CM Access

I feel like one of the most difficult things about job searching is not knowing.

“did they even get my email resume?”
“how many people am I up against?”
“why didn’t they choose me?”

That’s why working with a recruiter can be a really big help when you’re interviewing. We’ve worked to build relationships with the hiring managers, so we can generally find out a lot of details that aren’t available to the masses.

But the other thing I feel can really help in the process is doing your homework, researching, preparing, and talking to people. Take control of the process. Be proactive. Take the initiative to learn about a situation. Don’t just take a back seat. Knowledge is power, right?

Here’s a GREAT article from MSN Careers about interviewing. Once you’ve done all the preparation, and got the interview, the work isn’t over! You need to be very conscious of how your actions can be interpreted. Like this article says, “Information abounds regarding what you should say in an interview. But it can be just as important to realize what not to say. It is also imperative to note that what you say say can be communicated through both your words and actions.”

And this may seem like common knowledge, but you’d be surprised how few people follow through: follow up ANY and EVERY interview with a thank you note. Email a quick note within 24 hours, and handwrite a note and mail it within 48. It doesn’t have to say anything earth-shattering, just be sincere. They spent their time, and you spent yours–a thank you note acknowledges that fact and ABSOLUTELY will set you apart.

So in this world of job searching, in this “Candidate’s market” as the industry is calling it, be sure to take control and possession of your search. You should always be thinking about how to ensure you’re in the most rewarding, fulfilling, challenging (in a good way) and positive situation you can be in. There are great opportunities out there-you just have to know how to get them! A little bit of work on your career throughout the year can be an effective way to stay in control.

2007 is going to be a great year, so let’s go, fight and win!

For a number reasons, being reliable and consistent can really set you apart from your peers (or competitors).

Think of all the things you do on a regular basis (even before it’s a habit):
watch the same shows on Comedy Central late at night…
browse the same websites when you get into work…
send the same people the same nonsense emails just because they might appreciate it, too…

Bloggers know the value of consistency, continually posting with frequency and regularity, because it’s through that process that readers come back, and that relationships are built.

The point here is that being consistent in your job search is a key ingredient in standing head and shoulders above your fellow job seekers. It CAN (and SHOULD) become a habit, but before that, it will take a little effort.

Try to remember to follow up, follow up, follow up. Phone calls, emails, written thank-yous… even just to say “we’re on the same page, thank you for your help.” It all connects to developing a brand for yourself, and one of the attributes that every single successful person has is “consistency.”

Think of it this way, too: if location, location, location is key, then wouldn’t you want to plant yourself squarely in front of those whom you want to hire you? Be in their inbox, their voicemail box, they’re POBox. Use a consistent message, and be consistent with your follow up, and you’ll be unlocking doors in no time.

While in reality you might not have downtime over the holidays, I thought I’d emphasize (again and again) how important it is to develop you, the job-seeker, as a brand.

So when you’re not driving between states, fighting with siblings or cousins, eating yourself into a coma, or voraciously tearing into that beautifully wrapped yet disappointingly useless gift from Aunt Deb, consider putting some effort into becoming the informed job searcher.

Read the blog archives for places like JibberJobber or the Monster.com blog. It takes more time to go back, but there is some really valuable information there!

Start a web portfolio. Gmail has a free webpage service now. Creative Hotlist and Coroflot allow designers and artists to post pieces from their book. Then there’s the amazingly valuable experience in learning how to make a website, too, so consider .mac or even Dreamweaver.

Now-a-days, job seekers MUST understand how to use the web proactively while searching. You’ve heard me say this (and read about it here and elsewhere) before but people like Jeremy Anderson and Heather Henriks actually get it.

still excuses like time or ability? There are even companies like Brandego that will help you do it!

So cozy up with a nice cup of cocoa in those new plaid flannel slippers with matching robe, and educate yourself to make your search more quality!! It’s NOT about quantity (sending 50 resumes to 30 anonymous CraigsList posts, 10 Monster posts and 10 CareerBuilder ads…).

