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New Horizons of Phoenix

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.

 

11/09/17 — Telling Your Story

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Telling Your StoryWritten by Susan Lamphiear

“When the space shuttle exploded….” the sermon began.  I still remember the theme of that sermon: “You don’t have to be a star like an astronaut to let your light–your talents–shine through.” I remember that theme because it was tied to that powerful, tragic story of the explosion which killed the astronauts and the first teacher/astronaut launched into space.

In today’s job search, we are sometimes reminded of the importance of  storytelling as we answer those behavioral interview questions. But wait, there’s more to the story.

Keynote

“We begin with our story,” says our keynote Cary Pfeffer, who’s come to talk to us about the importance of “story” in the job search. From his twenty-plus years as a reporter and newscaster, he knows about stories.  Today he advises high level clients, letting them do the storytelling, because telling our own story can be more challenging than we  think. Since it’s our own story, we have to be vigilant to keep the message succinct so we’ll be heard and remembered– but in a good way.

And then he tells us a story showing how a  few moments can reveal a great deal about a person and an organization.

In the past couple of months Cary’s fiancee, an attorney, was called into the boss’s office, called away from a company training class she was attending, because he needed her legal expertise. What made the story the most memorable was what the boss did later. He phoned her trainer to apologize for interrupting his training session. He said, “I value what you do and I hope you know I’d never interrupt unless it was absolutely necessary.”

With a brief action, the boss demonstrated his values, reflecting back on the company — they valued the trainer’s time. The boss took time to remind the trainer he valued him.

Tips for One-on-One Conversation, the Written Word, or Public Speaking

  • Know your audience–Make your spoken and written words about them. How can you help?
  • Know your comfort zone — Preparation is the key even if you’re not as comfortable either with the spoken word or the written word. Spend some time getting ready instead of saying whatever pops into your head or whatever you quickly write down. The preparation will help calm you.
  • Know how to be a good editor — Keep it succinct whether you’re speaking or writing.
  • Begin and end with something unique or at least different than you normally would. Make it meaningful and about them. Spend some time thinking and planning to avoid rambling.
  • Research shows when we communicate, only seven percent of our word choice matters, followed by voice tone at 38 percent. A whopping 55 percent of our message comes through our body language. Cary gives an example.  If someone responds to an email or text saying “OK,” the receiver is apt to think, “Aww. I thought things were better than OK. I wonder what was wrong?”  Probably nothing was wrong. But research shows — Most written communication is interpreted more negatively than it is intended.
  • Use brief, planned stories because  humans are programmed for storytelling. It’s how we relate to others and remember.
  • If you’re telling a memorable story with a purpose, tell only what’s needed to get your ideas across whether you’re speaking or writing.  You can always expand on it later, especially if the story inspires a question from an interviewer or your boss. The same is true in a resume or a cover letter. Cary gave an example of a cover letter he wrote before speaking to company representatives. The letter started out “Zilch. Nada. Zip… That’s the number of times we will speak instead of listening to your concerns.”
  • Avoid  tired old cliches.  Avoid business jargon. When asked about yourself or what you offer the company, tell a short story that will reveal who you are and what you value.
  • Consider one of advertising’s best  lines “Just Do It.” Nike wanted to appeal to the weekend runner, and everyone in between, up through and including the Olympic hopeful or champion.
  • Try this exercise Cary gave attendees Thursday.  In a short sentence, say what makes you unique and helps a company. No mission statements, please. And consider if it can be quickly understood and remembered. Cary’s statement  can be quickly understood and can always be expanded: “I help people when they stand up to speak.”
  • In a business setting when you handle Q and A sessions, instead of just saying something mundane like, “OK this is the last slide…” take  thirty seconds to say something more unexpected like ending with an anecdote to put the “bow on the present.” Or take a few seconds to highlight a main point.

Cary summed up his message reminding us the key to success lies in our ability to articulate our own skill set quickly and memorably.

Click here for the link to Cary’s newsletter. Or his book.

Hiring Companies

Beacon Group

Marcel Mayberry, Recruitment Specialist

Beacon Group provides employment-related opportunities to people with disabilities, a segment of society that traditionally bears a 70% unemployment rate.

A non-profit started in 1952 in Tucson, they’re staffed with job coaching specialists. Beacon partners with Goodwill to help the disabled in the Valley. In 2003, Beacon Foundation and Tetra Corporation merged to become the Beacon Group, now serving over 2100 disabled persons each year.  Beacon Group specializes in a variety of employment-related programs, plus education and socialization necessary for clients to lead productive lives.

Beacon is looking to hire caring individuals willing to go the extra mile to help the disabled. Current openings in Phoenix include Employment Specialist and Custodial Job Coach-Federal Courthouse in Phoenix. For more information about other positions available with Beacon Group in Phoenix or Tucson, visit their website.

