The Work Buzz's Latest News: Career boosters: 5 ways to set yourself apart

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Career boosters: 5 ways to set yourself apart Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:12 AM PDT Matthew Tarpey, CareerBuilder Writer The phrase "There's plenty of fish in the sea" may comfort a recently jilted friend, but it is one of the most intimidating realizations for today's active job seekers. For years you've been pinched on the cheeks and told you're special, but when it comes time for a job interview, you may find potential employers a bit more difficult to impress than your Grandma. So how can you set yourself apart from the hordes of starry-eyed, gown-wearing, degree-clutching graduates that you're competing with? In her book "The Wall Street Journal Guide to Building Your Career," author Jennifer Merritt offers several career boosters to transform your run-of-the-mill résumé into a job-magnet jackpot. Industry and professional associations Many young professionals underestimate the potential payoff of industry and professional associations. Some are convinced they're outdated and redundant, while others are just afraid of the price tag. However, when used properly, these groups can be helpful in expanding your network, staying on top of industry trends and furthering your education. Once you've signed up, paid your dues and gone through the elaborate hazing process (just kidding), it's up to you to make the whole thing worthwhile. Get involved by attending meetings and mixers, running for positions and joining committees or sub-groups of young professionals. "But don't just stick with the youngsters," Merritt says. "You want to meet people who've been there and done that and whose experiences you can learn from." Don't be intimidated by high-ranking professionals in fancy suits — chances are they'd love to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. Check out these tips from employers on how to differentiate yourself: Volunteerism You may have participated in some charity events through a high-school sports team or a bake sale your mother threw so you'd have volunteer work on your college résumé, but volunteering can benefit you in more ways than merely making you appear charitable. While it is true that companies like to hire charitable individuals who can help the company's image, there's actually more in it for the company than just saving face. In fact, many companies offer volunteering opportunities to their employees, because a number of studies have shown that giving people time off to volunteer improves worker retention and recruiting. But you're not here to hear about how much companies like charitable people. You probably know that. What you want to hear is how volunteering can benefit you by expanding your professional network, offering you leadership experience and giving you the opportunity to enhance skills outside of your everyday repertoire. Plus the people you meet while volunteering will know you as passionate and full of character. That can lead to a referral in the future. Alumni networks Most recent grads are of the opinion that alumni networks are their alma mater's thinly veiled attempt at squeezing more money out of former students who are no longer paying tuition. For some time that was actually true, but due to the economic downturn and the snail-paced recovery, many alumni networks have started offering other services. Many now offer expert seminars, advanced education opportunities, mixers and dedicated alumni career services. That's a lot better than a yearly magazine and some dinnertime phone calls asking for donations. Meet-and-greets and seminars hosted by alumni associations are also great opportunities for you to add to your contact list. These can be especially helpful, because people often like to hire and promote other people like them, and sharing an alma mater is a great similarity to have. Plus it's an easy-yet-effective ice breaker. Skill-related classes and certifications Employers generally prefer candidates who have demonstrated their ability and willingness to go above and beyond the bare-minimum requirements. So while having a hot-air ballooning license may not help you land a job in marketing, taking classes and earning certifications that are not only interesting to you, but are also related to your field, could prove advantageous in the long run. In many professions, optional certifications can help you get promotions and stay on track with your career goals. Additional certifications and classes can indicate a deeper level of understanding of your field and convey a strong commitment to your career path. Investigate what certifications your mentors have or the titles of individuals whose jobs you may want in a couple years. Of course, furthering your education doesn't necessarily have to be career related. Taking classes is a great way to stay active and an excellent answer when potential employers ask, "What have you been up to since graduation?” Plus outside-work interests can potentially create strong connections with a boss or supervisor. Speak up and become an expert As Merritt puts it, "You don't need a decade of experience to be considered an expert." Experience doesn't necessarily lead to expertise. Of course it contributes, but so do earning certifications, networking with industry players, being a strong communicator and staying up-to-date on industry trends. As you grow your professional network, it’s likely you'll meet people who host speaking events that are perfect for a budding expert or an eager first-time public speaker. Proving your knowledge and communication prowess at smaller venues can lead to larger platforms, such as guest blogging or spots on industry panels. Bottom line: If you want to become an expert in your field, go out and become an expert in your field.

