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02/05/20 – The Networking Brief: Increase Your Influence

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Written by Gary Matsuda

Keynote

You’re attending another networking meeting, looking forward to enjoying the drinks, the appetizers, the speakers. But then there are all those people, selling themselves, passing out business cards, evaluating you as a potential customer. Wouldn’t these meetings be great if it weren’t for all those pesky strangers?

The Networking Brief with Jessica Pierce

Career Connectors founder, Jessica Pierce admits at first, networking was an unpleasant task, to be endured just to get the next job. However, after making hundreds of personal connections and helping others find work and get better jobs, she’s found that mastering the elements of networking are foundational to career success. As a result, Career Connectors is now the Phoenix area’s 4th largest networking organization in one of the most networked cities in country.

For a business to be built on networking and relationships, there must be something to it. Getting a job though relationships saves an employer time and money. Successful hires from referrals reduces their screening time and saves money they’d otherwise spend to recruit and pay for job postings. Recruiters can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 and beyond per placement, depending on the type of job they’re filling.

That’s a lot of recruiting dollars you can save a company if you engage with the right people. But it also underscores the value employers place on having the right person on the team. That’s where networking has an edge. Hiring managers will want someone who has high potential to be a good fit for their culture. They’ll perform better, stay around longer and help boost team morale. Yet for employers and job seekers alike, it’s difficult to determine culture fit through an application, a website or LinkedIn profile – the best way to do that is through personal interaction.

Let’s look at Jessica’s solutions on becoming a better networker and increase our influence.

They got you at “Hello“

It can take just eight seconds for someone to pass judgement on you, that’s barely enough time to exchange greetings! Don’t blow it at the very start! There’s preparation needed to make a great impression that may lead you to a valuable connection. But where would you start if you don’t have an outgoing, high-energy personality? What if you prefer analysis and introspection rather than having to go around the room asking, ‘So, what do you do?’ Jessica provides a short assessment to help you get started and get better at networking.

Networking Assessment Worksheet (download)

Networking-Assessment-Jessica-PierceDownload


Total up the points according to the boxes you checked off and rate yourself:
1060 – 150 Master Interactive Career Networker
750 – 105 Average Networker
0 – 75 Novice Networker

It doesn’t matter where you score right now, we all have work to do. Even master networkers can’t expect to hit it off with everyone they meet. When it comes to engaging different personalities and situations, even an expert will evaluate and practice to maintain their game.

Deep and Wide

Most of us have a network that’s larger than we think. The first of which is developmental, made up of those you already know, some quite well.

Developmental

These include those you already have an existing relationship with and who are more likely to be willing to help but may not be able to directly. For example:

  • Relatives/ Friends – parents, neighbors, cousins, childhood friends
  • Community – doctors, volunteer services
  • Activities – clubs, religious organizations, kid’s activities
  • Academic – High school, college, professors, alumni
  • Former employers – supervisors, colleagues, employees

Cultivate and deepen the already established relationships early so that you aren’t reaching out to them only when you need help, like needing a job. That could seem opportunistic. Keep these relationships fresh and reconnect if necessary.

Strategic

You’ll also want to increase your influence by working on strategic relationships (can happen at networking meetings), who are more likely to give you a more significant step up or have direct access to the opportunities you want.

  • LinkedIn.com
  • Industry specific and/or open networking
    • Networking Phoenix
    • Career Connectors
    • Arrive early stay late – because all the good networking happens at the end

You’re not done after the end of the event. Get at least 5 people to follow up with, if you feel you had a meaningful conversation. Don’t ask for a job (unless that’s what was discussed at your very first meeting), but connect with your leads assuming they will want to help if they can. Be specific in your ask so they are clear on how you can be helped.

Prepare your identity

Jessica also provided a helpful tool to help evaluate and organize your thoughts on paper. No pressure to get it exactly right. Like the assessment above, this can be used as a worksheet to help keep track of what might need improvement. Use a more presentable version of this to use at networking events (or even to formulate ideas for your resume or LinkedIn Profile).

Networking Brief (download)

Jessica-Pierce-Networking-BriefDownload

Which includes:

  • Profile or Summary
  • Management or leadership skills
  • Functional skill or SME
  • Personal vision
  • Target Positions/ industries/segments
  • Target companies

“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEO’s of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be the head marketer for the brand called YOU.”
– Tom Peters in Fast Company

If this seems like a lot of work, it is. But these tools and advice can build confidence in not only making a great first impression and getting your next job, but can be applied on the job as well! You’ll be known as the one who knows the right people, who can manage customers, suppliers and get along with teammates. Be the one who is a mentor or guide and adds value to others first.

