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7/14/2016 — LinkedIn’s Power of Connection

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LinkedIn Power of ConnectionWritten by Susan Lamphiear

Just as you wouldn’t even dream of applying for jobs without a resume or a proper suit of interview clothing, or your most updated  hairdo or eye glasses, then why would you start your job hunt without maximum use of LinkedIn? These days all the experts tell us it’s a given.

And as our keynote speaker and LinkedIn guru stressed today, nearly all employers will seek and find your online presence, starting with LinkedIn. So, be there or be square, or continue to wear your nerd eye glasses and bouffant hairdo.

Keynote

When Kevin Dumcum left a successful marketing career in 2009 for his current work with Arizona@Work, Maricopa County, LinkedIn helped him with that transition. In fact, he was already connected with people from his team by the time he arrived at the new job. Among other evidences of his expertise, Kevin teaches LinkedIn classes and came today to share LinkedIn Tips.

LinkedIn continues to be more and more important to employers, so for anyone in career transition, and anyone seeking to build their network and develop their career, LinkedIn is a must. Assume that your next position isn’t going to be your last position. With that in mind, LinkedIn is not just for the job hunt. It’s a tool to help you in your continuing career.

If you have any doubt about the importance of your involvement on LinkedIn, check out the numbers. If your total connections equal 470, and each of your connections is connected to 470 people, the total size of your network is, drum roll,  220,900.

LinkedIn TIPS from Kevin

  • Be careful what you post on social media because employers do check you out. Anything offensive or even political you may want to avoid or delete. As Thumper in Bambi said, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”
  • Alongside your profile you can turn off notifications. This means when you make a change to your profile, it won’t be broadcast to everyone. Kevin suggests leaving this feature off unless you receive a new job or a promotion. Then, leave it on long enough to receive all the congratulations, and then turn it off again.
  • Kevin has switched his blog link from LinkedIn to his wordpress site. He now posts his blog on LinkedIn first and after that he redirects a link to his website. He recommends this if you have a blog.
  • Make sure you have a professional head shot as part of your profile. No disembodied arms. No spouses since the employer is hiring you, not a couple. Some people want to avoid a head shot because “I’m not 25 years old any longer.”  If you’re in the running for the job, the employer will meet you anyway. If they’re going to discriminate, you might as well know. Besides, people want to know who you are. And if you meet someone during networking, new connections can more easily identify you on LinkedIn.
  • Your profile headline defaults to your most recent job. But you can change that to a headline that better describes what you do. Take a look at what other people have for their headline and design your own.
  • Customize your URL. Simplify it to match your name as much as possible.
  • Check out Skillful.com — especially if are underemployed or lack a college degree (like 70% of the American population).
  • Don’t connect with everyone. But strategically build your numbers to 50 and then to 500. After 500, LinkedIn doesn’t post the number, but there’s something validating about having at least 500 connections. LinkedIn used to tell us not to connect with someone we don’t know. But, now that LinkedIn realizes how people are really using the feature, you can strategically select people you would like to know. He recommends never selecting “I don’t know John Doe.” But he’s never seen LinkedIn telling anyone whether you selected “friend’ or “did business with” the person you want to meet.  Oh, and always personalize your invitation to connect.
  • Ways to connect include joining LinkedIn Groups to create a commonality, sending a Get Introduced request to mutual connection, crafting a carefully worded request, pointing out some commonalities from their profile, or going Old School by picking up the phone and calling a mutual connection, asking to be introduced.
  • Avoid one of the biggest mistakes people make by taking full advantage of the space you have for your summary. You can use up to 2000 characters,  which is 300 words. What jazzes you up? Why should anyone care? It’s not an essay, though. Look at other people’s summaries. Don’t copy them, but study them and write your own. Use Tagcrawd.com to see what words pop up when you cut and paste a sample summary. Then carefully craft your own summary.
  • In your profile summary it’s quite appropriate to use first person “I” because it reads better. Just don’t use first person “I” on your resume.
  • Remember that you can re-order your skills and endorsements, calling attention to your most important skills first.
  • If you think endorsements and recommendations are not important, think again. LinkedIn places high value on the number and type of endorsements and recommendations you have. The best way to get endorsements and recommendations is to offer to give them. Aim to build your numbers.
  • Consider adding videos to your profile.
  • Rule of thumb on LinkedIn is to go back as far as possible in your job history. But with your resume just go back 10 years.
  • Groups. Join strategically but then be involved. If you post on a group it gets posted to your timeline and that’s a great way to show what you know.