Trupath

Peter Difilippantonio, Business Development

Trupath, an employment agency located in Tempe, AZ, offers boutique recruiting for general staffing across several niche areas. The company prides themselves on getting to know each job candidate and employer.  Trupath’s recruiters search for employers and employee prospects with specialized needs. Often companies go to Trupath after going through other types of unproductive searches.

Trupath typically narrows the employer search to five job seekers, presenting the top two candidates to the company.

Current positions include Construction Project Manager, Marketing Manager, Project Manager with a large engineering firm, Senior CAD Designer, Family Support Specialist, Retail Operations Manager, Regulatory Reporting Analyst, Reliability Engineer, Polymer/Injection Molding Engineer, and Maintenance Technician for a solar company.

For more information about the company, positions available, or to apply, visit their website.

Weebly

Caroline Wike, People Ops Manager

Weebly, a website builder located in Old Town Scottsdale, gives consumers an easy and affordable way to create a unique website. Weebly hosts a drag and drop website builder and encourages entrepreneurs to showcase their work.

The company offers products to help clients and staffs their own in-house lab to test new products.

Core values include radical respect plus honesty equals trust.

The company provides competitive pay with bonuses, annual top sales incentive trip, and a paid four weeks off after five years of employment. Anniversary gifts include a Weebly bike for your third anniversary of employment. Benefits include employer-paid health care plus life insurance and both long and short term disability; paid time off; employer match retirement up to the maximum allowed by law; and stock options.

Customer Success Advocate (CSA) Positions are open. A CSA helps customers with their sites via phone, online and email. No cold calls.  New staff receive three weeks of training. Qualifications include strong understanding of the Internet and website creation, previous customer support and/or sales experience preferred, excellent written and verbal communication skills, comfortable with technology in general, and type at least 40 wpm.

For more information or to apply online go to their website.

Genius Avenue

Jennifer Rojas, Recruiter

Genius Avenue, located in Scottsdale, AZ, establishes a new connection between insurance companies and their customers, offering insurance benefit enrollment, administration and communication services. Clients include Lifelock and LegalZoom.com. The company offers choice, simplicity, flexibility and control, with their technology serving the needs of both buyers and sellers.

The Genuis Avenue culture is described as Innovative, Employee-centric, and Collaborative.

Open positions include Quality Assurance Analyst, Software QA Test Lead, Business Analyst, Strategic Relationship Manager, and Enterprise Sales AE.

For more information or to apply, click here.

Resources

Goodwill of Central & Northern AZ

Carter Ellis, Employer and Community Relations

Goodwill of  Central & Northern Arizona is a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is eliminating unemployment. Their retail stores offer donated goods to transform into services to help thousands of Arizonans, and to provide on-site career development. Ninety cents of every dollar from the retail operations goes back into the community.

Goodwill offers jobs in more than just their retail operations, a common misconception. Candidates are able to find employment ranging from entry level on up through professional areas such as IT, analysts, and project management. Because Goodwill partners with over 600 employers, often Goodwill contacts prospective job candidates directly with specific positions which can’t wait for a job fair.

Career advisors meet individually with job seekers. And it’s all free.

Goodwill partners with employers throughout the Valley and collaborates with community resources. Goodwill offers career coaching, resume critiquing, and mock interviewing. For more information, visit their website.

New Horizons Learning Center

Joe Rostowsky, Director of Site Operations

New Horizons provides computer learning solutions for anyone in job transition, or for anyone who seeks to upgrade their skills. They offer five learning methods: traditional, instructor-led; online live learning; online anytime learning; onsite group training; and private classes. The school’s mission: “We empower people around the World to succeed through learning.”

New Horizons evaluates candidates to find the correct program to help each individual and their desired job. The school offers state-of-the-art facilities including hands-on labs, learning guides, reference materials, course ware, practice exams and exam preparation. Funding is available, including for veterans.

Numerous training and certification programs are offered including Microsoft Office, Miscrosoft Technical courses such as Cisco, IBM, Cyber Security, Red Hat, and Business courses such as Six Sigma. For a complete list of offerings and information about funding possibilities, visit their website or call.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the formal meeting, thanked volunteers and the host Highlands Church. She explained the breakout sessions which included speaking directly with hiring managers, receiving help with resumes and LinkedIn, talking with schools about training programs, and getting professional head shots taken for free by a volunteer professional photographer.

Next Career Connectors event will be held Thursday, November 16, 2017, at 9 AM in Glendale, AZ, featuring Jessica Pierce on the topic Think Like a Hiring Manager and Land the Job. The next event in Scottsdale will be held Thursday, December 14, 2017, at 9AM. For a  list of Career Connectors events, the details and to register, see the information beside this blog–to the right.

A little more food for thought on the power of telling your story. Try these links for even more insight and inspiration on the importance of telling your story.

