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8/27/19 – Kickstart Your Job Search

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Kickstart your job search

Written by Julia Churan

When you haven’t had to look for a job in many years, you might feel
overwhelmed in a whole new world of HR technology. The solutions you used to job search 10 years ago or even 5 are likely obsolete. Terms have changed, the interview format is likely over the phone or video, and you suddenly feel overwhelmed in what seems like an impersonal way of finding a job. The reality is “making it personal” may be what helps you navigate or bypass the Applicant Tracking Systems and land the interview.

10 Lessons to Get to YES!

Keynote Speaker:  Kevin Dumcum – ARIZONA@WORK Maricopa County

Kevin has spent the last six plus years in workforce development and employment services. He’s experienced the process change first-hand and shared a guide to “Kickstart Your Job Search.“

Lesson 1: Recognize That Job Loss Is Traumatic

Feelings of anger, confusion and hurt are normal when you lose your job, no matter what the circumstances. The rollercoaster of feelings will eventually ease but they may also come in waves; so be patient.

Lesson 2: Understand How Companies Think

Companies exist for the purpose of turning a profit.  This includes decisions of restructuring and downsizing. Companies make no guarantees and you can’t assume any job will be the one you retire from now.

Think of yourself as a contractor regardless of your status and always consider what your next step might be.

Lesson 3: Control Your Own Career Path

No matter what company you take a job with, this will likely not be your last job so keep your skills sharp. Learn new skills and take advantage of any training opportunities and tuition reimbursement to learn new skills.

Lesson 4: Take Care of Yourself

Job search should not be your 24/7 focus. Find a balance and take care of yourself with hobbies, exercise, helping others or enjoy family and friends. You might not have the time very soon so learn a new skill or do something you’ve always wanted to. Learn to cook, take a home repair course or join a hiking group. These sort of activities will get you out meeting new people and help you be refreshed when you are searching for that new position.

Lesson 5: Decide What You Really Want

This might be the ideal time to consider a fresh start or career change. These resources can help you with some soul searching and provide some direction for the next chapter of your career:

  • Book: “What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard Bolles – The book provides current statistics on the U.S. job market, self-directed exercises to help you understand your “Why,” and tips to finding someone who will pay you for that purpose.
  • Book & Assessment: “Strengths Finder 2.0” This book and tool helps identify your top strengths (not skills). It will help align your skills to give you more success in life.
  • Assessment: Carl Young Personality Type – you can take this through Arizona@Work.  This helps you define your values.
  • Assessment: DISC Assessment – this tool is available online through Career Connectors and Top Talent at no cost to attending seekers. It helps you define your career trajectory and may help build your resume.
  • Assessment and Resource Website: ONetOnline.org – They offer an assessment “My Next Move” that takes about 15 minutes and gives you a range of occupations based on the results. It also allows you to type in your last occupation and get links to other related occupations that might suit you better or be something to watch for.
  • Website: CareerOneStop.org – this site should help you decide if the roles you are seeking are growing occupations. You will find valuable information like the median wage to know if your desired salary is in line and other stats about the role. The site is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor so the data may be a bit delayed, but still useful.
  • Publication: Phoenix Business Journal – there is a subscription fee for this weekly publication and daily website but it provides current information about local businesses and industries. They also publish an annual special “Book of Lists” that gives you a great start in listing top companies and key data in most industries.
  • Website: Best CompaniesAZ – This organization recognizes companies who rank as desirable places in the Valley to work based on employee satisfaction and company culture. They are profiled on the website and recognized at recruiting events throughout the year.
  • Other Online Resources: Search for specific companies on Google, Yelp, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn to see what others are saying about your target companies and current news to stay aware of the organization.

Lesson 6: Try Everything

We live in a time when resources are easily accessible. Many are at little or no cost for seekers.  Take advantage of the variety of services and don’t take an attitude that “It isn’t for me.” You just never know where that next contact might come from.  Consider:

  • Arizona@Work
  • Employment Academy
  • Goodwill of Central & Northenr
  • Maricopa County Library
  • Phoenix Public Library
  • Fresh Start Women’s Foundation

Lesson 7:  Find All the Jobs

Job Sites
The days of classified ads and Monster.com are gone.  There are job boards everywhere.  Some are specialized, some are localized and most are free. Many take out a lot of the search work by allowing you to upload your resume and they will notify you of matches.  They will quickly pollute your email box with recommendations or prospects so be prepared. Consider a special email box for your search.  Take a look at some or all of these online job boards:

  • AZJobConnection.gov
  • CareerBuilder
  • Dice
  • SimplyHired
  • Indeed
  • ZipRecruiter
  • LinkedIn

Google has rolled out a new feature.  If you type “jobs” into the search box you will get listings of jobs in your area without going directly to a specific company’s site.  You can refine the search to “jobs in Tempe AZ” or “jobs at USAA” or “engineering jobs near me.” You will still need to apply though the employer, but it is an easy way to search quickly.

