It's a JUNGLE out there...whether you are hiring or looking for a job.
Come and share your positive ideas about job change, employment trends, workplace issues and more. You'll find it all in the Job Search Jungle!
Like JobSearchJungle on Facebook!
In the summer months, the centers of continents heat up, drawing moist air from the cooler ocean leading to the most significant rainfall on the planet. In the spirit of the symbiotic relationship between the ocean and the jungle – this summer I am taking a huge leap (and hopefully a splash) into unfamiliar territory – television.
I know there is a truly interested audience out there for a show that can follow average and not-so-average Americans in their search for work. One of the hottest topics since 2008, resume building techniques and job searching tips are some of the most talked-about items in the news and on the internet.
Imagine a talk show that focuses on this very theme including: job search, negotiation skills, promotion techniques, improving communication issues in the workplace, and exposing corporate hiring practices to the world so that Joe/Jane Job Seeker can better understand what happens behind the scenes to get his or her resume to the right person and not in another incoming email pile. A potential one stop forum for people needing assistance with any and all workplace conflict resolution, career advice, interview preparation, resume writing…anything and everything relating to career development. A place where successful celebrities and business personalities from chefs, to creative entrepreneurs, to CEO’s could share their stories of success and maybe even uncover some of the things they might have done differently. A completely different category in the talk show world where you can learn how to get any job or move up in the one you have and access a personal career coach right on your computer or television.
On the heels of the release of my third book, TEN SECRETS TO GETTING PROMOTED, I put on my life jacket, fins and oxygen tank (no pun intended) and have entered the Oprah / Mark Burnett contest for my OWN show on her new network. CAREER CONFIDENTIAL
If you share my vision, please, take time to vote…as many times as you can! …and share this link with your friends and family that could benefit from a show like this making it to a regular time slot.
Come join me for a swim into the vast ocean of career development. YOU have the ability to help me help them (and you!), so please…link, listen, VOTE and SHARE!
http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=2386&promo_id=1
Oceanic facts from: http://oceanmotion.org/html/background/climate.htm
Carolyn Thompson
Tags: Career Confidential, career development, careers, coaching, communication, conflict resolution, internet, interviewing, Job Search, jobs, negotiation, news, Oprah, OWN, promotion, resume preparation, resume writing, show, skills, success, talk-show, techniques, television, unemployment, work
Old dogs CAN learn new tricks! Every day, we are challenged with new issues which are opportunities to learn something about ourselves.
As a seasoned recruiter who has trained thousands of people, I had a meeting today about time management purely because I felt like things were slipping through the cracks and I needed to grab hold before everything collapsed around me. (It’s not just me, right?)
Whether you are a job seeker planning your personal marketing strategy, a business person trying to gain market share, or an executive recruiter looking to capitalize on the resurgence in the hiring market, remember these tips when planning your day:
1. You need to plan! Fail to plan, plan to fail! As a member of the Pinnacle Society (www.pinnaclesociety.org”) we discuss our business strategies for success openly and the number one indicator of success is your ability to plan!
o Where will you call and why?
o What do you have that is of interest or need for someone?
o Who should you contact or ask for and why?
§ Find names on linkedIn
o What’s in it for them?
o Don’t forget to ask for referrals!
2. Block out your activities in one or two hour chunks.
o Your calls will sound fresher if you are remain interested and are not bored with your subject matter.
o Work all the angles you need to work each day, not one per day. For example, if you are a recruiter that works job orders and makes marketing calls, do some of each every day. You’ll find you’ll cover a lot more ground with renewed enthusiasm if you get to the end of the first page of calls and can check that off your list and move onto your next one.
o Only plan 75% of your time.
§ You need to be flexible to deal with interruptions and the results of your hard work!
3. Think outside the box!
o In my office we look for CPA’s every day. Sometimes, looking for the names of CPA firms turns up candidates we didn’t find doing a search for “CPA”.
o If you are looking for a job, don’t just search for job titles; create a list of target companies and research them for related positions they may be advertising. If they have ads for positions in and around your field, they would likely have a job for you somewhere, sometime…you just need to find out who reviews the resumes for that department and mail them a copy of yours via priority mail. They will get it!
4. As a business person looking to expand your client base as the economy begins to recover, start with your clients from the past three years before trying to earn someone’s trust you’ve never worked with before.
o A check in call is a powerful thing. Find out how they are doing and how your services may be of assistance in their economic recovery.
