on the positive side of a negative situation enables them to overcome career obstacles. When you enlarge your perspective and see gains in your losses, the upside of a downside situation, how far you’ve come in addition to how far you have to go and beginnings in endings, your positive outlook arms you with the potential for career success at the highest rung.

A second study published in the December 2020 issue of Psychological Science found that if you make a personality change, it can lead to higher levels of job success. Dr. Kevin Hoff at the University of Houston and his research team tracked two representative samples of youth for approximately 12 years from late adolescence (about 17 years old) to young adulthood (about 29 years old). Growth in emotional stability, conscientiousness and extroversion were the personality traits that most predicted career satisfaction and success. Specifically, conscientiousness changes were linked to career satisfaction; emotional stability changes were tied closely to income and career satisfaction; and extroversion changes were linked to career and job satisfaction.

Youth who developed higher levels of conscientiousness and emotional stability during the transition to employment were more successful in aspects of their early careers. This is the first study to assess the predictive power of personality changes for a broad range of career outcomes across more than a decade of young adulthood. Overall, the findings show that personality has important effects on early career outcomes—both through stable trait levels and how people change over time. According to Hoff, “The study showed you’re not just stuck with your personality traits, and if you change over time in positive ways, that can have a big impact on your career.”

Optimism And Career Success

Extroversion has a leg up on the career ladder for success in both studies. Emotional stability and conscientiousness are not far behind. But neuroticism stands out as the biggest personality obstacle to career success which matches previous findings that pessimism holds workers at the lowest rungs. While extroversion is not necessarily a prerequisite to achieve career success, emotional stability, conscientiousness and a degree of optimism are. Your mental health and mindset towards your career carry more weight than how outgoing you are. If you’re an introvert, you might find it hard to change, but you can get mental health support if you need it, and you can learn to be more optimistic.

Optimists are not smiley-face romantics looking through rose-colored glasses, nor do they possess some magical joy juice. Their ability to look on the positive side of a negative situation enables them to overcome career obstacles. When you enlarge your perspective and see gains in your losses, the upside of a downside situation, how far you’ve come in addition to how far you have to go and beginnings in endings, your positive outlook arms you with the potential for career success at the highest rung.

 

Author: Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.

…

 

Forbes.com – December 5, 2020

#YourCareer : Personal Branding For People 50+. Yes, we Know that Age Discrimination in Hiring and Promotions is Alive and Well.

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Personal branding is essential for every career-minded professional, whether you’re looking to land your first internship or you’ve just been promoted to the C-Suite. It helps you stand out from your peers and gives you the opportunity to become influential and indispensable—not to mention incredibly happy at work.

But personal branding is nuanced and takes on different areas of focus depending on where you are in your career and which generation you’re part of. I have seen a lot of discussions lately about career prospects, concerns and opportunities for people who are 50+. Fawn Germer, author of the upcoming book Coming Back: How to Get the Job You Want When You’ve Lost the Job You Need put it this way “The rules changed for those of us who are middle aged. We saw our parents start a career and get rewarded with respect, money and opportunity the older they got.

These days, the word “experienced” seems to be equated with the words “has been.” Since we’ve been around the longest, many of us are drawing the highest salaries in the room, but it is not lost on management that younger, less-expensive employees can deliver more because they truly are tech savvy and up on trends. It’s on us to re-educate ourselves and broadcast a brand of relevance and viability. The bad news is that it takes some effort. The good news is that really, it’s not that hard.”

 

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

Article continued …

So how can people in this age group ensure that their personal brand traits keep them relevant, compelling, influential and in demand in this new all-digital world of work? Whether you’re happily employed or seeking your next big gig, here’s how to position yourself for success and fulfillment if your chronological age exceeds 49.

Start with authenticity. Effective personal branding is always rooted in authenticity, not blatant self-promotion. Wendy Marx, author of Thriving at 50+ and a reinvention and personal branding coach, said “Personal branding doesn’t come naturally to many 50+ people – they often are unaccustomed to promoting themselves. They think their credentials and experience speak for themselves and that branding is unnecessary spin. Actually, your personal brand is being true to yourself, while making yourself accessible and engaging.”

These five actions help you accentuate your differentiating attributes, showcase your expertise, and exude genuine confidence while eliminating impediments—both real and perceived.

Master the Mindset

Yes, we know that age discrimination in hiring and promotions is alive and well. At the same time, we know that if you tell yourself you are at a disadvantage or you focus on how unfair the world of work can be to the 50+ set, you’re putting yourself on the back foot. “On the back foot,” which by the way comes from cricket, means putting the weight on your back foot because you’re having to play defense. That’s no way to move forward in a career, or anywhere else. Instead, put your best foot forward with a positive mindset. These messages likely apply to you and should be your mantras:

  • I have deep knowledge that makes me compelling and differentiated
  • My years of work give me an edge over younger, less experienced professionals
  • My confidence and strong sense of self make me ideal for dealing with change
  • I have a long track record of delivering exceptional results

Develop Digital Dexterity

If you’re 50+, you were not born with fingers on keyboards that opened the doors to the whole world. Companies need every employee to be internet savvy and digitally fit regardless of role, function and yes, age. Today, every job is digitally enabled on some level. Whether you work in market research, customer service or sales, being digitally savvy is essential. Resume.io advises clients that “employers need to know that you’re as technically proficient as someone 20 years younger.” Prove that you’re up to date with the latest tools and platforms by including them in your resume. This includes skills you’ve learned in lockdown; research by The Knowledge Academy states it can take as little as 10 days to learn a new technical skill!

Deliver A Powerful First Impression

Today, people will form their first impressions of you online. When someone wants to check you out, they’ll turn to Google. And what Google says about you is who you are. When your online ID shows that you are vibrant, innovative, confident and engaged, people who are checking you out will want to get to know you. Start with your LinkedIn About because it will be the most-read version of your bio. Use it to demonstrate your credibility and likability.

Show Your Social Savvy

One way to demonstrate your digital fitness is through social media. Now, before you moan or stress out, consider this: You can create a powerful online social media presence in just 9 minutes a day as long as you make a daily commitment. And you need not be visible on every platform from Instagram to Tik Tok, LinkedIn to SlideShare, YouTube to Facebook. Focus on LinkedIn (it’s truly the most powerful professional social network) and just one other tool where your target audience can always be found.

Master Video

If you’re interviewing for a new job, you’ll be doing a lot of video interviews. The interview itself is an opportunity to show that you’re on top of the latest and probably most prevalent form of business communications. When you master video, you’ll stand out in all the ways that matter. That means being skilled at both synchronous video (Zoom meetings, Webex, Google Hangouts) and asynchronous video (videos to demonstrate thought leadership, video messages from you sent to people on your team, clients, etc.). Even those who do a lot of video meetings aren’t terribly skilled at it. This previous article will help you understand what you need in order to avoid being an on-camera catastrophe.

Being 50+ is a career asset when you adopt the mindset. Apply these strategies so that your personal brand becomes all about one important fact: You offer something unique and highly valuable.

Author: William Arruda is a founder of CareerBlast and co-creator of BrandBoost – a video-based personal branding talent development experience.

 

Forbes.com – August 2, 2020