Career Connectors

Connecting professionals in career transition with hiring companies and quality resources

Career Connectors eUpdate
Subscribe Here

job search strategy

12/16/20 – Land Your Perfect Job in 2021

by

Written By Susan Lamphiear

Land your Perfect Job in 2021 Jessica Pierce

“Hope is being able to see that there is a light despite all of the darkness.” Desmond Tutu , Nobel Prize winner/ Human Rights Activist

During this Pandemic, people worldwide seek hope and light at the end of the tunnel. But facing this tunnel of darkness AND simultaneously facing the challenge of a job hunt or job transition can seem equally overwhelming.

Keynote speaker Jessica Pierce, CEO/Founder of Career Connectors, was on hand to offer hope and words of encouragement, sharing on her own story, along with specific action tips for navigating the job search as 2021 approaches, even as the worldwide Pandemic continues.

Keynote

Enter the recession of 2009. Jessica describes her family as “significantly impacted by that recession.” With three children, including an infant, a two-year-old, and a ten-year-old, Jessica’s staffing company took a hit and husband Mark Pierce saw three layoffs to his recruiting career within six months.

Jessica and Mark acted swiftly, arranged a short sell of their house, and moved into a rental. A knock on the door. That fateful day in December, right before Christmas. The rental company stopped by to do a repair, and it was when Jessica opened the front door she saw a foreclosure notice posted on the door. Falling to her knees, shaking, she visualized her entire family homeless. The notice announced they had 14 days to move out of their house.

However, in a short time, a home became available–for their “under $1100” per month request–$999 to be exact. A four-bedroom house in Gilbert. “If you don’t call that a miracle…” Jessica said. This rental they found was a wreck, but they went to work cleaning it up, and a painter using paint left over from another job did the whole project for $500. Then within the first three months of 2010, Jessica landed a contract which pulled them out of the recession.

Jessica shares her story to let her audience know there is hope. “You’re here at Career Connectors in December. A lot of people give up in December!”

“It’ll be a great day. I’m going to give you action steps to take.”

Jessica reminds her online Zoom audience a lot of people job hunting don’t realize they need to get into the brain of decision makers. What are they looking for? And how many resumes cross their desks on any given day? “Our goal at Career Connectors is to get you in front of people.”

She recently received 150 applications for one job. The people she interviewed first were people she knew. One hiring manager recently hired a woman who didn’t meet all the criteria or expectations, but she smiled!!!

Job hunters or people in job transition need to keep in mind the jobs you’re looking for may not even show up on the job boards. That’s right. A whopping 70 percent of jobs never show up on the job boards. However, you might be introduced to somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. That’s the power of connections.

LinkedIn is a must for job seekers. A full 94% of employers use LinkedIn but a mere 34 % of job seekers are active on LinkedIn.

In 2009 Jessica jumped on LinkedIn, or Career Connectors today would look very different. She uses LinkedIn for many reasons, including to find new speakers and hiring companies for Career Connectors’ events.

