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All About People

1/8/2020 – Resume Mythbusters: Certified Resume Writer Panel

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Written by Julia Churan

Resume Mythbusters Panel

Your resume is the first step in your journey to an interview. You need to be able to pass through the applicant tracking system (ATS) in order to have a live person even know that you applied for a role in most companies today. That piece of paper or electronic profile is often the first impression a recruiter or hiring manager will have of you. Is your resume representing you in the best possible way and landing you the interview?

In today’s competitive job market, a professionally prepared resume may be the one thing that makes you stand out from the hundreds of strong candidates applying for the same position.

Panel

The Resume Writers Council of Arizona (RWCA) has been a long-time partner of Career Connectors. Members provide resume expertise to job seekers at all Career Connectors regular events. The members of this group are career-services professionals with special expertise and accreditation in resume writing. Three members took the spotlight on today’s panel to help break down the myths of the resume format, content, and function.

Resume Panel
  • Brenda Cunningham (BC), owner of Push Career Management, author, and current president of RWCA
  • Lori Norris (LN), founder of Get Results Career Services and military resume specialist
  • Waleed Alani (WA), career management counselor, coach and Global Career Development Facilitator

The panel was led by Career Connectors’ Founder and CEO, Jessica Pierce with questions submitted by seekers prior to the event.

Q: Share the biggest mistakes you see on resumes today.
LN: Seekers try to cover too much information on one resume. Have multiple resumes for multiple roles.
BC: Seekers use too many adjectives. Example: “high-qualified, multi-faceted, detail-oriented marketing professional.” This isn’t giving actual results from your experience. You are taking up a lot of valuable space telling the hiring manager nothing about how you will perform in this role or for their company.
WA: The biggest mistake many resumes make is not being clear why you should be considered for the role. Connect the dots for the hiring company. Make it clear how your background and experience support the role you are applying for.

Q: Why should seekers listen to professional resume writers?
LN: You shouldn’t listen to a specific professional; listen to the results. Resumes are subjective and no two writers will deliver the same outcome. Pick an expert that you connect with and one that understands your background. If you aren’t getting interviews, you need to rethink what you are sending out no matter how great you think that resume might be.
BC: RWCA members study the current hiring trends, they speak to HR professionals, and they research trends in applicant tracking systems. Certified writers understand what it takes to get in front of recruiters today.
WA: The technology of getting hired is changing as the world is changing. Look at books on job seeking from 5 to 10 years ago. The styles and preferences of resumes were different. The process and systems to support hiring were different from 10 years ago. Professionals will help you stay current with the trends of today and the future.

Q: What are some of the most important things to include on your resume?
LN: Benefits and value statements. Tell the reader how you are going to help the company. The resume isn’t about you; it is how your experience will benefit them.
BC: Don’t be vague by statements like “answered phones.” Demonstrate how you performed and the conditions and measurements of that skill. Explain how you know you did a good job.
WA: Accomplishments must be quantified. Reflect it in the terms of standards or values to the hiring organization.

Q: What are the recommended mechanics of the resume?
Number of pages: 1 or 2 pages as long as your experience and background merit the words. Cut the fluff and focus the content. Avoid “orphan pages” – have 2 full pages or 1 full page. Adjust margins and font size to fill up 2 pages or reduce to 1.
Font Style: Cambria or Calibri – Avoid Times New Roman!
Font Size: 10 – 12 pt
Margins: 1/2″ to 1″

Let the eye decide. Don’t overwhelm the reader.

The book Scarcity: The New Science of Having Less and How It Defines Our Lives helps you be focused, creative and to prioritize. These skills will allow you to manage the resume length.

Waleed Alani

Q: What type of resume should we be focused on?
LN: There are three basic types:
1. Chronological resumes – This style is unanimously recommended by the panel. It is the type you MUST use for ATS systems and should be your primary or only focus. Include not more than 10 years of work history unless you have the specific experience for the role you are applying to.
2. Functional resumes – This type highlights your skills but will not work with an ATS and often raises questions with the reader. These have no dates and raise huge red flags for employers. If you have gaps in your resume, there are ways to work around them. A resume professional can help fill those gaps.
3. Combination resume – This is a hybrid of Chronological and Functional. It may be used for a job fair or networking event but will not pass through automated systems.

