• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Career Connectors

Connecting professionals in career transition with hiring companies and quality resources

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Career Connectors eUpdate
Subscribe Here
  • Job Seekers
    • Events
      • Event Schedule
      • Webinar Recordings
      • Event Recaps
      • Prepare for an Event
    • Resources
      • PipelineAZ
      • Community Updates
      • Career Chats
      • DISC
      • Business Portraits
      • Career Advice
      • Trusted Resources
      • LinkedIn Basics
    • Featured Companies
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Opportunities
      • Volunteer Application
  • Employers
    • Hiring
    • Outplacement Services
    • Partners
  • About Us
    • Donate
    • Applause & Testimonials
    • In The News
    • Mission Statement
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact

Eric Walton

11/10/16 – Power of Personal Connections

November 14, 2016 by Chris Layfield

Power of Personal ConnectionsWritten by Chris Layfield

Opening

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors encouraged everyone to stay engaged with Career Connectors:

  • Join the LinkedIn Group Discussion, and check the event recap
  • Consider volunteering – looking for photographers, audio/visual, and bloggers
  • Take the DISC assessment online anytime, and get your business portraits at one of the events, all for free

She also announced a new “Resource” in the Job Seekers section of the Career Connectors website.  “Career Advice” contains short articles from experts with great advice.

Keynote

Eric Walton, President of Building Up Leaders LLC

Your job search effectiveness is a function of your “Job Search Competency” multiplied by your “Connection Effectiveness”.  “Job Search Competency” includes your resume and LinkedIn foundations as well as job search marketing plans and networking activities.  “Connection Effectiveness” is how quickly, deeply, and intentionally you make connections and grow your relationship map.  These factors magnify each other!  If you doubt this, just ask yourself three questions, “What happens to your resume when you have no connection with the firm or hiring manager?”, “How will your resume and application be treated if you have a connection on the inside?”, “How do your odds increase if you have connected with the hiring manager?”  Clearly, if you have a connection, you increase your chances.  Here are some tips to manage your relationship:

  • Reconnect With Old Connections: Make a “Reconnection Week”.  Tab through your list of contacts, and notice who has something new going on.  Drop them a note highlighting the fact that you noticed, and offer something new from your end.  Do it with 10 people that week.
  • Connect With Someone New: Identify people you want to be connected with, and research the heck out of them, looking for what is important to THEM.  You don’t want to come across as fake, so keep an eye out for contextual connection points (e.g. having attended the same school in the same state where the school is located may not be enough).  Start connecting as soon as you can – real connection takes time.  Don’t start with the value you can bring – you don’t get to have that conversation with someone until you have a connection.
  • Keep Track of Your Connections: Make a simple table in Word or Excel that lists your actual or prospective connections,  whether/how you are connected to each one, the last time you connected (if at all) to each one, and what your future plans to connect are (e.g. more research, phone call, email, LinkedIn, drop-by).  If you don’t do this, you will forget.

Hiring Companies

Ring

Heather Mitchell, Senior Recruiter

Ring is a cool new product allowing you to monitor the perimeter of your home from anywhere through your smartphone.  Ring also has 300 associates in the Valley, and they have plans to hire 200 more.  Positions in the area are primarily sales and account management, and the ability to move from entry level quickly is fueled by the huge growth rate and entrepreneurial culture.  The company will centralize all local associates in Glendale (Westgate).  In addition to career development, benefits include medical/dental/vision, a 401k program, and a staff discount on the product itself.  Ring also has a Santa Monica, California location for those looking to relocate.

Check out the <Careers> link at their website.

Matrix Absence Management

Bert Stone, Vice President

Matrix Absence Management is a 3rd party of administrator for companies’ FMLA, LTD, STD, PTO, LOA, and ADA benefits.  Matrix competes with larger insurance carriers by tailoring products for individual customers, and last year was the highest sales year ever.  Matrix is looking to fill claims leadership and claims management positions with individuals who have empathy for people in distress, the ability to get up-to-speed quickly on individual companies’ offerings, and the critical thinking to evaluate medical and vocational information received from multiple sources.  Benefits include medical/dental/vision, a 401k plan with 4% company match, flexible spending accounts, PTO, and 10 paid holidays.  Matrix’s office is at Peoria Avenue and the I-17.

Check out the <Careers> link under the <Company> tab on their website.

Freedom Financial Network

JD Hasna, Director of Talent Acquisition

Freedom Financial Network provides debt relief and debt education services to borrowers.  The company is looking to mature after several years as a high-growth start-up, all the while retaining an entrepreneurial spirit in an accountable and collaborative culture.  Freedom Financial is located in Tempe at Baseline and the I-10; there are about 1200 associates, and they are looking to grow to ~2200.  Entry level and supervisory jobs are available for customer and loan servicing, negotiation specialists, sales, training, HR, and Salesforce engineers.

Check out the <Join Our Team> link on the website.

