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Benchmark Electronics

05/28/19 – Career Organizer Toolkit

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Career Organizer Toolkit

Written by Jim McBride

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Career Organizer Toolkit

Dr. Carl Forkner – Research Psychologist, Community Advocate

Where do I start? It can be a daunting question when entering into career transition in pursuit of your next big career adventure. Getting organized, setting schedules and defining your goals are just some of the tips provided by keynote speaker Dr. Carl Forkner.

Dr. Forkner, a research psychologist and champion for numerous local non-profits including East Valley Disabled Veterans, reached into his Career Organizer Toolkit and shared tips for planning and successfully executing your transition.

Tip #1 – Before the Beginning
As rudimentary as it sounds, a good supply of paper, pencils, pens, notebooks, folders and highlighters will help with the organization of your search activity. Pursuing your next job is now your current full-time job so create a comfortable space in your home which will be dedicated to your search efforts.

Solid, actionable to-do lists will help track your tasks. Be clear and concise with your specific action steps by logging the start dates and completed-by deadlines. List who can help you achieve each action item, such as a specific network contact or a career transition resource. Just ask and you’ll find lots of people willing to help.

Preparing for and conducting a career search takes lots time and includes many activities. Use a planner to help visualize how these activities will fit into your week. Prioritize your action items and create a weekly schedule. Leave at least one full day for yourself and consider volunteering, which is an excellent way to network and get noticed by employers.

Tip #2 – Refining your Preparation
When identifying your best career options, Dr. Forkner suggests keeping an open mind. Sometimes the best opportunities are unexpected. List your personal characteristics and match them with jobs that share those personality traits. Take a deep dive into the jobs that catch your interest the most and thoroughly investigate those companies. Identify and prioritize your skills. You may not realize that your skills are likely transferable to other industries.

Use LinkedIn to conduct the research. Connect with current and former employees at those companies. Have conversations with your connections. You’ll gain valuable insights.

Utilize the internet to learn industry and occupational information. Get acquainted with industries that are gaining momentum in the market as well those in decline. Salary information is available on Salary.com and Glass Door.

Tip #3 – After You’ve Prepared
Now that you’re organized and prepared, you’re ready for an active career search. Explore employment leads, target 3 – 5 companies of interest, submit and track submitted resumes, manage and track your references.

Although job fairs tend to be geared toward entry level positions, they can be excellent networking events. Learn which companies will be attending and search their higher-level job postings before the event. Initiate conversations with the job fair recruiters and share your interest in learning more about their organization.

Get organized. Get started. Get hired!

RESOURCES

LPL Financial

Jian Boldi – Financial Tips for Career Transition

Nobody wants to worry about financial well-being while immersed in a career transition. But knowing your options and keeping an eye on household expenses is top of mind for most people when in between jobs. Jian, a professional personal financial planner and Career Connectors volunteer shared a list of 10 Financial Tips for Career Transition.

  1. Understand your unemployment benefits. Go to the DES website (Dept of Economic Security) to apply for benefits. If you were declined for benefits, you may be able to appeal.
  2. Do not forget to keep paying taxes. You are still obligated if you are collecting unemployment benefits.
  3. Job-hunting expenses, such as mileage to/from an interview and relocation expenses (if moving over 50 miles) are tax deductible.
  4. An option – Go back to school, get a certificate to advance your skills
  5. Become under-employed by taking a stepping stone position. For example, take a job as a manager and work your way back up to a director role.
  6. Budget. Budget. BUDGET. Track expenses from your primary account(s). Understand where your money is going and why.
  7. If you are 55 or older, you can take penalty-free money from your IRA using (72t).
  8. As an alternative to COBRA, purchase your healthcare insurance with your IRA funds.
  9. Consider reversing a contribution (this year) made to your IRA. Replace it when you start your new job (this year).
  10. Ask for help. There are plenty of resources and volunteers.

HIRING COMPANIES

AF Professionals

Deanne Desautels, President/CEO

Since 1999, Deanne has grown AFP into one of Arizona’s award-winning top 10 Staffing and Executive Recruiting Firms for the past seven years. AFP has been ranked the #1 Permanent Placement firm in Ranking Arizona for the last five years.

