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Event Recaps

12/16/20 – Land Your Perfect Job in 2021

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Written By Susan Lamphiear

Land your Perfect Job in 2021 Jessica Pierce

“Hope is being able to see that there is a light despite all of the darkness.” Desmond Tutu , Nobel Prize winner/ Human Rights Activist

During this Pandemic, people worldwide seek hope and light at the end of the tunnel. But facing this tunnel of darkness AND simultaneously facing the challenge of a job hunt or job transition can seem equally overwhelming.

Keynote speaker Jessica Pierce, CEO/Founder of Career Connectors, was on hand to offer hope and words of encouragement, sharing on her own story, along with specific action tips for navigating the job search as 2021 approaches, even as the worldwide Pandemic continues.

Keynote

Enter the recession of 2009. Jessica describes her family as “significantly impacted by that recession.” With three children, including an infant, a two-year-old, and a ten-year-old, Jessica’s staffing company took a hit and husband Mark Pierce saw three layoffs to his recruiting career within six months.

Jessica and Mark acted swiftly, arranged a short sell of their house, and moved into a rental. A knock on the door. That fateful day in December, right before Christmas. The rental company stopped by to do a repair, and it was when Jessica opened the front door she saw a foreclosure notice posted on the door. Falling to her knees, shaking, she visualized her entire family homeless. The notice announced they had 14 days to move out of their house.

However, in a short time, a home became available–for their “under $1100” per month request–$999 to be exact. A four-bedroom house in Gilbert. “If you don’t call that a miracle…” Jessica said. This rental they found was a wreck, but they went to work cleaning it up, and a painter using paint left over from another job did the whole project for $500. Then within the first three months of 2010, Jessica landed a contract which pulled them out of the recession.

Jessica shares her story to let her audience know there is hope. “You’re here at Career Connectors in December. A lot of people give up in December!”

“It’ll be a great day. I’m going to give you action steps to take.”

Jessica reminds her online Zoom audience a lot of people job hunting don’t realize they need to get into the brain of decision makers. What are they looking for? And how many resumes cross their desks on any given day? “Our goal at Career Connectors is to get you in front of people.”

She recently received 150 applications for one job. The people she interviewed first were people she knew. One hiring manager recently hired a woman who didn’t meet all the criteria or expectations, but she smiled!!!

Job hunters or people in job transition need to keep in mind the jobs you’re looking for may not even show up on the job boards. That’s right. A whopping 70 percent of jobs never show up on the job boards. However, you might be introduced to somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. That’s the power of connections.

LinkedIn is a must for job seekers. A full 94% of employers use LinkedIn but a mere 34 % of job seekers are active on LinkedIn.

In 2009 Jessica jumped on LinkedIn, or Career Connectors today would look very different. She uses LinkedIn for many reasons, including to find new speakers and hiring companies for Career Connectors’ events.

Tips from Jessica as you navigate the job search in 2021

  • Use job boards to see what jobs and companies are out there. BUT use LinkedIn for your actual search and to make connections.
  • Use Facebook for branding. But rely on LinkedIn for the search.
  • When using social media, including Facebook, and others like Instagram, keep in mind divisive topics can hurt you. So can iffy pictures. Carefully consider what image you present of yourself throughout social media. Hiring companies use social media to vet candidates, or worse, to eliminate them before they even meet. Fifty-five percent of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate because of their social media, with 61% of those “reconsiderations” due to negative social media.
  • Your best bet for getting in front of potential employers is to use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and hiring managers and other contacts. If you’re interested in a particular job, try to meet people on LinkedIn. Especially in this era of the Pandemic, no one is going to fault you for looking for a job!
  • Be confident in talking about your job search status. Let people know you are looking. Don’t ask everyone for a job, but put it out there that you are searching.
  • Ask friends and relatives to share how they perceive your strengths.
  • Face-to-face meetings are difficult right now due to the Pandemic. So pick up the phone! Connect on social media.
  • Before you do a virtual interview, test your technology equipment. Also, to make up for lack of in-person meetings, recreate eye contact by looking into the camera. Smile. And wear a FULL outfit, including pants! You never know if you’ll need to get up to quiet the dog or get up for some other reason!! Even if it’s a virtual interview, be a couple of minutes early. Not fifteen. But a couple of minutes.
  • Consider if you’re a culture match for a company. Character, Chemistry and Competence are all part of a match. Do your research. Jessica gives an example of a friend who was in a hurry, accepting a job she ultimately left in six months. Her friend admitted she should never have accepted the job–and the job hurt her. She literally had to seek counseling to counter the negative impact the job had on her psyche. Had she researched the job, she admitted, she’d have never taken it in the first place.
  • If you fit 80% of the job description, go for it. She recently talked to a man who felt a particular job required a college degree. But in the final analysis, people out there with no degree can still have attained professionalism and decision making skills, two areas he thought meant a degree.
  • Jessica hired Sheila Coulam as Director of Operations for Career Connectors because even though her current position doesn’t require her engineering degree, Sheila continually uses her transferable skills of thinking through processes and being detailed-oriented, plus Jessica knew Sheila’s character and strengths because she was a volunteer!
  • Follow up an interview with a thank you via an email or a LinkedIn message.
  • Don’t underestimate showcasing your skills via volunteering and social media. Do a blog, post presentations or articles, or participate in virtual speaking events. Be active in professional associations. Be engaged on LinkedIn by joining groups, posting or writing articles.
  • If there are skills you need, these days lots of training is available online and there’s even funding available for some of it.
  • Take the DISC assessment free via the Career Connectors’ website.

“Talent will get you in the door, but character will keep you in the room.” Jessica reminds the participants that character has become a really big part of the hiring process. Companies want to hire a cultural match. People want to work with people they like. By taking the DISC assessment you can rediscover action words to use on your resume, or in interviews, that will help inform potential employers of your strengths.

