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10/7/20 – Kickstart Your Job Search

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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!

12/06/17 – Brand Elevation: Power Up Your Influence in 3 Simple Steps

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Brand ElevationWritten by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

What do Oprah, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Martha Stewart, Jennifer Aniston and Snoop Dogg have in common? Not only are they all celebrities but also masters of personal branding. Personal branding isn’t restricted to the rich and famous but also professionals.

KEYNOTE

Brand Elevation: Power Up Your Influence in 3 Simple Steps
Felicia Davis
There are many factors that contribute to our professional success. Felicia emphasized that “your brand is arguably your most important asset.” But how do you achieve an elevated brand? Felicia provided a road map to a prominent and leading brand.

4 BLIND SPOT BEHAVIORS
Each of us has a behavior that holds us back in achieving our goals. Common blind spots include:

  1. Hiding Out: Are you going incognito and practicing your best introvert self? Are you avoiding putting yourself out there?
  2. Impostor Syndrome: Do you continuously ask yourself, “Am I good enough?”
  3. Clear Boundaries: Are your boundaries clearly defined for you and others you interact with? Boundaries embrace our values/value system. Do you enforce them and do others respect them?
  4. Status Quo Behavior: Are you not putting changes in place and still waiting for magical results? Are you doing just enough to get by?

These blind spots are keeping you on a losing streak of missed opportunities and a powerful brand!

WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE YOU
There are a number of reasons why candidates are selected as a final candidate/promotion. Studies have revealed that 10% are chosen for skills; 30% for passion; and 60% for positioning and presence. It has been shown that presence dictates a “yes” 90% of the time.

HOW WELL BRANDED ARE YOU?
Felicia introduced a mini assessment to establish how well branded we are. Our answers determined if we had a Potential, Rising, Super or Mega Brand. It is important to remember that branding is a process and evolves over time.

BRANDING REQUIREMENTS
Several factors need to be defined and demonstrated by your brand.
1. CLARITY: Who you are and are not.
2. CONSISTENCY: Your message should mirror who you are.
3. CONSTANCY: Continuous visibility to your target audience.

BRAND EFFECTIVENESS
Felicia noted the effectiveness of your brand and its presentation are evaluated by your REPUTATION (gets you known); RELATIONSHIPS (gets you access) and RESULTS (increases your value). Your reputation, relationships and results all measure how effective your brand is.

WELL-EXECUTED BRAND
A well-executed brand brings with it many benefits including:
• Building trust and loyalty.
• Increasing earning potential.
• Engaged conversation, support and evangelism of your message.
• Closing the gap between your identity and the perceptions others have of you.
• Differentiate you as a professional more than price and function.

HOW DO YOU ELEVATE YOUR BRAND?
What a great question? Fortunately, Felicia shared with us her 4 power moves that will elevate your brand:

  1. Know and own your narrative. Your narrative is what shapes your brand identity. There are 3 common challenges in developing your narrative. Those obstacles include “don’t know what you don’t know, voice doesn’t matter, and the comparison trap”. Felicia indicated there are two questions you need to answer to avoid the described challenges. You need to know the answer to “what do you believe about the future success of your field or industry and what will be my role in making it happen”.
  2. Be magnetic. Being a magnet or having brand magnetism requires you to position what you do with the right people at the right time. To be a success you need to be clear on who your audience is and understand their problems, challenges, desires and secret fears. This move also has common challenges including “waiting to be discovered, missing key relationships and unable to articulate value”. One way to resolve these issues is to “be clear about the value you bring and how it impacts the organization.
  3. Develop brand ambassadors. These individuals bring brand loyalty. To develop brand loyalty, you need to be clear that your target audience is your partner in your success. Challenges surrounding this move are commoditized conversations, not knowing the agenda and silo mentality. To resolve these roadblocks, you need to have high-stake conversations and understand the agendas of others.
  4. Get visible. Being visible leads to brand loyalty and brand voice. You need to be noticed, known, and vocal. Those factors challenging your success are the fraud factor, comparison & conflicting messages. Becoming visible requires you to avoid being invisible, a voyeur, laying low & watching others shine. Most importantly you need to decide where you would like to be.

