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1/12/17 – Rise Strong from Adversity

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internalGPS Paula ShoupWritten by Chris Layfield

Keynote

Paula Shoup, Coach, Facilitator, Consultant

Paula Shoup believes we can all rise stronger from adversity.  The most resilient people in the room are able to reckon with adverse situations through raw story-telling including all the negative emotions.  They control the critical voice inside their head, and they get curious about what they can learn and understand about themselves and others in the situation.  They continue to make stories out of this reckoning process, and they seek out empathetic listeners.  Resilient people own their history of vulnerability, and it becomes a sign of courage and strength.

How can you start down this road?  When you have a “Fall” (an “oh shucks” moment), write down your story in raw form with all the negative emotion – don’t hold back from blame, judgment, anxiety, perfectionism, humiliation, nostalgia, guilt, etc.  Create some space for creative reflection on the story by practicing slow breathing and keeping the critical voice inside your head in check for a while.  Ask yourself what you can learn and understand about three parts of the story: the situation, the others in the situation, and yourself.

Watch out for traps that can get you stuck:

  • Shame is a sure way to get stuck – instead of focusing on how you feel about your identity, focus your stories on how you feel about your behaviors in a given situation – you can change those
  • Negative emotions are the most powerful and long-lasting emotions – you need to notice sources of positive emotions in a 3:1 ratio to the negative ones to achieve balance
  • Imagining you don’t deserve to feel struggle because others have it worse than you stops the processing in its tracks – compassion and empathy are infinite, and you can find others willing to listen
  • Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the inner critical voice inside your head is you – it is trying to protect you, but it is not you.  Give it a name, notice the scripts it likes to repeat, and keep it in check, so you can process creatively

Hiring Companies

Allstate

Traci Whitley-Rose, Recruiter

Allstate has a regional office in Tempe with sales and marketing, product, corporate relations, claims, and IT professional opportunities.  The company is looking for a variety of backgrounds; Traci says telling your whole story, both inside and outside work, helps recruiters tailor opportunities to you.  Given the company’s national reach, there are also numerous flex/telecommuting opportunities.

Search jobs on Allstate’s career website.

Allstate is also looking to grant exclusive agencies to candidates with at least $100K in start-up capital, a track record of success, and an entrepreneurial drive.  Each policy an agent writes generates residual income, and there are no fees since this is not a franchise.  In addition to a wide product offering and national branding, Allstate provides a ton of local support including  training and consulting for your agency’s sales and marketing, product management, and corporate relations.  Even if you are not interested yourself, if you refer Traci someone who opens a business, Allstate will pay you a $10K referral bonus.

Varsity Tutors

Joanna Szewczyk, Regional Sales Director

Varsity Tutors just opened a location in Old Town Scottsdale (Camelback and Goldwater) on September 9.  They are a young company with lots of funding, strong technology, fast career growth, and a great vision of online delivery for test prep books, subject-specific apps, and a tutoring interface.  The culture is results-oriented with fun, and they are primarily hiring for sales, customer care, and training roles.

Check them out online.

Tech Finders / HR Finders

Kirsty Bach, Vice President

Staffing firms can create an advantage for candidates by getting to know them, presenting opportunities tailored specifically to their profile, and providing them behind-the-scenes, candid context that they may not hear through formal channels.

Tech Finders / HR Finders has been matching talent to roles since 1998.  They are currently seeking roles across multiple disciplines:

  • Tech: Database and Systems Administrators, Backend Principal Engineer, Java Developers, ERP Implementation Specialist, VP Sales and Marketing
  • HR: Healthcare Recruiter, HR Manager, HR Generalist, Recruiter
  • Finance: Sr. Accountant, Tax Supervisor, AP Specialist, Tax Compliance Specialist, Garnishment Specialist, Assistant Controller

Kristy also encouraged the group to consider contract roles as a stepping stone to permanent opportunities – contract roles open a lot of doors.

Get acquainted at www.aztechfinders.com.

Cenlar

Rebekah Long, Recruiter

Cenlar is a mortgage and loan-servicing provider with 2 Arizona Locations, both in Tempe (one at Warner and Kyrene and another at S. Hardy Drive).  Open roles include an HR Generalist as well as agents and supervisors in customer care and collections.  The company offers a full benefits package and encourages community involvement.

More information can be found at www.cenlar.com/careers.

Resources

Coder Camps

Tom Fisher 

Coder Camps is a 12-week coding skills program to transition people into an industry that currently has a 2% unemployment rate.  Learners can choose a full-time immersive course or a nights and weekends track; both have online and on-site options.  If you aren’t sure you are ready to commit to the full course, start with “Coding From Scratch” for a $100 application fee; it gives learners a basic overview of HTML, Java, CSS and more.

