EmployNet

Art Inspired Fashion Mix

2010-11-30T20:55:00.012-05:00

Don't underestimate the Power of your choices. The trick is to learn to SEE the world around you as a fascinating and glorious closet of possibility. Stylist are Social Artist....we speak a quiet and alluring universal language.

Creating Wealth & Owning Your Own Business - Join Us & Learn How

2010-11-27T00:12:00.006-05:00

Creating Wealth & Owning Your Own Business - Join Us & Learn How
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE???

Northwest Community Center
18100 Meyers Road - Space 5 (In the basement)
Detroit, Michigan 48235

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
6:30pm - 8:00 pm
Cost: FREE - PLEASE BE PROMPT - LIMITED SEATING

Let's Create the Vision Together

Some people say that wealth measured in dollars doesn't have any real value. They think you should spend your time creating value that has nothing to do with money. Chances are those people are poor and kind of bitter about being poor. If you want to create wealth that lasts, you must understand what real wealth is and what it is not. Money is only one part of the equation - but it is still part of the equation in today's modern world.

Creating wealth in every part of your life that will last is about seeing the potential value and beauty in everything. Your health, your family, your love life, your finances, your job and everything else in your life has value, the sum of which can be considered your total wealth. If any area in your life feels below your full potential, your total wealth will likewise suffer. So what does any of this have to do with creating wealth that lasts?

Well, I am glad you asked!!!

Robert J McNulty, Chairman/CEO
Robert J. McNulty and his vision for creating wealth are an integral part of the financial equation. Mr. McNulty is an accomplished entrepreneur with over 25 years of significant experience in specialty retail, e-commerce, branded consumer products, retail start-ups and developing new concepts and technology platforms for utilization in the retail industry. He has entered into a new business venture that has surpassed everyone's expectations - he has sent leaders into the field to promote and to allow others to share in his vision.

Please Join Us and accept this as your invitation to an informational presentation that leads to a world of possibilities and financial freedom for the residents of the state of Michigan.

See You There!!!

Thoughts on Social Media

2010-08-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

What makes social media valuable? That was part of the discussion at one of our recent Monday morning gatherings.

For companies Social Media (SocMedia) has several practical uses for finding employees. One is to identify those individuals who are acquainted with new trends in technology. Not that we necessarily have to be experts in the intricate minutia of all the platforms and websites available, but that that we are aware they are out there and we're keeping abreast of what's happening.

Another practical use is to identify people who are adaptable to the changes that occur in the workaday world. Technology changes rapidly, It only took a couple of years for Facebook to replace MySpace as the place to be on the web, and then came Twitter!

For individuals it's a chance to add to our networking repertoire. If networking is about interacting with people, social media offers a chance to expand our reach wherever interests may take us. It doesn't replace getting out and meeting new people, but enhances our ability to maintain contact and grow relationships.

Resume ~ Tip of the week 7/13/10

2010-07-13T15:16:00.001-04:00

When creating your new résumé, don’t list minute details of every task you’ve done in every job you’ve had. Recruiters don’t have the time or patience to sort through irrelevant information. Summarize your job tasks in quick, short, and to-the-point snippets. Here’s an example of a significantly overstated task:

Created three databases consisting of employee names, addresses, and salary information for review by senior managers and vice presidents. Sorted information into reports alphabetizing employees by name and then listing employee salaries from highest to lowest to assist Payroll when printing checks and to help Human Resources when conducting job audits.
Note the length of the sentences and the detail provided. This example contains 56 words, roughly 50 more than needed.

Let’s look at this example more closely. The candidate’s ability to create databases is the information that needs to be conveyed. What the databases were for, who benefited from the reports, and why the reports were needed is irrelevant to the reader. Since a résumé has limited space, it’s much more effective to write, “Created numerous complex databases.” Remember, the person reviewing your résumé is only interested in what you can do, so be sure to tell them. If they want more details, they’ll ask you for them during your telephone screen or interview. Make sure you use the space on your résumé wisely and fill it with the information needed to get you that interview.

SHORT, SWEET, FACTUAL, and TO THE POINT!

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Thoughts on Motivation

2010-07-12T14:13:00.002-04:00

Jodi Knittel made a presentation at the Ferndale Career Center last year had a number of good ideas about things to help stay motivated when life is becomes challenging.

Being a Jobseeker has many challenges ranging from guessing what a potential employer is looking for in a resume / cover letter to the challenges of searching day after day. How to stay motivated?

Make a sound track of music that moves us. Natasha Bedeinfield's Unwritten or Gloria Estefan's Get On Your Feet were Jodi's examples of music that provided a lift when she needed it. These are songs that can have a mix of upbeat tempo and positive lyrics. My list includes Erasure's Yahoo and Sister Hazel's Change Your Mind. What does your playlist have?

Another suggestion was the Personal Affirmation. "I am ________________, ________________, and ________________. What are your three best qualities? Are you helpful? Friendly? Inquisitive? Dreamer? Intelligent? This works to remind, or convince, us of what we have to offer people and potential employers. That we're now looking for a job doesn't take these traits away from us.

Maintaining social contacts is important, so the last suggestion is a "Board of Motivation." These are the friends and associates who can help keep you on task, particularly when things like swimming or reading seem so much more attractive.

What are your challenges to staying motivated? How do you deal with the challenges as they arise?

Alex Hardesty (twitter: alex_hardestyMI)

Web Resources

http://www.pickthebrain.com/ A website dedicated to self improvement with a focus on personal productivity, motivation, and self education.

http://jeknetwork.typepad.com Adopting the Mentoring and Networking Lifestyle: John E. Kobara shares How Passion and Altruism Can Bring Meaning to Your Life and Your Career

50 Hot Jobs: http://www.milmi.org/admin/uploadedPublications/1153_HOT-50-Jobs-Flyer-OCT-06.pdf

Meeting Notes: 28-Jun-10

2010-07-01T07:53:00.002-04:00

Attendees: Karen Mousseau (Proj Mgmt), Al Green (Mid-Sr. Sales / Mktg), Gus Siegmund (Graphic Artist), Mary Williams (Elec. Control Drafter), Patricia Stewart (Admin), Heather Coleman (Training Facilitator, FCC), Joanne Scharick (Writer/Librarian), Kim Beebe (Const. Proj. Mgmt), Maggie Forbes (Healthcare), Alex Hardesty (Paralegal student)

Agenda:
1. Introductions

2. Social Media:
i. http://www.linkup.com/ Is limited to companies hiring and is not an aggregator like Indeed.Com;
ii. New format for LinkedIn discussion groups;
iii. Participation is key to making Social Media valuable;
iv. Companies are using social media for connections to weed out un-innovative individuals (inadaptable?)
v. Blogging basics
vi. Ways to use SocMed (tweet announcement at specific people [@TwitterUser] so they will see it and can send it along to their followers)

3. Heather announced new workshops:
i. Employee or Entrepreneur? July 23, 2p;
ii. Social Media for Small Businesses. July 28, 2p;
iii. Blogging, coming in August.
iv. Experienced Worker group meets at 10 a Wednesdays at Coffee Beanery in Berkley, north of Catalpa on west side of Woodward.

4. Leadership:
i. The managers of the LinkedIn group have become unavailable due to jobs or changes in personal situations;
ii. Alex Hardesty was asked to take notes and put out group announcements and will continue to do so,

Note:
We are pretty informal, so while I picked the planned topic (Monday's was "How Do You Stay Motivated?") another relevant discussion develops and the planned one will be put off until another day.

Are you interested in meeting July 5th, after the holiday?

Alex Hardesty

Interview the Interviewer

2010-06-24T15:27:00.001-04:00

There are many books and blogs and workshops about preparing for the interview. They talk about issues ranging from wearing appropriate clothing to bringing copies of relevant documents. These are important items, but there is one that could be expanded on a little better: Ask questions in the interview. Good advice, but not everyone can think of questions in the middle of the pressure of an interview. So the easy solution: Don't.

It's a good idea to have questions prepared ahead time, just in case you don't think of any while sitting in the hot seat across from the interviewer. It's important to showing your interest and ability to be prepared from the very start in a competitive job market.

Research the company:

There aren't many businesses that don't have a presence on the web anymore. Is there good or bad news out there that might suggest questions about upcoming business opportunities or challenges? How do they see their business growing in the future?

Interview the interviewer:

Ask the interviewer about their experience at the company. What are the benefits and challenges of working for this particular organization?

One idea is to look them up through social media sites liked LinkedIn or Twitter. As more and more people are opting into the social media / networking model it's getting easier to find out information about professionals and be prepared to meet them. There may be some common interest or experience that you can identify and have as a relevant conversation point in the interview.

Web Resources:

Job Seekers Advice: http://www.jobseekersadvice.com/interview_advice/articles/questions_to_ask_in_interviews.htm

CareerBuilder : http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-656-Getting-Hired-10-Questions-to-Dazzle-Would-Be-Employers/

Resume Tip of the Week ~ June 7

2010-06-08T11:46:00.001-04:00

In previous résumé tips, I’ve focused on the critical need to thoroughly proofread your résumé, but this week, I came across a poem which made me decide to emphasize this point again. The poem is by an unknown author, and it’s a perfect example of why NOT to rely on your computer’s spelling and grammar check as your sole proofreading tool. The poem reads as follows…

I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC;
It plainly marks four MI revue,
Mistakes I dew not sea.
I’ve run this poem write threw it,
I’m sure your pleas too no,
Its letter perfect in it’s weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.
Although this poem makes us laugh, it’s also extremely eye-opening. Think about how many times you’ve hit the send button and cringed because you knew you didn’t proofread the e-mail or document you were sending as well as you should have. Don’t make the same mistake when sending out your résumé. Proofread your résumé several times, print out a hard copy and use a pen to mark the corrections, walk away from the document and re-read it several hours later, and ask a friend to proofread it for you. ALWAYS PROOFREAD!

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Helping others, does help ourselves!

Resume Tip of the Week ~ June 1

2010-06-01T10:55:00.000-04:00

This week’s résumé writing tip is simple. I’m going to tell you what NOT to include on your résumé. Of course, many NOT-to-include items are straightforward and obvious, but others may surprise you. Let’s start with a few of the obvious no-no’s: date of birth; marital status; number of children; personal data such as weight, height, ethnicity, and health; and a photograph. Although it’s unfortunate, including any of these items on your résumé could result in discrimination and eliminate you from consideration. We don’t like to think about discrimination, and we hope it doesn’t occur, but we have to be realistic and realize listing age, race, and personal information could exclude you. I recommend you don’t provide any information that could be misinterpreted or misused.

The next items to leave off your résumé are not as obvious, but should be excluded nonetheless. Letters of recommendation and a list of reference names and contact information shouldn’t be added. There’s simply no need to include references or recommendations at this point in the hiring process, so wait until they’re requested and you’re actually being interviewed for a job. Next, listing the date you created the résumé, the date you’re available to start working, and the reasons you left previous positions isn’t appropriate. The only dates you should include are the dates of employment for each position you’ve held. Finally, don’t include salary history. Listing the salary you made in previous and current positions can only hurt you. Ultimately, if the information isn’t going to assist you in obtaining an interview and isn’t relevant to the job, don’t include it on your résumé.

iHireRetail provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact iHireRetail at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Helping others, will help ourselves!

