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Chris Layfield

1/12/17 – Rise Strong from Adversity

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internalGPS Paula ShoupWritten by Chris Layfield

Keynote

Paula Shoup, Coach, Facilitator, Consultant

Paula Shoup believes we can all rise stronger from adversity.  The most resilient people in the room are able to reckon with adverse situations through raw story-telling including all the negative emotions.  They control the critical voice inside their head, and they get curious about what they can learn and understand about themselves and others in the situation.  They continue to make stories out of this reckoning process, and they seek out empathetic listeners.  Resilient people own their history of vulnerability, and it becomes a sign of courage and strength.

How can you start down this road?  When you have a “Fall” (an “oh shucks” moment), write down your story in raw form with all the negative emotion – don’t hold back from blame, judgment, anxiety, perfectionism, humiliation, nostalgia, guilt, etc.  Create some space for creative reflection on the story by practicing slow breathing and keeping the critical voice inside your head in check for a while.  Ask yourself what you can learn and understand about three parts of the story: the situation, the others in the situation, and yourself.

Watch out for traps that can get you stuck:

  • Shame is a sure way to get stuck – instead of focusing on how you feel about your identity, focus your stories on how you feel about your behaviors in a given situation – you can change those
  • Negative emotions are the most powerful and long-lasting emotions – you need to notice sources of positive emotions in a 3:1 ratio to the negative ones to achieve balance
  • Imagining you don’t deserve to feel struggle because others have it worse than you stops the processing in its tracks – compassion and empathy are infinite, and you can find others willing to listen
  • Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the inner critical voice inside your head is you – it is trying to protect you, but it is not you.  Give it a name, notice the scripts it likes to repeat, and keep it in check, so you can process creatively

Hiring Companies

Allstate

Traci Whitley-Rose, Recruiter

Allstate has a regional office in Tempe with sales and marketing, product, corporate relations, claims, and IT professional opportunities.  The company is looking for a variety of backgrounds; Traci says telling your whole story, both inside and outside work, helps recruiters tailor opportunities to you.  Given the company’s national reach, there are also numerous flex/telecommuting opportunities.

Search jobs on Allstate’s career website.

Allstate is also looking to grant exclusive agencies to candidates with at least $100K in start-up capital, a track record of success, and an entrepreneurial drive.  Each policy an agent writes generates residual income, and there are no fees since this is not a franchise.  In addition to a wide product offering and national branding, Allstate provides a ton of local support including  training and consulting for your agency’s sales and marketing, product management, and corporate relations.  Even if you are not interested yourself, if you refer Traci someone who opens a business, Allstate will pay you a $10K referral bonus.

Varsity Tutors

Joanna Szewczyk, Regional Sales Director

Varsity Tutors just opened a location in Old Town Scottsdale (Camelback and Goldwater) on September 9.  They are a young company with lots of funding, strong technology, fast career growth, and a great vision of online delivery for test prep books, subject-specific apps, and a tutoring interface.  The culture is results-oriented with fun, and they are primarily hiring for sales, customer care, and training roles.

Check them out online.

Tech Finders / HR Finders

Kirsty Bach, Vice President

Staffing firms can create an advantage for candidates by getting to know them, presenting opportunities tailored specifically to their profile, and providing them behind-the-scenes, candid context that they may not hear through formal channels.

Tech Finders / HR Finders has been matching talent to roles since 1998.  They are currently seeking roles across multiple disciplines:

  • Tech: Database and Systems Administrators, Backend Principal Engineer, Java Developers, ERP Implementation Specialist, VP Sales and Marketing
  • HR: Healthcare Recruiter, HR Manager, HR Generalist, Recruiter
  • Finance: Sr. Accountant, Tax Supervisor, AP Specialist, Tax Compliance Specialist, Garnishment Specialist, Assistant Controller

Kristy also encouraged the group to consider contract roles as a stepping stone to permanent opportunities – contract roles open a lot of doors.

Get acquainted at www.aztechfinders.com.