Networking is a relationship building, give and take process. There’s no one- way selling here, which never works. Make things easier for others, create authentic value, especially areas where you feel gifted and you’ll find over time someone in your professional or social circle will reciprocate. Then you’ll know that you’ve truly increased your influence!

Hiring Companies

Colonial Life, Mark Marquez, District General Agent

Relieve stress, guide financial decisions, help people. While the word insurance doesn’t exactly excite people, those who work behind the scenes are stoked about helping others when they need it. When there’s a life and death situation who can people call? Their Colonial Life insurance agent, of course. Be someone who others can rely on in their time of need: apply to Colonial Life, a fast growing company with the goal of being the largest insurance company in the nation. Current positions available as representatives and sales.

AZ Dept. of Health Services, Key Bentley, HR Program Administrator

They really have the big picture in mind. This government organization helps to make sure individuals and community well-being are protected and improved by providing resources from womb to tomb. While carrying out their mission they also take care of their employees with generous compensation, medical benefits and more. Openings include Social Workers, Nutritionists, Medical Records and more.

U-Haul, Alex Taylor, Corporate Recruiter

Want to work in a mid-century historic building? U-Haul’s got a great work location in downtown Phoenix. While not stuck in the past, they keep the country moving with some of the latest IT technology to help them manage the largest truck fleet in the world. There are opportunities in every field: contact center, corporate, field work and IT.

Closing

Sheila Coulam, Vice President of Operations for Career Connectors, closed the formal part of the event and invited guests to participate in the informal sessions including talking directly to hiring managers and resume experts, finding educational opportunities, visiting Coaches Corner, and posing for a free head shot by a professional volunteer photographer. Also, thanks to GCU for the venue.

For details about upcoming Career Connectors events throughout the Valley, click here to visit the events section on the website for times, locations, and details about hiring companies and keynote topics.

5/2/2019 – Technology Panel

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Written by Rachel Gersten

Jessica Pierce welcomed and explained the agenda, which was a bit different than typical Career Connectors meetings. Instead of one keynote speaker we were fortunate enough to have two panel discussions, which included seven technology market experts. Today’s event was sponsored by USAA.

Panel One: Talent Recruitment in Technology

Brad Harris, Software Developer at USAA
USAA is a mission driven company built by members of the military for the military. They are actively seeking talented individuals to fill over 1,000 jobs in AZ in the next 2 years. Openings include Data Analytics Audit Manager, Business Intelligence/ETL Engineer, Senior Risk Analyst, Java Software Engineer, Attorney, .NET Developer, and Customer Service Representative.

Melissa McCoy, Vice President for TechFinders
TechFinders is a well-established recruiting firm that has adapted well to the changes in technology, over their 20+ year history. This is a company that knows how to stay current.

Gil “GW” Williams, Lead Sales and Marketing Manager for Intel
Intel has evolved into a more data-centric company. They still work with PC’s and chips but they are much more than that. They are known to say any technology will run better with Intel. They are hiring process engineers, manufacturing techs/engineers, as well as a number of other positions.

Panel One: Q & A

Q: When you say “technology field” what does that mean?

A: The “technology field” is everywhere. Our world has gotten to the point where we need tech for just about everything. Tech is becoming a bigger part of our lives. If you have a website you are a tech company.

Q: What do you consider a job in the field?

A: There is a full range of job opportunities in the tech field, some of which include: developers, data engineers, project management, support, management, marketing, sales, HR analyst, and quality assurance, to name of few.

Q: How do you break into the tech field?

A: Be in the middle of everything. Spend as much time as you can networking. Consider having a direct link to your resume on your business cards. Use social media like LinkedIn to research people at the companies you’re interested in working. Learn about their culture. Go to events. Remember it takes time, be persistent. Ask many people eventually someone will say yes. Only 8% people that apply online will get hired according to the panel.

Q: What do you see as the future of tech in AZ?

A: Artificial intelligence (AI) will be huge in the next five to seven years. Cyber security will be very important because of foreign threats and hacking. The old saying, “information is power” rings true.

Panel Two:  Career Pathways

Chukwudi Anya, Security Controls and Compliance Analyst at Freedom Financial Network.
Freedom Financial Network is the largest debt relief service provider in US. Open positions include Data Analyst, DevOps Engineer, Full Stack Engineer, Accounting Specialist, QA Coach, Software Engineer, Senior Scrum Master/Agile Coach and more.

Chad Johnson, Technology Manager for State Farm
State Farm provides financial services with over 83 million policies in the country. Openings include Software Developer, Java Developer, Data Scientist, Salesforce & Digital Analytics Analyst, Customer Service, and Business Analysts.