Remember, the majority of online applications will not be seen by
a live person unless your resume/profile matches with the recruiter’s criteria in the Applicant Tracking System. You cannot rely on mass applying. You must leverage your network and make yourself standout.

Sign up for the ARIZONA@WORK Job Blast Newsletters.  Text AZATWORK to 22828 to get a listing of 5000 of the most recent local jobs.

Social Media
Employers will raise questions if you aren’t visible on social media so you need to have profiles and begin building a circle of connections. You don’t have to be on every platform but be sure you are active on LinkedIn and then pick another one or two. Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram will give you a good start. This can help employers get to know you, the person, a little better. They will see if you are well-rounded. It can help them decide if you are a good fit for their organization. If community service is important in their company, they may look to see if you volunteer or have interests in that activity.

Be aware of what you are posting, however, and the viewers that may see it.

You must have a LinkedIn profile and begin to establish a robust
professional network, if you don’t already have.  There are many tips on past blog posts to help you fine tune your LinkedIn profile and build connections.  See them here. You can also get assistance at any Career Connectors event by a LinkedIn expert.

Consider posting on your social sites that you are a seeker. If these people are in your network, they will be eager to help if you are specific in what you are looking for. Do something like: “I am currently exploring new opportunities in Marketing in the Gilbert/Chandler area. I am focusing on startup technology companies with leadership opportunities in social media and brand marketing.” This won’t leave your friends guessing on opportunities.

Spend time each day building and interacting with your social network, but remember, this type of networking doesn’t equal face-to-face networking.

Live Networking
You should consider your desired companies and positions and make yourself available at events where you can make connections with someone at your target companies or in your target position. This could include attending:

  • Local Hiring Events and Job Fairs
  • Career Connectors
  • AZHire Me Job Fair
  • Jobertising.com
  • LocalWork.com
  • Arizona@Work
  • Goodwill

Always be prepared with an “Elevator Speech” or a specific introduction plan that tells who you are and what you are looking for.

A great resource for a wide variety of events around the Valley is NetworkingPhoenix.com. They publish an active calender of events to help fill up your a calendar.

The Hidden Job Market
These are high volumes of jobs that never make it to job boards and
posting sites. Many of these are with smaller businesses that choose
not to post opportunities or hire solely on referrals. Some may not
even have an HR department.  These may be jobs that you will never learn about unless you are leveraging many networking avenues. This is where getting the word out gets you consideration. It might be from social media or networking events like Career Connectors. It can be through clubs or Bunco nights or church groups. It can be wise to become a member or volunteer for trade associations or Chamber of Commerce meetings. Facebook events may be another great way to find people with common interests like jogging, wine, Dungeons & Dragons, or atheletic boosters. Through these communities you will have fun, build commaradarie and meet new friends who also have wide networks.

Lesson 8: Volunteer

Volunteering is good for your soul. It makes you feel good, feel valued, and it gets you up in the morning, engaging with others. You will have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and hopefully meet some new people in the process. You can look into your local school, church or non-profit associations.  HandsOn Greater Phoenix and VolunteerMatch are great services to help you find something that meets your interests.  And, don’t forget, Career Connectors is always looking for people to help with events and job seeker services. Find out more about these opportunities.

Lesson 9: Expect Rejection

No…not hiring…funding pulled…going another direction…over-qualified…under-qualified…on hold.

You will hear these and many other excuses. You will also not hear anything sometimes. You must be prepared for it! From the mouth of Rocky Balboa, “Life is not all rainbows and sunshine!” You can’t give up!

Lesson 10: Success Breeds Success

Hiring Companies

Liberty Mutual, @WorkAtLiberty

Justin Oviatt, Sr. Branch Manager

Liberty Mutual managers came to talk about opportunities they currently have in the Phoenix area.  Their new East Valley offices make them the largest employer in the City of Chandler with over 50,000 employees across 5 continents.  They are the 4th largest Property and Casualty Insurance company in the U.S. with $126 billion in assets. They foster a culture of inclusion and empowerment for their staff.

