Please see my latest article in Retirement News Today!
Go to http://www.retirementnewstoday.com/, click on Lifestyle, and look for career-related material!
As I am currently teaching English in South Korea for a year, I have very little time to post, but I shall continue to do so when I can.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
What is customer service?
I had a few frustrating experiences today, so I'd like to take a few minutes to talk about customer service, what is it, and what it means for a professional. The term implies some function that many organizations have formalized and passed on to a particular devision, but I would like to argue that customer service affects every part of our work, every day, no matter what your particular role.
Customer service is hard to define. One option, which I will propose (borrowed from http://www.customerservicepoint.com/customer-service-definition.html), is:
"A customer defines good customer service as how she perceives that an organization has delighted her, by exceeding to meet her needs".
You can insert the word "client" for "customer" if you prefer.
So if providing good customer service means exceeding your clients' expectations, then you cannot leave it in the hands of your "customer service department". Customer service happens in every transaction, and in every piece of work you put together, because in the end it affects your service or product.
And if everything you do indirectly affects your clients, then you have to take responsibility for doing the best job that you can on every piece of work that you do.
Today, I saw a number of people fail to take responsibility for things that were happening around them. A client waited for an hour and a half for someone to ask her if they could help her - and my then she had missed her scheduled appointment. Another client was referred to three different offices before being provided with the information he was looking for, because nobody took the time to ask him exactly what he wanted.
Incidents like those bother me, because they show a lack of responsibility, a failure to "own" what is happening and deal with it. There is nothing more frustrating for a client than "passing the buck". Don't pass the buck - be the one who takes the responsibility for figuring out where it belongs.
Customer service is hard to define. One option, which I will propose (borrowed from http://www.customerservicepoint.com/customer-service-definition.html), is:
"A customer defines good customer service as how she perceives that an organization has delighted her, by exceeding to meet her needs".
You can insert the word "client" for "customer" if you prefer.
So if providing good customer service means exceeding your clients' expectations, then you cannot leave it in the hands of your "customer service department". Customer service happens in every transaction, and in every piece of work you put together, because in the end it affects your service or product.
And if everything you do indirectly affects your clients, then you have to take responsibility for doing the best job that you can on every piece of work that you do.
Today, I saw a number of people fail to take responsibility for things that were happening around them. A client waited for an hour and a half for someone to ask her if they could help her - and my then she had missed her scheduled appointment. Another client was referred to three different offices before being provided with the information he was looking for, because nobody took the time to ask him exactly what he wanted.
Incidents like those bother me, because they show a lack of responsibility, a failure to "own" what is happening and deal with it. There is nothing more frustrating for a client than "passing the buck". Don't pass the buck - be the one who takes the responsibility for figuring out where it belongs.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Using Your Portfolio
It is becoming more common for job seekers to put together and use a portfolio at interviews. Portfolios allow you to prove the claims you make about your skills and experience. (For more on assembling a portfolio, see the George Brown Career Services website.) I have noticed that many job seekers do not know how to use it effectively during an interview - you don't just give your portfolio to your interviewer(s) and say, "Here, look at this." Here are a few scenarios where the effective use of a portfolio can help to land the job:
USING A REFERENCE LETTER
A reference letter is a great way to prove a wide variety of things: skills, experience, achievements/accomplishments, reputation, interpersonal manner... anything that the letter talks about!
Imagine the interviewer gives you the fabulous opening, "Tell me about your last job." Ta-da! While you're talking about your last job, open up your portfolio to the reference letter from your last supervisor and point out the part where s/he talks about the major project you completed, ahead of time and on budget. Proof! Make sure you have a photocopy for the interviewer to keep (never give an original - you'll never get it back.)
USING A CERTIFICATE
Say you have a certificate in conflict resolution. If the interviewer asks you, "How do you handle conflict?" that's a perfect opening to show your portfolio. Tell the interview about a real-life work scenario where you handled a conflict, and show the certificate and explain that you felt strongly enough about wanting to handle conflict effectively that you went and got trained on it (or, if you got the training before the example you gave, explain how the training helped you to handle it). Proof!
USING A SAMPLE OF YOUR WORK
If the interview is kind enough to ask you something like, "What kind of work did you produce for your last employer?", be glad! Open up your portfolio and show them the example of a document you created for a particular event at work, explaining key items on it and why you made it look (or read) the way that it does.
As I said before, make sure you have a photocopy for the interviewer to keep (never give an original - you'll never get it back.) It shows organization and leaves them with proof that you can do the job.
As you can see, it isn't that hard to make great use of a portfolio. Proof sells! Use your proof to promote yourself and land that job.
USING A REFERENCE LETTER
A reference letter is a great way to prove a wide variety of things: skills, experience, achievements/accomplishments, reputation, interpersonal manner... anything that the letter talks about!
Imagine the interviewer gives you the fabulous opening, "Tell me about your last job." Ta-da! While you're talking about your last job, open up your portfolio to the reference letter from your last supervisor and point out the part where s/he talks about the major project you completed, ahead of time and on budget. Proof! Make sure you have a photocopy for the interviewer to keep (never give an original - you'll never get it back.)
USING A CERTIFICATE
Say you have a certificate in conflict resolution. If the interviewer asks you, "How do you handle conflict?" that's a perfect opening to show your portfolio. Tell the interview about a real-life work scenario where you handled a conflict, and show the certificate and explain that you felt strongly enough about wanting to handle conflict effectively that you went and got trained on it (or, if you got the training before the example you gave, explain how the training helped you to handle it). Proof!
USING A SAMPLE OF YOUR WORK
If the interview is kind enough to ask you something like, "What kind of work did you produce for your last employer?", be glad! Open up your portfolio and show them the example of a document you created for a particular event at work, explaining key items on it and why you made it look (or read) the way that it does.
As I said before, make sure you have a photocopy for the interviewer to keep (never give an original - you'll never get it back.) It shows organization and leaves them with proof that you can do the job.
As you can see, it isn't that hard to make great use of a portfolio. Proof sells! Use your proof to promote yourself and land that job.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Networking Nitty-Gritty
"It's using people."
"It's schmoozing at big events where I don't know anyone."
"It's begging for a job."
There are a lot of misconceptions about what networking is and how to do it effectively for finding work. Networking is definitely none of the above, and in many ways it is the opposite of the beliefs folks hold about it.
It's NOT using people.
In a nutshell, networking is building relationships. This is clear when you think about who makes up your network: (former) coworkers and associates (eg, a supplier), friends, family, dentist/doctor, neighbours, hockey teammates... the list goes on. They are your allies! If you're looking for work, they're the ones who can keep their ears and eyes open for you. They will want to help you! Wouldn't you want to help them if they were looking for work?
It's NOT schmoozing at big events.
There are large business events that bill themselves as networking opportunities, but they are not intended for the faint of heart. They require an exceptional degree of comfort talking to strangers, and making smalltalk. Not all of us are up for that, and it isn't true networking. It's more like an open forum for sales. No, true networking is building relationships with people, and maintaining them. Of course you'll ask how your neighbour's chronically ill mother is doing when you also mention that you are looking for work, and would they keep their ears open.
It's NOT begging for a job.
How is letting your collected support group (family, friends, [former] colleagues,e tc) know that you're seeking work begging for a job? You're asking them to keep their ears peeled! To understand that, you should understand that 70-80% of jobs - and generally the best ones - are not widely advertised. Many are never advertised at all. Why not? Well, if I owned a business, I would rather hire someone who came with a recommendation (someone who came to me through my network of contacts) than a total stranger (who answered a job ad). It's less risky for an employer.
So I hope that clears up some of the misconceptions I hear about networking. It's how, for hundreds of years, we used to find work!
"It's schmoozing at big events where I don't know anyone."
"It's begging for a job."
There are a lot of misconceptions about what networking is and how to do it effectively for finding work. Networking is definitely none of the above, and in many ways it is the opposite of the beliefs folks hold about it.
It's NOT using people.
In a nutshell, networking is building relationships. This is clear when you think about who makes up your network: (former) coworkers and associates (eg, a supplier), friends, family, dentist/doctor, neighbours, hockey teammates... the list goes on. They are your allies! If you're looking for work, they're the ones who can keep their ears and eyes open for you. They will want to help you! Wouldn't you want to help them if they were looking for work?
It's NOT schmoozing at big events.
There are large business events that bill themselves as networking opportunities, but they are not intended for the faint of heart. They require an exceptional degree of comfort talking to strangers, and making smalltalk. Not all of us are up for that, and it isn't true networking. It's more like an open forum for sales. No, true networking is building relationships with people, and maintaining them. Of course you'll ask how your neighbour's chronically ill mother is doing when you also mention that you are looking for work, and would they keep their ears open.