James Mitchell, Recruiting Manager for Deloitte
Deloitte is the largest consulting firm in the country. Deloitte has over 400 jobs to fill in Arizona including AWS Cloud Architect, Cyber Oracle Cloud EBS Security & Controls Consultant, Sr Linux Administrator, Cyber Risk Secure Software Enablement Consultant, UX Designer and many more.

Rob Loy, Head of Technology Education with GCU
GCU is an education provider with support for IT education, boot camps and degree programs.

Panel Two: Q & A

Q: What does tech mean for your business?

A: Technology means everything to business. It encompasses so many areas some of which include: support, operations, data support, compliance, risk security, planning and analyst.

Q: How would you get your foot in the door?

A: Remember to set yourself apart. Employers are interested in finding the right employee for the right position. Tap into your soft skills especially your willingness to learn.
There are many ways to get your foot in the door. One of which is to gain additional education by going back to school for degrees, certifications, and/or boot camps.
There are three things to keep in mind when wanting noticed: networking, networking, networking. LinkedIn is a great networking tool. Use it to connect with company leaders.

Closing

Jessica Pierce concluded the meeting by thanking USAA for sponsoring the Panel, our wonderful host GCU for their support, as well as all our amazing corporate sponsors and volunteers. The next meeting will be held on May 9th, 9 am at the Scottsdale location.

On May 11th, USAA has an on-site Career Expo from 7:30 to 10:30 am. This will be held at USAA’s newly built campus at 25700 Norterra Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Please remember to sign up online for these upcoming events.

Please check out the blog post from Heather Marcom at Freedom Financial Network on Re-careering.

The MINDset Game™: How to Master Your Mindset to Land Your Next Job

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Written by Gary Matsuda

Ever think, ‘Why is it so hard for me to take the next step in my career? Everyone else seems to find the perfect job so easily.”
But what no one ever told you is the key to landing next job might not be just more money or more time – it’s what you’ve always had all along. It’s your own mind.

Keynote

Vered Kogan knows a thing or two about getting out of your head and making progress. As a job search expert through her private coaching practice and with Lee Hecht Harrison, she’s worked with hundreds of people making career changes.
Her coaching experience found it is mindset that makes the difference and what Vered provides is not just strategy but help with execution that leads to success.
You may have read, ”Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.” (Charles R. Swindoll). But if you’re dealing with job loss or are switching careers, the associated mental and emotional conflict often triggers the brain’s defenses to send out hormones that are often counterproductive.
The most common reaction to change
It’s a good thing our brain has a natural negativity bias because it’s there to protect us and to keep us safe. Within the brain’s circuitry, negativity networks outnumber positive networks 5 to 1, so when we perceive threats or something that’s unknown, it much easier for our minds to default towards safety and comfort.
When it comes to self-preservation, our brain tries to work in our favor: Stay safe! Conserve energy! Don’t put your finger there! And it also seeks out comfort: More sleep! More food! More Netflix!
But while our brain tries to warn and protect us during a job change, stress hormones get released, the fight or flight response kicks in and bad things happen to our bodies because we are stressed. We can’t think, can’t sleep and we eat ice cream, chocolate and sweets. Blame it on our brain’s desire for feel good hormones like serotonin and too much of the stress hormone, cortisol, but these and your mindset can be managed, says Vered.
So how do we get a handle on what we are experiencing and stop it from ruining our day?
As a 15-year-old sophomore on high school junior varsity, future NBA basketball star, Michael Jordan saw his close friend selected for the varsity squad instead of him. Angered and depressed, he went home, locked himself in his room and cried.
However, he turned his disappointment around and began to work hard at the game because he wanted to prove he was better than everyone thought he was. He refocused often and his short-term actions were specific and clear, “Whenever I was working out and got tired and figured I ought to stop, I’d close my eyes and see that list in the locker room without my name on it,” Jordan would explain. “That usually got me going again.”
Vered shows how we can stop our emotions from getting the better of us with 4 rules from the MINDset Game™:
Rule 1: Decide what you are searching for and why.
Behind our logic, there are deep seated reasons why we think the way we do. To make this rule work we must be intentional about focusing on a goal and ending the dilemma of too many options. If we don’t decide what to target, then by default our wily subconscious takes over and BAM! just like that we are distracted.
Our subconscious has outsized influence on our thoughts and it out performs the conscious in information processing by a factor of thousands! While many of these systems are associated with maintaining our body functions it does underscore the latent power of using our subconscious to make our brains work on autopilot.
Vered says to think of our subconscious as our personal goal achieving machine, there to help make us aware of opportunities that align with our set goals. But it needs to be given clear, positive, realistic instructions.
So do this: Create a list of what is important in career, health, and family. What is it that you want to achieve? And more importantly – why? Think – what would it take for me to do this?
Rule 2: Listen for clues. Know what direction you are facing (toward or away from what you want).
Take your emotional temperature at least 4 times a day. Make it a habit. Ask yourself “What emotions am I feeling now?” Negative emotions (along with the associated stress hormones) limit your ability to perform at your best.
Don’t serve or feed thoughts and emotions that will take you in the wrong direction, instead encourage positive emotions that free up your thinking and set your focus towards what you really want.
Be aware you are always moving closer or farther from your goal. Your habitual thoughts create your life as Gandhi said, “A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”