The hiring team shared specific details of openings in Inside Sales, Field Sales, Claims Management and Bodily Injury.  They also have opportunities in Consumer, Business, Investments, Legal and IT units.

Liberty Mutual offers new employees a strong benefits package including a pension and 401K. Benefits are effective the day of employment.

Resources

Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona

Ron Mack – Community Awareness Partner

Mission – Through the goodwill of others, we create the pathway to a better future for all by helping those who desire self-sufficiency.

The Goodwill Career Centers offer free career coaching, assistance with resumes, mock interviewing, employment support and digital skills training. They specialize in providing on-going support for the professional job seeker. Goodwill delivers community awareness of local employment events through onsite career centers and through the recent launch of mycareeradvisor.com (live chat available). The services are free of charge and available to all.

Career Connectors Academy

Landi Carfi, VP of Corporate Training, Brighton College

Landi shared the exciting news and details about Career Connectors partnership with Brighton College to bring affordable education and career services to participants. This will help bridge the talent gap or transition in your career search. The Academy offers a wide variety of accredited online educational programs along with many professional development classes. The focus is on quality and affordability.

A few of the best accredited online certificate programs that are being offered to Career Connectors at a reduced price are: Information Technology Certification Programs, Business Management Associate Degree Online, Paralegal Certificate, Medical Assistant School, Legal Nurse Consultant Certification and Online Professional Development Classes. Many others are also available. Career Connectors members will receive a 30% discount on the programs and certifications and payment plans are available. For more information go to the Career Connectors Academy website.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, CEO and Founder of Career Connectors, closed the event encouraging attendees to visit the many resources available at no charge to seekers at Career Connectors events: LinkedIn and resume assistance, professional photos, DISC assessments, career and financial coaching. These and all Career Connectors services would not be possible without the generous time of Staff, Volunteers, Sponsors and Partners. Also, a huge thank you to the Central Christian Church for hosting the Gilbert event. Attendees were encouraged to network and take advantage of the many services.

The next two events are:

  • Sept 5 – Instant Likability by Dave Sherman at Grand Canyon University
  • Sept 12 – Resume Mythbusters: Certified Resume Writer Panel at Highlands Church in North Scottsdale

Details are available on the Events Page.

07/12/18 – YOU are the Differentiator!

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You are the differentiator Connie KadanskyWritten by Cindy Nowack

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

YOU are the Differentiator!

Connie Kadansky, PCC

Connie Kadansky works with sales people worldwide in a very specific niche of prospecting, self-promotion, and overcoming internal and external obstacles. She says she has a coffee cup that reads, “Get your ‘ask’ in gear!” That’s appropriate because her presentation was about asking for what you want. She learned at a young age to ask for what she wanted, and years later, when she was interviewing, she asked the manager for the job. She got the job, because he told her later that she was the only one who asked for it.

She started off her presentation by waving a twenty dollar bill in the air and asking, “Who will give me $1 for this $20?” After a few seconds, two gentlemen raced to the front of the room. The first guy didn’t have $1, but the second guy had his dollar ready, gave it to Connie, and she gave him her twenty. It wasn’t a joke. He just made a $19 return for going to the front of the room and asking for her twenty. Connie says that offer was available to everyone in the room, yet only two people tried for it. That’s the secret – you need to ask for what you want. If self-promotion is the missing ingredient in your job search, read more of Connie’s thoughts on how to self-promote and be the differentiator.

We paired up for an exercise, with the first person asking, “There’s a career fair coming up. Will you go with me?” The partner responded with “Yes, but…” and then the roles were reversed and the first person responded instead with “Yes, and…”

Everyone agreed that the “Yes, but” responses zap the energy of the first person. It’s difficult to defend their suggestion when they hear several negative responses starting with the words, “Yes, but…” The “Yes, and…” is not necessarily agreeing to go, but is more receptive and responds positively to the offer.

There is uncertainty when we job search.
The uncertainty fuels anxiety.
Anxiety leads to distress.
Distress stimulates fear.
Fear creates doubt.
Doubt wastes energy.

