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Event Recaps

09/13/18 – Expert Tips on Performance Interviewing

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Martha Rockwell Interviewing TipsWritten by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

Your Job Search … Statistically Speaking

  • “On the average, each corporate job offer attracts 250 resumes. Of those candidates, 4-6 applicants will get called for an interview, with 1 applicant getting the job.” – Glassdoor
  • “1 out 6 candidates who applied for a job were asked for an interview.” – Jobvite 2017 Recruiting Funnel Benchmark Report
  • “Recruiters take an average of 6 seconds to scan a resume.” – The Ladders
  • “Job seekers will spend an average of 11 hours a week looking for work.” – CareerBuilder
  • “91% of employers prefer their candidates to have work experience, & 65% prefer the candidates to have relevant experience.” – NACE Job Outlook 2017
  • “51% of recruiters noted there were 3 interviews before an offer.” – 2017 Recruiter Sentiment Study MRI Network
    from “Top 99+Recruiting & HR Statistics HR Pros Must Know in 2018” by Natalie Severt

Keynote

“Expert Tips on Performance Interviewing” – Martha Rockwell

You found the perfect job.  You crafted a cover letter and resume that promoted your skills & experience.  Eureka!!!  You get a call from the company’s recruiter for an interview.  It’s now time to rock the interview!  Are you ready?

Martha shared with the group the types of interviews to expect.  Among them are the pre-screening/third party, one-on-one, sequential and panel.

ADVANCED INTERVIEW PREPARATION CHECKLIST

As you prepare for the interview, Martha encouraged us to do the following:

  1. Introduction/Elevator speech:  Be sure to tailor your speech to meet the needs of the company.  Rehearse, but do not come off as not being natural.
  2. Create answers to interview questions & practice, practice & practice. Write out the answers, since most of us are visual learners, this will help you learn your answers.
  3. Research the company: Review details for the company by visiting its website, Glassdoor, LinkedIn & recent press releases.
  4. Research salary: Determine the salary range for the open position.

PRE-PLAN YOUR INTERVIEW

  1. Pre-plan prior to the phone call:  Use flash cards to record anticipated questions & answers.  Have four questions ready to ask during the interview.
  2. What to wear: Determine what you will wear to the interview.  Dress professionally.
  3. What to bring:  Extra copies of your resume.  Be sure to have enough for all participating in the interview.  Carry the resumes in a professional portfolio.  Have paper to take notes.
  4. During the interview: Take notes so you can track the context of your conversation.

CHANGE YOUR THINKING

Frame your attitude or thinking in a positive manner!  Including ….

  • Business discussion of areas where there is a mutual interest.
  • Company wants resolutions in areas of potential concern.
  • Rather than looking for ways to disqualify you from the process, think in terms of what you can offer the employer.
  • The hiring decision is mutually depending on whether it’s a good fit.
  • Rather than emphasizing your meeting as an “interview”. Refer to it as a “business discussion”. Doing so will release emotion!

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

  1. Have a good introductory statement.  “Tell me about yourself.”
  2. Know the difference between negative & positive questions. Think of those interview questions you might be asked & identify them as negative or positive.  Your responses should be positive.
  3. Be ready for the weakness question. “What are your weaknesses?”  Think of a good positive answer.  Highlight what you learned & what you changed.  Limit your response to “1”!

THE PAR SYSTEM

Your responses should be established using the PAR system.

  1. P = Problem or project
  2. A = Action
  3. R = Results

Include what you learned or how you changed.

HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEWER

Always…..

  1. Have a list of good questions to ask the interviewer.
  2. Make sure to research & ask a question using information found on the company’s website.

CLOSING THE INTERVIEW

Ask for a timeline.

  1. Will there be a second interview?
  2. When is a decision expected to be made?

Follow up on established timelines!

INTERVIEW POST ANALYSIS

After the interview, go to a quiet place to debrief & analyze how the interview went.

THANK YOU

Send a thank you within 24-48 hours!  Pre-screen interviews should also receive a thank you, along with each person that participated in the interview.

