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How to Get a Job After a Big Career Gap: 10 Expert Tips

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Whether you were caring for an ailing family member, raising children, or traveling the world, getting employed after a gap in your resume can be a struggle. However, a few tips can help get you hired quickly.

Advice for Career Gaps

What is one tip on how to get a job after a big career gap?

To help you get employed after a break in your career, we asked recruiters and HR professionals this question for their insights. From reaching out to recruiters to starting with part-time employment, there are several things you can do today to improve your chances of jumpstarting your career after a long pause.

Here are 10 strategies that can help you stand out even with a big career gap:

  • Reach Out to Recruiters
  • Map Out Your Career
  • Utilize Your Cover Letter
  • Add Volunteer Experience
  • Focus on New Skills You Acquired
  • Network, Network, Network
  • Keep Up With Your Industry
  • Show Continued Growth
  • Start With Part-Time Employment
  • Explain the Gap

Reach Out to Recruiters

While it might be scary to dive back into the working world after taking a break, the one thing that you can do is be honest. This career break is more useful than you might initially assess. Update your CV or resume and be sure to add any new skills that you acquired — and be transparent about taking a break, as well.

Even though this time wasn’t spent on your career, you did spend it doing something to better yourself. There’s plenty that you’ve learned in the gap. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to recruiting platforms as they might be able to help match you easier with employers that will understand the gap. Just make sure all the information you hand off is accurate and updated.

Jon Schneider, Recruiterie

Map Out Your Career

Create a career road map to outline your transferable skills and gaps for your desired career. Use this road map to guide your next moves, whether that be getting a new certification, degree or taking an internship to learn a new tangible skill to fill any gaps you may have in your resume. By taking time to advance your knowledge and skillsets, you can add value to yourself and the company you wish to work for.

Rronniba Pemberton, Markitors

Utilize Your Cover Letter

Explain in your cover letter the reason for your big career gap. Did you take time to travel the world? Were you dealing with family members? Don’t shy away from this career gap, but rather lean into it and explain why you took some time off. Add what you learned from that time, so it’s seen as a benefit, not just a lack of traditional work. Doing so will help diffuse any questions that the employer may have about your work gap. Address them without fear and your employer will understand.

Darren Litt, MarketerHire

Add Volunteer Experience

Volunteer first. Join some professional groups. Attend some professional training sessions. Find ways to re-engage and then showcase these on your resume under a section on professional development. Make the most recent job a sabbatical and add a sentence as to why you took time off (i.e., caring for an elderly parent, stay-at-home parent, etc.).

Jennifer Holtz, Second Wind Career Strategies

Focus on New Skills You Acquired

Orient your resume, applications, and interview responses to focus on what you have learned during the career gap. It could be a new skill that you may have picked up or gained some new insight on your career — whatever it is, make that the highlight of your interactions, written or verbal. The goal is to indicate how you have managed to extract value from what is normally considered an obstacle. Be authentic in this response, and do not overshare.

Joe Flanagan, VelvetJobs

Network, Network, Network

Having a large career gap can seem like a huge problem when you are ready to re-enter the workforce, but it’s not the end of the world. Similar to when you first entered the workforce, you had to network. As you re-enter the workforce with a large career gap, networking will be key to finding a new position. Go hard with the networking efforts, and you will find a new position in no time.

Chris Cronin, KITANICA

Keep Up With Your Industry

No matter what your field of expertise is if you want to stay relevant and well-informed, familiarize yourself with current trends in your industry. This could be anything from attending conferences and virtual events to picking the brains of an acquaintance who is well established in your field. Not only does this prepare you for transitioning into a new role, but it can also help shed some light on where your skills are lacking and what you need to do to bridge the gap.

Riley Beam, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.

Show Continued Growth

Although you may have a large career gap, that doesn’t mean you cannot continue learning and growing professionally. As such, take advantage of the time you are not working by obtaining professional certificates within your profession. Whether it’s a technical, qualitative, or quantitative certificate, showing hiring managers that you are continuing to grow — even in the midst of a career gap — will only strengthen your chances of being hired.

Lori Price, PixieLane

Start With Part-Time Employment

There are usually more part-time positions available than salary or full-time. Look for part-time gigs that can ease you back into the career field. This way, you are able to quickly learn new systems, tools, and protocols without getting overwhelmed with 40-hour weeks. It is a great time to re-engage with your profession and get to know it again.

Tamara Mayne, Brooklyn Candle Studio

Explain the Gap

As a hiring manager, when I see career gaps or someone who jumps from job to job, it makes me nervous about hiring that candidate. I have seen a few resumes lately that have added an asterisk that explains the gap. Sometimes those jobs are contractor jobs that expire after a certain period of time. I would not have known that if I didn’t see it on a resume. I think it’s a great thing to add to the resume. It might prevent a hiring manager from passing over you as a candidate if you have that explanation presented.