I’ve touted the benefits of using the online world for professional connections since I became a recruiter.

I’ve told nearly all the people I’ve met that Linked In is a terrific way to research, network, and stay connected to professional contacts all over the world and across all industries.

I realize that getting into it might be less than intuitive for some. So I’ve put a couple additional tips here, to aid in getting started Linking In. And as always, questions, comments and suggestions are welcome! Post a comment now!

Here’s what wikipedia says about Linked In.

And Penelope Trunk, in an interview with Linked In cofounder Konstantin Guericke, highlights that it’s not the number of connections you have, it’s the quality of your connections. (so Linked In member JohnSmith500+! might not be the most valuable connection…)

And this is a great post by Spherion highlighting search strategies from experts. I especially find Carleen MacKay’s final push for developing an online presence for networking success.

… Manage your LinkedIn connections. Start a blog. Develop a website. Make certain that you have a large presence on Google.

And Wendy Frados in that same post says:

Too many job seekers begin the search concentrating only on using the network they have - the time is now to begin choosing the network you want.

Too true! And Linked In is just the kind of place to find easy (and eager) connections. Plus, as Sree Sreenivasan points out here, recruiters are going to Linked In first for sourcing and finding candidates!

Couple more quick tips for using Linked In:
-put yourself out there; you never know until you ask
-offer something before you ask for something (coffee, lunch, a helpful article…)
-keep consistent contact with your network, find out how things are going with them
-research, spend the necessary time to get information, and develop good content (like on your LinkedIn profile)

hope this helps!

Technorati Tags: Linked In, networking, Spherion, BrazenCareerist, Penelope Trunk, Sree Sreenivasan

I wanted to put some tips and recommendations for those of you looking to prepare portfolios for interviews with clients. This has been something a lot of designers and copywriters ask me about, but as CareerHub’s post says (and I second!), it’s not something that should be exclusive to the more creative professions.

An IT professional can showcase a project status report from a previous project. A financial executive can submit a deal sheet. A human resources executive can offer a benefits vendor analysis report. Operations professionals can develop a list of customer retention strategies and their success rates. Sales executives can prepare a presentation with graphs and charts to identify various metrics associated with business growth.

Basic rules of thumb for a portfolio (using the creative industries as a guide):

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Try it out-and as always, ask questions if you have them!

Technorati Tags: portfolios, Coroflot, CreativeHotlist, CareerHub, LinkedIn, blogging, Jeremy Aaron Anderson

I was introduced to this “5 things about me” meme by Bryan who has had some pretty awesome experiences!

And I saw it on AClearEye that Tom tagged Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki…still have to check if they actually posted in like fashion.

Basically, it’s the chain mail of all chain mail! And I’m on board. I figure, if you know a little more about me, you’ll see me as a person, here for a conversation anytime! I’ll try to keep them short so if you’re curious-just ask!

1-My sister Jane, of whom I am immensely proud, will be the first in our family to enter the military. She’ll enter the US Air Force in January as a second lieutenant and registered nurse.

2-I am a squeamish individual–not a fan of hospitals, doctor’s appointments, dentist visits or anything related. My immediate family are all in the medical fields (2 nurses, one pharmacist and a future pharm student) so that leaves me…out there.

3-I spent 4 months in Spain during college and 4 months in Bolivia, South America after graduation. I am DESPERATE to travel again!

4-I was the drum major of the high school marching band. Tease all you want, but I loved it (still do) and am very proud of the achievement!

5-My family lives in Hershey, PA, The Sweetest Place on Earth. It’s an adorable town with a very real smell of chocolate in the air (unless it’s Thursday, when it’s usually roasting peanuts from the Reese’s factory) and a stellar hospital with Penn State’s College of Medicine.

Wow, I’m sure I could go on and on about various things I believe make me MaryHelen.