It's NOT begging for a job.
How is letting your collected support group (family, friends, [former] colleagues,e tc) know that you're seeking work begging for a job? You're asking them to keep their ears peeled! To understand that, you should understand that 70-80% of jobs - and generally the best ones - are not widely advertised. Many are never advertised at all. Why not? Well, if I owned a business, I would rather hire someone who came with a recommendation (someone who came to me through my network of contacts) than a total stranger (who answered a job ad). It's less risky for an employer.
So I hope that clears up some of the misconceptions I hear about networking. It's how, for hundreds of years, we used to find work!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
A Historical Look at "Job Security"
I see a lot of clients who say that they would like to come back to school, but they don't know what they want to study. A common item they put in their wish lists in a field of work is "something with job security". I'd like to address this notion of "job security" as something that never really existed and, given the current climate of globalization and economic turmoil, is not likely to become firm again.
I am neither an anthropologist nor a historian, but I think this notion of "job security" developed post World War II and in the 1950s, when North America began to take advantage of a major manufacturing (and all the associated services) boom. It happened through the 1970s that, if you got a job with a company, in return for a lifetime of service to the company, the company would keep you on. There was a sense of commitment between employer and employee.
The massive recession in the 1980s changed that. To maintain profit levels while income dropped and inflation reduced the value of the dollar, company executives slashed operating budgets in the easiest places possible, including cutting salaries by laying off, forcing retirement, and firing large numbers of employees. Other employees took reduced hours or reduced wages to stay on. Sometime during that chaos, it seems to me as I look back at it, a social contract was broken: suddenly, employers did not owe it to their employees anymore to try to keep them on.
So aren't there field that are less likely to be downsized, you may ask? Isn't that security? Yes, of course there are. The world will always need plumbers.
I'm being facetious, because I don't believe someone should choose a career field just because it's "safe." The world would not have any art, music or literature if we all chose a career path that was "safe" or "secure."
I would like to argue instead, we should choose a career about which we are passionate and enthusiastic. Stay current and trained up in that field. And then your skill set is your job security. If you are excited and good at what you do, you will always be able to find employment.
I am neither an anthropologist nor a historian, but I think this notion of "job security" developed post World War II and in the 1950s, when North America began to take advantage of a major manufacturing (and all the associated services) boom. It happened through the 1970s that, if you got a job with a company, in return for a lifetime of service to the company, the company would keep you on. There was a sense of commitment between employer and employee.
The massive recession in the 1980s changed that. To maintain profit levels while income dropped and inflation reduced the value of the dollar, company executives slashed operating budgets in the easiest places possible, including cutting salaries by laying off, forcing retirement, and firing large numbers of employees. Other employees took reduced hours or reduced wages to stay on. Sometime during that chaos, it seems to me as I look back at it, a social contract was broken: suddenly, employers did not owe it to their employees anymore to try to keep them on.
So aren't there field that are less likely to be downsized, you may ask? Isn't that security? Yes, of course there are. The world will always need plumbers.
I'm being facetious, because I don't believe someone should choose a career field just because it's "safe." The world would not have any art, music or literature if we all chose a career path that was "safe" or "secure."
I would like to argue instead, we should choose a career about which we are passionate and enthusiastic. Stay current and trained up in that field. And then your skill set is your job security. If you are excited and good at what you do, you will always be able to find employment.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Looking the Part
I'm guilty. I admit it. I wore a plain yellow t-shirt and polka dot capris today, no jewellery, and plain shoes. It was very casual.
In my current work environment, I am fortunate that I can do that on days when I don't feel like dressing right up for work, but I always feel guilty when I do it, because I feel like I'm not setting a good example for the clients I'm working with. It's a conflict between Generation X (inherited from the Boomers) sensibilities, and Generation Y/Millennial desire to get down to work and ignore the social nonsense.
I am not currently looking for work, so I can get away with a casual-but-neat appearance. If my role had more to do with employers, I wouldn't get away with such casual attire, nor would I want to. There are still certain standards for appearance in the business world, established by generations before, which dictated that you look your best when doing business with anyone, even a colleague.
If I were currently looking for work, however, I wouldn't even go to the grocery store without dressing up at least a little bit (like what I wore today - definitely no jogging pants or old hoodies). You never know when you might meet an old colleague (a great source for job leads) or a potential employer when standing in line at the deli counter.
So because of the expectations more traditional businesspeople may have for college staff, I will do my best for the rest of the summer to dress up a little more. It's tough when it's hot, and when my Generation Y "Why?" attitude kicks in to ask for the reason behind wearing a blazer/jacket in 30C+humidity. But if it helps someone I'm working with land a job, it's worth the sweat and the drycleaning.
For more on the differences between generations, see CIO.com, on differences or BNet, on busting the myth of generational differences.
In my current work environment, I am fortunate that I can do that on days when I don't feel like dressing right up for work, but I always feel guilty when I do it, because I feel like I'm not setting a good example for the clients I'm working with. It's a conflict between Generation X (inherited from the Boomers) sensibilities, and Generation Y/Millennial desire to get down to work and ignore the social nonsense.
I am not currently looking for work, so I can get away with a casual-but-neat appearance. If my role had more to do with employers, I wouldn't get away with such casual attire, nor would I want to. There are still certain standards for appearance in the business world, established by generations before, which dictated that you look your best when doing business with anyone, even a colleague.
If I were currently looking for work, however, I wouldn't even go to the grocery store without dressing up at least a little bit (like what I wore today - definitely no jogging pants or old hoodies). You never know when you might meet an old colleague (a great source for job leads) or a potential employer when standing in line at the deli counter.
So because of the expectations more traditional businesspeople may have for college staff, I will do my best for the rest of the summer to dress up a little more. It's tough when it's hot, and when my Generation Y "Why?" attitude kicks in to ask for the reason behind wearing a blazer/jacket in 30C+humidity. But if it helps someone I'm working with land a job, it's worth the sweat and the drycleaning.
For more on the differences between generations, see CIO.com, on differences or BNet, on busting the myth of generational differences.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
On the Value of Professional Development
Conestoga College did a smart thing last week: they recruited from among the very talented people who already work and teach at the college, and had them turn their attention on follow staff and instructors for a week called E3: Employees for Excellence in Education.
I had the pleasure of attending a number of workshops related to writing curriculum, handling intercultural situations, and working more effectively with students whose first language is not English. For fun, we were also offered flower arranging (clearly just for fun) and chocolate dipping. But I digress.
It's easy for professionals to get wrapped up in our work, and forget about the value of ongoing learning and training. The Canadian Counselling Association, of which I am a member, requires that I complete so many "units" of continuing education in each 24-month span in order to maintain my certification. (My certification can be revoked if I am not a "current" counsellor, for the protection of potential clients.)
I try always to have a book related to career development on the go, and I try to attend any relevant conferences that come nearby. When someone recommends a resource to me, I try to write it down somewhere I'll run across it again. I certainly lose and forget more than I am able to track down, but I do make the effort.
At the risk of causing a stir, I feel like there's nothing more dangerous than a professional in any industry who rests on her/his laurels. Professional development should never stop, since the world is always changing and there's always something new to learn. Professional development is absolutely invaluable.
I had the pleasure of attending a number of workshops related to writing curriculum, handling intercultural situations, and working more effectively with students whose first language is not English. For fun, we were also offered flower arranging (clearly just for fun) and chocolate dipping. But I digress.
It's easy for professionals to get wrapped up in our work, and forget about the value of ongoing learning and training. The Canadian Counselling Association, of which I am a member, requires that I complete so many "units" of continuing education in each 24-month span in order to maintain my certification. (My certification can be revoked if I am not a "current" counsellor, for the protection of potential clients.)
I try always to have a book related to career development on the go, and I try to attend any relevant conferences that come nearby. When someone recommends a resource to me, I try to write it down somewhere I'll run across it again. I certainly lose and forget more than I am able to track down, but I do make the effort.
At the risk of causing a stir, I feel like there's nothing more dangerous than a professional in any industry who rests on her/his laurels. Professional development should never stop, since the world is always changing and there's always something new to learn. Professional development is absolutely invaluable.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Review: jobhuntersbible.com
I am currently putting together a Job Finding Club at Conestoga College, and I am reading What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles (2007) for the first time. I'm really enjoying it! He offers some great statistics that I think most job seekers can benefit from.