Rule 3: When you are moving away from what you want, change your focus to get “warmer”
Change your thoughts. Ask, “What story am I telling myself?” And verify, “Is this really true?” If it’s a negative thought then specify a new, more empowering belief by finding small proofs, reasons, past feedback and from who you know might be supportive.
And remember, “What would it take to achieve my goal?”

Change your emotions. Ask yourself, “What can I acknowledge myself for?” Call to mind even those small achievements and appreciation that you’ve received.
Ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?” This is a fast way to keep yourself grounded and change emotions.
Ask yourself, “What do I want to feel?” The Quick Coherence® technique is a powerful tool for shifting into a more positive & coherent state.
Step 1 Focus attention in the area of your heart. Imagine your breath flowing in and out of your chest area, breathing a little slower or deeper than usual. Try inhaling for 5 seconds then exhaling for 5 seconds or whatever rhythm is comfortable.
Step 2 Try to re-experience the feeling you have for someone you love, a pet, a special place, or an accomplishment or focus on a feeling of calm or ease.
While negative emotions narrow our attention and force us to act in a specific way, positive emotions do the opposite: They broaden our attention and increase our awareness of possible actions we might take. Those are the beginnings of creativity.
For Michel Jordan, it was not a matter of eliminating or forgetting the bad situation or anxiety but controlling and turning away from it by executing constructive behaviors.
Rule 4: Keep moving until you find what you want.
Commit to taking at least ONE action this week to move you closer (“warmer”) to your goal.
It’s your life. Be persistent. Plan your own reality because what you believe is stopping you might just be in your head. Put these rules to work, take your career to the next level, stop thinking too much and start doing and see if this can help your personal, relationship and business challenges!

Hiring Companies

Linda Hoolihan, CRS Temp Housing
Help families in need! Work with CRS to help insurance policy holders who have lost or damaged homes find temporary housing. This is a small company of about 160 employees. They’re hiring Customer Care Specialists to take care of families who have undergone loss, a Resident Specialist in sales (should have experience negotiating and facilitating) and a Relationship Manager who will work to increase business with current clients.
Molly Romine, State Farm, Recruiter
If you are the nurturing and caring type, State Farm needs those who can help their clients who have lost something.
Now hiring for customer facing roles for those who are trying to recover from unexpected loss. There are also tech positions open. Located on the Tempe Town Lake in one of the largest complexes in Arizona in Marina Heights. If you’re looking for a stable company that’s recession resistant, insurance is it.
Gay Meyer, USAA, AVP HR Regional Operations
USAA’s mission is to facilitate the financial security of its members, associates and their families through provision of a full range of highly competitive financial products and services; in so doing, USAA seeks to be the provider of choice for the military community. They currently have 12 million members and over 33,000 employees worldwide, with more than 4,800 in Phoenix.
The Phoenix campus is the only USAA office outside of San Antonio that supports all primary lines of business, including insurance, banking, investment management and financial planning services. Situated on 575 acres off I-17 and Happy Valley Road, USAA’s innovative and spacious work area offers a full array of campus amenities, while conducting business as a responsible steward of our precious natural resources. USAA Phoenix campus is LEED New Construction certified and LEED Platinum Existing Building certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, ENERGY STAR rated by the EPA, and has won multiple international awards for building excellence and sustainability. This company is interested in personal and professional development and will pay you to go to school!
Main areas for job openings are: Customer Service and Sales, Insurance, IT and Risk/Compliance. Apply online at usaajobs.com.

Resources

Ron Mack, Goodwill of Central & Northern AZ
Not just a retail store but an organization that provides opportunities which serve the needs of the community and help the professional job seeker become self-sufficient.
The Goodwill Career Center offers free career coaching, resume critiquing, job leads from employers, mock interviews, and digital skills training classes from beginning to advanced in 3 locations in Phoenix.
Mesa location will be open next month as a new career center.