NESCO Resource

Kelli Perkins, Area Manager

NESCO Resource is a national temporary staffing and staff-to-hire recruiting firm.  Temporary work enables job seekers to increase connections, test out a company’s culture, and keep skills fresh and sharp.  NESCO offers contractors medical, dental, vision, and 401k benefits and sometimes more benefits which are assignment-specific.  Current openings range from professional (hardware design engineer, technical support, and R&D formulation specialist), to administrative (recruiting coordinator, recruiter, regional administrative assistant, call center supervisor), to industrial (maintenance techs).  Go to the website, and attach your resume.

Resources

Canyon State Institute

John Dvorak, Academic Advisor

Canyon State Institute (CSI) offers in-demand, career-based certifications. Certifications are funded through government-backed grants and are available in many areas including:

  • Microsoft Office
  • Comp TIA
  • Cisco Certified Network Administrator
  • Medical Support Specialist
  • PMI Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • SHRM Human Resources
  • Process Improvement (e.g. Scrum Master, Six Sigma)
  • Digital Marketing Specialist

What sets CSI apart? Small classes (maximum 6 for most programs), career advisors on staff, and the ability to audit the next set of classes while studying to pass national exams.

 

 

Filed Under: Event Recaps Tagged With: Eric Walton, Ring, Matrix Absence Management, NESCO Resource, Canyon State Institute, Freedom Financial Network, Connections, networking

Primary Sidebar

Recent Event Recaps

05/03/23 Superior Career & Hiring Expo Recap

2/10/22 – Getting My Career SHIFT Together

1/27/22 – Show Out When You Show Up

11/18/21 – A 7 Step Career Amplifier

More Event Recaps

Career Advice

Tech, Tac, Toe: Winning Strategies for your Job Search

12 Ways Interview Candidates Are Shortlisted

Employment Outlook: The Great Rebalance Workforce Trends

10 Ways Innovation May Affect Recruitment in 2023 and Beyond

17 Interview Tips That Anyone Can Implement

More Career Advice

Footer

Socialize with us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Testimonials

Career Connectors is dedicated to bring the job seeker to reputable employers in the valley. I appreciate their professionalism and their consistency to continue to provide great leads.
Leslie B.
I wanted to take the time to write you to express my sincerest gratitude for all that you and those who work with you do for so many of us!I lost my job due to our medical office being closed. Your company came highly recommended by an HR person who worked with us as employees to help give us a hand up to become employed again through a very generous program provided by my employer. I am employed again in a job that I really love. It came with wonderful, kind, encouraging management and coworker… Read more
Ann Marie H.
I just wanted to reach out to you and say Thank you to you, Career Connectors and the whole Team! So let me explain why, while I’ve known of Career Connectors for many years, I never thought that I would need employment services or guidance before. On September 19th 2019 I found myself being let go from my job. I later the next day saw the Career Connectors event at Central Christian Church Gilbert Campus coming up on Facebook and signed up for it. While attending my first Career Connectors even… Read more
Brian P.
After a company layoff thrust me into the job market, Career Connectors was exactly what I needed to develop my networking skills. Networking is a job in itself, and the skills I learned helped me to land a temporary position just three months later that is now permanent. I believe in the Career Connectors mission and continue to volunteer as a way of expressing my appreciation for their support during a very tough time…thank you Career Connectors!
Diane N.
Networking helps, especially when you do not directly know anyone at a target company. I have attended 4 of your meetings and at one of them a company representative and recruiter presented. I was already familiar with this company, but she also said some other things in the presentation that made me take notice and created more interest on my part. I spoke with the recruiter at your event and she followed up the next week and from there I went on several phone interviews and on site interview t… Read more
Todd S.
After one year of unemployment, I have been employed with an excellent company at a job which is perfect fit for my experience and desires for many months, through the efforts of the devoted volunteers at Career Connectors. I and my family are eternally grateful. Sincere thanks!
Jeff A.
Thank you for all you do! I’ve been nine loooong months looking for a full-time position and Career Connectors was a real life-line. I was pretty discouraged by the time I found your organization on-line and first visited. The speaker provided some great information but most importantly, encouragement and hope. The panel discussion on resumes was incredibly helpful! Last month I had the opportunity to sit with Brenda and she suggested I really pare back all but the last 10 years of experience an… Read more
Robin C.
This was terrific! Very successful. I’m glad I came!
Maggie D.
Career Connectors has given me the courage to move forward and the mindset to move out of this moment. I have gained encouragement, opportunity, and a stronger skill-set in each meeting I have attended. This interaction has given me the vision to see my God given talents, the realization of how much I still have to offer, and the ability to put value in my career, instead of only seeing value by a job.
Anonymous
If you are a job seeker in transition or looking to find that new great position I highly recommend Career Connectors. The search process has changed significantly over the years and Career Connectors will provide you many tools that will allow you to stand out and demonstrate your unique value to potential employers. At each event I had the opportunity to “sharpen the saw” through top notch expert presentations on image portrayal, positive attitude, networking, social media presence, job… Read more
Joe C.
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Services

© 2023 · Career Connectors. All Rights Reserved.