Written by Kevin Spear, MBA: @kevinhspear
Jessica Pierce opened the session and introduced Pamela Heward. She said that the great thing about Pam is that she will help you connect a little differently. Pamela is the owner and founder of BoxFree Minds. She has assisted thousands in finding new careers. She has received great joy in helping others find their way through careers.
Keynote
Pamela Heward
@BoxFreeMinds
The Work Before the Work: Box Free Breakthrough for a New Career and Mind
Pamela began her recruiting career in the 1980s. After interviewing thousands of job seekers, she realized there were several mental blocks that kept individuals from realizing their work goals. She concluded many job seekers forgot what they were passionate about.
Pamela asked, “What is unique about you that wouldn’t be on your resume?” Or to put it another way, “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”
What is the “Work Before the Work?”
Pam challenged us to do the work before the work: preparation! The first step to preparation is to consider what makes you unique.
- What excites you?
- What are you passionate about?
Pamela warned us about using online sources to find what is unique about us. The problem with using the Internet for this is it doesn’t help you figure your passion. It just makes us feel like we don’t measure up to an ideal persona. Pamela reminded us about the voluminous job search articles that make us feel hopeless because all the tasks and exercises don’t work. The secret is they don’t work if you haven’t already figured out your passion!
Mindshift #1: Let go of your assumptions
Too often, we believe we already know the outcome of an event and give up before we start. Pam asked us what if some of the assumptions we make weren’t the whole truth? There are so many assumptions or old wives tales that we accept as truth:
- If you drop a coin from the top of the Empire State building, would it kill someone? (Rest easy! No.)
- Can you really see the Great Wall from outer space? (not according to NASA)
- Do dogs only sweat from their tongues? (No)
Let go of all of these assumptions! Do you have any of these?
- Assumption 1: The most qualified person always gets the job.
- Assumption #2: The best job search results come from recruiters, websites and job boards.
- Assumption #3: You should search for a job based on just your skills, not your passion.
- Assumption #4: In order to achieve your goals you have to make lots of big changes in your life.
What’s your White Banana Story?
Pam told us when she was in elementary school, her teachers were concerned she didn’t know her colors because she said bananas were white. They called in her mom. She explained to the administrators Pam loved bananas and that she observed the fruit of the banana is white when you peel it. Pam was making a correct observation, though it wasn’t the conventional answer.
- What you interpret may be totally legitimate even though others don’t see it your way.
- It’s how you frame it. Do you call yourself weird or unique?
- How do you like to spend your time when no one pays you or no one pays attention to you?
The key is finding out how to do what you love and make money at it. Asking this kind of question will help you tremendously when you have job interviews. Pam reminded us companies hire people, not resumes!
Letting go of your assumptions is the first of eight mindsets Pam says we must change in order to change our career paths and lives. She is holding a workshop that covers all the eight mindshifts that will allow you to free your mind and get your career going again. The workshop is in Phoenix November 7, 2015.
For more information, you can visit her website at Box Free Minds.
Hiring Companies
Manpower
Jo Bryant, Recruiter
@ManpowerGroup
Jo works in the Chandler office and has helped over 1,000 people get back to work. Manpower connects people with the integrity of work. They specialize in all divisions of the workforce. Today, Manpower is keeping up with the technology of job search. Manpower has been named one of the most ethical companies in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, Fortune Magazine named them most admired company in the staffing industry.
Manpower began 66 years ago and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They have four different brands.
- Manpower Group: Parent Company
- Manpower: Staffing
- Experis: Professional
- Right Management
Manpower offers several benefits including
- Insurance
- Paid Holidays
- Short Term Disability
- 401K
There are several positions open right now, including seasonal work.
Go to manpowerjobs.com to create an account and attach your resume.
PS: You can attach multiple resumes to your account!
Specialized Loan Servicing LLC, Gail Cunningham, Recruiter
“Talent is like a jewel, waiting for an opportunity to shine.”
Gail began as a contract employee then hired permanently at SLS six months ago. She noticed it is a growing company and is hiring from within and outside the company.