Tips from Jessica as you navigate the job search in 2021

  • Use job boards to see what jobs and companies are out there. BUT use LinkedIn for your actual search and to make connections.
  • Use Facebook for branding. But rely on LinkedIn for the search.
  • When using social media, including Facebook, and others like Instagram, keep in mind divisive topics can hurt you. So can iffy pictures. Carefully consider what image you present of yourself throughout social media. Hiring companies use social media to vet candidates, or worse, to eliminate them before they even meet. Fifty-five percent of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate because of their social media, with 61% of those “reconsiderations” due to negative social media.
  • Your best bet for getting in front of potential employers is to use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and hiring managers and other contacts. If you’re interested in a particular job, try to meet people on LinkedIn. Especially in this era of the Pandemic, no one is going to fault you for looking for a job!
  • Be confident in talking about your job search status. Let people know you are looking. Don’t ask everyone for a job, but put it out there that you are searching.
  • Ask friends and relatives to share how they perceive your strengths.
  • Face-to-face meetings are difficult right now due to the Pandemic. So pick up the phone! Connect on social media.
  • Before you do a virtual interview, test your technology equipment. Also, to make up for lack of in-person meetings, recreate eye contact by looking into the camera. Smile. And wear a FULL outfit, including pants! You never know if you’ll need to get up to quiet the dog or get up for some other reason!! Even if it’s a virtual interview, be a couple of minutes early. Not fifteen. But a couple of minutes.
  • Consider if you’re a culture match for a company. Character, Chemistry and Competence are all part of a match. Do your research. Jessica gives an example of a friend who was in a hurry, accepting a job she ultimately left in six months. Her friend admitted she should never have accepted the job–and the job hurt her. She literally had to seek counseling to counter the negative impact the job had on her psyche. Had she researched the job, she admitted, she’d have never taken it in the first place.
  • If you fit 80% of the job description, go for it. She recently talked to a man who felt a particular job required a college degree. But in the final analysis, people out there with no degree can still have attained professionalism and decision making skills, two areas he thought meant a degree.
  • Jessica hired Sheila Coulam as Director of Operations for Career Connectors because even though her current position doesn’t require her engineering degree, Sheila continually uses her transferable skills of thinking through processes and being detailed-oriented, plus Jessica knew Sheila’s character and strengths because she was a volunteer!
  • Follow up an interview with a thank you via an email or a LinkedIn message.
  • Don’t underestimate showcasing your skills via volunteering and social media. Do a blog, post presentations or articles, or participate in virtual speaking events. Be active in professional associations. Be engaged on LinkedIn by joining groups, posting or writing articles.
  • If there are skills you need, these days lots of training is available online and there’s even funding available for some of it.
  • Take the DISC assessment free via the Career Connectors’ website.

“Talent will get you in the door, but character will keep you in the room.” Jessica reminds the participants that character has become a really big part of the hiring process. Companies want to hire a cultural match. People want to work with people they like. By taking the DISC assessment you can rediscover action words to use on your resume, or in interviews, that will help inform potential employers of your strengths.

When you finally get in front of that employer, make sure you’ve done your research, including what you’ve said on your own resume! Also, a favorite question employers love to ask is, “What do you know about us?” You do NOT want to get caught not being able to answer this question!

  • What does the organization do?
  • What are the missions, goals, and values?
  • Is the organization mentioned in recent news?
  • What is the company culture like?
  • Who are you interviewing with?

Keep in mind companies are still hiring. Keep the faith and stay connected including with Career Connectors. Do your homework and find that dream job in 2021.

Hiring Companies

HotFoot/Grainger

Mia Papa, Talent Acquisition Consultant

HotFoot, founded in 2009, provides superior staffing solutions.

HotFoot tailors their interview process depending on the position. Their clients include manufacturers of protective equipment, call centers, plus engineering and administrative and professional services.

HotFoot’s goal from the start has been to focus on people. They like to keep clients posted and updated about status during the interview process and not keep them guessing. As a recruiter, if Mia doesn’t have an appropriate job available for you, she will reach out to other colleagues at HotFoot.

Current open positions include the following: Contract to Hire: General production roles Valley wide at $14-$17 per hour; customer service (financial services) including remote data entry, $18 per hour; industrial sewers/sewists, Tempe AZ, $14 per hour; Data entry, remote two-week contract position; Direct Hire: Customer service in Tempe, AZ and also Waterloo IA and Janesville WI; inside sales in San Antonio TX; and Warehouse supervisors and managers in CA, MD, and MO.

Mia also hires for Grainger, a well-known industrial supply company, known for their warm, inclusive culture, who plans to hire hundreds in 2021 at $17 per hour with full benefits.

Grainger has arranged for all 600 call center employees to work from home during Covid. For those workers on site, Grainger follows all CDC guidelines. Onsite, Grainger has installed barriers in offices, and follows sanitation guidelines because they want the workplace to be safe. Also, Grainger conducts many virtual interviews.

Please visit their website for more job listings or to apply.

PennyMac

Ashley Hilscher, Talent Acquisition Specialist

PennyMac Financial Services and Investment Firm prides itself on closing loans on time and on hiring employees from diverse and experienced backgrounds.

Accountable, reliable, and ethical describe their values. Founded in 2008, today they are among the top three lenders in the U.S. Its unique business model allows the company to thrive in both the up and down markets, unlike any other lender. Their loan officers are licensed and 100% remote, with the company providing supplies and office set up. A lead generator creates warm leads which is particularly attractive to some people.

As an online lender, PennyMac specializes only in home loans including FHA, VA, and investment property loans. The company continues servicing the loans, so they won’t be selling your loan.