“Failure doesn’t mean you are a failure – it just means you haven’t succeeded yet.” – Robert H. Schuller

 

HIRING COMPANIES

Shamrock Foods Company
Brianna Juarez, Talent Acquisition Specialist
Nicole Heckaman, Executive Recruiting & Development Manager

Shamrock was started 95 years ago as a family business.  Today Shamrock remains family owned & is the 7th largest foodservice distributor in the US.  Business segments are represented in foodservice distribution, dairy production, cooking oil production & retail stores.  Shamrock strives to “treat customers as friends & associates as family”.  The average tenure for employees is 20 years.  The company’s culture & growth opportunities are key factors making Shamrock a desired employer.

Benefits are robust at Shamrock.  Open positions include:  Sales, Bid Specialist Contract Pricing Analyst, Sr. Financial Analyst, Credit Manager, Director of Finance, Cost Analyst, Executive Asst., Customer Care Specialist, & Sr. Software Engineer.  To apply go to Shamrock’s website.

Choice Hotels
Pauline Crone, Talent Acquisition Manager

Choice Hotels “connects the world through hospitality”.  Choice Hotels are franchised, individually owned & operated.  The organization has over 6,800 hotels located in over 49 countries.  2017 provided revenues over $4.1 billion & 22 million customers.  Choice also is recognized for SkyTouch which is a comprehensive hotel operations platform.  The company was recognized by Forbes for being a 2018 America’s Best Mid-Size Employer & values its employees.  Benefits include:  health, fun & fitness, life, wealth, community & employee recognition.  Some of their current open positions are:  Software Engineer, IT Programs Manager, Customer Support Specialist, & Sales Force Business Analyst.  You can find a complete job listing here.

Allstate
Steve Morin, Senior Sourcing Consultant

Allstate was established in Chicago in 1931 & has been in business for 80 years. Allstate is #81 on Fortune 100 list & has an employee population of 70,000 employees in the US and Canada. The SW region is composed of AZ, OK, NV, NM and UT. Allstate is one of the most recognizable brands in America & has 47 products to help serve its customers’ needs.

Available positions in the Tempe Regional Office include IT, Human Resources, Product, Claims, & Sales Management.  Other opportunities are Financial Specialist, Agency Owner, & Licensed Sales Producers. The company is military friendly & offers free education to veterans & a bonus award of $500. In addition, Allstate has a $10,000 referral award. To learn more about their careers, visit the Allstate site.

CLOSING

Sheila Coulam, Vice President of Operations, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking Highlands Church & the volunteers. Career Connectors & WESTMARC will be presenting the West Valley Healthcare Career Expo on September 20, 2018. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Gilbert on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 & features Norris Thomas, as speaker for the topic “Your Why Defines Your Try.”  For additional information on this event & future events, please visit the Event Schedule.

09/06/18 – Salary Negotiation – Make More Money

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Jack MilliganWritten by Kalpita Mahapatra

Jessica Pierce, the brainchild of Career Connectors, commenced the event by introducing the re-branded logo of the company and sharing her heartwarming story and motivation for starting Career Connectors in 2009. As a matter of fact, she volunteered to help job seekers write their resumes in the local church and the number of people seeking help grew phenomenally from fewer numbers to 250 candidates within three months. Frank Schab, CEO of the branding agency Six Degrees and member of the Board of Directors of Career Connectors, created the new brand.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Jack Milligan, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP

Jack, a founding partner of Leathers, Milligan & Associates (LMA), a Human Capital Consulting firm, is a seasoned HR expert and honorable recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award and the Professional Excellence Award by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). He has encapsulated a wealth of information about career transitions and his real-time experiences in working with people during employment offers in his book titled “Make More Money” which is available for purchase on Amazon (don’t forget to use Smile.Amazon!).

Through this highly informative and convincing session, Jack encourages us to not settle for what is offered and to practice the art of salary negotiation. He walks us through the salary negotiation process by analyzing the method inside out.

As Jessica puts it wonderfully, Jack is also called “Mr. HR” in Arizona.