Even if you aren’t an old dog, it is never too early to pick up on what the slightly wizened canines have to offer! Visit my website www.carolynthompson.net for webinars on these topics!
Carolyn Thompson
Tags: business strategy, candidate search, check in call, clients, economy, executive recruiter, executive recruiters, flexibility, follow up, hiring, Job Search, job seekers, job titles, lnkedin, mail, marketing calls, new tricks, recruiter, searching, success, time management
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Jan 28, 2010 in
Building Confidence,
Career Path Winter is still going strong in the early months of the year, but maybe the new year has brought some good news and you are about to start a new job!
When birds create the foundations for a new stage in their lives, they take a lot of time to prepare. You may not need one or two weeks to gather the materials, but don’t underestimate! Nests keep the bird’s most precious possession safe: their eggs. For the time the bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young, the nest has to be solid and strong. The foundation for a new job has to be equally strong and you want to be careful to make the best first impression at the start!
Leave home early in order to be on time. Factor in an extra 15 minutes in case you run into a traffic jam.
Take proper identification with you to fill out your new employee paperwork (if you have not already done so). This could include your passport, a driver’s license, social security card, green card or other authorization required to legally work in the US. Know what your exemptions are for tax purposes, and take emergency contact phone numbers for your file. Many companies offer direct salary deposit, and you can expedite that process by bringing a voided check or deposit slip with you to attach to the appropriate forms. If you need help filling out your forms, ask! Correctly filling out your new hire forms the first time will save you time and trouble later.
Dress professionally and appropriately for the company you are working for. (When in doubt, dress UP…not down.) Make sure your shoes are shined, your clothes are neat and pressed and that you don’t over-accessorize.
Smile, introduce yourself and treat everyone with respect. Saying please and thank you are the easiest ways to make people comfortable quickly.
Make sure you have some cash in case you need it. Trying to find a bank or a cash machine in a new neighborhood may not be the easiest thing on your first day.
You will be presented with a lot of new information the first few days. It will take time for it all to sink in. Don’t be afraid to ask questions…and be sure to take good notes. If you are invited to meetings to observe or participate, be careful not to jump in too quickly, but don’t be afraid to share comments and ideas if you are asked to.
Change is always difficult no matter how much you prepare. Realize that feelings of nervousness are expected and very common no matter your career level. You will likely miss your old, familiar surroundings. Rest assured, in a few days time, your new environment will become more comfortable and familiar to you. You will settle into your new routine, develop new friendships at your new company and still have the good relationships you developed at your former one.
This is your chance to start from scratch and build your solid nest from experience and preparation. First impressions are not only important but lasting. Make sure you do everything you can to set the tone you want to carry through this important step in your career. Make a comfortable nest for yourself by properly preparing for the first day, and weeks and that strong foundation will help you settle into your new job.
For more job search tips, please visit http://www.carolynthompson.net/webinars.htm where you can find resources on interviewing, resume writing, and making a great first impression! Tips for your first day can also be found in the book Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job.
Carolyn Thompson
and
Lindsay Sellner
Tags: change, confidence, first day, first impressions, Job Search, new hires, new job, preparation, prepare, tips
Season’s Greetings from the Jungle!
This week I did two interviews about holiday job search, which got me thinking about the seasons of the jungle. Follow the links to see more.
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/holiday-jobs/#clip243570
http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/04/news/economy/job_seasons/index.htm
A little research turned up that the jungle has two distinct seasons; wet and dry. During a dry season, the days are hot and sunny, the vegetation becomes sparser, and watering holes dry up forcing animals to look elsewhere. Conversely, during a wet season, the air quality improves, freshwater quality improves, and vegetation grows significantly. The wet season is also referred to as “green season.”
Today, I got a call from one of my long time coaching clients who has been working two part time jobs to make ends meet since her husband’s death a few years ago. She has gone back to college to complete her degree and worked very hard to obtain the necessary computer skills to compete in today’s job market. She has an excellent background in customer service, community project management and has been working diligently to network and expand her personal sphere of influence. Exactly the right things to get that competitive advantage in your job search!