Open Positions
Government – AZ and City of Phoenix
Customer service
Accounting
Project management
Consulting
Warehouse Light Industrial
Call center operations, team leader, training manager
Mortgage collections
Underwriting
Property management
Marketing / Sales coordinator
Admin Assistant

Pearl Interactive Network

Satoria Dixon, HR Recruiter

Pearl is a social enterprise that gives hiring priority to skilled and talented people. The niche workforce includes: veterans, disabled veterans, disabled persons, military spouses, people in geographically-challenged areas and have barriers to employment. Currently staffing a contact center operation in support of the 2020 census survey.

Open Positions
WFO Labor Hours Specialist
Operations Managers
WFO Site Specialists
Trainers
Supervisors
Customer Service Reps (f/t and p/t)

Benchmark Electronics

Toni LaMack, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

At Benchmark, headquartered in Tempe, the mission is to be the solutions provider of choice for high tech OEM customers, anticipating their needs and rapidly delivering comprehensive value-creation solutions during the entire Product Life Cycle by providing:
• Innovative Design Engineering Services
• Optimized Global Supply Chain & Logistics Solutions
• World-Class Manufacturing and After-market Support
Open Positions
RF Test Engineers
RF Design Engineers
Machine Operators
Test Operators
Assemblers
Configuration Analyst/Trainer

CLOSING

Jessica recapped today’s available resources and encouraged everyone to attend the next Career Connectors session on Thursday June 20th in Phoenix at GCU. The topic is “Readiness Redefined,” presented by Trevor Stokes. Stay tuned for email updates.

8/2/17 – Get the Job Fast – Find a Great New Job in Half the Time

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Find the Job Fast Written by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

JOB SEEKER: “Magic 8 Ball, Magic 8 Ball, when will I find a job?”
MAGIC 8 BALL: “Concentrate and ask again.”

During our transition, one of the consistent themes heard among job seekers is “How long have you been out of work?” Most of us know eventually we will find a job. Unfortunately, magic 8 balls, horoscopes, fortune tellers, your Mom/Dad and your spouse cannot predict when you will secure a new position. As a result, professionals seeking new opportunities are anxious to come to an end in their job search and move on in their new role.

KEYNOTE

Get the Job Fast – Find a Great New Job in Half the Time!
Dave Sherman

Like most of us in career transition, Dave has also found himself unemployed due to today’s workforce challenges. Fortunately for us, Dave shared with us what has worked for him to find a new job in half the time. His key take-aways include:
• Being fired/laid-off SUCKS.
• Looking for jobs online SUCKS.
• Very few alternatives.
• Stop complaining, whining and moaning!
• HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT!

TIP #1: GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!
WHY? You maintain a working routine. It promotes socialization, and STOPS THE VOICES!
WHERE SHOULD YOU GO? Coffee house. Restaurant. Library. ANYWHERE WITH INTERNET!

TIP #2: HANG OUT WITH EMPLOYED PEOPLE!
Hanging out with employed professionals leads to learning about current and future openings. Career transition groups are also beneficial.

TIP #3: START ATTENDING MORE NETWORKING EVENTS
Employed people hang out at networking events. To learn of Phoenix networking events & groups  at Networking Phoenix.

WHERE SHOULD YOU GO?
Chamber of Commerce: Most Chambers allow attending 2-3 times before being asked to join. Associations. Business groups. Networking groups. Career transition groups.

SPECIAL NOTE: Networking and prospecting are done at events. The more people you tell you are looking for work or talk to will accelerate your efforts in finding a job faster.

SUGGESTIONS for attending events: Show up early. Bring business cards. Know what you want. ASK FOR HELP!

HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT?

TIP #4: When attending events, STOP LOOKING FOR A JOB!

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? Work on Likeability and Commonality. These traits are the foundation in life and the key to everything!

LIKEABILITY includes: Smile. Be genuine. Be interested, not interesting. By being interested it will increase your odds to get a job.

COMMONALITY could come through: hometown, hobbies, school, family, friends, favorites.

“WHO DO YOU KNOW?”
Be as specific as possible. There is such a thing as 6-degree of separation. According to Wikipedia, it is “the theory that everyone and everything is 6 or fewer steps, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world so that a chain of ‘a friend of a friend’ statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of 6 steps.”