Q: How do you avoid age discrimination on your resume?
BC: Age discrimination is real, so don’t give the reader an idea of your age from reading your resume – young or old. Age concerns can be overcome in an interview but you have to get there. Show you are current by taking classes or listing current technology and concept expertise.

Never use “retire” or “25 or 30 years of experience”. Use 10+ or 15+ years. Don’t use antiquated email domains like “AOL.com” or other ’80s domains.
Don’t use dates or years in your email address like JDoe1960@gmail.com.
Don’t put dates on your education, just note the Degree.
Don’t include High School information.

Reverse discrimination is also an issue. If you just graduated, this is the only time that you should use your college graduation dates. It will explain your lack of experience.

Q: Customizing resumes for specific jobs?
BC: Don’t be lazy! Never shoot the one resume out to all job applications. Spend 1-2 hours per application to customize it for the specific company and role. Use keywords from the job posting in your resume. When a specific skill is required, spell out what the skill is and how you have used it.

Don’t just rely on a great resume. Use your network to get referrals into the company.

Brenda Cunningham

Q: What is the best way to get past the ATS systems?
LN: AVOID templates! Templates in MS Word may be pretty, but they are full of formatting that an ATS may not read. Use borders and background shading if you want, never have important information in the header/footer. Never use text boxes or tables in your resume because older systems will not read the information within them.
BC: Save and upload files in MS Word format rather than a PDF or any graphic format. Some older systems won’t read PDF files. Also remember, smaller companies and government agencies may not have an ATS so a human is manually scanning them.
WA: Don’t let the ATS scare you. Keep the format simple using text and tabs. Beware of bullets. Make things stand out with font size and bolding rather that fancy document format. Waleed will post more tips on his Linked In profile for resume formatting.

Remember, the resume content should be the focus and represent you to the employer!

Hiring Companies

All About People, Karen McEnroe, Vice President
They are a professional hiring organization with services to small and large organizations in contract, direct hire, and executive search in several industries, including Accounting/Finance, Supply Chain, HR, and Medical.

Current open positions include:

  • Bilingual Call Center Representatives
  • RN’s, LPN’s and Behavioral Health Technicians
  • Litigation Attorney
  • Enrollment Representatives
  • SVP of Sales

U.S. Census, Cynthia Duncan, Recruiter
The U.S. Census Bureau is the Federal Government’s largest statistical agency in the U.S. Phoenix is one of two national processing centers dedicated to the 2020 Census.

Processing includes receiving and preparing decennial forms, imaging, keying, QA and forms disposal. Positions range from entry-level to supervisory, IT, HR, Health & Safety. Nearly 1000 full- and part-time federal employees will be hired for these temporary roles with excellent benefits. The processing roles will be at the I-10, I-17 and new Loop 202.

Apply at www.USAJobs.gov
Search Keyword: NPC
Location: Phoenix
Create a profile and apply directly to each job of interest.

Resources

Career Connectors Academy, Landi Carfi, VP of Corporate Training
This exciting program is brought to job seekers through a joint partnership with Brighton College. There are a number of short-term IT, Allied Health and other certification programs available at a discounted price for Career Connectors clients. No interest payment plans are also available as well as grants through WIOA and SWFI.

Closing

Jessica took the stage to thank all the attendees, partners and services for attending. She also encouraged attendees to take advantage of the free services for resume and LinkedIn assistance, professional portraits, DISC assessments and coaching that are provided at each event. She also had special gratitude to Grand Canyon University for hosting today’s event and the many staff members and volunteers who make these events happen.

12/06/17 – Brand Elevation: Power Up Your Influence in 3 Simple Steps

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Brand ElevationWritten by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

What do Oprah, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Martha Stewart, Jennifer Aniston and Snoop Dogg have in common? Not only are they all celebrities but also masters of personal branding. Personal branding isn’t restricted to the rich and famous but also professionals.

KEYNOTE

Brand Elevation: Power Up Your Influence in 3 Simple Steps
Felicia Davis
There are many factors that contribute to our professional success. Felicia emphasized that “your brand is arguably your most important asset.” But how do you achieve an elevated brand? Felicia provided a road map to a prominent and leading brand.

4 BLIND SPOT BEHAVIORS
Each of us has a behavior that holds us back in achieving our goals. Common blind spots include:

  1. Hiding Out: Are you going incognito and practicing your best introvert self? Are you avoiding putting yourself out there?
  2. Impostor Syndrome: Do you continuously ask yourself, “Am I good enough?”
  3. Clear Boundaries: Are your boundaries clearly defined for you and others you interact with? Boundaries embrace our values/value system. Do you enforce them and do others respect them?
  4. Status Quo Behavior: Are you not putting changes in place and still waiting for magical results? Are you doing just enough to get by?