How Humor Can Help You at Work :-)

2010-05-25T12:14:00.002-04:00

How Humor Can Help You at Work
By Robert Half International

Advanced Search >> Looking for something to smile about at work? How about this: Flexing your funny bone can significantly enhance your professional prospects. Ninety-one percent of executives surveyed by Robert Half International consider a sense of humor important to career advancement.

Consider the following real-life office pranks from a Robert Half survey that asked executives to describe the funniest April Fools' jokes they have observed in an office environment:

"One worker's office was filled with sawdust."

"A few people used plastic wrap to cover the opening around an employee's cubicle and then filled the workspace with small foam balls."

"Someone frosted a cookie with children's toothpaste and offered it to a co-worker."

"A couple of employees cleaned out everything from another person's office."

"One person's colleagues loaded his office with sand and beach toys."

"We put tape underneath a colleague's mouse so he couldn't move it."

"One employee in my office placed a plastic leg under a co-worker's desk for a scare."

"We turned everything backward in one person's office -- the computer, desk and pictures."

"Someone changed the keys on my keyboard."

"We filled a colleague's office with balloons."

Displaying levity on the job can help you build rapport with those around you, facilitate open communication, and contribute to a positive work environment. And, perhaps most importantly, a comic touch can work to relieve tension on even the most stressful days.

But keep in mind that not all high jinks are well received. It's crucial to take into consideration your organization's and co-workers' perspectives when it comes to comic relief. Humor should be work appropriate and never mean spirited or at the expense of others.

Here are some tips to ensure you're not an April Fool:

Say no to sarcasm.
People often use humor as an indirect way of berating others. Here's an example: "I can't believe you're here on time -- what's the occasion?" Sarcasm is rarely a good idea, so keep these types of comments to yourself.

Be the butt of your own joke.
Go ahead, poke fun at your foibles. Doing so can put others at ease in your presence, and you don't risk offending someone else by making him or her the target of your joke. For example, if you trip while giving a presentation, a comment like, "I hope you're as head over heels about this idea as I am" can help ease any awkwardness. Just be sure to keep your comments light; you don't want your co-workers to think your attempt at humor is a cry for help.

Laugh with others.
You can be perceived as having a great sense of humor without ever telling a joke. Just tune in to the humor styles of those around you and share in the fun.

Create a 'funny file.'
You have files for various projects or committees you're involved in, so how about developing a "funny file," as well? Create a folder filled with appropriate workplace cartoons (such as the Dilbert comic strip), amusing newspaper articles, humorous letters or e-mails from friends, or anything else that tickles your funny bone. The next time one of your co-workers feels overwhelmed or under the weather, you can surprise him or her with a snippet from your file. Just be mindful to avoid items that are offensive or otherwise in poor taste.

Convene a fun committee.
Invite co-workers to join in your quest to "up the office fun factor." Together, brainstorm ways to add excitement to the workweek -- surprising co-workers with breakfast or treating the team to an afternoon at the park, for instance. Just be sure to consult your department head before executing any plans; you'll want to obtain his or her approval and determine other details, such as budget and scheduling.

Issue trivia quizzes.
What did Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes name their baby? From which state did the last "American Idol" hail? Most people enjoy keeping up with pop culture, so why not create a friendly competition around it? You also can grill people on sports, geography or food -- whatever topics the team finds interesting. Even if the only prize for answering the most questions correctly is posting the name of the winner in a prominent spot, the joy of conjuring up random information and discussing the "stumpers" can increase the general playfulness of any work area.

Capture Kodak moments.
Keep a disposable camera on hand for all to use to capture those moments when you and your colleagues are at your best -- or worst. Then, post the pictures on a community bulletin board. A candid snapshot from the day everyone unintentionally wore lime-green shirts, for example, is bound to brighten the mood.

A culture of fun at work can improve communication, reduce stress and increase productivity. So don't be afraid to flex your funny bone -- just be sure to do so in a business-appropriate way.

Robert Half International Inc. is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.

A little tasteful humor can go a long way. If everyone would laugh and smile a little more, what a happier world we would all enjoy!

Résumé Tip of the Week ~ May 23rd

2010-05-25T12:08:00.000-04:00

When writing your résumé, you should keep design elements in mind. One very important design element, which greatly affects the visual appearance of your résumé, is the use of white space. By “white space”, I mean any space on your résumé that doesn’t contain type. When used properly, white space will enhance readability and allow your reader to clearly identify qualifications. But if you rely on the default of the typed line font to dictate the flow, organization, and visual appeal of your document, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice. Readability of a document is a critical component of ensuring your résumé is selected for review by a recruiter.

In an attempt to better utilize white space, don’t haphazardly skip lines and increase margin size. Instead, one effective tactic is to decrease the font size of skipped lines—in order to create definition between transitioning information and allow for visually appealing white space, you can easily reduce the font size of empty lines. For example, when transitioning from a job description paragraph to a bullet point highlighting an accomplishment using a 12-point font, I recommend you skip a line between the paragraph and the bullet point and change the font size of the skipped line to 3-point. By reducing the font size of the skipped line, you’re creating the appearance of white space without wasting a 12-point space. Small adjustments to line size when spacing between differing information can greatly improve visual appeal.

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Working together, we will accomplish great things!

Résumé Tip of the Week ~ May 12th

2010-05-19T14:53:00.001-04:00

Résumé Tip of the Week

When developing the summary section of your résumé, make sure you know your job target. Many people think reciting their work history is enough to get them an interview, but they’re wrong. A strong résumé begins with a summary focusing on your qualifications, areas of expertise, and the value you offer that other candidates do not. If your résumé appears unfocused, you won’t grab the attention of the reader. A recruiter is always reading a résumé with a job title or job description in mind, so don’t leave them guessing what you have to offer.

In order to land the job you want, you need a three-to-five-sentence summary paragraph describing your job title, area of work, the industries you’ve worked in, your qualifications, and your specific expertise. You want to create excitement about your abilities and prove to your reader that you’re a candidate who should be seriously considered for the job, which is why your summary is such an important part of your résumé. It’s critical that you immediately capture your reader’s attention and generate interest in your qualifications. Remember, the goal of your résumé is to persuade your reader to contact you for an interview, and unless you’re being referred to a hiring manager by a professional contact or friend, your résumé is your only ticket through an employer’s front door.

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Working together we will accomplish great things!

Cover Letter Etiquette Tips - So Important in today's career search

2010-05-19T14:50:00.001-04:00

Posted By: Heather Eagar In: Job Seeker - Cover Letters
Whether you’ve written one or one hundred cover letters in your lifetime, they can present enough challenges to make you dread the process each time. It’s for this reason that many people resort to the “carbon copy” cover letter as opposed to creating an original one for each job application. If you want to make sure that your cover letter is unique and appropriate, let’s take a look at some cover letter etiquette tips to consider.

Whether you’ve written one or one hundred cover letters in your lifetime, they can present enough challenges to make you dread the process each time. It’s for this reason that many people resort to the “carbon copy” cover letter as opposed to creating an original one for each job application.

The “carbon copy” cover letter is not recommended because it lacks authenticity. Even worse, it forces you to turn your back on cover letter etiquette. If you want to make sure that your cover letter is unique and appropriate, let’s take a look at some cover letter etiquette tips to consider.

Tip #1: Keep the Cover Letter Personal

The first tip to keep in mind when writing a cover letter is that you want to make sure that it’s personal. You may have read in a business writing book at some point that it’s common to address the reader as “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.” While these terms can be appropriate when absolutely necessary, it’s better to track down the hiring manager at a company so that you may address him or her directly (ex. Dear Mr. Smith) in your salutation.

Tip #2: Focus on the Employer’s Needs

Another etiquette tip to keep in mind when creating your cover letter is focusing on the employer’s needs. This concept goes back to the “carbon copy” cover letter that looks just like the last 15 you’ve written. It’s always important to keep in mind that no two jobs are exactly the same, which is why your cover letters shouldn’t be the same either. To honor these differences, it’s good to focus on the specific needs of the employer and afterward addressing your own strengths and how they can help the company achieve their desired success. This way, you can help the hiring manager more easily align the company’s goals with your qualifications, which in turn can increase your chances of being hired.

Tip #3: Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s

Another aspect of cover letter etiquette is making sure that you proofread every word, ensure all grammar is correct, and most importantly, make sure that every bit of information you offer is 100% honest. You don’t want the employer to run a background check only to find out you’ve lied on any of your documentation. So before submitting your cover letter, it’s important to ensure every I is dotted and every T is crossed.

Tip #4: Keep it Short and Sweet

The fourth tip to consider when writing your cover letter is length. If you become passionate about what you’re writing, you can easily say too much, which can frustrate the hiring manager who has many more to read. So in the writing process, your job is to explain why you’re qualified and why you want the job as concisely as possible. This way, the hiring manager won’t trash your cover letter before getting to all of those great qualifications that would have otherwise gotten you hired for the job.

Now that you’ve learned a little about cover letter etiquette, it’s time to get started on your own. What are you waiting for? Your next job is just a great cover letter away.

Helping others, helps myself!

7 Ways Your Resume is Just as Boring as Everyone Else’s

2010-05-19T14:46:00.000-04:00

Posted By: Jessica Holbrook On: 3/24/2010 10:40:25 AM In: Job Seeker - Resume
Here are seven ways your resume isn’t quite cutting it. So take it out, brush it off, and let’s kick it up a notch.

The economy seems to be picking up a little, and more and more job seekers are coming to us and letting us know about internal opportunities within their organization that they would like to apply to. But even as more opportunities open up, the competition is as strong—or stronger than ever before. Here are seven ways your resume isn’t quite cutting it. So take it out, brush it off, and let’s kick it up a notch.

It’s still sporting that outdated objective.

If your resume is utilizing an objective, you really should trash it and start all over with a fresh, powerful introduction that incorporates a personal branding statement. A tailored career summary and polished personal branding statement will catch the employer’s attention and give him or her the best information up front—the information he or she needs to make a decision to call you to schedule an interview.

The design/format is generic or elementary for your professional level and experience.

There is a strategy behind resume formatting and design. If you are an executive, yet you are using an entry level resume format, you will look unprofessional and under-qualified.

It’s missing important keywords.

Omit keywords and the software system scanning your resume can’t find you. The recruiter giving your resume a quick once-over is looking for specific keywords as well. Leave them out and you’ll be left out of the interview process.

Generic and/or vague statements.

Avoid using the same old terminology that everyone else uses in their resumes. Yes, we know you can problem solve. But instead of telling me you’re a problem solver, show me the result of a problem you solved.

Soft skills vs. hard skills.

And the championship goes to … hard skills. I used to be a full-time recruiter, and I used Monster and CareerBuilder to search for candidates. Not once did I ever enter the search terms: great communicator, excellent verbal skills, detail-oriented. These are universal statements that millions use to describe themselves. Give me something tangible and relevant to the position I am trying to fill.

Duties and responsibilities

Instead of wasting valuable real estate on your resume providing me with a rundown of your job description (the same one I’ve read a million times as a hiring manager), show me what you achieved, what you accomplished, and what you contributed in the past. WOW me with something other than the predictable, mundane job description. I want to know the challenges you faced in your previous roles, how you addressed them, and the results you obtained. This makes you different from everyone else. No two people will have the exact same experiences. Your experiences are what make you outshine your competition—USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

Are you passive or active?

