Career Connectors

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6/28/2016 – Career Transitioners – Get Out of Your Own Way!

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Career Connectors with Clara ChorleyWritten by: Wade Stoddard

This month’s Career Connectors event at Gilbert was a packed house. I watched as more and more people began to file in and more and more seats were taken out from another room to accommodate. We were all excited to hear from Clara Chorley!

Keynote

Clara Chorley, our keynote speaker for this month has a vast experience helping professional women and men around the world gain clarity about what is next in their careers and then take strategic steps to get there! She is CEO and founder of Clarity Unlimited and has extensive experience as a career coach and professional speaker. She grew up in England and I relished the opportunity to hear her accent. It was a real treat. She is author of the best-selling book T.U.R.N.: 4 Steps to Clarity in Your Life and Career.

Patterns and Themes in Life.

• We are either in our mojo zone or groan zone. We are obviously most productive when we are in our mojo zone. When we are in our groan zone we are full of self-doubt, cynicism and fear. When we are in our mojo zone we feel like everything is smooth sailing and everything is working in our favor – positive.
• We need to be in the mojo zone and follow the patterns and themes in our life that lead us in that zone and keep us there.

3 Mistakes We Make When Job Searching.

Mistake #1 Muddy Mind:
• Unclear about what you want or what you are offering a potential employer. No focus on a clear goal or career path.
• Unknown value for what you have and what you want.

“Talking ourselves out of things is not helpful when you’re going through a job search”

Mistake #2 Checkout Line:

• The demise of the hokey pokey – we want to put one foot into the job search, take it out, take a break, and days, weeks, months later get back into the job search.
• The slow burn – akin to the frog in the slowly warming water, we lose energy and eventually our job search dies. Our energy is sapped and we no longer have motivation for the job search.
• Confidence goes way down and depression goes way up.
• Cliffhanger – we wait until the last minute to find a job. We “talk” about finding a job and it isn’t until the last day, the last dollar that we actually do something about finding a job.

Take the time now to identify what you are, why you are this way and solutions to change.

Mistake #3 Lone Wolf:Clara Chorley Woosh
• Strong belief that you can do everything on your own. You don’t need anyone to help you.
• Develop feelings of anger, apathy, and resentment.
• Reach out to your network! Find those that can help you with your skills, emotional support and set a clear goal of what you want to achieve.

Take time now to set goals on how you are going to get help from your network.

“You are way more resourceful and resilient than you realize”

Nelson Mandela when being released from prison was asked why he didn’t have anger and resentment and he responded, “ I wasn’t suffering, I was preparing.”

Hiring Companies

HealthNet
Bonnie Taylor, Sr. Staffing Consultant

HealthNet is the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the country. Their purpose is to transform the health of the community one person at a time. They offer comprehensive benefits and currently have career opportunities such as IT, Behavioral Health, Business Analysts, Clinical & Nurse Staff and more.  Contact them via their website.

Freedom Financial Network
Nicole Durkin, HR Business Partner

Freedom Financial Network provides amazing health benefits and treats everyone like they are family. Their goal is to transform clients’ lives and give help along the road to financial freedom. Opportunities are available for Account Executives, Software Engineers, Product Managers, and Business Analysts.  You may apply on their website: http://www.freedomfinancialnetwork.com/join_our_team.

Revana/Teletech
Mary Ann Lopez, Recruiter

Revana/Teletech is a professional inside sales organization and recognized leader in outsourced sales and marketing. They offer great benefits and are currently hiring in both sales and sales management. Please go to www.revanajobs.com to apply.

CDI Corporation

Patti Franco, Sales Director

Unfortunately, CDI Corporation was unable to attend the event, but their website reflects many openings, including direct hire positions.

 Resources

Jian Boldi presented: “Top 10 Financial Considerations”

1. Understand your unemployment benefits.
2. Do not forget to keep paying your taxes.
3. Deduct your job hunting expenses.
4. Go back to school to advance your skills or learn something new.
5. Become underemployed.
6. Budget, budget, budget.
7. If you are 55 or older you can take penalty free money from your IRA using 72t.
8. Purchase health insurance with your IRA funds.
9. Consider reversing a contribution made to your IRA.
10. Ask for help.