According to Jack, most people do not negotiate their salary; of all the people who could negotiate, 75% of them do not negotiate; out of the remaining 25% who do negotiate, only 10% do it the right way because they are gravitated towards a particular behavior called “Requestive Channeled Negotiation” (RCN) behavior.

He underscores the importance of asking and mentions that most people generally do not ask because:

• They are just happy to have an offer
• They do not think they have leverage
• Gender differences
• Generational differences

Jack suggests three legitimate behavioral channels of salary negotiation:

1) Ultimatum: Excessive both in amount and attitude and has over 70% failure rate. Might work for a candidate who is passive, well rewarded, and well situated.
2) Demand: Sincerer in amount and attitude and has about 30% failure rate. States a specific amount, leaves negotiation choice up to employer, and walks away if the demand is not met.
3) Requestive: Most attractive and successful method. Implies flexibility, creates much better negotiable environment, makes positive impression, and requires a response. Of those who try, 91% are successful in getting something tangible and the remaining 9% at least get peace of mind.

RCN does not work for all types of jobs. There are two types of jobs: Rated and Ranged.

Rated: Rated jobs are non-negotiable, have fixed hourly, weekly, or monthly rates.
Ranged: Ranged jobs are absolutely negotiable, are salaried jobs, and typically come with the range.

How to negotiate your salary once you get the offer:

1) Key: Do not accept the offer. Validate your interest in it.
2) Get some time: Employers do not handle ambiguity very well. You do not need a lot of time. You just need some time.
3) Come up with your NISL (Negotiating Items Short List): Base cash compensation is always on the NISL list and usually should be one of the last items on the list.
4) Call them back: Re-validate your interest through Requestive Channeled Negotiation (RCN). When you ask a question, you get an answer or they will say NO. 91% get something tangible after re-validating the offer.

To sum up, following are nuggets of wisdom from Jack that are worth pondering and implementing in our next salary negotiation:

• The reality is “All jobs are temporary jobs”. Realizing this early in the process will put us in the mindset of negotiation.
• Practice patience (for it is all about patience), courage, and planning to get better at negotiation.
• Do not accept that offer on the spot and do not hesitate to ask questions. Always ask appropriately.
• When you ask questions, you will hear either Yes or No. 91% of those who tried RCN got some tangible results.

HIRING COMPANIES

UPS

Sarah Dalley, HR Specialist

UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of transportation and logistics services. The company is not only committed to more for its employees and customers but also committed to more for the communities and currently aims at reaching 20 million volunteer hours by 2020. UPS is currently hiring for permanent and part-time Package Handlers, and part-time Supervisors. For more information about the open positions, visit their website.

Waste Management

Matt Rocco, Senior Talent Advisor, Sales

Waste Management is a future-minded American waste management and environmental services company with focus on sustainability and community. It is highly ranked for diversity, for being world’s one of the most ethical companies to work for, and as the best workplace for women. The company is currently hiring for positions such as Inside Sales Manager – Phoenix Sales Center, HR Manager, Inbound Account Manager – retention, and Credit and Collections Agent. For more information about the open positions, visit their website.

Aramark

Victor Carbajal, HR Specialist

Aramark is a huge global corporation headquartered in Philadelphia that provides food services, facilities, and uniform services to hospitals, universities, school districts, and other businesses, and routinely serves high-profile events such as Olympic games and FIFA world cup. Arizona State University (ASU) is the largest account Aramark has. The company is recognized as World’s most admired companies and as one of the Best employers for Healthy Lifestyles. The company is currently hiring for positions such as Finance Manager – Refreshment Services, Cashier – ASU – Board Operations, Facilities Director, and Regional Field Marketing Director. Visit their website to learn more about current job opportunities.

Farmers

Surrie Atkins, Recruiter

Farmers, one of the largest and most respected insurance brands in the USA, is a leading insurer of small and medium-sized businesses and operates a large Life-insurance company as well as a rapidly growing financial services company (Farmers Financial Solutions). Certified Great Place to work, 2017, the company fosters a casual work environment and community outreach programs. Currently, there are 150 open positions in North Phoenix. Some of the open positions are Claims Adjuster, Customer Service Associate, and Service Operations Supervisor. For more information on current job opportunities, visit their website.