Sales call reluctance is the emotional hesitation to self-promote. It’s a fear of rejection. Instead, take proactive steps to make phone calls to the people who can influence your ability to earn what you are worth. Connie suggested putting jars in opposite corners of your desk. On Monday morning, one jar is filled with the number of coins, gems, or marbles that equals the number of calls you will make in the week. For every call, move one of the coins to the other jar. If there are still a number of coins in the first jar on Friday morning, you know you need to make more calls before you start your weekend. You need a consistent pipeline of possibilities to get the job you want, so overcome your reluctance, make those calls and ask for what you want.

Curiosity is also helpful in the job search process. While skepticism and curiosity are both questioning mindsets, curiosity turns doubt into fuel for learning and discovery. Be sure to ask curious questions in your interview. Connie even says that you can get away with almost anything when you start by saying, “I’m curious.” Curiosity is the secret ingredient that makes your job search an adventure.

Connie says you need these three traits for self-promotion:

Positioning – Utilize your existing networks and look for ways to develop new ones. Make sure you get noticed. Participate so others notice you.

Style – Possess something distinctive so people will remember you. Do people want to remember you? Is your style serving you?

Consistency – Never leave self-promotion up to chance. Know that self-promotion is important and do it repeatedly. SHOW UP!

Opportunities are out there everywhere. Connect with the right person with the right attitude, and ask for what you want. Confidence is faith and trust in yourself and your process. It transforms fear into focused thinking and action.

We all have our own internal conversations, so discipline and monitor those thoughts to banish the “Yes, but…” response, and use the “Yes, and…” reply instead. Don’t forget that self-promotion is a key ingredient in your job search. Become noticed by the hiring managers, and you will be the differentiator.

HIRING COMPANIES

Freedom Financial Network
Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition

Launched in 2002 by Stanford Classmates, Bradford Stroh and Andrew Housser, Freedom Financial provides financial solutions, services, and education, enabling consumers to resolve their debt and achieve financial freedom. They were voted the #1 Best Place to Work in Phoenix two years in a row. Their offices are located near the 202 and the 101, just east of Tempe Marketplace. They have 2,100 employees and growing. Freedom Financial takes their core values seriously, including helping their own employees who may have found themselves in debt through the Freedom Family Fund. Employees pay to wear jeans to work, the CEOs match and double these contributions, and the money is then used to help employees get out of financial trouble.

Freedom Financial is currently hiring for Call Center/Sales/Operations, IT/Engineering, and Analytics, Product/HR roles. A complete list of open positions is on their website. Also, follow Freedom Financial on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

State Farm
Molly Romine, Recruiter

State Farm is located in Marina Heights on Rio Salado, across from the ASU football field. They have 8,000 employees locally and more than 70,000 across the organization. Molly is currently hiring operations positions, including claims and customer service roles. Go to State Farm Careers for the current list of openings. State Farm offers information sessions by invitation- contact her if you’d like an invite!

RESOURCES

Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Kyle Richardson and Hope Watts, University Counselors

In the job market today, 58% of all new jobs are in STEM, and computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. To help you get the necessary skills to compete in this job market, GCU offers an Immersive Java Bootcamp. In 16 weeks, the bootcamp offers more than 600 hours of project-based collaborative instruction and your accelerated path to employment. The courses completed within the bootcamp are part of GCU’s existing, regionally accredited programs. These courses are transferable to a GCU bachelor’s program, or eligible for transfer at the discretion of other regionally accredited U.S. institutions.

CLOSING REMARKS

At our next event on Thursday, July 19, Jackie Schierenberg will discuss “Expert Tips on How to Navigate the ATS” at our Scottsdale location.

Check the schedule online for more upcoming topics. A few dates of our summer events have been moved to accommodate summer programs at our host locations, so be sure to confirm the location as well.

1/11/18 – Finding and Landing a New Career FAST!

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Finding and Landing a New Career FAST!Written by: Mary Beth Huffman

Keynote

Finding and Landing a New Career FAST!
Dave Sherman

Author of 3 books: 50 Tops Tips, Breaking the Ice, Elevating Your Elevator Pitch

Tip 1: Embrace the decision
It may be obvious, but avoid indecision, explanations, validations, and negativity. Window shop the job boards. In the search box type job title or keyword city and state. Look for a job that fits you. Be creative when looking at your options. Open yourself up to whatever it could be. What career would be:
• Interesting
• Challenging
• Rewarding
• Fun
Dave works for Mobile Mini, which is hiring, by the way. See those positions here.