Shelbey Grimes, Trinity Air Medical

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8/26/21 – Networking Anywhere

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Written By Susan Lamphiear

Erica McBeth Networking Anywhere

This doggone PANDEMIC. Now, doesn’t it just bring so many human basics into laser focus? Sort of in your face? Like the importance of making connections with people. Real connections. Meeting people. Looking people in the eye. Hearing the sound of the human voice. Hearing the voice of the human soul through connection. Listening, really listening to people. Not occasionally eyeing them as they speak, your real attention fixed on your iphone. Or your own attention focused on what YOU’RE going to say next, not on what they’re saying. In the present moment.

Career Connectors’ keynote speaker on August 26, 2021, day # “what seems a billion” of the Pandemic, brings added relevance to a little thing, often known in the context of the business world, as “networking.” But guess what. Networking is not just a means to a job, though it helps. It’s about so much more. Thus the title, “Networking Anywhere.”

Keynote

Whether you consider yourself an extrovert or an introvert, do you ever find yourself in the throes of networking dread? When she was in her early twenties, our keynote speaker Erica McBeth admits she didn’t feel all that confident in the networking process. Walking back from an event, a friend reassured her, “You are the best at networking, Erica.”

“Why would you say that?’

“Well, I sat and watched you talk for an hour to someone you didn’t even know.”

“But we were just talking about his dog!”

“That’s what networking is!” her friend said.

Erica talked to an online audience of job seekers at Career Connectors recently, where she defined networking as “just talking.”

But first, Erica told her back story about a life-changing aha moment that centered on–you guessed it–just talking to people.

Turns out 2017 was rough–her heart had been broken, her health took a detour, and a lucrative job she thought would be easy–WASN’T.

Depression she’d battled her whole life came creeping back. Night after night she’d retreat to her condo with her three little dogs and watch Netflix.

By chance one day hearing about a suicide prevention walk in downtown Phoenix, Erica decided to invite her friend Katie, whose brother had died from suicide the year before.

In the midst of that crowd of 2000 people who gathered that day in Phoenix –because they felt passionate about preventing suicide–it dawned on Erica–“I bet a lot of people lost someone they loved because they felt sad and lonely and depressed.” Kind of like Erica was feeling right there in that moment.

“If there are this many people in the world lonely, and I’m lonely, then why aren’t we just talking to each other, ’cause that seems like the thing that could make us all feel better, right?” And suddenly she was filled with a desire to do something about it.

That’s how the idea emerged–to meet 52 people in one year–one per week. That seemed like a lot of people. So began Erica’s project which led to her book, 52 New Friends and her video series How to Make Friends and Beat Loneliness. Plus a whole lot more. It’s basically changed her whole life.

In 2018 Erica met people in all different ways. It wasn’t even hard, she says. She’d imagined having to wander throughout coffee shops pathetically begging strangers to talk to her. Instead, slowly but surely, people actually starting catching onto her ways. “They actually started coming to me, and I actually had a waiting list of people who wanted to sit down and talk to me–how crazy is that?”

“I’m not some big important person. I’m just a regular person they wanted to sit down with and it was only because I was willing to listen.”

“Three months into the project I suddenly realized–all of that depression I had in 2017–completely gone!”

“Six months into the project I realized it was changing me in ways I couldn’t explain.”

“You can change almost every aspect of your life in a positive way just by talking to people. And that includes finding a job.” Erica has lived the mantra.

When she was growing up, Erica honestly believed most mothers had the kind of information her mother had about the townspeople her mother ran into–their names and all about their families. “Everyone in that little Kentucky town loved my mother because she stopped to talk to them and made them feel important.”

“Networking is just an exercise in kindness that we give to ourselves and to other people,” Erica says.

Where to Find People

  • Old and Current Co-Workers
  • Your Current Friends
  • A Friend Referral
  • Social Media
  • Your Neighbors

Where Erica Has Found Jobs

  • Erica reached out to a former co-worker on social media she hadn’t seen in nine months who mentioned online she was going through a divorce. Erica knew this was a difficult situation and wanted her friend to know she supported her. Her friend mentioned she was working for a company she really liked and since friend Amy had really liked working with Erica, Amy invited her to apply. As it turned out it wasn’t the job for her, but Erica reminds everyone that because she showed genuine interest in her friend, it led to a job prospect and interview. You really never know where your job leads will come from
  • A current social media friend asked Erica to lunch and after Erica said yes to a specific time and day, she started to panic a little because she couldn’t remember how she originally connected with the friend. Turns out it didn’t matter because they had several things in common and now they really enjoy hanging out together. Friend Heather works in HR and since Heather knew Jessica Pierce of Career Connectors, that’s the reason Erica’s speaking to Career Connectors today. So, get to know people on the “fringe” of your circle, because you truly just never know.
  • A man she was dating invited Erica to his young daughter’s birthday party but no one at her job could take time off over the weekend. When Erica asked for an exception, they said “No” which quite frankly made her a little mad. The guy she was dating mentioned the issue to his co-worker who said she had a friend in Erica’s industry. That friend called Erica who ultimately got a different job through that referral!
  • She reached out to someone she didn’t know on social media because she thought they looked “cool.” At the time Erica thought the opportunity could lead to a side hustle but it turned into a marketing consulting company in its own right–all because of an opportunity someone gave her over social media. Again, you just never know where opportunities may come from.
  • Five years ago Erica lived across from Jen but hadn’t talked to her for six months. One day they had lunch and Erica mentioned she wasn’t all that happy with her current job. Jen said, “We’re hiring. Why don’t you come and work with me?” Erica thought Jen owned a daycare out of her home. But since they’d moved, Jen now worked in HR at a tech company. Shortly after that lunch, Erica applied and got that job, too.