  • It is well — It is Well with My Soul – Wintley Phipps
  • TED talk  The Power of Storytelling to Change the World: Dave Lieber 
  • Tell a story Interview Tip: Don’t Give Answers, Tell Stories from theundercoverrecruiter.com

9/14/17 – Resume Mythbusters: Certified Resume Writer Panel

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Resume Mythbusters

Certified Resume Writer Panel:
Brenda Cunningham, Donna Tucker, Martha Rockwell, Leslie Fountain and Amanda Collins

Written by Mark Salcido

September is International Update Your Resume Month and Career Connectors along with the Resume Writers Council of Arizona (RWCA) offered the timely panel discussion presentation: Resume Mythbusters, moderated by Career Connectors’ own Jessica Pierce. The panel of Certified Resume Writers with over 100 years of combined resume writing experience provided a wealth of information regarding the writing of resumes as it has evolved over the last several years with the advent of technology including Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” was a statement provided by Martha Rockwell, one of the panelists during the introductory overview segment of the panel, which then opened into an informational session of current standards for resumes. The following section provides a sample of the questions and answers provided during the panel discussion.
What is Most Important on the Resume?
The most important component of a resume is clarity. Be clear and concise in your resume regarding your experience. Your experience needs to be supported with clear details and examples of your accomplishments. Your capabilities need to be clearly stated and substantiated by the words in your resume. As discussed by the RWCA panel members, “Quantify results” and the impact you had on the company while at the same time “Qualify yourself” for the position by clearly stating your qualifications.

What are the Key Mechanical Components of a Resume?
Among the Best Practices of Current Resume Writing things to remember are:

  • Resume should be one or two pages (if a second page is needed to show experience)
  • Font needs to be kept to 10 to 12 Size Sans Serif Font for clarity (ex. Calibri, Arial)
  • Include contact information such as phone number and email address (Do not include street address)
  • Keep employment history to 10 or 15 years (unless it is relevant to the job)
  • Resume does NOT have to be pretty – Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) do not see “pretty”
  • Pretty resumes (tables, graphics and other details) may work for in-person interviews but not for ATS
  • Don’t ever upload a .PDF file. Applicant Tracking Systems do not recognize/read PDF file accurately.
  • Customize your resume for each job – show you care
  • Personalize your resume using the top 4 lines or the top paragraph on your resume

How do you get past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
Most companies, if not all companies, are using Applicant Tracking Systems for the application processing in the initial stages of the hiring process. There are over 200 types of ATS with different levels of sophistication.

Some ideas to keep in mind in uploading a resume into an ATS are:

  • Use Key Words or Key Phrases that will be “proven worthy” by the ATS. You will find the key words and phrases in the job description. Go through the job description and highlight, red pen or underline the key words and phrases and put them into your resume. However, do NOT copy verbatim from the job description. Be creative, use name recognition such as the company name.
  • Update key words and phrases for each job, again, based on the job description.
  • ATS do not recognize Table, Headers, Boxes, Graphics or italics.
  • Be careful with “free” resume writing tools online – graphics and other formatting in those tools may not be compatible with ATS.

What is the value of paying for a resume versus talking to a recruiter to see what they want?
When looking at the value of a professional resume, one must keep in mind the Return on Investment (ROI). Is paying $500 for a $10,000 to $40,000 salary increase a good investment? Most would think that is a good investment. This is especially true if you are currently unemployed, zero salary versus a significant salary increase is worth the investment in a professional, customized resume.

Professional Resume Writers Offer:

  • Face to face interviews to glean important information that build confidence for the job seeker
  • A trusted source such as a professional resume writer will provide valuable feedback regarding the contents of your resume
  • Professional resume writers will ensure certifications and other important information is included in your resume
  • Professional resume writers will offer samples of their work
  • Resume writing fees are tax deductible

Resume Panel

Thank you to the following generous donors to the drawing held following the RWCA panel discussion:
• Martha Rockwell
• Vered Kogan
• Jeri Hird Dutcher
• Brenda M. Cunningham

Four lucky winners were the recipients of One hour of resume consultation, One hour of Job Search or Career Coaching, $175 Value Resume Services and a free Career Assessment with a one hour career assessment analysis.

Thank you also to our panelists:

Hiring Companies

EA Renfroe

Pamela Cales-Kuzel, Field Recruiter

Pamela Cales-Kuzel, Field Recruiter, discussed local and national employment opportunities in the Disaster Response field assisting people who have experienced natural as well as man-made disasters such as explosions, chemical spills, hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters.

EDMC

Bruce Branch, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Bruce Branch, Talent Acquisition Specialist, presented opportunities with the parent organization of The Art Institute, Argosy University, South, and Brown Mackie. EDMC is one of the leading educational institutions providing educational opportunities for non-traditional students since 1962. Current opportunities include admission representatives, advisors and adjunct faculty members.

OPEN

Eric Nelson, Director of National Sales

Eric Nelson, Director of National Sales presented the opportunities with OPEN – a recruiting partner exclusively dedicated to assembling on-demand, high caliber Work-At-Home teams.

