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9/14/17 – Resume Mythbusters: Certified Resume Writer Panel

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Resume Mythbusters

Certified Resume Writer Panel:
Brenda Cunningham, Donna Tucker, Martha Rockwell, Leslie Fountain and Amanda Collins

Written by Mark Salcido

September is International Update Your Resume Month and Career Connectors along with the Resume Writers Council of Arizona (RWCA) offered the timely panel discussion presentation: Resume Mythbusters, moderated by Career Connectors’ own Jessica Pierce. The panel of Certified Resume Writers with over 100 years of combined resume writing experience provided a wealth of information regarding the writing of resumes as it has evolved over the last several years with the advent of technology including Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” was a statement provided by Martha Rockwell, one of the panelists during the introductory overview segment of the panel, which then opened into an informational session of current standards for resumes. The following section provides a sample of the questions and answers provided during the panel discussion.
What is Most Important on the Resume?
The most important component of a resume is clarity. Be clear and concise in your resume regarding your experience. Your experience needs to be supported with clear details and examples of your accomplishments. Your capabilities need to be clearly stated and substantiated by the words in your resume. As discussed by the RWCA panel members, “Quantify results” and the impact you had on the company while at the same time “Qualify yourself” for the position by clearly stating your qualifications.

What are the Key Mechanical Components of a Resume?
Among the Best Practices of Current Resume Writing things to remember are:

  • Resume should be one or two pages (if a second page is needed to show experience)
  • Font needs to be kept to 10 to 12 Size Sans Serif Font for clarity (ex. Calibri, Arial)
  • Include contact information such as phone number and email address (Do not include street address)
  • Keep employment history to 10 or 15 years (unless it is relevant to the job)
  • Resume does NOT have to be pretty – Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) do not see “pretty”
  • Pretty resumes (tables, graphics and other details) may work for in-person interviews but not for ATS
  • Don’t ever upload a .PDF file. Applicant Tracking Systems do not recognize/read PDF file accurately.
  • Customize your resume for each job – show you care
  • Personalize your resume using the top 4 lines or the top paragraph on your resume

How do you get past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
Most companies, if not all companies, are using Applicant Tracking Systems for the application processing in the initial stages of the hiring process. There are over 200 types of ATS with different levels of sophistication.

Some ideas to keep in mind in uploading a resume into an ATS are:

  • Use Key Words or Key Phrases that will be “proven worthy” by the ATS. You will find the key words and phrases in the job description. Go through the job description and highlight, red pen or underline the key words and phrases and put them into your resume. However, do NOT copy verbatim from the job description. Be creative, use name recognition such as the company name.
  • Update key words and phrases for each job, again, based on the job description.
  • ATS do not recognize Table, Headers, Boxes, Graphics or italics.
  • Be careful with “free” resume writing tools online – graphics and other formatting in those tools may not be compatible with ATS.

What is the value of paying for a resume versus talking to a recruiter to see what they want?
When looking at the value of a professional resume, one must keep in mind the Return on Investment (ROI). Is paying $500 for a $10,000 to $40,000 salary increase a good investment? Most would think that is a good investment. This is especially true if you are currently unemployed, zero salary versus a significant salary increase is worth the investment in a professional, customized resume.

Professional Resume Writers Offer:

  • Face to face interviews to glean important information that build confidence for the job seeker
  • A trusted source such as a professional resume writer will provide valuable feedback regarding the contents of your resume
  • Professional resume writers will ensure certifications and other important information is included in your resume
  • Professional resume writers will offer samples of their work
  • Resume writing fees are tax deductible

Resume Panel

Thank you to the following generous donors to the drawing held following the RWCA panel discussion:
• Martha Rockwell
• Vered Kogan
• Jeri Hird Dutcher
• Brenda M. Cunningham

Four lucky winners were the recipients of One hour of resume consultation, One hour of Job Search or Career Coaching, $175 Value Resume Services and a free Career Assessment with a one hour career assessment analysis.

Thank you also to our panelists:

Hiring Companies

EA Renfroe

Pamela Cales-Kuzel, Field Recruiter

Pamela Cales-Kuzel, Field Recruiter, discussed local and national employment opportunities in the Disaster Response field assisting people who have experienced natural as well as man-made disasters such as explosions, chemical spills, hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters.

EDMC

Bruce Branch, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Bruce Branch, Talent Acquisition Specialist, presented opportunities with the parent organization of The Art Institute, Argosy University, South, and Brown Mackie. EDMC is one of the leading educational institutions providing educational opportunities for non-traditional students since 1962. Current opportunities include admission representatives, advisors and adjunct faculty members.

