Written by Marty Allison
Opening
Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors
Jessica opened the event and let people know that due to accidents and delays on the freeways there would be more people attending the event who were running late. She talked about an email that she received from someone who attended Career Connectors on Wednesday and based on a referral at that event, they are now employed! Jessica also explained that the 2017 calendar of events has updated and in January there will be a presentation by a representative from LinkedIn Corporate. Today’s keynote presentation will be recorded on Facebook Live on the Career Connectors Facebook page. She noted that Dave Sherman does not sugar-coat things, because he has seen what works.
Keynote Speaker
Dave Sherman, Sales Trainer and Speaker
Dave went through his personal job history and joked that over the past four years he went from never being laid off or fired to having both of them happen to him. While those experiences both stink, the situation does change. Everyone who is in career transition will find a new job. It is up to you WHEN that happens. How badly do you want to be hired? Crediting his mother for this advice, Dave noted that it is important to get out of your comfort zone. He provided tips to help connect you with your next job at a faster rate.
Tip 1: GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE.
This promotes socialization. Go to another location that has wifi and work from there. This could be a coffee shop, bakery, library or anywhere that has internet that you can use for your career transition needs. This routine “stops the voices” by getting you in a different environment.
Tip 2: HANG OUT WITH EMPLOYED PEOPLE.
While Career Connectors is an important resource, in order to get a job you want to go to places where people have jobs. Maintain contact with people who are working. Dave works at Mobile Mini and his company is hiring. He loves his job and noted his willingness to help others who were seeking employment.
Tip 3: ATTEND MORE NETWORKING EVENTS.
The five weeks after Thanksgiving are the best time of the year for networking since there are social gatherings around the holidays. Asking people about their holidays naturally opens up conversation. Remember that even if you are not currently working, you still have a lot to offer. Dave suggested attending two networking groups per week, with a breakfast meeting being a good way to start off your day. Chambers of Commerce, Professional Associations, Business Groups and Networking Groups are all places that you can go for networking. While in career transition, it is important to know what you are looking for. Know not just job titles, but know three companies that you want to work for.
Tip 4: STOP LOOKING FOR A JOB.
Your focus while attending events should not be on finding a job, but on being likable to others. Find some commonality with others instead of just telling them your resume and background. Be genuine and be likable. Be interested, not interesting.
Tip 5: WHO DO YOU KNOW?
The words “Who do you know” are the most important words. Most people do want to help you as long as you don’t make it too difficult for them. You need to more specifically know what you want so that other people are better equipped to help you reach that goal. Networking is only effective if you know what you want. Ask everyone! Most people have been impacted by career transition, and if you know what you want… people are willing to help you.
Because he hopes that these tips get you to your employment goal, Dave closed out his presentation to an audience in career transition by saying “I hope I never see any of you ever again!”
Event Sponsor
Coder Camps, Jason Jones
Coder Camps is a sponsoring organization for Career Connectors. Jason talked about the difference between Career Connectors and a typical job fair, commenting that job fairs don’t care for you the same as what he sees at Career Connectors. Jason explained that web developers either stay relevant or job hunt. 98% of them work full time with only 2% experiencing unemployment. Coder Camps help people stay relevant. Once you complete your initial class, future classes are free. Because coders typically need to look for new jobs every 2-3 years, Coder Camps has job placement assistance. In January, classes in Java will roll out.
Hiring Companies
Octavio Duarte, Corporate Recruiter
Arizona Office Technologies is a local company that has been in business for about 30 years. They are a Xerox company with a goal of optimizing other businesses. They seek ways to increase efficiency and save costs, so it is important to understand the company culture of their clients. Octavio described that AOT values giving back to this local community, which includes involvement in community programs such as Christmas Angels and Toys for Tots. Benefits include that a President’s Club (for all employees, not just sales) will have a trip to Mexico in April. They seek energetic individuals for business to business sales roles. In addition to current openings, Octavio anticipates that there will be an upcoming position for a Sale Trainer.
Mark Pierce, Manager of Talent Acquisition
Mark let the audience know about his work history and how that impacted his wife Jessica and their family. When previously without employment, Mark was resistant to taking a certain open job position based on his prior income history. Given changes in the economy, seeing benefit to earning an income instead of no income, and possibly sleeping on the couch until employed… (that last one disputed by wife Jessica as never being a genuine threat), he decided to accept that position and the choice to do so helped him position himself for his current role. Mark spoke about Education Management Corp (EDMC) having an online presence with the Art Institutes, Argosy, and South University. He recruits for other positions primarily at Argosy, but offered to be a resource if the recruiter that needs to view your resume is assigned to those online campus positions. Benefits of employment include 1 day off which can be used to help a non-profit organization. Mark noted excellent education benefits and is personally using the tuition benefit to obtain a Master’s degree in Counseling.
Salma McHorney, Sourcing Advisor
Investors have historically had barriers of: High Costs, Lack of Choice, and Lack of Transparency. “Own your Tomorrow” is tied to the culture at Charles Schwab as they seek to close the gap between the power of investing and their clients. The company is based in San Francisco, but has several operating centers. Phoenix is the largest employee base for those operating centers. Salma discussed that types of employment are typically either “Client Facing” or “Support Role” positions. Most of the hot jobs in the Phoenix area are looking for candidates who have 1-2 years of financial or customer service experience.
Resources
Laura Eckles, Academic Advisor
As an Academic Advisor, Laura talks to people about their career paths and about ways to get on a fast track to their next career. Laura discussed the WIOA grant, which is funding for training. She noted other funding sources, such as TAA for individuals who had a job that was relocated overseas. Canyon State Institute offers classes on a schedule of day, evening and online sessions.
Closing
Jessica Pierce closed the event with some announcements. For those interested in the WIOA grant, there were three schools on site at the event which accept that funding. The Facebook Live recording of today’s presentation by Dave Sherman is posted on the Career Connectors Facebook page. There are additional resources on the Career Connectors website, including the Career Blog section where 15 career experts post different career advice 1-2 times per week. The DISC assessment is a free resource too. Jessica thanked those who volunteer for Career Connectors and noted that there were over 85 volunteers contributing this year. Having an updated LinkedIn page will be important for anyone attending the January 18, 2017 session in Phoenix where a representative from LinkedIn corporate will be presenting. That presentation will be more beneficial if you already have an established LinkedIn page. Your successful career transition is in prayer!