As Kevin reminded us, a whopping 90% of employers review a candidate’s online profile, and 70% have based a hiring decision on what they find, or don’t find, online. You really need to pay attention to your LinkedIn tool. You really have no choice in today’s job market.

Hiring Companies

Aetna

Le Nguyen, Talent Acquisition

Aetna is a health care insurance provider, marketing company, consulting organization and information technology enterprise, which employs 50,000 people. The company has won numerous awards for workplace equality, flex jobs and jobs for veterans. Aetna takes pride in its family values. In 2015 Aetna announced plans to improve wages and medical benefits for thousands of their workers. In 2015 the minimum base hourly wage for U.S. employees was raised to $16. Then in 2016 they’ve launched enhanced medical benefits to lower out-of-pocket health care expenses for some of its U.S. employees. Company paid benefits include paid time off (PTO) and holidays, life insurance, disability and more. Current job opportunities include customer service rep, IT project manager, national nurse educator, financial associate and more. To see a complete listing and to apply,  visit their site.

AMEX

Caitlin King, Lead Recruiter and Sara Flynn, Recruitment Relationship Manager

AMEX, American Express, provides customers with products, services and experiences to enrich their lives and make businesses successful. A trusted company for over 160 years, it’s won, among other awards, the J.D. Power Awards for eight consecutive years, as well as Fortune Magazine 100 Best Places To Work. Featured Career Areas include customer care, marketing, finance, risk and information management, technology, digital commerce, consulting, virtual career opportunities and more. Current Phoenix openings include engineer, collections analyst, staff architect, project manager, business analyst, travel counselor/customer service, and many more. Benefits include health, dental, vision and life insurance; AD&D insurance and disability coverage; healthy living benefits, family leave, onsite gym and cafe, and more. For additional information, or to apply, visit their career site.

Education Management Corporation (EDMC)

Kelly Moncada, Talent Acquisition

Education Management Corporation (EDMC) is one of the largest and most diverse providers of proprietary post-secondary education in the United States with over 40 years of history in 110 locations, including 122,990 students. Schools include The Art Institutes, Argosy University (which includes Western State College of Law in California), Brown Mackie College, and South University. Benefits include EDMC Tuition, Paid Time Off, 12 paid holidays, 16 PTO days, 401K and 401K Roth participation, community service policy, life insurance and more. Student success is their first priority in providing an education that builds careers, integrity, innovation, and excellence. Open positions include admissions representatives in Chandler/Phoenix, academic counselors and more, including Argosy Ground. For more information and to apply visit their site.

Freedom Financial Network

Linda Luman,VP HR

Freedom Financial Network helps clients transform their lives by helping them towards financial freedom. The company launched in 2002 by Stanford Classmates Bradford Stroh & Andrew Housser because they had so many college buddies with lots of debt. It started out with an online business and 14 years later they have three locations including two in Phoenix and one in San Mateo, CA. Some of their clients don’t even know how they got into financial difficulties. But the company employs 300 negotiators who work on behalf of their clients to help them become debt free in anywhere from two to four years. Company benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401K, life and LT disability, vacation, paid holidays, paid time for volunteer activities, employee discounts and recognition and four hours off on your birthday. Top career opportunity with the company includes Account Executive. For more information or to apply, visit their website.