When you finally get in front of that employer, make sure you’ve done your research, including what you’ve said on your own resume! Also, a favorite question employers love to ask is, “What do you know about us?” You do NOT want to get caught not being able to answer this question!

  • What does the organization do?
  • What are the missions, goals, and values?
  • Is the organization mentioned in recent news?
  • What is the company culture like?
  • Who are you interviewing with?

Keep in mind companies are still hiring. Keep the faith and stay connected including with Career Connectors. Do your homework and find that dream job in 2021.

Hiring Companies

HotFoot/Grainger

Mia Papa, Talent Acquisition Consultant

HotFoot, founded in 2009, provides superior staffing solutions.

HotFoot tailors their interview process depending on the position. Their clients include manufacturers of protective equipment, call centers, plus engineering and administrative and professional services.

HotFoot’s goal from the start has been to focus on people. They like to keep clients posted and updated about status during the interview process and not keep them guessing. As a recruiter, if Mia doesn’t have an appropriate job available for you, she will reach out to other colleagues at HotFoot.

Current open positions include the following: Contract to Hire: General production roles Valley wide at $14-$17 per hour; customer service (financial services) including remote data entry, $18 per hour; industrial sewers/sewists, Tempe AZ, $14 per hour; Data entry, remote two-week contract position; Direct Hire: Customer service in Tempe, AZ and also Waterloo IA and Janesville WI; inside sales in San Antonio TX; and Warehouse supervisors and managers in CA, MD, and MO.

Mia also hires for Grainger, a well-known industrial supply company, known for their warm, inclusive culture, who plans to hire hundreds in 2021 at $17 per hour with full benefits.

Grainger has arranged for all 600 call center employees to work from home during Covid. For those workers on site, Grainger follows all CDC guidelines. Onsite, Grainger has installed barriers in offices, and follows sanitation guidelines because they want the workplace to be safe. Also, Grainger conducts many virtual interviews.

Please visit their website for more job listings or to apply.

PennyMac

Ashley Hilscher, Talent Acquisition Specialist

PennyMac Financial Services and Investment Firm prides itself on closing loans on time and on hiring employees from diverse and experienced backgrounds.

Accountable, reliable, and ethical describe their values. Founded in 2008, today they are among the top three lenders in the U.S. Its unique business model allows the company to thrive in both the up and down markets, unlike any other lender. Their loan officers are licensed and 100% remote, with the company providing supplies and office set up. A lead generator creates warm leads which is particularly attractive to some people.

As an online lender, PennyMac specializes only in home loans including FHA, VA, and investment property loans. The company continues servicing the loans, so they won’t be selling your loan.

To search for positions or to apply, visit the career section of their website.

WealthWave

Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave, as a financial company, strives to educate families so families can dream again and thrive financially. Jason was not headed in this direction when he started his career. But based on his own financial experiences, he wondered how big a player you had to be to get some help. So a chain of events led Jason to start part time with WealthWave. He firmly believes Middle America has been left behind financially, confirmed when two weeks into the Pandemic, 33% of Americans didn’t make their mortgages.

It may be a cliché that Jason wants to bring Wallstreet to Main Street, but it’s true. That’s what WealthWave wants to do. In fact, they were ahead of the Pandemic five years ago when they offered online finance classes and now also offer the classes in Spanish.

Not just anyone can work for WealthWave because you need to be licensed. Benefits include the following: It’s turnkey, you have ownership, you have the option of starting part time, there are no layoffs–they actually have grown during the Pandemic.

Educating people is very rewarding because most people haven’t developed a Plan B for their finances.

For more information or to contact the company about joining WealthWave as a career, visit their website.

Resources and Closing

Sheila Coulam, Director of Operations for Career Connectors, thanked everyone including attendees and volunteers, and then reminded everyone of resources available via Career Connectors, including the DISC assessment, business portraits, and career advice.

The next Career Connectors’ online event is scheduled for Thursday, January 14, 2021, featuring keynote speaker Bridgett McGowen. Sheila urges everyone to attend, especially if you’ve never heard Bridgett because she’s excellent. Go to the Career Connectors’ website to register and find the Zoom link for that event, and to find details for other upcoming events, including Tempe Virtual Job Fair, being held Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Be sure you’re registered for e-updates–the next one scheduled for January 5, 2021. Also, don’t miss Career Chat episodes with Jessica Pierce.

12/02/20 – Resume Mythbusters: Resumes During Covid

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Resume Mythbusters Panel

Written by Gary Matsuda
Usually, you’ll work with one resume coach at a time but, here you’re getting the collective expertise of four resume writing experts to make sure you don’t make the same errors they’ve seen countless of time over the years.

These are the Biggest Mistakes:
Brenda Cunningham, owner of Push Career Management and President of Resume Writers Council of Arizona, says too many resumes try to one size fits all which makes it harder for the reader to understand what the applicant strengths are for the job.

Donna Tucker, https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnatuckeraz/ founding member of Resume Writers Council of Arizona, says what she sees is applicant suicide – ‘death-by-bullets’ (that’s bullet points BTW) where the resume becomes nothing but a list of functions or tasks without putting them into context.

Jeri Hird Dutcher, National Award-winning Certified Resume Writer says the funniest mistake was a resume with blue green font centered in the document. Stands out – but for the wrong reason.

Amanda Miller, owner of Ink and Quill Communications 8 pages long with a photo of himself an almost 2 page bio, no professional experience, all education dating from the 70’s, left out his phone number and he was wondering why he wasn’t getting responses!