OPEN

Eric Nelson, Director of National Sales

Eric Nelson, Director of National Sales presented the opportunities with OPEN – a recruiting partner exclusively dedicated to assembling on-demand, high caliber Work-At-Home teams.

Freedom Financial Network

Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition

Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition presented the opportunities available at Freedom Financial Network as it grows into a local leader in the financial market. With new facilities in Tempe and more being planned, Freedom Financial Network is in a high growth phase and seeking to fill numerous positions over the next several months. Freedom Financial Network is enjoying the recognition of being one of the Best Places to Work in the Valley of the Sun. Openings include QA Engineer, Salesforce Developer, Sr. Software Engineer, Cisco Network Engineer, Technical Writer, Underwriters, Operations Managers, Loan Servicing Supervisor, Sr. Product Manager, Debt Settlement Negotiator, and more.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Centers
Joe Rostowsky, Director of Site Operations

Joe Rostowsky presented educational opportunities for current individuals in career transition. Among the training programs available there are also opportunities for grant for job seekers to obtain certifications to increase their marketability for employers.

Closing

In her closing remarks, Jessica Pierce announced the upcoming West Valley Health Care Career Expo scheduled for September 20, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Avondale Sports Center in Avondale Arizona.

Career Connectors is also starting a new event venue in Glendale, Arizona beginning in October 2017.

Another opportunity announced was the Direct2Med program offered by Rohn Financial Strategies, Inc., providing access to health care at minimal costs to the participants: Direct2MD

If you are without benefits or have a High Deductible Medical plan, this is a great way to have Live Video access to a Doctor 24 hours/day with no copay and discounts for prescriptions.

Get more information: https://www.direct2md.com/discover-direct2md/

Enroll at Career Connectors Special Pricing: https://direct2md.hint.com/signup/rohn

Career Connectors discounted pricing is $10 per month for an individual or $15 per month for a family. There is NO co-pay when you speak with an Emergency Room Doctor and you can call as often as you need to.

 

3/16/17 – Salary Negotiation – Make More Money

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Salary NegotiationWritten by Michelle Soracco

Keynote Speaker

Jack Milligan, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP @LMAAZ

Jack has been in the HR world for many years, including being the VP of HR in Los Angeles, wondering why he felt the need to be VP of HR.  Known to many as “The HR Guy,” he’s been part of the hiring process for 20,000+ people.  His book, “Make More Money,” came out a few months ago.  You can purchase it here on Amazon.

Salary Negotiation – Make More Money

Negotiation doesn’t work for every job.  Rated jobs, about 25% of job offers, have a specific rate attached, such as trades/unions, nursing, government, teaching and contract work.  The salary stated is what you get, take it or leave it. However, ranged jobs, about 75% of job offers, have a sophisticated salary structure, so there is flexibility in the range.  Requestive Channel Negotiation (RCN) works well for almost everyone if the job is ranged.

According to Jack, most people with ranged job offers don’t negotiate at all before accepting the job because they’re so relieved to have work and/or think that they have no leverage.  Jack’s premise is that the job offer stage is the best time to negotiate, as long as you do it properly.  There are three legitimate ways to negotiate: ultimatum, demand and requestive.  If you are in more of a position of power (because someone is trying to lure you away from your current job that you like, for example), ultimatum or demand may work for you, but the chances still aren’t in your favor.  RCN has the best chance of success because it never hurts to ask–politely!  That means asking a question, not making a statement or giving an ultimatum.  With practice, courage and patience, you’ll maximize your offer, giving you peace of mind that you’ve gotten the best offer–even if they tell you there is no room to negotiate.  There is no risk involved; Jack has never met anyone who used RCN and a company withdrew their job offer because of it.

How does one negotiate a better job offer?  The only rule: NEVER say yes to an initial offer.  The employer wants closure, not to look at Candidate #2, or worse yet, go through the recruitment process again (expensive, time consuming, and the work is piling up).  Negotiation steps:

1) Be very very clear about the entire job offer and its benefits and perks.
2) Validate your enthusiasm for the position and understanding of the job offer.
3) Introduce ambiguity by asking for time (usually 1-3 days) to consider the alternatives.  You’re not lying to the employer–you always have alternatives, even if the only one is not taking the job.
4) When you call back after 1-3 days, once again validate your interest in the job and request (not demand) everything on your negotiating items short list (NISL).  When you ask a question, you’ll get either a yes or no answer and a reason if the answer is no.