For the past year, she’s been on many interviews and has been passed over for countless positions she was well qualified for; moving from one dried up water source to the next, not because she couldn’t do the job, but because she has over 20 years work experience in total, and was considered overqualified. Many of the jobs she applied for required a bachelors or “equivalent” experience, and she lost out time and again to recent college grads with less life experience than she had, but she kept plugging away through her dry season.
TODAY, I got the call I’ve been waiting for. She got a job offer! In the salary range she was targeting! With benefits! I was so proud of her! Her comment to me was that once someone else showed they believed in her, she began to believe in herself.
She was the last person on my mental list of people who have been looking for some time that would be great employees! Now she will be enjoying the prosperity and growth of her green season.
If you have friends or family out there looking for work, let them know you believe in them. It will really help them find a new job!
For information on personal executive coaching, visit my website www.carolynthompson.net. I have a spot open now that my client found a job today!!!
Carolyn Thompson
Tags: believe, coaching, computer skills, continuing education, dry, economy, education, education vs experience, Job Search, networking, overqualify, success
Even the jungle has seasons. One of those seasons is a period of less rain called a drought or the dry season. We can think of it as the jungle’s downturn.
Recently the US and World economies have had a period of less prosperity or a drought just like a dry season in the jungle. This is a normal part of the cycle. Droughts help weed out the weak so new species can take hold. They also cause animals to adapt or move in search of food. You must adapt in order to survive and here are some tips on how to survive through this “financial drought.” Droughts tend to strengthen the jungle in the long run just like downturns help to weed out outdated companies or workers who need to improve on their skills set.
The strong survive. You must learn to search for opportunities in new ways and employ those strategies by adapting. If you do this, you will end up stronger in the long run and subsequently, be more successful.
When you suspect that you are going to be laid off or when the layoff actually occurs, you must be polite and accept the news with grace and dignity. You do not want to burn any bridges. Ask about your company’s severance package (if they are offering one) before you leave or get the correct contact information for the HR representative who can help you if you have any questions. You should also thank your manager or boss for the opportunity to work for him or her and ask politely if they would be willing to give you a good reference. Leave, go home and relax. Regroup over the next few days and then start your job search. Do not take months off because you will be sorry if it takes a while to find a new job and you have already taken time off. The average job search takes 2 weeks per ten thousand dollars (so a $50,000 candidate will take about two and a half months to find a job.)
Adapt. Be honest with yourself. Were you laid off or are you having a hard time finding a job because the job that you do is outdated or no longer needed? Do you have older software skills or is your education light compared to what is normally required to do the job that you want? If your answer to these questions is yes, you need to improve your skills to compete in the market.
If you are sending out resume after resume online and are not getting any call backs, you need to adapt the way that you are conducting your search. Be sure your resume is well written. A good resource for this is Ten Easy Steps To a Perfect Resume by Carolyn Thompson available on Amazon.com. You can also have a recruiter or friend read your resume for grammar and ease of understanding. If you know a company has a job and you have not heard back after submitting your resume, call the manager directly and ask if they have seen your resume yet. For example; if you applied for an AP Processor position and you haven’t heard back, call the company and ask to be connected to the AP Manager. When you get them on the phone, ask if they have seen your resume and offer to send it over for their review. Trust me, this works!
Remember, everything has a time of plenty and times that are lean. It is natural. By staying strong and adapting, you will come out of the other end stronger and better prepared than you were before.
Webinars on Resume Writing and Job Search Techniques are available at http://www.carolynthompson.net/webinars.htm
Jake Hanson
Senior Associate, CMCS
Tags: adapt, advice, drought, economy, education, layoffs, opportunities, resume, strategies
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Apr 28, 2009 in
Building Confidence,
Career Path The human’s closest relative in the animal kingdom is the Chimpanzee. Like humans, during the first months of life chimp infants are completely dependent on their mothers for food and care and stick close to their mothers until they are mature. It’s a tough job to raise a family and a tough decision when mothers need or want to go back to work. Whether it’s because your family needs the income or because you’re ready to take on corporate challenges again, you feel torn between the responsibility you have to your family and the obligations you accept with your new employer. Here are a few things to consider as you re-enter the work force:
· Be confident in explaining that you took time off to start a family. When you organize your resume, make sure the work experience that you intend to carry forward figures most prominently on the first page. It’s ok to have a gap in employment and you should feel free to explain that you took time off to start a family. There’s no need to pull out the family photo album in the interview, though.
