CM Access

An article was passed to me, and if I could find its original iteration, I’d include it. But I found the information to be helpful and thought it clearly articulated many of the points I’ve already made here. So I must be somewhat on track if other sources have the same info, right?

Are you falling into any of the following job search mistake categories?

1. Be sure to tailor your search to jobs you are qualified for and that interest you.
2. Video resumes are not prudent unless you’re looking for an acting (or broadcast media) job.
3. Always start out using “mr.” and “ms.” in an interview and in email communications, until you’re corrected otherwise.
4. Keep your social networking sites private–pictures can be found and be detrimental to your consideration for professional opportunities.
5. Make sure you research the company and the position to the best of your ability before an interview!
6. Dress professionally and appropriately when interviewing; it’s better to show up overdressed than be dismissed from consideration because you “weren’t quite sure what to wear.”
7. Don’t be a “Yes Man”. This means, don’t talk too much during your job interview, be concise with your answers, and always back up responses with concrete and relevant examples. And if you have an answer you don’t think they want to hear (a “no” instead of a “yes”) be sure to back it up with a well-crafted response. Take time to think about what you want to say, they’ll wait, and it will make it worth the wait!
8. Have a professional email address!
9. Keep your resume short and to the point: relevant experience only! It’s hard to keep work experience like “supported myself through college while working at Hooters” but the truth is, unless you just graduated, your professional experience is going to override this piece of information, and it will actually hurt you.
10. Get to know a lot of people: your success will come from who you know!
11. Ask for help during your job search. From friends, mentors, relatives.
12. ALWAYS follow up with an email or a hand written note after an interview!! Even phone interviews!
13. NEVER talk negatively about a past employer, no matter how comfortable the interviewer makes you feel.
14. Ask good questions to show you’re interested in learning about the company.

and of course : Don’t talk about money in the first interview or conversation. Even if this is a make or break criteria for you, you are hurting yourself if you don’t at least talk with someone about their opportunity or their company because you don’t think they’ll match your salary. The first step is to make them like you, and want you on their team, THEN you can figure out if you want them. This very minor (and easy to fall into) breach of etiquette can ruin any chance you might have for a really valuable network contact!

FYI: CM Access can help answer any questions these mistakes might bring up! If you’re wondering how to avoid these problems, or how to recover if you’ve already fallen into one, just get in touch with your friendly Career Advocate today!

Technorati Tags: job search mistakes, interview etiquette, professional dress, do’s and don’ts of job search, networking

My friend and coworker Steph Paquette is forging new networks for CM Access in Rhode Island. She has been someone who’s insight and experience I respect, so I thought it a good time to share her perspective. It’s a great topic to spur conversation, so we’d love to hear your thoughts: are you a hiring manager trying to schedule maternity leave into your planning in 08? Are you a new mom who’s learning how different things are than you thought? From Steph’s own words, here’s some discussion on balancing your career and being a mom.

“So…you’re pregnant…CONGRATS! Now that the word is out and the shower has been thrown, comes the dreaded “maternity leave” conversation. When should your last day be? How long will you take? And the worst…When will you be returning to work?

This question may not be on top of your mind, but it better be there soon. Employers need to know what type of staffing issues they are facing. The longer you delay in making that decision, the more under the gun your supervisor gets and the less time there is to train someone to do the job the way you would like it done.

For some of us, we like to think that the return to work is inevitable, but the truth is that we just don’t know. That little bundle of joy enters the scene and all of a sudden time has no meaning and the days seem to run into each other. For some, returning to work is a financial decision and a “need”. For others, it is a “want”. Having something that isn’t baby-related to break up the new “mom-hood”. And then there are the ones, who for whatever reason, don’t return to the workforce. For those women, they may not know that this will be them when they leave. They may figure it out while they are watching their child sleep in their arms or while witnessing their first rollover or while looking at the actual cost of childcare. Whatever the reasons, your employer needs to know your intentions as soon as possible.

Major elements to consider when deciding if returning is the best choice for you include:

You should ask yourself what type of “culture” does your employer promote and figure out if it fits your needs now. For example…if you have typically been employed with an advertising agency, their culture is one of “Work hard, Play hard” and include long hours and deadline driven projects. This is probably not the best environment for a new mom due to the unsteadiness of scheduling and demand on your time. There are exceptions…but when the push comes to shove… do you really want to have to make the choice between family and career?

To all those who are reading this saying…”this won’t be me”…I said the same thing! Now I am a working mom who hung up her late night, weekends, high stress agency lifestyle for one that I can close the computer and turn off the cell phone at 5:30pm to spend quality time with my 2 year old son.