Note:  91% of candidates who use RCN get something tangible for their efforts, but if the employer says something like having multiple candidates that could replace you, consider that a red flag and move on – the job/company won’t get any better once you get there.

Hiring Companies

Basis.ed

Jennifer Gordievsky, University Relations Manager @BASISedCareers

BASIS.ed is committed to closing the global achievement gap and redefining education.  They are the leading school network in the country, with three schools ranked in the top six of all high schools in the US (U.S. News and Reports). They are hiring for positions at their K – 12 school sites nationwide, and the central office located in Scottsdale:  accounting, design, marketing, communications, law and teaching are some of the available positions.  If you are passionate about education, click here for career opportunities.

EDMC

Mark Pierce, Talent Acquisition Manager @EDMCCareers

EDMC has four brands: The Art Institute, Argosy University, South University and Brown Mackie College.  One of their best benefits is tuition reimbursement.  They are hiring Admission Representatives, Financial Aid Counselors, and Adjunct Instructors, among other positions.  For more information and to apply, click here.

Career Evolutions

Christian Kaijser, Managing Director @disrupt2evolve

“Lead with your persona, follow with the documents.”  If you haven’t seen Christian change from punk to professional during a presentation, it is truly impressive.   A few open positions: Financial Analyst, Senior Global Accounting Manager, Sales Executive, Product Manager, Digital Marketing Specialist, WordPress Developer, Salesforce Developer, Controller in Bend, OR, Chief Strategy Officer in Los Angeles, Content Strategists, and MS Access Developer.  Visit Career Evolutions positions  for current openings.

Freedom Financial Network

John Hasna, Director of Talent Acquisition, @FreedomFamily

Freedom Financial Network is a debt consulting company that provides financial solutions and services to enable consumers to achieve financial freedom.  Their 3 AZ locations have 1300 employees, and have hired 200 of the 1000 individuals they want to hire this year. They are in the process of building a new campus in Tempe and were recently named as a Phoenix Business Journal “Best Places to Work” Winner. Open positions in Tempe include Java Developers, Product Managers, Corporate Trainer, Compliance Manager, Business Intelligence Analyst, Negotiations Debt Settlement Specialist, Inside Sales Reps and Software Developer. They are willing to train for the necessary skills, as long as the culture fits.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Center, @nhphoenix

Zack Hiscock, Vice President of Learning and Development

“We are the best.” –Zack Hiscock, when asked about what should go in the blog.  I can confirm they’re good; I took one of their Excel classes and learned a lot.

Career Connectors has partnered with New Horizons as their only WIOA-funded school.  New Horizons is an international training organization that serves the needs of top companies to help individuals enhance their current skills and go to the next level in their career.  They offer courses in IT, Office Mgmt, Healthcare Records and Management, Project/Production Mgmt Certifications. Classes are conducted live in a classroom, live online and self-paced online courses, depending on the student’s needs.

Closing

Jessica graciously thanked all of the day’s speakers, volunteers and job seekers for participating. She encouraged job seekers to take advantage of the many Career Connector services like having your resume reviewed, a free professional portrait and visit all of the other services and hiring companies.  She also encouraged everyone to view the career blog, which is up and running and has a lot of good career advice.

Next event in Gilbert, Tuesday, March 28th: “Think Like a Hiring Manager and Land the Job.” Register here.

2/3/16 – Social Media: Your Job Search Secret Weapon

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Written by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

US News & World Report recently shared the article “10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job” written by Hannah Morgan. The article reveals how to impress recruiters and employers on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Keynote

Carl Forkner, Ph.D., @DWWTC
Social Media: Your Job Search Secret Weapon

What is Social Media?
Carl began by introducing us to social media’s definition or components. Social media can be difficult to describe and cannot be limited to a single definition but is multi-dimensional. It is…. networking, being online, blogs, electronic, applications, technologies, people network, and sharing just to name a few descriptive phrases.

Most people confuse social media as being Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram and You Tube. Each of the prior are platforms that allow people or companies to create, share, or exchange information in virtual communities and networks.
Merriam-Webster defines social media as forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for social networking & microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content such as videos.

WHO IS ONLINE?
The top three regions for Internet penetration are North America 81%, Western Europe 78%, and Oceana 63%. The lowest is Southeast Asia at 12%.

WHO IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
The top regions for social penetration are North America 56%; a tie for second at 44% for South America, Western Europe, and Oceana; and East Asia 43%. The lowest are Africa and South Asia with 7%.