RESOURCES

Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona

Ronald Mack, Business and Community Development Partner

Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona is a non-profit organization whose goal is to eliminate unemployment. Goodwill works with about 600 employers throughout the valley and offers candidates services such as resume writing, mock-interviewing, and career coaching for free. The organization helps candidates find employment ranging from entry-level to mid to high level. Goodwill is shifting gears from providing employment help to offering training through its career centers and sub-locations such as libraries.

Grand Canyon University (GCU)

Kyle Richardson, University Counselor

In the job market today, 58% of all new jobs are in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics), and computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. To help job seekers acquire the necessary skills to compete in this job market, GCU offers an Immersive Java Boot Camp program. In 16 weeks, the program offers more than 600 hours of project-based collaborative instruction on computer programming and skills in a small group setting (8-10 students). The courses completed within the boot camp are part of GCU’s existing and regionally accredited programs. These courses are transferable to a GCU bachelor’s program, or eligible for transfer at the discretion of other regionally accredited U.S. institutions.

CLOSING REMARKS

Jessica graciously thanked the event host GCU, our keynote speaker, representatives of all hiring companies, attendees, and volunteers for their time and participation. She also expressed her thoughtful appreciation for Denise Gredler, her special friend who played a remarkable role in her entrepreneurial journey. Denise is also the Founder and CEO of BestCompaniesAZ, the company dedicated to building and promoting great employer brands in Arizona.

08/09/18 – From Transition to Triumph!: Mentally Regrouping in the Midst of Career Change

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Written by: Connie Huber, PHR SHRM-CP

Keynote

From Transition to Triumph! Mentally Regrouping in the Midst of Career Change
Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins

As we conduct our search to find our next opportunity, we will experience a roller-coaster of emotions. One day we will be coasting and have a “can do”/positive attitude and find our positive mindset results in good things coming our way. The following day we may be spiraling downward and filled with guilt and depression. No longer are we rewarded with the riches of success, but have few if any.

We may have an awesome resume, an “All Star” rating on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, but our mental attitude needs to be a positive one to be a success. As we shift to a positive mindset, our confidence level rises. Being confident is knowing what you’re good at, the value you provide, and acting in a way that conveys that to others. Bridgett enthusiastically shared her road to success in reframing your mental outlook.

  1. Make a statement of your worth, __AND__, BUT THEREFORE. An example is the following:
    STATEMENT OF WORTH
    “It’s hot outside and it is important to stay hydrated in this kind of weather.”
    __AND__
    “But conveniently getting a quality beverage made from the freshest of ingredients can be a challenge.”
    BUT
    “Therefore, I operate a lemonade stand that offers a refreshing homemade beverage with great service and a smile!”
    THEREFORE
  2. Get comfortable with displaying awesomeness! It is difficult for many of us to openly share how great we are to those who need to know. Don’t be shy in communicating your achievements and what a great professional you are. If you fail to do so, many will not know just how awesome you are.
  3. Do something that excites or scares you. Get out of your rut and tackle new endeavors! Ideas are returning to school, starting a blog, collaborating with someone on a project, selling a service or starting a business.
  4. Get MORE uncomfortable. Keep pushing yourself to try new things.
  5. Be ready with a response. You will be asked time and time again why you left your former employer. Think about what you are going to say to someone who asks this question. “The company closed its office/made some changes/did some reorganizing. I am actively looking and networking but am not ready to talk about my search at length. I appreciate your concern and will be sure to keep you updated.”
  6. Mark the past. Find a way to let go of your past. Look at the pros of what you encountered with your previous employer. If necessary, have a ritual of letting go of the past. Cortez burned his own ship! Letting go prevents you from being stuck.
  7. Respect the past (position, company, etc.). Friends, family or potential employers do not want to hear about your terrible experience with your former employer. The more you engage in the negative the longer you hold on to your past and ill feelings.
  8. Avoid burning bridges. You may want to march into your former boss’s office and give him/her a piece of your mind, but don’t do it. You never know who your former boss knows or those organizations that may share contacts that might open doors for you.
  9. Burn some bridges. Get rid of the negative mojo in your life. Take a moment and make 2 lists. 1. Who are the people, things, ideas you need to keep. 2. Those you need to toss.
  10. Use power words, not wimpy words. Remember power words are way more impactful than wimpy ones. A powerful vocabulary makes your awesomeness sparkle. Examples include establishing the stronger statement such as “I can do that” versus “I might be able to do that”; or “Let’s review this challenge;” instead of “Let’s review this problem.”
  11. Give great eye contact. Pretend there is an inverted triangle between the eyes of the person you are talking with. Focus your attention on their eyes first the left then the right. Avoid looking away from the individual.
  12. Avoid giving reasons for actions or decisions.
  13. Respond to criticism only when/if necessary.
  14. Don’t just talk about it; be about it. Demonstrate the commitment of your thoughts by showing action. Things do not have to be perfect before taking action.
  15. Make others feeling incredibly important. They should feel as though they are a VIP.