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ResumeBear Blog

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Resumebear: Job Hunting While Still Employed? Keep it Private Posted: 18 Jun 2012 06:39 AM PDT As a rule, honesty is usually the best policy when it comes to your career. Don’t lie about your experience, salary or education — you will get caught. Don’t pretend you know what you’re talking about, because you’ll eventually say something that makes you look like a fool. Don’t inflate your job title just to sound important — it will make you look worse. But when you’re hunting for a job, you might need to stretch the truth a little bit. At the very least, you’ll probably need to get creative when explaining some of your actions. Each job is different, but in most workplaces the boss frowns on employees looking for another job. No one wants to hear, “Hey, I’m running out to interview for a job with a better salary!” at the office. While we won’t tell you to lie to your boss, we do think you should know about these ways to keep your job search private without harming your current gig: Let your search do double duty Career counselor and executive coach Roy Cohen advises employed job seekers to take a two-pronged approach to updating their professional profiles on sites such as LinkedIn. “Make sure that you have a fully fleshed-out LinkedIn profile that promotes both you and your company,” Cohen says. Take a similar approach with networking. “Attend as many conferences as possible,” Cohen adds. “They offer you the opportunity to circulate professionally on behalf of your company and yourself.” Plan interviews strategically “There are just so many dental emergencies and unexpected family health matters that can be used to explain an absence from the office,” Cohen says. “For networking meetings, always aim for early morning, lunch or after work. Interviews are another matter entirely. The goal is to either string together all of your meetings or arrange one at a time early or late in the day.” Timing is important. Slipping out of the office for an hour is easier when your boss or gossipy co-worker is relaxing on a beach. “Find out, to the best of your ability, when your boss and other colleagues will be out of the office, say for business events, conferences or vacation,” Cohen says. “Less monitoring means more freedom to escape from the office.” Keep the job search to your personal computer When you’re eager to ditch your current job or you’re just bored sitting at your computer, you might think browsing job postings on the clock is acceptable. That’s not true. Your employer probably has a policy against job searching on the company dime, so don’t risk your job. “Many work computers are monitored for activity that is not work-related,” Cohen says. “[It's] probably better to use a handheld device like an iPhone to do research. Use your cell phone for nonwork-related calls, and if you do not have a private office, find a private place to make calls. One of my clients actually arranged to have a phone interview at his desk, which was in an open cubicle. Not surprising, his call was heard by others, and he was fired not long after.” Perhaps the only exception to the rule is if your company has warned that layoffs are coming and that they will affect a large portion of the company. Cohen says your new priority is to find a new job, so the risk is probably worth it in that scenario. Dress for the role you have, not the role you want Most job seekers dress up for a job interview, but not all job seekers work in a formal environment. If you show up in a suit at your startup where jeans and sandals are the norm, people will notice. You might be able to make up a reason for wearing a tie once, but if it’s happening every week, you need a new plan. “It is a challenge for both men and women in a job search. One option is to have a change of clothes so as not to draw attention to the obvious and then to change off-premises, in a gym for example,” Cohen says. “Once in awhile, all of us need to dress up, but that is the exception.” Don’t panic “It is never easy to carve out time for a job search. Acknowledge that fact, and don’t beat yourself up for not accomplishing as much as you think you should have,” Cohen says. “Also know that even in the best searches, something will inevitably slip through the cracks. Just know that you will make up for the lapse when your life and schedule stabilize.” Don’t slack off Even though getting a new job is your goal, the search shouldn’t cost you the job you have. If you’re going to slack off, wait until you’ve already given your two weeks’ notice (and even then it’s not the wisest way to leave your job). But until you’ve accepted another offer, don’t neglect your current duties. “Arrive early and/or stay late occasionally at work to fulfill your commitments,” Cohen says. “The shortest path to termination is to not finish your work assignments. When you meet your deadlines, you have far more freedom to stretch the rules.”