What to say

  • I think you’re interesting.
  • I’d like to get to know you better.
  • Could I buy you a cup of coffee sometime? (Or during Covid: Could we do a Zoom call sometime?)
  • When would be a good time for you?
  • How can I contact you so we can get something set up?

Homework on The Art of Chit-Chat

Once you’ve set up a coffee OR Zoom, try this:

  1. Ask an open-ended question.
  2. Listen to the response and acknowledge.
  3. Ask another question.
  4. Repeat these steps.

Erica demonstrated these steps live by getting to know the new Executive Director of Career Connectors Joey Richardson. At the conclusion of the demo, Erica said, “Now, see how easy that was?”

Hiring Companies

Amkor Technology

Brenda Perry, VP HR and Privacy Officer

Amkor employs 33,0000 workers in nine countries. In business for 50 years, they are an innovative global semi-conductor processing company with headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, looking for equally innovative employees.

  • Recognized as a great place to work, the company offers many benefits including matching 401k and a diverse workforce.
  • Amkor prides itself on very little employee turnover; they emphasize work-life balance for all employees.
  • Award-winning Amkor Health Happenings (AHH). Medical premium costs can be offset by employees improving their lifestyle choices with a fitness tracking device.
  • Many opportunities are available.

Benefits

  • 401k with company match
  • Medical, Dental, Vision insurance
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Supplemental life dependent insurance
  • Short/long term disability insurance
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Paid holidays
  • Bonus vacation (after 5 years of service)
  • Employee assistance program
  • Pre-paid legal
  • Profit sharing
  • Service recognition
  • Skills development
  • Tuition reimbursement

Current Positions Open in Tempe, AZ

Engineering

  • Advanced Flip Chip Product Management
  • Director, Water Services Business Unit
  • Director, Advanced Product Development
  • Sr. Engineer/Software Developer, Design Automation
  • Sr. Manager, Power Product Line
  • Sr. Manager, Leadframe Products
  • Sr. Manager, MicroLeadframe Products
  • Sr. Manager, Business Enablement
  • Manager, Engineer Pricing
  • Manager, Leadframe Products

Accounting/Finance Position

  • Sr. Accountant, External Reporting

Legal/Human Resources

  • Director, Compliance
  • Manager, Human Resources

To apply, or for more information, visit their website.

Rogers Corporation

Bea Trembath, HR Manager

Rogers Corporation is a global leader in engineered materials headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. They manufacture advanced electronics and elastomeric solutions, elastomer components, and Durel drivers. They make material for computer chips. The company has been around many years but moved from their Arizona headquarters in 2016.

Known for their innovation and delivering results, they employ 5000 people worldwide.

The corporation offers much to its employees.

  • Competitive Salary
  • Annual Incentive Compensation Bonus Plans
  • Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Life Insurance
  • Short and Long-Term Disability
  • Flexible Spending Health Savings Accounts
  • 401(k) with Company Match
  • Wellness Reimbursement Program
  • Paid Vacation Sick Time
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Global Stock Ownership Plan
  • Matching gift program for charitable donations
  • Corporate Training

Current Openings

  • Production Operator (multiple openings/shifts)
  • Pricing Analyst
  • Tax Manager
  • Quality Engineer
  • Talent Acquisition Manager
  • Technical Service Engineer
  • Sr. SAP Solution Architect
  • Sr. Tax Accountant
  • Quality Director
  • Director Accounting Controls
  • Sr. Accountant

For more information or to apply visit their website.

WealthWave

Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave, through its network of financial leaders, strives to create a financially literate world. Made up of independent business owners, WealthWave professionals seek to educate the masses and make investing and financial success easier for regular families all over the world.

Concerned because he wanted to know more about financial planning and retirement, Jason Wiseman talked with his wife about their need to educate themselves for their own financial health. At one point he turned to his CPA and said, “What does it take to do what you do?”

After several years in corporate America, when Jason transitioned into his current role at WealthWave, it helped him ease into the field by working part-time, something unheard of in the industry.

WealthWave strives to educate people and help them navigate the world of finance to have more peace of mind, including in their retirement plans.

Why Choose WealthWave?

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

Jason is currently looking to train either two full or part-time professionals. To apply, contact Jason Wiseman.

Resources and Closing

Founder/CEO of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the first part of the meeting in preparation for online breakout sessions, turning that part of the meeting over to Sheila Coulam, Director of Operations at Career Connectors.