Tip 2: Peruse the Job Boards
Step out of your box. Can you stay here? Look for the stuff you really want to do. Do you know what you are really good at? Gallup Clifton’s survey identifies greatest strengths. You can live your best life when you tap into your unique strengths. You can either pay the nominal fee and take the survey online: https://is.gd/zNzEJd or buy the book Strength Finders and get it for free.

Tip 3: Start meeting MORE PEOPLE!

To get into a new career or field, expand your network and the people you want to meet. You will need some assistance.

Where should you go?

  • Chambers: attend 2 events. No need to join unless you are starting a business.
  • Associations
  • Business groups
  • Networking groups
  • Career transition groups

Come to meetings. Then when you get to where you want to be you can help others.

  • Show up 15 minutes early.
  • Bring business cards. If in transition get business cards with: name, phone, email, and if you want your LinkedIn profile. Make sure they’re not too thin.
  • Ask for help! Let people know you’re in transition.
  • When attending events let go of the outcome! Don’t expect to come away with something. Just see what happens. If you golf you may score an 83 and the next week 93. It doesn’t matter.

What should you do?

  • Build more likability. Smile. Be genuine. Be interested, not interesting. Ask questions. How did you get into this field? If I wanted to get into X, what do you suggest?
  • Build more commonality. Ask about their hometown, hobbies, school, family, friends, and favorites.

Finding a new career is like a rollercoaster. Think of what a great opportunity you have. How long this adventure lasts is up to you. Do all this every day. This will go faster than if you spent the day looking at the job boards. Where you are sitting might be a little scary. If you can, take that one minute and say to yourself what might come out of this?

Hiring Companies:

Connect Wireless

Chandra Sandoval, Corporate Recruiter

Connect Wireless’ headquarters is in Scottsdale, with 80+ stores in 8 states and launching 8 new stores this month. They are currently hiring for a variety of positions, from Sales, to corporate positions: Commissions Assistant Auditor, Data Reporting Specialist, and Administrative Assistant/Operations to Lead Training Manager.  A complete list of openings is here.

Supreme Lending

Darin Dow, Business Manager

Direct lender Supreme Lending has pretty much no middle-man. This privately owned and debt-free company started in 1999 in Dallas. Operations are in the main office off I-17. Supreme Lending doesn’t do reverse mortgages, but does all sorts of residential mortgages. They are a direct Lender to FHA, Fannie, Freddie, VA, and USDA. All are government down-payment assistant programs. They have a program that gets owners back into a home in under 30 days with a 580 credit score with FHA.
Supreme Lending does no-cost moves for their clients. They are opening up 8 more branches and are looking for Branch Managers, Producing Branch Managers, Licensed Loan Officers and Assistants, and Processors all across the state from Tucson to Phoenix to Flagstaff.  See all openings at Supreme Lending.

Allstate

Tori Castlegrante, Agency Process Specialist

Allstate has been around for 85 years in U.S. and Canada. They have 47 products, including financial services. They are looking for Agency Owners, IT, Product Management, Claims Analysts, and Licensed Sales Producers.
In general, Allstate’s main focus is on the local community and servicing them. A big bulk of the business is their property and casualty line. Allstate assists employees with the cost of licensing. They have an active Veterans Program and are currently running a short hiring referral promotion. There are also 40 openings with their partners. Go to Allstate for more information.

11/21/17 – Seven Simple Things™ for Career Transition

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Seven Simple ThingsWritten by Shweta Shrivastav

Keynote

Tom Gammon has been involved with Career Connectors for about 5 years, first as an attendee, and also as a volunteer. Seven Simple Things™ emerged from Tom’s professional and personal experiences, and a penchant for continuous learning. He spent 30+ years in the corporate world creating and growing business units within large organizations to 9-digit revenue levels and high profit performance. He has also trained, coached and mentored hundreds of small business owners and thousands of individual professionals. He is an Academic Associate with ASU, where he mentors students, faculty, and community-based start-ups, is a guest lecturer on the subjects of personal and team development and performance, leadership, and culture, and chairs the Venture Mentor Advisory Council for ASU’s Venture Devil’s program.

The Seven Simple Things™ is a collection of principals, practices, tools and resources to help you move forward in any situation and create a happier, less stressful and more productive life.

These principles can be applied in various fields like Entrepreneurial ventures; Management, Organizational Teaming and Leadership; Consulting, Coaching, Speaking, Mentoring; Job Search/Career Transition; Professional Sales and Sales Management; Educational Pursuits/Personal Development; Direct/Network Marketing; and Athletic team performance to name a few.

