Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Find Your Hidden Talents and Resources for Career Success

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Today, I’m happy to share a guest post from my business partner, Hallie Crawford. Do you know you need a career change, but you aren’t sure what path to take? Hallie specializes in helping recent college grads and boomerangs identify their ideal career paths and make it happen. Visit her site to learn more about Hallie!

by Hallie Crawford, MA, CPCC

 

Are you wanting to switch careers or explore new job options? Perhaps you are unhappy with your current career, but unsure your options. Maybe you have so many options that you feel overwhelmed. Whatever your situation, taking some time out for self-evaluation prior to making any big change is a smart move. It’s probably been a while since you last thought about your natural talents and abilities! Career coaching can help you uncover and identify those talents and abilities that, once realized, can lead you on a journey to greater career fulfillment.

Try the following brainstorming exercise, meant to help you pull out the best parts of your professional personality. All you need is a pen and paper or your computer, and some quiet time to reflect. There are no right or wrong answers here. Just be honest with yourself. When we’re reasonable about what we can achieve, we’re better matched to a future position, one that satisfies us because we’re already inclined to perform that particular role and do it well.

1. As a child, what types of leisure activities did you enjoy most?
 Were you handy with tools? Good at making crafts? Did you write stories, enjoy brain teasers? What about sports or outdoor exploration? Were you a budding entrepreneur, with lemonade stands, a paper route, or other lucrative childhood pursuits? What about science projects or caring for and spending time with pets?

2. When asked to volunteer for a group project, whether it’s on the job, with your church, school, or another place, in which areas do you typically offer your assistance?

3. Which electives did you sign up to take in high school, college, or other training school?
 Out of those, which classes stand out in your mind as being the easiest and most enjoyable for you? Which ones did you get the best grades in, and for what types of assignments or projects?

4. What extracurricular activities did you participate in at your high school and/or college?
 To which groups did you belong, and what areas did you sign up to offer your contributions? Were you on the school paper or yearbook committee? Did you enjoy building stage sets for the theater group or work as a deejay for your school radio program? Were you a sports team member or assistant coach? Computer or math club?)

5. Think back to all the memorable moments in your life where you were congratulated or acknowledged for your efforts.
What did you do at that time to warrant recognition? If you can think back to notes of thanks, testimonials or other expressions of appreciation, what messages did people have to say about your best qualities?

6. When asked to write your performance reviews for previous jobs, in which areas did you most excel, and in what ways?
Take some time to explain, citing examples of moments where you exhibited stellar performance on the job.

When you’re finished writing out the answers to the above questions, go back and re-read your answers. What personal attributes can you see popping up repeatedly over the course of your life? Can you think of different types of jobs where you’d be able to best utilize these skills and personal strengths?

Congratulations! You have just taken the first necessary step to uncovering your career skill set.

Do you know what your next step should be?  Keppie Careers can help you put your networking plans into action for a successful job hunt. Contact me to learn more!

It’s not too late to join the free seminar I am offering with Carolann Jacobs from Vivid Epiphany. Read more about it HERE!

photo by Thomas Hawk

 

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Best Careers for 2009

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Wouldn’t it be great to have a crystal ball to predict the best jobs for the next decade? Uncertainty eliminated, everyone could retrain for a new job knowing that the future job market would be rosy and bright!

Short of a crystal ball, we have information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and reports from news organizations such as U.S. News & World Report to help guide and inform our plans. The good news? The Associated Press reports that “It’s a big economy; 350 million people — there’s always going to be people hiring,” said Carl Van Horn, director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

Hiring Forecast

CareerBuilder recently published their 2009 U.S. Hiring Forecast. They note:

While 16% of U.S. employers plan to cut staff, 16% of employers “expect to add workers, while 62% percent anticipate a steady payroll.” That’s promising news for a huge chunk of workers — 78%. (Another 6% weren’t sure what staffing plans for Q1.)

Looking at 2009 overall, 14% of employers plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees, 16% plan to decrease staff levels and 56% expect no change. 13% are unsure.

CareerBuilder points out that “There will still be openings due to regular turnover, some job creation, a skilled worker shortage and people retiring or changing careers. What does this mean for you? There are still jobs to be had, it’s just going to take more time and some extra work to find that new position.

