Friday, June 10, 2011

blogging4jobs

Fear Monster — What’s Driving Your Decisions?

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:06 AM PDT

fear, hr fear, fear of failure, fear holding you back, fear of HR, fear of human resources, employee engagement, employment branding transparency, corporate transparency, controlled transparency

Fear — it’s the only thing that holds us back. In my line of work, I see this every single day. HR professionals are fearful of the change that they oversee. Fearful of the extra work. They fear the unknown. They fear what they can’t control. The fear of the beyond. But what people love and what they really crave is transparency, authenticity, the power to be yourself. It’s refreshing. It’s unusual, and apparently it’s a special, special thing.
I had no idea . . .
Since I can remember, I’ve always had a voice. An inner voice compelled to share my insights, knowledge, and point of view. A voice I couldn’t turn off. And throughout my professional career and I climbed the traditional corporate ladder, I learned to control this voice. Shut it down. Become a shell of myself. For nearly four years, I played this game. I followed the rules and did what I was told although the rules didn’t make sense. The rules and message was sucking my soul. It was the sound and smell of fear.
And fear was the driving catalyst of that message. Companies fearing employees who thought for themselves. Lived a life. Had a voice, but this is changing.
Yesterday, I sat in a room full of nearly 200 professionals at the People Report Summer Camp Conference. This group is a mix of marketing and human resource professionals who are sitting in the same room together, talking about engagement with consumers, employees, and candidates. And working together. Yes, I said together.
Without so many words, the underlying conversation rests on fear. How to break these barriers. Have a voice. Make a change and overcome that big scary monster — fear. Be themselves allowing their employees to do the same. Working together to make this actually happen. To change the internal culture of an organization and an industry.
How refreshing. This is my second year at the summer camp, and I’ve come to believe that this group of service and restaurant industry professionals are leading the pack. Setting the bar and standard for the future of work. Why? Because the service industry employs our future workforce before their our future workforce. At age 16, my first job was in fast food. I grew up there. Learning about culture, responsibility, and the value of engagement and interaction. The industry works with these future leaders, professionals before anyone else forcing them to adapt to change. Forcing them to change and adapt and attract this future workforce. This industry works out the kinks, tests the waters, and sets the standard long before the rest of us.
The service industry is the bar in which all other are measured. They are the first candidate courting experience and working relationship that these young future professionals face. They’ve been living and adapting to the tech savvy Millenial workforce for the last 10-20 years. And it wasn’t surprising to this group when I mentioned that 83% of Millenials sleep with their cells phones. This is old hat for these service pros, and headline news for the professional workforce.
While much of the conversation centers around social media engagement, relationships, and organizational transparency, the underlying theme is fear. How to overcome it, react to it, and be open and honest about fear with yourself, for your employees, and your organization.
Photo Credit Kaboodle.

Need a job? Mind your manners!

ResumeBear Blog

Need a job? Mind your manners!

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:12 AM PDT

This week, I had the opportunity to attend one of the largest Job Fairs here in the Seattle area. No, I wasn't LOOKING for a job… was helping a business partner staff their booth. It was eye-opening to me because I'd never attended one before. Yes, certainly I had the basic idea of what occurs in one, but having never attended, I wasn't certain.
My business partner is in the "business" of providing career development services to individuals and organizations. And, because of that, "we" were in the position of giving candidates advice on their job search. As a content-development partner for them, I had a first-hand look at how the advice I give professionals about their social skills is truly a strategic tool in their job search, and, frankly, at any point in their career.
Some of it is SO basic, or should be. Yet, too many people just don't have the right tools. For example, it takes 27 seconds to make a first impression. I had several job searchers approach our booth and the first sentence out of their mouth was, literally, "What jobs are you hiring for?" Uh, where's the foreplay? You could at least start with "hello" or introduce yourself. Of those valuable 27 seconds you had to make that impression, what picture did your opening sentence present to me? It is so simple to just use a few different words, a slightly different approach, and you'd have a better chance of getting a foot in the door.
Others asked what advice I could give them about being more successful at the job fair. Well, it became patently obvious that with 3600 job seekers coming through in a 4-hour span, not a single person was going to get hired on the floor. And nearly everyone was there to try to get their foot in the door with a prospective employer. It was gun-shot fashion.
So, my best word of advice was: don't do what others are doing. Everyone is there pitching themselves, and as I explain in my book, people have a natural aversion to being "sold." So, don't go to the Job Fair with the plan of trying to sell yourself.
Instead, consider just making contact with potential employers. I suggested they do this: ask the recruiter this question – "What are three things you would say an ideal candidate for your company would have?" Listen to what they have to say, and, make a note of it. Get a card, keep this information handy so that when you contact the recruiter to follow up a few days after the Job Fair, you have a way to connect with him/her in a direct way that is head-and-shoulders better than just foisting a resume on them.
If you follow up with a note later that says, in essence "I met you at XYZ Job Fair this week to discuss opportunities with you." Then, you indicate that the recruiter named three things/skills the ideal candidate would possess and then highlight how your job experience, skills or talents fit those ideal characteristics, you stand a much better chance of making a positive impression.
However, when you cite those three things, make sure they genuinely match who you are or what you've done. Don't stretch the truth because it will come out at some point in the interview process. You must be genuine. That also means being genuinely interested in the job they have. If you just want an informational interview, by all means say that. But don't lead them on just to get a foot in the door. If you don't fit their needs, don't waste your time…or theirs.
It's all basic Manners 101 — "Treat others the way you want to be treated." It's very simple, but there are lots of ways you can use that in both your interviewing process and all throughout your career. That's how today's business leaders "…stand out and be successful."

About Corinne Gregory

The 'Civil' Warrior & School Crusader

I'm an author, speaker, award-winning educator focused on social skills, character and values development for children, educators, and professionals. As the President and Founder of SocialSmarts, a nationally-recognized, schools-based program for building positive social skills, I'm very passionate about improving the education system for every child, every teacher, every family. While it may seem like a big job — changing our education system — it's a necessary one, and one we can do, if we work together and insist on it.

My experience and message about the power of social skills and positive character have been featured on such leading media as The Today Show, CNN, Good Morning America, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post and many more.

For more on SocialSmarts and how we are transforming education, click here.

To book me as a speaker for your students, education staff or business, email triciam@socialsmarts.com for info and schedule. You can also learn more about my presentations, view testimonials and videos at www.corinnegregory.com

Job Leads Using Twitter? Yes!

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 11:00 PM PDT

Let’s face it… Twitter is here to stay for some time. It’s a hot technology that grows with new users by the day. And now, it’s becoming a unique place to identify job leads. That’s right…JOB LEADS. One of our approved career experts, Teena Rose, just published...

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

What to Avoid When Designing and Writing a Cover Letter

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 10:30 PM PDT

Anyone writing a cover letter to a hiring manager should follow some golden rules before licking that envelope shut or sending that e-mail.

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

[FREE Webinar] Personal Branding Q&A Session with J.T

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 10:00 PM PDT

Have questions about personal branding you'd like answered by an expert? If so, then this Brand ME! webinar on CAREEREALISM TV is for you!

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