Freedom Financial Network

Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition

Heather Marcom, Head of Talent Acquisition presented the opportunities available at Freedom Financial Network as it grows into a local leader in the financial market. With new facilities in Tempe and more being planned, Freedom Financial Network is in a high growth phase and seeking to fill numerous positions over the next several months. Freedom Financial Network is enjoying the recognition of being one of the Best Places to Work in the Valley of the Sun. Openings include QA Engineer, Salesforce Developer, Sr. Software Engineer, Cisco Network Engineer, Technical Writer, Underwriters, Operations Managers, Loan Servicing Supervisor, Sr. Product Manager, Debt Settlement Negotiator, and more.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Centers
Joe Rostowsky, Director of Site Operations

Joe Rostowsky presented educational opportunities for current individuals in career transition. Among the training programs available there are also opportunities for grant for job seekers to obtain certifications to increase their marketability for employers.

Closing

In her closing remarks, Jessica Pierce announced the upcoming West Valley Health Care Career Expo scheduled for September 20, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Avondale Sports Center in Avondale Arizona.

Career Connectors is also starting a new event venue in Glendale, Arizona beginning in October 2017.

Another opportunity announced was the Direct2Med program offered by Rohn Financial Strategies, Inc., providing access to health care at minimal costs to the participants: Direct2MD

If you are without benefits or have a High Deductible Medical plan, this is a great way to have Live Video access to a Doctor 24 hours/day with no copay and discounts for prescriptions.

Get more information: https://www.direct2md.com/discover-direct2md/

Enroll at Career Connectors Special Pricing: https://direct2md.hint.com/signup/rohn

Career Connectors discounted pricing is $10 per month for an individual or $15 per month for a family. There is NO co-pay when you speak with an Emergency Room Doctor and you can call as often as you need to.

 

6/22/17 – Discover and Unleash Your SuperPower

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Unleash Your SuperPowerWritten by: Daniel Tetrick

Life is about transitions. Some transitions in life are planned and generally welcome: graduation from high school and going to college, moving into a new house, or bringing home a new baby. Other transitions are sudden and often unpleasant: recovering from the damage from a storm or the death of a family member. Regardless whether the transition is planned and welcome or unplanned and unpleasant, in both circumstances dealing with the transition will be a struggle to varying degrees. How can a jobseeker overcome his or her struggle to gain new employment? By recognizing and utilizing the “superpowers” of the jobseeker. Superman uses flight, the Hulk uses strength, and Wonder Woman uses her lasso to fight against bad guys. Jobseekers using their superpowers can turn the inevitable struggles of career transition into opportunities for growth and success.

Keynote

Discover and Unleash Your Superpower
Jean Briese

Certainly one of the biggest transitions someone may experience is losing a job. A sudden or unexpected layoff can cause an individual to doubt his or her skills, abilities, and value to an employer, which can delay or even prevent the successful transition to a new, fulfilling position. Jean Briese is a speaker, author, coach, and entrepreneur who encourages jobseekers to recognize and activate five superpowers to overcome that doubt and embrace the transition from a former employer to a new employer. “I don’t want you to miss this opportunity for a new beginning.”

Power of Habit
Habits are the glue that holds our lives together. They are the automatic, repeated behaviors that require little to any conscious thought. In the context of a job search, ask yourself:
• What is your best habit?
• What habit should you change?
• When was the last time you implemented a new habit?
Jean encourages jobseekers to develop habits that are productive to a job search and eliminate habits that are detrimental.

Power of Purpose
There are over seven billion people in the world. One can easily feel lost or insignificant among such a large number. But Jean countered that everyone has a unique combination of traits, skills, gifts, and experiences that can be used for each individual’s unique purpose. Jobseekers should spend time thinking about their unique gifts and purposes and be able to articulate their passions. Look to others for assistance. Send 5-7 people who know you well an email asking for your top three strengths and where you have room to improve. From the answers provided pick a common strength and make it your focus for becoming an expert. Don’t focus on the “weakness”, just be aware of it.

Power of Your Beliefs
A jobseeker’s beliefs can have a significant impact on behaviors. Self-limiting beliefs promote fear and can inhibit a jobseeker from taking positive actions. Usually we obtain a self-limiting belief because our perceptions lead to a conclusion that reinforces the belief. For example, a jobseeker who gets passed over after a first interview might perceive he performed poorly in the interview. He may then make a broader conclusion he “does not interview well” to such a degree that he takes this belief to future interviews and reinforces, consciously or subconsciously, his conclusion with defeating behaviors. But look at his situation from another perspective. Perhaps the interviewer had already chosen her preferred candidate but HR required her to meet other applicants. Perhaps the company didn’t hire anyone and revoked the position entirely. The candidate doesn’t see these other reasons. He perceives only that he doesn’t interview well. Eliminate the potential for such conclusions and the creation of self-limiting beliefs by seeking the perceptions of others to make other conclusions. Throw out self-defeating beliefs by getting a new perspective.