Cenlar

Rebekah Long, Recruiter

Cenlar is a mortgage and loan-servicing provider with 2 Arizona Locations, both in Tempe (one at Warner and Kyrene and another at S. Hardy Drive).  Open roles include an HR Generalist as well as agents and supervisors in customer care and collections.  The company offers a full benefits package and encourages community involvement.

More information can be found at www.cenlar.com/careers.

Resources

Coder Camps

Tom Fisher 

Coder Camps is a 12-week coding skills program to transition people into an industry that currently has a 2% unemployment rate.  Learners can choose a full-time immersive course or a nights and weekends track; both have online and on-site options.  If you aren’t sure you are ready to commit to the full course, start with “Coding From Scratch” for a $100 application fee; it gives learners a basic overview of HTML, Java, CSS and more.

Visit them at codercamps.com

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors, announced that the Career Connectors plan for 2017 is in place.  Career Connectors events can be a great next step for your to meet people, to get advice, and to connect with hope.

Veterans are invited to the Military Career Event on February 22 10am-1pm at North Phoenix Baptist  Church Conference Center in Phoenix, AZ.  This free networking and hiring event is open to all military- active, retired and reservists- as well as their spouses and significant others.

Additionally, Career Connectors is always looking for volunteers with photography, writing, and/or A/V skills.

11/10/16 – Power of Personal Connections

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Power of Personal ConnectionsWritten by Chris Layfield

Opening

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors encouraged everyone to stay engaged with Career Connectors:

  • Join the LinkedIn Group Discussion, and check the event recap
  • Consider volunteering – looking for photographers, audio/visual, and bloggers
  • Take the DISC assessment online anytime, and get your business portraits at one of the events, all for free

She also announced a new “Resource” in the Job Seekers section of the Career Connectors website.  “Career Advice” contains short articles from experts with great advice.

Keynote

Eric Walton, President of Building Up Leaders LLC

Your job search effectiveness is a function of your “Job Search Competency” multiplied by your “Connection Effectiveness”.  “Job Search Competency” includes your resume and LinkedIn foundations as well as job search marketing plans and networking activities.  “Connection Effectiveness” is how quickly, deeply, and intentionally you make connections and grow your relationship map.  These factors magnify each other!  If you doubt this, just ask yourself three questions, “What happens to your resume when you have no connection with the firm or hiring manager?”, “How will your resume and application be treated if you have a connection on the inside?”, “How do your odds increase if you have connected with the hiring manager?”  Clearly, if you have a connection, you increase your chances.  Here are some tips to manage your relationship:

  • Reconnect With Old Connections: Make a “Reconnection Week”.  Tab through your list of contacts, and notice who has something new going on.  Drop them a note highlighting the fact that you noticed, and offer something new from your end.  Do it with 10 people that week.
  • Connect With Someone New: Identify people you want to be connected with, and research the heck out of them, looking for what is important to THEM.  You don’t want to come across as fake, so keep an eye out for contextual connection points (e.g. having attended the same school in the same state where the school is located may not be enough).  Start connecting as soon as you can – real connection takes time.  Don’t start with the value you can bring – you don’t get to have that conversation with someone until you have a connection.
  • Keep Track of Your Connections: Make a simple table in Word or Excel that lists your actual or prospective connections,  whether/how you are connected to each one, the last time you connected (if at all) to each one, and what your future plans to connect are (e.g. more research, phone call, email, LinkedIn, drop-by).  If you don’t do this, you will forget.

Hiring Companies

Ring

Heather Mitchell, Senior Recruiter

Ring is a cool new product allowing you to monitor the perimeter of your home from anywhere through your smartphone.  Ring also has 300 associates in the Valley, and they have plans to hire 200 more.  Positions in the area are primarily sales and account management, and the ability to move from entry level quickly is fueled by the huge growth rate and entrepreneurial culture.  The company will centralize all local associates in Glendale (Westgate).  In addition to career development, benefits include medical/dental/vision, a 401k program, and a staff discount on the product itself.  Ring also has a Santa Monica, California location for those looking to relocate.

Check out the <Careers> link at their website.