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill

HIRING COMPANIES

vCandidates
LT Ladino, CEO/CMO, Founder
vCandidates is a three-pronged solution for the staffing marketplace. The company’s focus is to buildup small to medium recruiting and staffing firms while giving candidates the ability to create the best presentation of themselves. The recruitment tools used expedite the search, screening and presentation process eliminating the use of costly job search boards. vCandidates is not another database but a marketplace of pre-screened candidates by the organization’s recruiting and HR team members. The company is a true subscription-based career ecosystem for candidates and active recruiting professionals. The cost for the service is $50 to sign up and $25 per month. For more information go to here.

Amazon
Elia Gal, TSC Solutions Team Lead

Amazon’s work environment has employees handling many sizes of packages, requires comfortable shoes, emphasizes safety, and earns the trust of customers by making promises and keeping them. Jobs allow employees to move around and feel comfortable while working in relaxed clothing. Employees must be able to lift up to 45 pounds, stand/walk for 4-10 hours a day and may be asked to drive powered industrial trucks. Benefits begin day one for full time employees and include medical, time off options, extra time opportunities and multiple shift options. It is important to know most of the available jobs are part time and focus in fulfilling the customer promise by moving small to medium packages, lifting, bending and standing for long period of times. Shifts are varied and can be 4-day work weeks, full or part time, and day or night; 5-day work weeks, full or part time, day or night; or flexible work week, days and night, part time. Current job postings can be found here, or you can begin the hiring process by texting PHXNOW.

Equality Health
Blanca Sandoval, Director of People and Culture

Equality Health is an Arizona based integrated, holistic healthcare delivery system focused on improving care delivery for under-served populations with culturally-sensitive programs that improve access, quality and patient trust. Through an integrated technology and services platform, a culturally competent network and a unique cultural care model, Equality Health helps managed care plans and health systems improve care for diverse populations while simultaneously making the transition to risk-based accountability. The company’s mission is to see health disparities disappear and working relentlessly to do its part.
Benefits include a variety of health plans and supporting programs as well as paid time off. Offerings include multiple PPO and high deductible medical plans, dental, vision, wellness incentives, employee assistance program, 15 paid days off in year one and paid leave benefits. Current opportunities include senior software developer, senior MySQL developer, credentialing specialist, production development specialist, behavioral health counselor, development operations analyst, physician, pain specialist, quality assurance analyst, call center representative, director, clinical quality improvement, behavioral health, medical assistant, network data coordinator, and business analyst. If interested, please visit Equality Health.

Allstate
Steve Morin, Senior Sourcing Consultant

Allstate was established in Chicago in 1931 and has been in business for 80 years. Allstate is #81 on the Fortune 100 list and has 70,000 employees in the US and Canada. The SW region is composed of AZ, OK, NV, NM and UT. Allstate is one of the most recognizable brands in America and has 47 products to help serve its customers’ needs.
Available positions in Tempe Regional Office include IT, Human Resources, Product, Claims, and Sales Management. Other opportunities are Financial Specialist, Agency Owner, and Licensed Sales Producers. The company is military friendly and offers free education to veterans and a bonus award of $500. In addition, Allstate has a $10,000 referral award. To learn more about careers visit Allstate’s website.