Why You Should Hire a Resume Expert:
For one thing, you are not likely to be an expert at job hunting – and you should have to be. Get help from those who have seen it all (see above) and can steer you away from the all the obvious resume faux pas. There are even times when rules can be broken and unless you know what you can get away with it’s best to get help from experts who’ve have seen thousands of resumes and can spot quickly what you need to present yourself as the best possible candidate. They’ll also work with you to create a strategy for the job search so you won’t waste time sending your resume and applying everywhere.

Most important to have on resume:
Lead with a brief 2 to 4 line headline/summary/branding statement that is specific to the open position. It shouldn’t be merely review of what you do now but answer the question, ‘Why should you be hired?’ A professional resume writer will help you pack as much into your summary in as few words a possible to make the reader to keep reading on.
Everyone wants to see results! Front load the results of your accomplishments near the top and left so they are one of the first things to be scanned. Use the keywords that are specific to your target position and in a meaningful format that impacts the reader. The hiring manager must know right away that you are the perfect fit for the job so anything listed that doesn’t match what the company is looking for will likely get passed over – as will your application.
Make sure you make it easy for them to find you! Have an email address that is easy to associate with your name but in good taste. Also include your phone, general location, and a link to your LinkedIn profile.
Leave out:
• Especially for security reasons, leave out street address, license or certification numbers. Also, references can be left off to save space and they are usually not needed at this point.
• Older formal education dates over 5 years old
• Anything that makes your document go over 2 pages

Font
In most cases use sans serif fonts with size to about 10-12. Serif fonts (with the little feet at the ends of the characters) can look old and may be harder to read on a screen.
Calibri and Arial are the most universal and have better chances of looking the same on most computers.

Bold and italics should be used sparingly.

25 years old with 40 years experience

Ageism is illegal, yet it persists in the workplace and especially in hiring. The resume panel suggests not using old looking email as in ‘hotmail.com’, ‘aol.com’ and avoid using dates in email, for example ‘name1963@gmail.com’.

Don’t mention that you’re seasoned, leave that for enhancing the flavor of aged beef. Spice up your resume by focusing on results and accomplishment, not how long you’ve been on earth. One fear of hiring managers is that those who are retired or are near the end of their careers, might not have the energy or eagerness to do the work and might not stay long term. Present yourself in a way that they feel compelled to call you because you bring much value to their organization. Check with a resume writing professional for tips and job search strategies so you can show off your expertise without being obvious about your age.

Did You Make a Difference?

The old resume style was more skill based but now employers want to see what you’ve done with those skills and how you’ve made the company money, saved money, reduced waste, improved processes/morale/teamwork, solved problems and grew the business.

An easy way to remember how to present this is to use a C.A.R. format.
• Challenge. What was the problem that was solved?
• Action. What action did you take?
• Result. What was accomplished?

Address the question ‘Why should they care about what you did?’ The description should be detailed enough so it doesn’t appear too vague or general and the reader doesn’t have to guess. If you answered phones, how many calls did you make, Teachers can include how many classes or student they’ve taught, nurses can quantify number of patients.

About that Gap Year (or months)

You may know what you did last summer but your next employer doesn’t.
So, it is up to you to bring out your best (and downplay everything else). There’s enough negativity going around so there’s no need (and no room) to have any of that in your resume. Everyone knows how Covid-19 has been so devastating to business so you shouldn’t have to go into much detail if you were laid off during the pandemic. If you had to take care of a family member, experienced a Covid closure or RIF a line stating that would be enough without anyone holding that against you.

If you’ve been out of work because of illness, that’s understandable, but avoid revealing too much information which can be awkward, uncomfortable for the interviewer and irrelevant to the job. It’s discriminatory but health can also signal that you may be higher risk of taking more time off from work.

However, if you’ve been out of employment for a period of time, you need to show how that free time was used constructively. There are plenty of resources available online for professional development, certifications, training, networking and even volunteering that can show you were practicing or building skills useful in the workplace.

One thing that you should be able to do now is work remotely and that means it’s expected that you should know how to use any of the video conferencing, file sharing and project management software that’s in use now. If you don’t, now is the time for some self-directed training and get up to speed on what everyone is using now.

You against the ATS Machine

Mid-size to large companies with enough resources may use Applicant Tracking Systems, so you’ll need to make some adjustments to make your resume electronically friendly. Your resume is scanned by the ATS for keywords that match the job posting. To appease the ATS gods, be diligent in using the same wording in your resume that’s found in the job description (even if it is misspelled). ATS are everywhere, but not that smart! For help, use Jobscan.co https://www.jobscan.co/ which can compare your resume to the job description and point out the keywords that should be in your resume.

To be safe, use .doc format as some ATS cannot take PDF. There should be instructions on how to upload documents so be careful to obey them!

While it’s certainly a real drag to customize according to each job posting, it will increase your chances of getting past the automated screening process. Remember, you’re not only up against the ATS but also dozens or hundreds of other applicants going for the same position. Don’t spray your resume to different positions like spam but, be the one who is sincere about putting in the effort it takes to get hired!

With 200 something different ATS application out there you can’t be sure what you’re going to be dealing with, but with the help of an experienced resume writing expert, you can be sure your resume will hold up against the toughest systems out there.

Can you use a Resume Template?
You may get a visual of a decent format using a template, but they are difficult to customize, could be outdated and what you see isn’t what you get, especially when the document is read by one of the many ATS software programs in use or is viewed through another browser/word processor/email or operating system.

Avoid getting screened out because your resume contained fancy formatting and was translated accidently into Wingdings or Cyrillic script. Instead, use something more universal (Arial or Calibri for example). A template may still be helpful if used for hardcopy only. However, prepare digital versions without the premade templates to feed the various ATS monsters lurking behind every job posting.

Cover letters – Still Useful?
You betcha. But only sometimes. A resume with a cover letter attached will most likely be rejected by an ATS, so do not attach it with your resume to upload – unless there are specific instructions to do so and that it will likely ask for them to be uploaded separately. Nor will it be read by most people, unless you are in the final selection stage.