These blind spots are keeping you on a losing streak of missed opportunities and a powerful brand!

WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE YOU
There are a number of reasons why candidates are selected as a final candidate/promotion. Studies have revealed that 10% are chosen for skills; 30% for passion; and 60% for positioning and presence. It has been shown that presence dictates a “yes” 90% of the time.

HOW WELL BRANDED ARE YOU?
Felicia introduced a mini assessment to establish how well branded we are. Our answers determined if we had a Potential, Rising, Super or Mega Brand. It is important to remember that branding is a process and evolves over time.

BRANDING REQUIREMENTS
Several factors need to be defined and demonstrated by your brand.
1. CLARITY: Who you are and are not.
2. CONSISTENCY: Your message should mirror who you are.
3. CONSTANCY: Continuous visibility to your target audience.

BRAND EFFECTIVENESS
Felicia noted the effectiveness of your brand and its presentation are evaluated by your REPUTATION (gets you known); RELATIONSHIPS (gets you access) and RESULTS (increases your value). Your reputation, relationships and results all measure how effective your brand is.

WELL-EXECUTED BRAND
A well-executed brand brings with it many benefits including:
• Building trust and loyalty.
• Increasing earning potential.
• Engaged conversation, support and evangelism of your message.
• Closing the gap between your identity and the perceptions others have of you.
• Differentiate you as a professional more than price and function.

HOW DO YOU ELEVATE YOUR BRAND?
What a great question? Fortunately, Felicia shared with us her 4 power moves that will elevate your brand:

  1. Know and own your narrative. Your narrative is what shapes your brand identity. There are 3 common challenges in developing your narrative. Those obstacles include “don’t know what you don’t know, voice doesn’t matter, and the comparison trap”. Felicia indicated there are two questions you need to answer to avoid the described challenges. You need to know the answer to “what do you believe about the future success of your field or industry and what will be my role in making it happen”.
  2. Be magnetic. Being a magnet or having brand magnetism requires you to position what you do with the right people at the right time. To be a success you need to be clear on who your audience is and understand their problems, challenges, desires and secret fears. This move also has common challenges including “waiting to be discovered, missing key relationships and unable to articulate value”. One way to resolve these issues is to “be clear about the value you bring and how it impacts the organization.
  3. Develop brand ambassadors. These individuals bring brand loyalty. To develop brand loyalty, you need to be clear that your target audience is your partner in your success. Challenges surrounding this move are commoditized conversations, not knowing the agenda and silo mentality. To resolve these roadblocks, you need to have high-stake conversations and understand the agendas of others.
  4. Get visible. Being visible leads to brand loyalty and brand voice. You need to be noticed, known, and vocal. Those factors challenging your success are the fraud factor, comparison & conflicting messages. Becoming visible requires you to avoid being invisible, a voyeur, laying low & watching others shine. Most importantly you need to decide where you would like to be.

DEVELOP YOUR STRATEGY
Developing your strategy to achieve your desired brand requires you to know the answers to “What do I want to be known for?”; “What do I want to be known as?”; What do I need to give up in order to be visible and create my desired legacy?”; and “What’s the first step?”

As you elevate your brand, remember that it is a process and does not happen overnight. The rewards from a powerful brand may not make you a well-known celebrity but you will be a rising star in your profession.

Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.Jeff Bezos, Amazon

HIRING COMPANIES

AZ DES
Ruth Ford, Recruiter

The mission of AZ DES is to help Arizonians reach their potential through temporary assistance for those in need, and care for the vulnerable. There are several divisions providing a full array of services: Aging and Adult Services, Benefits and Medical Eligibility, Child Support Services, Developmental Disabilities, Employment and Rehabilitation Services, Early Intervention Program and Community Outreach.
Employee benefits include medical, dental, and short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off; work-life balance and retirement. A sampling of current openings are Employee Relations Specialist, Child Support Services Call Center Agent, Caregiver, Case Manager Lead-Early Intervention, Rehabilitation Services Specialist 3, Auditor 2, Physical Therapist, Training Officer 2, Financial Exploitation Manager, State Monitor Advocate, and Core Services Engineer/Supervisor. If interested, apply on the AZ DES website.