If you are interested in exploring “family-friendly” workplaces, check out your local business journal. There is a usually a listing or business profile to help you get information about certain companies.”

And if I may add my own two cents, I’d recommend inquiring about the company policy when considering a new career opportunity. Not because you’re divulging personal information that could be disciminatory, but simply weighing all of your options and learning about all that the company offers.

Technorati Tags: working mom, career mom, mothers in the workplace, maternity leave, company policy, contract negotiation

I was at PodCamp Boston 2 back in October, unfortunately only for a short time, but enough to see how far the unconference has come since September 2006! It was held at the very new, and gorgeous,
Boston Convention and Exhibit Center and even though it was gray outside, inside it was bright and buzzing with creative conversation, networking and technological innovation!

CM Access was able to host a session about Job Searching in a 2.0 world, and to hold a forum where concerns, topics and ideas related to technology in career management could be shared.

In many ways, the PodCamp Boston 2 was very much a typical conference or seminar: nametags, t-shirts, PowerPoint presentations, and give-aways from vendors. ‘

But in many more important ways, it was an evolution of the gathering idea, a more inclusive and interactive community-building event. And I have to say, the coolest thing of all (aside from getting to walk around my session room with a wireless mic like Bob Barker) was meeting the guy who designed our blog! Special shout out to Nico from Snowy Day Design. I was commenting on his BarCamp Buenos Aires tshirt, about how that must have been a really cool event, and he introduced himself: “I’m the guy that designed your blog!”

What a small world, it was really a reminder.

Technorati Tags: PodCamp Boston 2, PCB2, podcampboston2, Snowy Day Design, job search 2.0

Happy Holidays! Just wanted to mention a few things that might seem like common sense, but as I’ve heard someone say recently: common sense ain’t that common!

If you’re looking for a new job, or at least open to hearing about new opportunities that might be better than the one you’re in, have you made sure to cover the following bases?

Is your voicemail still set to “YO! It’s the T-dawg, leave it!”
[tip: You’re not going to leave a good impression when a recruiter hears that after being interested in your resume.]

Is your resume error-free? Have you had an objective set of eyes thoroughly read through the whole thing?
[tip: You’re not going to be regarded highly for a writing or editing position if your resume has typos and formatting errors, or words that spellcheck won’t pick up, like “there/their/they’re”]

Do you have a professional email address?
[tip: If you’re not in college any more, then you shouldn’t use a .edu address. If you’re not in a gang, you shouldn’t use “T_dawg@juno.com” E-mail addresses are free, so you should really have one that uses your name.]

Is your resume in a Word or PDF format, and saved with an identifying filename? [tip:”resume.doc” increases your risk of your document getting lost on someone’s desktop, and it’s tough for some companies to open documents saved in formats or programs they don’t have in their system.]

Does your email cover letter clearly state what job you’re applying for? [tip: Many hiring managers are working to fill more than one position, so if you’re not clearly stating your objective, you’re making me work too hard.]

Remember, the goal of the job search is to get a job, right? The goal of the hiring process is to get someone hired? You will have much more success on either side of the process if you make it easier for your target.

Companies should have an easy-to-navigate application process, or a quick response time to make it easier for candidates and job seekers. And job seekers NEED to make the process easier for the hiring manager, the one reading and sorting through the resumes.

Technorati Tags: Job Search Tips, Resume errors, hiring process, job seekers

Happy Halloween! And, may I just say, the grocery store was totally sold out of vegetable trays and lo-fat ranch dip last night! I guess every office party has that person who waits until the night before to bring something slightly healthy for the pot-luck (like me)

Just a quick post because I thought this was funny enough to share. (funny, not a political opinion)

Work vs. Prison:

Just in case you ever get these two environments mixed up, this should make things a little bit clearer.

@ PRISON
You spend the majority of your time in a 10X10 cell
@ WORK
You spend the majority of your time in a 6X6 cubicle/office

@ PRISON
You get three meals a day fully paid for
@ WORK
You get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it

@ PRISON
You get time off for good behavior
@ WORK
You get more work for good behavior

@ PRISON
The guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you
@ WORK
You must often carry a security card and open all the doors for yourself

@ PRISON
You can watch TV and play games
@ WORK
You could get fired for watching TV and playing games

@ PRISON
You get your own toilet
@ WORK
You have to share the toilet with some people who pee on the seat

@ PRISON
They allow your family and friends to visit
@ WORK
You aren’t even supposed to speak to your family

@ PRISON
All expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required
@ WORK
You get to pay all your expenses to go to work, and they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners

@ PRISON
You spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out
@ WORK
You spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars

@ PRISON
You must deal with sadistic wardens
@ WORK
They are called managers

If your work is more like a prison, isn’t it time to explore your options? CM Access and other recruiters are able to keep you in mind for opportunities without you having to broadcast to your current employer or HR department that you’re searching. You don’t have to post your resume on Monster.com to be open to hearing about a new position. Talk to people!