WHO IS ON MOBILE SOCIAL MEDIA?
The top regions for this criterion are Central & Eastern Europe 151%; Western Europe 129%; and South America 124%. The lowest is Africa 67%.

NUMBER OF ACTIVE USERS ON THE MOST POPULAR SITES
1. FACEBOOK-1.35B users
2. LINKEDIN-332M users
3. GOOGLE+ – 70M users
4. TWITTER-284M users
5. PINTEREST-70M users
2015 DATA

NUMBER OF DAILY INDIVIDUAL USERS ON THE MOST POPULAR SITES
1. FACEBOOK-864M users
2. LINKEDIN-135M users
3. TWITTER-100M users
4. GOOGLE+-66M users
5. PINTEREST-36M users
2015 DATA

WHO IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
Statistics show that millennials favor Facebook and Google+, working professionals are strongest on LinkedIn and Google+, and the widest audience to be found using Pinterest.

DO I NEED AN ONLINE PRESENCE?
If the prior statistics have not persuaded you to have an online presence, perhaps the following information will do so.
90% of hiring managers and recruiters review online information about job applicants before making a hiring decision. Of those 70% said that they rejected candidates based on the information that they found-or didn’t find online.

WHAT DO THEY THINK?
If we all knew what employers were thinking, we would all have jobs. Some of the opinions held by employers demonstrate that 86% of employers think that candidates should take at least one action to make their profiles more employer friendly; 60% of recruiters think steps need to be taken to secure personal pictures (only 51% of candidates have pictures on their LinkedIn profiles); 56% of employers believe you should delete objectionable posts even if you did not write them; and 36% of employers think candidates should omit political/religious views from their profiles. Carl reminded us that hot subject buttons such as those comments on religion, politics, sex or drugs should not be posted online.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD PROSPECT?
• 57%-Candidate conveyed a professional image.
• 50%-Candidate was well rounded, showed a wide range of interest.
• 46%-Candidate was creative.
• 50%-Got a good feel of the candidate’s personality.
• 49%-Candidate’s background information supported professional qualifications.
• 43%-Great communication skills.
Over 20% of HR Managers found something to convince them to hire an individual.

WHAT MAKES YOU A BAD PROSPECT?
• 51%-Candidates posted provocative or inappropriate pictures or posts.
• 33%-Candidate badmouthed an employer.
• 28%-Candidates made discriminatory remarks on race, gender, or religion.
• 48%-There was information about drinking or using drugs.
• 30%-Candidates had poor communication skills.
• 24%-Candidates lied about their qualifications.
Over half of HR Managers said they also found something to convince them not to hire an individual.

WHY ARE YOU NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
For those job seekers not on social media, you may or may not know the various social media platforms provide a multitude of open positions.

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?
The top three platforms are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It has been determined that 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn!

EMPLOYER PREFERRED SITES?
• TWITTER-45% of companies use Twitter to find talent.
• FACEBOOK-50% of recruiters rely of Facebook to identify candidates.
• LINKEDIN-80% of companies use LinkedIn to find talent. 93% of recruiters actively use LinkedIn to source employees for client companies.

RECRUITERS VS. JOB SEEKERS?
• LINKEDIN-93% of recruiters use LinkedIn while 38% of career seekers use it.
• FACEBOOK-66% of recruiters use Facebook with 52% of career seekers doing the same.
• TWITTER-54% of recruiters use Twitter with 34% of career seekers utilizing Twitter.

FINDING JOBS ON FACEBOOK
Facebook’s search window can be used much like Google Search to find jobs. A successful search can be initiated by entering “Phoenix Jobs”. You can also find jobs by entering the name of the company and looking for the company’s career page or jobs link. Many companies do use a company Facebook page that is not used or used effectively. As a result, companies are not finding talented candidates and missing potential job seeking candidates.

LINKEDIN-PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS
Professionals on LinkedIn need to fulfill 6 critical profile components:
• Name, Headline, Industry & Location
• Professional Photograph
• Summary
• Current & Previous Work Experience
• Education & Skills
• Connections (50+)
Career Seekers can use LinkedIn to search for jobs and network for jobs.

LINKEDIN: FOLLOWING COMPANIES
When following companies, you can also establish those candidates that work or worked for a targeted company. You can also alert LinkedIn to follow a company for you. In return you will be informed of the organization’s latest news and job openings.