Lifewell Behavioral Wellness
Wendy Christensen, Recruiter

Lifewell Behavioral Wellness was formed in 2011 as part of a merger. The organization has over 80 years of cumulative experience and offers a wide array of services and care for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness, general mental health issues and substance abuse disorders. Services range from residential, outpatient, supported housing to vocational rehabilitation services; and transportation.
Lifewell offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, personal and professional growth; learning and development; and having a positive impact in their client’s life. Available opportunities are Clinician Associate I(BHPP), Application Developer, Claims Specialist, Drivers, Intake and Housing Specialist, Client Service Representative, Case Manager, Psychiatrist, Maintenance Technician and Therapist. For more details and apply online.

All About People
Desirae Noonan, Corporate Branch Manager

All About People is a staffing and recruiting firm that puts people first whether those individuals are job seekers, client companies or franchise owners. The firm is “generalist” by nature. Opportunities are everything from clerical/administrative needs to senior leadership and all corporate functional areas in between. Current openings are Credentialing Specialist, Claims Specialist, HR Benefits Coordinator, Part Time Customer Service, Recruiter, Clinical Administrator, Bankruptcy Legal Assistant, Accounting Specialist, Tax Accountant, Exam Technician, Legal Secretary and more. Please refer to the website for more details.

Allstate
Tom Wheeler, Field Sales Leader

Allstate was established in Chicago in 1931 and has been in business for 80 years. Allstate is #81 on Fortune 100 list and 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 and has 47 products to help serve its customers’ needs.
Available positions include Claims Analyst, Product Management, Information Technology, 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
Scott Bromander, Head of Education, Non-Degree Technology Programs

Grand Canyon is launching a Coding program. Students will learn immersive software engineering in a Java pilot program free of charge. Students need to complete the program to avoid tuition costs. Prior coding experience is not required. Classes start January 8 and run until April 27, 2018, Monday-Friday, 9 am- 5 pm for 15 weeks. The program is limited to 20 students. Candidates must complete admissions requirements to be considered for the program by December 17. Interested applicants are to contact Scott Bromander.

Coder Camps
Jason Jones, Sr. Admissions Advisor

Coder Camps prepares students for a career in software development with immersive coding boot camps, online instruction, and career placement support. Graduates are equipped with a practical knowledge of full-stack software development, interview skills and a portfolio demonstrating their abilities. Coder Camps’ accelerated learning programs are offered full-time, part-time and online. The school is the only code camp to offer graduates lifetime access to all courses, a community of developers, and career services for free. For more information or to apply, visit their website.

CLOSING

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking North Phoenix Baptist Church and the volunteers. For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the Event Schedule. 

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.Maria Robinson

2/11/16 – DISCovering Your Unique Value

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Written by Kevin Spear, MBA: @kevinhspear

Opening

Jessica opened the session. Last week at the North Phoenix event, her husband, Mark took a selfie of the group. He got a great picture of everyone else… but only got the top of his head.

We don’t always do selfies, and they are not mandatory. So if that’s not your thing, relax!

Jessica reminded us there are some good connections and possibilities online, but there is nothing like the one-on-one you get when you get out of the house and network. You never know which connection at Career Connectors, or another networking event, will lead to your next job.

Keynote

Sandi Ashton, @SandiAshton
DISCovering Your Unique Value
OptimizingExcellence.com

Sandi is Vice President of the Career Connectors Board of Directors and has been vital in its development.

In 2003, Sandi found herself in a similar position many of us have been in. She was asked to resign from her company. They didn’t have a reorganization or a layoff. They wanted someone with an accounting degree and she didn’t have one. She felt at the time she lost so much, but it was the best thing that happened to her.

She now realizes her former role was not in harmony with her personality. In her last job, she was so stressed, pressured to overachieve, and be aggressive. That wasn’t her. Recently, she retook the DISC profile and now sees that her professional roles are in harmony with her personality.

Understanding yourself is critical, both professionally and personally. She gave an example of when she and her husband were going through a stressful time. Their personality and communication styles are different. It wasn’t until they both took the DISC test and acknowledged their differences that the problem was solved.

What is the DISC assessment?

  • Basis for understanding yourself and others
  • Theory of behavior styles
  • It allows you to develop strategies to meet your development goals and find the ideal workplace.
    • Your self-awareness will guide them to understand who you are.