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The Work Buzz's Latest News: Companies hiring this week

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Companies hiring this week Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:11 AM PDT Summer officially starts this week, and while it's tempting to put off the job search and opt instead to head to the beach, summer can actually be a great time to find a job. Warmer temperatures make it easier to venture outside your house to attend networking events. Some events may even take place outdoors, so you can enjoy the weather while meeting potential job contacts. Also, some companies may amp up their hiring during the summer, especially if they are in need of seasonal help. While some summer jobs may be temporary, others may eventually turn into full-time positions. Here are 10 other reasons why you shouldn't swap your job search for the sun — all of these companies are hiring this week: 1. Amedisys  Industry: Home health and hospice care Sample job titles: Home health, hospice, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathologist, sales and operations, account executive, business office manager, director of operations 2. Bob Evans Industry: Restaurant Sample job titles: Restaurant hourly positions (server, cook, host, etc.), restaurant GM, assistant manager, finance and information technology 3. Century 21 Real Estate LLC Industry: Real estate Sample job titles: Real estate agent, real estate sales associate 4. Clayton Homes  Industry: Manufactured housing Sample job titles: Sales representative, sales manager, manager in training 5. ConAm Management Industry: Property management Sample job titles: Leasing consultant, assistant manager, community manager, help desk support, maintenance technician, business manager, groundskeeper, housekeeper, director 6. Echo Global Logistics Industry: Logistics/technology Sample job titles: Sales trainee, carrier sales representative, .Net developer, corporate sales executive, senior C# developer, account manager, DBA/report developer 7. FTI Consulting Industry: Professional services Sample job titles: Consultant specializing in strategic communications, corporate finance, forensic accounting, eDiscovery or economics; information technology; data center operations; eDiscovery sales 8. Raymond James Financial Industry: Finance Sample job titles: IT, finance, administrative, operations, field branch opportunities 9. ResCare Industry: Human services Sample job titles: Direct care staff, home health aide 10. Yale Enforcement Services Industry: Security Sample job titles: Security officer, security guard, security site supervisor

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ResumeBear Blog

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Telemarketing Work is it For You? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:11 AM PDT With so many different career choices out there, does telemarketing sound like it suits you? Whether it is working from a home business or for a company onsite, careers in telemarketing can dial-up good opportunities for the right individuals. That of course stands provided that the individual is comfortable dealing with multiple personalities on the phone on any given day. Prior to embarking on work in telemarketing, an individual needs to go and search out the various telemarketing jobs that are on the market. Among such positions would be appointment setting, selling over the phone, and in-bound and out-bound call centers. Once you have determined which area suits you best, you need to determine if you want to work out of your residence or be placed in an action call center setting. One way to determine what may be best for you is by talking to people that have done one or both in order to get a feel for what was asked of them. If you find yourself to be shy in dealing with others or have a tough time getting individuals to go along with what you are offering, going into telemarketing is not exactly the best career choice. One of the many benefits that attract individuals to a telemarketing position is the ability to work from home in many instances. With such an opportunity, individuals will need to demonstrate that they are capable of being disciplined enough to work out of their home, something not everyone is adept at. Should you be applying for a telemarketing position, be sure to note: •    Your background experience in dealing with the public, especially in instances over the phone; •    Your ability to work off of a script in a number of instances, yet where you do not come across as robotic; •    Being able to deal with customers that may have an issue they need taken care of. If you are not good at problem solving, think twice about a career in this line of work; •    Your willingness to deal with multiple personalities on any given day. You will come across some individuals that are easy to get along with, while others will test your patience. As you are applying for and responding to ads for telemarketing jobs, keep in mind that you will not only be interviewed, but in many cases receive a tryout for the position. This can involve dealing with a fake customer that is upset over a purchase etc. You will be judged on how you handle the situation, whether or not you keep your emotions in check, and what remedy you can bring to the problem. If you are comfortable in dealing with others, have a knack for solving problems and love talking to people, telemarketing may be just the call you were waiting for. If few or none of those things sound appealing to you, you may want to pass on answering the phone and find another career choice. Dave Thomas, who discusses subjects such as telemarketing, writes extensively for San Diego-based Business.com.