The book is a more in-depth resource, but his website offers some great things too:
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/
Most especially, I like Mr. Bolles' outline (throughout his book and website) of what the Internet can and cannot be counted on for. I see it relied on far too much, in a wide range of settings and by a wide range of job seekers. Only 20% of available work makes job boards, and that work is often the easy-to-fill (entry level) and hard-to-fill (executive) jobs. The mid-range stuff is usually hidden, filled through internal candidates or through connections. (Why hire a stranger when you can hire someone who is known? That's much safer.) So don't just use the job boards - use the internet to make connections with people via Usenet, chat areas, discussion boards, etc!
Overall, the site offers a nice selection of resources with descriptions of what each site offers - very helpful!
The book is a more in-depth resource, but his website offers some great things too:
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/
Most especially, I like Mr. Bolles' outline (throughout his book and website) of what the Internet can and cannot be counted on for. I see it relied on far too much, in a wide range of settings and by a wide range of job seekers. Only 20% of available work makes job boards, and that work is often the easy-to-fill (entry level) and hard-to-fill (executive) jobs. The mid-range stuff is usually hidden, filled through internal candidates or through connections. (Why hire a stranger when you can hire someone who is known? That's much safer.) So don't just use the job boards - use the internet to make connections with people via Usenet, chat areas, discussion boards, etc!
Overall, the site offers a nice selection of resources with descriptions of what each site offers - very helpful!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Career Success
I saw a great speaker today. His name is Ron Budreau, and he is an entrepreneur and business coach. I found him very engaging, and he offered two pieces of advice closely related to career planning.
The first key to success that he offered was DWYSYWDWYSYWDI (Do what you said you would do when you said you would do it). It connects very closely to the concept of Credibility - that people will believe you will meet deadlines and do what you agree to do on time, but it only takes one or two failures to keep your word to lose your credibility, and building it back up is really, really difficult. And believe it or not, according to Ron, only about 10% of people manage to do this!
The second key to success that Ron offered was to have a goal (or several goals) that take you into various periods of the future (6 months, 6 years, 60 years old, etc). When you have a goal - and when you write it down (that was important) - your action and effort will be purposeful. It's really easy to be busy, and 'getting nowhere fast' if you don't have a goal in mind.
Ron described DWYSYWDWYSYWDI and Strategy/Goals as two axes on a graph that plots level of success.
I agree with him completely!
The first key to success that he offered was DWYSYWDWYSYWDI (Do what you said you would do when you said you would do it). It connects very closely to the concept of Credibility - that people will believe you will meet deadlines and do what you agree to do on time, but it only takes one or two failures to keep your word to lose your credibility, and building it back up is really, really difficult. And believe it or not, according to Ron, only about 10% of people manage to do this!
The second key to success that Ron offered was to have a goal (or several goals) that take you into various periods of the future (6 months, 6 years, 60 years old, etc). When you have a goal - and when you write it down (that was important) - your action and effort will be purposeful. It's really easy to be busy, and 'getting nowhere fast' if you don't have a goal in mind.
Ron described DWYSYWDWYSYWDI and Strategy/Goals as two axes on a graph that plots level of success.
I agree with him completely!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
When the job search is going nowhere
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." -attributed to Albert Einstein
I have a lot of students and alumni come into my office and tell me that they have sent dozens and dozens of job applications and heard nothing back from employers. When I hear that, I think two things:
1) Have you tried calling the employers?
and (just as importantly)
2) What have you started to do differently given that your applications are not getting results?
Fortunately, these students and alumni are in my office for just that reason: to strategize and figure out what they can do differently to get employers' attention with their resume and cover letter.
When something isn't working, in life, we usually stop. For instance, the car won't start, so we get it towed to a mechanic - we don't sit there and crank the key until the battery is dead. If scrubbing a stain on the floor isn't removing it, we try a tougher cleaning product - we don't just kneel there and keep wasting our energy until the scrub brush wears out. The same principle applies to a job search: if your resume and cover letter are not getting attention, you need to change your application!
The most common changes or strategies to job applications/searches that I recommend are:
a) follow up with employers - even if your application didn't catch attention the first time, you can draw attention to it by contacting the hiring decision maker
b) proofreading - have a friend/family member review your application - does it catch their attention? do they notice spelling mistakes you missed? what would catch their attention?
c) keyword searches - large and medium sized companies often shove your resume and cover letter into a big database, and do a keyword search to pull out the first round of interview candidates. If your documents, especially resume, do not provide enough detail as to the specific skills (specific software, ie, not just "accounting related software" but "Simply Accounting, AccPac 5.2, QuickBooks"), you won't pop out of the database. It is perfectly acceptable to have a section called "Key Words" at the end of your resume if you suspect it is going to be put in a database.
d) focus - is your resume targeted to the specific job and specific company you are applying to? did you use words and ideas out of the job ad or the company's website?
e) proof and specifics - did you provide examples of things that you have done? did you concretize and quantify (give a number) to your accomplishments? See the great website on resume building at George Brown College for tips and good examples (even for experienced workers): http://www.georgebrown.ca/saffairs/stusucc/resumes.aspx#link16
f) layout and format - is the "best stuff" first on the resume? is the cover letter too long, or does it not provide proof of your qualifications? do the fonts match, and are they attractive? (oh, the number of resumes I see in Courier - a no-no!) is there too much white space on the page, or is the resume too cluttered?
g) e-mail applications - do you take the opportunity in the body of the e-mail to which your resume and cover letter are attached to sell yourself? You can at the very least paste your cover letter into the message. Better that than just: "Please see attached application." Bo-ring!
There are things you can do to catch an employer's attention. Do them! Employers want to hire you - they just need you to interest them!
I have a lot of students and alumni come into my office and tell me that they have sent dozens and dozens of job applications and heard nothing back from employers. When I hear that, I think two things:
1) Have you tried calling the employers?
and (just as importantly)
2) What have you started to do differently given that your applications are not getting results?
Fortunately, these students and alumni are in my office for just that reason: to strategize and figure out what they can do differently to get employers' attention with their resume and cover letter.
When something isn't working, in life, we usually stop. For instance, the car won't start, so we get it towed to a mechanic - we don't sit there and crank the key until the battery is dead. If scrubbing a stain on the floor isn't removing it, we try a tougher cleaning product - we don't just kneel there and keep wasting our energy until the scrub brush wears out. The same principle applies to a job search: if your resume and cover letter are not getting attention, you need to change your application!
The most common changes or strategies to job applications/searches that I recommend are:
a) follow up with employers - even if your application didn't catch attention the first time, you can draw attention to it by contacting the hiring decision maker
b) proofreading - have a friend/family member review your application - does it catch their attention? do they notice spelling mistakes you missed? what would catch their attention?
c) keyword searches - large and medium sized companies often shove your resume and cover letter into a big database, and do a keyword search to pull out the first round of interview candidates. If your documents, especially resume, do not provide enough detail as to the specific skills (specific software, ie, not just "accounting related software" but "Simply Accounting, AccPac 5.2, QuickBooks"), you won't pop out of the database. It is perfectly acceptable to have a section called "Key Words" at the end of your resume if you suspect it is going to be put in a database.
d) focus - is your resume targeted to the specific job and specific company you are applying to? did you use words and ideas out of the job ad or the company's website?
e) proof and specifics - did you provide examples of things that you have done? did you concretize and quantify (give a number) to your accomplishments? See the great website on resume building at George Brown College for tips and good examples (even for experienced workers): http://www.georgebrown.ca/saffairs/stusucc/resumes.aspx#link16
f) layout and format - is the "best stuff" first on the resume? is the cover letter too long, or does it not provide proof of your qualifications? do the fonts match, and are they attractive? (oh, the number of resumes I see in Courier - a no-no!) is there too much white space on the page, or is the resume too cluttered?
g) e-mail applications - do you take the opportunity in the body of the e-mail to which your resume and cover letter are attached to sell yourself? You can at the very least paste your cover letter into the message. Better that than just: "Please see attached application." Bo-ring!
There are things you can do to catch an employer's attention. Do them! Employers want to hire you - they just need you to interest them!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Career Planning Challenges
Apologies for the delay in posting! A family member got married a week or two ago, and my life was caught up in preparing and catching up from the event.
It's a great example of how life gets in the way of our career plans (looking at in a little negatively), or how our career or life must be adjusted to fit the other. Our life is not our work, and our work is not our life. I often find myself wondering, in 5 years, will anyone remember this? will it have any lasting impact? And if the answer is no, I evaluate whether I really want to do it.