· Be flexible and willing to negotiate. Many people leave behind high powered careers and want to return exactly where they left off, or even at a higher level. In many cases employers may not be willing to pay for someone lacking the most recent, up to date experience. You can prove yourself over time and get back to where you want to be, but be open to the fact that no matter how smart and hard working you are, there will be a learning curve. Consider ten years ago many people didn’t have Internet access at their desks; ITunes and text messaging weren’t even in the dictionary as a quick reminder of how technology alone has changed in a short period of time.
· When you do land your job, get up to speed as quickly as you can. Read appropriate trade publications and obtain necessary computer training. Be pleasant and personable, but professional. Don’t make your water cooler talk about your family until you know more about everyone you work with and avoid overcrowding your workspace with excessive amounts of photos . A few nicely framed ones will keep you focused on why you’re there and keep you from getting too homesick.
· Have a back-up plan and alternative help for the unexpected things that might pop up. Most employers will have a 90 day to 6 month probationary period where you may not be eligible for personal leave or sick time. Obviously emergencies occur, but your new employer will not look favorably on you taking unplanned days off before you have accrued leave.
· Keep one calendar for work and personal so things don’t slip through the cracks. Do your best to schedule doctor’s appointments and necessary personal meetings on one day a month that you have set aside and requested off well in advance, for example, the last Wednesday of the month. That way, you always know if you need to schedule a service appointment you can use that day.
· Consider starting a home-based business. If the thought of going back to an office and giving up the joy of raising children is just too much for you, consider starting a licensed day care service. There is a large need for qualified, caring, daycare providers in many areas. It’s possible that you could earn as much as or more than you would by getting an office job. It’s your own business, too. Licensing, insurance, supplies and advertising cost money, but the bookkeeping alone is great experience you can carry forward into an office later as well.
So, Monkey Mamas! Get out there! Good Luck!
If you have specific questions or need assistance in polishing your resume, finding a job or preparing for interviews, we have on demand webinars, publications and other resources on my website www.carolynthompson.net.
Carolyn Thompson
Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME…available on Amazon.com!
and TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB…available on Amazon.com!
Tags: advice, experience, gap in employment, home business, mothers, organization, re-entering the workforce, resume, technology, time off
There’s a famous fable about a skunk, a lion and a hawk who debated as to which of them was the most dangerous and feared animal in the jungle.
The hawk claimed to be “top dog”: “I win because I hit ’em from above, and from above, I have the best view of all. I can see things nobody else can!”
The lion rejoined: “Nonsense! I’m the most powerful animal of all, with the longest, sharpest, teeth and claws. I’m the most dangerous, for sure!”
Then the skunk said: “I can stink up the whole jungle and run out every man or beast in the territory.”
And so they argued, on and on, until a big old bear came along and swallowed the three of them, Hawk, Lion and Stinker!
With the uncertainty we are all faced with every day, losing your job is high on the list of people’s fears right now. Anxieties are high in both the executive office and in the sea of cubicles where all the work is actually done. Here are a couple of tips for quelling your anxieties so you can conquer your fears so if the Bear (layoffs) comes along, it won’t kill you.
-
1. Start by identifying the source of your worry. In the case of your job is it the loss of pay or the dreaded job search that you just don’t feel like doing right now? Talking to someone about your fears or concerns can help differentiate between the products of your imagination and those things truly deserving of worry. It helps to know if the source of your worry is something you can control, or something over which you have no control. If the cause of your worry is something you can affect, then channel that worry into action.
-
2. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that can happen if my fear becomes reality?” Think it through logically. If you are prepared for the worst, you can make a pro-active plan for dealing with the cause of your worry and then carry it through. Such a reaction is a positive use of worry helping you to overcome potential problems and threats. However, if there is nothing you can do about the source of your worry, it’s just as important to act to counter that worry, rather than letting it build up harmfully inside you. You need to learn to let go. If something beyond your control might happen, it either will or won’t. Worrying about it will produce only harmful, not positive results.
-
3. Another strategy is to simply switch gears. Think of something over which you do have control. Turn to an enjoyable activity, perhaps with a friend, and focus on that rather than the source of your worry. Look to exercise, a fantastic way to relieve stress, burn calories, decrease depression and refocus your attention. Your goal is to stop the worry before it has the opportunity to take control of your emotions and thoughts. You must work quickly and strike when you first become aware of the negative thoughts that fuel worry. Do something, no matter how small, to help you refocus: exercise, splash cold water on your face, snap a rubber band, call a friend, or even imagine a big flashing stop sign in your mind’s eye.