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.Henry Ford

How People Get JobsPower of People

Networking remains the number one way people find jobs. People do business with (or in this context, hire) people they know, like, and trust. How does a jobseeker demonstrate to hiring managers they are worth knowing, likeable, and trustworthy? By networking. Job seekers must expand their circles to find others who can help them on their journeys. Networking is about building quality relationships and not about the quantity of contacts. Social media can help jobseekers target people to meet, but networking shouldn’t be left to social media alone. Eighty-four percent of people prefer to meet face-to-face. Jean provided four steps to effective networking:
1. Mission – Show up to a networking event with a plan. Research the event to find specific people to meet. Set a number for how many people you intend to meet. When talking to people, remember networking is not selling. It’s about building relationships. Take interest in helping others. A suggestion for introverts or others uncomfortable with approaching strangers: volunteer at the networking event. You can strike up conversations in your “official” capacity as a volunteer.
2. Engage – Effective networking means attracting people who you want to know, like, and trust. Increase your odds of attracting such people by dressing well, smiling, and being authentic.
3. Elevator Pitch – Be ready to deliver your elevator pitch about yourself. Your pitch should not be your title. Spend time creating a story about who you are and what you offer to others. A good way to find commonality with an elevator pitch is to start with “You know how…” as in:
You know how sometimes your computer starts to run slow and take forever to boot up? Many times that is because of some bug you may have downloaded. The same thing can happen to corporate computer networks. I help companies keep their IT environments running quickly, efficiently, and securely.
4. Tend – A single conversation at a networking event isn’t enough. Cultivate the relationship and follow up with the connection. Send a note to those you would like to meet again. Ask for a face-to-to-face meeting for lunch, coffee, or whatever is convenient. Moreover, keep meeting that person. Perhaps once a month. Stay in touch and build the relationship.

Power of Action
Only ten percent of people take action. Why such a small percentage? Jean states that fear is the biggest reason. The common root of many fears of jobseekers is the fear of rejection and a realization of the struggle to overcome. Avoiding the struggle can lead to stagnation and may even be harmful. Jean told a story about caterpillars she kept to watch them turn into butterflies. She and her family watched each caterpillar engorge on food, form a chrysalis, and emerge as a butterfly. She noted how the newly formed butterflies struggled greatly to break free from their respective chrysalis. In one instance a concerned family member tried to help the butterfly by breaking apart the chrysalis. They noticed afterward the butterfly had a problem with its wing. Not damaged because of an accident during the assisted emergence, but because the struggle to break out of the chrysalis strengthens the butterfly’s wings so that it can fly. The struggle is necessary for growth. Similarly, jobseekers should not remain paralyzed with fear but embrace the struggle to transition to a new employer by using their superpowers.

Hiring Companies

MUFG Union Bank
Erica Driskell, VP Talent Acquisition and Staffing
MUFG is a global financial services company based in Tokyo. The firm and its Union Bank subsidiary will expand operations in its Tempe location with 200 new positions supporting bank operations. Diversity and inclusion are important to the culture. Open positions include Risk & Control Manager and Consumer Lending Data Analyst. Get further information and apply directly on MUFG’s website here.

Cognizant
James Grizzard, Recruiter
Cognizant is one of the world’s largest Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies. Headquartered in Teaneck, NJ, Cognizant has nearly 260,000 employees worldwide and is number 205 in the Fortune 500 for 2017. Cognizant has strong benefits that start the first day of employment. Open positions include Business Analyst and Product Managers. Cognizant also has several urgent, immediate openings for Social Media Content Specialists. Get further information and apply directly on Cognizant’s website.

Staff Logic
Deanne Desautels, President and CEO
Staff Logic is a staffing firm dedicated to matching jobseekers to careers in IT, marketing, legal, healthcare, customer service, and light industrial. Its sister company, Accounting & Finance Professionals, does temporary and permanent placement for accounting and finance. Deanne had four tips for working with staffing firms:
1. Even when working with a staffing company, jobseekers still have to network
2. Sign up and engage with several staffing companies
3. Respond to a recruiter timely and be open and honest regarding criteria that are most important when accepting a position (e.g. location, salary, benefits, schedule, etc.)
4. Use LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and beyond
You can learn more about Staff Logic and open positions by clicking here.

Resources

New Horizons
Joe Rostowsky, Director of Site Operations
New Horizons offers training and certifications in IT, office management, healthcare records management, and project management. Joe recommended those considering such training should consider alternative sources of funding: VA educational benefits, employer tuition assistance, vocational rehabilitation, WIOA grants, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and military spouse grants. Contact New Horizons for details on their programs and options for funding.