Technorati Tags: work life, prison life, recruiters, passive search, Halloween

I want to start off with the good news, so you don’t think I’m a ranting and raving type of blogger:

You are worthy of being the next great employee. You will find a great company that will challenge you, help you learn new skills, where you’ll make a difference in the success of your team and your company.

But the Burn Out from a job search is common, and it’s a dangerous place to be in. If you need to vent, do it here (or other anonymous blogs) but don’t do it in your cover letter.

The following information is for the benefit of job seekers in need of a reality check.

Have you become entirely disillusioned and delusional with your search?

Here’s how to tell:

Here’s how to recover:

CM Access is always willing to be a buffer for you, to help you assess your cover letter quality, and your search strategy. And even just to spell check if you ask!

Technorati Tags: Job search burn out, recovery, spellcheck, resumes

Ever send an email and as you’re clicking “ok” or “send” or “enter” you realize, almost in slow motion (a sound effect or comedic impression which I will not attempt to spell here), that you were sending it the wrong person??? Or that you had a seriously incriminating error, or embarassing typographic mistake, or were forwarding to someone instead of replying to someone else?

Sure, you have. And the more frequently you use email (especially Outlook, with that PESKY auto-fill address field!), the more risk you run of experiencing a meltdown.

Ever wish you could hit a couple of keystrokes and erase the last thing you did? Sending the wrong email, and wishing you could retract it with a simple “Ctrl + Z” clicks? Unfortunately, life doesn’t work like that. But, in regards to that business function that’s become intrinsic to professional success (email), there is some help available!

I just read “Send: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home” but David Shipley and Will Schwalbe. They have a pretty neat little blog/site, too at ThinkBeforeYouSend.

The book makes some excellent points about why, culturally, we’re prone to being a bit too informal when emailing, we tend to misread tone and intention, and why we often expect things to happen a lot faster, simply because of the convenience of sending an electronic mail.

I’m not going to paraphrase their book, but I HIGHLY recommend it. I’m going to go so far as to say that if you don’t have a business writing course while in college, you should read this prior to, or during, your internship or first job. It’s important to get a primer on etiquette, even if, like me, you’re a part of the technologically-advanced generation.

I promise, you won’t want to “Ctrl + Z” your time spent reading the book. (ha. ha.)

Technorati Tags: Send, Email Etiquette, Will Schwalbe, David Shipley, retractions

Per some good advice *thanks Alex* I’m going to be more straight-forward: we are hiring in our Charlestown, Boston office.

Seth Godin says here that it’s when you’re in a place where things just tend to be surrounded by positive energy. To be in a place where you feel encouraged by possibility, motivated by people who believe in you.

The vibe changes everything. It’s a place you want to work, or a restaurant you want to come back to. I remember the first time I walked into Fast Company’s offices. I remember the original Legal Seafoods. And I remember, just a few weeks ago, the buzz in the lobby of the PDF conference in NY.

If vibe is so important, why does it sound flaky to worry about it? Who’s in charge of the vibe at your place? Could it be better? A lot better?

Changing the vibe isn’t always possible, but most of us rarely try. From physical layout to organization to what leaders say and do… it matters. Sometimes, it’s all that matters.

CM Access is growing its team. And while my perspective is a bit biased, I definitely feel like we have a Vibe here, and I’ve made it part of my job to keep that Vibe glowing, and growing.

We encourage individual motivation and personal growth. There’s no one way that works for everyone, so we say, “find a way that works for you!” We are encouraged to explore who we are as a person and a professional, so that we can confidently represent that through a brand that embraces creativity and relationship. And across all levels, we’re in open communication about how we can all contribute to making the business more successful, and the work more fun!

Sounds like a great Vibe, huh? Well, to me it is. I’ve found a place where I’m motivated by the people that believe in me, trust me immensely to express myself through this little blog, and I am excited to share and grow this feeling with others.

As Seth says, every little bit contributes to the overall feeling of an environment, and there should be someone concerned with what that is. But I see it as a contagious phenomenon. Positive energy spreads, and if one person continuously pushes for success and improvement, won’t it soon be compounded by the collaborative effort of the whole team?

I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks about the Vibe at CM Access, but I hope I’m able to contribute in my small way to making it a place where others want to be each day.

(PS If you or someone you know is looking for just the Vibe that CM Access offers, join our team in Boston by contacting here)

Technorati Tags: CM Access, vibe, positivity, hiring