Florida Jobing Community Blogs

An applicant tracking system is such a great tool for a recruiter. I have heard and also saw listed in a recent article I read, some common reasons why recruiters have not yet adopted an ATS. They were in regards to price, integration, and the debate whether it is needed due to cyclical hiring. An ATS can be simple or complex, so not all organizations need all the fancy (and sometimes expensive) bells and whistles. We actually offer a turn key ATS solution and most employers I speak with are not even aware of this. It is so simple and easy to use. in fact, it literally takes about 3 minutes to put on a corporate website. I think it's great to know that there are affordable ways to become more efficient in recruitment.

When I hear about hiring being cyclical and that supporting not having an ATS I question how much thought is put into the employment brand over the long run. What's great about having a corporate career center of some capacity is that there is now a permanent place on your website that speaks to the future candidate. We put so much time and effort into our corporate websites with the consumer in mind, but what is the point without the right people in the right seat who will be delivering our products and services? It's so beneficial to ensure there is at least one dynamic up to date page on our websites for our future employees.

Here is a great article on this.

What do you think? Have you considered having an ATS? How do you think it can make an impact on your recruitment?

Share your thoughts and Join the Conversation:

Part 2:   Networking

How are you using your network?

a.  People I know from my old job know I am looking - but I haven't talked to people outside of my current professional circle.
b.  I sent out a blanket email to everyone on my email list - but nobody responded.
c.  I am not sure where to start.  People know I am looking, but I don't know how to get the help I need from them.

If any of the statements above describe you, you may benefit from revisiting some of the basics of networking: 1. Be a giver. 2. Ask for help - directly. 3.  Act on help and follow-up.

Be a giver:  The best networkers I know are amazing at providing value to the people they are connected to at every opportunity. Whether it is sharing an interesting article, a piece of new information, a new contact - they always collect and share what is of value to others. Give to your network and it will give back to you.

Ask for help:  Once you are connected and begin bringing value to your network, there is a strong chance those in your network will want to help you back.  Have a clear, short statement to share with people in your network (personally - not in a spam email) about what you do and what type of job/contact/help you are looking for.  Good examples are:

example 1.  I am a materials engineer and I am looking to make a contact with someone who works in the XYZ industry.
example 2.  I have worked at salons for 10 years and I am looking for small business owners to talk with about what I need to do to get started on my own.
example 3.  I have recently graduated with a liberal arts degree and I am looking for an entry level position with a growing company.

Act on help and follow-up:  The most important step of networking is to use help that is offered to you and thank the person who has provided it.  This means you need to reach out to the contacts you have been introduced to, read the information people have shared, or go to the events that people have told you about.  After you've received help or information, follow-up with your contact and send a sincere thank you.  Include specifics about what was most helpful to you.  If the help lands you a job or something of substantial value, a thoughtful gift or dinner might be a nice gesture too!  Gratitude is great to receive and makes it more likely that a person will help you again in the future.


My next blog post will uncover opportunities for improvement in Interviewing ...

Karen Austin is a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC) and resume writer for Jobing Career Services.  For more information about Jobing Career Services or to get professional help writing a resume - email resumereview@jobing.com or visit our information page at www.jobing.com/careerservices.

Social recruiting is now emerging from its adolescence.  It’s moving beyond the wide-eyed exultation of early adoption to the squinty-eyed assessment of mature users.  The focus is less and less on what we can do with social media and more and more on how best to put it to work. 

That’s especially apparent in the subset of social recruiting we call networking.  Social or professional networking online now clearly falls into two general categories of activity.  They are probably best described as content and contact networking.  Both can help you access high caliber passive prospects for your organization, but each is performed differently. 

Content Networking 

Content networking occurs in the discussion forums on job board and association Web-sites, in blogs on corporate sites and in Google’s newsgroups.  These destinations attract visitors who share a common career field or occupational interest and like to communicate and commiserate with each other about it.  The interaction is social—a community of sorts does form—but it’s primarily based on the topic being discussed. 

In most but not all cases, the members of these communities are passive prospects.  They are not looking for a job.  More often than not, however, they are interested in advancing their careers.  Indeed, that’s why they are engaged by the content.  They want to be smarter in their career field and better able to put their occupational interests to work.  Said another way, they are top talent. 

The only way to connect with these prospects effectively is by practicing the Golden Rule of Networking.  That axiom is simple yet inviolate—you have to give in order to get.  In other words, if you want the participants in these discussions to consider your openings, you have to first contribute to their content. 