Canyon State Institute
Sheri Carparelli, President/CEO

Canyon State Institute offers certifications for working professionals at 2 of their convenient locations in the Metro Phoenix area. Certifications can increase your appeal to employers and provide you with the skills you need to get your next job. Most certifications are free and covered under the Arizona Work grant. Contact Sheri directly to get more information and to sign up. Sheri Carparelli 602-266-6630.

 

Closing

Jennifer Swenson, Board of Directors President for Career Connectors, thanked attendees, hiring companies, volunteers, and host for the event, Central Christian Church. She announced that after the break, informal breakout sessions would give participants an opportunity to meet hiring managers, receive free professional head shot photos, and talk to experts about resume writing and LinkedIn.

05/14/15 — Getting Hired by the Best

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Written by Susan Lamphiear

When Al Gore lost the Presidential election, the fictional Stuart Smalley (character played by Al Franken on Saturday Night Live) insisted Gore, sitting in front of the mirror, say, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” Stuart assumed, and rightly so, that Gore’s self-esteem may have taken a hit after his very public career setback.

Psychologists tell us that job loss is right up there with traumas including the death of a loved one or being involved in a car accident. So it’s not surprising that individuals in career transition after a job loss might need some extra care, some coaching, and ongoing words of encouragement. And ideally, some practical tips!

Keynote

Kevin Dumcum, Employment Specialist, knows what it’s like to be suddenly unemployed. Until 2009, jobs always came to him. Since that job loss, Kevin discovered he really loves helping people who need assistance on their journey to employment.  Kevin gave job searchers at Scottsdale Career Connectors some very practical advice to help them with their job search.

Kevin’s Ten Lessons to Get to Yes

Lesson 1: Recognize that job loss is traumatic.  It’s not easy. It’s dramatic. It’s traumatic.

Lesson 2: Understand how companies think. Bottom line for the vast majority is profit. They don’t exist to give you a job.

Lesson 3: Control your own career path. During your journey, go after better opportunities whenever they arise.  Remember that no company can guarantee your job and that you don’t owe them your soul.

Lesson 4: Take care of yourself. During your job search, you’re not on vacation! Establish a routine of getting up each morning and get dressed for the job search instead of watching reruns of Game of Thrones. But, make sure to do activities that rejuvenate you. For Kevin, hiking and reading the Bible became constants in his life.

Lesson 5: Decide what you really want. Assessments are available, some for free, that can help you take advantage of this time in your life.  If you have not recently been doing work you really love, then this might be just the incentive to go after a career that better suits you.

  • To tap into what you really like, Kevin highly recommends the book What Color is Your Parachute. Originally written in 1972, it’s been rewritten each year. But find any edition at the public library.  Only the stats have changed, but the basic book is still the same. Section one includes exercises that lead you to your strengths. Section two tells you who would hire you to do the thing you love and are good at. Kevin proudly mentions he learned from his test results that he’s like Gandhi and Michelle Pfeiffer!
  • Take the DISC Assessment free  on the Career Connectors Website.
  • The Myers Briggs Test is good. You can buy it and hire a coach to assist you in interpreting it. Or find the simulator online and take it for free.

Lesson 6: Try everything.  Kevin means you should register on all the job boards (indeed.com, snagajob, jobbing.com, SimplyHired, and careerbuilder.com), use social media (but you must go out to networking events), attend job fairs, and take advantage of BestCompaniesAZ.

Lesson 7: Find the job. Kevin recommends several ways to tackle the job search including Maricopa Workforce Connections One Stop, Employer hiring events and Goodwill, among others.

Lesson 8:  Volunteer.  Remember that there are always people who “need a hand up.” Plus, often you can volunteer in your area of expertise and gain experience while you job hunt. Volunteering shows employers that you haven’t forgotten how to show up. Consider Volunteermatch.org or Handsonphoenix.org for example. Or Career Connectors!

Lesson 9: Expect Rejection. After one too many rejections, Kevin decided he should try to network himself. He was spending more time volunteering in this area than job hunting. He asked himself: Who would hire me to do this…employment help. During this time he happily discovered Career Connectors, too.

Paraphrasing lines from one of the Rocky movies, Kevin reminded attendees, “Life is about how you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Lesson 10: Celebrate small victories because all you need is ONE!