The trick is to figure out where that hiring will be!

Do Your Research

Every job seeker should keep an eye on his or her industry and make plans for the future with an informed outlook. It’s a good idea to set a Google alert for organizations and fields of interest to you so you’ll be aware when there are newsworthy ups and downs in your market.

Clearly, Wall Street is a difficult place to find a job (although I have heard of laid-off workers being picked up by more successful competitors quickly). Previously considered recession proof, many luxury industries are suffering as even the wealthy tighten their purse strings. On a brighter note, the health care sector continues to expand, as do opportunities in green energy organizations. (The clean energy boom is expected to produce 4.2 million new green jobs over the next 30 years, according to a study by the nation’s mayors in October 2008.)

Career expert Laurence Shatkin just wrote a book called 150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs. In an interview with Barbara Kiviat for Time Magazine, he notes, “Governments are being impacted by this recession because it’s so severe, but on the whole, government-related jobs tend to be more secure, particularly jobs that have to do with law enforcement and education. People have to send their kids to school no matter what the economic conditions are. Post-secondary education tends to be a pretty secure place to be too. People will ride out recession by going back to school. And there are certain utilities, like water, electricity, gas, garbage pickup, sewage treatment. These things will be needed no matter what the economy is.”

Lindsey Pollak recently pointed out that President-elect Obama plans to create an enormous public works construction program to stimulate the economy. Lindsey suggests, “If you’d like to land one of those new jobs when they’re created, start studying now to understand what types of skills, experience and knowledge will be required. (For instance, you could set up a Google news alert for phrases such as “public works,” “national infrastructure” or “expanding broadband access.”)

Top Jobs

Here is a list of the top 20 jobs from U.S. News & World Report’s 30 best careers for 2009:

Audiologist

Biomedical equipment technician

Clergy

Curriculum/training specialist

Engineer

Firefighter

Fundraiser

Genetic counselor

Ghostwriter

Government manager

Hairstylist/Cosmetologist

Health policy specialist

Higher education administrator

Landscape architect

Librarian

Locksmith/Security system technician

Management consultant

Mediator

Occupational therapist

Optometrist

Bottom Line

Clearly, there will continue to be opportunities for top performers in every industry. If you have kept up with your networking and worked hard to be well known in your field, you will be better situated than most to job hunt. Extra gold stars for you if you have kept your resume up-to-date and are easily able to list your skills and accomplishments for your targeted resume.

That doesn’t sound like you? You never thought you’d be looking for a job and are totally unprepared? With the right information and motivation, it’s not too late! You’ll have some catching up to do, but you can still be successful.

UPDATE: May 10, 2009:

I can help. I am offering a special, limited time offer to my blog readers to help you land the job you want!  Contact me and mention “Reader’s Special” to learn about revising your resume and coaching to help you land your target job!

photo by circulating

Set Your Alarm Clock – Job Hunting Tips on WPR Monday Morning

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I’m excited to announce that I’ll be a guest on Joy Cardin’s radio program on Wisconsin Public Radio this Monday, January 5th from 6-7 a.m. Central/7-8 a.m. Eastern.

The show airs on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio and is broadcast across Wisconsin and parts of neighboring states. It is also live streamed on www.wpr.org, and will be archived there later in the morning.

Topic: General job hunting tips. We’ll cover pretty much everything, including what makes a good resume and cover letter, the importance of having your feelers out, sources to look for work, interview etiquette, etc.

You’ll have an opportunity to call in with questions by using the toll-free call-in number: 1-800-642-1234 (Madison listeners please use 263-1890). You can also email questions to [email protected]

I’d love to hear from some of my blog readers! I hope you’ll listen live or check out the archive after the show!

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Don’t forget that we are here to help you with your goals! If you’ve decided on a change, Keppie Careers can help you identify and communicate your skills. We can write your resume and coach you to a new job. Contact me!

I’m offering a free teleseminar with coach Carolann Jacobs to help you dive into your job hunt. Click HERE for more information!


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Resolutions and Job Change Advice for 2009

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Who can resist resolutions for the new year? It’s a fresh slate, a brand new calendar. A chance to start over. An incentive to really get started on something you have been putting off for too long.