How can you do that?  By being the expert you are.  You know more about what employers are looking for in their field than they do.  You have a much better understanding of how to interact with a group they consider exotic and hard to understand: recruiters.  And, you have a more realistic sense of what employers will pay for certain kinds of expertise and different levels of experience. 

So, don’t pretend to be someone you are.  Be yourself.  Then, when a participant’s contributions to the discussion single them out as a gem of a prospect, you can reach out to them privately and they’ll know who you are.  You will have established the familiarity and trust necessary to move even the most passive of prospects into a more active frame of mind. 

Contact Networking 

Contact networking occurs on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Ryze, Yorz and Ziggs.  These sites enable people to build out their connections in the workplace and thereby enhance their stature in their profession, craft or trade and/or make themselves “findable” by recruiters.  While the groups within LinkedIn and similar sites do facilitate content networking, most of those who join these sites do not participate in them.  They are simply interested in creating passive links that may prove helpful to them right now or at some point in the future. 

The majority of those who sign on to professional networking sites would normally be passive prospects.  In today’s economy, however, it’s likely that a significant percentage are, in fact, active job seekers.  As in the real world, they are forging connections with others in the hopes of bumping into or being referred to a recruiter with an opening appropriate for them. 

Networking in such a population, therefore, is basically an exercise in doing old-fashioned cold calling by email or InMail.  Just as executive search consultants have done for years, it involves moving through concentric circles of contacts to uncover candidates for an open position.  With the exception of the first circle—your own direct connections—the contacts are not personally known to you.  They are, instead, leads that may either identify a genuine prospect or provide yet another lead to someone else who could be. 

The key to successful contact networking, therefore, is two-fold.  First, as with cold calling, the activity is basically a numbers game.  You have to keep pouring a lot of contacts into the top of the funnel in order to reach even a small number of legitimate prospects at the bottom.  Second, you have to know how to message with clarity and impact.  Long and windy communications are unlikely to be read so active job seekers are more likely to apply when they shouldn’t and passive prospects are unlikely to read them at all.  In effect, you have to find just the right balance between speed and engagement. 

While we are still developing the best practices for both content and contact networking, these tools already represent some of the more mature applications of social recruiting.  They are not, however, a substitute for the array of other sourcing methods we employ to identify top talent.  They enable us to tap the power and promise of the social Web, but they incur a cost—the time commitment of the recruiter—that must be carefully managed within the context of your overall recruiting strategy. 

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit my blog at Weddles.com/WorkStrong 

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System. 

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

The American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals, is celebrating December 7-11, 2009 as Employee Learning Week to recognize the value of learning and the important link between a knowledgeable, highly skilled workforce and organizational success. ASTD members come from more than 100 countries and thousands of organizations. The ASTD Fort Lauderdale has 250 members throughout Broward County and other South Florida communities.  Our membership is very diverse, including public and private sector, as well as independent consultants.

Join Us on Thursday December 10th for our Annual Celebration!

    

REQUESTED BY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

BROWARD COUNTY

WHEREAS, the organizations of Broward County are committed to creating a highly skilled workforce that is critical to growing and sustaining a competitive advantage;

WHEREAS, they recognize that having a knowledgeable, skilled workforce improves the performance of those organizations;

WHEREAS, learning develops individual and organizational knowledge and expertise;

WHEREAS, the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD)–-the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals–-has declared December 7-11, 2009, as “Employee Learning Week” and designated this time for organizations to recognize the value of employee learning;

WHEREAS, Workforce Development is Everyone’s Business™;

WHEREAS, the ASTD Fort Lauderdale Chapter, whose members are workplace learning and performance professionals and the organizations in Broward County have demonstrated their commitment to developing the skills of employees and the workforce; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA:

      That the Board hereby designates the week of December 7 through 11, as “EMPLOYEE LEARNING WEEK” in Broward County, Florida.

Last Sunday’s New York Times had an article entitled “Not Taking ‘Not Hiring’ for an Answer.” Its theme was that “baby boomers were more persistent job-hunters than other age groups.” The tactics they’re using, however, can be just as effective for Gen Ys and Millennials.

In particular, the article noted that more and more people are turning to a temporary job not only for income, but perhaps more importantly, as a bridge to a permanent position. It’s an effective strategy—one I’ve recommended myself from time-to-time—but only if you understand the new definition of the term “permanent.”

Traditionally, we think of permanent jobs as those that are long lasting. We know it’s unlikely that we’ll work for a single employer for thirty or forty years, but permanent employment seems much more durable than … well than a temporary job. We don’t expect it to end in a couple of months or even in a couple of years.