But it is only part of your whole person. A Total Person Analysis involves the following:

  • Essence (soul and spirit)
  • Behavior (DISC Assessment helps measure this)
  • Skills
  • Values
  • Intelligence (IQ)
  • Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

There are four styles in the DISC Assessment:

  • Dominance = Problems/challenges
  • Influencer = People/contacts
  • Steadiness = Pace/consistency
  • Compliance = Procedures/constraints

Next, we went over our individual DISC profiles. If you haven’t taken one since January 15, 2016, you can take a free test through Career Connectors at this address.  It’s a new format, and worth retaking if you’ve done it in the past.

Sections of the DISC profile report:

  1. Your key competencies and preferred work style
  2. Your problem-solving and decision-making skills
  3. Your communication style
    1. If you’re having a breakdown in communication, this section will help you pinpoint why it is happening.
    2. This will help in your personal life as well as professional life
    3. File this away and use it when you are once again employed
  4. Your value to the organization will help you sell what you can contribute to the company
    1. Use them as talking points to form your success stories
  5. Communication:
    1. Flexibility and the ability to interpret the needs of others is the mark of a superior communicator.
    2. Identifying someone else’s behavior helps you communicate effectively with that person.
    3. You can identify DISC styles by sight.
    4. Tone of voice can also give someone’s style away.
    5. Use these discovery questions to determine a person’s personality and preferences:
      1. What do you do for a living?
      2. How did you get into that profession?
      3. Why do you like what you do?
      4. Are you originally from the local area?
      5. What do you like for fun?
  6. Ideal environment:
    1. Are you in an enjoyable or frustrating environment?
    2. What environment will you feel at home with?
  7. Perceptions
    1. How do you see yourself?
    2. How do others see your behaviors?
  8. Descriptors
    1. Your preferences for solving problems and meeting challenges
    2. How you influence people
    3. Response to rules and procedures set by others

Remember who YOU are matters. Your unique value makes a contribution no one else can.

Remember to take the free DISC assessment through Career Connectors.

Hiring Companies:

VIXXO (Formerly First Service Networks)
Heather Kitsko, Senior Recruiter

It’s the first time they can publicly announce their new name.
They are a leading technology-enable asset management and business insight company

  • They have 1,000 associates and fifteen locations.
  • Headquarters are in Scottsdale
  • For seven years, Inc. Magazine named them one of America’s fastest-growing private companies.
  • Their purpose is to keep the world’s business running smoothly so the brands you love continue to inspire.
  • Their goal is to anticipate disruptions in equipment and fix them before they break down.
  • They’re going to an Agile management throughout the company
  • The site: www.vixxo.com is now live

International Cruise & Excursions, Inc,
Jason Brambier, Corporate Recruiter
@ICE_Careers

  • Their headquarters are in Scottsdale
  • They are a large travel brokerage serving the cruise industry and other travel companies.
  • How do they work?
    • Call former cruise customers and offer cruise discounts.
      • The customer gets a year to decide details when they take a discount.
    • Customers also call ICE to make plans for their next cruise.
  • Median wage is $55,000 annually
  • Voted Best Place to work in Phoenix Business Journal 2013 and 2014
  • Benefits:
    • Discounted travel 50%-75% off cruise packages
    • Free trips for top performers
  • Nonsales jobs include:
    • In-house counsel
    • Telecom analyst
    • Branding Strategists
    • Director of Digital Lead Generation
    • Data entry
    • Web designer/developer
    • Accounting Clerk

For more information: www.iceenterprise.com

All About People,
Meredith Hall, Sr Account Manager
@allaboutpeople

  • It is a full service Hiring Organization.
  • Founded in 2002 and is one of the fastest growing companies according to Inc. Magazine.
  • They have positions locally as well as across the nation.
  • They hire for:
    • Contract
    • Temporary
    • Full-time
    • Executive Searches
  • They do coaching with their candidates so you can be presented in the best light.
  • They have a great breadth of companies they work with.
  • They opened ten locations across the nation in the last year.
    • They are in most major markets.
  • They have a high offer acceptance-98%of offers extended to candidates get accepted.
  • They have several open positions from higher level to data entry:
    • Sales Positions
    • They have city and state contracts in the area.

For more information: www.allaboutpeople.net

Freedom Financial Network,
Linda Luman, VP HR
@freedomFamily

Linda experienced a layoff last year, so she knows what it is like to be without a position. She emphasized the importance of networking. She said, “Before you leave today, be sure you network with three to four people. Someone that you least expect may connect you to someone that changes your life.”

