Friday, August 5, 2011

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 11:19 AM PDT

A job seeker recently sent us a note with a question about how he could document his job-search efforts -- people who are receiving their unemployment benefits may be asked to substantiate these efforts.
And Monster.com Product VP Matthew Mund responded with three suggestions for how a Monster.com user can keep track of the jobs he or she has applied for -- I think the third is the best:
1. The URLs for each job posting are unique -- while the job is posted, you can point to it (however, the URL expires when the post is removed).
2. Printing or emailing job posts to yourself is another way to keep track of which jobs you've applied for.
3. Your Monster.com Apply history shows which jobs you've applied for and when. (When you're signed in to Monster.com, click on Jobs: My Apply History.) Save that page as a PDF or take a screen shot of the page to document your job-application history.

And speaking of unemployment -- "The New York Times" recently discussed the practice, of some employers, of discriminating against unemployed people. Monster is strongly against this practice, as we discuss in this blog post on MonsterThinking.

Career Planning 101: Mastering the Basics | Career Rocketeer

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Career Planning 101: Mastering the Basics

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:30 AM PDT

All too often we launch our careers simply by chance rather than by deliberate direction; and the direction we head after that looks very haphazard. While hard work and great results can definitely benefit your career trajectory, it still needs some consistent planning to really get the best results.
Even if you've been working for ages and never thought to do some career management for yourself, it's not too late to deploy some of these tactics to manage your career. If you are a newly minted graduate, you can fold these into your ongoing planning from day 1.
Tactics to manage your career:
Have a goal in mind. Even if you change your mind, continually be aiming at some specific career goal. It could be a promotion, advancement or an assignment to be pursued. By having a goal in mind, it helps shape your other actions. Without a goal, there's no telling where you will end up.
Get knowledgeable about the criteria for attaining your goal. Questions you should be continuously asking are: "What does it take to: – be promoted to the next level? – to receive advancement? – to be assigned to a juicy project?" This is like climbing a mountain. You first need to decide which mountain. Once you do that then you figure out the best way to get to your destination and what you need to support the climb.
Analyze your shortages. With your goal in mind, you need to turn your attention to what you need to equip yourself with in order to be qualified to attain your goal. There may be a skill you need to develop or up level and if that is true, how will you accomplish it? You may need to enroll in a class or seek someone out to train you. It's safe to say that with all goals, there is action and knowledge required to get there.
Get insight. You would do well to speak to the people who have accomplished what you want to do. These people can provide you with great insight and information about the nature of the work and what they had to do to achieve what they did. While your path may be somewhat different, this type of information can prove invaluable, especially if there is some political work that is needed. Political turf is not always plain to see; and it's good to get the "lay of the land".
Create accountability. One thing about our own personal goals is that there is no one but ourselves to push us and hold us accountable for taking the steps to achieve our goals. There are various things you can do to help you stay true to your commitment, starting with putting dates on your actions or steps. You can also involve someone in your plan such as your boss, mentor or coach. If you ask someone to keep you accountable and ask you about your progress, it will help create a positive "tension" to keep you on task.
Prepare to update your plan. I once heard a saying, "A plan cannot withstand a collision with reality". That means things happen that will cause your plan to stray off of its path. That is natural, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't have a plan. It simply means you need to continually be updating your plan as various circumstances present setbacks or opportunities. I think it is good for you to refresh your plan at least every 6 months or whenever some significant changes effect either your direction or actions.
The management of your career is your responsibility; and you have to know that it may or may not go anywhere without your guidance. The effort you put into the thinking and ongoing planning will pay you back with the benefit of a career you love. Plus you will feel the direction is largely in your control. Who wouldn't love that?
And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to the Career Makeover Newsletter AND eWorkbook "Should I Stay or Should I Go" – both dedicated to your career success, when you visit: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/ From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran – Your Career Change Agent from www.nextchapternewlife.com

Author:
Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals. Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy. Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results? Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com