Closing

Jessica Pierce concluded the event with some final thoughts and reminders:
• Check out Career Connectors’ Career Advice Blog for insight and suggestions to empower and energize your career search
• Take a free DISC assessment courtesy of Career Connectors and Top Talent Consulting
• Utilize the available resources offered by Career Connectors at each event: resume review, career coaching, LinkedIn coaching, financial/insurance coaching, and business portraits

Next event is Tuesday, June 27th, 9:00 am in Gilbert: “Boosting Your Networking Confidence – Five Tips to Increase Your Comfort and Success”

5/3/17 – Advancing Your Career with a Best Company

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Advancing Your Career With a Best CompanyWritten by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

“Do the best you can, with what you can, while you can and success is inevitable.”
Dr. Steve Maraboli

Advancing Your Career with a BEST Company

As job seekers, many of us target those companies we want to work for. Our lists most often include those companies that have won prestigious awards for being the best. Career Connectors’ partner BestCompaniesAZ’s mission is to recognize and elevate the best companies shaping Arizona’s workplaces and economy. One way they do this is through their 15th Anniversary 100 Best Arizona Companies. The 100 Best are chosen by invitation only based on sustained high levels of workplace performance in the following areas:
• Workplace culture and business awards
• Veteran friendly culture
• Strong corporate & employer brand
• Innovative thought leaders willing to share knowledge
• Well positioned to retain and recruiter talent.
Today’s presentation was comprised by 7 award winning employers. These companies offered us an inside look at what it takes to ‘get hired by the best.’

PANEL 1: CAREER ADVANCEMENT IN THE CULTURE OF CALL CENTERS

FREEDOM FINANCIAL NETWORK: Linda Luman, VP HR
STATE FARM: David Freedline, HR Recruiter
DIRECT ENERGY: Andrew Vess, Talent Acquisition Manager
PROGREXION: Heather Milton, Manager of Talent Acquisition & Sourcing

QUESTION: Please share a 2-minute overview of your company and what you like best about its culture.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: Freedom helps people during a very difficult time in their lives. These individuals are struggling with financial debt. Freedom works with them to arrange a plan to be debt free in 2-4 years. Freedom has a great team! Employees are passionate about serving our customers.
STATE FARM, David: State Farm will be celebrating being in business for 95 years next month. Headquarters is in Bloomington, IL. Employee population at State Farm is 70,000. The new Tempe location will eventually have an employee population of 7,000. As State Farm continues to grow, its culture does also. The Tempe facility is one of a kind. It is a great place to work. Employees are given the opportunity to reinvent themselves. Many have held different positions. Some current opportunities are not traditional insurance positions but are in banking and mortgage.
DIRECT ENERGY, Andrew: Direct Energy is a global organization. It has been in the US for only 10 years. Direct Energy is a London based energy company. It is the largest energy organization in the US. Many states are unregulated and need to buy energy from companies such as Direct Energy. Andrew likes the fun they have at work and encourages others to join Direct Energy.
PROGREXION, Heather: Progrexion is the biggest little company. The organization helps clients access credit reports. Employees are passion driven. The employee population is comprised mostly by Sales Agents. Progrexion‘s focus is helping people change their credit report to a more positive one. The company is highly committed to having an impact on the community. Heather likes how Progrexion changes people lives.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to prospective employees?
PROGREXION, Heather: Progrexion serves its clients and the community. Employees need to have a desire to help people. Your resume should not have any errors. Candidates need to speak about any employment gaps. Progrexion looks for employees that have grit and tenacity.
DIRECT ENERGY, Andrew: One of the questions recruiters will ask is “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Candidates need to have a clear understanding of their career goals. Andrew reminded the group that applicants avoid any negative comments, especially about former employers.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: Interested candidates should ask their network for Freedom employee referrals. 80% of people hired are referrals. Successful candidates know their skills and what they want professionally. Prior to the interview, candidates should review the job posting they applied for, their past experience and how the two match up.

QUESTION: Heather, we have heard from many employers that they are looking for grit from potential employees. What is grit?
PROGREXION, Heather: Grit is having tenacity in getting things done. Employees need to know there will be times when things get hard. In response to the challenge, they need to come up with resolutions and not go down the negative rabbit hole.

QUESTION: What assumptions did you have about call centers that were shattered once your joined a call center environment?
STATE FARM, David: The assumption that call center jobs were dead end. These positions are often stepping-stones to something else. 10,000 employees at Rio Salado. Percentage of calls are inbound; 50-60% of calls are insurance related, not call center ones. Entry-level positions are insurance.
DIRECT ENERGY, Andrew: When I first came to Phoenix it felt as though there was a call center on every corner. The perception was call centers were dark and dreary environments. Direct Energy embraces a fun workplace. Agents have the ability to upsell. There are 253 agents in Tempe making $80-100K per year. Opportunities for growth are available.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: Call center employees have the opportunity to work a flexible schedule. Each day the workplace is filled with fun and vibrant work with customers. Internal mobility is available; 40% of promotions are filled internally. Incentives and recognition are provided to employees.