In the 20th Century job market, such expectations were probably not unreasonable. On average, people changed jobs four or five times during their career or about once every six or seven years. That’s why most of us liked them so much. They gave us something we could count on—so we could buy a house or save for a child’s college education.

Today, however, a permanent job means something else altogether. The volatility produced by a highly interconnected global marketplace and the frenetic introduction of new technology has installed a pattern of much more frequent job changes. Instead of making such moves every six or seven years, we will now probably do so every three or four years. In effect, impermanence is the new norm.

What’s that mean for those of us in the workplace?

We’re going to have to adjust our own expectations and those of our families. Taking what the Times called “an honest-to-goodness, full-time, permanent job” no longer provides any meaningful security. Employers can promise it, but they can’t deliver it. If you have any doubt about that, consider this: the average tenure of a CEO is now down to under four years. If it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone and everyone else.

Does that mean there is no security in today’s world of work? No. It means we have to rely on ourselves for protection. We have to provide our own security.

How do we accomplish that?

By staying in the hunt even as we’re holding down what’s called a permanent job. Or to put it more bluntly, we have to make our job search permanent because our job isn’t.

Thanks for reading,
Peter

With 2009 winding down, it's the perfect time to reflect on this past year and turn the focus to your goals for 2010!

While you are enjoying time with your friends and family this holiday season resist the urge to postpone your job search until after the new year. Many job seekers will be easing up on their job hunting strategy during this time, which means less competition for you! The new year also tends to bring new training classes and new hire orientations, so employers will be focused on filling those seats before year's end. So, here are a few tips we have gathered to help make your holiday job search even better:

• Create a Holiday Plan - Set specific goals for what you would like to accomplish. How many resumes do you want to send out per week? How many networking events will you attend? How many hours are you going to dedicate to online research? Having a plan will help keep you motivated and moving in the right direction.

Review, Refresh, Recharge - Remember to celebrate! You have worked hard this year! Take the time to review all of your accomplishments.  While it has been a challenging year, dig deep and honor what has been positive. You have made it through!

Please share with our community your 2010 goals on our Facebook Fan Page.  Get ideas from each other and solicit the help of your fellow job seekers.

As I write this message, I am frustrated.  Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm kind of ticked off.  My evening started out great.  I finished my original president's message for October, got home at a reasonable hour, had a nice meal, and then sat down with a favorite magazine that had been sitting unopened on my coffee table since it arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago.  "You are not going to believe this," I told my husband with a few added expicatives.  Before I continue, you should know that my husband is not particularly interested in the magazine I was reading, and looked at me with apprehension when it appeared I wanted to discuss one of the articles.  You should also know that I had been crafting the original president's message since I returned from a fabulous two-week vacation in mid-September, but had not yet started putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) until last week.
 
Imagine my surprise, and dread, when this article had a similar theme and actually referenced a "do over". I was, and even now that three hours have passed, pretty peeved.  Although, I was mildly satisfied that a "real" writer was published using a theme similar to the one I used in my original message.  My first thoughts were all of the why's.  Why couldn't the article have been published in some magazine that no one reads, like Aviation Week or Popular Science (my apologies to Dad and to any other engineers who might happen across this message who enjoy those publications)?  Why me--aren't I too busy to write another message?   Next, I thought about using the original message with a footnote, briefly explaining the similarity in the event some of you subscribe to the same wildly popular magazine.   But, then I did what HR professionals do.  Adapt.
 
Instead of tossing and turning about how unfortunate it was to have that author come up with a similar theme for her article, I got out of bed and started writing.  HR professionals have to adapt every day, sometimes multiple times in one day.  I bet you've gone into work with your plan for the day mapped out and then, BAM, your CEO takes half of your morning to flesh out her latest and greatest ideas that she will need your immediate assistance to implement.  Or, you've been working on a project preparing employees for an upcoming organizational change and then, BAM, you're told the change is not going to occur in the same way (or at all) and you need to somehow communicate this to employees in a way that doesn't make the organization look, well, unorganized. 
 
One way to make sure you continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape we operate within today is to stay on top of legislation affecting our profession.  While you need to know this information to perform your job effectively, you need to understand it in a way that will allow you to educate your executives and leaders at your organization.  At our November 19 Dinner Meeting, Eric Gordon and Arlene Kline of Akerman Senterfitt will present The Obama Agenda: Recent Changes and Pending Legislation in Employment Law.  Register today to ensure you have a seat at this great event.
 