Once there were three brick-layers. Each one was asked what they were doing. The first one grimly replied, “I am laying bricks”. The second one said, “I am building a big wall”. The third one said with pride, “I am building the greatest chapel ever built.” So, our attitude towards whatever we are doing determines the level of success. If we have the bigger picture in mind and not just the task at hand, we are better able to eliminate obstacles.

From the HR perspective, the hiring criteria they have in mind is if we CAN do you our job, if we WILL do our job and if are a good culture FIT.

So, now the question is during this time of job transition how do we stay motivated, focused and end up getting a great job?

The answer is by emphasizing on the Seven Simple Things™

  • Positive Thought
  • Positive Action
  • Ponder the possibilities
  • Preparation
  • Practice
  • Persistence
  • Patience

The implementation process – How do we achieve these Seven Simple Things™?

  • Creating an ability based mindset
  • The performance triangle
  • Craft and tell your story

Creating an ability based mindset

Some of the challenges to creating an ability based mindset are Fear, difficult task, questioning your abilities, discomfort, not being clear about your “why”, and mired down or being “stuck”.

  1. So, how do we get over these challenges? Emphasize serving others be it Community, Customers, Professional Stakeholders, or Personal Network.
  2. Daily reflection about your values and your “why”, expressing gratitude either as a prayer or as gratitude journaling, setting intentions/goals, learning, and getting a little uncomfortable each day by doing something you have not done before.
  3. Taking time to contemplate and meditate. For example, learn about simple “pranic” breathing techniques.

The performance triangle

The performance triangle is Acceptance-Choice-Action.

Acceptance: The first step to great performance is acceptance. Taking stock of where we are and creating a game plan from there to reach our goals. Not approaching the job search from a victim mentality but from an abundance mentality.

Choice: Once we accept and take stock of our current situation, the inevitable question of choice comes up. We can either chose to take action and feel the pain of effort or not take action and feel the pain of regret. The choice is ours to make.

Action: One step at a time along the way to something bigger/better. We don’t need to “boil the ocean” but make a difference in our own unique way. We should appreciate, enjoy and even celebrate the action. Repeat the cycle by accepting the new moment created by your action.

Craft and Tell you Story (Leverage Your Unique-ness)

Here are the the components to crafting a compelling story about what you offer.

  1. Situation/Background – Events, Findings, Experience(s)
  2. Decision, Action, Results – Choices, Actions, Results
  3. What I like most – About current status/results
  4. Reactions – People [Clients] find that
  5. Engagement Question – OPEN ENDED

Invitation: Receive free Seven Simple Things™ introductory e-book for Entrepreneurs or Job Seekers when you join the mailing list on Tom’s website TomGammon.net.

Suggested Readings:
The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin
A New Earth ad The Power of NOW by Eckhart Tolle
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach us the Good Life by Michael Puett & Christine Gross-Loh
Letting Go by David R Hawkins
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
How Good Do We Have To Be by Harold S Kushner
You are a BADASS by Jen Sincero

Hiring Companies

Bank of the West

Douglas Deyo, Recruiter
A subsidiary of BNP Paribas, Bank of the West has recently (October 2017) set up shop in Phoenix. They have plans to hire more than a 1000 people in the coming year. They have a laid back work environment due to their European roots and have a robust pay and benefit policy. Some of the roles they are hiring for are Customer Service, Administrators, Accounting professionals, IT professionals, Banking and Loan Operations professionals. You can find all their job postings at here.

LoanCare – A Servicelink Company

Robert Soukkala, VP Site Manager
LoanCare is majority owned by Fidelity National Financial, Inc. They have a casual dress code and laid back work environment. They are currently hiring in their Customer Experience, Collections, and Loss Mitigation departments. All of their jobs are listed at LoanCare.net.

Chase

Lekheythan Malone, Sr Recruiting Professional
Chase serves nearly half of America’s households with a broad range of financial services. The scale of operations provides job seekers with amazing job opportunities. There are ample opportunities to grow within the company. Their benefits are one of the best in the market. Additionally, they have various diversity groups including Veterans, LGBTQ and others.

Some of their open roles are:
Phoenix – Consumer Direct Mortgage Banker, Underwriter – Auto Finance, Customer Service & Collections Specialist I & III – Auto, and Lead Teller Ops Specialist Trainee (English/Bilingual)

Tempe – US Help Desk Specialist II, Customer Service & Fraud, Customer Service & Fraud (bilingual), Mortgage Services Specialist I, and Retail Customer Service

Find all of their job listings here.