Not a writer? Go find your friendly local resume writing pro to help you since you should be focusing on working on your employable skills.

Get a Pro – because you are one and you work with other professionals!

HIRING COMPANIES

Cyracom, Caitlin Meek, Operations Recruiter

There are many ways to say, ‘Can I help you?’ At Cyracom you can say that in over 40 different languages! If you know two or more languages you can transition from being bilingual to becoming a professional, certified interpreter! CyraCom trains highly fluent bilingual candidates to become professional interpreters through their leading, comprehensive interpreter training course with over 120 hours of paid training.

RESOURCES

US Health Advisors
Joseph Bourcier
Joe the Health Insurance Pro, and his team, US Health Advisors is personally committed to your well-being. When you’re in between jobs or have need for financial backup, they offer help with getting you the best match between health, dental, vision insurance for you, your family or business.

They’ve received multiple awards for business excellence for the past several years, so they’ve got to be good!

Free DISC Assessment
We all like free, so at no cost to you find your behavior traits (which may help point to your values) and what kind of job will likely fit you through our online DISC assessment at:
https://careerconnectors.org/DISC/

For details about upcoming Career Connectors weekly events throughout the Valley, click here to visit the events section on the website for times, dates, and details about hiring companies and keynote topics!

11/5/20 – Correcting for 20/20: 20 Career Insights to Stabilize and Clarify your Focus

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Keynote

Justin Jones

Written by Penny Oplinger
Correcting for 20/20: Career Insights to Stabilize and Clarify your Focus with Justin Jones. Justin, affectionately known as ‘Job Coach Justin.’ Justin currently leads a team of 16 career mentors at BYU Career Studios. He has literally helped thousands of people find meaningful jobs.

He shared some great tips to help you re-strategize, refocus and start to see 2020 with a new vision.

  • Recognize that your vision has changed. If we only look at the negatives then that is where we will stay. Justin recommended you check out ShelleyKlammer.com where she shares 6 stages of grieving.
    • Numbness and denial. When we lose a job or lose a family member or close friend. Be patient with yourself.
    • Anxiety and panic. We feel this everywhere.
    • Bargaining and control. Determine what you have control over.
    • Frustration and Anger. We need to allow ourselves to feel these feelings.
    • Depression and Despair.
    • Acceptance and Peace. This does not necessarily mean everything in your life is going well. We need to accept what is going on around us and realize that what is happening around us does not determine how we act, respond or our self-worth.
  • Seek Support. Career Connectors is a perfect example of a place you can go for support.
  • Ask for help. Don’t be embarrassed.
  • Be your authentic self. This year is not about perfection but being your authentic self.
  • Separate from the toxic. Identify what you are ingesting mentally, spiritually, physically that is toxic. Jack Canfield has said that it is better to spend time alone than spend time with toxic people or media.
  • Embrace uncertainty. When we embrace uncertainty, it opens us up to possibilities. Sometimes when bad things happen to us it gives us the opportunity to find something even better.
  • Doubt. Do not doubt your success or abilities. Doubt your negative thoughts!
  • Give every day. Give a smile, encouragement, your time, donations, blood.
  • Gather your tools. You need to have the right tool for the right job at the right time.
    • Cover letter: Recruiters don’t read them because they are not authentic. Be authentic. The first thing is to compliment the company, tell what you have to offer and then a comment that you look forward to joining their team.
    • Resumes: Career Connectors has professional resume writers who volunteer their time at our events. You should have several resumes because it is important to customize your resume to the company you are seeking employment from. List a few people who would give you good recommendations, such as people you have worked with or for.
    • LinkedIn: It is absolutely necessary that you have a profile in LinkedIn. Career Connectors has professional LinkedIn coaches who volunteer their time to help you. LinkedIn is the #1 place employers go to when looking for candidates. To aid in ensuring companies see your profile, give your profile a unique name. For example, Justin’s is ‘Job Coach Justin.’ Ensure you have a photo in your profile. Career Connectors has a photographer that volunteers to take headshot photos for you to put in your LinkedIn profile. An extra tip Justin gave is to add a description to your profile photo containing keywords you want to be found for. Instructions are here!
    • Send a Thank You note – not an email or text but a handwritten note you mail to the company.
  • 10.Gamify: A quote from the movie ‘Mary Poppins’, “In every job that needs to be done there is an element of fun.”
  • 11.Build your brand: What is unique about you that would be an asset to the company?
  • 12.Act: Start with small actions. Pay attention to your mental prompts that help to move you forward.
  • 13.Follow-through: Act on things you are asked to do.
  • 14.Recharge: Be patient with companies you have sent resumes to and be patient with yourself.
  • 15.Visualization: Close your eyes and think of the goals you have set for yourself. What is the next small step you can take toward that goal and ask yourself what it will take to act on that step?
  • 16.Faith/ Spirituality/Career Development: Work toward bringing these together.

Hiring Companies

Isola
Heather Kitsko, Director, Global Talent Acquisition
www.isola-group.com

Isola is the only laminate partner with worldwide R&D manufacturing and technical support.

  • Isola is a 105-year old company headquartered in Chandler, AZ
  • Approximately 1600 employees worldwide
  • Global footprint of 7 manufacturing facilities
  • Largest laminate material producer in the United States and Europe – seventh in share worldwide (-4%)
  • Industry-leading technology – 185+ patents covering proprietary materials
  • Transforming to deliver greater customer, employee and investor value

Mission
Improve life by enabling innovation in electronic products through our innovation we help enable new capabilities for mankind

Their raw materials were used in circuit boards to create ventilators for patients with COVID-19.