LINKEDIN: JOB POSTINGS AT TARGET COMPANIES
If a career seeker visits his/her target company’s LinkedIn profile, they then need to go to the company’s career page. Current openings can be discovered along with names of your contacts working for/worked for the target company.

LINKEDIN: BEGIN A TARGETED NETWORK
• Identify and send a connection request to people in companies you targeted for your career.
• Note the potential connections and what positions they hold in the company. Select contacts based on your skill set. Connecting with HR & Recruiters may link you into the company better.

LINKEDIN: INTRODUCTIONS
• Some people on LinkedIn do not allow people not already at least a 2nd level contact to request to connect directly.
• Introductions allow your contacts to “introduce” you to another person. This is good if you want to contact with a senior HR or Hiring Manager. It is best to go through a contact you both already know, much like having a company employee hand your resume to the Hiring Manager or HR.
• Search for a contact’s name. When you open the person’s profile, scroll down until you see how you are connected.

TWITTER
• To initiate a search on Twitter you would enter “#” (hashtag) and then the subject such as “#jobs” or “#hrjobs”.
• If you know the type of job you are looking for then try TweetChat.

TWITTER: TWEETCHAT.COM
Allows you to follow specific hashtags as people post messages tagged with them.
You can also join in the conversation much like a chat room format focused on a hashtag.

TWITTER: WWW.TWEETMYJOBS.COM
• You can search for potential openings by describing your desired role and industry. You can conduct the search without having a twitter account.

GOOGLE PLUS
• 1.6 billion users.
• 53% positive
• 45% are active users
• In doing a search, you can enter “employment” to see open positions. If you enter “#employment” the results will focus social media in the search.

ADDITIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA JOB RESOURCES
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• You Tube
• Nextdoor: The private social network for your neighborhood. It is focused on your local area.

GET UP, GET OUT, GET GOING…..NETWORK
Using your computer is just one element in securing a new career. Getting out and networking will also be beneficial. Try one of the following to find networking events to attend.
• Google search “network Phoenix”.
• http://www.networkingPhoenix.com hosts all networking events taking place in the Phoenix area.
• Meetups are an additional resource http://professional-networking.meetup.com/cities/us/az/phoenix/
• http://www.executivenetwork.com/ is an excellent resource for Director-level positions and above.

Carl shares his presentation via Slideshare for your reference.

HIRING COMPANIES

CDI Corporation
Patti Franco, Sales Director

CDI has been in business for 65 years. In 2014 the annual revenue was $1. CDI has approximately 9400 employees and global client base of 500. Service offerings include IT, Technical, Engineering and other Professional recruiting capabilities. Available positions incorporate contract, contract to hire, and direct placement.
CDI has a number of attractive reasons to join the organization; IT & Engineering expertise, custom solutions, proven process, client centric and decades of experience. The company’s client portfolio is represented by such companies as Google, IBM, HP, Toyota, Siemens, and Western Union.
Current Phoenix opportunities include Corporate IT/Engineering Recruiter (Direct Hire), Java Developer (Direct Hire), Client Solutions Manager (Direct Hire), Account Manager (Direct Sales), Aerospace Quality Supervisor (Direct Hire), and Aerospace Quality Engineering (Direct Hire).
Patti shared with us details of CDI’s referral program. Referral fees can be $500 or $1000 to those individuals who refer a successfully hired candidate.

Quicken Loans
Toni Cortright, Recruiter

Quicken Loans is the nation’s largest online mortgage lender and has been recognized as #1 on Computerworld’s “100 Best Places to Work in IT”. The organization has achieved this status for the 10th consecutive year on this list. Quicken Loans offers more than just mortgage banking positions. There is a family of companies that are part of the organization. Some of those include Fathead, Horseshoe, Cleveland Cavaliers, InHouse Realty, Title Source, Bedrock and One Reverse Mortgage. Quicken Loans is “engineered to amaze” and proudly maintains an outstanding company culture.
Open positions in North Scottsdale are Mortgage Banker Loan Officer, Facilities Site Leader, and Employee Relations Specialist. Those available opportunities in Detroit, Phoenix, Cleveland and Charlotte include Mortgage Banking, Mortgage Operations, Customer Service, Human Resources, Information Technology and Security.
To apply go to the website and locate your geographic area of interest.