I'm prone to burning out, and I know that. It's something myself (and my spouse) monitor carefully. I get into my work, and I easily forget what my priorities are: making a good paycheck, yes, but also spending quality time with my spouse, and my cat, and writing letters to friends and family. My overall mood is better, and I think more clearly when my life and career are more balanced.
There's a lot of pressure on me, don't get me wrong. At the moment, I earn twice what my spouse does, so it falls on me to pay most of the bills. I don't mind, but when it comes to taking a day off if I'm not feeling well, or taking a holiday somewhere, I do wonder whether we can afford to do it. In the end, we have started to understand that I can't NOT take time off, or my career and my life both suffer - I'm less productive when I'm tired, and I'm miserable on top of it. It's a no-win situation to be at work exhausted.
A few nice articles on the career-life balance juggle:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/wlb/faq/01individuals.shtml
Some resources (Canadian): http://www.worksearch.gc.ca/category_drilldown.jsp;jsessionid=7844400A5992636A62E98B25C6B4760D.jvm7?category_id=578&crumb=42&crumb=127&crumb=560
http://ca.hotjobs.yahoo.com/balance
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/careeradviceresources/a/balanceact.htm
A whole section from Monster at http://content.monster.ca/section1966.asp
http://career.lfpress.jobboom.com/work-life/relaxation-vacation/2005/06/08/3279111-torsun.html
If you're not sure whether your life and career are in balance (though if you're not sure, I'd guess they're not!) at http://www.quintcareers.com/work-life_balance_quiz.html
Some companies actively promote a positive career-life balance. A quick Google search found these:
http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-centre/career-tools/career-planning/finding-your-balance
http://www.td.com/hr/balance.jsp
It's a great example of how life gets in the way of our career plans (looking at in a little negatively), or how our career or life must be adjusted to fit the other. Our life is not our work, and our work is not our life. I often find myself wondering, in 5 years, will anyone remember this? will it have any lasting impact? And if the answer is no, I evaluate whether I really want to do it.
I'm prone to burning out, and I know that. It's something myself (and my spouse) monitor carefully. I get into my work, and I easily forget what my priorities are: making a good paycheck, yes, but also spending quality time with my spouse, and my cat, and writing letters to friends and family. My overall mood is better, and I think more clearly when my life and career are more balanced.
There's a lot of pressure on me, don't get me wrong. At the moment, I earn twice what my spouse does, so it falls on me to pay most of the bills. I don't mind, but when it comes to taking a day off if I'm not feeling well, or taking a holiday somewhere, I do wonder whether we can afford to do it. In the end, we have started to understand that I can't NOT take time off, or my career and my life both suffer - I'm less productive when I'm tired, and I'm miserable on top of it. It's a no-win situation to be at work exhausted.
A few nice articles on the career-life balance juggle:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/wlb/faq/01individuals.shtml
Some resources (Canadian): http://www.worksearch.gc.ca/category_drilldown.jsp;jsessionid=7844400A5992636A62E98B25C6B4760D.jvm7?category_id=578&crumb=42&crumb=127&crumb=560
http://ca.hotjobs.yahoo.com/balance
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/careeradviceresources/a/balanceact.htm
A whole section from Monster at http://content.monster.ca/section1966.asp
http://career.lfpress.jobboom.com/work-life/relaxation-vacation/2005/06/08/3279111-torsun.html
If you're not sure whether your life and career are in balance (though if you're not sure, I'd guess they're not!) at http://www.quintcareers.com/work-life_balance_quiz.html
Some companies actively promote a positive career-life balance. A quick Google search found these:
http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-centre/career-tools/career-planning/finding-your-balance
http://www.td.com/hr/balance.jsp
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Little Details - Interviewing
When I do mock interviews, the person in front of me is usually doing everything well - pretty good answers, generally mindful of body language, overall positive attitude. The suggestions I tend to give are in relation to little details that a person can do better. Some of the most common things that interviewees can do better include:
Listening - really hear the question you are being asked. You can only answer the question that you hear, so be sure you hear the one you're being asked!
Planning - in the same vein, be sure to answer the question you were asked. Don't wander about too much. Think about what you want to say (you can take a few seconds - that's OK!), say it, and stop. Don't ramble on, and the only way I know to prevent rambling is to plan your answer before you speak.
Tell a story - remember, an interview is a conversation! Use examples, tell stories about your work background or educational experience.
Smiling and Sitting up - smiling goes a long way. Practice smiling on a day-to-day basis so you can do it naturally while you talk.
Those are the things I see most often that an interviewee can focus on to improve a lot of their interviewing.
Listening - really hear the question you are being asked. You can only answer the question that you hear, so be sure you hear the one you're being asked!
Planning - in the same vein, be sure to answer the question you were asked. Don't wander about too much. Think about what you want to say (you can take a few seconds - that's OK!), say it, and stop. Don't ramble on, and the only way I know to prevent rambling is to plan your answer before you speak.
Tell a story - remember, an interview is a conversation! Use examples, tell stories about your work background or educational experience.
Smiling and Sitting up - smiling goes a long way. Practice smiling on a day-to-day basis so you can do it naturally while you talk.
Those are the things I see most often that an interviewee can focus on to improve a lot of their interviewing.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Conference Results
If you ever need to stay in Niagara Falls on the cheap, I highly recommend the Backpackers International Hostel (http://www.backpackers.ca/listings.php?companyid=116). Clean, in a quiet neighborhood, and very convenient to things for the price. Single and traditional rooms (ensuite bathroom!).
I came home with a whole bunch of brochures and information packages, great swag (pens, bags, etc) from the vendors, and most importantly... business cards! My task now over the next few days is to follow up on those cards, and drop a quick e-mail at the very least to the people I met. Maybe we'll stay in touch, maybe we won't. We'll certainly run into each other at future conferences.
If I made and can continue to make a good impression when I run into my new professional contacts, I am hoping they will do for me (as I do for people already in my professional network) the following:
a) let me know of employment opportunities at their centres
b) invite me as a guest or speaker to their facility, or have them to mine, so I can impress
c) act as references for me once they have seen what I can do!
As you can see, networking isn't a one-off activity - it takes a concerted, ongoing effort to develop relationships with people. And that isn't easy! But in the long run, it's a tool for finding rewarding work. I will refer you to one of my favourite websites for more resources on Networking: http://www.quintcareers.com/networking_resources.html.
Myself? Another networking tool I'm going to develop is to get involved in a local professional association. There isn't really one right now for Career Development Professionals, so I'm going to see what I can do about that. The OACDP (http://www.oacdp.on.ca) is expanding and just needs someone to launch a branch in this area. Why not me? We'll see!
I came home with a whole bunch of brochures and information packages, great swag (pens, bags, etc) from the vendors, and most importantly... business cards! My task now over the next few days is to follow up on those cards, and drop a quick e-mail at the very least to the people I met. Maybe we'll stay in touch, maybe we won't. We'll certainly run into each other at future conferences.
If I made and can continue to make a good impression when I run into my new professional contacts, I am hoping they will do for me (as I do for people already in my professional network) the following:
a) let me know of employment opportunities at their centres
b) invite me as a guest or speaker to their facility, or have them to mine, so I can impress
c) act as references for me once they have seen what I can do!
As you can see, networking isn't a one-off activity - it takes a concerted, ongoing effort to develop relationships with people. And that isn't easy! But in the long run, it's a tool for finding rewarding work. I will refer you to one of my favourite websites for more resources on Networking: http://www.quintcareers.com/networking_resources.html.
Myself? Another networking tool I'm going to develop is to get involved in a local professional association. There isn't really one right now for Career Development Professionals, so I'm going to see what I can do about that. The OACDP (http://www.oacdp.on.ca) is expanding and just needs someone to launch a branch in this area. Why not me? We'll see!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Conferences as a networking strategy
Going to conferences is a great way to meet people who can help you with your career development later on! Students usually get a good rate too, and often if you volunteer to help out, you get in for really cheap or free!
For example, I'm going to the Ontario Alliance of Career Development Practitioners annual conference, Opportunities (see http://www.onestep.on.ca/opportunities/) this week. I had to take time off work to do it, but I have worked some overtime to make up the difference. As a student at the moment, I have the opportunity to volunteer as well, so my entrance to the conference is very cheap!
My goals for the conference are as follows:
a) to absorb as much info as possible!
b) to meet lots of colleagues, learn about what they're doing and share what I'm doing;
c) to develop some new relationships, both for information sharing and professional friendships.
I'll post when I return on how it went!