Our members in transition have probably the most relevant and recent experience in adaptation.  Many of these members managed their organization through mass layoffs during the past year and assisted in the transition to a smaller workforce, including elimination of their own human resource function.  The Water Cooler Series is back this month, at 4:30 pm before the dinner meeting, as a free benefit to our members in transition.  Marilyn Durant, of Durant Resources, will be facilitating an open forum for our members in transition.  While the series is free of charge, members must register through our website to attend.
 
One way we all have learned to cope with the challenges of being an HR professional, and the constant adaptations, is to commiserate, I mean... network.  We would love to have you attend our holiday party at the Chesterfield Hotel in Palm Beach on December 10 at 6:30 pm.  We have arranged for cocktails and hors' dorves by the pool prior to the dinner inside the Leopard Lounge.  If you have not had a chance to meet many other members, this is a great time to get to know your fellow HR professionals.  But, please register soon because we anticipate a sold out event. 

The HRPBC Leadership Team is in the process of creating a brief survey for you to ensure we adapt to your needs.  Your thoughts and suggestions regarding the chapter and our events are very important to HRPBC’s success.  When you receive the survey, please be sure to fill it out.  Whether you regularly come to our events or not, we want to know what you think.  The survey should not take you more than a few minutes.  We are very interested in hearing from you.  Please keep in mind that you do not need to wait for a survey to let us know your thoughts.  You are always welcome to contact me or any other member of the Leadership Team at any time.

Well, I feel better now that I have vented and, essentially, written a second message to you.  And, if I could do it all over again, I would have written and distributed my original message before that darn magazine landed in my mailbox.
 
Sincerely,
Lara Donlon, Esq., SPHR
Chapter President
 

I was reading a fantastic article on ERE the other day about social media recruiting strategies. There are a lot of blogs and articles on this topic lately and I often share my thoughts as well. This one was especially poignant because it spoke directly to strategy. Everyone is talking about what we should do and here is a great strategy to help get us there. For me, the biggest trigger to launch into a conversation about social media with recruiters is when they mention an employee referral program. Using our best to hire the best is nothing new. Using the social media networks of our best to hire the best is. It's about transitioning the traditional mindset into new media ways of communicating, and thus recruiting top talent.

There are no experts in this arena. Those who are finding success are doing so from shared and learned experiences. Just as the article states, "From experimentation comes innovation and learning!"

Employers, recruiters, business owners....What are your thoughts? I ask because for some time now we have heard speaker after speaker share on social media and I have noticed a definite change in our community in regards to the willingness to want to get started and a lot of reservations in regards to just not being sure where and how to start. So again....From experimentation comes innovation and learning...What are you doing to experiment? Have you started by building your own online social network? This will help you get comfortable and engaged in the social media world. Talk about your experiences and share with others.  Then watch and recognize how the brainstorms will just start to flow. Get engaged in our fan page....and share your innovations and learnings....Post a comment now and be one step closer to a great new world of user generated real time communication!

Facebook.com/SouthFloridaJobs

For this article, I went through the dozens of books I’ve reviewed in Career Jockey’s Book Review topic and forced myself to pick only three books. (BTW, Career Jockey has been totally revamped. You might want to check it out.) I had to make some tough calls, but these are the ones that together contain the meat of what every job seeker needs to know.

Book #1 - What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles

I wrote my What Color Is Your Parachute book review within three weeks of launching CareerJockey.org. I’ve recommended it to almost every Back on Track Network job seeker I’ve met. (Back on Track Network is the nonprofit that lit my passion for helping job seekers.) Every one of my networking articles and presentations references the book’s first chapter to explain why networking through contacts is your best job hunt technique available.

I’ve developed several job hunter and career changer presentations using material from different this book. They are:

• The Five Worse Ways to Job Hunt. The Five Best Ways to Job Hunt
• The Importance of Goal Setting
• Finding Your True Calling
• Career Crossroads? Let Me Show You What One Looks Like

In Finding Your True Calling, I put myself through a Parachute’s career discernment exercise that helped me discover how strong a set of interpersonal skills I really had. It inspired me to consider a career change from software engineering to technical sales and marketing a few years back.

You can find What Color Is Your Parachute 2010 on Amazon.com or at any book store. You can find older copies in just about any used book store. You don’t even need the current year’s version. I still use my 2008 version because I can’t pry myself away from all the book marks, highlights and dog ears that help me get to the sections I need quickly.

(Note: Bolles also publishes a Parachute for Teens that I've also reviewed aimed at the high school and college crowd.)

