Written by: Chris Layfield
Opening
Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors, opened and closed the meeting today with some key comments:
- Take advantage of the free stuff! The DISC assessment under the [Job Seekers] and [Resources] tabs of the Career Connectors website, and the PBJ Book of Lists
- Get connected to the weekly email, check the event recap, and join the LinkedIn Group Discussion
- Consider volunteering – looking for photographers, writers, A/V support, and LinkedIn Coaches
Keynote
Wade Thomas, founder and principal of Aim to Win
How can you get so comfortable in your own skin that your interviews come from the heart and not your memories of your Google searches for answers to standard interviews questions?
Like a lot of things in life, Wade Thomas says it’s easy to take for granted how much we know ourselves which leads to interviews feeling more like interrogations than conversations. The goal of the interview should be to get the right job at the right company and not to manipulate the company to hire you for a job you’re not a fit for. In fact, many good recruiters and hiring managers can differentiate between someone who is speaking from the heart and someone who is speaking from memorization.
Seem a little too fluffy? Wade provided some guidance for making this real:
1) Establish your vision: You have to be career-focused, not job-focused. If the job fits into your career plan, you seem like a “plan-ful” person in your thinking. Hiring managers think the way you are behaving in a job search is the way you will behave in a job. Watch out for impulse shopping on the job boards, where you think you can do this or that job, but you haven’t fit it into the narrative of your career story.
2) Know yourself: Think about what your core values are, not what they should be – it’s big tendency to think about what they should be. What do your core values look like? What won’t you tolerate?
3) Know your brand: What consistently makes you unique, memorable, valuable, and trustworthy. 85% of job seekers are not thinking about their brand – just by thinking about it, you are standing out. Don’t be one of those that develops a brand for each company – it has to be consistently you.
4) Know your talents: Talents are special attributes that allow you to do something well. Think about stories that represent your best accomplishments and what you brought to bear to achieve those accomplishments. You need to prove it to yourself first before you try to prove it to employers. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking talents are just experiences and resume data.
5) Value proposition: Now that you know where you are heading and how you do your best work, you can articulate what’s in it for the company. Turn your self-knowledge into an offer to the company: “I help companies do X, by …”
Once you feel really good about the authenticity of your vision, your values, your brand, and your talents, you’ll ask better questions. Unlike the questions you will find on Google, your questions are authentic and will make the recruiter think. Don’t be afraid to turn down the offer if it’s not a good fit.
One job seeker asked, “Once you formulate your brand, what’s the best way to present it?” Wade said it has to permeate everything – your elevator pitch, your references, and the answers you give in the interview. If you believe it and have lived it, it will.
Hiring Companies
TriZetto
Lora Strachan, Senior Recruiter
TriZetto is a maker of healthcare software products. TriZetto is part of the growing IT Healthcare industry, so they can offer long-term career stability and growth. They have an office in Ahwatukee; flexible schedules and work arrangements are common. Benefits are effective day 1. TriZetto is currently looking for:
- Product Owner Team Lead
- Senior Software Engineer (TIBCO)
- Technical Analyst
- Senior Product Manager
- Sales Director (West)
- Senior Strategic Account Executive (East)
- Associate and Senior Corporate Counsel roles
- Team Leads for Quality Control and Data Entry
Community Bridges
Amy Little-Hall, Director of HR
Community Bridges is a fast-growing, statewide system of care for behavioral health. They have over 29 facilities and more than 36 programs. Due to their fast growth, 24/7 operating hours, and promotion from within, they are currently hiring for a number of jobs across the state. Some examples of current openings in the Phoenix metro area include: Licensed Counselor, Medical Assistant, Benefits Specialist, Practice Manager, Quality Audit Administrator, Peer Support Specialist, Navigators, EMTs, Integrated Care RNs, Admissions Coordinators, and Crisis Interventionists. At Community Bridges, you begin accruing paid time-off immediately.
You can search for jobs by starting here.
IMPACT Payments Recruiting
Marc Badalucco, Head of Sales & Business Development
IMPACT Payments Recruiting is a 3rd party staffing agency focused on positions in the payments business and working with partners like Intel, AMEX, Silicon Valley Bank, and Discount Tires. IMPACT Payments Recruiting advocates for its candidates with hiring managers throughout the talent acquisition process. The firm is very specialized, which enables them to be very connected in their niche.
They are looking for candidates to fill current openings:
- Senior Underwriter
- Regional Sales Executive
- VP of Sales
- GM Card Services
- Mid-Market Sales Executive (SaaS)
- Support Engineer
Charles Schwab
Amy Munson, Talent Attraction Manager
Schwab is a purpose-driven organization, serving individual, advisor, and employer investment and asset management needs. Schwab has two primary centers in the Valley: Biltmore has 2500 employees, and Chandler has around 1000 employees and is more IT-focused. Hot jobs in Phoenix right now include:
- Broker Training Program
- Relationship Specialist
- Estate Services Professional (for processing deceased investor estates)
Schwab is proud of its meritocratic culture, and average tenure of Schwab associates is 8 years. Schwab believes employees should be financially fit as well and provides on-site advisors.
You can create an online profile, and search for jobs at tiny.cc/CareerConnectors. If you see a job you are interested in, complete an application there as well.
Resources
Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants
Roger Brubacher, Director of Continuing Education
Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants is a professional certification training school with programs that can be funded through government grants, including WIOA, TAA, and GI Bill.
· Project Management and Six Sigma
· Medical Administrative and Coding
· Digital Marketing and Social Media
· IT/Networking/Cybersecurity
Class sizes are small (typically 6:1), and students may retake any class up to 6 months from start date. Look them up at www.DWWWTC.com.