Resources

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants (DWTC)

Rodger Brubacher, Director for Continuing Education

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants (DWTC) prepares students to take national exams which make them more competitive in the job market. Programs and certifications include Project Management, Six Sigma, Medical Front Office, Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), and its newest program, Digital Marketing with Social Media. The award-winning school was recognized in 2015 as the 2015 Juniper Platinum Education Partner of the Year in the Americas, this being the 12th straight year to receive this honor. The state-of-the art facilities include modern computers, dual monitor student stations for each student, plus network, patented real-ILT, Smart Board, and personalized training. Classes are presented in multiple modalities including instructor-led, hybrid instructor-led, plus online training, corporate onsite training and remote training (virtual classroom attendance). Usual student to instructor ratios are 6:1. To learn more about the school and funding available, visit their website.

Closing

Executive Director of Career Connectors Jessica Pierce closed the formal part of the meeting before the breakout sessions. Those in attendance were encouraged to stay for the the breakout sessions in order to talk with hiring managers, receive free resume and LinkedIn instruction, and receive free professional head shots by a volunteer professional photographer. Volunteers were thanked along with host of the event, Highlands Church.  Click here to take the DISC assessment free through the Career Connectors site.

The very next Career Connectors event takes place Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 9:00 AM in Gilbert, featuring salary negotiation expert Jack Milligan.

For details, including times, addresses and registration, for the next events in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Gilbert, click here.

 

6/9/16 – Up Yours! Up Your Power, Up Your Performance, Up Your Personal Pitch!

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Career Connectors Up Yours eventWritten by Susan Lamphiear

What do superstars Taylor Swift and Michael Jordan have in common? Well, for starters, they’ve both gone on record as not wanting to be average. And most people would agree they rank as top achievers in their fields. Taylor says, “I’m intimidated by the fear of being average.” And Michael echoes that same refrain — “All I know is that I never wanted to be average.”

After seeing the cover of our guest speaker’s book, Average is an Addiction, I’ve been thinking about the phenomenon and googling the topic of “average.” The experts seem to agree that high achievers have particular attributes besides talent and intelligence that make them excel.

Keynote

Deborah Dubree, our keynote speaker, has a lot to say about being average, in her book,  and in her presentation today. Deborah appears anything but average. But years ago, she started out with low expectations for herself. Armed with a high school diploma, she took a job as a receptionist but after six months was bored to tears.  Urged to apply for an upcoming promotion with the construction division of the company (come over to the dark side, they said), and knowing nothing about accounting, or construction for that matter, Deborah applied, interviewed for a position that appeared to require both, and was hired. The rest, as they say, is history.

Deborah has learned so much over the years about success. She wrote a whole book about being average after she observed  many truly talented and educated people somehow fell just short of success, often when they were teetering on the brink of a breakthrough. She wondered why.

Deborah began her career as a receptionist, but gradually through research on herself, and research on success, came to be known as an expert. She received numerous certifications, educated herself in the science of the brain, and finally pursued her role coaching NFL players and others who wanted to stand out from the crowd.

People fundamentally make three mistakes, Deborah says.

  • They wonder why what they’re doing isn’t enough. But have they stayed focused, identified who they are and taken meaningful action? Have they learned their strengths and tapped into how to reach “the zone,” that often illusive peak performance high?
  • They complain, “But I’m not average.” But everyone has areas where they’re average. It’s just not possible to be average in your chosen field if you’re going to be successful, though.
  • They settle for False focus. For example, in the job search, if you focus only on resume, LinkedIn profile, business attire, professional photo and research, those are comfortable and don’t necessarily lead to that great job. While these areas are important, the bulk of your time is better spent in riskier areas like attending events, making phone calls, engaging in impromptu conversation, doing interviews, and making follow-up calls.

You have to know what you believe, and if your beliefs are justified, and then stay focused.

Lots of people out there are talented, Deborah reminds us. But the thing key that makes the difference is  successful people handle stressful situations well and manage their emotions. They also take meaningful action because they have a plan.

Deborah’s challenge to everyone in attendance: Go out there and do ONE THING that scares you. When you’ve taken risks and succeeded, despite fear, then you’ll wonder, “If I can do this, what else can I do?”