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi

A sales lead exchange group buddy of mine recommended this one to me a few years back. “It’s a great networking how-to book,” he told me. As a software engineer turned technology sales rep, I thought this was an area where I needed help so I went out a got me a copy. (This was also first Audible.com book download for listening on my IPOD – great for the car.)

In Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi explains how his networking skills helped propel him from his blue collar upbringing to his Yale, Deloitte and now Ferrazzi Green Light successes. This book is NOT a how-to book on better brown-nosing and kissing up to people in a self-serving way. It is filled with practical advice including how to effectively work a room and how best to follow up and stay in connected with people. More importantly, Never Eat Alone shows why it’s important to understand people’s needs and take an interest in sincerely helping them. He stresses how people can see through hypocrisy so your work must be driven by a desire to serve others. That’s the quality that leads to networking success.

In my Never Eat Alone book review I explain how I have used what I learned in my personal and professional dealings and how it can fuel a job hunt.

(I’ve also reviewed Ferrazzi’s Who’s Got Your Back and met him in July during his book tour. Follow these links and you can see Keith’s Good Morning, America appearance and his Larry King’s Ferrazzi interview.)

Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life by Dr. Phil McGraw

Losing a job can be one of life’s most punishing blows. It strikes at the core of how many of us define ourselves. It forces us to grieve, face our anger, consider our inadequacies and outright messes with us close to home. A former work associate of mine took his own life and his unemployment played a part in that.

Please don’t discount this book because of its author. Dr. Phil's done a good job here. It made my list. I read and reviewed Dr. Phil’s book this past Spring (2009) and really like how to laid out the grieving process that goes on when one suffers a loss. Four out of the book's seven most difficult days address issues most or all job seekers experience and especially those like me that have dealt with more traumatic firings involving personal friends. (We can sit down when you have some time and I’ll share my story with you.)

Together this collection of books covers three areas job seekers need to master in order to get through it all successfully.

Hope this helps.

I sit here in my office, with a job, with a home, and not having to chose between eating this week or taking prescribed medicine... and I think of next week. The meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday was never really something I did. I always thought about the food, and having the day off, but not about being thankful. Now... it is different this year. I am rrrrreeeeeaaaallllyyyyy thankful and aware of what might have been. What has gone on for the past year doesn't really equate to the uncertainty the original pilgrims went through, they faced death by starvation or disease or being killed by natives. The economic 'down turn' (who thinks up these euphemisms for skirting around words like economic recession or even depression) wasn't that. But with so many of my friends and acquaintances losing so much, having worked so hard for it in the first place, has slapped me in the face with my good fortune.  Oh I lost also, my 401K is still black and blue from the hits, so my retirement is going to have to be pushed back... it would have left me furious and scared before, but now instead I think, heck be grateful I have a 401K, and be grateful for the job I still have, that pays the mortgage for the home I still own. 

Next Thursday I will still be grateful for the day off and the food, but I will share my table with some who will also be grateful for a lot less than I have.  It will definitely be a day for looking at the glass half full and ignoring what isn't so great in favor of seeing all that is and saying thanks.

Keywords are a central feature of our business day.  We use them to search our resume databases and to parse through the profiles and resumes posted on job boards and social networking sites.  The problem, of course, is that we pesky humans have a bad habit of using different words to express the same idea.  That variability in human expression makes it difficult to know which keywords will actually identify the best candidates for each of your openings. 

So, what should you do?  How can you select the right keywords when there are so many competing alternatives?  The answer, I think, is to create a keyword taxonomy—an annotated list of search terms—that is rich in the language of the top talent in the specific career fields for which you are recruiting.  Think of it as a “set of master keys in words” that can unlock the candidate databases you are probing. 

Creating such a tool is not particularly difficult.  Doing so, however, is a departure from the current practice in many organizations.  It involves temporarily stepping outside the press of individual, day-to-day assignments and taking a longer term view of how keywords can best serve your recruiting strategy.  Here’s what I mean. 

The rule of thumb in developing a list of keywords has usually been to rely on the information provided to us in a job description or requisition.  The problem with this approach, of course, is that those documents are typically formulated by hiring managers—one of the least articulate populations on the planet.  The terminology they provide, therefore, is necessary but insufficient to unlock the best talent in an ATS or job board database.  It is a part of the master keyword set, but not all of it. 

How can you fill in the gaps? 