Matrix Absence Management

Bert Stone, Vice President

Matrix Absence Management is a 3rd party of administrator for companies’ FMLA, LTD, STD, PTO, LOA, and ADA benefits.  Matrix competes with larger insurance carriers by tailoring products for individual customers, and last year was the highest sales year ever.  Matrix is looking to fill claims leadership and claims management positions with individuals who have empathy for people in distress, the ability to get up-to-speed quickly on individual companies’ offerings, and the critical thinking to evaluate medical and vocational information received from multiple sources.  Benefits include medical/dental/vision, a 401k plan with 4% company match, flexible spending accounts, PTO, and 10 paid holidays.  Matrix’s office is at Peoria Avenue and the I-17.

Check out the <Careers> link under the <Company> tab on their website.

Freedom Financial Network

JD Hasna, Director of Talent Acquisition

Freedom Financial Network provides debt relief and debt education services to borrowers.  The company is looking to mature after several years as a high-growth start-up, all the while retaining an entrepreneurial spirit in an accountable and collaborative culture.  Freedom Financial is located in Tempe at Baseline and the I-10; there are about 1200 associates, and they are looking to grow to ~2200.  Entry level and supervisory jobs are available for customer and loan servicing, negotiation specialists, sales, training, HR, and Salesforce engineers.

Check out the <Join Our Team> link on the website.

NESCO Resource

Kelli Perkins, Area Manager

NESCO Resource is a national temporary staffing and staff-to-hire recruiting firm.  Temporary work enables job seekers to increase connections, test out a company’s culture, and keep skills fresh and sharp.  NESCO offers contractors medical, dental, vision, and 401k benefits and sometimes more benefits which are assignment-specific.  Current openings range from professional (hardware design engineer, technical support, and R&D formulation specialist), to administrative (recruiting coordinator, recruiter, regional administrative assistant, call center supervisor), to industrial (maintenance techs).  Go to the website, and attach your resume.

Resources

Canyon State Institute

John Dvorak, Academic Advisor

Canyon State Institute (CSI) offers in-demand, career-based certifications. Certifications are funded through government-backed grants and are available in many areas including:

  • Microsoft Office
  • Comp TIA
  • Cisco Certified Network Administrator
  • Medical Support Specialist
  • PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • SHRM Human Resources
  • Process Improvement (e.g. Scrum Master, Six Sigma)
  • Digital Marketing Specialist

What sets CSI apart? Small classes (maximum 6 for most programs), career advisors on staff, and the ability to audit the next set of classes while studying to pass national exams.

 

 

10/13/2016 – The Key to Improving Your Job Search

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Written by Chris Layfield

Opening

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors encouraged everyone to stay engaged with CareerConnectors:

  • Join the LinkedIn Group Discussion, and check the event recap
  • Consider volunteering – looking for photographers, audio/visual, and bloggers
  • Take the DISC assessment online anytime, and get your business portraits at one of the events

She also announced a new sponsor for Career Connectors:  Coder Camps is a 12-week coding skills program to transition people into an industry that currently has a 2% unemployment rate.  95% of incoming learners finish the program, and 75% are employed within 90 days.  Coder Camps offers financing, and their “coder for life” program enables graduates to come back to take any other courses for free.

Keynote

Greg Harnyak, job search expert, author, and leader

Your Marketing Plan is the MOST important tool in implementing and conducting a successful job search.  Job search is a competitive activity based on fundamental marketing/sales principles.  In addition to giving you a competitive edge, a Marketing Plan brings order out of chaos, provides structure and direction, affects your attitude and feelings in a positive manner, and decreases time of search.  Most of the world is not doing this, so you’ll stand out.

How do you create an effective Marketing Plan?  Here are some high-level guidelines:

  1. Create your personal Job Search Balance Sheet
    • Identify the assets you bring to the table: Use your resume, past performance reviews, and feedback from colleagues to generate a list of your skills and experience
    • Make a parallel list of your liabilities: Your liabilities can include salary expectations, age, geographic area limitations, gaps in education or credentials, extended unemployment or job hopping, single company experience, and any personal traits/characteristics/attitudes that may raise concerns (e.g. low energy level, introversion, passive attitude, etc.).  Once you have a complete and honest list, you can determine if you can/want to mitigate any of them.
  2. Develop Positioning Statements and Target Markets/Companies: Positioning Statements articulate specific job function(s) and industry(ies) you want to position yourself for.  Positioning Statements are what makes sense based on your Assets and Liabilities.  Clarify whether your search is national, regional, or local and limited by commuting time; your target markets and companies exist within those boundaries, and there are usually fewer than you think there are.  Source specific companies from online, from the Book of Lists, the library, etc. to give you grounding and focus for networking
  3. Generate interviews by advertising your search: Create your 2-minute summary, develop short Situation-Action-Result statements for key points on your resume, get active in industry groups, send out letters seeking information and network!

