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Finding the Perfect Job for YOU

12/10/15 – Start Strong, Finish Stronger: Your Best Self in Your Next Chapter

December 18, 2015 by Susan Lamphiear

Written by Susan Lamphiear

Keynote

Stephanie Clerge, @StrengthsPro

Remember that scene from the movie Kindergarten Cop when Arnold Schwarzenegger asks the children to tell what their dads do for a living? That flashed into my mind when today’s keynote speaker described her four-year-old son’s public remarks.

Proud of her own and her husband’s careers and educational backgrounds, the speaker described her own shock when her son announced his aspirations at his preschool graduation. When asked, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” he said, “I want to kill vampires and zombies!”

Upon further reflection, after the shock wore off, our keynote speaker decided it actually might not be such a bad idea to metaphorically kill vampires and zombies like the zombies, the walking dead, in the work place, the information-hoarding, energy-sucking backstabbers.

Maybe those energy-draining employees referenced in her opening story  never really got in touch with their career passions by becoming aware of their strengths.  Stephanie Clergè, a certified career coach, referenced Gallup poll results suggesting what makes people great.

You’re six times more likely to be successful if you know your strengths. Respondents were also three times as likely to say they have a high quality of life if they focused on their strengths. It appears knowledge of your strengths makes you happier and reduces stress.

To demonstrate our strengths, Stephanie asked everyone to sign their names. Then she asked attendees to sign with their opposite hand and asked for feedback on how that felt. “Awkward, challenging, frustrating” were some of the responses.

“We work on our weaknesses so much of the time—maybe we never get good at it.” What if, instead, everyone spent more time working on their strengths?

But how do you know what your strengths are? Stephanie tells us it’s those things which bring us energy. Your strengths are the part of you that make you unique and special. It’s basically your “personality muscles” she says. The Gallup poll suggests that your talents are reflected not  just in your outwardly visible behaviors but also in how you think and feel.

Talents are the basis for strengths but she goes a step further. Some people may have a strength in a particular area but that talent doesn’t necessarily bring them joy or energy. Energy is the key.

The DISC assessment, free to Career Connectors’ attendees, is one way to discover your strengths. Other assessments are out there, too. To find your strengths consider Ease, Energy and Excellence. Your strengths are areas where you excel but also which you do with ease and they produce energy, not drain your energy.

HIGHLIGHTS OF STEPHANIE’S ADVICE

Know Yourself

Know your strengths

  • via DISC* and other assessments
  • Ease, energy, Excellence indicators

Plan Your Work

Define Your Strong Career

  • The 4th E: Experience — Ask yourself, “In the past, what did I LOVE?” When did I love the job/task, the team, the manager, the culture, the industry, the learning or other things like commute, travel, benefits?
  • Think Out of the Box — Look for your strengths in other parts of your life including internships, volunteer activities, side projects/businesses, clubs/organizations, and hobbies.
  • Strengths in Action: Homework . . . Create One Strength Statement. Pick something that energizes you. Create a sentence with key elements of your talent contribution that you use to complete that task. Example: My best contribution is a quality mindset. I can spot areas to improve quality and provide ideas to make processes or products move from good to excellent.

Develop Your Tools

  • Resume: It should be easy to read and it should be clear where you should be working next.
  • LinkedIn Profile: Use a clear, concise headline (not cheesy or needy), in the summary, show a bit of your personality, list a contact email and answer InMail promptly.
  • Questions:  Always have questions to ask in the interview. She’s found in her experience many job candidates simply do not ask questions. Ask questions like, “What would the first 90 days on this job look like?”
  • Stories: If you have a gap in between jobs, recruiters want to know why. Have your remarks planned so this does not catch you off guard. Also, be prepared to articulate your greatest accomplishments on the job. You’re very likely to be asked this question: “Tell me about a time when…” Stephanie suggests having three solid stories of your accomplishments which should ideally be recent (can be older if you are changing careers), should be work related, and should address your leadership and technology skills. In a strength statement, tie your strength to a goal. For example, if you excel in creative use of graphics, explain the creative graphics help influence customers.