  • Freedom Financial helps people transform their financial lives.
    • They serve people who experience debt and are being harassed by collectors.
    • Freedom Financial helps the customers to consolidate, reduce debt and fix their debt situation.
  • It was founded in 2002 when Stanford classmates were experiencing too much debt.
    • Today, they have over 1,000 employees.
  • Their locations are in Tempe and San Mateo, California.
  • They don’t believe their values belong on a wall but in the hearts of employees.
  • But one value that stands out is compassion. They can train everything else, but either you care about people or you don’t.
  • They’ve been recognized by Phoenix Business Journal as a Best Place to Work winner.
  • Benefits:
    • They have a recognition program.
    • Volunteer day for an organization or a worthy cause.
    • Monthly appreciation lunch
    • Freedom Family Fund gives the ability to help coworkers.
    • They celebrate employee’s birthday with four hours off.
  • Some positions include:
    • Account Executives
    • Compliance Analyst
    • Business Intelligence Analyst
    • Product Managers
    • Senior Software Engineers
    • 32% of positions filled are through internally
    • Over 50% of positions filled externally are through referrals

For more information: freedomfinancialnetwork.com/jobs

Resources:

City of Phoenix Workforce Connection
James Jones, Career Advisor
@CityofPhoenixAZ

James works out of the North Phoenix office. They are planning to make all locations offer the same programs in the coming weeks.

They offer Skill Development Packages:

  • Phoenix Workforce Connection Seminars – Public
    • They have mock interview labs that help you polish your skills and figure how you can improve your presentation.
    • Job Clubs allows you to network with other people.
    • 21st Century job search seminar
  • Level 1 package: Skills that match the job
    • 3 + 3 Package: Three days and three hours to get a job
    • This is if you are marketable and don’t need any training
  • Level 2 package: Research Pathways to Higher Wages
    • Personal and career awareness
    • Determine if you need additional training
  • Arizona Job Connection
    • Helps you get access to 50,000 positions.

The current Phoenix unemployment is 4.7%! It’s a good time to find a new job!
They are changing their name to Arizona at Work next week

One piece of advice James has is to be happy and do the things with family to build happiness. Employers will notice your demeanor.

 

Canyon State Institute
Sherri Carparelli, President & CEO

Sherri recommends going to all three Career Connector events through the month. Each one is unique and gives you more networking opportunities. Then she reminded us when you are unemployed, you are eligible to receive a grant for certification and education.

  • They are the only locally owned certification company in the area.
  • They have locations in Phoenix and Chandler.
  • Why get certification?
    • Defines your knowledge
    • Increases your marketability
    • Enables you to answer what you have been doing while unemployed with a positive answer.
  • Different programs include:
    • Microsoft Office
    • Medical Support Specialist
    • Information Technology
    • Project Management
    • Human Resources
    • Process Improvement
  • All courses lead you to taking and passing a certification exam.
  • All of their programs are high demand.
  • Includes career service center.
  • Funding available through:
    • WIOA
    • Veterans
    • DES Vocational Rehabilitation

For more information: canyonstateedu.com

Closing:

Jessica Pierce reminded us If you haven’t taken your DISC assessment in the last ten days, be sure to take it again because it has changed.

12/04/2013-Believe, Succeed and Win

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Written by Ken Abramczyk

Job seekers are tempted to take a break at this time of year. We take the foot off the pedal in our race to find a job.

Jessica Pierce, executive director of Career Connectors, has news for you:  Many companies ARE hiring. Those job hunters who network and persist in their search at this time of year are step ahead of the others who wait until January.

“You are ahead of the curve,” Jessica told Career Connectors members and others who networked Wednesday and heard Bill Markham discuss “Believe, Succeed & Win.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Bill Markham (@winnerviewer) knows how to win. He’s helped more than 3,000 job prospects with interviews, but he also has walked the road of joblessness both as a new father and later in his working career. “It’s a lonely, lonely journey,” Bill said.

Job seekers need to show results with hard data and statistics, Bill says. When submitting resumes and interviewing for jobs, we should strengthen our resumes and interviews by highlighting skills and our delivery of results. And when closing at the end of the interview, ask for the job—only five percent of candidates do, Bill said.

Bill outlined a simple strategy. Write a plan of action. Review the tools in your tool box, taking advantage of the career guidance from coaches, recruiters, training schools and other services at Career Connectors.