When Deborah first entered her career as a coach, someone suggested she first talk to high school athletes. But she said, “No, I want to work with NFL players.” Sometimes you’ve gotta take a LEAP, she stresses. “Sometimes just a slight pivot” at the right time can take your career higher than you’d ever imagined.

More Tips from Deborah (but only if you want to be a high achiever)

Tame and Train your BEAST

B Beliefs impact our behavior. Make sure you know what your beliefs are, including beliefs about yourself.

E Emotion All decisions are based on emotions. So be able to manage your emotions and therefore mange stress.

A Acute Awareness—This includes being aware of yourself and others.

S Self Identify Who are you?

T Talk and Walk  Body language and verbal language are equally important.

The 7 Cs of Excellence

  1. Choice
  2. Consciousness
  3. Change
  4. Courage
  5. Confidence
  6. Commitment
  7. Consistency

Hiring Companies

International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE)

Jason Brambier, Corporate Recruiter

International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE), a global travel and leisure organization, provides cruise and vacation fulfillment services. Headquartered in Scottsdale, the company has been awarded Best Places to Work 2013 and 2014 by The Phoenix  Business Journal and the Spirit of Enterprise Innovator Award by the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business.  The culture there is casual and offers numerous perks including onsite wellness clinic, onsite massage therapists, free onsite Fitness Center and so much more. Employing both inbound and outbound sales for all vacation travel, other non-sales positions currently open include software engineers, member marketing, graphic designer, help desk analyst, and creative director. For a complete list of positions and to apply, visit their website.

TEKsystems

Nick Bielinski, Technical Recruiter

TEKsystems specializes in staffing for technical positions but they can point non-tech job seekers in the right direction since they are part of the family of Allegis, the largest private talent firm in the world. TEKsystems offers the largest global network of credentialed IT professionals. Recruiters in the company, dedicated to specific skills sets, also actively engage with the community so they share market knowledge with job seekers including who is hiring and who’s experiencing hiring freezes. Positions available through the company include project managers, business analysts, network engineers, QA engineers and more. For more information on their staffing services or to submit your resume, visit their website.

Charles Schwab

Curtis Crawford, Sr.Talent Adviser

Charles Schwab believes in the power of investing for everyone.  The company services investors, advisors and employers. Headquartered in San Francisco, Schwab employs 15,400 full-time employees and has received 15 awards in 2015 for their employee-friendly workplace. Opportunities in Phoenix include the broker training program, relationship specialist, and estate services professional operations. The culture of the company is strength-based and offers everyday wellness, employee resource groups and employee development programs. To apply, visit their website, submit your resume, and answer qualifying questions. After those steps, a recruiter will review your resume and qualifying questions and contact you if there’s a strong match.

Resources

New Horizons Learning Center

Zack Hiscock, VP Learning & Development

New Horizons Learning Center is one of several State-of-the-Art Training Facilities which teams with Career Connectors to offer training to adults upgrading their skills or adults seeking to gain competitive skills in their job search. Located in Phoenix near the airport, the school offers three modalities for training including traditional, instructor-led classroom training, online LIVE learning, and online ANYTIME learning. They offer a six-month free retake policy on all classes and boast four brand new classrooms and a virtual lab. Classes include information technology, office management, healthcare records, PMP, and Six Sigma, to name a few. After classes are completed, the school also helps students find a job. For more information on classes or funding, visit their website.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director for Career Connectors, thanked attendees, hiring companies, volunteers, and host for the event, Highlands Church.  She announced that after the break, informal breakout sessions would give participants an opportunity to meet hiring managers, receive free professional head shot photos, and talk to experts about resume writing and LinkedIn.

The next Career Connectors event will be held in two weeks due to the calendar this time.

  • The very next event will be held Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at 9:00 AM in Gilbert.
  • The next Phoenix event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 6, 201, at 9:00 AM.
  • The very next Scottsdale event will be held Thursday, July 14, 2016, at 9:00 AM and will feature keynote speaker Kevin Dumcum on the topic “LinkedIn’s Power of Connection.”