For example, I'm going to the Ontario Alliance of Career Development Practitioners annual conference, Opportunities (see http://www.onestep.on.ca/opportunities/) this week. I had to take time off work to do it, but I have worked some overtime to make up the difference. As a student at the moment, I have the opportunity to volunteer as well, so my entrance to the conference is very cheap!
My goals for the conference are as follows:
a) to absorb as much info as possible!
b) to meet lots of colleagues, learn about what they're doing and share what I'm doing;
c) to develop some new relationships, both for information sharing and professional friendships.
I'll post when I return on how it went!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Self-Marketing Strategies
You know you're good. Your last or current employer knows you're good. Your spouse or partners tells you you're good. So why is it so hard to toot your own horn when it comes to putting together a job application and presenting yourself at an interview?
I don't profess to understand. What I do know is that it's usually the candidate who presents her/himself the best who gets the job, not necessarily the best-qualified.
The days where you could rely on your supervisor to recognize your abilities and promote you appropriately are gone - they went, in my opinion, during the recession in the 1980s, when large corporations most obviously showed their lack of loyalty to their employees and fired huge chunks of their workforces. More jobs are being created in small and medium sized businesses in Canada in the last 15 years or so (see http://www.rbc.com/newsroom/20061030smallbiz.html, http://ehobdxsqtwdqeete.nqi.com/articles/article_details.aspx?ID=600 and http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/sbrp-rppe.nsf/en/rd02101e.html), and there is often much less room for promotion in small business since there is usually already a large amount of responsibility placed on each employee.
So how do you promote yourself and your abilities to a new employer? I suggest starting by asking yourself the following questions:
What am I proudest of, specifically?
And come up with some powerful examples of your work to answer these questions:
Not just what did I do, but what did I do WELL?
What positive feedback have I received on performance reviews? (keep these!)
What are the top 3 skills or experiences I bring to the job I am seeking to get?
Examples are powerful tools. Think of every laundry soap commercial you have ever seen. What's the one common factor? Clean laundry. Show your "clean laundry" to an employer - it's a strategy that has worked for laundry soap for years, why not you too?
I don't profess to understand. What I do know is that it's usually the candidate who presents her/himself the best who gets the job, not necessarily the best-qualified.
The days where you could rely on your supervisor to recognize your abilities and promote you appropriately are gone - they went, in my opinion, during the recession in the 1980s, when large corporations most obviously showed their lack of loyalty to their employees and fired huge chunks of their workforces. More jobs are being created in small and medium sized businesses in Canada in the last 15 years or so (see http://www.rbc.com/newsroom/20061030smallbiz.html, http://ehobdxsqtwdqeete.nqi.com/articles/article_details.aspx?ID=600 and http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/sbrp-rppe.nsf/en/rd02101e.html), and there is often much less room for promotion in small business since there is usually already a large amount of responsibility placed on each employee.
So how do you promote yourself and your abilities to a new employer? I suggest starting by asking yourself the following questions:
What am I proudest of, specifically?
And come up with some powerful examples of your work to answer these questions:
Not just what did I do, but what did I do WELL?
What positive feedback have I received on performance reviews? (keep these!)
What are the top 3 skills or experiences I bring to the job I am seeking to get?
Examples are powerful tools. Think of every laundry soap commercial you have ever seen. What's the one common factor? Clean laundry. Show your "clean laundry" to an employer - it's a strategy that has worked for laundry soap for years, why not you too?
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Writing "Killer" Cover Letters
A lot of people tell me they are intimidated by writing cover letters. Writing a cover letter is like writing a hit pop song: just follow the formula! My favourite site for cover letter help is QuintCareers, at http://www.quintcareers.com/covres.html.
______________________________
THE FORMULA
Your Contact Info
Address, Phone, etc
Remember - this is a business proposal!
Date - really important!
Company's Contact Info
Include snail mail address
E-mail address if submitting my e-mail
Remember - this is a business letter!
Dear Ms. __________:
It's worth the 10-second phone call to a reception person to try to get a name. How much attention does your junk mail at home, address "Dear Occupant" get? Not much.
And "Ms." is safer than "Miss" or "Mrs" if you don't know the marital status or age of a woman contact.
1st Paragraph: This is just the W5 - who, what when, where and why.
Who are you? What, in just a few words, are your top qualifications for this job?
What job are you applying for?
When and Where did you see the job advertised or did you hear about it?
Why (briefly) are you interested in this job? in working for this company?
That's it - nothing fancy. Just the W5.
Middle Paragraph(s): Provide some detail of your qualifications as they relate to the job you are seeking. If you have a job ad, refer to the requirements in the ad! If you don't have a job ad (ie, you heard a rumour of a job or you think you'd be a good fit somewhere and you are applying on speculation), write one for yourself with what you think are the skills the company needs the most. Use examples and show proof of your qualifications - even say, "For example..."! It's unconventional, and therefore a small risk, but you can even lay out a comparison table of their needs and your skills, like this:
You may find you need more than one paragraph, and that's fine. Just make sure that there is some logic to how your information is organized: for instance, one paragraph on education/training and another on experience; or one on technical skills and one on transferable skills. Do provide proof of yours skills - results, grades, the purposes behind your actions. They are much more interesting to read than an un-qualified "laundry list" of skills.
Closing Paragraph: Thank the employer for reading your letter. If they read to this point, you wrote a good letter, so good job! Also indicate some confidence that you will be invited to an interview, with something like "Looking forward to speaking with you in person" or the like. And that's all you need to put in the letter.
Sincerely,
Sign here if delivering on paper or faxing!
Type Your Name
__________________________________
The first paragraph is the W5, the last paragraph is just thanks and looking forward, and the middle is just connecting the dots between the employer's needs and your background. When an HR person is facing a stack of 100 applications, you need to connect those dots for her/him - s/he doesn't have time to do it for you in the 10-20 seconds your application will get the first time it is looked at. (And if it doesn't catch attention, it won't get looked at again.)
Here are the most common questions I hear, and the answers:
"Do I have to send a cover letter for every job application?"
Yes. Now, anecdotally, I can tell you that only about half of employers will read the letter before your résumé, but you never know which half you are dealing with. So yes, send a cover letter with every résumé. They are a pair, like socks.
"Do I have to send a unique letter with each application?"
Not every job is the same, and every company is different too, so yes, you will send a unique letter for each application you make. That doesn't mean you have to re-invent the wheel every time you write a cover letter, either: once you have written a solid letter, you can adjust it appropriately for each application.
Be sure to save each one individually, though - you may need an old letter for reference when you are called for an interview! Keep any job ads and leads you respond to too so you don't forget where you applied.
______________________________
THE FORMULA
Your Contact Info
Address, Phone, etc
Remember - this is a business proposal!
Date - really important!
Company's Contact Info
Include snail mail address
E-mail address if submitting my e-mail
Remember - this is a business letter!
Dear Ms. __________:
It's worth the 10-second phone call to a reception person to try to get a name. How much attention does your junk mail at home, address "Dear Occupant" get? Not much.
And "Ms." is safer than "Miss" or "Mrs" if you don't know the marital status or age of a woman contact.
1st Paragraph: This is just the W5 - who, what when, where and why.
Who are you? What, in just a few words, are your top qualifications for this job?
What job are you applying for?
When and Where did you see the job advertised or did you hear about it?
Why (briefly) are you interested in this job? in working for this company?
That's it - nothing fancy. Just the W5.
Middle Paragraph(s): Provide some detail of your qualifications as they relate to the job you are seeking. If you have a job ad, refer to the requirements in the ad! If you don't have a job ad (ie, you heard a rumour of a job or you think you'd be a good fit somewhere and you are applying on speculation), write one for yourself with what you think are the skills the company needs the most. Use examples and show proof of your qualifications - even say, "For example..."! It's unconventional, and therefore a small risk, but you can even lay out a comparison table of their needs and your skills, like this:
| YOU NEED: | I BRING: |
| Simply Accounting | training in the latest version, including a run-through of the complete accounting cycle |
You may find you need more than one paragraph, and that's fine. Just make sure that there is some logic to how your information is organized: for instance, one paragraph on education/training and another on experience; or one on technical skills and one on transferable skills. Do provide proof of yours skills - results, grades, the purposes behind your actions. They are much more interesting to read than an un-qualified "laundry list" of skills.
Closing Paragraph: Thank the employer for reading your letter. If they read to this point, you wrote a good letter, so good job! Also indicate some confidence that you will be invited to an interview, with something like "Looking forward to speaking with you in person" or the like. And that's all you need to put in the letter.