Jessica thanked all in attendance and referred everyone to the free resources available on the Career Connectors website. Among upcoming events include the Resume Mythbusters: Certified Resume Writer Panel September 9, 2021, and East Valley Job-A-Palooza, September 23, 2021. Click on the links to register for these online events.

Anyone interested in volunteering as a blogger for the events, click on this link.

7/29/21 – Professional Sales & Client Services Career Event

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Written by Miles Tucker

professional sales panel

At our Professional Sales & Client Services Event, Arizona’s best companies shared why their employees loved working for them. Panelists from these companies discussed company culture, employee benefits, and the skills you need to bring to the table to land a sales job.

Career Opportunities for Customer Service Professionals Panelists:

  • ADP, Laura Lynn Smith, Division Vice President/General Manager
  • Freedom Financial Network, Brandon Peterson, VP of Client Experience
  • Robinhood, Taeshima White, Site Lead
  • USAA, Lee Jacobs, Director, Insurance, Sales and Service

What do you like most about your company?

Laura Lynn Smith from ADP says that the company culture is what has convinced her to stay with the company for 17 years. “We have amazing people that work here,” Smith says. “We also have amazing leaders that are connected and engage with our associates.” ADP is a leader in the human capital management industry and is a member of the Fortune 500.

Brandon Peterson from Freedom Financial Network says he joined because the Freedom team has a great deal of passion behind what they do. “We are a debt relief company. We believe that to do that we really have to have an outstanding client experience which is solely driven by our people,” Peterson says. “We truly care about our employees developing and growing.” Leaders at Freedom are excited for workers to join the team and gain new skills. Freedom was named a Top Company in diversity and women in leadership.

Taeshima White from Robinhood said that she is in love with Robinhood’s mission and what they achieve by helping clients. “It’s really a space where each employee is an owner of our culture,” White says. She noted that while she is the site lead, she does not dictate the culture of her Tempe office. “Every person comes in and gets to do that. What I love even more is that each of us gets to do that in a way where we get to be our full selves every day.”

Lee Jacobs from USAA stated that he appreciates the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and also the benefit packages offered to the employees from the very beginning. USAA has both in-person and remote options to accommodate workers. They have been recognized a top employer on a national level and on a local level.

Describe some of your customer care opportunities? What skills are you looking for?

Brandon says that a variety of roles offer many different opportunities for employees at Freedom. “Our job is to advocate for our clients to help them become debt free.” Workers assist clients using phone calls, chat messages, and email communications. Brandon says, “We look for individuals that truly have a passion or empathy for a client situation and can problem solve.”

Taeshima highlighted Robinhood’s CXR Pathways program. This program offers workers the chance to learn skills and earn licenses associated with positions at Robinhood. Robinhood will pay for employee’s licenses and support passionate individuals as they onboard.

Lee mentioned that USAA offers customer service roles on and off the phone. “What we look for in our candidates is those that seek to improve themselves from a development standpoint and those that like a relationship,” he says. “We want a relationship with our members. We want to know and support them through every stage in their life. We really invest in our people.” While licenses are required to handle property and casualty insurance, USAA is prepared to help applicants train and prepare for tests and even pay for the licenses.

Laura Lynn shared that ADP has many opportunities in client service, sales and implementation. “We are really interested in candidates who are looking to grow their career in the long-term with ADP,” she says. “We are looking for talent who is passionate about learning, solving problems, and excited about providing great service to our clients.” Client service positions at ADP entail problem solving for clients and the company supports workers as they earn certifications to better assist clients.

Do you have established career pathways?

Taeshima said that employees at Robinhood can choose their own path, and new careers are waiting for applicants. New jobs are always being created so the job you will have in the future might not even be created yet! Taeshima also says, “on the flip side, there are some established career paths where you come in as an unlicensed agent, you could move into becoming licensed and then be able to move into our more specialty roles.”

Laura Lynn shared that ADP has multiple different career paths. There are opportunities for growth in many directions. “We focus on our associate strengths. The first week at ADP you take an assessment of your strengths, and every week you’re meeting with your leader about those strengths,” Laura Lynn says. These meetings are meant to help workers grow their strengths and identify things to optimize those strengths.

Brandon says that there are lots of opportunities for growth on the client services team at Freedom. After 90 days in your position, you become eligible for a role change either laterally or as a promotion. “If there’s opportunity and you’re a strong performer with leadership support, we’ll look at it. We really care that our employees are able to grow their career,” Brandon said. Over 70% of supervisors at the Freedom call center have been promoted internally.

Is working in a call center a requirement to starting with your company?

Lee Jacobs from USAA said, “depending what your career path looks like, and what you apply for there could be member-facing jobs where you’re on the phone supporting the membership. But those lead into other opportunities to move into leadership. There are also non-member contact jobs that you can apply to directly and get right into.”