RESOURCES

Grand Canyon University
Kyle Richardson, University Counselor
In today’s job market, 58% of all new jobs are in STEM. Computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. To help you get the necessary skills to compete in this job market, GCU is now pleased to be offering Immersive Java Boot Camp. The camp includes more than 600 hours of project-based collaborative instruction, accelerated path to employment, competitive pricing for an on-site experience, and transferrable college credits.

CLOSING

Kristy Bach, Board of Directors, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking Grand Canyon University and the volunteers. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Scottsdale on Thursday, August 16, 2018 and features Sean O’Neil, as speaker for the topic “Be Unforgettable.” For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the Event Schedule.

08/23/18 – 2nd Annual Résumé Mythbuster Panel

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Written by Rachel Gersten

Resumé Mythbusters – Panel Discussion

Jessica Pierce welcomed everyone and explained the agenda, which was a bit different than standard events. Instead of 1 keynote speaker, it was a panel discussion with 4 resume experts.

The group of experts from the Résumé Writers Council of Arizona included:

Martha Rockwell, owner of A+ Resumes & Career Coaching
Donna Tucker, founding member of Resume Writers Council of Arizona
Amanda Collins, founder of Ink & Quill Communications
Brenda Cunningham, owner of Push Career Management

Question: What are the criteria for a resume writer to be an expert and why do the credentials matter?

Answer: The group explained the steps involved to be a certified resume writer. They go to national conferences; meet once a month; and have an understanding of what the hiring community believes makes a good resume. Their motto is, “You only get one chance to make a good impression”.

Question: What are the biggest resume mistakes you see?

Answer: There are a number of resume mistakes that people make.

  • Doesn’t include a relevant headline or title. Remember this is a sales pitch to get the job you want.
  • The resume is too long. It should not exceed 2 pages (there are exceptions).
  • Lack of contact information such as an email address and phone number.
  • Listing what you did, instead of your accomplishments.
  • Do not include an objective statement or references available upon request.

Question: What are the must have items in a resume?

Answer:

  • Relevant information – connect why something maybe relevant to the job you are applying for.
  • Keywords – use as many key words as possible by reviewing the job description.
  • Understand the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).  When applying online the resume will be submitted to an ATS.  Increase your score by ‘playing’ the system and including key words.

Question: What is the information that needs to be included in a resume?

Answer:

  • Your name and contact information
  • Keywords
  • Accomplishments
  • Title

Question: What have you done and what kind of job do you want?

Answer:

  • Think of a resume as a bridge to help you achieve your goals.
  • A resume is like a fingerprint, it’s unique to you. There is no one size fits all resume.
  • There are 2 types of resumes used:  chronological and functional. Chronological puts events in order and is the most common. Functional is for individuals that are changing careers or those that have been out of work for a while.

Question: When to use bullets?

Answer:

  • “Think of a bullet as a punch,” it should be something important.
  • Accomplishments should be listed in a formula format.
  • Some of these are:
    • PAR, which means Problem Action Result
    • CAR, which means Challenge Action Result
    • STAR, which means Situation Task Action Result

An example is: Increased sales by 25% through employee training program.

  • An accomplishment should answer the question 1″so what”.
  • No more than 5 bullets per section and list in order of importance.
  • Accomplishments/bullets fall under 1 of 4 categories:
    • Did it make money?
    • Did it save money?
    • Did it make people happy?
    • Did it make things efficient?

Question: When not to use bullets?

Answer:  If you don’t have a result, it is not a bullet.

Question: What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)?

Answer:  These are used to save companies time and energy. The system filters out candidates with lower scores. The more key words that match the job description the higher the score will be. Things the system doesn’t recognize ATS are: italics, tables and certain fonts like Times New Roman.

Question: How many years should you include?

Answer:  Only go back 10 years if you have relevant experience in the related field. If the experience goes back further mention it in your summary.

Question: How to address a gap in your employment history?

Answer:   Address it in just 1 line. Example: Caring for a family member.