When Kevin flashes a picture from the popular movie Rocky on the screen, I’m already in Walter Mitty form reliving that final exhilarating scene from the original movie.

BestCompaniesAZ

Denise Gredler, Founder and CEO of BestCompaniesAZ, was on hand to talk about the unique model of the company.   The company was founded on these goals:

  • To identify the best companies
  • To promote the best
  • To connect the best

Among many other activities, BestCompaniesAz holds quarterly events for job seekers  with a focus on the military (January), women (April), diversity (August 27), and millennials (October).

Denise highly recommends Lee Vikre’s podcast on top interviewing tips. She also shares the following ways to get hired by the one of the best companies. 

Top Companies Hiring Criteria (in order of importance)

  1. Culture Fit
  2. Interpersonal Skills
  3. Basic Job Skills
  4. Team Player
  5. Technical Skills
  6. Personality
  7. Leadership Skills
  8. Prior experience in industry
  9. Educational Background (undergraduate)
  10. Diversity
  11. Professional Certification
  12. Prior  experience outside industry
  13. Educational Background (advanced)

All four hiring companies represented at the Scottsdale meeting today have recently won top company awards.

Hiring Companies

USAA

Sayra Nevarez, Talent Acquisition Manager

USAA, a financial services organization founded by military officers, serves their members who include the U.S. military and their families. A Fortune 200 company, USAA takes their core values as seriously as they did in 1922 when the company was founded. Benefits include full benefits from the first day of hire, paid time off, wellness program and newly expanded state-of-the-art gym, and a facility on I-17 and Happy Valley Road that includes a health services clinic with doctor on site, onsite cafeteria, a child development center for children five and under and more.  A number of jobs are open including customer service and sales in banking and insurance. To learn more about USAA or apply for a current open position, visit their website.

Orion Health

Heather Kitsko, Recruitment Business Partner

Orion Health is an award-winning leader in the health software industry with offices in the United States and Australia and headquartered in New Zealand. The company’s Scottsdale site is a 100% open office, all cubes, along with 12-13 conference rooms. Benefits of working at Orion Health include 100% medical and dental coverage for the employee and the whole family, paid holidays, sick days and discounts at Apple, AT & T and Verizon. Current openings include engineering and IT positions; more can be viewed online. For more information about the company and to apply, visit their website.

ClearCall Solutions

Jordyn Davis, Director of Talent Acquisition

ClearCall Solutions is a national leader in direct response marketing and sales, specializing in business-to-consumer acquisitions for Fortune 500 companies.  The company has received awards including Best Company to Watch. As one of Chandler’s largest employers, they’ve been named one of Chandler’s top 100 companies, moving up the ranking from 67th last year to 46th in 2014. The company provides opportunities for advancement, leadership training, and recognition.  Many job openings are available including sales representatives, IT business analyst, process analyst and more and can be viewed online. Visit their website to learn even more about the company and to apply.

Charles Schwab

Erika Villicana, Talent Sourcing Advisor

Charles Schwab, founded 41 years ago, continues its original mission to bring Wall Street to Main Street, committed to always see things through the client’s eyes. The company strives to provide financial services at low cost, using the consultation approach—really listening to clients.  A Fortune 500 company, Charles Schwab is located in 45 states and 3 countries.  The company has won 13 different awards in 2013 and 2014. Currently 100 jobs are available including Broker Training, Client Reporting Specialist and Relationship Specialist. For more information about the company and to apply, go to their website.

Resources

Dynamic Worldwide Training

Rodger Brubacher, Director of Continuing Education

Dynamic Worldwide Training is a certification-preparation school, licensed by the state, which offers training and certifications in Microsoft Office, Project Management Institute, and Medical Front Office, to name just a few. All classrooms offer state-of-the-art equipment, including dual monitors.  Located in Tempe off the 60, the school offers several platforms for delivering instruction which include instructor-led, corporate on-site, virtual, or hybrid (a combination of methods). The school has a low student-to-teacher ratio and offers interview coaching. For more information on classes or available funding, visit their website.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the formal part of the meeting, reminding all new visitors about the free DISC assessment available to them. Breakout sessions include the opportunity to speak to hiring companies,receive free business portraits, and resume or LinkedIn coaching and other educational opportunities.