Using terminology that is passive is boring and lacks action. Instead of using phrases like ‘served as’, ‘duties included’, ‘promoted to’, ‘worked with’ … choose strong action verbs. Action verbs do just what they say: they convey action and, ultimately, results. The hiring manager is interested in results you can provide about what you did along the way. Choose terms like: Launched, Catapulted, Spearheaded, and Pioneered. These terms tell me something. They show me the action you took and captivate my attention so that I want to read on to discover the results you achieved.

Your resume needs to do two things: It needs to capture the hiring manager’s attention—and it needs to motivate him or her to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. If you look and sound like everyone else, you have no competitive advantage. And therefore, you’ve provided the HR person with zero motivation to pick up the phone, call you, and schedule an interview. Stop creating a ‘same old, same old’ resume that looks and feels just like everyone else’s. Start today by adding some variety and focusing on your accomplishments.

The more information and tools we have, will make us more successful!

Résumé Tip of the Week May 10th

2010-05-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

When you’re out shopping for a product, whether you’re conscious of it or not, you’re thinking, “What’s in it for me?” You want to make sure you get your money’s worth. The same is true for an employer hiring a new employee. They want to know what’s in it for them. In today’s job market, companies have too many applicants to choose from for each position. Although you may believe you’re the best candidate for the job, unless you effectively communicate your skills in your résumé, you may never get an opportunity to interview. Some people think, because they have a degree from a particular college or have 20 years of experience, they’re entitled to a position. However, the candidate who’s contacted for the interview is the one who proved to the employer they can do the job AND produce winning results.

A hiring manager’s goal is to make sure they employ the right people to keep the company moving forward. It may sound selfish, but they want to keep their job, and hiring the right employees is critical to their success. You need to put yourself in the seat of the hiring manager and think about what you would want to see on a résumé. Is it the university they attended, the years of experience they have, or the contributions and proven abilities demonstrated in their work history that’s going to pique your interest? When writing your résumé, you need to convey that you’re business-savvy by effectively communicating your qualifications; you need to demonstrate your understanding of what’s required to be successful; and, finally, you need to present a record of your contributions to achieving company goals and objectives. Keep in mind, the résumé may be “all about you”, but you need to make it sound “all about the employer”.

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Résumé Tip of the Week 5/3

2010-05-04T11:18:00.000-04:00

When you’re trying to position yourself above the competition, there are key words and phrases that you should include in your résumé. In order to create excitement about your abilities and qualifications, you need to use action verbs that generate interest and draw your reader in. For example, words and phrases such as “Responsible for…”, “Managed…”, and “Duties included…” are boring and uninteresting. There’s nothing in that terminology that convinces a reader that you’re someone who can produce results. Elevating the language throughout your document will elevate the interest in your résumé.

Your résumé should be written using an active tone to communicate your qualifications. Phrases that depict you as doer and someone who can make things happen will help your statements come alive. “Proven ability…”, “Expertise in…”, “Provided…”, “Collaborated…” and “Promoted initiatives…” create a sense of excitement about your abilities. Not only are you describing what you’ve done, but you’re doing so in a way that will interest your reader. In order to stand out among all the other résumés, you need to boost your language to engross your reader, showcase your accomplishments, and instill confidence in your abilities.

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

Résumé Tip of the Week 4/26

2010-04-26T12:59:00.000-04:00

If you aren’t a member of a professional association or society related to your industry or career, I recommend you join one. Memberships and affiliations are viewed positively by employers because they demonstrate your desire to stay current with industry trends and your commitment to your career. They’re also a great way to network and make connections with others in your field.

Participating in volunteer organizations is another great way to prove your willingness to get involved and demonstrate your organizational skills. Think about it: Companies want employees to help them grow and improve their overall performance, so they look for people who show initiative and the ability to get things done by improving themselves and their communities.

Remember, however, you need to be careful when choosing organizations and affiliations to list on a résumé. For example, don’t list affiliations with religious or political groups unless you know they’ll be positively perceived by the reader of your résumé, and although you may not think an organization is controversial, you can’t know what someone else will think. Including affiliations is fantastic, but you have to be careful not to alienate your reader.

The iHireJobNetwork provides résumé writing services for interested Job Seekers. For more information, please contact us at (866)238-0161, Extension 103.

How to Get Rid of Job Interviewing Nervousness in 60 Seconds:

2010-04-24T11:32:00.000-04:00

Cynthia Hogman • The most dominant feeling when you are searching for a new job is often anxiety or fear. Most of us know the feeling. We had it on our first day of school, our first date, our first presentation. It seems to be part of being alive.
The anxiety also saps our confidence, erodes our competence, and makes our job interviews difficult and even painful.

Recent research has indicated this feeling of anxiety can be erased, temporarily, long enough to complete the interview feeling great. You can stop your feeling of anxiety any time you wish.

Now that is a new idea. There is a fairly simple brain strategy that is easy to learn, but difficult to remember to use, which erases fear. Of course, the anxious feeling will return, and that is good because the Left Brain which holds ALL your fear, keeps you safe.

Switching brains by changing your attention, from Left Brain to Right Brain, dissolves the fear. Actually the Right Brain doesn't DO fear. Only the Left Brain can produce the tight chest, shallow breathing, awkwardness, and loss of words. All the symptoms of anxiety that used to show up in your job interviews can be put on hold simply by focusing your attention in the present moment. When you put your attention in the present moment, you are tapping your Right Brain's computational abilities. These are peace, joy, connection, expansiveness and creativity. The Right Brain only works in the NOW. The Left Brain does past and future, but as soon as the Left Brain kicks in, the Fear resurrects.

How do you keep your attention in the present moment long enough to complete the job interview? Good question.

Read Further: http://bit.ly/aSXdKh

Resume Tip of the Week ~ 4/12

2010-04-12T09:26:00.000-04:00

Where should the Education section be placed on your résumé?
That depends on the recency of your education, your work history, and your career goals. Job seekers with several years of work experience should include their Education after their Professional Experience section; although education is extremely valuable and important, it’s secondary to your years of relevant work experience. However, if you’re a recent graduate, or if you’re a career changer who studied in a field that you now want to pursue and your work history is in a different field, then you should put your Education at the top of your résumé.

What if you finished school 20 years ago and recently went back for additional coursework? What if you’ve worked for 20 years but only recently finished your education? These scenarios are not as tricky as you may think. In both cases, your recent studies are very important because they demonstrate your initiative to pursue your education while working. The character and determination demonstrated by going back to school as an adult is highly admirable, and both situations are to be commended and touted. I recommend that you still put your Education section after your Professional Experience, but be sure you mention your recent studies in your Summary paragraph.

Cover Letters - More important than ever

2010-04-11T14:06:00.001-04:00

A cover letter is often times considered the gate keeper to securing an interview with a potential employer. It is typically the first communication that potential employers receive from a candidate and can directly impact whether or not they choose to read your resume and ultimately call you for an interview.

An effective cover letter should engage the reader to want to know more about you and should showcase your personality and passion for your career. It should also focus on the attributes that make you uniquely qualified for the job and describe your skills and how they would be applied to add value in the position.

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Located below are a few simple tips that you should use to create an effective cover letter:

Avoid the “standard” cover letter. You only get one chance to make a first impression, which is why it is crucial to tailor your cover letter to each and every employer and position. Whenever possible, try to address the letter to a specific person rather than using a generic salutation.

Get creative. If you have a difficult time crafting a cover letter, consider creating a video cover letter, which can be very effective in showcasing your personality to potential employers. Consider enhancing your online career portfolio by including your video resume or cover letter.

Demonstrate credibility, but don’t go overboard. The last thing you want to do in your cover letter is to give a synopsis of your resume. Keep your letter concise, focusing only on the skills that are relevant to the open position and specifically address the needs of the employer. Use your cover letter to provide detailed examples on how you would bring value to the organization and leave them wanting more.

Pay attention to detail. Always remember to proof-read your cover letter and be sure to include the correct date, position title and contact information. This may seem obvious, but even one mistake in your cover letter could cost you the interview, so it is important to not overlook the details.

End with a call to action. Conclude your cover letter by requesting an appointment to discuss your qualifications in further detail. Give a specific date and time that you plan to follow-up with the employer and demonstrate your ambition by following through on your promise. Make sure to give the employer at least a few days before following up as to not sound too anxious or desperate.

By following these simple tips, you will be on your way to creating an effective cover letter that will increase the chance that your resume will be read by potential employers. However, even the most powerful cover letter can only do so much. It is important to back-up your cover letter with a professional and powerful resume and we can help!

Land the Interview with a Professional Resume

Resume Tip of the Week ~ 4/05/2010

2010-04-05T13:01:00.001-04:00

Communicating positive attributes on a résumé without sounding like everyone else can be extremely difficult. The dilemma is how to effectively sell and substantiate virtues that tend to be overused on résumés, undervalued by readers, and claimed by everyone. Turning phrases such as “customer-focused”, “team player”, and “outstanding communication and organization” into solid facts isn’t easy. Too often, candidates claim these “soft skills” on their résumés without offering proof or evidence. It’s not easy to measure whether someone is customer-focused, a team player, or communicates well, which is why these claims have lost their impact and effectiveness.

To change the reader’s perception of your soft skills you need to look for ways to tie these skills directly to accomplishments. As an alternative to merely stating that you are customer-focused, think of a way you solved a customer’s problem or exceeded a customer’s expectations. It’s critical you demonstrate the skill in order to make someone believe you possess it. For example, you could tout that you, “Improved customer trouble ticket resolution time 25% by creating and implementing customer support procedures which identified high-priority tickets.” In this example, you not only describe HOW you were customer-focused, but you also explained the RESULT of being customer-focused. Remember, the best way to sell a soft skill is to link it directly to an achievement. Your goal should be to impress your reader by backing up your skills with solid accomplishments. Employers value soft skills when they are proven and concrete.

5 Parts to a Cover Letter (a.k.a. How to Write a Good One!)

2010-04-01T00:21:00.000-04:00

By Debra Wheatman

As a follow-up to my article on the importance of having a cover letter accompany your résumé, I am going to demonstrate here the mechanics of a well written cover letter. I hope that this provides some value and enables you to craft your own cover letter to generate interest on behalf of a potential hiring manager.

The Salutation (The Hello): Get a name, any name. By hook or by crook try to get a name. Sometimes you can’t – then try To whom it may concern or Dear hiring manager.

Dear Hiring Manager:

The Opening (The Grab): Your opening paragraph is your introduction and presents the reader with some immediate and focused information regarding the position you are pursuing and a few core competencies that demonstrate your strength:

Having contributed as an operations and general business leader, I am writing to express my interest in [Name of Position] with [Name of Company]. You will see on the enclosed résumé that I turned around an underperforming business, substantially improved productivity and employee morale, and possess critical and creative thinking skills that will facilitate my swift contribution to your sustained growth.

The Second Paragraph (The Hook): This paragraph should define some examples of the work performed and results achieved. This paragraph should be connected to your résumé. This does not mean that you should copy verbatim what is in the résumé. Rather, cover some key competencies that you feel define your success. In the event that you are highlighting some information that is not contained in the résumé (if you are switching careers, or have a unique value proposition), this is the perfect place to cover that information. Use bullets to define key areas of achievement and highlight what you bring:

My professional experiences include my recent position with XYZ Corporation as Operations Manager, and previous positions with ABC Corporation, and DEF Corporation. In all of my roles I guided the professional development of staff and gained consensus for the adoption of new ideas due to my demonstrated ability to clearly present value added recommendations. The following is a brief sample of the expertise I offer:

■ Conceptualized and implemented an innovative business strategy whereby inventory was maintained at vendor locations, resulting in the effective use of a JIT system and annual savings of $250,000 for XYZ Corporation.

