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

Since there are always things to do around here, and this never seems to be at the top of the priority list, I thought I’d just write a quick note to keep you all intrigued!

I have been asked numerous times what our perspective on the status of the job market is at this time of year. Toward the end of 2007, the standard response was always “It’s a crazy time of year, budgets are in review, people are travelling, decision making is slowed down.” All of which were true to different magnitudes for each client and every company.

However, what’s been going on now that 2008 is in full swing, people are “back to the grind” and hiring needs still exist? As mentioned previously, most growth in hiring is going to be seen in healthcare and in technology. But that isn’t directly applicable, right?

I am hearing from designers and talented marketing professionals that they’re not finding a lot of movement on their resume submissions and applications.
Does this mean companies that post open positions aren’t actually hiring for these available opportunities?
Does that mean that candidates aren’t qualified for the positions to which they’re applying? Does this mean so many candidates are being considered that no one has time to even respond that a resume was received?

From my seat, we’re seeing a lot of positions that are more technical in nature than we have in the past. And, according to Monster, more technical and analytical positions are going to be the increasing demand at all companies in the coming months.

Also from my perspective, while the occasional production artist or print design contract has become needed by companies struggling with maternity leave and other temporary scheduling changes, the highest demand in the communications and advertising industries is for web-savvy design and strategy professionals.

Suggestion? Bone up on your SEO/SEM knowledge, learn a coding language and build a personal website to showcase these skills, tinker around with Flash or take a course in web design. Smaller companies will be looking for more versatile multimedia designers who can also handle print collateral, while larger companies are seeking those who can take the great design concepts of their current staff and translate it into usable, strategic web pieces.

I am one of those people that sees coding letters like HTML and XML and kind of shuts down. “That’s for the programmers to worry about.” But the increasing demand is going to be for people who understand why a PHP format is required for certain projects, or why Java and .Net are kind of like two paths to the same destination. WhatIs.comcan help you get quick answers, or talking to a developer will help you, too.

Key point: Make yourself aware of the technology happening in the creative industries. It’s not going away, and it’s likely to be a key desire for many of the open positions in 2008 and beyond.
additional key point: why not think about exploring temporary or contract positions? Especially if you’re miserable in your current situation? You might be able to expand your knowledge and portfolio of experience, and you could just end up falling into a perfect position for something you never thought of before!

Technorati Tags: employment outlook 2008, hiring status, technical positions, web design, career advice

Hoping to continue to be a resource for job seekers and career-minded professionals, I thought it might be helpful to share this information that was shared with me about the top growing fields for employment in 2008.

Eight Top Fields with Major Job Growth can be found at the Yahoo Hot Jobs page.

While some are obvious, like healthcare and technology, there is also growth predicted for independent creative professionals (good news!) and support staff in facilities management. Anyone with a nursing certification or the ability to program and build computer software is definitely in a good position to seek out the best opportunity for their career.

The author, Sonja Carmichael Jones from EarnMyDegree.com also highlights a very smart strategy for helping to secure a new position, including many of the things we’ve mentioned here. Most importantly, take the time to research companies and know what you want.

Get to know what jobs fall within the major industries.
Determine the skills and accomplishments you have or need to meet the requirements and showcase them on your resume. If you’re not confident about your skills then consider taking a course, volunteering, or pursuing an internship to enhance your skills. It’s also a good idea to look for mentors — they can become your biggest ambassadors when you need an outstanding reference.
Locate and research companies that you want to work for, and then network to make the right connections.

She also says something I can’t say enough:

Keep a positive attitude and be ready to jump in and work with all the skills and energy you’ve got.

As someone who speaks with a lot of job seekers at all levels of their career, and all stages of the search process, I can tell you first-hand that there is a point of burnout and it is detectable by hiring managers and anyone in the hiring process. You must always stay upbeat, confident, and positive about your experiences and past employers. If this means visiting a counselor to reassess where your focus needs to be, then maybe you should! Take some time to re-center, to really get to know yourself.

ok, enough new-age mumbo jumbo! It’s a new year, and a great time to make a fresh start. Keep at it, and if you’re not sure you’re doing the right things, just ask any CM Access career advocate!

Technorati Tags: industry growth, new year job search, job search burn out, healthcare jobs, technology jobs

Let us think of the job search and career path process as a game of strategy, involving precise timing, strategic positioning and occasionally defensive maneuvers to protect your own survival.

Then, we can identify the involved parties:

you, the job seeker, are on the offensive, trying to break down the impenetrable walls of the enemy fortress: your ultimate job within in a thriving company that protects its own resources fiercely.

me, the recruiter from an agency, is the strategic ally who plays both sides for the altruistic benefit of all involved.

and the hiring manager is the general of the army of corporate Human Resources and departmental henchman. They’re not really fighting against you, take this with a grain of salt please! They’re just trained to resist change, especially to personnel.