I suggest you borrow a page from your colleagues in sales and marketing and form a focus group.  Such a group is only useful, however, if it is composed of the right participants.  You’re trying to uncover the language used by the best talent for your openings, so your focus group should be populated with the same kind of people.  And, you have a ready source of such individuals among your organization’s “A” level performers in the career fields for which you’re recruiting.  They, better than anyone else, know exactly which terms their peers will use to describe their qualifications. 

Top performers are usually very busy, however, so you may have a hard time breaking them free for such an exercise.  If that’s the case in your organization, you can also build your set of master keywords by conducting a similar survey with your new hires during their orientation.  This approach is clearly more challenging to implement, however, because you will have to base your selection of the group’s participants not on their demonstrated excellence at work, but on your judgment of how they are likely to perform once they are on-the-job. 

In either case, your focus group will yield the best results if its work is conducted in three steps.

• First, build your baseline.  Ask the participants to list all of the terms they would use to describe the qualifications required for an individual to be able to perform their job effectively.  These attributes can include specific skills, occupational and/or industry knowledge, prior work experience, personality and any other factors that would bear on their ability to contribute.  If the group has a hard time knowing where to begin, ask them to review one or more of the keyword references that are currently available.  These include Google’s Keyword Tool, which will suggest keywords based on previous Google searches; Wordtracker, an online research tool; and WEDDLE’s 3 volume set, Finding Needles in a Haystack, which lists over 25,000 keywords and keyword phrases, across 5400 job and position titles in 28 industries and professions.
• Second, restate the terms in order of their importance.  Ask the group to prioritize each of their terms according to its impact on an individual’s job performance.  While there may be some disagreement among the group about the placement of specific terms, encourage them to arrive at a consensus rank ordering of the overall list.
• Third, group the terms into search baskets.  The best way to probe a resume or profile database is to conduct your search in concentric circles of ever greater specificity.  This approach enables you to hone in on and eventually determine a reasonable slate of the most qualified prospects in a database.  Therefore, ask the group to break their list into the following categories: absolutely critical, very important, somewhat important and nice to have.

 

Those four baskets of search terms should then be added to the terms you derived from the hiring manager’s job description or requisition.  If those documents enable you to do so, assign each of those terms to one of the categories used in Step 3 above.  If not, the most politic course to assign them to the absolutely critical category.  The resulting integrated list of search terms is your set of master keywords.  

The above process is clearly labor and time intensive so think of it as an investment to develop an asset.  The product you create—your keyword taxonomy—is just such a resource.  It is a state-of-the-art search tool that can be used over and over again by the entire recruiting team.  No less important, that tool gives them a genuine competitive advantage because it will increase both their efficiency and their performance.  It should, therefore, be password protected and carefully monitored.  As with all assets, it will require updating from time-to-time, but the effort involved will be substantially less than of the original development. 

Keywords are typically viewed as one of the basic tools in our profession.  For better or worse, everybody uses them so it’s easy to assume they have little or no differentiating value.  When forged into a powerful asset, however, keywords can help an organization unlock talent other employers can’t reach.  That’s why no recruiting team should be without “a set of master keys in words.” 

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com 

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System. 

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

The positive growth turned in by the American economy in the third quarter of this year suggests that maybe, just maybe this Great Recession is now in our rear view mirror.  As it fades away, of course, the tales will begin about what we did during this terrible time.  While recounting those legends is surely important, so too is sharing the insights we’ve acquired from our experience. 

Cataclysmic events often alter our perceptions of the world around us.  That was true during the Great Depression, and it will be true as we emerge from this Great Recession, as well.  Some of these new views are opinions about what happened and why, but others are actually lessons that we’ve learned about how best to survive and prosper.  They’re the things we wish we had known before the event occurred because that knowledge would have undoubtedly enabled us to fare better than we did. 

I think the sharing of this wisdom is good for us—it’s cathartic to acknowledge that we’ve earned an advanced degree in the school of hard knocks—but it’s even more helpful for our kids and grandkids.  In a very real sense, we are giving them a gift, a roadmap for the future that may help them avoid the dead ends and dangerous potholes they are sure to encounter. 

Each of us has our own view of the lessons we should pass along.  For me, the following four insights are among the most important.  They are realizations everyone must have in order to chart a successful and fulfilling career in the 21^st Century world of work. 