To search for positions or to apply, visit the career section of their website.

WealthWave

Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave, as a financial company, strives to educate families so families can dream again and thrive financially. Jason was not headed in this direction when he started his career. But based on his own financial experiences, he wondered how big a player you had to be to get some help. So a chain of events led Jason to start part time with WealthWave. He firmly believes Middle America has been left behind financially, confirmed when two weeks into the Pandemic, 33% of Americans didn’t make their mortgages.

It may be a cliché that Jason wants to bring Wallstreet to Main Street, but it’s true. That’s what WealthWave wants to do. In fact, they were ahead of the Pandemic five years ago when they offered online finance classes and now also offer the classes in Spanish.

Not just anyone can work for WealthWave because you need to be licensed. Benefits include the following: It’s turnkey, you have ownership, you have the option of starting part time, there are no layoffs–they actually have grown during the Pandemic.

Educating people is very rewarding because most people haven’t developed a Plan B for their finances.

For more information or to contact the company about joining WealthWave as a career, visit their website.

Resources and Closing

Sheila Coulam, Director of Operations for Career Connectors, thanked everyone including attendees and volunteers, and then reminded everyone of resources available via Career Connectors, including the DISC assessment, business portraits, and career advice.

The next Career Connectors’ online event is scheduled for Thursday, January 14, 2021, featuring keynote speaker Bridgett McGowen. Sheila urges everyone to attend, especially if you’ve never heard Bridgett because she’s excellent. Go to the Career Connectors’ website to register and find the Zoom link for that event, and to find details for other upcoming events, including Tempe Virtual Job Fair, being held Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Be sure you’re registered for e-updates–the next one scheduled for January 5, 2021. Also, don’t miss Career Chat episodes with Jessica Pierce.

11/5/20 – Correcting for 20/20: 20 Career Insights to Stabilize and Clarify your Focus

by

Keynote

Justin Jones

Written by Penny Oplinger
Correcting for 20/20: Career Insights to Stabilize and Clarify your Focus with Justin Jones. Justin, affectionately known as ‘Job Coach Justin.’ Justin currently leads a team of 16 career mentors at BYU Career Studios. He has literally helped thousands of people find meaningful jobs.

He shared some great tips to help you re-strategize, refocus and start to see 2020 with a new vision.

  • Recognize that your vision has changed. If we only look at the negatives then that is where we will stay. Justin recommended you check out ShelleyKlammer.com where she shares 6 stages of grieving.
    • Numbness and denial. When we lose a job or lose a family member or close friend. Be patient with yourself.
    • Anxiety and panic. We feel this everywhere.
    • Bargaining and control. Determine what you have control over.
    • Frustration and Anger. We need to allow ourselves to feel these feelings.
    • Depression and Despair.
    • Acceptance and Peace. This does not necessarily mean everything in your life is going well. We need to accept what is going on around us and realize that what is happening around us does not determine how we act, respond or our self-worth.
  • Seek Support. Career Connectors is a perfect example of a place you can go for support.
  • Ask for help. Don’t be embarrassed.
  • Be your authentic self. This year is not about perfection but being your authentic self.
  • Separate from the toxic. Identify what you are ingesting mentally, spiritually, physically that is toxic. Jack Canfield has said that it is better to spend time alone than spend time with toxic people or media.
  • Embrace uncertainty. When we embrace uncertainty, it opens us up to possibilities. Sometimes when bad things happen to us it gives us the opportunity to find something even better.
  • Doubt. Do not doubt your success or abilities. Doubt your negative thoughts!
  • Give every day. Give a smile, encouragement, your time, donations, blood.
  • Gather your tools. You need to have the right tool for the right job at the right time.
    • Cover letter: Recruiters don’t read them because they are not authentic. Be authentic. The first thing is to compliment the company, tell what you have to offer and then a comment that you look forward to joining their team.
    • Resumes: Career Connectors has professional resume writers who volunteer their time at our events. You should have several resumes because it is important to customize your resume to the company you are seeking employment from. List a few people who would give you good recommendations, such as people you have worked with or for.
    • LinkedIn: It is absolutely necessary that you have a profile in LinkedIn. Career Connectors has professional LinkedIn coaches who volunteer their time to help you. LinkedIn is the #1 place employers go to when looking for candidates. To aid in ensuring companies see your profile, give your profile a unique name. For example, Justin’s is ‘Job Coach Justin.’ Ensure you have a photo in your profile. Career Connectors has a photographer that volunteers to take headshot photos for you to put in your LinkedIn profile. An extra tip Justin gave is to add a description to your profile photo containing keywords you want to be found for. Instructions are here!
    • Send a Thank You note – not an email or text but a handwritten note you mail to the company.
  • 10.Gamify: A quote from the movie ‘Mary Poppins’, “In every job that needs to be done there is an element of fun.”
  • 11.Build your brand: What is unique about you that would be an asset to the company?
  • 12.Act: Start with small actions. Pay attention to your mental prompts that help to move you forward.
  • 13.Follow-through: Act on things you are asked to do.
  • 14.Recharge: Be patient with companies you have sent resumes to and be patient with yourself.
  • 15.Visualization: Close your eyes and think of the goals you have set for yourself. What is the next small step you can take toward that goal and ask yourself what it will take to act on that step?
  • 16.Faith/ Spirituality/Career Development: Work toward bringing these together.