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT!!!!
In order for people to help you, identify and know what you are looking for!

TIP #5: FOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORDS

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT!
Be specific and identify what you are looking for so people can help you better.

FOUR MOST IMPORTANT WORDS: “WHO DO YOU KNOW?”

Ask everyone!
Be specific.
Use all the time.
Don’t give up.

HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT?
Remember your profession/position are an investment in yourself!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WRITTEN BY DAVE:
“50 Top Tips: A Simple Guide to Networking Success”
“Breaking the Ice”
“Elevating Your Elevator Speech”

“A DREAM DOESN’T BECOME A REALITY THROUGH MAGIC; IT TAKES SWEAT, DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK.”-Colin Powell

Hiring Companies

Benchmark Electronics
Mark Bradley, HR Manager

Benchmark Electronics is a global engineering, design and integrated electronics manufacturing company. Benchmark provides contract manufacturing services and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Intermedics. The company is in the process of moving its corporate office from Angleton, Texas to Phoenix. Benchmark focuses on medical, high-end computing, industrial controls, telecom, test measurement, and military/aerospace. The company has a new CEO who is enthusiastic in making the company more dynamic.
Benefits embrace a “Cadillac Plan” and are robust in their offerings. An emphasis is placed in developing/growing its employees in their career. For more information and to apply to Benchmark go to the website.

Chase
Lekheythan Malone, Sr. Recruiting Professional

Chase, the largest bank in the United States, and one of the largest in the world, prides itself as having a culture striving to help the community, and who is looking for leaders who want to grow with the company. Chase works with individual customers, small businesses, corporations, financial institutions, non-profits and governments. The organization’s global reach allows employees to get where they want to go. Whether the candidate wants to sharpen their skills or gain something new, they will have the experience that offers flexibility to move to another division or country if desired. Chase’s workplace is where you feel welcomed and valued; and creates diverse, inclusive teams that support Chase’s business and each other. Chase is heavily invested in its communities and encourages employees to do the same. Benefits include health care and insurance plans, retirement savings programs, wellness programs, employee programs and family care. A sampling of current jobs in demand are customer service, collections, business development sales, loan underwriters, client services advisors, relationship and private client bankers and tellers. To apply go the Chase website.

Vanguard
Renee Brown, Senior Recruiter

Vanguard’s rich heritage is powerfully evoked by its logo, the image of a ship. The company is named for a distinguished 18th-century vessel. Meaning “in the forefront,” the name has proven quite fitting as they have grown to become a leader in serving investors. From its start in 1975, Vanguard has stood out as a very different kind of investment firm. Vanguard was founded on a simple but revolutionary idea—that a mutual fund company should not have outside owners. Founder John C. Bogle structured Vanguard as a client-owned mutual fund company with no outside owners seeking profits.
Vanguard has 16 locations worldwide with more than 14,000 crew members. The Scottsdale location has 3,000 employees. Positions are entry level to management and include openings such as client relationship specialist, processing associate, retirement plan service representative, and financial advisor and team leader roles. Most jobs require a license. Benefits begin on day 1 and are robust including some unique offerings such as pet insurance, cell phone discounts, car services and dining. Great efforts are taken to assure that employees have a work life balance. To learn more about employment opportunities at Vanguard go to its website.

Freedom Financial Network
Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition

Freedom was launched in 2002 by Stanford classmates, Bradford Stroh and Andrew Houser. Freedom’s mission is to provide financial solutions, services and education enabling consumers to resolve their debt and achieve financial freedom. The organization has 980 employees with locations in San Mateo, California and Phoenix, Arizona. San Mateo is host to the company headquarters. Freedom has received numerous accolades including #1 Best Place to Work in Phoenix 2016. The Phoenix location is expanding very quickly to reach 1,200 employees. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401K, Life, LT disability, vacation, paid holidays and volunteer activities, employee discounts, and recognition. Top career opportunities include positions in Analytics, IT/Engineering, Leadership the in Call Center. If interested, apply here.

Resources

Coder Camps
Jason Jones, Admission Representative

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. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Scottsdale on Thursday, August 10, 2017 and features Jennifer Rojas, as speaker for the topic “Become a Jedi Communicator in Your Job Search”. For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the Event Schedule.