Brandon said that most entry-level positions at Freedom are at the customer service call center. “There are so many positions available whether it’s on the product or engineering side, or even some of our administrative roles that that’s not a requirement.”

How to Build a Sales Career with a BEST Company Panelists:

  • CarMax, Richard Buscher, Regional Vice President/General Manager
  • GoDaddy, Joe Lawrence, Employer Brand Manager
  • Liberty Mutual, John Walters, Sales Director

Tells us a little about your company and its culture.

Richard Buscher said that after being at CarMax for 17 years that it has been an amazing experience. Richard enjoys how associates are treated in the company. “We’ve been voted Fortune 100’s Best Places to Work for 17 years in a row.” CarMax was also awarded Best Place to Work for LGBTQ community, millennials, and veterans along with many other groups. Richard says, “not only do we have a customer experience center, but we also have 223 stores across the entire country which creates an enormous amount of opportunities for folks to grow and develop their career throughout CarMax.”

Joe Lawrence shared that GoDaddy is the largest platform for entrepreneurs to host their domains and websites. “We are very diverse here. We want our employee base to look just like our customer base so having different communities at the table is definitely a key here at GoDaddy.” GoDaddy has over 11 employee resource groups that represent the diversity at the company. Some of the groups represented are Women in Tech, Veterans in Tech and entrepreneurs.

John Walters noted that Liberty Mutual is a Fortune 100 company that reaches across the nation and even in a few other countries. Opportunities at Liberty Mutual are wide ranging and open workers that want to work around the globe. “Liberty Mutual is consistently awarded top awards for veterans, working mothers and LGBTQ,” John says. “The culture I love the most about Liberty Mutual is rewards and recognition.”

What skills do you look for in a sales position?

Richard said that the first thing CarMax is looking for is ethics, culture, integrity and honesty. “We are looking for people who are really passionate about customer service and have great teamwork skills,” he said. “We use competency-based feedback for our associates. That’s how we grow and develop others as well.” Candidates don’t need to have car experience, they just need to be passionate about helping people.

At GoDaddy, Joe says that they are looking for passion. “It’s amazing that people that aren’t typically in that sales profession can definitely do the job. You just have to have those people skills.” Recruiters at GoDaddy also look for employees that will fit into the team culture. They welcome team players that can help others that are struggling within a caring environment. Rather than looking for sales experience they are looking for talent that can connect with people.

John says the characteristics that make someone a great employee at Liberty Mutual are drive, an awesome attitude, and coachability. It is for this reason that sales workers at Liberty are some of the highest paid in the industry.

What does success look like to receive higher compensation bonuses?

At CarMax employees are offered a base salary with a combined commission bonus. Average associates earn $22.50 an hour and there is no cap to earnings for customer experience associates. “Our whole intention is how can we help our associates be more successful and how can we help our customers throughout their car buying experience,” Richard says.

John mentioned that Liberty Mutual has a base salary and a commission that work together. An average associate can make between $60k – $70k their first year. “The compensation piece is driven by your desire and where you want go because the business model is there for you,” he said.

GoDaddy offers both a base salary and commissions to its sales representatives along with a compensation plan that allows for bonuses. Employees can see first year wages as high as $50k – $70k if they are hard workers. Employees will also receive first day benefits that allow for trips and other incentives.

Hiring Companies

GoDaddy has over 9,000 employees worldwide that empower over 20 million entrepreneurs every day. They are searching for Inbound Sales Representatives and Technical Support Representatives to work on their Gilbert team. Benefits range from full medical, dental, vision and disability to day care discounts and paid parental leave. You can visit Careers.godaddy.com to apply and learn more.

ADP provides companies of all sizes help with recruiting through retirement. They are recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world. New hirers have reported that they enjoy the supportive environment. Employees enjoy benefits like stock purchases, a work life balance, and merit opportunities. Over 100 open positions in implementation, client service, sales and technical roles are available with very competitive pay at the Tempe location.
Visit https://jobs.adp.com to learn more about open roles.

CarMax’s purpose is to drive integrity by being honest and transparent in every interaction. The company has won many awards generated by associate feedback. CarMax was named one of the 100 Best Companies to work for 17 years in a row. Their core values are based on integrity and respect and play a role in everyday activities. The Tempe customer experience center is hiring over 200 new associates over the next few months. CarMax is looking for Customer Experience Consultants and Customer Experience Assistants that will receive a $2,000 sign-on bonus. Learn about careers at CarMax at https://careers.carmax.com/.

Desert Financial is the largest credit union in Arizona and is continuing to grow over with 370,000 members. They are committed to people that are innovative risk-takers that care about their team. Their amazing benefits include 100% of tuition coverage at ASU because they are invested in employee growth. They are growing all over the state and are looking for Universal Tellers and Relationship Bankers along with many other roles available in subsidiary companies that specialize in technology and wealth management. Learn more at https://jobs.desertfinancial.com.