Hiring Companies

Isola
Heather Kitsko, Director, Global Talent Acquisition
www.isola-group.com

Isola is the only laminate partner with worldwide R&D manufacturing and technical support.

  • Isola is a 105-year old company headquartered in Chandler, AZ
  • Approximately 1600 employees worldwide
  • Global footprint of 7 manufacturing facilities
  • Largest laminate material producer in the United States and Europe – seventh in share worldwide (-4%)
  • Industry-leading technology – 185+ patents covering proprietary materials
  • Transforming to deliver greater customer, employee and investor value

Mission
Improve life by enabling innovation in electronic products through our innovation we help enable new capabilities for mankind

Their raw materials were used in circuit boards to create ventilators for patients with COVID-19.

Their core values center around the following:

  • Put Safety First: We prioritize the safety and well-being of our employees above all else.
  • Be customer focused: We deliver quality: We deliver quality solutions, listen to our external and internal customers, work to gain their loyalty
  • Be Courageous: We embrace change, speak up when we disagree, and move forward committed.
  • Be Collaborative: We work as a global team across functions, and support each other professionally and personally
  • Be Accountable: When we make a commitment, we take full responsibility and follow through.

Career Opportunities in Chandler, AZ

  • Sr. Applications Engineer (PCB)
  • Technology Development Chemist (Polymer/Halogen-Free)
  • IT Business Analyst
  • Manufacturing Financial Analyst
  • Network Security Administrator
  • Sr. Signal Integrity Engineer

See Isola website for further information/requirements for these job openings.

PennyMac – The lender you can call Home
Darin Dow, Mortgage Underwriter Recruiter
www.PennyMacUSA.com/Careers

Company Overview

  • In business since 2008
  • One of the top lenders to create loans.
  • One of the nation’s largest servicing mortgage company
  • 8th largest servicing company
  • 5500 employees; they have hired 1800 employees since January 2020
  • Opened office in Phoenix the beginning of 2020.
  • Expanding across the nation aggressively. A lot of these positions can be remote. They believe in promoting within the company
  • There are several entry-level positions available
  • Family/Team friendly

WealthWave
Jason Wiseman, Senior Marketing Director

WealthWave is a network of independent business owners whose mission means they seek to protect and build wealth for the families they serve. Their mission allows them to increase financial literacy for families and provide financial solutions.
Jason Wiseman tells us this was not his original path. He worked for Motorola for many years but even though his job was more stable than many, every year he watched layoffs; and even his key group of 22 was down to only 7 when he left. It was stressful.
Jason couldn’t really afford to start from scratch. It was a paradigm shift to start working at a business part time.
WealthWave is flexible enough so they can help you transition into something part time if you are hesitant about going all in being an entrepreneur. WealthWave’s mission is to eliminate financial illiteracy to keep people from making easily avoidable financial mistakes. Jason now works full time for the company.
Jason suggests you keep your mind open to new opportunities. WealthWave looks to build people up and that’s why they make education first. And because the company was about five years ahead in technology, when COVID hit they were already ahead of most businesses. A whopping 20,000 people attended their online program from Atlanta.
WealthWave®, The HowMoneyWorks® Company, has a clear vision, a passionate mission, advanced systems, and strong platforms. Their slogan is “to disrupt the financial industry so families can dream again.” They are attracting leaders all across North America who are ready to position themselves to eradicate financial illiteracy and pursue the business and future of their dreams.