For detailed information or to register for any or all events, click here.

 

 

5/12/16 – The Optimist’s Advantage

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Written by Susan Lamphiear

Making meaning out of life’s problems and tragedies brings to mind John Walsh from America’s Most Wanted.  Walsh certainly didn’t set out to be known for helping find missing children and prosecuting the perpetrators, but it happened because he was forced into a club no one would ever want to join—parent of a murdered child.

I recently found myself watching a show where both John Walsh and his adult son, Callahan, were being interviewed, and realized his son participates in his parents’ life mission — to help families of missing and exploited children.

While, hopefully, none of us will ever face in a whole  lifetime, the pain of this family’s loss of a child in such a violent way, we all face problems and heartbreaks of our own in the course of living.  It’s just life. What has amazed me over the years is the positive energy often generated from what started out as a negative event. I’ve been in awe.

Our speaker today calls on all of us to channel optimism as we face life in all its beauty and its heartaches, whether it is job loss or one of the other of life’s surprises or detours.

Keynote

Kirk Wilkinson, world-renowned for his expertise in leadership and personal development, but no stranger to life’s ups and downs, remains an optimist in the face of the early trauma of abandonment by his mother. Kirk has faced job loss and two bouts with cancer, too.

Kirk emphasizes that research indicates people who can somehow learn to be optimistic find more happiness, thrive, and even live longer!

 Kirk’s Tips  for Gaining the Advantages of the Optimist in Your Career  (and the rest of life)

  • Give yourself more credit. He wants us to take the word “failure” out of our dictionary. Famous for his delightful popcorn, Orville Redenbacher failed many times according to some standards. Or, did he just find countless strains of popcorn that didn’t work? Research indicates that only 10% of our happiness depends on circumstances. A whopping 40% is programming.  If your family was negative, you’re more apt to have that tendency. And 50% lies in circumstances we can control.
  • Dream big.  Don’t settle for less—just handle your dreams differently. Ask small questions, solve small problems, take small steps.  For example, in the job hunt, consider the following actions. 1. Get up in the a.m. 2. Take time to define the job—in 30 words or less. 3. Spend a shorter time each day on the job search—do other things—take a walk or tend to other things which define you as a human being.  Remember, you are not your job! Kirk has found that between jobs he’s managed to really enjoy life. Really.
  • Eliminate the Drama. Learn to underreact. If you “freak out,”  people may not  tell you the truth. If you freak out, you also don’t think as clearly—for example—his son’s car broke down on the roadside just as Kirk was getting ready to get his precious, vital amount of needed sleep—so he decided to underreact…and he suddenly remembered he had roadside assistance. He didn’t need to get dressed and drive to rescue his son after all.
  • Re-tell the stories you tell yourself. Everything happens for a REASON—BUT YOU get to choose the reason—YOU get to tell the story so that you are hero of your own story—so you don’t have to be a victim. Tell your story in a way that makes meaning of your challenges or tragedies.

When he was eight years old, his Mother abandoned him and his siblings without warning.  What could an eight-year-old possibly have done to have made his mother leave the family?—the answer—NOTHING—he wasn’t responsible.  So in the  retelling of his story—he avoids being the victim. Don’t let painful things that happen to you take away your optimism, either,  like it did in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,  where people were so caught up in winning the golden  ticket, they not only stopped savoring the chocolate, they even stopped eating it!

Remember, you can retell your story if you find just ONE positive thing. Because after all, who doesn’t want to be happier and live longer? All you have to do is be optimistic in the face of life’s inevitable ups and downs.

Hiring Companies

Paychex

Andrea Olson and Essence Royal, Recruiters

Paychex has grown to over 13,000 employees in 100+ locations, providing a wide range of services including HR outsourcing, workers’ compensation, and Health and Benefits.  With over 600,00 clients, the company is the proud recipient of many awards.  These include being listed as one of “100 Best Companies to Work For” from Fortune, and “100 Best Places to Work in IT” from Computerworld.  With these accolades and an impressive array of benefits, Paychex offers some exciting opportunities ranging from Senior Management and Information Technology to Corporate Marketing, Sales and Customer Service/Operations.  The company website offers insight into the company’s culture, values, open positions, and even advice on interviewing with Paychex.