DEVELOP YOUR STRATEGY
Developing your strategy to achieve your desired brand requires you to know the answers to “What do I want to be known for?”; “What do I want to be known as?”; What do I need to give up in order to be visible and create my desired legacy?”; and “What’s the first step?”

As you elevate your brand, remember that it is a process and does not happen overnight. The rewards from a powerful brand may not make you a well-known celebrity but you will be a rising star in your profession.

Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.Jeff Bezos, Amazon

HIRING COMPANIES

AZ DES
Ruth Ford, Recruiter

The mission of AZ DES is to help Arizonians reach their potential through temporary assistance for those in need, and care for the vulnerable. There are several divisions providing a full array of services: Aging and Adult Services, Benefits and Medical Eligibility, Child Support Services, Developmental Disabilities, Employment and Rehabilitation Services, Early Intervention Program and Community Outreach.
Employee benefits include medical, dental, and short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off; work-life balance and retirement. A sampling of current openings are Employee Relations Specialist, Child Support Services Call Center Agent, Caregiver, Case Manager Lead-Early Intervention, Rehabilitation Services Specialist 3, Auditor 2, Physical Therapist, Training Officer 2, Financial Exploitation Manager, State Monitor Advocate, and Core Services Engineer/Supervisor. If interested, apply on the AZ DES website.

Lifewell Behavioral Wellness
Wendy Christensen, Recruiter

Lifewell Behavioral Wellness was formed in 2011 as part of a merger. The organization has over 80 years of cumulative experience and offers a wide array of services and care for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness, general mental health issues and substance abuse disorders. Services range from residential, outpatient, supported housing to vocational rehabilitation services; and transportation.
Lifewell offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, personal and professional growth; learning and development; and having a positive impact in their client’s life. Available opportunities are Clinician Associate I(BHPP), Application Developer, Claims Specialist, Drivers, Intake and Housing Specialist, Client Service Representative, Case Manager, Psychiatrist, Maintenance Technician and Therapist. For more details and apply online.

All About People
Desirae Noonan, Corporate Branch Manager

All About People is a staffing and recruiting firm that puts people first whether those individuals are job seekers, client companies or franchise owners. The firm is “generalist” by nature. Opportunities are everything from clerical/administrative needs to senior leadership and all corporate functional areas in between. Current openings are Credentialing Specialist, Claims Specialist, HR Benefits Coordinator, Part Time Customer Service, Recruiter, Clinical Administrator, Bankruptcy Legal Assistant, Accounting Specialist, Tax Accountant, Exam Technician, Legal Secretary and more. Please refer to the website for more details.

Allstate
Tom Wheeler, Field Sales Leader

Allstate was established in Chicago in 1931 and has been in business for 80 years. Allstate is #81 on Fortune 100 list and has an employee population of 70,000 employees in the US and Canada. The SW region is composed of AZ, OK, NV, NM and UT. Allstate is one of the most recognizable brands in America and has 47 products to help serve its customers’ needs.
Available positions include Claims Analyst, Product Management, Information Technology, Agency Owner and Licensed Sales Producers. The company is military friendly and offers free education to veterans and a bonus award of $500. In addition, Allstate has a $10,000 referral award. To learn more about careers visit Allstate’s website.

RESOURCES

Grand Canyon University
Scott Bromander, Head of Education, Non-Degree Technology Programs

Grand Canyon is launching a Coding program. Students will learn immersive software engineering in a Java pilot program free of charge. Students need to complete the program to avoid tuition costs. Prior coding experience is not required. Classes start January 8 and run until April 27, 2018, Monday-Friday, 9 am- 5 pm for 15 weeks. The program is limited to 20 students. Candidates must complete admissions requirements to be considered for the program by December 17. Interested applicants are to contact Scott Bromander.

Coder Camps
Jason Jones, Sr. Admissions Advisor

Coder Camps prepares students for a career in software development with immersive coding boot camps, online instruction, and career placement support. Graduates are equipped with a practical knowledge of full-stack software development, interview skills and a portfolio demonstrating their abilities. Coder Camps’ accelerated learning programs are offered full-time, part-time and online. The school is the only code camp to offer graduates lifetime access to all courses, a community of developers, and career services for free. For more information or to apply, visit their website.

CLOSING

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking North Phoenix Baptist Church and the volunteers. For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the Event Schedule. 

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.Maria Robinson