Robert Loy, GCU, Head of Non-degree Tech Programs
Get started in the IT industry! GCU non-degree programs can provide everything to make you marketable in IT. There is a 16 week Coding Bootcamp that almost guarantees successful employment with connections with recruiters, community and hiring companies!

02/07/19 – Resume Mythbuster Panel

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Written by Gary Matsuda

Working on updating your resume? Here to help you distinguish fact from fiction are four resume experts who have a total combined experience of working with hundreds of hiring managers and recruiters!
Myth: Include all jobs to show experience.
Save space, employers don’t need to see everything – only what is important to the job they are trying to fill. Unfortunately, there is just too much for them to read. Specialization is everywhere, so your job search must niche down as much as possible to the specific job opening.
Lori Norris, Get Results Career Services, says the biggest resume mistake is a failure to focus. Three or four pages might be too much (unless you are upper level executive management). They don’t want to see everything, only what is important to them. If you try to appeal to everyone then you will reach no one. Have multiple versions ready that target and focus incorporate keywords from job descriptions.
It takes work to remove non-essential work experience, but a shorter, more focused document will improve scoring by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and will be easier to read by us humans.
Brenda Cunningham, owner of Push Career Management, says to keep it to one page, but it depends on your experience. If you were in the same position for a long time it will look good if it was kept to one page. Most resumes for mid-career professional are 2 pages, but if the job application asks for one page – then you must follow directions!
Myth Busted!
Grain of truth: Show all your experience that relates directly to the job you are applying for.

Myth: Listing all duties and activity makes you look well rounded.
While you should include relevant accomplishments, your resume isn’t a list of ‘chores’. What employers want to know about your experience is did you perform well and will you be valuable to them.
Martha Rockwell, owner of A+ Resumes & Career Coaching says, not to fall back on merely describing activities but include results of your effort.
Donna Tucker, founding member of Resume Writers Council of Arizona: Don’t include your whole story but leave some details for the cover letter or interview. In your resume quickly tell what problem you solved and make it easy to read.
Brenda: Your resume should answer the ‘So what?’ question. Don’t just write that you ‘answered phones’, but say you ‘made 400 calls a day while documenting detailed notes’. Show what made your work special.
Martha: If you give too much information, they may not call for interview since they believe they have enough information from you. Hold back on some details but give enough to tempt them to ask for more. Highlight your value by showing quantifiable results, ‘sales increased’ or ‘reduced rework’. Describe how you made money for the company!
Donna: Including too much can also leave you open to assignments you don’t want and may indicate that you’re desperate or don’t know your strengths.
Brenda: Keep it relevant, don’t make the reader work to figure out what is important. Also, don’t be creative in describing your job title, call it what it is and use what they call it. Be clear on job titles for instance, there’s a difference between project manager and project coordinator. Show what you’ve done matches what the job requires.
Myth Busted!
Grain of truth: You may include your responsibilities but it’s more important to show the value you’ve provided to the business.

So how can your brilliance be captured on a shorter resume? Go deep, not wide. On to the next myth.

Myth: Don’t need cover letter (because ain’t nobody got time for that!)
A well written cover letter shows your personality, communication style and enhances your chance for an interview. After passing initial screening, resumes and cover letters will go to hiring managers but because they’re not going to interview 20 people for a job, they’ll read cover letters to make final selections.
This is the sales pitch that shows what you have to offer and why you are the best person for job. Include a call to action that specifies what happens next. For instance, ‘I will call you for possible of interview’. But if you include this, be sure to do it!
Martha: While the resume is an objective document, a cover letter is more subjective but still tailored to a specific job posting. Place the most important requirements near the beginning of cover letter to show clearly you can do the job.
Donna: If an ATS asks for a cover letter separately, then don’t attach to resume. Its content must be specific to the job. Don’t repeat information that is on resume.
Lori: If uploading to an ATS and there is no separate upload for a cover letter, you might be able to upload the resume first then followed by cover letter attached. Keep them separate if possible.
Myth Busted!

Myth: Fancy fonts help make a resume stand out
Getting past the ATS gatekeeper is difficult enough and fancy fonts can make it even harder for automated software to read your resume. Microsoft Word is best, while PDFs can be tricky for ATS to read. Leave the fancy resume for the interview.
Lori: The way it looks is not as important as content. You don’t need fancy if you’ve got great content.
Donna: To get your resume read more accurately by an ATS use san serif fonts ‘no feet’ such as Calibri or Arial.
Also avoid text boxes, tables, no images, don’t even include your photo!
Myth Busted!
Grain of truth: Print an alternate ‘fancier’ resume to present at interview.