QUESTION: Do you have established career paths/how do employees move through the organization?
PROGREXION, Heather: Agents on phone can move into management. There is a management-in-training program for those employees in operations
STATE FARM, David: State Farm does not have defined career roles. David ‘s wife has been with State Farm for 18 years. She currently is a manager with the company and had different roles over time.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: Freedom is passionate about learning and offers multiple avenues for learning. Training can be accomplished independently by the employee or through a group setting. Employees do have opportunities for advancement. Freedom invests in its employees.

QUESTION: What do you see in the future with the current administration’s encouragement to bring more jobs back to the USA- will this be a factor in call centers in Phoenix?
PROGREXION, Heather: Growth is a priority for Progrexion. The sheer number of clients is bringing more jobs back to US. There is more opportunity today.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: The Phoenix area is growing! The state of Arizona is investing in technology and wooing tech firms to the area. Companies are seeing Phoenix as a viable location for their organizations. The city is easy to get around and the weather is great.

QUESTION: What do you enjoy and find exciting about a Contact Center?
PROGREXION, Heather: The friendly competition.

QUESTION: Tell us some hot jobs you have available today.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: There are approximately 80 open positions for negotiators, IT, corporate trainers and engineers. Looking for candidates who are passionate, have great skills and not afraid to roll up their sleeves. Success is rewarded to employees. Freedom is moving to a new facility and the employee population will grow to 3,000 employees.
STATE FARM, David: Strong communication and computer skills are desired. Positions are available in customer service, cloud management and IT. There are 100’s of jobs available. David encouraged us not to apply until the week of May 8 since the web page will be going down on May 5th for ATS system changes. In the meantime, David encouraged interested candidates to research State Farm and available positions. The Tempe Lakes building has completed construction. Different business will be housed in the facility. The campus is open to the public. State Farm has 12 different employee groups within the organization. Employees are encouraged to get involved in the community. College courses are available on site. Childcare, restaurants and fitness centers are also provided.
DIRECT ENERGY, Andrew: There is an emphasis on soft skills. We seek candidates that can connect well with others and are motivated. Successful employees like to help others. Diversity and inclusion are part of Direct Energy’s corporate objectives. The company is a very involved with Children’s Hospital as a philanthropist. Interested applicants should review Direct Energy’s company values. There are opportunities beyond the Contact Center. Direct Energy is located at 52nd and 143.

QUESTION: What are your favorite things about your company?
STATE FARM, David: The culture and the beautiful new campus. Employees are engaged and enjoy helping customers.
FREEDOM FINANCIAL, Linda: The people, leadership and Freedom’s mission of assisting people eliminate their debt.
DIRECT ENERGY, Andrew: Managers lead with their feet. Meaning they are actively involved with employees in their daily efforts. Employee development, continuous coaching and active leaders supporting team members are part of Direct Energy’s daily efforts.
PROGREXION, Heather: Enjoys the heart of the organization where Progrexion is an advocate of its employees and customers.

PANEL 2: NEVER EXPECTED TO BE WHERE I AM TODAY

Charles Schwab, Erika Pullem, Talent Advisor
USAA, Gay Meyer, AVP OF HR Operations
Vanguard, Taysir Haddad, Manager

QUESTION: 2-minute overview of your company and what you like best about your company.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Erika has been with Schwab for 15 years. She originally wanted to be a lawyer and found the diverse career offerings to be appealing. Schwab has a wide variety of products. The culture is family oriented. Managers are invested in employees.
USAA, Gay: USAA offers a full array of services. There are 4500 employees in Phoenix. It serves 12 million members. USAA’s mission is to serve military members and spouses. Employee benefits are robust and unique. There is an onsite day care, fitness center and recently has offered a parental leave program for both fathers and mothers.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Has been with Vanguard for 21 years. Vanguard is the largest global investment company. There are 2500 employees in Phoenix; 15000 employees globally. Available positions include advisory, financial planners, and customer service. Candidates need to focus on the client. The opinion of employees is valued along with employee growth and opportunity.

QUESTION: What do you think are the skills that help you land a job with your company?
USAA, Gay: How you come to work and show up each day is important for employee success. 85% of open jobs are entry level. Extensive 8 week training is provided for entry-level positions.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Customer service skills are important. Most positions focus in satisfying the client. During interviews, recruiters look for motivation and communication skills.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Candidates need to have a passion to help clients. There is training available for technical positions.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to prospective employees?
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Candidates need to review their prior successes and experience; and how it relates to the job he/she is applying for. Applicants need to be confident; speak to his/her skills; able to align their experience & to desired positions. Candidates need to network with Schwab employees.
USAA, Gay: Don’t give up. USAA is hiring 800 employees this year in Phoenix. Apply again if you don’t hear back on a submitted application.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Don’t be afraid to take a chance. Apply to current and future jobs.

QUESTION: What is the best advice for interviewing with a millennial hiring manager when you are “well-experienced” and had longevity in a past role?
USSA, Gay: Don’t share everything with the interviewer. Highlight parts of your resume that are applicable to the job you are interviewing for. You do not need to share what you have been doing for the past 30 years.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Indicate you are eager to learn. Be selective what you say during the interview. Never say you will take a job to get your foot in the door.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Indicate you are open to change. Highlight your experience to the job you are applying for.