So here’s an article I found that is addressing recruiting practices for hiring managers (the generals) and what they should be utilizing to go about the process in the best possible way. This might help you, the job seeker, to understand what you’re up against, since most hiring managers are NOT doing these things.

Start at the top. Take a close look at the top performers in your organization and determine what the key characteristics are that enable them to succeed. Incorporate these into your job description.

If the hiring manager of your target needs to be told that this is important information, then you are ahead if you ask them when speaking with them. This is valuable for you to be able to assess your own fit as a team member, and for showing your intelligence and interest in the company and the team.

Look ahead. As you begin hiring for a position, consider what success will look like a year from now for the person you hire. What will the person need to have accomplished to be deemed a success? Which key stakeholders will play a role in this person’s career at the company? How will this person fit culturally with these stakeholders and the rest of hte core team?

If the hiring manager hasn’t included these items in the job description, then you have every right to ask these questions. And chances are they havent. And you should. All job descriptions start to sound the same after a long while, because companies outsource their recruiting, or in-house recruiters aren’t trained to know the nuances of each different role in a department and aren’t able to look beyond the quantifiable skills.

Clarity. Have a clearly defined job description at the onset. Avoid being generic….Quick turnover happens as a result of a lack of clarity around what a job truly requires.

Here’s where you should notice that many job descriptions are vague because no one puts time or energy into truly understanding what the day to day requirements are versus the long-term objectives. And you should be aware that your resume needs to be targeted. If you have the same catch phrases and generic format, you’re causing as much trouble as you’re experiencing. Again, the more information you can get about a job before sending your information, the more you can ensure that it’s perfectly relevant. When dealing with the landmines of unclear descriptions and missing pieces, you could be wasting your time and need to think about redirecting your efforts.

this is probably more than enough to read for today. keep your eyes peeled for part 2!

Technorati Tags: Counter Intelligence, Job search war, hiring manager generals, generic resume, interview questions

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

My coworker and I were just discussing the new LinkedIn feature to include a photo of yourself on your profile.

We were discussing how this can be seen as the perfect next step in a “complete” profile, but also how it might be a deterrent to someone contacting you, or you reaching out to connect to someone else. And, if you know your contacts face-to-face, do you really need the photo to remind you what they look like?

Would a photo put someone off? What if your photo isn’t the best representation of you? Or if you have changed visibly in the recent months or years, what purpose would it serve?

Although, if you’re seeking a job outside of your local area, and speak with someone over the phone for first round interviews, perhaps the link to you LinkedIn profile is a more professional way to share what you look like than sending a huge .jpg file, or worse, a resume with your head shot!

What do you think?

Oh, and I also wanted to mention a really cool new site we found: Kijiji I found out it’s a part of the eBay network, but it’s basically a prettied-up Craigslist. Superneat!

Technorati Tags: Craigslist, Kijiji, LinkedIn, online profile, professional, photo, eBay, opinion, photo on resume

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

Just wanted to share this information because I feel that it’s incredibly valuable in managing your career.

First– when looking at job postings on line, figure out if it’s posted by a staffing firm or the corporate HR. This will help you when applying. Most agency recruiters (like CM Access) don’t need a long cover letter. They need to see what job you’re applying for and your resume, possibly salary or rate requirements, but just the facts, ma’am. If it’s a corporation you’re applying to directly, cover letters are a good indication of your writing ability (IF it’s a job that would involve writing) and they should give clues about you and your personality. Make it worth reading, not a chore. And if you’re applying to Craigslist, see my notes here.

Second– working with recruiters is a good thing! The more people that know about you and your abilities and career goals, the more you’re marketing yourself, the more chances that someone might get you a great opportunity. However, be realistic about your expectations and your abilities. If you’re straight-forward with a recruiter, they should be realistic with you. It’s much easier for a recruiter if you tell them straight up that you’re not looking for certain types of positions, you’re not willing to commute more than a certain distance, etc. If you’re flexible, then that’s a different story. But if you have specific goals and needs and criteria, stick to them.

Third– Keep reaching out to those who know you and your resume. If it’s a recruiter, and you haven’t heard from them in a month, but are still looking for a new job, then reach out and say so.

Fourth– Recruiters are paid by client companies to fill the open positions within that company. Headhunters are paid by job seekers to find opportunities that suit them. [promotional plug: CM Access uses the needs of the job seeker as ammunition for the companies we work with=the best of both worlds!] You should only work with recruiters you feel are honest and genuine about the information they’re sharing. You should only work with recruiters who aren’t sharing your information without your knowledge (ie your address, phone number and email contact information.

I hope this helps! I sure wish I had known that recruiters aren’t evil, and how their business works. Knowledge is power. The more you know… and so on.

Technorati Tags: Recruiters, Headhunters, CM Access, How to, marketing you

And yes, they deal with a lot of people and a lot of resumes, so if they forget that your cat died last month, don’t take it personally.

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