Their core values center around the following:

  • Put Safety First: We prioritize the safety and well-being of our employees above all else.
  • Be customer focused: We deliver quality: We deliver quality solutions, listen to our external and internal customers, work to gain their loyalty
  • Be Courageous: We embrace change, speak up when we disagree, and move forward committed.
  • Be Collaborative: We work as a global team across functions, and support each other professionally and personally
  • Be Accountable: When we make a commitment, we take full responsibility and follow through.

Career Opportunities in Chandler, AZ

  • Sr. Applications Engineer (PCB)
  • Technology Development Chemist (Polymer/Halogen-Free)
  • IT Business Analyst
  • Manufacturing Financial Analyst
  • Network Security Administrator
  • Sr. Signal Integrity Engineer

See Isola website for further information/requirements for these job openings.

PennyMac – The lender you can call Home
Darin Dow, Mortgage Underwriter Recruiter
www.PennyMacUSA.com/Careers

Company Overview

  • In business since 2008
  • One of the top lenders to create loans.
  • One of the nation’s largest servicing mortgage company
  • 8th largest servicing company
  • 5500 employees; they have hired 1800 employees since January 2020
  • Opened office in Phoenix the beginning of 2020.
  • Expanding across the nation aggressively. A lot of these positions can be remote. They believe in promoting within the company
  • There are several entry-level positions available
  • Family/Team friendly

WealthWave
Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave is a network of independent business owners whose mission means they seek to protect and build wealth for the families they serve. Their mission allows them to increase financial literacy for families and provide financial solutions.
Jason Wiseman tells us this was not his original path. He worked for Motorola for many years but even though his job was more stable than many, every year he watched layoffs; and even his key group of 22 was down to only 7 when he left. It was stressful.
Jason couldn’t really afford to start from scratch. It was a paradigm shift to start working at a business part time.
WealthWave is flexible enough so they can help you transition into something part time if you are hesitant about going all in being an entrepreneur. WealthWave’s mission is to eliminate financial illiteracy to keep people from making easily avoidable financial mistakes. Jason now works full time for the company.
Jason suggests you keep your mind open to new opportunities. WealthWave looks to build people up and that’s why they make education first. And because the company was about five years ahead in technology, when COVID hit they were already ahead of most businesses. A whopping 20,000 people attended their online program from Atlanta.
WealthWave®, The HowMoneyWorks® Company, has a clear vision, a passionate mission, advanced systems, and strong platforms. Their slogan is “to disrupt the financial industry so families can dream again.” They are attracting leaders all across North America who are ready to position themselves to eradicate financial illiteracy and pursue the business and future of their dreams.


Why Choose WealthWave?

  • Turnkey Solution
  • Licensed Profession
  • Ownership
  • Marketing/Media
  • Start Part time
  • No Layoffs or Furloughs
  • Hands on Training and Mentorship
  • A long history of helping people
  • To learn more about the company, contact Jason Wiseman at Jason.Wiseman@wealthwave.com.

Closing

CEO/Founder of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce thanked the speakers, attendees, and volunteers. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 18 2020, 9:00 am – 11:30 am for our 6th Annual Diversity Talks. Jessica also reminded attendees of online resources available at the Career Connectors website including the free DISC assessment and event recap blogs.

10/21/20 – How Do I Effectively Lead During a Crisis?

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Written By Susan Lamphiear

Travis Hardin Leadership in Crisis

“When we work together, when we remember our common humanity, there is little we cannot accomplish.”

Captain Chelsey Sullenberger III on the 10th anniversary of what’s come to be known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”

Chelsey Burney Sullenberger III, better known as just “Sully” rose to instant fame when he piloted the US Airways flight 1549, and made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in January, 2009. Out of 155 passengers, all 155 survived, including a nine-month-old baby.

How’s that for leadership during a crisis? But of course, Sully didn’t become an extraordinary man overnight. According to Sully, the flight training he received from the local flight instructor when Sully was just 16 years old has influenced his aviation career for the rest of his life. Sully went on to serve as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and as the pilot of that fated US Airways flight.

Sully didn’t stop there. A year following his retirement from US Airways, he was hired by CBS as an aviation and safety expert. As our keynote speaker emphasized in his online presentation to Career Connectors, think in terms of growth not goals. Enjoy each step along the way.

Keynote

After the passing of his 97-year-old Granny last week, and as he prepares to celebrate the life she lived, Travis Hardin looks back on the lessons she taught him enabling him to build towards a career in motivational speaking. Granny had an elementary education but she was very wise.

One of the most important books Travis owns started with seven blank pages with three staples, the “book” Granny gave him in 1999 when he was a college grad. At the time Travis had no plans. But on the first page of Granny’s book he wrote, “I want to make a difference.”

Steps to Success

  • Take your first step. You must take action.
  • Your next step will not be obvious until you take your first step.
  • Focus on growth rather than goals. Dream now, but keep taking actions and growing.
  • Do your best at each step along the way. Plan to get better as you continue to take action. Make it look easy even though it’s not. Travis has spent a lot of tears and late nights to reach the success he has today. When he began his career in motivational speaking, he spoke for free or for lower wages in order to expand his experience. He spoke to small groups at first and then gradually to larger groups. He always wanted to mentor and train people. But he took it a step at a time. Success is a series of steps, not one giant leap.
  • Each step should be your favorite step. People suffer from what Travis calls “destination disease.” Travis suggests you enjoy each step along the way as you proceed and learn and grow. Today Travis practices and rehearses for a small group of three or four people as much as for a big group. He calls it part of the journey. Travis refers to the disappointment lots of families felt because, due to the Pandemic, the COVID virus, many families had to forego graduation ceremonies. Don’t confuse recognition of success with success. On your journey to success you are successful when you take your first step. In the case of a college degree, no one really notices the first day of enrollment, just the final day. But success lies in the step, not just the finale.
  • You don’t step yourself to success. Consider each step along the way a success. But keep growing and improving. The comedian and actor Steve Martin says no one wants to hear about his acting because they want to hear about agents and shortcuts. Steve says be so good that no one can ignore you.
  • Failure and success should never be separated. FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning. You learn from stumbling blocks.Not a person in the world has reached success without failure.