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Agents of Change: They Bark

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 05:37 AM PDT

About twelve years ago, my young family checked into the Avi Resort and Casino outside of Laughlin on the Colorado River. With four children, one hotel room was not an option; we had reserved two adjoining rooms. My children’s ages, at the time, were 2, 4, 10, and 12, with the youngest the only boy. After an afternoon on the beach, we were settling into our rooms for the evening when blood-curdling screams came from the kids’ room.
I ran into their room to see what was causing all the commotion.
All four kids were standing on the beds, talking all at once, terrified. As I looked about the room, I couldn’t discern what the commotion was all about. I finally was able to get one of them to calm down enough to tell me what was going on. Apparently, there were little red bugs crawling all over the wall, but I couldn’t find any evidence of this. My children insisted that when the lights were turned off, the bugs started climbing up the wall and when the lights were turned on, the bugs ran away.
I didn’t see anything that indicated there were bugs; I thought perhaps they had a little too much sun or a scary movie had had its way with their imagination. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and test their theory. I turned the lights out and sat quietly, surrounded by the glow of the hotel room TV that flickered in the background. Sure enough, after a minute or two, what seemed like hundreds of tiny red bugs started climbing up the wall behind their beds. We, of course, moved all the kids into our room and called down to the front desk, insisting that our rooms be changed.
I had not believed because my initial investigation showed there was nothing to fear. But the squeaky wheels couldn’t help but be heard and all proved that their noise was well-founded. Two new rooms later, a few ice cream cones, and the natives had settled down enough to sleep. It, of course, is a family story remembered often.

There is a car at the end of my street, a nice little mini SUV, black of course, with the a single sticker on its back window. It simply states , “wag more bark less.” I tend to disagree with the intended sentiment. The barkers in my life are the agents of change – not the idiots who mindlessly wag agreement with goofy, superficial happiness. Anything of substance requires barking now and then. I am glad to have raised and be raising barkers.

Don’t be afraid to bark. Don’t be afraid to not wag. I am all about being happy, but I am also all about being seriously involved in the world around you. Sometimes, blind happiness isn’t a part of a serious equation. Refuse quiet submission or unacceptable conditions. Bark when needed, wag when it’s real.
Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for the online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology. She is also a proud mother of four residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a contributor for Blogging4Jobs. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Collaboration with Strangers

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 04:17 AM PDT

diverse talent, business diversity, workplace diversity, human resource diversity, cultural diversity in the workplace, idea diversity, human resources

If left to their own devices, people will choose to work with those they know and trust. It’s safe, predictable, and it’s a sure fire way to kill your creative genius. It’s the reason I as a small consulting firm travel to events, conferences, and meet with people outside my circles. It’s the reason why this week I picked up the phone and called Sean from Hinge Marketing just to chat. They’re a marketing and branding firm far from the comfy confines of human resources, recruiting, and leadership spaces where I call home.
One might say that collaborating with strangers forces diversity of individuals, backgrounds and ideas. It offers up a different side of workplace diversity that what the EEOC or your HR department might think. It’s one that goes beyond age, ethnicity, or sex. Diversity of life.
Collaboration is not a consensus. It’s a process where one engages with those individuals outside their zone of comfort to work toward a common goal, whatever it may be. Working on a collaborative environment is much different that the command and control model of days gone by. You work with those you know. Managers promote comfortable, safe, and like-minded individuals to their team because they’re familiar and predictable. That’s a sure-fire recipe for an innovation disaster.
Collaboration involves trust and an amount of openness for the collaboration to be received and without judgement.
In a collaboration environment, performance is measured and shared with goals across the team, group, project, or organization. Employees or individuals from all levels meet together to tackle a project or complete a task without judgements or biased. It’s a time when creativity and innovation magic happens.
Companies like Natura Cosmetics based in Brazil are focusing on collaborative diversity to innovate their business. Individual executives worked with a coach focusing on a personal journey. The coach met with executives both individually and together as a team focusing on life as well as work issues. This collaborative approach worked resulting in a business growth of 21% in 2010. Not too shabby.
I’m not sure how or where my new found relationship with Sean at Hinge Marketing will take me, but I’m open, willing, and able. And that’s a start. Diverse work teams provide more than diversity in thought and in life. By collaborating with strangers we’re exposed to new cultures, challenges, and lifestyles forcing us to reinvent what we know, understand, and expect every single day.
Photo Credit JMorgan Marketing.

Your Appearance Impacts Your Career

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 11:00 PM PDT

What we wear and our appearance DOES impact our career, from the first few seconds in an interview to what you pick from your closet on a daily basis.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

What You Should Know Before Contacting a Recruiter

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 10:30 PM PDT

Considering contacting a recruiter to learn about leadership jobs in your field? These tips will help you prepare to work effectively with one.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

5 Hiring Process Myths You Need to Know

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 10:00 PM PDT

We've all heard myths about the hiring process, but how do you know what's bologna and what's fact? Let me dispel a few myths you should be aware of.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.

How to Quantify Accomplishments on a Resume

Posted: 04 Aug 2011 09:30 PM PDT

Many job hunters say their accomplishments aren't quantifiable. So, they need other ways to quantify their accomplishments on a resume.

To get this useful advice and many other helpful career resources, visit us now at CAREEREALISM.com.