The next meeting of Career Connectors will be held Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at 9 AM in Gilbert, featuring keynote speaker Jim Paisley’s presentation: The Successful Interview.

Then on Wednesday, June 3, 2015, 9:00 AM, Phoenix keynote speaker Sandi Ashton will speak about DISCover Your Unique Value. Bring your printout of your DISC assessment!

The next Scottsdale meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2015, 9:00 AM features keynote speaker Michael Seaver speaking on Developing and Living Your Personal Brand.

For more information on upcoming topics, hiring companies and directions, click here.

Parting Thought

Words of wisdom in a short video from Wayne Dyer  re-emphasizes Kevin’s point about taking advantage of career transition to possibly reinvent yourself. It’s called  How God tells you it’s time to change. Click here to view.

 

04/09/15 — Selling Your Transferable Skills

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Written by Susan Lamphiear

Have you ever seen a job description and said, “I can do that!”?  We can only hope that only a few of you say that when you see a posting for brain surgeon, airline pilot or ballet dancer.  Most of us who have experienced job loss or job transition have heard about transferable skills. But sometimes it’s just not that easy to explain or convince a potential employer what skills we have developed that can be used in another position.  So it continues to be a challenging issue.

Keynote

Selling Your Transferable Skills…Past Experience = Future Value

Cynthia “Cedar” Duerkop  was just 20-something when she first began to experience job layoffs and reorganizations, but it gave her plenty of practice articulating her transferable skills. Starting her career in the military, and moving on up in the private sector, today Cynthia runs her own business where she conducts private coaching, helping people design a career that helps them earn a living doing what they love.

Cynthia’s story began when she was born the youngest of nine kids in a family where no college fund existed. Military service was expected, but when she joined the US Navy at an early age, she was told “no” to her first two choices—chaplain or fighter pilot. “Women can’t be fighter pilots!” they told her in 1986. Instead, they suggested she get trained to be an instructor. The good news is —  she loved it! Over the years Cynthia has taken on numerous roles.

While the order of importance may change over time, Cynthia explained there are basically 10 top transferable skills which you should integrate into your resumes and interviews.

Top 10 Transferable Skills

  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Leadership
  • Time Management
  • Problem-Solving and Analytical
  • Organization
  • Learning
  • Technology
  • Listening
  • Creativity

Within each of these top ten skills, Cynthia discussed what employers look for and how you can put these skills on your resume and work them into interview conversations.

Tips from Cynthia’s Top Ten Discussion

  • Remember your resume is a marketing tool. It should be clean and concise, including consistency in bullets.
  • Customize each resume. Don’t use generic resumes. Use the phrases in your resume that appeared in the company’s job description.
  • Speak to your skills in the interview, weaving them into the conversation. Don’t wait for the interviewer to ask you specific questions that show your skills and talents.
  • Don’t forget to ask for the job.  For example, “Is there anything to prevent you from offering me this job today?”
  • Be prepared to answer the question, “What did you learn if you failed?” It will come up. The person who is interviewing you has failed before. So has the company.
  • Data is great in a resume and the interview. If you know how to analyze DATA, what skills do you have, such as Excel? Weave this information into your resume and interviews.
  • In problem solving, how do you find information?
  • Speaking of problem solving, Cynthia recommends the resource of  Maricopa County Libraries  to job seekers where you’ll find online learning opportunities, free with your Maricopa County Library Card. You can earn certifications which can be impressive during your job search.  Visit this website for more information.
  • How do you think? You guessed it, “Mention these examples in your interview.”

During an interview it’s good to indicate what you accomplished in a team — whether you led it or belonged to it. Regardless of your title, what are your leadership skills? How do you lead? You don’t need to be a manager to be a leader.  And how do you build rapport as a leader when you’re in a leadership role?  Remember that VPs have employees working for them who help them by lending their own unique expertise and talents. Cynthia has told her employees numerous times, “If we think alike, one of us is redundant!”