■ Established internal operating procedures that reduced employee downtime by 15%. In addition to conducting cross-training initiatives, I fostered an environment predicated on accountability for results, which improved the team’s commitment to the attainment of short- and long-term goals.

■ Conducted industry and competitive analysis while at ABC Corporation, which enabled senior leadership to analyze potential acquisition opportunities. After contributing to the due diligence process, three targets were pursued, and resulted in one successful deal. From working with attorneys, investment bankers, and CPA’s, to serving as a key liaison to senior leadership, my recommendations were successfully implemented.

The Third Paragraph (Paragraph of Knowledge): Here demonstrate something you know about the company that prompted you to write. This shows the reader that you did some preliminary homework and understand the company’s drivers and goals:

After researching 123 Company, I understand that your immediate goal is to improve business performance and establish key benchmarks within [Name of Industry]. Your recent acquisition of [Company Name], puts you in a position to gain market share and establish a unique brand presence with potential and existing customers. Given my professional achievements, I am in a position to help you quickly achieve your goals.

The Fourth Paragraph (The Close): In the closing paragraph quickly summarize what you offer and close by either suggesting a meeting or indicating that you will call in a certain number of days. If you choose the latter approach, make sure you follow-up within the timeframe you reference.

I bring a tool kit comprised of leadership, strategic planning, and analytical skills; and I would be pleased to review my credentials with you to personally explore how I can contribute as a member of your senior leadership team. Please feel free to contact me at the number above to arrange a time to speak.

Sincerely,

Full Name

Enclosure: Résumé

Resume Tip of the Week - March 29, 2010

2010-03-29T12:24:00.002-04:00

Should references be included at the bottom of a résumé?
Should you send a separate list of references with your résumé?
Should you write “References Available Upon Request” at the bottom of a résumé?
The simple answer to all of these questions is NO. Many of you may be surprised by this answer, but when you send a résumé to a potential employer, it’s too early in the process to include reference information. If you list references at the bottom of your document or include a separate page, it increases the length of your résumé and gives recruiters additional paperwork to sort through and more interruptions to deal with. Remember, you want the reader to focus attention on your qualifications, not be distracted by extra information. Also, by listing references and contact information, you’re giving recruiters, and possibly the entire Internet, personal names and phone numbers of people who may not want their information publicized. Think about it: Recruiters are always trying to network to find additional candidates and contacts. By providing names and phone numbers of others in your field, you may entice a recruiter to contact someone they believe is a stronger candidate than you. Don’t undercut yourself.

Finally, including the words “References Available” at the bottom of your résumé simply isn’t necessary. It’s like saying “The End”, and you don’t need to waste precious résumé space with useless information. Employers know that if they request reference information and you’re interested in their opportunity you’ll provide references. You may choose to bring a reference list to an interview in case the employer requests it, but there’s no need to refer to references on your résumé.

Job Search Guide - De-Stress Your Job Search‏

2010-03-28T09:54:00.002-04:00

At this point in your job search, you’re probably beginning to realize that job hunting is no easy task. It can be overwhelming and sometimes stressful to balance job searching with everything else going on in your life.

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Learning how to effectively manage stress is a key component to a successful job search. If you are currently looking for a job and feeling stressed out, it could make you appear desperate to potential employers. Here are a few steps you can take to help reduce unnecessary stress, automate your job search and ultimately shorten your job hunt.

1.Get Organized. When searching for a job, there is no excuse for added stress due to clutter and disorganization. It is important to make sure all of your important documents such as your resume, certifications, and proof of identification are easily accessible. Don’t forget to keep your schedule handy and to make sure your workspace is clutter free. Being organized allows you to take charge of your job search and helps relieve the pressure when preparing for upcoming interviews or phone calls with employers.

2.Avoid Procrastination. If you are the type of person that tends to delay doing the things you know you need to do, it can cause unnecessary stress throughout your job search. As soon as you come across a job that interests you, immediately take the next step and set time aside to apply for the position. By making your job search a priority, it reduces the chance that a perfect job could slip through the cracks and also helps reduce job search stress.

3. Maintain a Routine. It can be easy to get caught up in your job search and become overwhelmed with the amount of work you need to get done to land your next career. It is helpful to create and maintain a set schedule to ensure you are using your time wisely and accomplishing your goals in a timely manner. By maintaining a routine throughout your job search, it helps alleviate stress and ensures that you still have time for fun and relaxation to keep your mind off job hunting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

4. Simplify Your Job Search. Reduce the amount of time you spend job searching by utilizing available online resources that can help automate and streamline the job search process. These services instantly search all major job sites to find relevant job opportunities and automatically apply to each position of interest. There are also resume distribution services that instantly put your resume in the hands of thousands of recruiters, further reducing job search stress by allowing you to be in all the right places at all the right times so you will never miss out on a great job opportunity again!

5. Evaluate Your Progress. It is important to monitor your job search progress and determine what aspects of your job search are working and if there are areas that could use improvement. Although your ultimate goal is to land your next job, focus on the tasks that you can control, such as the number of resumes you send out, networking events you attend and hours you spend researching. Set realistic milestones and reward yourself each time you achieve a small goal. By understanding where you are in your job search and taking pride in your accomplishments, it not only reduces stress, it helps motivate you to keep going!

Regardless of how long you have been searching for a job, or if you are feeling job search stress, there are many tools and resources available online that can help. Simplify your job search by considering an online service that searches all major job boards to find the jobs that meet your requirements. Gain access to a complete list of jobs that match your requirements and automatically submit your resume and cover letter to the jobs of your choice with one simple click.

7 Words That Make Your Resume Irresistible

2010-03-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

What do you think - useful advice for job hunters out there?

What are some tips you'd give for making your resume stand out more?

"3. "Applied xyz methods..." (vs. "Learned xyz methods....") - Many job seekers list important skills or knowledge that they learned on a job on their resume. But that isn't going to impress a potential employer. The potential employer wants to know if you actually used those skills. How and where you learned them is immaterial."

"7 Words That Make Your Resume Irresistible"

7 Ways to Stay Motivated During Your Job Search

2010-03-21T14:49:00.001-04:00

7 Ways to Stay Motivated During Your Job Search
After going through this article's points, how do you feel about the advice overall?

Can this article truly help job seekers? Why or why not?

"Set a Time Limit to Your Job Search Sessions.

Stay motivated during your job search by assigning a set time limit in which to process your job searches. It is one thing to leave no stone unturned when looking for a new job, but don't exhaust all of your resources in one sitting. Set a time limit in which to run job searches during for example an hour or two hours a day to run searches. It is not in quantity of job searches where you will find your dream job, but rather through quality job searches. Stay motivated and avoid job search burn out by running quality job searches during a focussed time period."

Resume Tip of the Week

2010-03-09T09:33:00.000-05:00

When developing your job descriptions for your résumé, always make sure your statements are direct and concise. Readers are attracted to information that is easy to follow and visually appealing. Think about when you read a newspaper article opposed to a novel. When you are reading the article in the paper, you are skimming it for facts and pertinent information. You want the writer to quickly get to the point. The opposite is true when you read a novel. When enjoying a good book, you typically want to find a cozy spot to sit down and soak in all the details. When a recruiter is reading (skimming) your résumé, they are doing so in the same mindset as you would read a newspaper article. They prefer the information to be direct and to the point.

Too often, candidates fill their job descriptions with minute details of their typical work day, which is too much information for a recruiter to absorb. When content is presented with too many irrelevant details, the reader can be overwhelmed and decide to put the résumé aside without ever determining if the candidate has something of value to offer. Make sure you do not steer your résumé into the “no” pile because of long-winded explanations of your work history. Remember the newspaper article to novel comparison: When you’re short on time and drowning in paperwork, do you want to find a comfy spot to read, or do you want to absorb the pertinent details and move on to the next document? There is a higher chance a recruiter will engage in your résumé if it reads more like a newspaper article. Stick to the facts and stay on target.

6 Job Search Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

2010-03-03T10:12:00.001-05:00

In any economic climate, job hunting is nobody's idea of fun. And with the growing number of folks hitting the bricks these days, it seems the task is getting even harder. But that's not precisely true, because the actual job-hunting strategies and techniques remain the same in any climate. What is bothersome, however, is that the process is likely to take longer. This leads to increased stress: financial stress, physical stress, emotional stress and family stress.

Most people do not perform at their best in stressful situations. They get tired more quickly, they get frustrated and run out of patience, and they make mistakes. Here are six job-hunting mistakes frequently made during a recession.

Mistake No. 1: Feeling entitled
In the new economy, your stellar background, great track record, prestigious degree and glowing references guarantee you nothing. The new employment paradigm is, "What have you done for me lately?" You must be constantly developing your skills and talents, broadening your interests and driving your career development. If you don't, you may well be left behind.
Mistake No. 2: Focusing on yourself, not the employer
Spend your time finding out which of a potential employer's needs are unmet instead of touting your brilliance. Saying, "I need a job" is irrelevant and depressing; that's your problem and has nothing to do with why this organization is hiring. Uncovering an employer's problem areas demonstrates your bona-fide interest, and offering your solutions demonstrates your critical thinking, creativity and approach to problem solving. This is how to get hired.

Mistake No. 3: Taking rejection personally
Face it; there are a lot of jobs you are not going to land. Use rejection as an opportunity to assess and build your job-hunting skills. Evaluate what you could have done better in your research or interview or with your follow-up. If you aren't getting rejected regularly, then you either aren't working hard enough to get your foot in the door or you're applying for jobs beneath your capabilities. No employer makes a decision not to hire you; they make a decision to hire someone else who did a better job of selling himself or herself into the position.

Mistake No. 4: Focusing on your age
It is human nature to focus more on one's perceived weaknesses as opposed to one's strengths. This is especially true for people in the job hunt. Younger folks worry about not having enough experience; older folks worry about looking overqualified. If you don't want a potential employer to focus on your age, make sure you focus on what strengths you bring to the party: energy, track record, endurance, patience, technology skills, people skills, creativity and work ethic. Sell yourself based on what you have.

Mistake No. 5: Looking for a silver bullet
Some job hunters swear by recruiters; others by online job postings. The latest buzz is that social networking sites are making all other job-hunting techniques obsolete. There is no one best way to job hunt. If you want to increase the effectiveness of your job search, you must spend more time on it and use every technique in the book. This means answering print ads, responding to online job postings, contacting recruiters, cold-contacting potential employers, networking your brains out and using social networking sites to pursue all of these strategies. Sorry, there are no silver bullets or genies in a bottle.

Mistake No. 6: Absorbing too much news
Yes, there's a recession. Yes, a lot of folks are out of work. And, yes, finding a job is a hard job in and of itself. But, no, the sky is not falling. And yes, if you work hard and long enough at it, you will land a good job. The media's motto is, "If it bleeds, it leads." Bad news is their stock in trade. You will never see a story about company hiring back 10 workers or a person who landed a great job after a rigorous job hunt. A regular diet of bad news will convince you that no one is hiring (untrue), that you should avoid employers that have had layoffs (bad strategy) or that maybe you should just move to China (bad idea unless you speak Mandarin). Get out, have some fun, work at keeping your energy and spirits up, and network with optimistic people.