Visit them at codercamps.com

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors, announced that the Career Connectors plan for 2017 is in place.  Career Connectors events can be a great next step for your to meet people, to get advice, and to connect with hope.

Veterans are invited to the Military Career Event on February 22 10am-1pm at North Phoenix Baptist  Church Conference Center in Phoenix, AZ.  This free networking and hiring event is open to all military- active, retired and reservists- as well as their spouses and significant others.

Additionally, Career Connectors is always looking for volunteers with photography, writing, and/or A/V skills.

11/8/16 – Creating Your Possibilities

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 Creating Your PossibilitiesWritten by Nick Nebelsky

Creating Your Possibilities

I am the Genie of the Universe, Your wish is my Command

I must say this was an interesting speaker. Who else do you know that gets a modeling gig at her own book-signing. Joi-Ashli, is a Health Practitioner/Inspired Writer/Alignment Facilitator. She began her presentation by inviting the audience to stand up and loosen their limbs and follow her in a self-proclamation ritual that she says at least three times a day.

“I love me. I am pure, positive energy, and all possibility.” After a mixed response, she repeated louder to the audience to repeat after her:
I LOVE ME! I AM PURE POSITIVE ENERGY, AND ALL POSSIBILITY!

Joi encouraged the audience to believe in themselves before they can believe in anything. She handed out a two-page flyer that had the following questions and suggested to the audience that they fill it out.

  • Creating Possibilities during transition.
  • What does transition mean to you? Some audience members said “Change”
  • What does change mean to you? Some audience members suggested, “Opportunity”
  • What are some different transitions that we go through in life?
  • What’s the opportunity in the transition of work?  Some said, “Learning.”
  • There is some opportunity in growth.
  • Asked the group how we lost our jobs? Downsized, outsourced? Laid off?
  • What’s the big picture?

Joi said to break down all large problems into little steps to manage them better. This will allow you to make them look conceivable and acceptable. She continued to ask the entire audience the following questions and provided ways to make it happen.

  • What do you dream of Doing or Being?
  • What do you dream of Having in your life?
  • Where do you dream of Going?
  • For each of the above ask yourself:
    • Why do I want this?
    • What it do for me? Will it truly improve my quality of life? How?
    • What might it cost me, financially, time, education, dignity/integrity, identity?
    • What might stand as an obstacle and how will I overcome?
    • Will achieving this dream change who I am? How or Why?

What do you love to do that you can expand upon (with/without additional formal, informal education) and make a positive difference in your life, community , the world, and/or make a living through?

  • What steps must you take to achieve this goal?
  • What educational / vocational / experience / service steps must you take?
  • How much will it cost?
  • How will you acquire the financial backing your your goal?
  • It is not advantageous to want or ask for new things unless you are grateful of all you have and all you are able to do.
  • What are you grateful for?

The “assignment” was to take home the questions and answer them at the audience’s leisure. But to do it!

She believes that if you can visualize what you want, she believes it can really happen.

She described how she got “discovered” while at a book-signing and met water color artist, Gabriel Krekk to be the first model in a 25 portrait painting series. No longer an average American girl, she became an “American Cowgirl.”

One audience member asked, “How do you get into that zone?” She said that if you put it out there it will happen eventually. She said it helps when you meditate and clear your mind and relax. Imagine it until that time when you finally put it out there and the universe answers you. Picture yourself in that situation, Don’t put your attention on what is happening right now, make your vision your reality. Focus on what you want, where you’ll be. If you need help with finding your job, tell people what you want.

One audience member summed it up…you are what your environment is. All goals start with little steps. Starts with your environment.

Hiring Companies

Hacienda Healthcare

Kent Norris, HR Recruiter

Kent said that the majority of people still don’t know about Hacienda even though they have been around the Valley for 50 years. Kent said he was in the same boat that all of us have been in. Hacienda cares for chronically ill infants, teens, and adults. Their facility is the only one in Arizona.

They are hiring for health care positions: CNAs, RNS, and more. Right now they have 40 job postings. They’re looking for dietary aides, housekeeping, janitors, maintenance workers. Go to their web site, and view jobs. When you submit, it goes to the Hiring Manager and they will review your application. They are in constant hire mode.

Cenlar

Blanca Sandoval, HR Site Manager

Blanca said she has been in our shoes as well. The success of clients at Cenlar is a key driver of their success.  Success factors are Customer Service, Teamwork, Integrity, Initiative, Work-Life Business.