Do You Have a “I” Based Resume? Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:28 AM PDT There is no “I” in “team.” There shouldn’t be an “I” in your resume either. That’s the advice of Anne-Marie Baiynd, President and CEO of TheTradingBook.com and the former CEO of a recruiting firm. “Resumes that are focused in ‘I’ space are a really big turnoff to managers,” Baiynd told StreetID. “Managers who are serious about building good teams for their companies do not want an I-based resume. 'I did this, I did that.’.” Instead, Baiynd said that employers want to see words like “led,” “saved,” “created,” and “facilitated,” as in these examples: 1.    ”Led this impact…” 2.    ”Saved this much money…” 3.    ”Created this much revenue…” 4.    ”Facilitated the growth of…” “Remember: when we write resumes — particularly as younger people — we write them as, ‘Hey, listen, here’s what I want,’” Baiynd continued. “That is the last thing a company cares about. They don’t care about what you want. They care about what they want. If you give them what they want, you’re going to get what you want. But it’s got to be focused from that element of superior and subordinate.” Baiynd said that there’s a control element that a manger or a company wants to keep in order to choose the right person. “Someone that seems very self-involved and center of an approach (and that sort of thing) is really…they’re not going to fit into a culture that ends up making you happy because it’s a ‘we’ culture instead of an ‘I’ culture,” Baiynd explained. “Anything that shows your willingness to step out, to go the extra mile, to find a solution where there wasn’t one,” are things to focus on, Baiynd added. “There are a lot of people who say, ‘You gotta keep it to one page…’ In all my years in recruiting, I’ve read tens of thousands of resumes, and I can promise you I have never read one from start to finish, every single word. I’m a gigantic scanner; I will look at something and say, ‘I see what they’ve done there. I see what they’ve done there.’” Baiynd acknowledges that some people have had “amazingly prolific” careers with a lot of accomplishments. “Again, those key elements are going to be, if I had to put a gun to your head and say, ‘Give me the top three to four things you did at each job you were at,’ and then you can write at the addendum, ‘If you’re interested in more about what I did on XYZ, please see…’ And then attach an addendum that doesn’t need to be read.” What if your accomplishments aren’t easy to quantify? “If you have a career where you don’t have those things you can write down, you need to think about what it is that you are giving to a company,” said Baiynd. “Are you just going to search for a paycheck someplace? If you are, you’re going to have a lot tougher time finding a job versus the guy or gal who’s saying, ‘I’m ready to go put my stamp on something. I am not here to just shuffle on by.’” But if you are there just for the paycheck, Baiynd said that you must realize that you’re competing against people who are out to make a difference. “And if you’re comfortable with that… There’s a philosophy about work. ‘I’m not selling my life to my job. My job doesn’t do that for me, so why should I do that for it?’ Nothing wrong with that. Just realize that the space you compete in might very well have people who are saying, ‘No, I do wanna do that. I am willing to put myself out there. I am willing to go the extra mile to get myself to the next phase, and you know what? I’m carving things out and I can sit back on my laurels later. I can marry later. I can have kids later.”” Jesse Marrus is the Founder and CEO of StreetID, a financial career matchmaking, news and networking site.  He has unique insight into the financial services job industry including career advice, employment trends, fund formations, layoffs and hiring developments.

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