Eventually this recession -- like all recessions -- will really be over and you'll be better prepared for (gulp) the next one.

10 Reasons Your Job Search is Failing

2010-03-03T10:08:00.001-05:00

On paper, the prescription for unemployment is rather formulaic: send in résumé, go on interview, be your charming self, get hired.

The frustrating reality isn't nearly as simple. Getting an interview alone is an exercise in persistence and patience.

Here are 10 reasons for why you're not landing that interview and what you can do to reverse the trend.

1.Your résumé and cover letter are as articulate as Courtney Love's Web blog. If your application materials contain typos, grammatical errors and irrelevant or inconsistent information, employers will take notice -- in a bad way. Once you've looked over your résumé and cover letter to the point of dementia, take this advice from Joyce Gioia of the Herman Group: have three people, for whom English is a first language, review your résumé and cover letter before you send it.

2.Your cover letter is generic. Make it personal by tailoring it to the particular job and addressing it to a person, not "To Whom It May Concern." And include a sentence or two about how you are the right fit for that particular job. If no contact is listed, take the initiative to find out who the hiring manager is by searching the company's Web site or calling the reference desk.

3. Your letter is a CliffsNotes version of your résumé. Instead of simply restating what's on your résumé, include new information like how you found out about the job, why you want to work there and what you can do for them. Finally, close with something that will encourage a response, such as a request for an interview.

4.Your letter exudes self-consciousness, not self-confidence. If you don't feel qualified for a job, why are you applying for it? Don't call attention to your shortcomings in a letter; emphasize your strengths by focusing on your skills, experience and ability.

5.You cross the line from sounding confident to sounding cocky. Don't mistake selling yourself with bragging. Putting "I would be an asset to your company" in your cover letter catches the eye; writing "You would be crazy not to hire me" turns the stomach.

6.Your MySpace page lists "binge-drinking" as a favorite pastime. Don't post anything on a publicly accessible Web site that you wouldn't want a potential employer to see. Not all hiring managers run searches on job candidates, but some do, and it's better to err on the side of caution. Google yourself to see what comes up, because recruiters will see the same results.

7.You assume e-mail is enough. Hitting the send button on an online application is only the first step in landing an interview. For one thing, not every e-mail is received or read. Try following up your application by sending a paper résumé and cover letter via snail mail (indicating you've already applied online). After that, call the hiring manager to see that they've received your application and check on the status of the job in question.

8.You assume the Internet is enough. The majority of all employment opportunities aren't advertised, so be proactive: Contact human resources managers at companies you want to work for inquiring about positions available; register with a job recruitment agency; attend industry events to stay on top of news; and devote energy to meeting like-minded professionals who will be the keys to discovering more opportunities.

9.You misrepresent yourself. It may sound like a no-brainer, but misrepresenting yourself on a résumé is bound to catch up with you. Upon performing a reference check, Denise Moorehead, communications director of a non-profit service agency in Boston, once discovered a job candidate had left her previous job a year earlier than she'd admitted. It turned out that the candidate had gotten burned out and decided to take a year to temp and regroup, but thought the obvious employment gap would be held against her, so she simply lied about it. "I figured if she'd lie about something this easy to explain, she might lie about the deadline-driven work she would have to do with me," Moorehead says.

10.You give up. Remember that looking for a job is a full-time job. If you're not hearing back from employers, considering changing your strategy. Experiment with different cover letters, revise your résumé on a regular basis and look for opportunities to add to your experience even when you're not working (i.e. taking classes, participating in workshops, volunteering).

The Seven Habits Highly Successful People Practice:

2010-02-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

1. Capacity
Many people overlook this particular 'seven habits highly successful people practice' - the capacity to take hard work and working hard. The problem could be because there is so much hype about working smart; a lot of people actually think they can be successful without working hard. Highly successful people are never lazy. They have a huge capacity for working hard.

2. Clear
Highly successful people have a clear vision and mission of what they want to do. A clear vision of their definition of success they work towards. What is your clear definition of success? Is it a certain position? Is it a certain amount of monetary rewards? Or is it something else? How would you measure your success?

3. Competent
One of the seven habits highly successful people practice is being good at what they do. Even if they do not have the skills and expertise initially, you can almost be certain they would learn it in due course.They would never let the lack of competency deter them from achieving their dreams.

4. Confident
Life is not without pitfalls and setbacks. It is the same for highly successful people. One thing that makes them successful is the confidence to pick themselves up again. They do not let setbacks and failures dent their confidence.

5. Consistent
This is one of my favourite 'seven habits highly successful people practice' because I personally heard it from Uncle T – one of my Dad’s friends I am fond of. To put it in his words, “doing well is not enough. Giving your best in EACH of your undertaking is more important.” Consistently giving your best shot in each of your assignment will in the long run bear fruits of your labor.

6. Conviction
You can almost be certain that each of these successful people have a deep conviction of what they want to achieve. A deep belief of what they want to do and how they will achieve it. No matter what is thrown their way, they press on. They believe they are their own success maker. Ask yourself, as a career builder, what is your conviction?

7. Courage
Quite a few of these successful people are self-made millionaires. Some of them have no tertiary education but that did not stop them from charging forward against all odds. The courage to take calculated risks is a big factor in their success.

As a career builder, I encourage you to pick one or two of these 7 habits highly successful people practice. Implement them for yourself and see the results over time.

Ten Personal Branding Statements to Avoid

2010-02-23T14:12:00.001-05:00

So you’ve got your personal branding department working overtime trying to define who you are and distilling it into a nifty personal branding statement. But just in case you’ve got a troublemaker in your midst, make sure you’re not serving up one of these:

Ready to work harder for you than I did for the bastards who fired me. – Bad idea to introduce any kind of negativity into your personal branding statement, especially in matters dealing with your former employer. That’s what the interview is for. (Just kidding.)
Really good at doing stuff and accomplishing things. – Don’t be vague about what you actually do. If you’ve come this far and distilled your five or six defining elements, make sure to include at least one or two of them in your statement.
Exseeding expectasions for all my client’s needs. – You know that radical new technology called a “spellchecker”? Make sure to use it. And if you’re using possessives, make sure you’re doing so correctly.
The inventor of all that is awesome, and the single most talented person you will ever know. – While it’s important to appear strong and confident in a branding statement, don’t go overboard by being cocky or, worse, untruthful.
Me, now with 30% more natural skills and ingredients. – Your branding statement is probably not the best time to get cute, unless you’re truly brave and applying for jobs whose main requirement is a healthy serving of quirk with 25% less professionalism.
Totally better than all the other losers applying for this job. – Don’t compare yourself to other applicants—and, if at all possible, refrain from insulting them.
Hire me or suffer the painful consequences. – See, this just won’t work for obvious reasons.
The aroma of migrating geese in synch with avocado justice. – Make sure not to ‘finalize’ or send out your branding statement while drunk.
My crazy Uncle Chucho would hire me in a heartbeat. – While that’s probably true, that’s probably not going to impress an HR professional—or Uncle Chucho.
Looking for a $90k/year job to sustain my raging meth addiction. – Avoid any mention of salary requirements. And, oh yeah, any raging addiction to meth, orange juice, or Simpsons merchandise.

Job Search Guide - Knowledge is Your Competitive Edge

2010-02-23T12:19:00.001-05:00

One of the easiest ways to stay ahead is to stay informed. So what are some of the best ways to stay in the know when searching for a job? Located below are some ideas to consider:

Attend Classes and Seminars. Furthering your education and knowledge in your field will not only keep you up-to-date on new developments and techniques, but it will also help you become a memorable candidate to potential employers. Attending classes or seminars and noting them on your resume shows that you take initiative and have the drive that employers are looking for in a candidate. If you are a professional entering a new industry, this is a great way to learn about a new career path before taking that first step.

Search Online Articles and Blogs. A great way to find valuable information about your field or industry is to search and visit sites that provide valuable articles or blogs about the latest topics of interest to you. Don’t forget to visit our Career Resources area often to read the latest articles to help you grow personally and professionally.

Read Industry Magazines. As a job seeker, it is important to be on top of the latest news affecting your industry and know which companies and industries are hot and which are not. By staying educated you will demonstrate your knowledge to potential employers in this increasingly competitive job market and get ahead of other candidates.

Look to Government Resources. Are you familiar with the Bureau of Labor Statistics? They provide a wealth of information on the employment and job markets across a variety of industries. Is your industry growing or shrinking? Do you know the salary range for your industry or what skills you need to enter or stay ahead in your position? You can access the latest employment and job information by visiting their site.

Join a Professional Membership Organization. There are numerous benefits to becoming a member of a professional organization. You will gain access to important networking contacts in your field, receive invitations to networking events in your area, and have access to seminars, classes, and other educational opportunities to help you stay informed. Consider it free education!

"I'M NOT STUPID" - My hearing aide is turned down!

2010-02-21T03:42:00.026-05:00

I'm not stupid - My hearing aide is turned down!
I mean - How did you get this job?
I think he's developing Alzheimer's - No baby watcha mean is "Old Timers."
You know, she had a nervous breakdown last year. Why did they let her come back?

I am sure you've heard these ill fitted interactions and comments or at least felt the stench of this darkly humored jesting sprinkled in the atmosphere about its intended prey. If not, just pick a day - any day and you can find these comments being wheeled at your local grocery store, or your school or on the bus or at church - at church? - and - I am just about certain that you've heard them in the workplace. But guess what? Maybe, that's because this stuff is comin outta yo mouth!

A lot of discussion has been taking place for a long time regarding the phenomenon of employment discrimination against disabled people in the workplace. Discrimination against disabled people can be noticed even today in the common society. This is one of the worst social stigmas that our society has not been able to overcome. This fact indeed is shameful for the human race, as even after discoursing over the issue for so many years, we are still not able to remove that disgusting curtain of discrimination leveled against disabled people (Discrimination Against Disabled People in the Work Place - Buzzle.com).

What are we to do? Launch a caucus on how to treat ALL people well? Develop a yet another support group? Create a Blog and call it: He's not my brother he's my breacher.

Yeah, that's it! He's the one that breaches the contract that says: Treat all men and the Whoa-man - O' God another disability - Equal. He's the one that through his gestures and doings violates the contract of human decency.

Many times we can't see the problem or hear the problem because the problem is us! Which means we have to fix us. I don't think it comes by launching yet another caucus, or by developing another support group, or by creating another blog.

I'm not an advocate of the "this and that" for DUMMIES collections. I hate calling anything a dummy. But, I think this is where I will depart for the purpose of putting to bed this continual and unrepented breach against those that have and do experience physical and emotional challenges and say to those that need a little help in fixing the malignant predjudices that engulfs them:

Do Unique Magnefiscent Modeling of behaviors In an Effort to Support equality for all (whoa) - men!

In conclusion, Keep it simple DUMMIES!!!

Making Personal Branding More Personal

2010-02-19T16:04:00.002-05:00

So here we are, developing our personal brand (and if you’re really ambitious, you’re also working on a jingle to go with it).