Cenlar was formed in 1958 and created by two companies. They service mortgages for clients and also manage their own portfolio as well. Their headquarters is in New Jersey and their new location is in Tempe with 500 employees. They are actively working to build relationships with local charities.

  • ESOP
  • 401K
  • Employee Stock Plan
  • Vacation
  • 10 holidays per year
  • Flexible Spending
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • with an additional 10 benefits.

Open positions: 

Functional Trainers
HR Generalist
Customer Care Associates
Loan Servicing Default Agents (Collections)
Customer Care Supervisors

Revana

Mary Ann Lopez, Recruiter

Revana is a professional inside sales organization with about 1800 employees and growing.

Clients come to them as a third party vendor and Revana helps them with account management, customer acquisition, and retention. They work with Google, IBM, Oracle, AT&T, FED EX, and many others.

Benefits:

  • Paid Training
  • 2 weeks paid vacation
  • 401K
  • Career Advancement
  • Medical and Dental
  • Competitive Base + Commission
  • Flexible Work Schedule
  • Convenient locations

Currently Looking For: Inbound Sales, Outbound Sales and Sales Managers.  They are especially looking for people with Google Adwords experience.  More information is here: Revanajobs.com.

Dynamic World Wide Training Consultants

Rodger Brubacher

Rodger thanked everyone for coming. Rodger talked about his role at Dynamic World Wide Training Consultants and the training that his company provides such as Juniper training, Cyber hacking (ethical), Digital Media, and Cisco and many others. They provide multiple platform instruction, offer onsite training, and small classroom sizes. They also offer a virtual classroom setup. Dynamic provides post-graduate assistance and Optimal resume assistance for life. Over 95% of their students pass their certification on their first time through. DWTC is licensed by the State Board for Private Post-secondary Education, Certified through Workforce Connection, Approved for Grant Programs. (WIOA), (TAA), and GI Bill.

5/24/16 – Think Like a Hiring Manager and Land the Job

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Written by Julia Churan

Sometimes landing the perfect job means thinking outside the job seeker box and getting into the mindset of the hiring team. Career Connector’s own Executive Director Jessica Pierce turned the hospitality role over to Director of Programs, Sheila Coulam, while Jessica took the stage as the keynote speaker this week to share her 15+ years of recruitment expertise.

Keynote

Jessica Pierce, @JessicaPierceAZ

Jessica in her ever-energetic manner warmed up the crowd by sharing her family’s story that led to the launch of “the” premiere career transition non-profit in the Greater Phoenix area.  She went from 10 years as an HR professional for one of the area’s largest tech employers to starting her own staffing firm to being unemployed during the worst economic period of the last 40 years.  She took a totally different approach, however, and decided to put her talents to work coaching others to improve their marketability.  Today the efforts of Jessica, her team and a large group of supporters have helped over 20,000 people get their careers back on track.

Understanding the hiring process from the corporate perspective will help you alter your game and have less frustration while looking.  Blindly submitting resumes and applying online is not necessarily your best option in the process.  Sixty percent of new hires are made through referrals.  Hiring managers begin with their inner circle.  They ask… “Who do I know for this role?” “Who does my circle of trust know?” “Who might our internal resources know?”

Sixty percent of job placements are made through referrals. The job you want today may never be posted!

The 3 most common connection points to a job are:

  1. Social Media
  2. Relationships
  3. Job Boards

Today social media is the biggest asset in matching talents and needs.  Never dismiss the power of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  They can help you land or lose a job if you aren’t careful with your images.

Fifty-five percent of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on their social profiles while 61% have also reconsidered negatively after looking on social media. Avoid politics right now. You just never know how it may be received.

Also, swallowing your pride during the process can keep you from closing future doors.  Two big mistakes to avoid are:

  • don’t ever criticize a company on social media
  • don’t be rude if you don’t hear back right away

Chemistry + Character + Competence = Culture Match

Hiring managers consider all three qualities when finding their perfect match.

Competence
Do you have the right training, experiences and expertise? If not, get training.  Consider the areas you should brush up on. If you are lacking in an area, start researching or go to the library.  If a new skill might round out your abilities, consider getting a professional certification. Utilize grants and GI funds whenever possible.

Volunteering or consulting may also help you gain a more current skill set. It may allow you to add new expertise to your resume.  If social media would look appealing to hiring managers in your field, start a blog about something you are passionate about.  If you struggle with nerves when public speaking, join a Toastmasters group.

Apply for just the jobs that you will be competent in — not every job you see!

Character

These are the features and traits that form your individual nature.  Understanding your strengths and weakness will help you establish a personal brand and play up your strengths.