Vanguard

Ralph Kimbrough, Sr Recruiter
Vanguard is one of the largest investment management companies. They put great emphasis on work-life integration. 37.5 hours of work is considered full-time work. They have some great benefits like on site gym, on site health clinic, tuition reimbursement, retirement savings, and learning opportunities.

They are hiring for various jobs from Entry level to Management level. Some of the roles are Client Relationship Specialist, Processing Associate, Financial Adviser, Compliance Manager, and Team leaders. For their current open positions, please visit their website.

 

11/16/17 – Think Like a Hiring Manger and Land the Job

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Written by Miriam Spinner

If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet itJonathan Winters

Think Like a Hiring ManagerLooking for a new job is like looking for the right partner.  The process is fraught with frustration, empty mailboxes, and uncomfortable first time face-to-face conversations.  What can be more challenging is the waiting, maybe even months, for a response.  A final gut-wrenching rejection can take you to a downward spiral of feeling unwanted, heartbreak or disappointment.
The good news is if you understand how the recruitment cycle works, and you think like a hiring manager, you can proactively manage the process.  You will learn to face setbacks with ease, and deal with those crushing moments.  So don’t wait for the ship to come in, but rather swim to it by learning techniques and tricks, and land your dream job!

Keynote

“The lights literally went out”, and at that moment Jessica Pierce, the keynote speaker, knew she was out of a job.  Jessica knew about recruiting from her ten years working at Intel.  She wanted to help people write resumes, and her passion was to volunteer.  She went to her church, and they gave her a room to offer resume advice.  This marked the beginning of what is known today as Career Connectors.
Recruitment Life Cycle
“How can you put your brain inside the brain of people that are hiring?” Jessica asks the attendees.  First, learn about the Recruitment Life Cycle.  There are multiple screenings that take place.  Candidates do not realize that there are many steps, and it could take up to 6 weeks to receive a response.  The cycle depends on the individual company.  One attendee shared that she had nine interviews.  They want to be sure they are hiring the right person.  And, if you receive and offer, don’t respond right away.
How Companies Find You
Job seekers typically begin their search with online postings and boards.  You apply for 100 openings, and you receive no response.  Recruiters start with people that they know, and they like.
Tip:  Get in front of the hiring manager.
Referrals
Employers offer attractive referral programs for the following reasons:
• The employer liked you, so you probably know someone that has a similar work ethic. • Save money on the recruiting expense• Different pool of candidates, and outside the recruitment systems
Tip:  We love to work with people we like – Be Likeable
Job Boards
Recruiters receive thousands of applications through job boards.  They enter key words so although you may be a perfect match, this channel is a matter of chance. Indeed is a job board that crawls all the sites, but there is a time delay.
LinkedIn
Recruiters use LinkedIn to gather information about you by reviewing your profile.  They can learn about your interests and groups, in addition to your competencies.
Tip:  Make sure you connect with the company and the employees.  Think about the companies that interest you.  List about 10 target companies and document ways to connect with them.
Facebook
Facebook is used for employer branding. Use Facebook to learn more about the company and the latest information.
Competencies
Recruiters are asking themselves,  “Do you have what we need to fulfill this job?” They are thinking about what the candidate can bring to them immediately.  They are not teaching you, so avoid using terms such as “I can learn”, or “I don’t know”.  Figure out ways to connect your skillset to what they need.
Jessica used a marketing example to illustrate how to connect your skills to their need.  You can adapt Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or social media experience in one industry to a different industry.  Showcase your skillset even if it is not a direct match. Think about how you can apply your skills, your accomplishments, and tell them what you did.  An example is “tell me about a time you were able to manage a successful project?”.
You might also consider training, writing a blog, writing an article, volunteering or helping a business owner to acquire new skills sets.
Character
Jessica asked the audience “Do you have the behavior style to succeed in a particular company?”.  At Google, for example, their values might be flexibility, and jeans attire vs. at IBM they might have more structure and a more formal dress code.  Know who they are, and know who you are.  The DISC assessment will help you understand who you are, and it is a free resource.  Other assessments are Predictive Index and Myers and Briggs.
Tip:  Know the company, your competency, and your character.
Chemistry
You can have all the right competencies and character traits, but chemistry is the hardest since it is a gut feeling.  Jessica reminds us of the importance of listening to our gut, and if something doesn’t feel right, be nice and wrap it up.
Handshake
Try the handshake exercise that Jessica offered to the audience.  Match the handshake style with the person that initiates the handshake.  If the handshake is light, respond light.  If you receive a hard handshake, respond in kind.
Know your Employer
Be prepared, arrive 5 to 10 minutes early.  Be familiar with company news and initiatives such as a food drive.  Drive to the location, and notice what the employees are wearing.  Your attire should be one step above it.
Social Media
Make sure there are no controversial comments such as political statements.  Candidates were not hired due to social media comments.  As an employee, you are a representative of the company.