Hiring Companies

Sunrun

Dan Nikolic, Field Marketing Recruiter and Ryan Sand, Sr Recruiter

Sunrun, headquartered in San Francisco, provides residential solar power in the United States. The company’s mission and vision seeks “to create a planet run by the sun”, especially in Arizona. With 17 years of industry experience, the company sells solar energy in 11 states and continues to grow. It’s now the number one residential installer in the nation and partners with Costco. Benefits to customers include locking in their electricity rates for the next 20 years. The company is currently hiring door-to-door field marketing canvassers, project planners and quality assurance specialists.  Full training is provided. To learn more about the company and to apply, go to their website.

Maricopa Corporate College

Summer Houston, Outreach Specialist

Maricopa Corporate College, new in just the past year, delivers courses ranging from entry level to executive training, delivered in several venues including corporate offices, online, or other multiple locations. As one of the Maricopa Community Colleges, they forecast workforce needs. The College offers IT Boot Camp and its affiliates provide a variety of business-focused events each month, ranging from workshops to seminars to career exposes. Current openings include enrollment advisor, graphic designer II, operations specialist, web developer and many other positions. For more information, for a complete list of openings, or to apply, visit their website.

Revana

Octavio Duarte, Marketing Recruitment Specialist

Revana, a professional inside sales organization and recognized leader in outsource sales and marketing solutions for leading clients, operates at two locations in the Valley—I-17 and Bell in Phoenix and one location in Tempe. One of their newest clients is Angie’s List. Not a typical call center, employees do spend lots of time on the phone, but also send emails and follow up with clients. Employees are promoted from within and often the movement is fast, anywhere from six months to a year. Current opportunities exist in inbound and outbound sales and sales management. To apply or obtain more information, visit them on site from 9 to 3 Monday through Friday or online.

Verizon Wireless

Darrin Ruof, HR Recruiter

Verizon Wireless, a recognized leader in customer service, was the first national wireless provider in the US to build and operate a large-scale 4G LTE network — the most advanced wireless network technology available. Benefits include, among others, 50% discounts on phones, 401K match, the opportunity to advance, industry leading training, and healthcare benefits from day one. The company currently is hiring Solutions Specialists for their retail stores and Customer Service Specialists for their call center in Chandler. To obtain more information, and to apply, visit their website.

Resources

TTY Career College

John Young, Director of Admissions

TTY Career College offers training,  including Project Management (PMP), Certified Assistant Project Management (CAPM), Microsoft Excel Expert Business Analyst Program and more. The school also offers career advancement workshops, quality experienced instructors, and customized training plans to fit your schedule. Funding is available via several sources including WIA Grant provided by the Workforce Connection, VA, scholarships, loans and more. To obtain more information about course offerings or funding, visit their website.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the formal part of the meeting, reminding new attendees they are invited to take the DISC assessment free. She reminded everyone help is available during the networking portion of the meeting when everyone can talk to hiring managers, receive free head shots for their LinkedIn pages, and receive help with LinkedIn and resume preparation.

The next Career Connectors Event will take place Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at 9:00 AM in Gilbert, and features keynote Dave Sherman speaking on the topic Get the Job Fast — How to Find a Great New Job in Half the Time. The next Scottsdale event features keynote Kevin Dumcum, Activate Your Job Search, on May 14, 2015, 9:00 AM. For exact locations, directions and registration, click here.

Parting Thought–A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both. Francoise Rene Auguste Chateaubriand

02/12/15 — DISCovering Your Unique Value

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Written by Susan Lamphiear

“Just the Facts, Ma’am” was really never spoken by the fictional character Joe Friday in the TV show Dragnet, even though the phrase has been attributed to him. But apparently these same words could well have been uttered by a job interviewer whose DISC assessment results showed their dominant behavior as D for Dominance. Someone who ranks high in these Dominance behaviors is likely looking for direct answers to specific questions, so you’re better off not dragging your story out. Get to the point.

The DISC Assessment, keynote topic today, can help you identify your primary communication and behavior style, leading to more successful relationships, impacting your personal life as well as career success. In job transition, adapting to other people’s styles may improve interview outcomes, leading to that job of your dreams.

Keynote Speaker

It was a turning point for Sandi Ashton and her husband when they both took the DISC assessment a few years ago. Though the assessment is often used for career planning, the DISC can be a real eye opener in any type of relationship (and really what it was originally intended to be used for).  Sandi, a dominant D, wanted “just the facts”,  but  her husband tended to give her way too many details. Enter the DISC assessment which allowed each of them to learn to adapt to each other’s predominant style of communication and behavior. In fact, they both laughed when they looked at each other after they saw their results of the assessment.