Why Choose WealthWave?

  • Turnkey Solution
  • Licensed Profession
  • Ownership
  • Marketing/Media
  • Start Part time
  • No Layoffs or Furloughs
  • Hands on Training and Mentorship
  • A long history of helping people
  • To learn more about the company, contact Jason Wiseman at Jason.Wiseman@wealthwave.com.

Closing

CEO/Founder of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce thanked the speakers, attendees, and volunteers. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 18 2020, 9:00 am – 11:30 am for our 6th Annual Diversity Talks. Jessica also reminded attendees of online resources available at the Career Connectors website including the free DISC assessment and event recap blogs.

10/7/20 – Kickstart Your Job Search

by

Written by Gary Matsuda

Kevin Dumcum

No doubt about it, losing a job is emotional. But now you are out of work and automatically, magically you’re supposed to switch focus from whatever job you had been doing to something we rarely have to think about – job hunting. Unfortunately, we are not used to doing that because few of us are experts in searching for a new employer. The good news is that you are not alone in your experience and there many options for finding assistance.

Kevin Dumcum from Arizona@Work Maricopa County lays out 10 lessons for taking action.

KEYNOTE

Kevin Dumcum, Kickstart Your Job Search

Kevin feels your pain. He has had his share of career setbacks and successes including layoffs during the last great recession to now where his career is helping others get their job search kickstarted. To get us going quickly, here’s Kevin’s whirlwind of 10 quick tips and advice:

Lesson I. Recognize job loss is traumatic. It’s hard to accept that your employer no longer needs you. It can be as agonizing as losing a loved one since our identities are often closely tied to our occupation. Your feelings are valid but don’t let them guide you. Recognize them for what they are and let it help you through the grief process.

Lesson II. On the logical side, job loss is the company’s loss too. But as much as business tries to put value on employees, they must be a functioning organization and make a profit in order to provide jobs. Positions can be eliminated due to no fault of your own so it’s best you take control of your own career.

Lesson III. Be responsible for your own set of skills and take advantage of any coursework, training, classes, reading available. There are more opportunities than ever to get training, so be prepared and go for it.
It is great if companies try to meet your professional growth needs, but if they can’t provide the resources you need then be ready to fill in any skills gaps on your own time and initiative. The next job might not be your last and the job search might start again, so always look to improve skills.

Lesson IV. Take care of yourself. How can a full-time job search effort be sustained without burning out? Your spouse might be working from home, kids need help while distance learning, you can’t see friends or relatives which can all be distracting and stressful so it’s essential to find ways to take care of yourself.
Whether you’re in a full house with multiple generations or just on your own, get connected with someone trustworthy and supportive. Talk to someone who is a good listener, share thoughts and feelings.
Many of us are getting things done around the home too. Doing physical work around the home/garden gets us some exercise while feeling productive and can give our minds respite and recovery. The job search can be a long slog so stay fit by maintaining health and keeping a good frame of mind.

Lesson V. Decide what you really want. While taking care of yourself during those much needed breaks, deeply held values may come to mind and you might get a chance to reevaluate your purpose and mission. Take this time to find out if your values, skills and experience match with what you could be doing.
To find out what you were put on earth to do, go read the mother of all books on career advice, the classic ‘What Color is Your Parachute?’. Updated with annual revisions, this can’t be passed up no matter where you are in your career.
Especially check out the self-discovery exercises where you’ll do an evaluation on your interests, skills and where they can be best applied.
To find out how you are wired, a few of the most well-known tools are: DISC, StrengthFinders and Myers-Briggs.
DISC is a behavioral assessment tool that measures your balance among four personality traits: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. Find how interests and skills align so you can have more effective working relationships in any career. Plus, through Career Connectors the DISC assessment is free!
StrengthFinders. For $15 on their website it will identify your top innate strengths (not skills which can be learned/change). If you know your strengths you can capitalize on them to find success. Don’t use them and you’re more likely to find frustration. There’s also a book but it’s easiest to go to website for the test to get immediate results.
You might as well be doing something you enjoy so that’s where Myers Briggs comes in. It’s a proctored assessment so there can be a fee associated with this test. It measures for preferences but not traits, ability or character. The scored personality type can also identify possible occupations and career and training paths. However, it can’t specify exactly what career is best for you, for that you’ll have to analyze the results (best done with a professionally trained coach).
Onetonline.org lets you enter a target job through its occupational quick search and list related or trade adjacent occupations to give ideas on what jobs to consider. It also gives an outlook for local area employment outlook 6 to 8 years out. Their short 15 minute quiz identifies strengths and suggests occupations that align with those strengths.