VincentBenjamin

Michelle Rogers, Practice Lead

VincentBenjamin is a fast growing staffing firm specializing in IT, Accounting and Finance contract and permanent placements.  Michelle shared some great tips for anyone wanting to present themselves professionally: use a professional email address and leave out any photos on your resume.  76% of resumes are discarded for an unprofessional email address! She also advised us to scan our own social media presence, since recruiters will too.

VincentBenjamin focuses on all levels of positions including CIOs, CFOs, Customer Service for clients, as well as internal sales and recruiter openings.  More detail can be found online.

State Farm

DeAnne Prigmore, Recruiter

DeAnne shared State Farm’s mission of helping people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams.  State Farm is in the process of building the Marina Heights facility, which will sit on approximately 20 acres and feature retail and restaurant space and a 10-acre lakeside plaza.  Immediate openings include Data Scientist, Infra Analyst, Software Developer, Security Analyst, Bank Supervisor, Loan Processor, Customer Service and Sales Reps, Claim Associate, and Nurse Reviewer-Medical Resource.  Read more about their Phoenix operations here.

Resources

Rohn Financial Strategies, Inc.

Thomas Rohn and Jamey Pugh

Thomas Rohn and Jamey Pugh offered suggestions for managing financial stress during career transition.  Tom quoted renowned sport psychologist Michael Gervais, most well known for his work with the Seattle Seahawks.  According to Gervasis, his approach emphasizes the root causes of an athlete’s anxiety.  By learning to control their anxieties, the athlete can be in the present moment and that increases their ability to perform at the highest levels.

Jamey presented five tips for calming that financial “lion” in the room, as Gervais refers to anxiety.

  • Have a spending plan. Take a look at expenses you can eliminate or reduce, such as health clubs, cable TV and kids’ activities.
  • Inventory your resources. Take stock of your assets, cash, funds and liabilities.
  • Watch your debt (credit cards). It’s probably a good idea to pay cash and put the credit cards away for the time being.
  • Protect yourself from loss. Don’t cancel insurance but consider cutting back wherever you can.
  • Develop plan “B” in case the job search extends longer than you’d thought.

Rohn Financial Strategies offers a one-hour consultation, budget forms, 401(k) rollovers and financial planning. Reach them through their website.

Canyon State Institute

Sheri Carparelli, President and CEO

Canyon State Institute offers only high-demand certifications based on labor market projections.  Classes are small (limited to 6 people for most programs) and short term (4-16 weeks).  Graduates are encouraged to audit the next set of classes while studying to pass the national exam, and are offered job placement assistance.  The Career Advisor’s employment director has over 30 years of staffing services experience in Phoenix.

Programs offered include Microsoft Office, Medical Support Specialist, Information Technology, Project Management, Human Resources, and Process Improvement.  Funding is available through WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), Veterans programs, DES Vocational Rehabilitation, TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance), and educational line of credit.  For additional information or to schedule a tour, contact Sheri or visit the website.

Closing

Jessica thanked everyone for attending today’s event, as well as our host facility, Highlands Church.

 

 

4/14/16 – Identifying the Best Career for You

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By Susan Lamphiear

Can’t decide what  you want and you’re a job seeker? You’re not alone, the experts say.  But this is a huge mistake when it comes to the job search and pretty much anything we do in life. How will you know when you arrive if you don’t know where you’re going? How many times have we heard that old adage? That’s because it’s so true, as our keynote speaker stressed today. Start by asking yourself what you want, what strengths match, and what you’re passionate about as you set out to find the work you love — your Dream Job.

Keynote

Looking back, from the time she was a young child in middle school, Keynote Speaker Lisa Phalen, certified coach and HR consultant,  recognizes  she was very good at helping people even then. Kids would call to her from lunch or ask to speak to her privately about their lives and their problems. It was a common thread. In high school, friends came to her continuously, asking for help—she would listen, ask questions and then her friends found solutions—she was coaching before she knew what it was.