They are a third party mortgage servicing company. The company expanded to Tempe in 2012. In three months, the Tempe has grown 180 positions.
Some of the services they offer are:
- Special Servicing
- Real Estate Owned Asset Management and Disposition
- Debt Recovery
Open Positions:
- Part-time Customer Service in Call Center
- flexible scheduling
- Full-time Customer Service
- Management: Customer Service
- Collections
- Escrow
- Learning and development Positions
They offer:
- 5-week Long Paid Training
- On-site Training
State Farm
David Freedline, Recruiter
@StateFarm
State Farm is one of Career Connectors’ sponsors.
David just started with State Farm after being on active duty in the military. Even though he just started, his wife has served in State Farm for seventeen years and loved it.
State Farm’s mission is to help people manage risks, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. This is also true on the employee side. State Farm is a place you can move to other jobs within the organization. Lots of career opportunities. Go to StateFarm.com and find all the jobs in the Phoenix area.
Many of the jobs are virtual, so you can look beyond the local area.
Benefits include:
- Tuition assistance
- Fully funded pension after five years for full and part time jobs.
Immediate openings:
- Customer Service
- Claim Associates
- Interpretation representatives in several languages
- Customer Care
- IT Opportunities
- Creative Services
- Graphic Designer
They have operations in five locations in the valley, including the new campus in Tempe.
Dave gave us two tips:
- They don’t use screening software to nix applicants! So it is important a resume you submit to them is tailored to a human eye.
- For their careers site, If you copy and paste your resume within the application, you will go further than most.
Education Management Corp
Mark Pierce, Manager of Talent Acquisition
Before he began, Mark had us all gather to take a massive selfie photo. Don’t you wish you were with us?
Mark has experienced layoffs and career transitions like us. He gave this advice:
- Get your top 20 companies list
- Get connected at Career Connectors
- Add people on LinkedIn.
- That said, your job search will be less effective if it is just behind a computer
- Just dressing up and going Career Connectors is half the battle
Education Management Corporation (EDMC) is the parent company of four education institutions:
- The Art Institutes
- Argosy University
- Brown Mackie College
- South University
- Western State College of Law
They’re located in Phoenix as well as Pittsburgh.
Their focus is education that builds careers and transforms the lives of those who teach, learn, and work here. They are big on internal growth development and employee development.
Great benefits include:
- Free Education
- 12 Paid Holidays, 16 PTO days
- Community Service: Good works committee
- Employee Assistance Program
Some current job openings:
- Admissions Representative
- Academic Counselor
- Admissions Manager
They are hiring across the country, including Hawaii!
Resources
Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants
Rodger Brubacher,Director of Continuing Education @DWWTC
DWWTC is a professional certification school. They include disciplines such as:
- Cybersecurity Programs and Certifications
- Information Technology
- Professional Development Programs and Certifications
- Project Management (PMP)
Roger announced the Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategist certification is now approved for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grants (WIOA).
Their Phoenix location is in Tempe.
Some of their benefits include:
- They have instructor led as well as online training
- Low instructor to student ratio
- Over 95% of their students pass their certification exams on the first sitting.
Closing
Jessica Pierce closed the session with the reminder Career Connectors has volunteer Opportunities. We are looking for:
- Audio/Visual Support
- Bloggers
- LinkedIn Coaches
- Photographers
- Writers
For more information, you can go here.
LinkedIn Workshop
Ted Robison is hosting/teaching this event Wednesday, November 18, 1’00-5:00 PM at the City of Phoenix Business Services Center. There is an early bird rate of $39 until November 1. Then the price is $49.
You can register at Eventbrite or Career Connectors.
Next Career Connectors Events:
November and December dates are different. Due to the Holidays, the Gilbert events will be in the second week of November and December.
The next Career Connectors event is Wednesday, November 4 at North Phoenix Baptist Church. Kindra Hall will be speaking on the power of strategic storytelling.
You will find more information on upcoming dates here.