Seeking job security makes you vulnerable.  In today’s turbulent economy, employers have no idea what will happen tomorrow or the day after.  They may promise you job security, but they can’t deliver it.  So, counting on it is likely to put you out for the count.  A far better objective is career security—the ability to stay employed in a job of your choosing regardless of the condition of any single employer or the economy as a whole.  Unlike job security, career security is a state you create for yourself.  You don’t have to rely on the good will of some employer.  You anticipate the changes in your career—the timing of a move from one boss or organization to another, the refocusing or reskilling that’s necessary to accommodate shifts in your industry or profession—and then you plan and execute those changes so they benefit you. 

Recognition is something you give yourself.  Most managers and supervisors mean well, but if you wait for them to recognize your accomplishments at work, you’re likely to be disappointed.  Some have the social skills of a brick and others are too worried about their own security to take care of yours.  That’s why it’s important for you to keep track of your own “career victories.”  Sure, it takes a little effort to maintain a contemporaneous record of what you’ve done and how well you’ve done it, but that account will give you more satisfaction than most managers ever will.  Don’t just write it out, however; also review it regularly.  Take the time to remember what you’ve done and pat yourself on the back when you deserve it or give yourself a little counseling if you’ve let yourself down. 

Working tirelessly is a sure way to get tired.  Sadly, many people in today’s world of work find themselves wired up with no place to go.  They’ve learned the hard way that staying continuously in contact with the office doesn’t protect you.  It exhausts you.  We’re all worried about the H1N1 flu becoming a pandemic, but workaholism already is.  If you have any doubt about that, look left and right the next time you’re lying on the beach.  Every other person will be glued to their Blackberry or iPhone checking their email.  The impact of such behavior on both individual performance and wellbeing is already acute and likely to get worse.  In a knowledge-based economy, your worth is measured not by your connectivity, but by your contribution.  And, your contribution suffers when you don’t give your mind and body a chance to rest. 

Taking care of your career is the best way to take care of you.  The conventional approach to career self-management has been to get an annual checkup and leave it at that.  Historically, we paid attention to our career just once each year—during our performance appraisal and salary review.  That approach was dangerous then; today, it’s a sure-fire way to induce career cardiac arrest or what most of us call unemployment.  The only safe course in a workplace as turbulent as the one we now have is to develop career fitness the same way you develop physical fitness.  You have to commit yourself to building up the strength, endurance and reach of your career every single day.  Yes, that’s a lot of work, but it’s also a smart investment.  You spend one-third or more of your day in your profession, craft or trade, and you deserve an experience during that time that is every bit as good as the rest of your life. 

We have acquired many insights from our experience over the past two years, but these four maxims are the key lessons we have learned.  They are the things we wish we had known so they are now the things we want others to know. 

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com 

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System. 

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

This weekend I was introduced to Byron Katie. I am so grateful and thought instantly that I had to share her with our South Florida job seekers. Byron Katie provides a process to challenge our thoughts, our beliefs, our stories if you will. For me, quite often I find myself totally engaged in my head in a conversation with someone that hasn't happened or worrying about a situation that has not even occurred or thinking about what I think of something that someone said, etc. This is human nature, yet some people get "stuck" in it and some move through it. "The Work" of Byron Katie gives a process, she provides a solution. "The Work" is to simply question our thoughts. Pretty simple, right? On the surface sure, but making it a habit is the challenging part.  I was thinking about how this could support all the job seekers in our community who are struggling to stay focused and positive and even get an interview.

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about turning frustrations into solutions. Here is a great process to support moving out of the frustration, so for example:

Frustrated thought: "I can't get an interview!"

The Work:

Is it true?

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

After we answer these questions the next step is to Turn it Around and look at it differently. There are so many "self help" type of books, speakers, and exercises out there today and it's hard to distinguish between what's valid and what isn't. All I can say is that this struck a cord with me and I invite you to check it out. Then please engage in our facebook fan page and share your experiences.

How might you and others benefit from relating this in the job search?

 

Here is a great aol article I read and wanted to share it with you.  One of the most important reasons why an employer wants to hire you is having relevant experience!

Well, what if you do not have any and you have gaps on your resume?  I am trying to help job seekers one at a time and this Wednesday, I will be doing a free teleseminar on closing the gaps on your resume. 

You want to give great reasons for the employer to hire you, read this article and also, call in to see how to help close the gaps on your resume... remember, they want relevant experience.

 

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/10/08/top-10-reasons-employers-want-to-hire-you/

Have a great day!

I have done numerous workshops in our community and most recently, I did a Dress for Success, Resume and Interview Tips workshop for the Hollywood Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees)!

There were many people there from the community, including job seekers like yourself!

I was able to talk about how you need to have a professional resume and be able to present yourself in the best possible way in the interview process by being prepared. Another tip was to Dress for Success! We had Dillard's from Galleria Mall "in the house" to show us the latest business fashions.