Question:  Is it hard to overcome the stigma associated with being a mature worker?

Answer:  Anything can be overcome. Assume positive intent of others and remember to keep current in your field. If you have an AOL account, change it to a Gmail account. Have a LinkedIn account.

Question: What is the typical cost associated with hiring a resume writer?

Answer:  The cost of hiring a resume writer is a minimum of $300 and can go as high as $2000.

Company Hiring

Cognizant
Shauntina McAllister, Senior Recruiter

Cognizant is a software development company. Established in 1994 and are headquartered in New Jersey with offices in the US and globally. They are a fortune 500 company.

Current Arizona openings include:

• Business Analyst
• Claims Examiners
• Claims Supervisors
• Managers
• Product Managers
• Social Media Content Specialist
• Technical Analyst
• Trainers

CLOSING

Jessica Pierce concluded the meeting by thanking our wonderful host Calvary Church for their support, as well as, all our amazing corporate sponsors and volunteers. Jessica reminded the group of assistance available through the Goodwill career services. Last year Goodwill helped 45,000 people get jobs. Jessica went on to remind our guests to visit the Career Connectors website at https://careerconnectors.org for additional support through the complimentary DISC assessment and other helpful tools available. The next event will be held on August 28th, 9 am at the Gilbert location of Central Christian Church – Student Center, 965 E. Germann Road, Gilbert, AZ 85297. Please remember to sign up online for our next event.

 

07/31/18 – Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out

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Get LinkedIn or get left outWritten by Cindy Nowack

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out
Ted Robison

Ted Robison, also known as “Mr. Link-Me-In,” has been coaching LinkedIn techniques for the past nine years at Career Connectors, church ministries, universities, colleges, companies and recruiting firms. 87% of job seekers will find a job through networking, and Ted provided many helpful techniques and tactics for making the most of your LinkedIn connections. You should be on LinkedIn for creating connectivity, raising your brand and visibility, and to be found.

While aiming for more than 500 connections on LinkedIn, you should also be engaging with professionals and online groups within LinkedIn. Ted says “connections are good, but relationships are golden.” There are more than 500 million subscribers on LinkedIn, where engaging with others is based on three degrees of separation. Ask for introductions when one of your first level connections is connected to a 2nd level that you would like to get to know. Offer to take that person to coffee or lunch to ask them about their company and its culture.

Within LinkedIn, you can maximize its benefits in the following ways:

  • Find jobs, people, groups, associations, and your target companies
  • Create your own unique URL – elevates you in Google searches
  • Understand the benefits of free vs. Premium accounts
  • Consider your privacy, contact levels and how you can be searched by others

Your profile page on LinkedIn is your personal brand and image promotion. Customize it!

  • Add keywords and search engine optimization (SEO) so you will be found
  • Your picture is a must
  • The headline should reflect your job title/industry/tagline
  • Your summary should include S.E.E.S. – skills (hard and soft), experience, expertise and style
    • Your style is what can differentiate you in your LinkedIn profile and in an interview
  • You should have 4-8 recommendations – 2 managers, 2 peers, 2 subordinates (if you are a manager), and 2 clients
  • Join 30-50 groups and associations to expand your visibility
  • Provide status updates, posts, blogs, articles – raises your brand and visibility

There is a hidden job market that accounts for 80% of the jobs. Create a list of 30-50 target companies. Use the Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists and Reference USA to learn more about your target companies. You can then build relationships of the employees who work at these companies by reaching out to those 2nd and even 3rd level connections through your own LinkedIn network. Companies offer referral bonuses, so build your connections of employees at your target companies, and, when a job is available, your connection can refer you. It’s a win-win situation. If you’re hired, you have a new job and your connection receives a referral bonus.

Once you have an interview, you can continue to use LinkedIn to prepare. Research the company to know their products, services, competitors. Know the company’s culture and core values to determine if you would work well in that environment. Also, research your interviewers. Knowing their hobbies, work history, and common groups will help you connect in the interview. LinkedIn also has a new learning section to brush up on skills that may be needed in the role for which you are interviewing.