Sincerely,
Sign here if delivering on paper or faxing!
Type Your Name
__________________________________
The first paragraph is the W5, the last paragraph is just thanks and looking forward, and the middle is just connecting the dots between the employer's needs and your background. When an HR person is facing a stack of 100 applications, you need to connect those dots for her/him - s/he doesn't have time to do it for you in the 10-20 seconds your application will get the first time it is looked at. (And if it doesn't catch attention, it won't get looked at again.)
Here are the most common questions I hear, and the answers:
"Do I have to send a cover letter for every job application?"
Yes. Now, anecdotally, I can tell you that only about half of employers will read the letter before your résumé, but you never know which half you are dealing with. So yes, send a cover letter with every résumé. They are a pair, like socks.
"Do I have to send a unique letter with each application?"
Not every job is the same, and every company is different too, so yes, you will send a unique letter for each application you make. That doesn't mean you have to re-invent the wheel every time you write a cover letter, either: once you have written a solid letter, you can adjust it appropriately for each application.
Be sure to save each one individually, though - you may need an old letter for reference when you are called for an interview! Keep any job ads and leads you respond to too so you don't forget where you applied.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Writing an Effective Résumé
If I could offer only three ideas in regard to writing effective, interview-getting résumés, I would offer the following:
1) Use relevant key words - as many as you can make fit!
Many companies, especially larger ones, are turning to electronic recruiting tools to assist in the candidate sorting process. It may help to understand how a hiring process often works, in general terms, to understand why you must prepare your résumé for these digital tools as well as for human eyes.
A hiring process follows a few basic steps, most of the time. A gap in current staffing is identified, and candidates are sought to fill the gap. Bear this in mind: companies usually prefer to hire from within or through people who are already known to them. Why hire a stranger when they could hire someone referred by trusted employees or business partners? If a suitable candidate is not found through existing business and personal networks, a company may have to advertise. A job ad usually results in a wide variety of applications from candidates who are qualified, and also candidates who are not at all qualified or suitable for the role. How does the company sort through them?
Many companies, if they are advertising a position and anticipating a large number of applicants, will take advantage of the opportunity to sort through applications using a database. That means that when you apply through a website, and sometimes via e-mail as well, your application goes into a database, and it may not come out for review by human eyes unless it contains the desired set of key words for which the employer searches the database!
So if you have a job ad in front of you, use the list of requesting qualifications to inform your application. Use their words and ideas! If it helps, go through the ad point-by-point and identify where in your training and your experience you acquired the skills being sought. For a highly technical role, or a role with a long list of requirements, it might even be appropriate to include a section of key words!
If you use a good set of key words, when the employer uses a database to sort through the first cut of candidates, your application will come out! Then your application will have to pass a set of human eyes before you will be invited for an interview.
2) Pack your Profile or Summary of Qualifications
The top of half of the first page of your résumé will probably be looked at the most closely of any part of your application, especially since your application will only get 10-20 seconds of attention the first time (and could be last time, unfortunately) it is looked at. Your Profile or Summary of Qualifications must remain concise and also compelling. An HR person sorting through a pile of candidates relies on you to identify your strengths and show how you are a match for the role. S/he does not have the time on a first pass through a set of candidates to "figure out" how you are a fit. Her/his job is to pick a short list of candidates to be looked at more closely.
Your Summary should be brief - aim for no less than 5 points but no more than 7 or 8. It should include active verbs, accomplishments, and proof that you can/have perform(ed) the skills you identify. If an HR person only read your Summary, they should know enough about your background to be interested in meeting you.
3) Focus on Accomplishments
Lists of duties are dull. And just because your 'responsibilities included' X, Y and Z doesn't mean you did them well. Talk about what you did well, differently, or better than previous employers or coworkers. You can often infer that information.
For example: I worked with a young man who had been made the assistant manager at a fast food restaurant while he was still in high school. Wow! And he had on his résumé something dull like "counted cash registers". There was nothing about how he got to be the assistant manager. He explained to me that he made a great suggestion about the cash registers that earned him the managerial spot - he had noticed that other fast food restaurants close most of the tills after a certain point at night, since business rapidly drops off after 7 or 8pm. As it was, at least 1 staff member was staying for 1 1/2 hours after close to count, which made no sense since most of the staff were just standing around for the last hour of the night anyway. So the restaurant stared closing 3 of the 4 tills early and counting them when they had staff there still. We worked it out - if the staff member who stayed made as little ast $8/hour, his suggestion was saving the restaurant at least $2000/year! So we phrased it as a problem solved, in terms of an accomplishment: Recommended closing unneeded tills before restaurant close, saving 300+ hours and $2000+ per year.
Much more interesting than "counted cash registers" isn't it? And it shows an analytical and thoughtful approach to working.
For each bullet item you list under a job description on your résumé (or in an Accomplishments section - if you have some great ones, you may want one), if you can ask the question, "So what?" you have not given enough information about it. Identify how you saved time, money, or solved a problem. How did you make something easier? more efficient? Even if you can't attach a numerical value (although that is powerful), can you attach a qualitative term like "significantly"? How did you encourage repeat business or attract a new customer? Include results whenever you can as well - "provided customer service" doesn't say whether your customers came back, or whetever they liked the service you provided!
Be specific where you can. Specifics sell. Think of every laundry soap commercial you have ever seen - what are you guaranteed to see? Specific kinds of stains, and then a very clean and stain-free result. Examples are interesting to read and provide proof of your qualifications. Anyone can say they are organized. So what? Saying you organized an annual silent auction that enabled your company to donate over $500 to a charity every year is much more powerful.
Implementing these ideas will make your job applications more interesting to both the digital recruiting tools and to human recruiters.
1) Use relevant key words - as many as you can make fit!
Many companies, especially larger ones, are turning to electronic recruiting tools to assist in the candidate sorting process. It may help to understand how a hiring process often works, in general terms, to understand why you must prepare your résumé for these digital tools as well as for human eyes.
A hiring process follows a few basic steps, most of the time. A gap in current staffing is identified, and candidates are sought to fill the gap. Bear this in mind: companies usually prefer to hire from within or through people who are already known to them. Why hire a stranger when they could hire someone referred by trusted employees or business partners? If a suitable candidate is not found through existing business and personal networks, a company may have to advertise. A job ad usually results in a wide variety of applications from candidates who are qualified, and also candidates who are not at all qualified or suitable for the role. How does the company sort through them?
Many companies, if they are advertising a position and anticipating a large number of applicants, will take advantage of the opportunity to sort through applications using a database. That means that when you apply through a website, and sometimes via e-mail as well, your application goes into a database, and it may not come out for review by human eyes unless it contains the desired set of key words for which the employer searches the database!
So if you have a job ad in front of you, use the list of requesting qualifications to inform your application. Use their words and ideas! If it helps, go through the ad point-by-point and identify where in your training and your experience you acquired the skills being sought. For a highly technical role, or a role with a long list of requirements, it might even be appropriate to include a section of key words!
If you use a good set of key words, when the employer uses a database to sort through the first cut of candidates, your application will come out! Then your application will have to pass a set of human eyes before you will be invited for an interview.
2) Pack your Profile or Summary of Qualifications
The top of half of the first page of your résumé will probably be looked at the most closely of any part of your application, especially since your application will only get 10-20 seconds of attention the first time (and could be last time, unfortunately) it is looked at. Your Profile or Summary of Qualifications must remain concise and also compelling. An HR person sorting through a pile of candidates relies on you to identify your strengths and show how you are a match for the role. S/he does not have the time on a first pass through a set of candidates to "figure out" how you are a fit. Her/his job is to pick a short list of candidates to be looked at more closely.
Your Summary should be brief - aim for no less than 5 points but no more than 7 or 8. It should include active verbs, accomplishments, and proof that you can/have perform(ed) the skills you identify. If an HR person only read your Summary, they should know enough about your background to be interested in meeting you.
3) Focus on Accomplishments
Lists of duties are dull. And just because your 'responsibilities included' X, Y and Z doesn't mean you did them well. Talk about what you did well, differently, or better than previous employers or coworkers. You can often infer that information.