Hiring Companies

Abrazo Health

Christine Beck standing in for Michelle Eliseo, Lead Recruitment Specialist

Abrazo Health is a network of Arizona community hospitals that are part of the national Tenet Healthcare network.  Abrazo Health is defined by their values, and spends 53% of net revenue on a competitive benefits package.  PTO is banked, and you can use it however you want – take a holiday off or work the holiday to take time off later.  Highlighted positions include Directors of Nursing and Quality & Risk management, Nursing Managers, and Managers of Medical Staff Services and Clinical Documentation.  Abrazo has every position available on its website – create a profile at Abrazohealth.com/careers.

Nextiva

Kathleen Klein, Corporate Recruiter

Nextiva is a leading cloud communications provider, serving over 100,000 small/medium businesses, mid-market/enterprise companies, government, and educational institutions.  They are headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ.  Nextiva’s motto is “Amazing Service” to anyone that interacts with the company, from customers to candidates.  They are one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s best places to work.  On top of a casual and upbeat place to work, the benefits package is extensive.

Check out Nextiva – they are hiring for a number of positions in Sales, Operations, and Development/Product Management.

Revana

Mary Ann Lopez, Recruiter

Revana provides outsourced sales and marketing solutions for business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients.  There are over 1,500 employees in the Tempe and Phoenix locations that handle inbound and outbound solutions to increase revenue for clients.  Benefits are competitive; after 6 months on the job, Revana allows employees to rotate to build exposure to different roles and business lines.  Revana is looking for staff to support Facebook in the next several weeks.

You can apply at www.Revanajobs.com, or complete all steps on-site Mon-Fri between 9am and 3pm at 16404 North Black Canyon Highway, Suite 100, in Phoenix.

Charles Schwab

Curtis Crawford, Talent Attraction Specialist

Schwab serves the investment and asset management needs of individuals, advisors, and employers.  Schwab has centers near the Biltmore and in Chandler.  Schwab’s culture is strengths-based, meritocratic, and volunteer-oriented; Schwab encourages work/life balance and financial fitness with on-site advisors.  The average tenure of Schwab associates is 8 years.

Check on-line for open client-facing and support positions.  You can create a profile, upload your resume, and complete an application at tiny.cc/CareerConnectors.  Hot jobs in Phoenix right now include the Broker Training Program, Relationship Specialist, and Estate Services Professionals (for processing deceased investor estates).

Resources

AZ@Work, City of Phoenix

Waleed Alani, Employment Specialist

There are over 53,000 job openings in October, up about 3000 from September.  Check out the variety of Phoenix’s job search resources at www.arizonaatwork.com/phoenix.

  • There are events focusing on move interview training, understanding LinkedIn, and how to create winning resumes.
  • You can create a profile and post your resume on the statewide job database
  • Access state-funded skills development packages, including WIOA grants for training

In addition to the DISC assessment, go to www.maricopa.kuder.com to take a kuder assessment to isolate your career interests and to build confidence in your skills

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants

Rodger Brubacher, Director of Continuing Education

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants is a professional certification training school in Tempe with programs that can be funded through WIOA, TAA, and GI Bill grants.  Programs include:

  • Project Management and Six Sigma
  • Medical Administration and Coding
  • Digital Marketing and Social Media
  • IT/Networking/Cybersecurity

Class sizes are small (typically 6:1), 97% of students pass on the first try, and the school provides an interview coach.  Look them up at www.DWWTC.com.

8/23/16 – The Power of You

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Power of You graphicWritten 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.