Hiring Companies

USAA
Krista Ambrosino, Employee Relations Advisor
Krista’s mom worked at USAA, and her excitement was passed on to Krista.  Krista received a large reimbursement for her Bachelor and Master’s tuition expenses.  USAA employees love talking about the mission.  They are grounded in it.  USAA is the provider of choice for military families.  USAA sponsors volunteer events on site.  There are 16 paid volunteer hours.
The business is financial ranging from mortgages and financial advice to banking.  The headquarters office is in San Antonio, Texas.  There are 4,000 employees in the Phoenix office.
They are looking for successful results in a strong academic program, passion for growth, military service, shared core values and knowledge of financial services.
Current openings are in auto insurance sales and service representatives, mortgage processor, auto adjustor and bodily injury professional.  Other openings include software engineering.  Go to USAAjobs.com  and setup a key word search for a full view of openings.

Atrilogy Staffing Solutions
Rodney Rihela, VP Sales & Recruiting
Rodney encourages you not to be frustrated with the process.  Atrilogy was established in 2000, and is a privately held information technology consulting and staffing firm.  The headquarters office is in Irvine, California.  There are 45 internal employees, and 150 consultants.
Atrilogy believes in embracing technology.  Digital or recorded interviews using web cams are upcoming new ways to screen applicants.  The advantages are managers and candidates can conduct the interview at their leisure.  Southwest Airlines currently uses this method.  You need to make sure the lighting is right, and the technology works.
They currently house 238,000 resumes, and 20 recruiters are working on 75 jobs at any time.  Reach out to their recruiters on LinkedIn for status.  The opportunities are contract, contract to hire or direct hire.  Current openings are in Quality Assurance Analysts, Developers, Software QA Testers, Oracle Engineers, Scrum Masters and Programmers.
Go to http://atrilogy.catsone.com/careers for current opportunities.

Dream Center Education Holdings
Jonathan Tummavichakul, Talent Acquisition Specialist
Dream Center Education Holdings is moving toward a nonprofit center.  Their three brand offerings are Argosy University, South University, and The Art Institutes system of schools.  They prepare employees to make an impact through relevant education. Their degrees range from behavior health, nursing, information technology to culinary and fashion.
The Phoenix campus is located at I-17 and Dunlap.  The administrative offices for online programs are co-headquartered in Chandler.  A full tuition grant is a benefit to you and your family.
Open positions include Business Analyst, VP Marketing, Academic Counselor, Admissions Manager, HR Generalist, Talent Acquisition Recruiter and many faculty teaching opportunities. Other jobs open include on the phone – entry level with no experience. Go to the website for other opportunities.

Coder Camps
Jason Jones, Sr. Admissions Advisor
Coder Camps is available to a student that wants to learn web and software development.  Their approach to teaching assumes the student is a beginner.  It is fast paced, and you lean on the students around you for additional help.  Jason’s wife participated in the program, and she is killing it!
There are 250,000 vacancies in the industry, and a 2% unemployment rate.  The average annual compensation entry level is $ 60,000.

Closing

Sheila Coulam, Director of Programs for Career Connectors, closed out the meeting by reminding the attendees that no-cost employment resources are available at Goodwill Career Services.  Additional services are also available during breakout sessions to help with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, education, professional photography shots, and career and financial coaching.  Online resources can also help with a DISC  assessment, or additional information through the event recap blogs.  Be sure to download your professional portrait.
The next Career Connectors event is in Gilbert on November 21rst, featuring Tom Gammon on the topic, “Seven Simple Things for Career Transition”.  View the calendar more detail on upcoming events.

A message to leave you with as you embark on the at times not-so-fun journey:
Just like the swimmer learns new techniques to land on that ship, you too can get out there and adapt the practices that you learned today!