Look at the traits that are important in the job and the company you are looking for.  Be sure your skills, traits and values align before you waste effort applying.

  • Document your personal traits.
  • Ask your friends and family what they feel are your best character strengths.
  • Take the DISC assessment through Career Connectors or other tools that may be available to you.
  • Make note of action words in the assessment results and be sure to include them in your resume.
  • Research the company’s culture before the interview or ideally before you apply
  • Highlight the traits you have that match with theirs in your correspondence and conversations.
  • Don’t say yes to an offer until you know the culture matches yours.

Chemistry

People want to work with people they like!

When you finally land that interview, you have to hit a home run in the first minutes of the interview.

Be real, but do your research.

  • Prepare to utilize what you learn about the organization and people you are meeting.
  • Connect with your interviewers through LinkedIn before the interview.
  • Be present in the moment and leave distractions AND you phone in the car.
  • Know your resume and prepare based on what their role is seeking.
  • Dress to impress.
  • Make a good introduction.
  • Have a good handshake – match their pressure, web-to-web, pump twice. Don’t hold on — it is creepy.
  • Followup with a professional thank you note.

You have a choice! You need to like them, too!

With the current market, over a hundred applicants apply for any job within days of posting, you must stand out in the crowd. You have to get out of your comfort zone and start connecting.

Hiring Companies

Local Motors
Gwendolyan Dasher, HR Manager @localmotors
They offer a global team of enthusiasts, hobbyist innovators and professionals working together to solve problems and create some of the coolest machines. Gwendolyan described Local Motors as an intimate family company that fosters team-work and personal input. They employ 150-200 team members and are growing internationally with a new facility in Germany. They proudly promote a casual, pet-friendly working environment with a great benefits package and employee discounts. Positions are available in clerical, engineering, and IT.

Cenlar FSB
Blanca Sandoval, HR Site Manager
Cenlar is a trusted mortgage and loan servicing provider headquartered in New Jersey with a growing office in Tempe.  They plan to expand to 500 employees in Arizona by September.

They pride their success on five key factors:

  1. Customer Service
  2. Teamwork
  3. Integrity
  4. Initiative
  5. Work-Life Balance

They offer a competitive benefits package including employee stock purchase and low turnover. Current opportunities include: HR, Customer Care, Loan Servicing, Foreclosure and Loss Mitigation.

NESCO Resource
Kelli Perkins, Area Manager, @NescoResource
NESCO is a contract staffing firm founded in Cleveland, Ohio with five offices throughout Arizona.  Kelli reinforced Jessica’s words of advice about companies and cultural fit.

NESCO began as an Engineering staffing firm but have expanded into IT, Administrative, Manufacturing and Finance with an award-winning reputation.  They currently have hot jobs locally in purchasing, mortgage processing, IT and call center.

They encourage applicants to look at all positions on their site and apply online or drop by to set up an appointment.

Education Management Corporation
Mark Pierce, Talent Acquisition Manager
EDMC is made up of five institutions for higher learning including Argosy University, The Art Institutes and South Univerisity locally.  They are a for-profit, post-secondary program with 1400 employees and 3000 faculty who provide programs in both brick & mortar facilities and online.  EDMC offers a complete benefits package as well as outstanding tuition benefits. Positions are available in the Gilbert and Chandler facilities in Admissions, Academic and Financial Counseling.  Apply at www.edmc.edu/careers/.  He closed out his presentation with a group selfie.

Resources

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants
Rodger Brubacher, @DWWTC_AZ
DWWTC offers professional certifications and desktop application training in a beautiful state-of-the-art facility in Tempe.  Their certification programs include PMP, Six Sigma, Medical Billing & Coding, Digital Marketing with Social Media as well as many IT and Cybersecurity programs.

Rodger reinforced financial aid programs through the AZ@Work WIOA grants and GI programs.
He also offered a free MS Office course by contacting Rodger and referring to Career Connectors and the offer.

Closing

Sheila closed the event by promoting the Top Talent – DISC Assessment to assist in establishing your personal brand. Professional photographers are available at each event to offer a free business portrait. LinkedIn and resume experts will meet with members to help improve professional profiles. The Phoenix Business Journal – offers a free copy of the annual Book of Lists to all Career Connectors members.  Finally, she offered a huge thank you to the volunteers who help make these events possible and the Central Christian Church family for opening their doors monthly for these events. Anyone interested in expanding their volunteer efforts may visit the Volunteer Center.

Future events

Join us at the next Career Connectors event in North Phoenix with Stephanie Clergé presenting on Start Strong, Finish Stronger: Your Best Self in Your Next Chapter.  Wednesday, Jun 01, 2016, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.