Farmers Insurance is a reputable organization that allows workers to advance their professional development. The leadership within Farmers values helping employees succeed within the organization. Their people first environment strives to celebrate wins within their workplace culture. Farmers has 10 ERGs open to all employees that allow workers to network, develop skills, and take part in volunteer opportunities. Visit https://www.farmers.com/careers/corporate/ for more information.

Freedom Financial Network was voted Best Place to Work 10 times in less than 20 years. They have been a leader in consumer debt solutions since 2002. Their company strives to have a very nurturing and inclusive environment. They have recently created ERGs that focus on awareness, education, and career/personal development for cultural groups within the company. Freedom provides spectacular benefits like new parent leave, medical/dental coverage, and employee mental health resources. They are currently hiring very heavily for sales roles and also customer service roles. Visit ffnjobs.com to apply.

Liberty Mutual has 50,000+ employees in 30 countries across five continents making it one of the largest insurance agencies. Culture is extremely important at Liberty and workers are encouraged to embrace their community. ‘Serve with Liberty’ gives workers the chance to volunteer in their community and give back. ‘Give with Liberty’ matches charitable donations with 50 cents for every dollar to any cause employees choose. Their ERGs represent the company’s diversity and create places for people to fit in. Liberty is currently looking for outside sales associates, claims, service and inside sales roles. Visit https://jobs.libertymutualgroup.com to learn more.

Northern Trust was founded in 1889 and offers corporate and institutional services to worldwide institutional investors. The company is currently growing so it’s a great time to join for new grads and those looking for entry level positions. Northern Trust makes diversity a priority and has been recognized for their efforts on a global level by Forbes. Their Business Resource Councils include 42% of the employee population and feature groups like women in leadership, Black businesses, and Asian leadership. They are recruiting Asset Specialists, Audit Specialists, Financial Consultants, Investors and even more roles in the financial sector. Visit www.northerntrustcareers.com to find more information.

Robinhood’s purpose is to create a platform for investors to learn and make investments. 50% of investors using Robinhood are first-time investors. In the workplace, the company fosters a culture of diversity and inclusivity. They have ERGs for multiple cultures including Black and Latin communities. Their benefits feature premium dental vision health insurance along with a competitive salary. They are hiring Registered Customer Experience Representatives, Customer Experience Managers, and many other roles at the Tempe site. Visit careers.robinhood.com for more information.

USAA is recognized by Forbes as a Best In-State Employer. Over 36,000 employees work for USAA and they serve over 13 million members. Over 4,600 of those employees are in Phoenix. There are many benefits to working with USAA including an on-site fitness center, parental leave, and a 2-for-1 401k match. Roles fall between banking and insurance positions that can be worked on-site or remotely. They are hiring for Bank Sales and Personal Lines Insurance Sales positions all over Arizona. Go to usaajobs.com to look at more available jobs.

Voya Financial is a financial services company that provides health, wealth and investment solutions. Applicants get 6 – 10 weeks of paid training to learn the skills associated with the position. On-going training helps employees develop skills that they can use to earn new positions and advance their careers. Voya has won awards celebrating their disability inclusion, LGBTQ equality, and ethics. Some of their benefits are medical, dental, and vision coverage from day one, a 6% 401k match, and a pension plan. Learn more about Voya at www.voya.com/careers.

Resources

Jasmine Chamblin, a Customer Relations Associate from Pipeline AZ, shared how the platform allows job seekers to connect with the companies they want to work for. Pipeline AZ is a career matching and exploration platform built for the Arizona community. It is a non-profit that allows employers and job seekers to connect for free. “You can actually go to this site and look up in-demand sales jobs, customer service jobs and see the ones from our employers here today,” Jasmine says. Start your profile at https://careerconnectors.pipelineaz.com/.

BestCompaniesAZ validates and elevates the best companies in Arizona with a variety of resources that connect top talent with top companies. Their website highlights the characteristics of the award-winning companies in Arizona and gives workers the opportunity to apply to jobs across the state. You can learn more at bestcompaniesaz.com.

Career Connectors is focused on building a better community one career at a time. Their virtual career events allow job seekers to connect with employers actively looking to fill their roles in various industries. The Career Connectors website features videos from all past events, video updates, and resources for job seekers visit https://careerconnectors.org to learn more.

How To Respond To a LinkedIn Recruiter: 9 Tips From Recruiters

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Tips from LinkedIn Recruiters

To help job seekers with responding to a LinkedIn recruiting message, we asked HR professionals and business recruiters this question for their best insights. From starting with gratitude to asking for more information, there are several strategies that may help you make a good impression in your response to a recruiter.

Here are nine tips on how to respond to a LinkedIn recruiter:

  • Show Interest in the Role
  • Respond Professionally
  • Start With Gratitude
  • Make a Connection
  • Be Quick and Proactive
  • Don’t Burn Bridges
  • Always Respond
  • Ask for More Information
  • Send in Your Resume

Show Interest in the Role
Of course, the answer to this question depends on whether you are interested in working for the company the recruiter is representing or not! Assuming you are interested in learning more about the position, I would recommend responding with a reply that is upbeat, curious, and proposes next steps. By showing the recruiter that you are interested in the role and are ready to hop on a call, your chances of scoring an interview are instantly higher.