Myth: I can create a resume on my own without help
Not so much anymore. Applicant Tracking Systems have gotten much better at scoring, approving and rejecting applicants depending on how well content matches a job posting. With hundreds of different ATS software screening your applications, you’ll want as much feedback as possible from professional resume writers. The best resume coaches go through professional training, evaluations, certifications and keep up with hiring trends at local and national Human Resource conferences. Based on their relationships with recruiters and hiring managers who are currently trying to fill positions, they keep current on the resume screening process and the foundations of a good resume.
Brenda: We all have different opinions however, if you get advice from too many voices, it may be hard to know who to listen to. It can be counterproductive to apply what every resume writing coach suggests so our advice would be to pick one professional’s help and go with that.
Donna: Time is money and a resume is a tool that gets an interview. It costs a few dollars but gets you started quickly.
Lori: There’s no one right way. There are many format variations, however whatever style it is, it must get you interviews.
Myth Busted!
Grain of truth: You can create your own resume but get professional help, it is worth every dollar.

You Against the ATS Machine
Identify keywords used in the job posting and verify the hard and soft skills required. Good resources to research what keywords are used generally by industry are:
• Onetonline.org
• Jobscan.co
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
Lori: It’s probably best to have multiple versions of your resume. Target and focus by using keywords found on the job description and place them higher on your documents. Show how your results were measured and how you made impact. Remember it’s not about you – it’s about how you will add value to a potential employer.
Donna: ATS vary in sophistication but they generally scan for keywords, parse and score documents for the hiring managers. No one has time to go through all the resumes. They are also stored so they might still review them for another opening. Be careful with formatting, using fancy fonts, headers, that can cause rejection. Keep it simple!
Chronological is most widely accepted format. Functional resumes may sometimes throw off the ATS if it is looking for sequence. It may be flagged as something missing and can appear as if you are trying to hide something.
ATS tracks everything you do, even the number of times you’ve applied to each job, so apply only to relevant positions!

Mature workforce tips:
How far back should you go? What about jobs held back in 1998?
Go back no more than 15 years, but you can use a section at the bottom of your resume to add other career highlights and measurable accomplishments. You may just note that you have 7+ years’ experience without dates.
Brenda: Don’t give hints that may tip them off about your age. Don’t give them reason to think you are expensive or have outdated skills. Age discrimination is real so don’t give them clues that you are older.
Lori: Imagine what a 24 year old hiring manager might be thinking: you could show them up, be after his job or be judgmental. Realize that they may feel intimidated by your experience. Veterans – don’t say you are retired (and reveal you are getting pension). Unconsciously they may think you could just coast through the job and really don’t need the work. Instead, say that you enjoyed a successful career in the military.
Other tips:
• Your email address may give you away. AOL can look outdated, but Gmail is better. Don’t use year of birth in your email address, it can be obvious if a number in your email address looks like a birth year!
• Remove date of college graduation.
• While it may help you feel good to list work done 20 years ago, keep the reader in mind and see if your experience appears relevant.

Employment gaps on resume?
Too long of a break in your career may give the impression your experience and skills might not be current. If you can, show you were productive and learning, where you have been getting an education or trying a new profession. Get guidance at Career Connectors, go to specific industry organizations, take classes, volunteer, be intentional on building your skills so you increase your qualifications. If you took time off to care for family, then just say so.

As one of Career Connectors more well attended events, it’s apparent that in this booming job market while you may be:
• Already working but looking for something better
• Looking for your first job out of the military
• Getting prepared for the next layoff
Resumes that follow expert guidelines will make it easy for employers to know who you are and what you can do for them while getting a job that is the best fit for you.

HIRING COMPANIES

Wells Fargo
Elaine Favasole
Comfortable with your money? Many people aren’t and Wells Fargo needs you to help make their customers feel financially confident. Elaine Favasole.
Some of Wells Fargo’s current openings: Account Resolution Specialist, Administrative Assistant, Lead Teller, Process Developer, Systems Support Analyst, Financial Crimes Spec, Info Security Engineer.

Arizona DES (Department of Economic Security)

Nancy Stanford
If you have a heart to help those in need and care about people, this a great place to land. This is the Human Services arm for the State of Arizona. They’re known for great benefits and they’re hiring veterans!