Her parents moved around a lot, including Lisa’s senior year in high school. In preparation to attend college, she was asked by Arizona State University (ASU), since they’d moved to Arizona by then, what her major was, and when she didn’t know,  they asked her,” What attracts you?”  And for some unknown reason she blurted out, “HR.” While she liked all segments of HR, she always loved the coaching part. It was part of that lifelong feeling that people came to her for help. And she liked it.

Even though she waited to pursue her dream of a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology, she has used her core strength of helping people throughout her career.These days she is finally pursuing her degree in Oranizational Psychology.

Is it any wonder, then, that she wanted to encourage us to refine our job search to take advantage of what we love doing, not just what we’re good at. So many times we default into a career because we’re told we excel in an area. Lisa gives us permission and encouragement to realize our strengths but to make sure to factor in what we’re passionate about.

The focus of her presentation today included the steps to identify and find the best job for you — that Dream Job.

Finding Your DREAM Job

Determine what your dream job really is

Research – job sites and job descriptions

Expertise —  build your expertise in your field of interest

Associations –join professional organizations

Mark your target (company)

Identifying a Career Match

  • Assessments
  • Know your bottom line
  • Funnel
  • Follow your heart
  • Assessment

Assessments

  • Career inventories – Strong Career Inventory, O-net Interest Profiler
  • Temperament Assessments – MBTI, DISC, True Colors, Kiersey*, Big Five Personality*, NERIS Explorer*
  • Strengths Assessments – Vaues Inventory*, Strengthsfinder, StandOut
  • Additional Assessments – TKI, Emotional Intelligence*, VARK Learning Style*

The Career Match Formula

  • Insights from assessments – What are your strengths?
  • Bottom line – Consider things like salary, benefits, travel, and culture.
  • Marketplace – What’s actually available in your area?

Know your Bottom Line

  • Consider things like salary, benefits, career development opportunities, flexibility, culture, work tools and resources.
  • Consider what you don’t want such as travel requirements, weekend or on call work, or excessive commutes

    The Career Match Funnel

  • No conditions
  • Qualifications
  • Work-life-balance
  • Location
  • Uniqueness

After you go through this process, step back and take stock and identify the best career for you which ideally will take into account your strengths and passions. Follow your heart.

Hiring Companies

SiteLock

Kathleen Klein, Corporate Recruiter

SiteLock, a website security company founded in 2008, and privately held by Unitedweb, has grown quickly  from 50 employees in 2014 to 200 employees today. A 24/7 business with international customers, it’s the number one provider of website security solutions; they protect about 10 million customers globally. Their mission? To protect every site on the Internet. Headquartered in Scottsdale, they have offices in Boston, MA and Jacksonville, FL. Products include malware detection, malware alert and removal tool, and credit card protection tools and more. Awards include fastest growing technology company in Arizona by the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 List and “Best Places to Work” by The Phoenix Business Journal. Company benefits include full medical, dental and vision, 15 days of PTO and 7 paid Holidays, company-paid life insurance, company-paid short and long term disability coverage, and free food—catered lunches every Friday. To gather more information or to apply, visit their website for opportunities including inside sales rep, technical support agent, and website security.

Adecco USA

Michelle Grinberg, Regional Account Director

Adecco USA, largest staffing company in the world, has presence in 60 countries and a 50-year history. Formerly clerical, Adecco USA now handles clerical and so much more including customer service, creative and marketing professionals, accounting and finance, light industrial, engineering and technology, IT, and medical and science. The company staffs for Fortune 500s along with medium and small local business clients and include temporary, temporary-to-hire, direct placement, master vendor, and more. Since 2005, Adecco has placed over 5,400 engineering and IT professionals with 264 companies in the Phoenix market. Each potential employee is assigned a recruiter. Other benefits include medical, 401K, short-term and long-term disability, and free online skills training. Training classes include management, leadership and IT. Currently located in Mesa, they are merging with Modis and will also have a location in Scottsdale or the Biltmore area. To apply, visit their website.