Admittedly, it does take practice to refocus your thoughts away from worry to something positive. However, it can soon become second nature to relax, exercise or change thoughts, rather than resorting to counterproductive worrying.
And sharing your worry in the workplace with colleagues is just like putting leftovers in a trashcan at your campsite in the jungle…the Bear will come straight to you if you invite him!
Carolyn Thompson
Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME…available on Amazon.com!
and TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB…available on Amazon.com!
Tags: advice, community, control, economy, fear, layoffs, proactive, relieve stress
CAROLYN THOMPSON, Author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME is a leading FREE TO THE PUBLIC resume workshop Thursday, APRIL 23rd in MD.
The job market is very competitive right now, so it’s important to have an informative and complete resume. It’s often difficult for people to narrow down what’s important and what’s not on their resume. TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME gives a solid roadmap to anyone looking to create a well organized, content driven, resume. Please bring your current resume to work from, and a friend! Whether you are looking for a job now, just need to update your resume, or have no idea where to start, this FREE WORKSHOP is for you!
Location:THURSDAY, APRIL 23rd, 2009 at 3pm.
MARRIOTT BWI
1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
After Carolyn’s Presentation at the Baltimore Metro Area American Payroll Association Luncheon.
We’ll go through the Ten Steps, discuss them in detail, and answer individual questions as time permits. Copies of the book are available on Amazon and in select bookstores and libraries. Post workshop individual resume critiques are also offered.
Carolyn’s second book in her series is now available at Amazon; TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB.
See you there!
Tags: community, economy, resume, resume workshop
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Feb 11, 2009 in
Building Confidence,
Job Search,
Self Improvement Tiger stripes are as individual and unique as human finger prints. They also act as the perfect camouflage in tall weeds and grasses. But, did you know that if you were to shave the fur from a tiger it would still have stripes?
To be a true tiger, an elite top member of the food chain, your stripes have to run deep beneath the surface. So, as you prepare yourself and your resume, to embark on a new job search because you’ve been laid off or fear that you’ll be laid off in the near future, remember, in the Job Search Jungle you can’t hide behind the stripes on your resume. You have to deliver.
Are you presenting factual information that faithfully represents your skills and work experience? In our current competitive job market with so many talented folks unemployed, employers are being extra particular with their next hire. The successful new hires must possess all the skill requirements of the job and be ready to hit the ground running! If you’ve already been laid off, now maybe the perfect time to update your skills and education by taking a computer class, attending a workshop, or finally enrolling in school to obtain your AA, BS, MS or MBA.
Make some inner stripes that will shine out on the surface and make you a true tiger in the Job Search Jungle!
Courtnie Cho
Partner, CMCS
Tags: education, layoffs, resume, training
Posted by Carolyn Thompson on Jan 19, 2009 in
Building Confidence,
Job Search Although the noble Zebra is mainly a Savannah dweller, it can survive and even thrive in other environments. Knowing when to find the right environment for you requires asking some difficult questions: Are resources so scarce it seems like nobody can survive? Does your current situation seem so chaotic and confusing you don’t know where to turn? Perhaps things are wide open, but with no signposts to guide you? In any environment you’ve got to keep your eyes open and watch for opportunities.
Scarce resources often offer abundant opportunities to excel and intense competition offers its own challenges. This is the time to put your nose to the grindstone and really let your unique qualities and stripes shine. Nature (or the economy) will thin the herd, leaving only the strong and resourceful.
Chaos and confusion may seem uncertain, but more often than not, it’s a matter of perception. Remember to keep focused and your stay out of the fray and don’t forget to watch your back.
Wide open spaces mean you can go in any direction, but which is the right way? Having choices is good, but you’ve got to find the balanced mix of landmarks (milestones?) and/or intuition. Remember, nobody else has a clue either and the better tracker will prevail. What has your experience taught you?
Small company or large? Private sector or government contracting? For profit or non-profit? Each environment offers its own opportunities and pitfalls. You can thrive anywhere. Which environment is best for you?
Mario Valdez
Associate, CMCS
Tags: advice, opportunities