Keynote speaker Sandi Ashton wanted to give those of us in job transition specific ways to use the results of our own DISC assessment as a way to build our own resumes, and to adapt in interviews, by recognizing dominant styles in others simply by careful observation.

Vice-President of Career Connectors Board of Directors and President of her own company, Optimizing Excellence, Sandi emphasizes she wants to help people understand their unique value to an organization as they tackle career transition.

Research suggests that the most effective people are those who understand themselves, including both strengths and weaknesses, in order to adapt to their environment, and this certainly includes the job hunt. That’s where the DISC Assessment comes in. (You can take the DISC Assessment FREE through Career Connectors website. Click here.)

Sandi, a leadership coach, and DISC certified trainer, explains that the DISC assessment measures only behavior. We don’t always see the essence of a person; we can’t see into their soul. But, a lot can be learned from knowing what our own strengths are and then being able to recognize strengths of others during our interactions.

While the DISC Assessment measures your natural inclinations, another important use for the DISC is adapting at times to the other person’s communication style. It’s possible, with practice, to more quickly recognize the other person’s communication style early in a discussion.

Recognizing Behavioral Styles Quickly

  • Dominance — This person may launch into the conversation without saying hello.
  • Influence — Usually this type of individual is an entertainer, personable, and holds long conversations.
  • Steadiness — Often this person asks how you are and seems to genuinely care. This type of individual tries to stay in touch and remembers things about your past.
  • Compliance — Emails from this person are usually short, to clarify a point, often sent with attachments as support data.

Tips for Using 4 DISC Behavioral Styles in a Job Interview

  1. Dominance – The person with this prevailing style wants to see results. If you’re interviewed by someone with this style, be direct and give specific examples with results achieved.
  2. Influence –  With a focus on people, this interviewer should be allowed to talk. You ask about the company and mention mutual connections. This person is often looking for “an experience.”
  3. Steadiness – This individual needs security and wants a logical explanation of things. Give facts slowly, in a logical way. Listen carefully and answer their questions.
  4. Compliance – Usually this personality style requires the bottom line. Remember when interviewing with this person to answer questions with details and don’t talk personally. In an interview, answer questions with details.

Sandi emphasized  our unique value matters.  “You’re all a gift — you can bring balance to an organization. We all need each other.” The DISC can help remind us of our unique self. Being aware of our own strengths and thus our own value to a company is incredibly important in our job search. Use results of the DISC assessment to formulate your resume and to present yourself in interviews.

Remember research hints that the most effective people are well aware of both their strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to pick a job that utilizes their strengths while learning to adapt to other people’s communication and behavioral styles. That way you can find the position which best utilizes your strengths and you help an organization meet their ultimate goals. Style when we adapt is a win-win situation,  both personally and professionally, Sandi says

Hiring Companies

AppointmentPlus

Jennifer Rojas, Human Resource & Recruiting Manager

AppointmentPlus is a cloud-based scheduling company that allows businesses to get rid of their appointment books. Founded in 2001 and located in Scottsdale, the company features online scheduling available 24/7. Their core values include workplace balance.  The company features a number of benefits to employees including 4% 401K match after 90 days, tuition development, company charity events, 100% health insurance for the employee, and a snow cone machine on site every Friday. Open positions include sales development, graphic design, product analyst and copywriting. To see a more complete job listing and apply, visit their website.

Paladin

Dana Johnson, Account Manager

Paladin helps connect talented individuals in marketing, creative communications, and digital professions throughout the country, including Phoenix. Positions range from contracts, contract to hire, to salaried positions. A few of the positions they offer are graphic designer, copywriter, web analyst, marketing coordinator and project manager. In their hiring process, they generally schedule a 10-15 minute phone call to determine what you’re looking for. They need good talent so their next step is to meet potential job candidates in person. The company has been in the Phoenix area for over two years but has been in business for 25 years. To learn more about their job listings and to apply, visit their website.

