The Next Five Steps To Enhancing "You" the "Product" in Your Career and Life Job Search Management     Publisher: Eloquent Books     Date of Publication: May 20, 2009 EXCERPTS word(s)CAREER CRUSADE POINTS TO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTING YOUR CAREER CRUSADE 1.) Conduct Your Career Crusade with Integrity 2.) No Other Rules Apply Given the two and only rules above, it should be clear to you that you are free to be as creative and imaginative as possible in order to distinguish yourself in the market place. Undoubtedly, there are some skills or talents that you possess which set you apart from others seeking a new position in your desired field. It is up to you to recognize those skills and talents, then identify the value that they have. Realize the value of rendering these skills and talents to others, mainly your customers (future employers). Conduct a marketing plan, which will cause your customers to want to take advantage of the benefits that your skills and talents will bring to them. Look at the employers’ problems as your opportunities in disguise. Demonstrate that your skills and abilities would solve those problems through greater efficiency, increased sales, and increased profits. Then you will have your pick of a number of job offers. Obviously, this requires some research. You need to be flexible when considering the job offer. Think of the ability to progress. The “rich man over night” idea does not relate to your job search. Network with other people all of the time in order for them to keep you in mind for upcoming position offers. You might even gain a lead from one of your contacts. Believe in yourself and the value that you can contribute to others. You need to know that you are important, no matter what level you may start on. Commit to your action plan, implement it with discipline, and conduct it persistently. word(s)RESUME WRITING CLINIC RESUME CONTENT Nothing is a waste of time if you are able to learn and apply one concept that was discussed. You would have become more knowledgeable than when you began. The well-written resume is the single most important self-advertisement that any executive or professional can possess. Resumes are tools that assist you in obtaining an interview. A resume is all about YOU! It contains your background of experiences and skills, your education, and any extra information that may be beneficial for the employer to know. You have anywhere from ten to twenty seconds to convince a prospective employer of your worth to his or her company. One thing you must keep in mind is that most often the senior executives usually do not screen resumes. They leave that job to the Human Resources department, to perform most of the weeding out of unacceptable applicants. Another point to realize is that an interview may be granted without a resume if the applicant possesses qualifications, such as a reliable personal reference. Last, but not least, a letter alone is not likely to land you an interview. There needs to be more, concise information provided for the individual performing the hiring. word(s)Interviewing Techniques Interviewing Techniques The interviewer’s purpose of conducting an interview is to find the right person to fill the open position. Their unannounced purpose is to find any reason to disqualify you for obtaining that position. The interviewee’s purpose of attending an interview is to learn more about the open position inside of that company and also to obtain the job offer. You should look your best when you go to a job interview. Dress one step above the dress required for the job. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make it a good one. Remember, first impressions are formed when the interviewer first sees and greets you. You need to look professional, confident, and competent. To help you decide what to wear to an interview, visit the company and notice what people are wearing. Make sure your interview clothes are appropriate for the job you are applying for and for the location of the interview. Don’t wear a suit to an interview at a construction site, and don’t wear jeans and a sports shirt to an office setting. You will find differences in the way the people dress depending on the industry they work in. It is always better to find yourself overdressed than underdressed for an interview. word(s)Strategic Planning The first step in a successful job search is to intimately know you in order to appropriately focus on the type of work best suited for your unique interests, skills, abilities and personality. Understanding these areas’ of personality evaluation, skills transferability, and life-career goal identification, allows the user to answer these important life-questions: a. What do I really want to do? b. Where do I want to live? c. What quality of life do I want and need? (for me and those significant in my life). d. What are skills that I can migrate to another industry/culture? word(s)BENEFITS: a. Learn about personality style and temperament: What makes you unique! b. Uncover those significant emotional events that impacted your values, goals, and ultimately your career choices. c. Discover why you think, feel, and choose the way that you do. d. Learn how to select occupations and employers that best suit your personality and skills. word(s)Creating An Effective Resume word(s)Situation Analysis Many people think that a resume is only for white collar jobs. On the contrary, in our changing job market almost everyone will need a resume, including most blue-collar workers. Webster defines a resume as a ‘short, summary account of one’s career or qualifications prepared typically by an applicant for a position.” More to the point, what we are actually doing is applying for an interview. Only in the rarest of cases will a resume in and of itself directly secure a job offer. The goal of an effective resume is to highlight and summarize a person’s qualifications. word(s)Get the job Done The first step in creating your resume is to determine which jobs you are both qualified for and interested in. In today’s job market it is crucial to be as specific as possible. Your experience in the labor market has probably given you a wide variety of skills that you can apply in several career fields. Now that you have identified the types of positions you want to pursue, you need to select the resume format that best introduces you to the job market. This is a marketing decision based on the message you want to send to a potential employer. word(s)Writing Cover Letters word(s)Situation Analysis The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce yourself and sell the employer on how well your specific skills; abilities and attributes match the organization’s needs. It is critical that you take the time to prepare a creative, hard-hitting cover letter that gets the attention of the reader immediately. This is the first document a potential employer will see about you and it has to do much of your initial marketing. The cover letter is a chance to “speak” to the reader or the interviewer. By developing skills and achievement-oriented letters, you will give yourself a competitive edge. Each letter needs to be individually developed for each position. word(s)Get the job Done All effective cover letters have three main parts They identify the specific job and how you learned about it. They match your skills, training, and experience with those required for the job, using your specific knowledge of the company. They last line should emphasize your interest in the job. word(s)Understanding The interview Process word(s)Situation Analysis The purpose of all interviews is to find the best person for the job. However, the interviews can be conducted in different ways. The interview An individual interview is like an in-depth conversation. The interviewer may be the person who will be your supervisor. Hiring decisions are often made based on this type of interview. Count on discussing your skills, experience, and training and how they all relate to the duties and opportunities of the job. There will usually be time for you to ask questions. You must sell your: skills; interest; and enthusiasm; understanding of the job. Government agencies and companies filling a professional or managerial position frequently use a selection board interview. Usually three or more people sit on the board, and all candidates are asked the same questions. A selection board interview usually involves more structured questions than an individual interview, and generally does not include a discussion of salary and benefits. The process can be stressful because you have to answer questions from several people. word(s)Salary Negotiation word(s)Situation Analysis Sometimes you receive an offer that you like in some ways but there are some things about it that you do not like. Rather than turning down the offer, you may want to consider negotiating the terms of the offer with the employer. However, for the most part, employers will only enter into serious negotiations for upper level management and executive positions.