But now comes the difficult part: Tagging people to share who haven’t already been tagged!
How about
David Dylan Thomas
Scott Berkun of Berkun Blog
Alex Hillman of DangerouslyAwesome
Tiffany Bridge of Magic Pot of Jobs
and Penelope Trunk the Brazen Careerist

can’t wait to learn more about you!

Technorati Tags: 5 things meme, bloggers, Spain, Bolivia, Hershey, PSU College of Medicine, marching band, chocolate, US Air Force, nursing, pharmacy

This was passed to me from my colleague on the clinical staffing side of Joule Technical Staffing and I thought it very interesting, albeit not news

It describes the tendency of job seekers to lie on their resume by stretching the truth on employment dates, past employers (!), degrees and certifications, and skill sets.

I’m just not sure how anyone could feel like that’s conceivable! As an eager job seeker, you should take the time to really dig down and figure out what it is you’re capable of and qualified for, and go from there. If you’re not honest with yourself, someone else will be later, and it might hurt more.

Your job search materials should ad polish to an already sparkling gem (you). What the resources above will support is that your resume and interviews should present the things you have done that set you apart, and highlight the skills and experiences that you’re most proud of.

Also, here’s a new resource that looks like a cool way to approach the search from a different perspective. It ties right into our suggestion to consider your job search as a marketing campaign.

Penelope has said it, The Hiring Revolution people have said it, The ItzBig Blog knows it, and I’m going to say it again: you really really shouldn’t cop-out with the holidays as a time to take a break from your job search.

Of course, breaks are necessary–to regroup, re-energize, refocus. I’m not recommending you go blind from staring at Monster.com or that you call so many hiring managers that all HR contacts avoid you like the plague.

I’m simply recommending that you don’t put off until 2007 what you can get wrapped up in 2006! Don’t fall into the same old excuses: “no one will get back to me” or “everyone is on vacation” or “I’m too busy”. If it’s really important to you, make the time.

Being a creative professional, you know that this is a key time of year for standing out: you could do your own self-marketing campaign with a special twist. Take hiring managers warm mugs of cocoa instead of sending an email. Cut your resume into a paper snowflake to get attention! (I’d include a business card and follow up with a pristine and complete copy the next day!) Here are some other creative ideas about marketing yourself.

That’s what the season is about for everyone–memories. So make your job search efforts memorable. Then, even if you don’t have anything hit before Dec 31st because of people’s schedules, at least when they’re feeling the pressure from their boss about filling the job, they’ll remember that thoughtful and generous efforts you took the time to make!

And if you’re looking for ideas, ask me or another CM Access career advocate–we’re creative professionals too!

Technorati Tags: job search, holiday, cop-out, excuses, timing, creative approaches, marketing campaign

Just wanted to thank all the people who made CreativeCamp2.0 (still not sure I like that 2.0 addition…seems tired to me now…) such a terrific afternoon. It was for me, anyway!

I love lively discussions and people saying “aha!”

It was a great mix of traditional and nouveau…

we had a traditional direct marketer and also a self-proclaimed “drupalista”

we had a rousing talk about the “reality” of SecondLife.

And of course, there were cookies too

I really loved it and it’d be great to hear others’ feedback as well. (READ: POST A COMMENT TO MY BLOG) and I promise, next time, we’ll get the heat turned on beforehand!

Technorati Tags: drupal, CreativeCamp, SecondLife

Just wanted to do another quick shout out regarding CreativeCamp2.0 happening tomorrow, December 2nd, in Germantown.

I’m really excited to meet the new campers that have signed up to attend! I’m also excited about the potential of the un-conference! If it’s anything like the CreativeCamp from September, I’m sure it will take on an inspiring life of its own!

Here are some good resources if you’re planning on attending and not sure how you fit in:

information about the idea here
Technorati results for barcamp search
where the event is
tips on holding a session are here

and of course, the wiki to get more details about CreativeCamp2.0

There are tons of blogs and articles about “camping” so check ‘em out! See you tomorrow!

Technorati Tags: CreativeCamp2.0, BarCamp, Philadelphia, preparation