Work Your Plan: Include daily steps. For example: review industry websites for job postings, follow up with a former boss for a recommendation, attend one event per week, apply to X number of jobs a week, and call my accountability partner.

The Solution IS SMART– It should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Remember these key words:  Impact, Information, Inspiration, Strengths, Strategies, Support.

Hiring Companies

Nautilus Insurance Group
Kathleen Sandow, Senior HR Specialist

Nautilus Insurance Group provides commercial insurance (not personal insurance), specializing in excess and surplus lines of commercial property and casualty insurance coverage. Things they insure include shopping centers, exercise and health clubs, llama caddies, sea turtle watchers and doves released at weddings! Affiliated with W.R. Berkley Corporation, which is huge, Nautilus has the perks of a huge company and the autonomy of a small company. Located in Scottsdale Airpark, they employ 260 people, mostly in this location. The dress ranges from formal to summer casual.

Perks include a fitness center, covered parking, 401K, and paid vacations. The company is involved in community support including the Phoenix Rescue Mission. Current openings include Senior Claims Examiner, Data Analyst, Instructional Designer, Computer Support Specialist/Help Desk, and Senior Underwriter.  For a complete list or to apply, visit their website.

The Hartford
Harriet Darkwa, Talent Acquisition Consultant

The Hartford provides insurance to people who are usually in crisis mode because their home was flooded or their car was wrecked.  It’s a professional company who is looking to employ people who will be working with people who may not be covered and supporting customers going through life changes.  Over 200 years old, the company prides itself on both stability and innovation.

Other benefits of working for The Hartford include tremendous promotional opportunities, ongoing training and development, and pay-for-performance culture. The company offers tuition reimbursement, health insurance starting day one, and 401K.  Named “World’s Most Ethical Companies” for a seventh time by the Ethisphere Institute, it’s also been named one of the top 100 companies for remote work. Positions available include Associate Claim Representatives.  To learn more or apply, go to their website.

G/O Digital
Sean Beaudette, Sales Recruiter

G/O Digital helps businesses find their success through localized digital marketing. Founded in 2009, it’s a division of TEGNA Digital, employing over 400 people in downtown Phoenix. The culture is described as fun, diverse, and collaborative. The atmosphere is casual and  includes free snacks, ping pong, theme days and quarterly all-company events.

With a start-up feel, your voice is heard.  Inside sales (digital marketing consultants) currently shows the strongest growth, but openings also include sales development, account management, project management, PPC/Operations, Social Media, Marketing, and Finance. For more information, see them on social media or their website. To apply, visit them on their website.

Education Management Corporation (EDMC)
Mark Pierce, Talent Acquisition Manager

Education Management Corporation (EDMC), one of the largest and most diverse providers of proprietary post-secondary education in the United States, includes The Art Institutes, Argosy University, Brown Mackie College, South University, and Western State College of Law. A huge benefit to employees is free tuition for self and family at any of the schools. EDMC also prides itself on internal growth and development (96% of Admission Management team promoted from within and in five years the company has grown from 100 to over 3,000). Also the company offers 401K and 401K Roth participation, Health Benefits and more.

Dedicated to good works, the company involves itself in multiple projects such as Breast Cancer Awareness and Race for the Cure, Valley Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Adopt-a-Family.  Positions available include Admissions Representatives, Academic Counselor, and Admissions Manager. For more information or to apply, go to their website.

Resources

New Horizons
Zack Hiscock, VP of Training

New Horizons is a school that provides education for the workplace including computer training. Integrated learning solutions allow students to learn via several methods such as traditional, instructor-led; online LIVE learning; or online ANYTIME learning. The school also offers hands-on labs, reference materials, practice exams, learning guides, courseware, and exam preparation.