For example: I worked with a young man who had been made the assistant manager at a fast food restaurant while he was still in high school. Wow! And he had on his résumé something dull like "counted cash registers". There was nothing about how he got to be the assistant manager. He explained to me that he made a great suggestion about the cash registers that earned him the managerial spot - he had noticed that other fast food restaurants close most of the tills after a certain point at night, since business rapidly drops off after 7 or 8pm. As it was, at least 1 staff member was staying for 1 1/2 hours after close to count, which made no sense since most of the staff were just standing around for the last hour of the night anyway. So the restaurant stared closing 3 of the 4 tills early and counting them when they had staff there still. We worked it out - if the staff member who stayed made as little ast $8/hour, his suggestion was saving the restaurant at least $2000/year! So we phrased it as a problem solved, in terms of an accomplishment: Recommended closing unneeded tills before restaurant close, saving 300+ hours and $2000+ per year.
Much more interesting than "counted cash registers" isn't it? And it shows an analytical and thoughtful approach to working.
For each bullet item you list under a job description on your résumé (or in an Accomplishments section - if you have some great ones, you may want one), if you can ask the question, "So what?" you have not given enough information about it. Identify how you saved time, money, or solved a problem. How did you make something easier? more efficient? Even if you can't attach a numerical value (although that is powerful), can you attach a qualitative term like "significantly"? How did you encourage repeat business or attract a new customer? Include results whenever you can as well - "provided customer service" doesn't say whether your customers came back, or whetever they liked the service you provided!
Be specific where you can. Specifics sell. Think of every laundry soap commercial you have ever seen - what are you guaranteed to see? Specific kinds of stains, and then a very clean and stain-free result. Examples are interesting to read and provide proof of your qualifications. Anyone can say they are organized. So what? Saying you organized an annual silent auction that enabled your company to donate over $500 to a charity every year is much more powerful.
Implementing these ideas will make your job applications more interesting to both the digital recruiting tools and to human recruiters.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Writing Effective Applications - Handy Weblinks
Here, JOB APPLICATION = Resumé + Cover Letter
There are fantastic resources available on the internet to assist you with writing effective job applications. Nothing beats a personal touch (ie, networking your way to the job in the first place, or at least getting the name of the person who will be reviewing applications), but at the sites below you will find some great ideas on capturing an employer's interest and getting that interview!
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
Many employers want their applications by e-mail now - what should it look like? Do you attach the resumé and cover letter or put them in the body or both? If they don't go in the body, what should you say in it?
http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/email.htm
http://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/article_e_mail_basics.shtml
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchtips/a/jobsearchtool.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/e-resumes.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/email_cover_letters.html
All of your documents, no matter how they are submitted, should be focused on accomplishments, not just what you did:
http://www.quintcareers.com/accomplishments_worksheet.html
RESUME WRITING
http://www.quintcareers.com/resres.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumes/a/target.htm
http://www.careerbuilder.ca/CA/JobSeeker/CareerAdvice/Articles.aspx
http://www.jobsetc.ca/category_drilldown.jsp?category_id=106&crumb=1&crumb=34
COVER LETTER WRITING
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/cuttingedge.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/covres.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/cover_letter_samples.html
http://candocareersolutions.ca/work/benefits.htm - see the samples!
http://www.careerbuilder.ca/CA/JobSeeker/CareerAdvice/Articles.aspx
Overall, QuintCareers.com is a great site: http://www.quintcareers.com/Career_Job-Search_A-Z_index.html. So is http://jobsearch.about.com/. I would add the caveat that they are American, and resumé standards differ slightly in Canada, but overall they say very little that I can disagree with!
There are fantastic resources available on the internet to assist you with writing effective job applications. Nothing beats a personal touch (ie, networking your way to the job in the first place, or at least getting the name of the person who will be reviewing applications), but at the sites below you will find some great ideas on capturing an employer's interest and getting that interview!
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
Many employers want their applications by e-mail now - what should it look like? Do you attach the resumé and cover letter or put them in the body or both? If they don't go in the body, what should you say in it?
http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/email.htm
http://www.job-hunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/article_e_mail_basics.shtml
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchtips/a/jobsearchtool.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/e-resumes.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/email_cover_letters.html
All of your documents, no matter how they are submitted, should be focused on accomplishments, not just what you did:
http://www.quintcareers.com/accomplishments_worksheet.html
RESUME WRITING
http://www.quintcareers.com/resres.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumes/a/target.htm
http://www.careerbuilder.ca/CA/JobSeeker/CareerAdvice/Articles.aspx
http://www.jobsetc.ca/category_drilldown.jsp?category_id=106&crumb=1&crumb=34
COVER LETTER WRITING
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/cuttingedge.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/covres.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/cover_letter_samples.html
http://candocareersolutions.ca/work/benefits.htm - see the samples!
http://www.careerbuilder.ca/CA/JobSeeker/CareerAdvice/Articles.aspx
Overall, QuintCareers.com is a great site: http://www.quintcareers.com/Career_Job-Search_A-Z_index.html. So is http://jobsearch.about.com/. I would add the caveat that they are American, and resumé standards differ slightly in Canada, but overall they say very little that I can disagree with!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Self-Assessment - Know Yourself to Sell Yourself!
Most people moving into the workforce today will have 4 or 5 different careers and employers throughout their working life. Change is becoming a constant, and the change from one career to another could be very significant. How does a worker choose a direction? And how does one sell oneself in a brand new field or for a brand new job?
Like any marketing plan, your self-marketing plan in your new (or even your current) field requires that you know your profuect: you. You have to identify what you have to offer and make it clear to potential employers how you will benefit their organization, and what features you bring that make you a better candidate than any of the others they might interview.
How to Assess Your Skills
Think back to your previous work. Don't forget the unpaid work (volunteerism, extra projects, helping friends).
What did you do well? or differently?
Even if you don't think you stood out, compare yourself to your coworkers. Were you consistently on time? Ahead of schedule? Offering more useful ideas? Better at involving teammates in a process?
What good results did you have?
Even coming from fields were results aren't directly observable, try to identify a few: happy customers; positive comments from supervisors, coworkers or clients; parts of your work turning into a finished product. If you can quantify something (ie, doubled efficiency of e-mail communication by using filters to sort the majority of incoming requests; saved $2500/year by reducing end-of-shift till counting time), that's even more powerful.
Identify transferable skills.
These are sometimes called soft skills or employability skills. Some of these might include: Writing concisely, Identifying resources, Providing support for others, Coordinating tasks, and so on. (For reference, see http://www.quintcareers.com/transferable_skills.html) That said, do not simply identify a "shopping list" of skills. Anyone can say they are "organized." How has that organization shown in your work? Improved the way you worked? Helped your organization to achieve a goal? Provide some specific detail, or the skill loses much of its power.
Choosing a Career Direction - What skills will I need?
First of all, talk to some people who work in the area you are considering. This is called Informational Interviewing. Why? It might not be what you thought it was about. People with experience in the area you are thinking of moving into may also be able to offer you advice on how to get into the area, and what training - if any - you might need to succeed at it. (See http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html) You're not asking for jobs - you just want the information.
Then do some market research. What are the prospects in the new area I'm exploring? What kind of training do I need and where can I get it? How much can I expect to be paid? The Government of Canada offers some great information at http://www.jobfutures.ca/ and http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca/.
Still not sure you're cut out for it? You could try some personality and interest assessment. See a career counsellor for personal assistance. Some brief online tools from the Government of Canada include http://www.jobsetc.ca/toolbox/quizzes/quizzes_home.do?&lang=e.
All of the above will help you to identify what skills you will need (many of which you will already have, others you will need to acquire) in your new area.
Conclusion
When your instincts are telling you to try something new, be it a new job or a new field, do some solid self-research and solid research of your new area before leaping into it. It's important to know what your feet will come down on when you land!
Like any marketing plan, your self-marketing plan in your new (or even your current) field requires that you know your profuect: you. You have to identify what you have to offer and make it clear to potential employers how you will benefit their organization, and what features you bring that make you a better candidate than any of the others they might interview.
How to Assess Your Skills
Think back to your previous work. Don't forget the unpaid work (volunteerism, extra projects, helping friends).
What did you do well? or differently?
Even if you don't think you stood out, compare yourself to your coworkers. Were you consistently on time? Ahead of schedule? Offering more useful ideas? Better at involving teammates in a process?
What good results did you have?
Even coming from fields were results aren't directly observable, try to identify a few: happy customers; positive comments from supervisors, coworkers or clients; parts of your work turning into a finished product. If you can quantify something (ie, doubled efficiency of e-mail communication by using filters to sort the majority of incoming requests; saved $2500/year by reducing end-of-shift till counting time), that's even more powerful.
Identify transferable skills.