Eli Patashnik, iFax

Respond Professionally
If you have been approached for a job opportunity on LinkedIn, it means your activity on the platform is getting noticed. That is something to be celebrated! Make sure to read their message and, if you’re interested, respond quickly and professionally. Your recruiter will want to connect with you to ensure you’re a good cultural fit for the company, so you can schedule an initial interview to get to know the potential employer better and ask details about the job opportunity.

Jon Schneider, Recruiterie

Start With Gratitude
Responding to recruiters on LinkedIn is a balancing act, especially considering the specific circumstances that you are under. The best thing to do, though, is to start with gratitude. Thank them for reaching out and considering you for the current role, or compliment the company in some way. You really only have this one shot to make a lasting good impression about your character and who you are as a person. Starting with gratitude can also help create a fluid conversation, even if you aren’t necessarily looking for a job or interested in that role. This can also help if you ever did need to find a new opportunity, you might be able to reach back out to them.

Ryan Nouis, TruPath

Make a Connection
When a recruiter reaches out on LinkedIn, the first thing to do is actually respond. Whether or not you might be interested in the position, a simple thank you and an honest statement of where you’re at in your career goes a long way. I have seen great connections pay dividends down the road either when that same recruiter is sourcing for another opportunity and thinks of you or when you are thinking about changing roles. Good connections are priceless.

Jenn Christie, Markitors

Be Quick and Proactive
If you’re interested, express it by responding as soon as you can. You can ask more about the position, company and other necessary details. It’s also important to include faster ways to contact you, perhaps via email or phone number. If you aren’t interested, you can express your gratitude and maybe recommend a potential lead for them. Being able to respond to recruiters will also help you build your network.

Joe Flanagan, VelvetJobs

Don’t Burn Bridges
Whether you love your current employer or simply feel the open role doesn’t fit what you’re looking for, the last thing you want to do is burn down a bridge. Regardless of why you are disinterested, recruiter engagement is an excellent opportunity to build connections with the right person who, by the way, may potentially win you a dream job in the future. Be sure to sincerely thank the recruiter and courteously explain why you’re passing. Then feel free to pitch that you’d like them to get in touch when another opportunity that might better fit your picture perfect career path presents itself. Explain your ideal role and the type of work you’d love to be alerted to in the future. Above all, avoid automated responses.

Joel Cheesman, Poach

Always Respond
It’s important to respond as soon as possible. Ask the recruiter for more information and make sure to secure either a call or a meeting as a next step. If you are not interested in the offer, respond anyway. Remember to be polite and express the reason why you are not interested in pursuing the job offer. It would be very helpful to schedule a call to discuss the type of opportunities you are interested in and let the recruiter get to know you a bit better. If you make a good impression, they might keep you in mind for future job opportunities. Whether you are interested in the job offer or not, it is in your benefit to build relationships with recruiters. You never know who can lead you to the job of your dreams.

Jessica Ulloa, MyPerfectResume

Ask for More Information
Even if you think you’re not interested, always respond to a recruiter by asking about the job and the company. Many folks who were happy with their current position have been offered jobs that are 3x better on LinkedIn. It never hurts to interview. At a minimum, you are keeping your interview skills sharp. On the other hand, you may uncover a fabulous hidden opportunity! After a phone or Zoom interview, if you’re not interested, tell the recruiter, “If I hear of someone who is qualified, I’’ll give them your name.”

Joni Holderman, Thrive! Resumes

Send in Your Resume
I think that it is always smart to send them your resume, cover letters, and letters of recommendation. That way they have your information on file, and if a great opportunity comes their way that they may think you are a great fit, you are already in their database. If you are not looking for a new role, it is still good to have the connection in your back pocket.

Jason Wong, Doe Lashes

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How to Create Personal Career Goals With 11 Examples Within Small Businesses

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What are your career goals, and why? How can someone effectively create a personal career goal for themselves?
To help business professionals develop career goals, we asked business leaders and organization founders this question for their best advice. From finding a mentor to prioritizing meaningful work, there are several suggestions that may help you catalyze your career for years to come.

Personal Career Goals

Here are 11 ways to create personal career goals in a small business:

  • Find a Mentor
  • Clarify the “Why”
  • Focus on the 80/20 Rule
  • Do What You Love
  • Embrace Fear
  • Accept That Goals Change
  • Expand on Past Goals
  • Develop Your Network
  • Set Many Small Goals
  • Value Meaningful Work
  • Seek Growth Opportunities

Find a Mentor
My career goals are to grow my company so that it is eventually acquired by a large beverage company. I hope to lead this company to grow substantially and employ many people. Someone can effectively create a personal career goal for themselves by getting a mentor who has accomplished similar tasks themselves. You can utilize this mentor to guide you on your personal career goal path and work to achieve your goals.