Wait, what was that? You’re still struggling to define your personal brand? You still haven’t figured out a way of compressing all of your awesomenosity into a single tagline? Well, at least you’ve started to think of all those things that make you so full of awesomenosity and… Wait, what was that? You haven’t? Because you don’t even know how to start doing so? It’s too overwhelming?

Yes, personal branding can be a bit overwhelming. We’re supposed to compress everything employable about us in a sound byte that we’ll be repeating on résumés, business cards, and restaurant waiting lists. (“Table for two for Joey JoJo: Real implementations for real results.”) And we’re supposed to start the process by sitting down and writing all our attributes on a blank sheet of paper. Before you know it, that blank sheet of paper is staring back at you, unflinchingly waiting for you to say something interesting about yourself, ominous in its silence and its…blankness. So what do you do? Where do you start?

You can start by making the open-ended rubric of “List great things about yourself” more specific by structuring it with some basic questions. When working on my personal branding statement, here are some of the things I was asking myself:

What am I good at?
What do I actually enjoy doing?
What are my passions and interests?
What are my professional goals?
How do people I know generally describe me?
When I’m not trying to impress HR managers, who am I really?

I found this exercise helpful because it gave me a little more structure to work on instead of just randomly listing all the things I thought were employable about me (“good writer, fast worker, make great guacamole”). Because, let’s face it, once you’ve filled that sheet of paper with all your greatness, then you’re overwhelmed with the prospect of having to whittle everything down into five or six defining elements from which you’ll distill your branding statement.

But by structuring your efforts around the right questions and categorizing your responses into usable blocks of data, you’ll start to uncover some consistencies and patterns. For example, here’s what I came up with:

What am I good at? Writing, editing, creative writing, marketing writing, technical writing, making people laugh, motivating people, tormenting loved ones, making guacamole
What do I actually enjoy doing? Writing, playing guitar, killing drum sets, taking an idea and making it happen, making people laugh, helping people, tormenting loved ones
What are my passions and interests? Writing, taking an idea and making it happen, making people laugh, music, playing gigs, karate, helping and motivating people
What are my professional goals? To one day manage a department ruthlessly, help develop ideas into actual results, to write for a living, to make people laugh for a living, to open for Polysics at The Palace
How do people I know generally describe me? Writer, insane, energetic, quirky, doofus, reliable, self-starter, multi-talented, multi-grain
When I’m not trying to impress HR managers, who am I really? Reliable, quirky, creative, down-to-earth, silly, a tad frivolous

So now, a few things kept coming up: I love tormenting people (my friends call it my Big Brother Complex), I’m insane, and, oh yeah, I seem to like writing, making people laugh, and helping. Voila! I had three defining (not to mention, employable) elements that seemed integral, inseparable parts of who I am!

I then began weeding out the things that won’t help my job search, or can be lumped into a broader, inclusive category. Employers won’t be thrilled that I’m a part-time tormentor of souls, so out goes that one. And while my musical endeavors are definitely a passion, that’s better to lump under a general category of ‘creativity’, of being able to start with an idea and produce a result out of it.

By the time I finished distilling my long list into six defining elements, I discovered that I was a versatile writer, I was humorous (or at least, thought myself to be humorous), I liked to help people, I was resourceful, I was good at turning ideas into actual results, and that I was professional but quirky. And I’d done so by simply asking more specific questions and structuring my responses.

One more thing: don’t be afraid of expressing who you are. I was initially hesitant to professionally acknowledge that I was quirky, silly, and a bit frivolous. But the sad reality is that my quirkiness is an inseparable part of who I am. (Seriously, how else do you explain me randomly mailing a zucchini via interoffice mail to a co-worker?) And while some attributes might turn some employers off, you shouldn’t hide who you are for fear that you will alienate them. Whatever your personal quirks are, don’t divorce them from your professional persona—assuming, of course, that your quirks don’t involve wanton destruction of company property.

Like any significant endeavor, personal branding can be managed through a clean process. Don’t see it as this insurmountable, overwhelming task. Don’t see it as a mountain you somehow have to climb in a single, giant step.

Instead, see it as a simple process of asking yourself the right questions to uncover who you really are and what you really want to do, and of finding the commonalities in your responses to distill your five or six defining (and preferably non-destructive) elements.

For more quasi-helpful and tediously brief advice, please follow my Twitter feed at inventingsilva.

Quid Pro Quo - "The Language of the Harasser"

2010-02-19T10:30:00.011-05:00

Quid pro quo - (From the Latin meaning " something for something") It's a term usually used in legal circles. It indicates a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services. English speakers often use this term to mean "a favor for a favor" and the phrases with almost identical meaning include: "what for what," "give and take," "tit for tat", "this for that", and "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Quid pro quo - In this address is used to speak to the "Compromised Language" of the "Harasser." You know 'em! They're the "Icky" bosses or co-workers who create the silent disparaging emotional atmosphere that says: You better be "REAL" nice to me or I'll make sure you lose your job (or I'll make sure your life is a living hell)! It's a legal term, with illegal implications. I ask our readers to tell us:

How do you keep yourself safe in these situations?
How do you keep your job without compromising your boundaries, and self-respect?
How do you deal with the "illegal", sneaky, unethical behaviors of a person who has more without than within their character?

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!

Thank you

Turn the television off - It will BOOST your career!!!

2010-02-19T09:08:00.008-05:00

June of 2009, I became unemployed!!! Needless to say, it was devastating! For months on end I applied for job after job after job, receiving one rejection letter after another.

Statistically, I joined the ranks of many of the unemployed; those with a degree, but without a job and no savings to speak of. I really didn't know what to do or where to turn.

I turned to DHS and they behaved horribly. I mean really, if I don't have any money - how can I help YOU pay for my lights and gas?

In between reaching out to other organizations, and being depressed, I watched A LOT of TV and movies on DVD. I used both as mechanisms of escape from my devastating reality.

Well, in seeking additional employment counsel on what to do next, I was referred to the Ferndale Career Center. I took a couple of classes - 1 for Facebook and one for Social Media (with Heather Coleman & Kay Lemon). That was approximately 1 month ago. How does all of this relate to turning off the television?

Glad you asked! Once I started using Facebook and LinkedIn, I saw how networking could provide new career opportunities. Not just by asking for a job and not just by making friends or connections, but by all of the entrepreneurial interactions I was having with people who were both employed and unemployed. It got my intellectual juices flowing and helped me to take the courage to approach a business opportunity that I was once too afraid to explore.

Without turning off the television and deciding to go to the Ferndale Career Center, I would still be watching my 23rd replay of "Man On Fire". Now, I am busily promoting my own business and bidding on government contracts. Now, I am seeking to hire people to work for me.

Soooo, turn the television off and pursue your next career opportunity!!!

Mastering the Interview!!!

2010-02-17T10:33:00.002-05:00

You are a special person. You know it. Your mom knows it. Your dad knows it. Your siblings know it (but probably will not admit it). Your mom really knows it. Your friends and relatives know it. But unless you convince the interviewer of your special talents and abilities, you will fade into that great dark abyss of Interviews Lost.

Get comfortable with the techniques and tactics before your first interview. Remember, every interview counts. Every time you interview successfully, you move one more golden step toward the potential job offer and career of your dreams.
After the interview, reflect on it.
What went well?
What went,ah, not so well?
Learn from this, so the NEXT interview will be better.

You have such a short time to let them know who you are, how you can benefit their organization, and GET THAT JOB! Try not to be overwhelmed, be yourself!

Six Fairly Semi-Surefire Ways to Overcome a Bad Day

2010-02-17T00:01:00.003-05:00

It happens to all of us. (And no, I’m not talking about the urge to sing along in unnaturally high-pitched voices when A-ha’s “Take On Me” starts playing on the radio.) We’re actively career-seeking. We’re working hard to promote our personal brands. We’re making ourselves heard on LinkedIn discussion groups. We’re working our networks with fellow career-seekers.

And then, it happens. Reality hits you. You realize you’re not where you want to be. It starts to get to you that, despite your intensive career-seeking efforts, you’ve yet to land that great job. You hear about other people who’ve gotten jobs, and you start to wonder if, maybe, you’re not working hard enough. You question your efforts, your dedication, maybe even yourself. And before you can say, “Take on me, take me on, I'll be gone, In a day or twooooooooooooooooooooooooooo,” you’ve come down with what doctors clinically refer to as Crawling Under the Sheets Syndrome (or CUSS, although I hear they’re working on a better acronym).

We’ve all been there. Every one of us has, at one point or another, succumbed to some form of despair and crawled under the imagined sanctuary of our bed sheets. Yes, even those optimistic people who smile at two broken ribs and remain perky throughout a root canal; they just don’t tell you about it. Those of us actively career-seeking are probably more prone to feeling that occasional bout of despair and depression because, you know, unemployment sucks.

But you know what? It’s okay. Bad days are unavoidable, and there’s no sense pretending that you can avoid them if you just maintain a painfully rigid weekly schedule in which you career-seek 41 hours each day. Better to concede that we’re going to have bad days so that we can figure out how to keep them from becoming bad weeks—or worse, bad months.

So how do we deal with a bad day? How do we get back up when we feel like the only thing we can really do is crawl under a rock? Here are six ideas that are certain to perhaps help you overcome a bad day, guaranteed (perhaps):

As I’ve said before, be kind to yourself. Don’t start to doubt or question yourself, and don’t devalue the hard work you’ve already put in by suddenly thinking it’s all been a waste of time. You didn’t think that yesterday, and chances are you won’t be thinking it tomorrow, so there’s no sense in thinking it today. And you know that little voice in your head (no, not THAT one) telling you that you totally suck and that you’re worth less than the ickiest pile of not-quite-white melted snow? Well, that voice is also saying that the Detroit Lions are going to the Super Bowl each year. Are you really going to believe what it says about you? You’re better off listening to that little voice that assures you that, yes, you’re doing the best that you can, and that your hard work will pay off sooner than later. It’s a more credible source (especially since it’s never once mentioned the words “Detroit Lions” and “Super Bowl” in the same sentence).
Help someone else, whether it’s someone in your network of career-seekers, or someone on a discussion board asking for advice, or even someone asking you how YOU deal with bad days. Do you remember that sense of fulfillment you get when you’ve just helped someone with a problem or shared a perspective that really got them thinking? When you’ve just directed someone to a great resource you found, and they look at you like you’ve just given them the winning numbers to the next Mega Millions? There’s just something wonderful about helping someone else with the knowledge you’ve already accumulated. And more than likely, you’re going to feel a lot better about yourself, because that happy person you’ve just helped is proof enough that you DO know what you’re doing!
Get other necessary stuff done. Sometimes, we get bad days because we feel like we’re not really accomplishing anything. We tend to be results-driven people, and we’re not seeing the results (i.e., employment) we’re striving for. Well, switch gears for a while. Get up from your computer and go do something else. Didn’t you say you wanted to tackle that mountain of laundry before climbing enthusiasts started showing up at your door? Weren’t you going to call that crazy, slightly unsettling friend you really don’t want to speak to but whom you’ve been sending to voicemail for the past six weeks? And what about the dishes? Didn’t you say you were going to finally do them because you thought you saw signs of life on that one plate that morning? Well, now’s a good time. Get some basic chores done and you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something. Not to mention, getting some chores done will improve the quality of life in your home, and that’s never a bad thing.
Set alternative goals for a day. If you just don’t feel like you’ve got the will to do your four-five hours of social media networking, then shift your efforts toward something else that gives you a sense of personal accomplishment. If you’re a writer, take some time to work on whatever story/novel/blog post you wanted to do later that day. If you’re a musician, play your instrument or finish writing that riff for that one new song you’re working on. If you’re a home improvement specialist, take some time to work on that repair/replacement/demolition project you’ve been planning. Do whatever it is you’d be doing for personal fulfillment if you were employed; just because you’re a full-time career-seeker doesn’t mean you should abandon your hobbies or passions.
Do something you like to do to blow off some steam when you’re in a bad mood—without reservation or guilt. (Personally, nothing calms my nerves and bad moods better than real-time strategy games. There’s just something soothing about painstakingly finding the most effective way of blowing things up.) What helps your bad moods go away? Physical activity? Whaling on a non-human punching bag? Heavy metal Karaoke? Whatever it is, take some time to indulge yourself and do it—and do it without guilt. You’re allowed some you-time throughout this process, you know, especially if an hour or two of you-time will pull you out of a bad day nose dive.
When all else fails, and you find yourself still wanting to crawl under your sheets, it’s okay to initiate a strategic retreat. As active career-seekers, we already put ourselves under enormous pressure to work, network, promote our brand, network some more, post relevant Twitter feeds, establish 401 new LinkedIn connections, and, oh yeah, find a job. Don’t add the pressure of having to win a battle of productivity each day. If you feel you absolutely can’t do anything else that day, no problem! There is no shame in retreating for the day and conceding to a momentary defeat. Tomorrow is another day, and a good night of sleep will recharge your body and your spirits.