As you learn and grow on your path to leadership in crisis, keep in mind the difference between a good leader and a great leader during a crisis: a good leader reacts while a great leader anticipates. For example, the well-known Canadian hockey player and former head coach, Wayne Gretzky, called the greatest hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL famously said, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”

Hiring Companies

Community Medical Services (CMS)

Megan Kennedy, Recruiter

Community Medical Services (CMS) began providing substance abuse treatment in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1983. CMS now operates over 40 substance abuse clinics across nine states including Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, Alaska, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.

The company proudly opened the nation’s first 24-hour Opioid Treatment on Demand (OTOD) center in Phoenix. Since then CMS expanded this model to Columbus, Ohio and West Allis, Wisconsin. The clinics focus on meeting the challenges presented by the growing opioid epidemic in communities where treatment is lacking.

The mission remains working with communities to provide education on the importance of effectively treating opioid use disorder. They strive to help patients navigate care without the discrimination and stigma of their opioid use disorder and use of medication-assisted treatment. CMS’s singular aim is to help patients heal.

The company is proud of their clinic personnel who are able to provide an environment free of judgement and condescension, treating everyone with dignity and respect.

CMS is a growing company looking for candidates who are passionate about making an impact, who see challenges as opportunities to show initiative, who listen to and honor the reality of those individuals CMS serves, and who are committed to the company’s practices grounded in science and evidence.

Current opportunities with CMS include front desk in North Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. Pay rate is $15-17 per hour, with differential pay for COVID and bilingual. Other opportunities include Clinic Manager in Mesa, Counselors in Glendale and Mesa, and Insurance Verification Specialist, remote.

For more information or to apply visit the company website. As the company grows, they will continue to hire.

Rauch North America

Katie Olynick, HR Manager

Rauch recently opened their new, state-of-the-art beverage filling plant in Glendale, Arizona, in November, 2019, one of Rauch’s co-packing plants. It’s an opportunity to be with the company from the ground up. Rauch is an established company, but the facility has a start-up atmosphere. “We are looking for employees who understand that start-up mentality and a passion for building a brand, and determination for success.”

The company is looking for people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and make things happen. As a start-up, brand new to the U.S., they are a company planning to grow. Positions are listed on Indeed.com. With 24 employees now, they plan to grow to 80 by the end of 2020, and 160 by the end of 2021.

Rauch is a family business, having remained family owned for four generations. Franz Rauch came from the industrial revolution and embarked on the fruit juice industry in Austria. As the company grew, Franz started buying fruit directly from the farmers.

Today Rauch has subsidiaries that aren’t owned by Rauch, and they’re also co-packing partner for other brands in other countries. One of their products is Red Bull.

Rauch North America is currently recruiting for machine operators, forklift operators, shift leads, maintenance technicians and electrical technicians. They are a 24/7 operation, with a shift model of 12 hours/4days/3 days off, offering competitive pay, benefits, 401(k) and paid time off.

Currently Rauch positions are posted on indeed.com. To find these positions, search for Rauch North America or go directly to this indeed link.

Staffing Symphony

Abby Kohut, Recruiter

Staffing Symphony‘s recruiter and president, Abby Kohut, after 26 years in HR, and due to COVID and the Pandemic, decided to join a headhunter network. Abby has helped 10,000 people get hired and she’s eager to help you. Her transition required a leap of faith, she admits, but the network is growing! She thought it would help her reach her goal to help one million people get hired.

New jobs continue to become available daily in every industry, every state, at every level. Many of these jobs are remote.

If you have lab sales experience, she’s looking individuals in Arizona for that role. You can look these up on the website. Hundreds of jobs are hidden in the headhunter network.

Tips for Your Search

  • Use AZ for the location.
  • As you fill in the search fields, look for other types of key words for your searches for opportunities.
  • Use quotation marks around your job titles.
  • Don’t abbreviate words.
  • Most important point–create an alert for any job you’re looking for.
  • Select “full remote” for jobs to work remotely.
  • Don’t wait for 100% job match.
  • If you think you’re qualified, go head and apply.
  • Abby will be looking out for you.
  • Abby is recruiting 1099 positions to sell COVID antigen tests. The positions just came in last week, and you don’t need sales experience for the position. Let her know you’re interested when you send your resume.

You may email Abby your resume to jobs@absolutelyabby.com and go to her website to job search. When you email her, you will receive the webinar, cover letter template, and COVID job search resource guide. She’ll take your resume and look for the hidden job you might not have noticed. This will be ongoing because of the time it takes, but she can’t do her search if she doesn’t have your resume! Your resume will go directly to the recruiter who posted the job, but she’ll make sure your resume goes through, and will write to the recruiter who posted the job.

WealthWave

Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave is a network of independent business owners whose mission means they seek to protect and build wealth for the families they serve. Their mission allows them to increase financial literacy for families and provide financial solutions.

Jason Wiseman tells us this was not his original path. He worked for Motorola for many years but even though his job was more stable than many, every year he watched layoffs; and even his key group of 22 was down to only 7 when he left. It was stressful.

Jason couldn’t really afford to start from scratch. It was a paradigm shift to start working at a business part time.

WealthWave is flexible enough so they can help you transition into something part time if you are hesitant about going all in being an entrepreneur. WealthWave’s mission is to eliminate financial illiteracy to keep people from making easily avoidable financial mistakes. Jason now works full time for the company.