Charles Schwab

Shannon Grimes, Talent Attraction Manager

Charles Schwab will soon celebrate 42 years in the financial services industry. Founded with the idea of bringing Wall Street to Main Street, the company tries to see everything through their clients’ eyes. With headquarters located in San Francisco (on Main Street!), it’s actually Phoenix that has the largest employee base at close to 4000. Lots of opportunity exists in Phoenix for individuals ranging from new grads to retirees.  Entry positions include broker trainee, client services, and relationship specialists. Right now there are 100 openings in Phoenix.  The company has earned numerous awards as a top company. For more details on job openings and to apply, visit their website.

Resources

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants

Rodger Brubacher

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants, located in Tempe, offers anyone in job transition an opportunity to receive training in nationally recognized certified areas ranging from project management to Microsoft to medical front office to Six Sigma and more.  Many students qualify for 100% funding of these courses. Flexible scheduling allows students to continue the courses even when they are offered a job during their training. For more information about classes and funding, contact them through their website.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the formal part of the morning by reminding everyone of the breakout sessions where they can receive professional headshots for their LinkedIn profile, assistance with resumes, and the opportunity to speak with representative from hiring companies. She also reminded everyone they can take the DISC assessment free (click here)  because of their affiliation with Career Connectors.

The next meeting of Career Connectors takes place in Gilbert on Tuesday, February 17, 2015, 9:00 A.M. featuring the keynote address Secrets Recruiters Don’t Want You to Know by Absolutely Abby.

Featured speaker at the next Phoenix meeting will be Nykky McCarley, speaking March 4, 2015, on LinkedIn Like an All-Star.

A reminder the next Scottsdale event of Career Connectors is moved to March 19, 2015,  instead of the second Thursday of the month. Jack Milligan will talk about Salary Negotiation – Make More Money.

For details and registration for these Career Connectors events  in the Valley, visit the event section of the website.

01-15-15 What’s Your Why?

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By Susan Lamphiear

Do you have any CAVE dwellers at your company?  (CAVE: Consistently Against Virtually Everything.) The Q12 Gallup Survey calls them disengaged workers. Our keynote speaker today referenced the term in a recent You Tube speech. And he stressed results of the Gallup poll in his presentation today.

All these disengaged workers, about 15-20% of Americans and 13% worldwide, are still hovering out there in the work place. Yikes. One stat even suggests 71% of workers are either disengaged or actively undermining all the other workers. This sounds like a huge problem.

Keynote

Keynote speaker Brian Mohr is convinced, after getting an inside view of many companies over the years, that the lack of magic in the work place (you can either feel it or not when you walk in the doors of a company) all comes back to passion. Is each employee passionate about the company and the company’s purpose? (Some would ask, based on the data, if employers or employees even know what the company purpose is.)

Brian’s Mentor: Thoughts on life’s challenges and the secret of life

During his presentation, Brian introduced his mentor, Dr. Jason Kolber, who has been an important influence on both Brian’s professional and personal life. Jason gave an overview of the rhythms of life we all go through, referencing examples from his own personal experiences. Stages he highlighted included 1. Nothing works 2. You’ll be happy when… 3. Feeling stuck 4.Taking my power back, referencing the triumphant Rocky in the popular movie. He concluded his portion of the presentation with a story about the gods and the secret of life.  As the story goes, the gods discussed where to put the secret of life. Should they put the secret on the mountain? No, because someone would find it. Should they place it under the sea? No, again. Too easy to find.  Finally, they decided to place the secret of life inside people. “They’ll never look there.”

Purpose

At one point in his career, Brian began to journal, trying to figure out what he should be doing. As he wrote, the words just poured out and he decided that ultimately he wanted to have a positive impact on other people. He decided that giving to a cause greater than self is probably the greatest purpose any of us can aspire to. He’d personally like to be a beacon to every interaction he ever makes.

Having a purpose can be hard to describe. These days, he avoids asking his children, ages 8 and 10, what they want to BE when they grow up. Instead, he asks them, “What do you want to be a PART of when you grow up?”

Bananas in the tailpipe as a metaphor for employees undermining efforts

As for that 70-some percent of the workforce who are, as Brian puts it,  somewhere between bananas in tailpipes (movie Beverly Hills Cop) and sleepwalking , what’s the solution?

The Q12 Gallup Survey results place workers into three categories.