For the Phoenix area there is the ‘Book of Lists’ on Bizjournals.com/phoenix or at your local library. While it doesn’t describe what the listed businesses do, it does include number of clients, employees, total income and it’s a great way to get a list of the largest companies in the local market.

BestcompaniesAZ.com profiles top companies and ranks them by customer satisfaction scores. It’s a good basic overview of verified major companies in Arizona.

Then there’s always Google. But go a little further and research news about companies by going to the 2nd page.

Lesson VI. Get help. The job search is different than what it used to be 5 to 10 years ago so don’t fret about now knowing how to find a job, it’s not something we practice every day, so it can be intimidating to anyone.

Arizona@Work meets regularly with employers to find out hiring needs and provides services and resources for job seekers. The Public Workforce Development program for the State of Arizona does resume reviews, interview workshops, career exploration, assessments, Linkedin profile set up and connects you with employers. But because of Covid, try reaching out to them online first.

Help doesn’t have to be from the obvious places. Goodwill AZ of Central and Northern Arizona is not just a thrift store but a career resource! Let them help you with resume writing, training services and career prep.

Don’t neglect your local Public Library, which may have good (and expensive) resources. It’s quiet, friendly and free!

Lesson VII. Let’s get to work finding work! Most job seekers start with the well-known job boards like Indeed, Localwork.com, Glassdoor, and Google Jobs but here are a couple often overlooked:

AZjobconnection.gov At this time there are 65,000 jobs and 12,000 posted resumes. With a 5 to 1 job openings to resumes ratio, this looks encouraging!

Linkedin Jobs –Optimize your profile. The jobs link on LinkedIn will tell you how closely you match job postings on Linkedin.

On social media, follow the companies you are interested in and get a sense of their culture and direction they’re headed. (Be sure to limit your time to online networking because you know how social media can be a potential time sink.)
Hiring events have moved to virtual and can be industry specific or general purpose events. Sign up for the Arizona@Work email newsletter to get alerts of upcoming hiring events and the most recent 5000 local job postings.

The Hidden Job Market
Most jobs are posted online but it’s estimated almost half of all open or potential open jobs are not publicly advertised. That’s because it can take some time to go through the process of writing, approving, uploading, and updating a formal job description. But increasing your chances of landing the right job will require networking. That means meeting new people and maintaining old contacts, which is something you should be doing whether looking for work or not so you won’t have to start from scratch every time you need to find a new position. As a book said, ‘Dig the Well Before You’re Thirsty.’

But be specific when asking for help so that others will have a better understanding of what you are looking for and how you are helpful. Be reciprocal in relationships both personal and professional so that it’s not all about you.

Networking Phoenix, Eventbrite, BestCompaniesAZ and of course Career Connectors are a few networking organizations built around connecting the right people together. Pay attention to the make-up of the hiring companies or attendees to make sure you’re making the most your time by getting exposure to the type of people you would like to meet. If you’re asked to volunteer, go for it! To be stationed at the registration table is one of the best places to work. You’ll be visible to everyone coming in and there’s connection opportunity with every attendee.

Don’t overlook social groups where participation centers around personal or social interests. Get to know people just to make connections over shared interests. You never know who you’ll meet or who knows someone who has a job opportunity. At least there’s the benefit of personal enrichment as well.

Lesson VIII. Surrender and give yourself away at volunteer opportunities.
Everyone needs a little help, so don’t forget there are those who are in need of basic skills or necessities where you can make a difference by putting your experience or skills to use.

Volunteering counts as experience even if you are unemployed. Not only can it give you additional skills, it can show others what you can do with what you have. Do something different, get out to meet people, lend your expertise, and gain new skills, experiences and connections. Check these organizations out and you may find your calling:

HandsonPhoenix.org
Volunteermatch.org
Volunteer.phoenix.gov

It’s a great way to fill gaps on resume and good for the soul too.