Jason suggests you keep your mind open to new opportunities. WealthWave looks to build people up and that’s why they make education first. And because the company was about five years ahead in technology, when COVID hit they were already ahead of most businesses. A whopping 20,000 people attended their online program from Atlanta.

WealthWave®, The HowMoneyWorks® Company, has a clear vision, a passionate mission, advanced systems, and strong platforms. Their slogan is “to disrupt the financial industry so families can dream again.” They are attracting leaders all across North America who are ready to position themselves to eradicate financial illiteracy and pursue the business and future of their dreams.

Why Choose WealthWave?

  • Turnkey Solution
  • Licensed Profession
  • Ownership
  • Marketing/Media
  • Start Part time
  • No Layoffs or Furloughs
  • Hands on Training and Mentorship
  • A long history of helping people

To learn more about the company, or to apply, contact Jason Wiseman at Jason.Wiseman@wealthwave.com.

Closing

CEO/Founder of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce thanked the speakers, attendees, and volunteers. She reminded everyone that because of the election November 3, the event that first week in November will be held on THURSDAY November 5, rather than Wednesday.

Jessica also reminded attendees of online resources available at the Career Connectors website including the free DISC assessment and event recap blogs, See the website for more resources.

10/7/20 – Kickstart Your Job Search

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Written by Gary Matsuda

Kevin Dumcum

No doubt about it, losing a job is emotional. But now you are out of work and automatically, magically you’re supposed to switch focus from whatever job you had been doing to something we rarely have to think about – job hunting. Unfortunately, we are not used to doing that because few of us are experts in searching for a new employer. The good news is that you are not alone in your experience and there many options for finding assistance.

Kevin Dumcum from Arizona@Work Maricopa County lays out 10 lessons for taking action.

KEYNOTE

Kevin Dumcum, Kickstart Your Job Search

Kevin feels your pain. He has had his share of career setbacks and successes including layoffs during the last great recession to now where his career is helping others get their job search kickstarted. To get us going quickly, here’s Kevin’s whirlwind of 10 quick tips and advice:

Lesson I. Recognize job loss is traumatic. It’s hard to accept that your employer no longer needs you. It can be as agonizing as losing a loved one since our identities are often closely tied to our occupation. Your feelings are valid but don’t let them guide you. Recognize them for what they are and let it help you through the grief process.

Lesson II. On the logical side, job loss is the company’s loss too. But as much as business tries to put value on employees, they must be a functioning organization and make a profit in order to provide jobs. Positions can be eliminated due to no fault of your own so it’s best you take control of your own career.

Lesson III. Be responsible for your own set of skills and take advantage of any coursework, training, classes, reading available. There are more opportunities than ever to get training, so be prepared and go for it.
It is great if companies try to meet your professional growth needs, but if they can’t provide the resources you need then be ready to fill in any skills gaps on your own time and initiative. The next job might not be your last and the job search might start again, so always look to improve skills.

Lesson IV. Take care of yourself. How can a full-time job search effort be sustained without burning out? Your spouse might be working from home, kids need help while distance learning, you can’t see friends or relatives which can all be distracting and stressful so it’s essential to find ways to take care of yourself.
Whether you’re in a full house with multiple generations or just on your own, get connected with someone trustworthy and supportive. Talk to someone who is a good listener, share thoughts and feelings.
Many of us are getting things done around the home too. Doing physical work around the home/garden gets us some exercise while feeling productive and can give our minds respite and recovery. The job search can be a long slog so stay fit by maintaining health and keeping a good frame of mind.

Lesson V. Decide what you really want. While taking care of yourself during those much needed breaks, deeply held values may come to mind and you might get a chance to reevaluate your purpose and mission. Take this time to find out if your values, skills and experience match with what you could be doing.
To find out what you were put on earth to do, go read the mother of all books on career advice, the classic ‘What Color is Your Parachute?’. Updated with annual revisions, this can’t be passed up no matter where you are in your career.
Especially check out the self-discovery exercises where you’ll do an evaluation on your interests, skills and where they can be best applied.
To find out how you are wired, a few of the most well-known tools are: DISC, StrengthFinders and Myers-Briggs.
DISC is a behavioral assessment tool that measures your balance among four personality traits: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. Find how interests and skills align so you can have more effective working relationships in any career. Plus, through Career Connectors the DISC assessment is free!
StrengthFinders. For $15 on their website it will identify your top innate strengths (not skills which can be learned/change). If you know your strengths you can capitalize on them to find success. Don’t use them and you’re more likely to find frustration. There’s also a book but it’s easiest to go to website for the test to get immediate results.
You might as well be doing something you enjoy so that’s where Myers Briggs comes in. It’s a proctored assessment so there can be a fee associated with this test. It measures for preferences but not traits, ability or character. The scored personality type can also identify possible occupations and career and training paths. However, it can’t specify exactly what career is best for you, for that you’ll have to analyze the results (best done with a professionally trained coach).
Onetonline.org lets you enter a target job through its occupational quick search and list related or trade adjacent occupations to give ideas on what jobs to consider. It also gives an outlook for local area employment outlook 6 to 8 years out. Their short 15 minute quiz identifies strengths and suggests occupations that align with those strengths.

For the Phoenix area there is the ‘Book of Lists’ on Bizjournals.com/phoenix or at your local library. While it doesn’t describe what the listed businesses do, it does include number of clients, employees, total income and it’s a great way to get a list of the largest companies in the local market.

BestcompaniesAZ.com profiles top companies and ranks them by customer satisfaction scores. It’s a good basic overview of verified major companies in Arizona.

Then there’s always Google. But go a little further and research news about companies by going to the 2nd page.

Lesson VI. Get help. The job search is different than what it used to be 5 to 10 years ago so don’t fret about now knowing how to find a job, it’s not something we practice every day, so it can be intimidating to anyone.