And finally, believe in yourself.

Writing a plan can help us see our ideal vision and hammer out goals in our lives, Bill said. “The mind can only conceive that what is written,” Bill said.

Write five results to prepare yourself for the job interviewer’s basic question: “What makes you qualified to do this job?” Demonstrate your leadership, highlight problem-solving skills and how you exceed work standards.

We are all marketers, too, when it comes to job hunting. You need to sell your skills, probe to discover what the company needs, present your qualifications, paraphrase to hone your message and close the interview and in any written communications by asking for the job. The better we can market ourselves, the better chance we have of winning the job, Bill says.

Then there are the negative, desperate thoughts that creep into our minds on the job-hunting pilgrimage. Doubt often works its way into our thought processes, but Bill believes that doubt is actually a catalyst for success, when you use it and respond to it with an alternative to eliminate it, such as belief in yourself and an unwillingness to fail. Perseverance negates any fear of losing.

In order to win, do activities that winners do, such as volunteering. “Give away to keep,” Bill said. “When you give someone your service and get nothing, you surrender what has happened in the past to win a new life and a new job.”

Job candidates often leave interviews not knowing how they did. Bill suggests that you ask them. “How did I do?” That gives you a window to elaborate on answers.

HIRING COMPANIES

Hiring companies included American Express, Goodwill of Central Arizona and All About People. All three companies have job vacancies and indicated that job seekers should visit their web sites, fill out online profiles and submit applications and resumes on those web sites.

Eldad Engelman, recruitment relationship manager, and Sara Betz, client recruitment specialist, highlighted some of the jobs available at American Express, including customer care, marketing, finance, risk, technologies and human resources. Eldad reminded job seekers to review the job description first. “The first bullet of your resume should reflect what they are looking for,” Eldad said. “Companies like to see measurable results and how you executed and achieved measurable results.”

Caitlin King, senior recruiter at Goodwill of Central Arizona, said revenue raised from donations helps with job training at career centers and Goodwill’s mission of putting people to work. Opportunities include commercial maintenance, retail operations, Goodwill mission services and corporate services. Those interested can apply online at jobs.goodwillaz.org.

Karen McEnroe, director of sales and operations at All About People, a professional hiring organization, which helps with employment opportunities. Positions available include data entry, admissions recruiter, legal secretary, IC chip manager and IC chip engineer, and a senior scientist.

Karen said job hunters should make sure words are spelled correctly. The resume is the first impression left on hiring managers. “The company will not bring you in for an interview if you even have one typo,” Karen said. “Take a few minutes and put some time and care into your resume.”

Mario Parra, talent acquisition specialist at Revana, said that Revana specializes in business process outsourcing. Current opportunities include inbound sales representatives, outbound sales representatives and sales manager. Revana hosts job fairs every Tuesday at the company’s north Phoenix office and at the Tempe office on every Wednesday.

Parra said recruiters who review resumes look for candidates who match with the keywords in job descriptions. “You have to make sure you meet our minimum criteria and the job is something that you are interested in,” Mario said.

RESOURCES

John Dvorak, career advancement partner with Training to You, said that the Workforce Investment Act assists the unemployed or underemployed with grant money to help fund their training in various programs to achieve certification in project management, Microsoft Office professional and several others. One-stop centers throughout the Valley funded by these grants also help job seekers through career advancement workshops, too. Training to You is located in Phoenix and the web site is www.trainingtoyou.com.

CLOSING

Jessica Pierce will be the main speaker in Gilbert on Tuesday, Dec. 10, with “LinkedUp on LinkedIn,” with hiring companies Arizona Nutritional Supplements, Insight and Charles Schwab. A second event is also scheduled next week as Kristi Staab tells us how to “Lead Like a Rock Star” on Thursday, Dec. 12 in Scottsdale. Hiring companies are the State of Arizona Department of Administration, Renaissance Personnel Group and EDMC Online Higher Education.

The new year kicks off with “What’s Your Why” with Brian Mohr on Wednesday, Jan. 8 in Phoenix. Hiring companies are Vanguard and EDMC.

While it is tempting to slow the pace down at this time of year, remember that you never know where that next opportunity will appear, especially during the holidays. If you don’t know about the opportunity because you didn’t look for it, you will never find it, so keep up your efforts by attending networking and recruiting events next week at Career Connectors!