No ATS used here! But when you apply, please make it easy to read your resume because we have real people reading them!
DES current openings: Customer Service Representative, Payroll Services, Computer Technician, HR Project Manager, Senior Clinical Strategist, Senior Application Manager, Medical Assistant, Office Manager

US Census Bureau

Government shutdown or not, we’re still funded! Bill Pond of the Census Bureau says there is a great need of help to get an accurate count of who lives here in Arizona. Arizona is one of the faster growing states and an accurate count of our population will get more representation at the federal level which could mean more money for Arizona!
Current openings: Field Survey Technician, Field Representative, Supv. Partnership Specialist

RESOURCES

Grand Canyon University

Steven Long
There are 10,000 jobs at GCU so there could be something for you! Although this is the largest Christian accredited university there is high emphasis put on individual relationships.

While we value experience over degrees, certifications and education can get the ATS to score you over the 90% mark. Be a lifelong learner and apply for an MBA!

1/17/19 – Financial Services/Insurance Panel

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Written by Jim McBride

Time to put your transferable skills into action? Have a driving passion for serving customers? Interested in navigating the career lattice? If so, you may be the perfect fit in both of these top five growth industries in Phoenix: Insurance and Financial Services!

Unique industry insights from two round-table panels of recruiting experts, hosted by Jessica Pierce, sparked lively discussion on the hottest jobs and how to start your career transition. Our audience of job seekers and networkers heard Q&A topics ranging from getting started without previous industry experience, to career pathways and industry myth-busting. Keep reading for a full recap.

PANEL 1 – Career Advancement in the Culture of the Insurance Industry

State Farm – Molly Romine, Recruiter
Farmers – Steven Acevedo, Supervisor
Liberty Mutual – John Walters, President, AZ Insurance Institute

Q – What advice do you have for people who are interested in pursuing career opportunities in the insurance industry?

A – We are always looking for people with a positive mentality. It’s so important to always be positive. Do your research – spend time connecting with people in the industry, read blog posts, get to KNOW the industry, learn the acronyms and become a practitioner of knowledge. Be yourself – we want a glimpse into your life, so you can be a superstar and have an amazing experience.

Q – Sometimes Insurance companies get a bad rap. What myths can you shatter?

A – Going in, I was planning on a career pivot within two years because I thought it would be boring! I soon recognized there’s so much more beyond the entry level position. Our company is like a mini-city, you are able to pursue so many other things within the organization. There’s a perception that insurance is all about being an agent. But there are lots of moving parts in areas like claims, underwriting and IT, just to name a few. There’s no college major that doesn’t apply to the insurance industry. There are lots of non-traditional roles. We’ve employed nurses, doctors and even physicists.

Q – What has kept you engaged?

A – The ability to keep on my learning path, finishing up my master’s program with the financial assistance that was provided. Plus, there are so many great people. The industry is known for attention to work-life balance. Only 10% of our workforce is call center and there are work-from-home opportunities at nearly all levels. There’s huge flexibility with work schedules. In the call center we are honoring our commitment to the customer so there is a need for schedule adherence, but we are not looking for robots.

Q- What are the career pathways once employees come on board?

A – I refer to this as career lattice. You can grow sideways – left or right – as well as diagonal. You’re navigating the lattice versus the career ladder. For some, the best career move may be lateral. It’s important to find an internal mentor as well as a mentor within the industry. Identify your interests and strengths. There are plenty of internal opportunities, keep your eyes open and decide which direction you’d like to go. Keep in mind, there are new jobs being created that didn’t exist 5 – 10 years ago.

Q – What are some tips for people who are pursuing senior management roles?

A – There definitely are openings. We’re always looking for talent and there’s always a need for leaders. The positions are typically posted internally first, then externally. If starting at entry level isn’t for you, network in the industry and learn about the jobs that aren’t posted yet. Learning the ropes really helps. We do try to promote from within, which can make it tough for external candidates. However, we know external candidates have valuable niche skills and the desire to compete for these roles.

Q – What is the outlook in the next 2 – 5 years in the insurance industry?

A – Phoenix is a great labor and academic market. The area is not disaster prone (no floods, hurricanes, etc.) so that’s why we’re here. Industry change is being driven by technology, regulation and consumer demand. As technology improves, our ability to serve improves. We’re not like Blockbuster, the movie video tape company that didn’t change with the times.

Q – What are the hot careers?

A – Jobs in IT, telematics, artificial intelligence, data science, programming, data platforms are all really hot. So is leadership. Great leaders can be hard to come by. Showcase your talent from other places you’ve worked.

Q – What are the benefits you offer?

A – We offer a cafeteria-style. It’s very broad and generous. We want your mind free and clear, not worried about insurance coverage. The benefits are not cookie-cutter. We match the diversity of our employee groups. For example: just out of college, single parent, looking to adopt – it’s designed for different stages of an employee’s life cycle. Tuition reimbursement is very popular.