A state-of-the art training facility, programs there include Information Technology such as CompTIA Security, Linux +, MSCA Windows, and Office Management and/or Healthcare Records Management Programs like Pharmacy Technician or Microsoft office specialist. For more information or to enroll, check their website.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director of Career Connectors, reminded everyone of the breakout sessions that follow the formal meeting. During those sessions, attendees have the opportunity to speak directly to hiring managers, obtain free professional head shots, and confer with experts in resume building and creating and managing LinkedIn profiles.

Jessica thanked volunteers and the monthly host for the event, Highlands Church, and invited everyone who qualifies to fill out the form for Highlands Hope Initiative. Through this program, the church presents gift cards based on income to job seekers and those in job transition. Some individuals may qualify for additional assistance provided by the church and are urged to apply.

Upcoming events include Wednesday, January 6, 2016, at 9:00 AM in Phoenix, featuring Michael Seaver, Developing and Living Your Personal Brand.

The next Scottsdale event will be Thursday, January 14, 2016, 9:00 AM. Topic for the event’s keynote address will be presented by Paula Shoup, Use Your internal GPS to Stay Positive & Productive in Difficult Times.

The next Gilbert event, Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 9:00 AM features Abby Kohut presenting Success for the Seasoned Search …The Benefit of Being Overqualified.

Click here for more details about locations and registration.

Filed Under: Event Recaps Tagged With: Finding Your Strengths, Finding the Perfect Job for YOU, DISC, Hotfoot Recruiters, Job Advice, Job Search, job search strategies, LinkedIn Tips, self-assessment

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I’ve attended a few of your events in Gilbert and Scottsdale since returning to AZ and being an active job seeker. I’m happy to report that I’ve been offered a job! I’m over the moon about the offer and couldn’t be more grateful after a long, three month search (that definitely felt much longer…. 🙂 ). I want to thank you for your programs. You have excellent speakers who always energized me when I was needing it most. And your resume reviewer was great. She was a tough cookie with a red pen y… Read more
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I own a Leadership Company, and have enjoyed attending the Career Connector events. With gratitude I listen to the speakers you line up… they offer phenominal and practical information. What has struck me each time has been the audience. My heart hurts for them. They are in a desperate place in their lives. I have had the opportunity speak with a few of the people in attendance, and they have shared their stories… I walk away thankful to God for the opportunity to meet these people and they … Read more
Bonnie M.
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.
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.
I took advantage of Career Connectors when I found myself unexpectedly out of work and back in AZ.  The ease in using their website to locate meetings and identify subject matter at their weekly meetings kept me informed and engaged.  Their meetings are interesting and provide relevant and useful information toward getting into the right job.  They say that a network event is what you make of it … with Career Connectors they create the events and provide the resources you need to land your next … Read more
Jennifer V.
I am profoundly grateful for all of the support Career Connectors has provided during my recent job search – from the exceptional speakers to the participating employers, LinkedIn experts (Ted Robison is amazing with his individualized approach), resume experts, photographers, and of course the great opportunity to network! I felt like I had an army of support with me every single day. I appreciate all the time and effort invested by many and am particularly grateful for Jessica! You have a fi… Read more
Cindy G.
When I was laid off last year from the company I’d worked with for over 14 years, I actually found I had an even BIGGER job ahead of me. With an outdated resume, no interview skills, and a huge feeling of displacement, I went searching for help. Career Connectors was my savior. The program and its’ leaders were instrumental in rebuilding my confidence, providing the necessary tools and resources, and ultimately responsible for my landing a great position with a company that was featured at o… Read more
Lynn S.
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.
Navigating the world of career transition can be an overwhelming experience.  In addition to the mechanics of transition (updated resume, career search strategies), there is the deeper need to connect to people who are in the same situation as you are.   For me, all of this was answered by Career Connectors!  Had it not been for this organization, I might still be sitting in my house, wondering what to do next!  At just one Career Connectors meeting you can be inspired by great speakers, … Read more
Iris M.
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.
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