Arizona@Work meets regularly with employers to find out hiring needs and provides services and resources for job seekers. The Public Workforce Development program for the State of Arizona does resume reviews, interview workshops, career exploration, assessments, Linkedin profile set up and connects you with employers. But because of Covid, try reaching out to them online first.

Help doesn’t have to be from the obvious places. Goodwill AZ of Central and Northern Arizona is not just a thrift store but a career resource! Let them help you with resume writing, training services and career prep.

Don’t neglect your local Public Library, which may have good (and expensive) resources. It’s quiet, friendly and free!

Lesson VII. Let’s get to work finding work! Most job seekers start with the well-known job boards like Indeed, Localwork.com, Glassdoor, and Google Jobs but here are a couple often overlooked:

AZjobconnection.gov At this time there are 65,000 jobs and 12,000 posted resumes. With a 5 to 1 job openings to resumes ratio, this looks encouraging!

Linkedin Jobs –Optimize your profile. The jobs link on LinkedIn will tell you how closely you match job postings on Linkedin.

On social media, follow the companies you are interested in and get a sense of their culture and direction they’re headed. (Be sure to limit your time to online networking because you know how social media can be a potential time sink.)
Hiring events have moved to virtual and can be industry specific or general purpose events. Sign up for the Arizona@Work email newsletter to get alerts of upcoming hiring events and the most recent 5000 local job postings.

The Hidden Job Market
Most jobs are posted online but it’s estimated almost half of all open or potential open jobs are not publicly advertised. That’s because it can take some time to go through the process of writing, approving, uploading, and updating a formal job description. But increasing your chances of landing the right job will require networking. That means meeting new people and maintaining old contacts, which is something you should be doing whether looking for work or not so you won’t have to start from scratch every time you need to find a new position. As a book said, ‘Dig the Well Before You’re Thirsty.’

But be specific when asking for help so that others will have a better understanding of what you are looking for and how you are helpful. Be reciprocal in relationships both personal and professional so that it’s not all about you.

Networking Phoenix, Eventbrite, BestCompaniesAZ and of course Career Connectors are a few networking organizations built around connecting the right people together. Pay attention to the make-up of the hiring companies or attendees to make sure you’re making the most your time by getting exposure to the type of people you would like to meet. If you’re asked to volunteer, go for it! To be stationed at the registration table is one of the best places to work. You’ll be visible to everyone coming in and there’s connection opportunity with every attendee.

Don’t overlook social groups where participation centers around personal or social interests. Get to know people just to make connections over shared interests. You never know who you’ll meet or who knows someone who has a job opportunity. At least there’s the benefit of personal enrichment as well.

Lesson VIII. Surrender and give yourself away at volunteer opportunities.
Everyone needs a little help, so don’t forget there are those who are in need of basic skills or necessities where you can make a difference by putting your experience or skills to use.

Volunteering counts as experience even if you are unemployed. Not only can it give you additional skills, it can show others what you can do with what you have. Do something different, get out to meet people, lend your expertise, and gain new skills, experiences and connections. Check these organizations out and you may find your calling:

HandsonPhoenix.org
Volunteermatch.org
Volunteer.phoenix.gov

It’s a great way to fill gaps on resume and good for the soul too.

Lesson IX. Expect Rejection. No matter how much work you put in you’re going to get rejected. Keep moving forward as each rejection is just one step closer to that first “Yes”.

Rocky Balboa says, “…it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Lesson X. Success breeds success. And just one yes is needed to make all the difference in your confidence!

“You don’t have to be great to start. But you have to start to be great” – Zig Ziglar

HIRING COMPANIES

Windsor, Charles Villafranca, Executive Director

Windsor does all they can for residents. To accomplish that, they help employees get the training they need. Windsor has several Senior living, Senior healthcare, behavior health and dementia care facilities in Arizona and 30 locations in California. If you’re looking for a career change they have training programs including OTJT for CNA. If you want to advance from CNA to nursing there are scholarships (and experience) available. Fill out an application and get an immediate interview!

Lifewell, Wendy Flynn, Recruiting Coordinator

As the name implies, Lifewell is here to help enable their clients lives to the fullest. And that includes you the employee. Lifewell provides treatment services and support for low income individuals diagnosed with serious mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. From assistants to director levels they are hiring. Employees are offered learning and development opportunities in anything to do with healthcare at several locations in Phoenix and Mesa.

Apply at lifewell.us/careers.

TTEC, Erika Flanders and Stephanie Thomas

At TTEC you have more than just a job, you’ll become more like family. The bridge between technology and human connection is here through their expertise in customer service and sales. Together TTEC creates a positive experience for the client, the caller and you. You’ll be empowered to lead everyday, to seek first to understand and do the right thing.

Now hiring for an Inbound Customer Service Rep supporting Blue Shield of CA.

To apply or for more info, go to TTECjobs.com to apply for other temp and FT positions, or text ‘TTEC’ to 97211.

RESOURCES

Joe Bourcier, the Health Insurance Pro, US Health Advisors
Offers help with the best match between health, dental, vision insurance for you, your family or business. They’ve received multiple awards for business excellence, so they’ve got to be good!

Contact:
Joe.bourcier@ushadvisors.com

BestCompaniesAZ
Career Connectors partners with BestCompaniesAZ. Altogether in one place you can find VERIFIED, trusted companies who have tens of thousands of jobs open now. Check them out here if any listed hiring companies match your values. Visit https://bestcompaniesaz.com/covid-19-resources/.

Free DISC Assessment
We all like free, so at no cost to you find your behavior traits (which may help point to your values) and what kind of job will likely fit you through our online DISC assessment at: https://careerconnectors.org/DISC/.

For details about upcoming Career Connectors events, click here to visit the events section on the website for times, dates, and details about hiring companies and keynote topics!