Lauren Picasso, Cure Hydration

Clarify the “Why”
Start with your personal vision in mind. If you aren’t clear on your vision, or your “why”, then setting personal career goals can be difficult. Once you clearly see your future state, focus on what that looks like, what are you doing, where are you standing, and what are you wearing once you get there. I might not have the complete roadmap to get there, but I focus on the first 3 steps. When I set the goal to transition into operations, I saw myself leading a small business and running the operations. I didn’t know when or who, but in due time, focusing on the next three steps, I found my way to my dream role.

Jenn Christie, Markitors

Focus on the 80/20 Rule
My primary goal for 2021 is to focus on the 80/20 rule when it comes to my work and time. The 20% of my time and energy that accomplishes 80% of the results in my business is where I want to focus my attention. I want to focus on perfecting my current skill set rather than trying to wear every hat in my business. My goal is to become a better entrepreneur by being a better manager and knowing what to get off my plate. I want my vision for my business and for myself in 2021 to be so large that I will only be able to accomplish it with the help of other people. I want to include more people in my business by giving them key responsibilities and autonomy to make decisions.

Alexander Shute, FaithGiant

Do What You Love
My career goal has always been to do something I love and through that, I will find my passion. It doesn’t matter if it is working solo or managing a team, I have always followed my heart when it comes to my career. If something didn’t feel right, I would move on to the next opportunity. I guess that is how I got to where I am today, having started my hospitality-based business.

I work for myself and I love what I do, which makes it easy for me to give my all. Now, my business goals are to continue to grow, continue to learn, and continue to help my clients grow their businesses. My advice to someone looking to create a career goal for themselves is to start writing down what it is you love to do. Then ask yourself what it is you need to be able to do every day to get the most out of it. Ask yourself what will make you feel your best and work towards that in all aspects of your career.

Jen Bee, Restaurant Results Coach

Embrace Fear
Once you hit lifelong goals that you have set for yourself, it’s another jump to finding motivation for another. A career goal I have is to become comfortable with acknowledging any fear I have within my life because your career and life should go hand in hand. Becoming fearless is a trait I admire in many people. I want to continue to understand that the role of fear is to warn and protect, not to scare and prevent. Some advice I have for creating a personal goal is to widen your perspective. When you are curious about the world around you and ask questions to understand things, you are automatically expanding your perspective and horizons at the same time.

Connor MacDonald, Ridge

Accept That Goals Change
After college, I was working as a product manager at a Big 4 company and I thought that was my dream. But now, I own and operate a wonderful business that continues to grow every year. To me, that’s my new career goal. While career goals are extremely important, when you’re creating your personal plans, keep in mind that some things may change. As time goes on, you are going to learn about new opportunities that weren’t available to you in the past. You’ll develop new skills and decide you might be better suited in other positions.

Tom Mumford, Undergrads

Expand on Past Goals
When you’re hoping to create a personal career goal for yourself, the first thing you may want to do is look at your past goals. Were you able to achieve them? If so, can you expand upon them to create a goal along the same vein? Often, looking at the successes of our past can help us see our strengths, therefore enabling us to set more attainable goals.

Greg Gillman, MuteSix

Develop Your Network
Networking is not only imperative for building relationships and perhaps collaborations down the line, but it is an important building block for brand recognition. That’s why one of my career goals has always been to network as if my life depended on it! The more leaders you can connect with, the more opportunities you have to discuss your brand and bring up topics and ideas that will make you (and your company) memorable. In this way, when they are in need of a product or a service that relates to your business, your brand will immediately jump to mind. This is basically PR 101 but a true goal to be accomplished with pride and ingenuity.

Heidi Robinson, Because Market

Set Many Small Goals
Everyone tells you to think big. The trouble with “big” is that it is usually vague. Success comes from methodically focusing on specific objectives. For example, if you want to be a CHRO, don’t waste time on vague conversations about “getting a seat at the table.” Instead, learn to read a balance sheet. Perfect your project management skills. Become tech-savvy. Polish your public speaking. Pick one thing that will add value to you and your organization, learn it, and repeat. Before long, you’ll not only have your seat at the table, you’ll have something meaningful to say.

Tim Toterhi, Plotline Leadership

Value Meaningful Work
At this moment, my biggest career goal is to create the best financial comparison website in all of Denmark. I want to make all our comparisons and content so incredibly valuable, that there is simply no way it is not the best. Of course, I have monetary goals as well, but I firmly believe that goals have to be meaningful to you. By focusing on something meaningful to you that is at the same time valuable to others, the money will follow, too.

Paw Vej, Financer.com

Seek Growth Opportunities
One of my career goals has always been to build a stellar, high-quality team. One of the best ways to attract top talent to your company is by offering the opportunity for growth. Many talented professionals turn down lucrative positions all the time because they just can’t see a clear path to learn, grow, and even move up within the company. As we all know, employee retention is at an all-time low. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to offer continued training, promotions from within, and even the availability to move to a completely different department that may better fit an employee’s skill set.

Travis Killian, Everlasting Comfort

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