Convergys
Gregory McKinley, Senior Specialist of Talent Acquisition

Convergys provides customer management and information management products to primarily large corporations. Customer management products include agent assisted, self-service and care software tailored to the communications, financial services, technology, retail, healthcare and government markets. Information management provides convergent billing and business support system products and services including revenue management, product and order management, and customer care management to telecom, utilities, and cable/satellite/broadband service providers. Convergys delivers quality customer experiences in 58 languages and from more than 150 locations around the globe. Employee population is 125,000 and growing.
One of Convergys’ values is to “grow as a team”. The organization prioritizes teamwork and develops its people. Convergys has received numerous industry accolades. The culture is employee based and includes fun activities with employee participation. Benefits include health, dental, vision, 401K and tuition reimbursement. Available positions are Customer Service, Chat, Retention, Sales Positions, Site Director, Sr. Manager of Operations, and Talent Acquisition.
Apply at Convergys.

Education Management Corporation
Mark Pierce, Talent Acquisition Manager

EDMC is one of the largest and most diverse providers of proprietary post-secondary education in the US. There are 110 locations and over 122,990 students. EDMC is comprised of four different education systems, the Art Institute, Argosy University, South University and Brown Mackie College. In addition, EDMC maintains a successful online education representing 29,000 students. Online teams are located Pittsburgh and Phoenix. The organization promotes a culture of continuous development. Benefits include EDMC tuition reimbursement, 12 paid holidays, 16 PTO days, 401K, paid community service time, employee discounts, life insurance, employee assistance program and health benefits.
Current open positions include: Online positions are Admissions Representatives, Academic Counselor, Admissions Manager, Finance Counselor, Director of Admissions and Regional Vice President. Argosy ground positions include Director of Clinical Training, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Undergraduate Program Chair, Regional Finance Manager, Graduate and Undergraduate Faculty, and Adjunct Faculty, and Admissions Representatives. Apply at www.edmc.edu/careers/.

Resources

City of Phoenix
Waleed Alani, Employment Specialist

Waleed shared with the group the latest unemployment statistics. There are currently approximately 70,000 available jobs in the Phoenix area. Opportunities include retail, hotel management, project management and nurses. Some of the top skills being requested are bilinqual, quality assurance, IT networking, quality control and IT networking project management.
A sampling of hiring employers include Banner Health, Honor Health, CVS, Pizza Hut, United Healthcare, Hilton, Marriott, Home Depot, University of Phoenix, Taco Bell, and ASU.
Waleed enlightened us with the different skill development packages offered by the City of Phoenix. Those include Phoenix Workforce Connection Seminars available to the public; Level 1 Package-Skills Match the Job Market; and Level 2 Package-Research Pathways to Higher Wages. Phoenix Workforce Connection Seminars include: Arizona Workforce Connection (AJC), How to Create a Winning Resume, Perfecting Your Interviewing Skills, Mock Interview Lab, Understanding LinkedIn, Leveraging LinkedIn, 21st Century Job Search Seminar, and Job Clubs. Level 1 Package; Skills Match the Job Market is for 3 days and 3 hours. The 3-day sessions are focused on ways to jumpstart your job search. Topics discussed are Social Skills, Creating and Implementing a Job Search Plan, Interviewing, and Long Term Career Management. The 3-hour session emphasizes Employability. The Level 2 Package; Research Ways to Higher Wages is a 2 day seminar. Attendees will obtain a better awareness of their career and personal skills along with a discussion of skill gaps and training options. Waleed also provided the group the LinkedIn algorithm that employers utilize to search for people on LinkedIn. For more details on the Skills Development Packages, reach out to Waleed at 602-255-4628 or waleed.alani@phoenix.gov.
For more information please go to the Arizona Job Connection.

New Horizons of Phoenix
Zack Hiscock, Vice President of Training

New Horizons has provided world-class training for over 30 years and over 30 million students. New Horizons recognizes that there are several learning styles and offers traditional, instructor led classroom training; online LIVE learning and online anytime learning. Learning tools are varied to meet the needs of students including hands-on labs, reference materials, practice exams, learning guides, coursework and exam preparation.
The Phoenix location is a new state-of-the-art training facility. Information Technology programs, Office Management and/or Healthcare Records Management programs, and Project/Production Management programs represent education offerings. Some of the items included in tuition are books & supplies, labs, on-going career services and 6-month re-sit option. New Horizons does provide Job Placement Assistance. The school offers top IT Certifications approved by the GI Bill. Additional funding sources are available up to $4K through the WIOA Program. New Horizons has free classes in Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Visit New Horizons online.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director, closed the meeting by thanking North Phoenix Baptist Church and the volunteers. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Scottsdale on Thursday, February 11, 2016 and features Sandi Ashton as speaker for the topic “DISCovering Your Unique Value. For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the website.