In summary, Mr. Link-Me-In provided a review of several action items to make the most of your LinkedIn account:

  • Build and strengthen your profile with key words
  • Meet people and increase your network
  • Create and search your target companies
  • Join associations and groups
  • Research the company and its employees in preparation for interviews
  • Talk to the hiring manager if possible. Take friends or colleagues out to lunch (ask about the company, and if they can pass your resume along to the hiring manager)
  • Know your value propositions – what differentiates you?
  • Network, network, network!

You don’t want to be left out in today’s job market, so be sure you are linked in on LinkedIn.

RESOURCES

vCandidates
LT Ladino, CEO/CMO/Founder

Technology advancements have hurt the hiring process and alienated qualified people. If you have worked with staffing firms but haven’t been thrilled with the results, vCandidates is launching a subscription-based platform in October connecting recruiters with candidates. The company will foster open communication, candidate engagement and organization, with platform key features beyond the popular job boards. The candidate can present themselves in their own voice. This new recruiting tool will combine technology with the human touch.

Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Rob Loy, Head of Non-Degreed Technology Programs

In the job market today, 58% of all new jobs are in STEM, and computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. To help you get the necessary skills to compete in this job market, GCU offers an Immersive Java Bootcamp. In 16 weeks, the bootcamp is more than 600 hours of project-based collaborative instruction and your accelerated path to employment. The courses completed within the bootcamp are part of GCU’s existing, regionally accredited programs. These courses are transferrable to a GCU bachelor’s program, or eligible for transfer at the discretion of other regionally accredited U.S. institutions.

HIRING COMPANIES

Wells Fargo
Meghan Pringle, Recruiting Manager

Wells Fargo has more than 5,000 employees at the Queen Creek and Price location. There are 10 lines of business within the company, more than just bank locations. Current Arizona openings include:

  • Analytic consultant
  • Bankruptcy specialist
  • Business Initiatives Consultant
  • Implementation Consultant
  • Quality Assurance Analyst
  • And many more.

There are also Enterprise IT career opportunities in numerous IT disciplines. Go to www.wellsfargojobs.com for a complete list of available positions here in Arizona, and in other locations. If you don’t see what types of openings appeal to you, you can set up a job search agent online, which will notify you when an opening is available that matches your criteria.

Northwestern Mutual
Joe Morris, Managing Director

Northwestern Mutual began in 1957 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company offers an array of financial products including mutual funds, disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance. In addition to a supportive team environment and a strong industry reputation, a 5 year mentoring program of new advisors is a valuable benefit for joining the company. Current opportunities at Northwest Mutual are:

  • Financial representative/advisor
  • Assistant financial representative

More information about these position plus other orporate career opportunities can be found at www.northwesternmutual.com/corporate-careers/.

Or reach out to the Director of Recruitment and Selection, Megan Wotton, on LinkedIn.

Allstate
Nate Smith, Senior Recruiting Consultant

There are more than 70,000 Allstate employees in North America, plus employees in Belfast and northern India. At the Tempe regional offices, Allstate is hiring for a number of positions including:

  • IT (4)
  • HR (2)
  • Product (1)
  • Claims (6)
  • Sales management (2)
  • Exclusive financial specialist

You also have the option of becoming an agency owner. Allstate has a 90% retention rate because as you grow your business, you build your success and own your equity. There are no royalty fees or franchise fees. A minimum of $100,000 spendable start up capital is required, but the advantages of being an Allstate agency owner are no inventory, repeat revenue, and competitive compensation in a high demand field. You can earn what you are worth, with a recognizable national brand backing you up. You can even begin without insurance experience or your license. Allstate will help prepare you for your new career.

Contact Nate Smith or visit www.allstate.com/careers for additional information.

CLOSING

Thank you to our premier and corporate partners for their continuing support. A special thank you as well to our host facility, Central Christian Church.

Our next event is Thursday, August 16 at Grand Canyon University when Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins will speak about “From Transition to Triumph: Mentally Regrouping in the Midst of Career Change.” Check the Career Connectors website for the topic and location of each week’s meeting and other resources for job seekers.