Lesson IX. Expect Rejection. No matter how much work you put in you’re going to get rejected. Keep moving forward as each rejection is just one step closer to that first “Yes”.

Rocky Balboa says, “…it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Lesson X. Success breeds success. And just one yes is needed to make all the difference in your confidence!

“You don’t have to be great to start. But you have to start to be great” – Zig Ziglar

HIRING COMPANIES

Windsor, Charles Villafranca, Executive Director

Windsor does all they can for residents. To accomplish that, they help employees get the training they need. Windsor has several Senior living, Senior healthcare, behavior health and dementia care facilities in Arizona and 30 locations in California. If you’re looking for a career change they have training programs including OTJT for CNA. If you want to advance from CNA to nursing there are scholarships (and experience) available. Fill out an application and get an immediate interview!

Lifewell, Wendy Flynn, Recruiting Coordinator

As the name implies, Lifewell is here to help enable their clients lives to the fullest. And that includes you the employee. Lifewell provides treatment services and support for low income individuals diagnosed with serious mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. From assistants to director levels they are hiring. Employees are offered learning and development opportunities in anything to do with healthcare at several locations in Phoenix and Mesa.

Apply at lifewell.us/careers.

TTEC, Erika Flanders and Stephanie Thomas

At TTEC you have more than just a job, you’ll become more like family. The bridge between technology and human connection is here through their expertise in customer service and sales. Together TTEC creates a positive experience for the client, the caller and you. You’ll be empowered to lead everyday, to seek first to understand and do the right thing.

Now hiring for an Inbound Customer Service Rep supporting Blue Shield of CA.

To apply or for more info, go to TTECjobs.com to apply for other temp and FT positions, or text ‘TTEC’ to 97211.

RESOURCES

Joe Bourcier, the Health Insurance Pro, US Health Advisors
Offers help with the best match between health, dental, vision insurance for you, your family or business. They’ve received multiple awards for business excellence, so they’ve got to be good!

Contact:
Joe.bourcier@ushadvisors.com

BestCompaniesAZ
Career Connectors partners with BestCompaniesAZ. Altogether in one place you can find VERIFIED, trusted companies who have tens of thousands of jobs open now. Check them out here if any listed hiring companies match your values. Visit https://bestcompaniesaz.com/covid-19-resources/.

Free DISC Assessment
We all like free, so at no cost to you find your behavior traits (which may help point to your values) and what kind of job will likely fit you through our online DISC assessment at: https://careerconnectors.org/DISC/.

For details about upcoming Career Connectors events, click here to visit the events section on the website for times, dates, and details about hiring companies and keynote topics!

5/23 – Lost My Job, Now What

by

Naomi BucktaWritten by Michelle Soracco

Keynote Speaker

Naomi Buckta @naomibuckta

Naomi is the Sales and Marketing VP for two related companies.  She got laid off from her job in 2010, but was unprepared for it.  She formulated a plan to get herself employed again, and brings a wealth of information and tips to help people get back on their feet through a very trying phase.  She is also a mystery shopper and restaurant reviewer.

Lost My Job, Now What

First things first:  Don’t panic, and don’t forget all of the great things about yourself!  Don’t foster resentment about your situation; it can be a blessing in disguise.

Prepare yourself:

  • Write down all of your skills, abilities, successes and gifts
  • Write down your top three priorities–no more than that
  • File for unemployment immediately
  • Tell everyone you’re unemployed; you never know where the next job lead is going to come from
  • Prepare your story
  • Update your resume

Plan of Action:

  • Take a Self-Assessment
  • Become/stay current in your field.  One way to do that is to take a MOOC (massive open online course).
  • Google yourself to make sure nothing inappropriate shows up through social media.  When posting on a social media site, assume that everything is public.
  • Reconnect with people (i.e. network, network, network) – GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
  • Use www.networkingphoenix.com to find networking events of all types
  • Use LinkedIn groups, church groups, and Meetup groups to expand your network
  • Find the people who can help you
  • Prepare your elevator speech – How are you unique?  Do you volunteer somewhere interesting?  If you don’t know how you are unique, ask your friends.
  • Use a “human voice” in your resume, as well as writing “pain” letters instead of cover letters.  Follow Liz Ryan on LinkedIn and/or Twitter for more information.
  • Use LinkedIn to skirt around the recruiting sites and reach out directly to the hiring manager.
  • Get ready for interviews by updating a portfolio with all of your work, resume, and letters of recommendation; as well as a 30/60/90 day plan (Google it if necessary).  Prepare questions for every level of management.
  • If you ask the same questions of all levels and get widely varying answers, consider that a red flag.
  • Prepare for behavioral questions
  • Find a mentor who can encourage you and be honest, someone who knows your professional self (as opposed to your best friend).
  • In the interview, the more the interviewer talks, the more information you have.  The first question you should ask before the interview really gets going is: what three important qualities or skills should the right candidate have for this position.  Then work those into every answer you give the interviewer with the bridge, hook and flag method.

Show me the Money!

  • Review your spending habits to eliminate waste and reduce expenses.  Where can you save money?  Can you barter with people for goods and services that you need?  Find cost effective ways to replace what you used to do, such as an at-home movie night with all your friends, game night, and cheap/free things to do in Phoenix.   There are so many inexpensive things to do here in the valley; there aren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week to do everything!
  • Let your family know you’re unemployed, since this affects them too. Let people help/contribute.

Get Off the Couch!

  • Volunteer and add that to your resume to fill in the gap
  • Teach a class in something you know
  • Learn something new: another language, take a MOOC course in your field of interest.  Udemy and Coursera are the two most well-known websites. Large universities have online courses as well.  If you take a MOOC, put it on your resume ONLY IF YOU FINISH, in the professional development section.
  • Make your own opportunities by doing contract work, consulting, working part-time to make ends meet or doing something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had the time.

Hiring Companies

 

Orbital ATK

Rich Skelnik, Talent Acquisition Consultant @OrbitalATK

Orbital is comprised of three Operating groups:
-Flight Systems in Chandler
-Defense Systems in Mesa
-Space Systems in Gilbert

The Chandler location has the most jobs.  About half of the jobs require some sort of security clearance.  Positions to be filled in Gilbert:
-Principal Test Engineer – no clearance necessary
-Sr. Financial Analyst – must already have top secret security clearance
-Mechanical Engineer – Structures analysis, top secret clearance
-Electrical Engineer – FPGA experience necessary, as well as design and test experience, top secret clearance

For other open positions, click here.

WageWorks  @WageWorksCares

Anne Hart, Human Resources Manager – Recruiting
Christine Jones, Recruiter
Lisa Denham, Recruiter

WageWorks is a 3rd party consumer-directed benefits administrator located in Tempe.  Their goal is to put more money back in your paycheck.  If you like challenge and responsibility, as well as a lot of growth opportunities and change, see their many open positions here, including Accountant, Director Information Security, Operations Analyst, Quality Assurance Analyst, Recruit, Software Engineer, Systems Engineer and Vendor Manager.

Staff Logic  @StaffLogic1

Deanne Desautels, President

Accounting & Finance Professionals has placed over 50,000 professionals in long term careers.  63% of their referrals come from clients or professionals they have placed, and AFP has been ranked #1 for 5 years in a row for direct hire placements. AFP (Accounting and Finance Professionals) is a staffing firm that focuses on A/P, A/R, banking, bookkeeping and CPA tax accounting, while Staff Logic focuses on IT, Engineering, customer service, software sales, medical, executive search, administrative, marketing and HR.  They are currently looking for admins for city and state government, financial analysts and tax positions in CPA firms.  For open positions with Staff Logic, click here; for open positions with AFP, click here. Check back often as openings change frequently.

Resources

Goodwill of Central AZ @GoodwillAZ

Carter Ellis, Professional Career Advisor

Goodwill works with all job seekers, not just those looking for retail work.  Their services are free for both job seekers and companies.  Their goal is to end unemployment.  They have on- and off-site employment events. They provide additional resources for job seekers, such as career advice, resume preparation and mock interviews.  Goodwill’s job board has many internal leads from companies in the Valley.  Please reach out to Carter with any questions at carter.ellis@goodwillaz.org  For open positions, click here.

Closing

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

The next event is in Phoenix, Wednesday, June 7.  Register here.

Reminder: the next Scottsdale event is the third Thursday of June instead of the usual second Thursday. Register here.