QUESTION: How do I get my foot in the door if I’m transitioning into this type of career and do not have a lot of experience?
VANGUARD, Taysir: Indicate you are willing to participate in cross training and comfortable moving from department to department.
USAA, Gay: Share a willingness to learn and open to training.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Erika started with Schwab as a contractor. Her goal was to be a lawyer. She went back and got her associate and bachelor degrees while working at Schwab. Schwab paid for both her degrees. Candidates need to be open to opportunity.

QUESTION: How has continuing education helped you in your current role?
VANGUARD, Taysir: Taysir got his bachelor and master degrees while at Vanguard. His education has encouraged him to be aware of global and environment changes; and to keep current professionally and personally.
USAA, Gay: USAA offers education assistance and is available on Day 1 of employment. Employees can pursue whatever degree he/she wants to obtain. 20% of USAA employees are taking advantage of tuition reimbursement.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: When employees go to school, they demonstrate motivation and determination; and it says a lot about an employee.

QUESTION: What is the most insightful question you heard from a candidate/prospective employee?
VANGUARD, Taysir: Question on relationships. What is done to encourage employees to collaborate with one another or how does Vanguard encourage employees.
USAA, Gay: USAA hires 30% former military employees or their spouses. Need to express service and leadership skills; and servant leadership.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Likes it when candidates ask questions that are not related to the desired role. She enjoys it when a candidate will stump her. Candidate answers need to show he/she wants to learn.

QUESTION: What do you make sure to share with others looking for a career about your job/career path?
USAA, Gay: Career paths should be viewed as lattices not paths. Gay made lateral moves to move up at USAA.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Candidates need to build skills to grow professionally. They need to be open to any role and maintain business acumen at the same time.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: Went from operations role into human resources. Rather than going up the rungs on the ladder employees need to be open to different roles. They also need to develop a business acumen so they will have a broader perspective on things.

QUESTION: How have you helped an employee grow in the company?
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: There was an employee that wanted to be a manager. Helped her put together a development plan that drove her to success. Ask other managers for their successes and failures.
USAA, Gay: There was an employee that was hired 3 years ago and was transitioning from the military to civilian life. His job was a claim representative. One day when there was a celebration, she noted how this employee knew so many people and the impressive number of connections. USAA moved the employee from his current job into a military connection role that would utilize his skills better.

QUESTION: Tell us some hot jobs you have today.
VANGUARD, Taysir: Those jobs are customer service, financial advisors, contact supervisor, manager implementation jobs, and an internal sales position. There is an emphasis on the client. Employees need to provide solutions; have a passion and desire to succeed.
USAA, Gay: USAA has similar opportunities as State Farm. There will be 5,000 open positions this year. Phoenix has a focused growth plan. Some opportunities include customer service, banking, mortgage writers, and adjusters. USAA contact center has employees sitting by a window with sun exposure.
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: There are 100 open positions, entry to mid-level. Associate financial managers and financial advisors go through 12-18 month training. Candidates need to have motivation and desire; have a fire in their belly and want to learn.

QUESTION: What is the timing that a candidate goes through from recruiting to placement in a position? What are some of the awards your company has received?
CHARLES SCHWAB, Erika: It takes about 1 month. Schwab has been awarded Fortune Top 50 Worlds Most Admired Companies, Best Company, LBGT and Military Awards.
USAA, GAY: The recruiting cycle takes about 30 days and is dependent on the completion of a background check. 2016 awards include Fortune 500, Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For and World’s most Admired Companies; Best Places to Work in IT, Top 100 Military–Friendly Employers and “Best for Vets” Employer, and healthiest employer.
VANGUARD, Taysir: 30 days dependent on background checks and screening. Vanguard’s training and development efforts have won accolades from ATD.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Center
Joe Rostowsky, Director of Site Operations

New Horizons has provided world-class training for over 30 years and over 30 million students. New Horizons recognizes that there are several learning styles and offers traditional, instructor led classroom training; online LIVE learning and online anytime learning. Learning tools are varied to meet the needs of students including hands-on labs, reference materials, practice exams, learning guides, coursework and exam preparation.
The Phoenix location is a new state-of-the-art training facility. Information Technology programs, Office Management and/or Healthcare Records Management programs, and Project/Production Management programs represent education offerings. Some of the items included in tuition are books & supplies, labs, on-going career services and 6-month re-sit option. New Horizons does provide Job Placement Assistance. The school offers top IT Certifications approved by the GI Bill. Additional funding sources are available up to $4K through the WIOA Program. New Horizons has free classes in Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Visit New Horizons online.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking North Phoenix Baptist Church and the volunteers. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Scottsdale on Thursday, May 11, 2017 and features Andy Gray as speaker for the topic “Overcoming Job Search Anxiety”. For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the Event Schedule.