  • Engaged—passionate,  feeling profound connection with the company
  • Not engaged—checked out, sleep walking
  • Disengaged—emotionally detached, sometimes to the point of undermining the efforts of others

After many years, the disengaged worker stats remain unchanged, despite new processes and other attempts to change this. It continues to hurt profits and negatively impacts retention of employees.

Answer to the dilemma of the disengaged workforce

Brian’s convinced the answer to this disengagement problem involves creating a passionate workforce, but the responsibility rests on both the employee and the employer.  The employer must create the atmosphere where workers feel dedicated to the purpose of the company. Employees must do their research and find these purpose-driven companies and settle for no less than a match.

On a bright note, Brian says the job market is strong. Jobs are out there. But companies are struggling to find the talented workers the jobs require, even as employees are struggling to find the companies they can be passionate about.

It’s up to the employer to create an atmosphere where the devoted, passionate employee can thrive. But the employee must be focused and do their research to find companies compatible with their own life purpose. To find these employers means networking, engaging, meeting people, in addition to Internet research and interviewing people at the company.

Once again, we’re reminded that technology can be a magnificent tool, but the bottom line is people meeting real live people and making connections. Businesses are overwhelmed with the volume of resumes passing through their systems. Job candidates must proactively look for companies whose purposes align with their own.  It’s a lot of work, but the payoff is that meaningful job you’re passionate about.

(For an analysis of the Gallup Survey, and to see the 12 Q12 Gallup questions, visit this link.)

Hiring Companies

Northcentral University

Khristine Anderson & Becky Neal, Talent Acquisition Specialists

Northcentral University, an online University voted one of the best places to work, maintains a 100% doctoral faculty. The largest percent of their students are graduate or doctoral students, so they are quite suited to help working professionals. Current positions at the university include their academic team, along with positions in accounting and finances, information technology, and training and learning development. For more information about the university, and to apply for positions, visit their website.

Nextiva

Amanda Dziuk, Corporate Recruiter

Nextiva, part of United Web, was named  the fastest growing tech company in Phoenix by  Deloitte’s 2014 Technology Fast 500 Ranking. The cloud-based company offers a variety of telecommunications products. A number of positions are available including sales, support, and upper level management. No positions are outsourced. Benefits include 15 days PTO, medical insurance, company paid life insurance, short and long term disability, 401K, and free catered lunch every Friday. For more information and to apply, visit their website.

US Census Bureau

Marjorie Watkins and Starla Curley, Recruiters

The US Census Bureau has selected Maricopa County as one of its test sites in preparation for the 2020 census. Locally the Census Bureau will be hiring approximately 1000 people, including field services workers and supervisors. Candidates may take both the supervisory and non-supervisory tests. For information on taking the required test and applying, call 1-800-361-6891.

Revana

Octavio Duarte, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Revana is a professional inside sales organization which outsources sales and marketing solutions for some of industry’s leading clients, including Google, Verizon, FedEx and Toshiba. Octavio stressed that Revana is not a staffing company but a company with fulltime workers and benefits. Benefits of working in their call center include paid training, competitive salaries, and career development. The company has a current need for inbound/outbound sales reps and sales managers. They’re also still looking for a fluent French speaker for their customer service department. The company has locations in Tempe and North Phoenix. To apply, visit their website.

Resources

Canyon State Institute

Steve Carparelli, Acting Director

Canyon State Institute is a training company and a partner with Career Connectors. The school offers training in several areas of certification including vocational rehab, SHRM and more, all of which are nationally based. The training can be completed in anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks and funding is available. For information on funding or applying, visit their website.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors, Jessica Pierce, closed the formal part of the meeting by reminding everyone they are invited to take for free the DISC assessment, usually $99. Attendees were also invited to speak directly to hiring companies, get expert advice on resume writing and using LinkedIn, and pose for free professional business portraits.

The next event for Career Connectors is scheduled for Thursday, January 27, 2015, at 9: AM in Gilbert and features a keynote presentation by Kirk Wilkinson: The Optimist’s Advantage.

The next Scottsdale event meets Thursday, February 12, 2015 and features Sandi Ashton’s presentation: DISCovering Your Unique Value.

For more information on these events, including addresses and directions, click here.