These are sometimes called soft skills or employability skills. Some of these might include: Writing concisely, Identifying resources, Providing support for others, Coordinating tasks, and so on. (For reference, see http://www.quintcareers.com/transferable_skills.html) That said, do not simply identify a "shopping list" of skills. Anyone can say they are "organized." How has that organization shown in your work? Improved the way you worked? Helped your organization to achieve a goal? Provide some specific detail, or the skill loses much of its power.
Choosing a Career Direction - What skills will I need?
First of all, talk to some people who work in the area you are considering. This is called Informational Interviewing. Why? It might not be what you thought it was about. People with experience in the area you are thinking of moving into may also be able to offer you advice on how to get into the area, and what training - if any - you might need to succeed at it. (See http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html) You're not asking for jobs - you just want the information.
Then do some market research. What are the prospects in the new area I'm exploring? What kind of training do I need and where can I get it? How much can I expect to be paid? The Government of Canada offers some great information at http://www.jobfutures.ca/ and http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca/.
Still not sure you're cut out for it? You could try some personality and interest assessment. See a career counsellor for personal assistance. Some brief online tools from the Government of Canada include http://www.jobsetc.ca/toolbox/quizzes/quizzes_home.do?&lang=e.
All of the above will help you to identify what skills you will need (many of which you will already have, others you will need to acquire) in your new area.
Conclusion
When your instincts are telling you to try something new, be it a new job or a new field, do some solid self-research and solid research of your new area before leaping into it. It's important to know what your feet will come down on when you land!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
New Leaf Resumes - A Profile
Your resume and cover letter have only seconds to impress an employer. Let me briefly introduce Stephanie Clark, a woman who followed her passion and started her own successful career development business, New Leaf Resumes.
I met Stephanie when she approached the college at which I was working about doing a workshop with my students - for free! Of course, a few students might become clients, as my partner later did. Of course, we accepted, and a small group of students was wowed by her insight and creativity. Saying you have to market yourself is one thing - to do it effectively is something else, and it takes analysis and real thoughtfulness to do it well!
Perhaps her knack for writing comes from her BA from U of T, heavy on English courses. Perhaps she developed during her time as a Human Resources administrator, observing and assisting coworkers with their career strategies. Maybe it was the time she gladly spent proofreading the documents of other staff who wanted to make sure their work was solid. Wherever it comes from, Stephanie is a stickler for detail and a keen strategist!
When she works with you on your marketing tools, she will ask you a great many questions, and more questions still if your answers are not detailed enough. She will ask you what you did well, what your reputation was, and how your work differed from your colleagues. As a Certified Resume Strategist, Stephanie knows better than anyone how to promote oneself and sell one's skills and abilities to an employer.
Try to advance your career? Changing careers, as most of us will do 4 to 5 times during our working lives? See a recent article on Job Boom (http://career.jobboom.com/workplace/challenges/2008/01/09/4760331-torsun.html) for Stephanie's advice.
For more information or how to contact Stephanie, please see http://www.newleafresumes.ca/ and http://www.newleafresumes.blogspot.com/ for some key ideas on writing effective resumes.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Hunting the Elusive Employer…
Or "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Job Hunt!"
It’s easy to find job-hunting stressful – the research on employers, tracking down their HR department, composing a special cover letter and tweaking the resume, following up on the application… so much to do!
But it isn’t too hard if you’re organized about it. I recommend keeping a log in a word processor of what you have done for each employer you are going after. I also recommend putting your targets (and achievements!) on a calendar.
I also like to look at job hunting as a challenge. Can I get 1 interview per week? Can I send 10 really good applications in a week? (That means I have done the research on 10 places where I want to work, called and worked with their reception people to find out what’s happening at the company lately and get to HR, left a message or two with HR and wrote down the name on the voicemail to address my application to, ensured I have added keywords relevant to the employer in my resume, written a specific cover letter outlining my experience, proofread it, had a friend proofread it, proofread it again, dropped it off or sent it, and made a note on my calendar to follow up in a week.) Finding a job is a full-time job, and I always treat it as such.
The importance of proofreading can’t be stressed more. Most employers say that they will not forgive even one typo, and that one error means that your application ends up in “the circular file” (the garbage can). It’s also very important that you write a specific cover letter for the company, and tweak your resume to make it specific to the company.
Your resume must have places and especially dates (including months) associated with your work history. You should include achievements and results where you can, like:
WEAK: “supervised front counter staff, handled customer complaints”
STRONG: “supervised 10+ front counter staff and handled customer complaints with tact and diplomacy”
Your cover letter should include specific examples of things that you have done that are related to the kind of work you are trying to get at the company, like:
WEAK: “I have excellent customer service skills.”
STRONG: “I have used my excellent customer service skills to defuse tense conversations and to ensure that the client left feeling like they were treated well. Often these customers remained loyal to my company and I continued to serve them regularly.”
DO NOT RELY ON JOB POSTINGS ALONE. I can’t stress this enough. Most jobs just don’t get advertised. Why? It’s expensive! As a head of a company, would you spend hundreds of dollars to advertise a job to find a complete stranger, when you can just ask your current, reliable, trusted employees and business associates if they know anyone who might be suitable for the position? That’s free! This also means that you should tell everyone you meet that you are looking for work, and what kind of work you’re looking for. You never know – the women who lives across the hall might work for a company that’s hiring!
To make best use of your time, I strongly recommend attending any and all Career Fairs or Job Fairs in the region – like Job Fair 2008, happening February 6 at RIM Park in Waterloo! This Fair has consistently been one of the largest job fairs in Canada, and once again promises to be a not-to-be missed opportunity to network and meet face-to-face with employers from the Waterloo Region and across Canada. See www.partners4employment.ca for details!
A few other great big job fairs:
http://www.thenationaljobfair.com/visitors/ (Montreal and Toronto)
http://www.canadacareerweek.com (Canada)
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobfair1/Job_Fair_Directory.htm (USA and Canada resources)
It’s easy to find job-hunting stressful – the research on employers, tracking down their HR department, composing a special cover letter and tweaking the resume, following up on the application… so much to do!
But it isn’t too hard if you’re organized about it. I recommend keeping a log in a word processor of what you have done for each employer you are going after. I also recommend putting your targets (and achievements!) on a calendar.
I also like to look at job hunting as a challenge. Can I get 1 interview per week? Can I send 10 really good applications in a week? (That means I have done the research on 10 places where I want to work, called and worked with their reception people to find out what’s happening at the company lately and get to HR, left a message or two with HR and wrote down the name on the voicemail to address my application to, ensured I have added keywords relevant to the employer in my resume, written a specific cover letter outlining my experience, proofread it, had a friend proofread it, proofread it again, dropped it off or sent it, and made a note on my calendar to follow up in a week.) Finding a job is a full-time job, and I always treat it as such.
The importance of proofreading can’t be stressed more. Most employers say that they will not forgive even one typo, and that one error means that your application ends up in “the circular file” (the garbage can). It’s also very important that you write a specific cover letter for the company, and tweak your resume to make it specific to the company.
Your resume must have places and especially dates (including months) associated with your work history. You should include achievements and results where you can, like:
WEAK: “supervised front counter staff, handled customer complaints”
STRONG: “supervised 10+ front counter staff and handled customer complaints with tact and diplomacy”
Your cover letter should include specific examples of things that you have done that are related to the kind of work you are trying to get at the company, like:
WEAK: “I have excellent customer service skills.”
STRONG: “I have used my excellent customer service skills to defuse tense conversations and to ensure that the client left feeling like they were treated well. Often these customers remained loyal to my company and I continued to serve them regularly.”
DO NOT RELY ON JOB POSTINGS ALONE. I can’t stress this enough. Most jobs just don’t get advertised. Why? It’s expensive! As a head of a company, would you spend hundreds of dollars to advertise a job to find a complete stranger, when you can just ask your current, reliable, trusted employees and business associates if they know anyone who might be suitable for the position? That’s free! This also means that you should tell everyone you meet that you are looking for work, and what kind of work you’re looking for. You never know – the women who lives across the hall might work for a company that’s hiring!
To make best use of your time, I strongly recommend attending any and all Career Fairs or Job Fairs in the region – like Job Fair 2008, happening February 6 at RIM Park in Waterloo! This Fair has consistently been one of the largest job fairs in Canada, and once again promises to be a not-to-be missed opportunity to network and meet face-to-face with employers from the Waterloo Region and across Canada. See www.partners4employment.ca for details!
A few other great big job fairs:
http://www.thenationaljobfair.com/visitors/ (Montreal and Toronto)
http://www.canadacareerweek.com (Canada)
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobfair1/Job_Fair_Directory.htm (USA and Canada resources)
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