These ideas are in no way meant to offer a definitive guide to overcoming a bad day, especially since all the good ideas in the world can’t solve every problem, nor are they a substitute for simply talking to someone who will listen to you. Maybe that’s the best advice of all: talk. To anyone. A family member. A significant other. A discussion group. A support group like EmployNet (shameless plug: join us every Monday at 9:30 a.m. at Hambo’s in Ferndale). The annoying guy writing this blog post. Share your thoughts, and don’t be at all ashamed to ask for help in pulling out of your bad mood.

Bad days are unavoidable and part of the career-seeking process. But it’s definitely in your hands to keep a bad day from turning into a bad week—or a bad month.

For more quasi-helpful and tediously brief advice, please follow my Twitter feed at inventingsilva (wow, two shameless plugs in one blog post…). It’s what Frodo would have wanted.

The Jim Reich Brand (Now with 50% more experience)

2010-02-15T14:45:00.003-05:00

“Johnny, I need you on the spot and get a hold of all these heavy machinery parts asap. You might need to go out of state to find the best deals, and we need it done by today at 5. If you don’t, we’re either going to go out of business, or the entire time-space continuum will collapse on itself. I can’t remember which.”

“But Mr. Boss, I took an Incomplete for my Procurement class and don’t know how!”

When your biggest client places a major parts order with your inside sales department, who will you trust to get the job done? A just-graduated, inexperienced sales manager who’s still wearing his graduation gown and gets lost on his way to the supply cabinet? Or an experienced professional who knows where to get the best prices on all the right parts, who will keep himself and the rest of your sales staff cool and composed, who knows what it takes to keep your operations running smoothly, and who gets results when you need them?

Jim Reich® has been helping companies like yours take the “heavy” out of “heavy machinery inside parts sales” for more than three decades. Jim Reich offers a proven track record of superior results backed by a robust portfolio that includes:

Advanced networking skills to pinpoint the suppliers you’ll need in a crunch
Stellar people skills to negotiate the best prices and establish the most beneficial relationships
The discipline to get any job done, nurtured through his years as a helicopter maintenance specialist in the U.S. Navy
The experience and industry savvy to get real results regardless of time and budget constraints

Your clients expect the best of your inside sales department. Exceed their expectations by trusting the brand that’s been exceeding customer expectations since 1975: Jim Reich.

Jim Reich: Industrial-strength experience for industrial-strength results.

(Just taking the concept of personal branding on a little fun detour.)

Personal Branding: The Freedom to Pursue What You Really Want

2010-02-13T19:35:00.002-05:00

“In my day, we didn’t have Twitter or LinkedIn or social media networking! We had paper and pencils! And we’d have to perfectly handwrite each resume, and we’d have to walk 20 miles through the snow, each way, just to drop it off! And we didn’t have personal branding! We had one employer! And they had one job open: Cubicle Warmer! And it didn’t matter if you were overqualified, or if your skills didn’t fit it. You TOOK it! And it was a terrible job with terrible pay and it would make you yearn for the sweet release of death, but we LOVED it!”

We’ve probably heard some variation of this story—or told it ourselves at some point in our career-seeking tenure. Whether we’re being facetious or genuinely longing for the days of resume treks through the snow, one thing is true: when it comes to career-seeking know-how, things have changed quite a bit. And it seems all the stuff we used to know about job hunting (i.e., print out resume, snail mail it to employer, leave one copy under pillow for Employment Fairy) is now hopelessly obsolete. (Which means, yes, you should probably go remove all those booby traps you left outside that hiring manager’s office.)

One of the things we keep hearing about is personal branding. This is the process by which you gradually define, build up, maintain, and promote your professional reputation, and establish how you want prospective employers to perceive you. Personal branding is your chance to establish yourself as THE go-to person in your field. Imagine that. The power of branding, a power companies have long since harnessed, is now in your hands! So now, you can go ahead and define yourself as the IBM of IT, the Nike of Nursing, the Microsoft of Manufacturing, the Enron of Engineering…well, okay, maybe not that one.

Now, personal branding can be a bit intimidating. After all, how do you distill everything that is cool about you (e.g., your skills, your passions, your career goals, your favorite Simpsons character to impersonate) into a sound byte or a branding statement? How do you take something as complex as your awesomeness, and turn it into a simple but powerful brand that employers will come to respect and recognize?

It sounds daunting, yes, but here’s something to consider if you live in fear of personal branding: personal branding gives you the freedom to pursue what you really want.

Let’s go back to our opening anecdote for a moment. Obviously, it was an exaggeration (I hope, although I remember being told that printed resumes had to be in pristine condition, untouched by folds, human hands, or air particles), but chances are many of us did follow a very rigid sequence of steps when applying for a job:

We searched the classified ads (remember those?) or an online job board to see what was available.
We applied to those jobs that, more or less, sounded like something we kinda/maybe/sort of/perhaps could do with enough training and bribing.
We interviewed, got the jobs, and were happy enough, even though we didn’t exactly land our dream job (e.g., bestselling author, ESPN anchor, professional mattress tester).

In other words, we essentially went for the best that was available, even if it may not have been the best for us.

Personal branding has changed all that.

Personal branding means you define who you are, what you are good at, what your passions are, and what your goals are. It means that you are defining yourself in terms of who you really are and what you have to offer, rather than defining yourself in terms of an ill-fitting job description you have to squeeze into. It means opening yourself up to opportunities that exist beyond the job boards. It means assuming real power over your identity, not only as a career-seeker, but as a unique individual with formidable talents.

If you define and establish a solid personal brand, and you work the social networks to actively promote that brand, you’re making the whole employment landscape your personal job board. Now, you’re telling the world who you are, what you’re good at, and what kind of position you’d be great for. After all, you’re a respected, recognized guru in your field of expertise—and maybe the first person an employer will think of when he/she has an opening for an expert in your area.

Of course, for you to achieve that level of guru-dom, you have to work your brand by establishing its consistency and effectiveness, and making tweaks here and there to tighten your messaging (just please don’t go New Coke on your personal brand). But once you’ve established your brand and begin to actively promote it, you’ve opened up some real paths toward the jobs you really want. You’ve liberated yourself from the constraints of one-size-fits-all job boards. Rather than waiting for that perfect Director of Awesomeness job post, you’re essentially telling employers, “I’d be a great Director of Awesomeness at your company, and here’s why.” Now doesn’t that sound a lot more promising than applying to that Director of Bleh job posting because it was the only one that sounded even remotely relevant to your skills that day?

Personal branding is not your enemy, and it will not hurt you (assuming you don’t brand yourself as The Unprofessionalizer, Bringing Chaos and Questionable Hygiene Habits to Unsuspecting Workplaces Since 1984). Personal branding will work for you, not against you, once you’ve figured out who you want employers to see you as. And it’ll let you expand your career search into areas of opportunities where you might actually find what you really want to do.

Not to mention, it’ll save you those 20-mile treks through snow.

Some good advice

2010-02-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Great tips on job loss recovery

The best piece of advice for this or any situation

2010-02-11T12:39:00.002-05:00

Unemployed. Career-seeker. Employment readjustment scouting specialist. No matter what you want to call yourself, there’s no denying one simple truth: you probably aren’t where you want to be. I bet you’d rather be doing what you’re good at instead of spending time figuring out how you’re going to pay the next baker’s dozen of bills. I bet you’d rather feel the fulfillment of earning a paycheck instead of feeling the frustration of not hearing back from prospective employers. And I bet you’d rather be planning the next departmental happy hour instead of reading silly, quasi-inspirational blog posts like this one.

You might be feeling down. Maybe a tad depressed (which, in clinical terms, is the state of depression that follows ‘a smidgen depressed’). Maybe frustrated. Maybe angry at yourself. But here is where I’d like to share with you the single best piece of advice I ever got. Ready? Here it is:

When in doubt, go for the shins and then nail your attacker in the nose before…oh wait, no, sorry, wrong topic.

Seriously, this is it: be kind to yourself.

During my grad school orientation (i.e., the last time I felt like I had any genuine business going to grad school), one of the senior grad students was talking to us newbies about the horrors we could expect throughout our graduate career. And although he failed to mention the horror that was that one roommate (i.e., the one who cooked things and then forgot she’d left them on the stove for six weeks), he did pass on that one piece of incredible advice.

Be kind to yourself.

It was his way of saying that, no matter how stressful things were going to get in grad school, and no matter how much strain we were going to be putting ourselves through (not to mention all the strain our sadistic professors and conniving students would donate), we had to be kind to ourselves. That when things got really hairy and difficult, we had to find a way to be nice to ourselves so that we’d have the will to keep going.

I think that’s the single best piece of advice I ever got, and one that applies to situations far removed from grad school. Because I do think it’s so easy to get down on ourselves in our fast-paced, instant-gratification, no-time-for-common-sense society. Easier still when you’re out of the active workforce and trying to figure out how to get back in it.

In our case, it’s more important than ever to be kind to ourselves. Yes, after months of career-seeking and dead-end job leads, the temptation is to feel down on yourself. After all, other people are getting jobs, right? So there must be something inherently wrong with you, right? Wrong.

Be kind to yourself.

Don’t subscribe to any theory that says your current predicament is your fault. Don’t believe for a second that you are less of a person because you’re not suffering through rush hour traffic like your employed friends and family. Don’t devalue your qualifications, your integrity, your work ethic, or your genuine desire to earn your keep. Don’t disrespect yourself for even one second. Just remember that, if circumstances (i.e., what we laughingly refer to as the economy) were better, you’d be putting your skills to work, and they would be well appreciated.