Today, I became a fan of SYMS, just like Dillard's and I noticed this article they had published on their fan page. Lot os of information on Dressing for Success, so I thought I would share.

I would like to add that I know we live in Florida, but, we are too casual! I think we should all step it up to look more polished. I think it is appropriate and professional to wear pantyhose in an interview and most times when wearing a skirt or dress. (this is for women). There are many other things...put it this way... if you have to ask, should I take this out or maybe I should cut my hair, etc...chances are you should do it. So anyway, read on, and I hope you enjoy!

The Problem: In today's world, where casual dress is the rule and where too many people's sense of casual has crossed the line into slovenly, many people, especially young people, show up for white-collar job interviews dressed in a highly unprofessional fashion. ---- you see I told you!

The Experts: Here fashion expert Roger McKenzie and executive interview coach Trisha Scudder offer their views.
Both are based in NYC and are consultants to SYMS, a leading discount retailer of brand-name clothing, especially business attire, in and around NYC.

QUESTION: What rules of thumb do you offer regarding dressing for interviews for white-collar positions? In particular, what do you tell women, who do not have a business "uniform" as well-defined as a man's conservative dark suit, white shirt and tie? Indeed, many women show up at interviews dressed in too flashy or revealing a manner.

ROGER'S ANSWER: Since women have many more options in their fashion attire they have to be even more careful about what they wear to make sure it is appropriate. ( hence why you always go more conservative and with a dark suit... I know they will go over this, but I agree!)

* If a woman chooses to wear a skirt, the length should be at her knee, and slacks are welcome also.
* In general, a woman should stick to dark colors for the shell and earth tones for the under layer of the suit.
* It is acceptable to wear short sleeves but it should be paired with a jacket or cardigan. A twin set is a good way to put this look together.
* Women also need to be aware of the way their top fits; of course cleavage is a big no no.
* When it comes to accessories, it should be kept at a minimum: nothing too flashy, heel height should not exceed 3 inches, and makeup should be very clean and natural.

TRISHA'S ANSWER: A woman should always wear a suit. It demonstrates respect for the interviewer, the company and the position. For any job in financial services, wear a suit. Other tips that one should remember are:

* If you're a guy applying for a creative position in a creative industry then you might drop the tie, but still wear a suit jacket.
* For women, a suit also. And watch what you wear under it. Often women (of all ages) wear a business suit with a V-neck or low-cut blouse revealing cleavage during an interview. I can't say that backfires every time but most times that will send the wrong message whether you are interviewed by women or men.
* This is no time to make a fashion statement. Be conservatively dressed so that the attention is on your resume, your qualifications and your response to questions. Anything distracting about your clothes, shoes, jewelry or hair will only cause the interviewer to "vote" on it, and you lose.
* At conservative companies bare legs would be inappropriate at an interview. Wear pantyhose if you are wearing a suit with a skirt.
* Dental work. If you chipped a tooth or had one extracted, reschedule the interview for a time when your teeth are all accounted for! Seriously, I've had to tell two clients to get their teeth fixed before they proceed with interviews. ( if you are local, I have a great dentist!)
* Clean shoes and clothes, freshly pressed.
* Women, clean out and organize your handbag prior to the interview. If you have to find a pen or get a Kleenex you don't want to rummage through a rat's nest. ( yes, I know, I have to do this more often!)
* Create an attractive, professional way to carry and display your resume, references, work samples, etc.
* Practice your handshake. Ask a friend for feedback. Is it too soft? Too aggressive? Too limp? Are your eyes down? Are you solemn or smiling? Be sure your handshake is firm and enthusiastic and brief. You do not want a memorable handshake! ( no dead fish or clammy hands)
* Go to the restroom prior to the interview and look in the mirror. Swig some mouthwash or brush your teeth again. Wash your hands from the subway. Practice your smile. Stand tall. Stride in, chin up, and have a great interview! ( you must practice this before hand...it works! If you do not have nay one to practice with...Use a mirror or even a bottle of water...anything that you can look at.

QUESTION: What basic tips do you offer for putting together a wardrobe in a cost-effective manner after understanding what are the norms of attire in the workplace that one is joining?

ROGER'S ANSWER: You should have plethora of top options to pair up with a bottom which you can repeat a number of times. Remember when at an interview you are sitting across a desk so more than likely you won't see your lower half.

Thanks for reading and I wish you success in your job search! Have a great day!

Violet