Revana/Teletech

Mary Ann Lopez, Recruiter

Revana/Teletech, a recognized leader, is a business process and sourcing company, employing over 1500 in their Tempe and Phoenix locations.  Some of their clients include  AT&T, Facebook, FedEx, Google, IBM, Oracle, Toshiba and Xerox. They need Inbound and Outbound Sales Associates, Sales Managers, Digital Account Executives (Google), Sr. Specialist,  Quality Assurance, Marketing-Statistician, and Data Analyst. The company offers opportunities to get a foot in the door and develop your career. They’ve won awards and recognition including the 2009 Stevie Award for Sales and Customer Service. Some of the benefits of working for the company include paid training, competitive base salary with commissions, career advancement, flexible work schedules medical and dental benefits after 30 days and more. The environment is casual. To apply, visit their website or stop by–in person– Mon – Fri between 9-3 p.m. and complete the entire employment process.

Resources

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants

Rodger Brubacher, Director of Continuing Education

Dynamic Worldwide Training Consultants offers certification programs for career and professional development including Project Management, Six Sigma, Medical Front Office Administrative Assistant & Billing/Coding Specialist, Microsoft Office Specialist, and Digital Marketing with Social Media. Also available are Cybersecurity Programs and Certifications. For the 12th straight year the school has received the Juniper Platinum Education Partner of the Year in the Americas. Classes are kept small at a ratio of six students to one instructor. The school has onsite state of the art facilities, with over 95% of their students passing the certification exams on the first sitting. Funding is available, so feel free to contact the school or go to their website for more information or to enroll.

Closing

Sandi Ashton, Vice President of the Board of Directors for Career Connectors, closed the formal part of the meeting before adjourning to breakout sessions. She reminded everyone in attendance at Career Connectors they are eligible to take– for free– the DISC assessment. During the breakouts attendees may obtain free professional head shots, coaching in LinkedIn, resume preparation guidance, and conversations with hiring companies. She thanked volunteers for their service and Highlands Church for providing the beautiful facility.

Next event for Career Connectors will be held in Gilbert on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 9 AM. How to Work a Job Fair will be presented by keynote speaker Andy Ridley.

The Phoenix event will be held Wednesday, May 4, 2016, 9 AM and features the topic Get Hired by the Best—Advancing your Career with a Best Company featuring Jessica Pierce, Career Connectors Executive Director and Denise Gredler, President and Founder of BestCompaniesAZ.  This event will a panel feature discussion with 8 hiring companies: Charles Schwab, USAA, DISH, Synchrony Financial, Freedom Financial Network, Dignity Health, Arizona Federal  Credit Union and Vanguard.

Then the next Scottsdale event will be Thursday, May 12, 2016, at 9 AM in Scottsdale featuring keynote speaker Kirk Wilkinson speaking on the topic The Optimist’s Advantage.

For more details including exact locations, click here.

Parting Thoughts

Towards further inspiration, check out Scott Dinsmore’s TED talk–How to find the work you love. Just in case you missed the first mention. Yes. It’s that inspiring.

“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you beome most truly alive.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

01-15-15 What’s Your Why?

by

By Susan Lamphiear

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

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

Keynote

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

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

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

Purpose

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

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

Bananas in the tailpipe as a metaphor for employees undermining efforts

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

The Q12 Gallup Survey results place workers into three categories.

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

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

Answer to the dilemma of the disengaged workforce

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

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

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

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

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

Hiring Companies

Northcentral University

Khristine Anderson & Becky Neal, Talent Acquisition Specialists

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

Nextiva

Amanda Dziuk, Corporate Recruiter

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

US Census Bureau

Marjorie Watkins and Starla Curley, Recruiters

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

Revana

Octavio Duarte, Talent Acquisition Specialist

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

Resources

Canyon State Institute

Steve Carparelli, Acting Director

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

Closing

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

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

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

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