But being kind to yourself goes beyond this. It means treating yourself well, spiritually and practically. If you think you need a nap after five hours of social networking, take it, because it’s your body’s way of saying, “Dude, c’mon, 20 minutes! That’s all I’m asking! Please! All right, fine. But see if that new cover letter you’re working on is actually coherent.” If you think you need to take a break and go get some fresh air, take it, because it’s your body’s way of saying, “Dude, c’mon, I need fresh air, cos you haven’t even cleaned in 12 days and it’s really starting to smell in here!”

Maybe most importantly, if you’ve been working for hours every day trying to find a job, take time to treat yourself to something you enjoy. Maybe a nice take-out dinner, a Dolly’s pizza with everything on it, or whatever it is that usually makes you say, “Oh no, I shouldn’t.” Sure, maybe it sounds counterproductive to say “treat yourself to something” when you’re trying to figure out how to pay your next gas bill. But spending $10 on yourself once a week is more realistic than, say, expecting your body and mind to keep going and going and going, week after week, without reward or kindness. Whether employed or not, you still need to take time to enjoy the simple pleasures you prefer.

Take time today to figure out how to be kind to yourself, and stick to it. Just because the economy is being a little unkind to you doesn’t mean you should be unkind to yourself.

Job interview preparation tips

2010-02-11T09:14:00.004-05:00

This is a great article on job interview preparation.
Gathering your thoughts and preparing your answers for those favorite questions like:

"Tell me about yourself?"

"What are your greatest weaknesses?"

"Why do you want to work here?"

Check this out...

We’re glad to see you go (Mike McIntyre Edition)

2010-02-09T15:02:00.003-05:00

EmployNet is probably one place where we will be happy to see a member go. Today, Mike McIntyre, who attended his first EmployNet meeting at Hambo’s this past Monday, announced that he got the job he was interviewing for that day. Let’s give it up for Mike! Yay! Woot woot! Huzzah!

In Mike’s own words:
“Buoyed with confidence from having breakfast with my EmployNet pals, I walked into an interview for a job that I wasn’t even sure that I really wanted, and before the last handshake I had a verbal job offer and a good feeling about the position. By the time I got back home, the formal offer was in my Inbox. I tweaked the Employment Agreement, got approval, and accepted the offer this morning. So my debut at the EmployNet breakfast was also my farewell tour, and I want to thank all of my well-wishers and hope for similar results on all of your searches. I will definitely be staying in touch via social media, and if I ever get a Monday morning off, I’ll pop in at Hambo’s for chow and chat.”

I guess this dispels any lingering myths that there are no jobs to be had in Michigan!

We all know it’s tough sometimes, and that despair tends to get a hold of us from time to time. But as long as we keep at it, never forget our sense of purpose and self-identity, and have the support of great people like friends, family, and EmployNet colleagues, we’ll get there. Mike's success should remind us that, despite what we've been through, this won't last. No bad thing ever does.

For now, let’s celebrate this victory, and wish Mike the best in his new role!

Hambo's Monday

2010-02-09T12:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to all the new people attending Monday's Hambo meeting.
It truly is empowering and great to connect with everyone; sharing ideas, suggestions, and resources.
I have a great feeling about 2010!

REMINDER>>> Please bring several copies of your resume to the next meeting. We are exchanging them with others - to critique and add words of wisdom. It is beneficial to get several opinions to make your resume the BEST it can be!

Personal Branding resources

2010-02-07T12:10:00.001-05:00

More great resource information on PERSONAL BRANDING...
can you ever get too much info???

EmployNet on Facebook

2010-02-05T21:02:00.002-05:00

Join our EmployNet Group on Facebook Keep up to date on latest job search tips.

FREE Resume sites

2010-02-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

FREE resume template websites...

I like FREE !!!

More Career Search Tools

2010-02-02T14:37:00.001-05:00

9 JOB BLOGS you should be reading...

Promise ahead...

2010-02-02T14:31:00.002-05:00

55 Jobs with High Growth in 2010

Although 2009 saw some of the most desolate unemployment numbers in history, there is reason to believe that things are starting to look up.

Jump Start your Career Search

2010-02-02T14:23:00.002-05:00

Is your job search not showing signof life?
Are it's vital signs weak?

Check out this article, a lot of great information and resources.

EmployNet featured in the Ferndale 115 News

2010-02-02T10:28:00.003-05:00

Thank you Crystal for taking the time to report about us. Your article will help us reach more people this includes the unemployed, underemployed, and those looking to hire talented displaced workers. The article written for the Oakland Press brought in eight new members. We are positive this article in the Ferndale 115 News will do the same.

Monday Morning Hambo's Networking Group 2/1

2010-02-02T10:10:00.003-05:00

If you are a LinkeIn member you can click the above link and read the notes and attached comments. If you are not then below is a brief of the notes.

Meeting notes from 2/1
Wow is best way I can describe our meeting today. We had eight new members that read about the group in the Oakland Press. They didn't know any groups existed. So again we have need to thank Crystal for her article.
Attendees: Jim Crews, Daniel Crews, Ulises Silva, Alex Hardesty, Jim Reich, John Damiol, Jeff Ludeman, Kristen Kendall, Elizabeth Carrington, Steven Brown, Dave Cottrill, Lynn Cottrill, David Kress, Maggie Forbes, Renee Dalton, Miriam Cox, MaryAnn Page, Charris West, and Lon Herman..
Maggie Forbes and Miriam Cox worked with Kristin on their Personal Branding. Next week Kristin will work with two more members and David Kress will also work with two members. This is the best way in order to accommodate everyone. We did stress to the newer members to take at least the base Social Media classes offered at the FCC.
Ulises has offered to dedicate his time to help write our blog. He is a writer/editor recently laid off.
David brought in a list of groups on LinkedIn that should be helpful to us. He will post those groups.
Kristen brought in pamphlets with classes at Renaissance Unity for those facing economic challenges. She will post the classes and location.
Jeff Ludeman is getting a center for the Health Care workshop.
Josephine had information for Renee Dalton on a possible job in the Warren schools.
Kristen gave me and other IT job searchers a person we can call that is looking for candidates.
Lynn has an interview tomorrow. Best of luck Lynn!
We have a recruiter from Job-Hunt.org that has brought up linking to our blog or website. This could mean we may have to move the blog to perhaps WordPress because it is a little more in-depth than blogger. I will see what we need to do.
I know there was a lot more we discussed but it was quite hard to keep track with such a large group and the way we had the tables setup. We will change them next meeting into a cross so we can all be a part of the same conversation.
I may add on to my notes later as I remember things I heard. As usual please feel free to fill in where I missed.
Next weeks topics Personal Branding and blogging.

EmployNet featured in the Oakland Press

2010-01-29T21:25:00.006-05:00

Detroit Job Site Career information

2010-01-29T14:59:00.002-05:00

Good afternoon,
This website seems like a great resource for career seekers.
From Resume builders, Job search advice, Interview tips, and other quick tips. Check it out...

Career search

2010-01-26T16:05:00.003-05:00

I am aggressively reviewing all my Job search email alerts this week.
Searching for good career matches on all my preferred search engine sites and applying for several jobs this week.
Later in the week, I am reviewing and participating in all my group's dicussions.
Being very persistent and aggressive this week.
New careers for all of us, is right around the corner!

Monday Morning Hambo's Networking Group 1/25

2010-01-26T13:41:00.001-05:00

Meeting notes from 1/25

Exercise Anyone?

2010-01-22T14:48:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! I'm wondering if anyone is interested in getting a pick up basketball team together for the Ladies? I guess the Men can have their own....

It would really help to deal with stress and get much needed exercise (think health).

I was thinking once a week in the evening around 6:30? Location to be determined.

I know we are all on a tight budget, so I was hoping we could possibly get a Ferndale School gymnasium available for us.

If you are not athletic don't let that stop you..we could dribble, lay up and shoot hoops, play non competative half court games just to get moving and have fun.

Let me know what you think.

Alvita

Monday Morning Hambo's Networking Group 1/18

2010-01-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

1/18 meeting notes

Planning...

2010-01-21T17:05:00.000-05:00

Failure to plan... > is planning to fail

Social Media (ahhhhh)

2010-01-17T12:39:00.004-05:00

Really now does this take up all of your time?

If you want to make it meaningful then you have to work at it. I know it is hard to get others to follow unless they personally know you and even then it's a maybe. This is how it is, you Tweet to each other, you Blog to each other, you discuss on LinkedIn to each other, you write on your wall to each other.

!!!!Well where the heck is everybody!!!!!

You have to be patient and it will all pull together in time. Just keep tweeting, blogging, discussing and writing on your wall. Don't give up! Every day we are here is a very good day.

Today’s Featured Talented Worker

2010-01-15T14:42:00.004-05:00

MaryAnn Page

http://www.linkedin.com/in/maryanncando

Movies

2010-01-13T13:39:00.002-05:00

Hi All..I figured out how to get on...Yeay!!

Thanks Ellen..for tyring to make this as easy as possible.

I just want to encourage everyone today...I'm thinking about you...know how hard it's been out here to stay focused and create a new path. Truth is there are No Maps for us to follow...but good thing is we can help to create One!

If you are able and can get out to see a movie..."Up In the Air" is a timely movie. Very well written and entertaining. It helps to create a compassionate look at the job loss environment we are currently negotiating.

OK..see you next time!

Alvita

New to blogging!

2010-01-13T12:18:00.001-05:00

Hey guys,
I made it in! Thanks for the invite. Thinking about ways to promote the group!
We have twitter, anyone think about looking for a Recruiter link in LinkedIn?

Business cards

2010-01-13T09:41:00.001-05:00

Good morning everyone,

I ordered those business cards on Tuesday, they are on the way....

David

MS Word 2007: Blog Feature

2010-01-13T08:08:00.001-05:00

MS-Word 2007 edition is intimidating in its redesign of an old familiar friend. The traditional toolbars and menus are replaced by The Ribbon with tabs for all the various functions. Experience, and an introductory class, have helped me become familiar with the changes and even helped me appreciate the new layout.

One of the best features is the ability to create a "blog" document and post it directly from Word. It is even possible to have several different accounts and cross post without having to go to different websites.

This is a useful feature for personal branding strategies that include writing different blogs for different audiences.

Talented Workers -----Jim-----

2010-01-12T18:11:00.002-05:00

Jim Reich

Talented Workers -----Ellen-----

2010-01-12T18:07:00.005-05:00

Ellen Peters

Talented Workers -----Jeff-----

2010-01-12T18:01:00.003-05:00

Jeffery Ludeman

Talented Workers -----David-----

2010-01-12T17:55:00.006-05:00

David Kress

Talented Workers -----Alex-----

2010-01-12T17:52:00.004-05:00

Alex Hardesty

Talented Workers -----Margaret-----

2010-01-12T17:48:00.005-05:00

Margaret Forbes

Talented Workers -----Lynn-----

2010-01-12T17:39:00.008-05:00

Lynn Cotrill

Monday Morning Hambo's Networking Group 1/11

2010-01-12T07:36:00.003-05:00

Weekly meeting notes.

More about us

2010-01-10T19:33:00.001-05:00

We met at the Ferndale Career Center and have created an employment and networking group. Our group meets on Monday mornings at Hambo's, a resturaunt in Ferndale, Michigan.

Our Mission
To create a strong multidimensional networking group; Focusing on resumes, personal branding, career advancement and career transitions. Through our involvement we work toward change by sharing, growth and improvement.

We are supported by the Ferndale Career Center
We will continuosly update the this blog by adding new post including how our meeting go. Click the above post to find out more.