Q – (audience) Are there any programs for hiring seniors (50+)?

A – Jobs are open for people of all ages. Some roles may be more attractive to seasoned job seekers. There’s been a noticeable increase in the number of part-time retirees who are looking for a flexible schedule.

Q – (audience) What is the best way to navigate a job fair? The job I’m looking for is not available and I’m directed to watch the website for postings.

A – There’s no easy answer to this question. If we’re at a job fair looking for customer service people, that’s going to be our focus. The best answer is to dig in on the website and make sure to network. We have employee referral programs, reach out and connect with current employees. They will be motivated to help you.

Q – (audience) – What is the best way to prepare for an interview?

A – Be ready for behavior-based questions. We’ll be looking for specific examples of situations from your past. Come up with a list of 10 examples and practice. This is what happened…this is how I handled it.

PANEL 2 – Never Expected to be Where I am Today – Financial Services

Freedom Financial Network  – Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition
Chase – Lekheythan Malone, Sr. Recruiter
Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation (Financial Training) – Brittany Holmes, Workforce Development Manager

Q – What skills do you need to move into financial services?

A – We hire from all kinds of work experience. It’s really all about how you communicate with customers. We’re not just call centers. There are plenty of opportunities in roles beyond the call center.

Q – Financial services does not always sound exciting and fun. Why do you like this industry?

A – There is a common theme, we are passionate about serving our clients; educating and answering questions to help people achieve their financial goals in life. We have empathy for people when they need our help. We offer great benefits and we’re growing, which is very exciting.

Q – What if a job seeker has no previous financial services experience, are there opportunities?

A – The call center is typically where you start. Although over 50% of our roles are filled internally, we are looking for skills that are transferable. We also focus on a competency and culture fit. Be able to articulate your transferable skills, verbally and on your resume. If we understand your transferable skills, we can help direct you. It takes effort. Do your research and don’t ask, “whadya got?” You should always know what specific job you are seeking.

To build your industry knowledge, make a point of attending an industry conference to network, learn something new or brush up on best practices. Some positions require a license. Getting into a licensing program shows initiative and a commitment that you’re ready for the securities industry. There are four-week programs with outplacement assistance through the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation.  (See:  Financial Industry Training Open House)

Q – What are the career pathways in financial services?

A – We’re building a path from our customer service “farm team” and coaching people through the career ladder. But we’re still figuring it out because we’re a new company. Internal opportunities are numerous with so many different and diverse lines of business, so there’s lots to explore. It depends on want you want to accomplish in your career and we encourage employees to move around. Managers have career development on their score card, so they are having those conversations with their direct reports.

Q – What is the future of the industry?

A – We are piloting part-time roles in our core services because workforce flexibility is critical. More automation is coming, so make sure you keep up on your skills. You HAVE to be tech savvy, so don’t get left behind. We still need lots of people behind the technology to serve customers.

Q – What are the attractive benefits beyond the standard suite?

A – Freedom Financial Network:  Voted Best Place to Work in Phoenix. Cafeteria, coffee bar, covered outdoor seating areas, BBQ, games, core values C.A.R.E., time off on your birthday, time off to volunteer.

Chase: Internal resume and interviewing workshops, coaching and networking. Retirement portfolio flexibility options.

Q – If someone has a credit history issue, are they eligible to work?

A – Yes, you would be eligible for 95% of the roles. A typical background investigation is conducted on prospective employees but only a limited number of roles require a credit history check.

Q – (audience) If I’m looking for a manager role, what job title should I put on my resume to get it through the applicant tracking system?

If you’re applying with just one resume for every job, you’re using the wrong approach. Look at each job description and customize your resume to that job. Drop in key words and don’t worry so much about the job title. Recruiters recognize that job titles can vary. And remember, a recruiter will spend about 30 seconds scanning your resume.

RESOURCES

GCU – Jim Pangborn, Director

GCU offers an IT functionality “boot camp” featuring an in-depth program to build your skills for a career in the technology field. GCU also provides business management MBA programs and continuing education for those interested in adding on to their skill set.

Numerous open staff positions at GCU, featuring:
• Director of Compensation
• Sr. Financial Analyst

jobs@gcu.edu
jobs@gce.com

CLOSING

Jessica Pierce closed the meeting with a review of upcoming events. Up next, “Put Your Strengths to Work – Find a Job that Fits” featuring Stephanie Clergé on Tuesday, January 22nd in Gilbert. Jessica acknowledged the many partners and volunteers who help make Career Connectors a success!