Many of my colleagues have some great suggestions for those of you looking to make a career change or find a new job in 2009. Lindsey Pollak, CareerBuilder and Quintessential Careers all have great resolution ideas. Barbara Safani suggests working “towards a plan for 2009 that aligns hard work, improved timing and even some “premeditated” luck to help facilitate your 2009 goals.”

I’d like to simplify it even more. In the U.S. this past year, you could not escape the topics of “change” and “experience.” Yes, these tended to be political issues, but what better concepts to focus on for your career resolutions? Do you need a change? Do you have the experience you need to get where you want to go? Do you know how to communicate that experience effectively?

Change. Focusing on a need for change is the most important step you must take if a new job or career will be in your future. Write down your goals and carry them with you. Recognize that change does not happen without effort. Decide if you are ready and willing to take that next step.

Experience. Clearly, experience comes into play when looking for a job. However, more often than not, it is more important how you communicate your experience. Can you effectively explain what you have to offer? If not, work on your pitch. If you can’t explain what you can contribute, it will be very difficult for you to network effectively,to write a great resume and to interview to get the job.

I hope that narrowing down your resolutions to:

  1. Choosing change and
  2. Understanding and communicating your own experience

will help you make 2009 the year that you make your career goals come true!

I want to wish everyone a happy and successful new year! All the best for 2009!

Don’t forget that we are here to help you with your goals! If you’ve decided on a change, Keppie Careers can help you identify and communicate your skills. We can write your resume and coach you to a new job. Contact me to see how I can help!

I’m offering a free teleseminar with coach Carolann Jacobs to help you dive into your job hunt. Click HERE for more information!

photo by atomische

Do You Want the Job? Kennedy and Cuomo's Lessons for Job Seekers

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If you follow politics closely, you probably know that Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president, is actively campaigning for Hillary Clinton’s soon-to-be vacated senate seat. While the Governor of New York will appoint the successor and no voting will be involved, “campaign” seems the operative word.

Since this isn’t a political blog, why am I writing about New York politics? Interestingly, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, from another big political dynasty in New York, is also interested in the job. However, instead of getting right out in front and lobbying for it, he sat back and “respected the process” while Kennedy jumped out as an early front runner. Now, per the New York Times, he is “fuming” and feeling “outfoxed and frustrated” because Caroline Kennedy has all of the momentum.

Sounding more and more like a ripe story for a career search lesson? While most of us will (1) never have a name associated with a political dynasty or (2) be interested in political office, this story (made even more juicy by the fact that Cuomo was involved in a messy divorce from Kerry Kennedy, Caroline’s cousin), has several great lessons for job seekers.

Know your industry. In this case, since politics are involved, it seems that Cuomo would have known that getting the word out that he was interested would have been the prudent thing to do. Instead, Cuomo waited while Kennedy began a tour of the state, meeting high-level officials and garnering support. In fact, the NYT quotes NYC political figure Vito Lopez as saying, “I don’t think [silence] works…If a potential candidate is interested, it is imperative that they step up and activate their campaign.“

You snooze, you loose. While nothing is official, it would seem that Kennedy has the best chance of winning the appointment. Cuomo is left to think that he could have impacted the situation had he done things differently…

The job hunt is in your hands. Has there ever been a time when you have known there was an opportunity in your company (or another organization) that you thought you were perfectly qualified to do? You thought everyone would recognize your qualifications and you’d land the job? It doesn’t always work that way. Job seekers need to step out of the shadows and take an active role. In some firms, that may mean vocal lobbying for a job. In others, quiet meetings with influential stakeholders. Yet others may send the equivalent of smoke signals indicating their interest. The point here is that you can’t just throw up your hands. You must take an active role if you want a chance to land a job.

Drive your own career bus! If the Governor of New York appoints Cuomo (or another candidate), we’ll have lessons for another blog! In the meantime, as we approach a new year, this is a good time to remember that most people don’t just land their dream jobs by sitting around complacently, doing good work and not drawing any attention. In today’s competitive marketplace, you need to speak up for yourself. Don’t be left sitting on the sidelines while a more vocal (and gutsy) rival moves to land the job you want.

Have you ever sat by and watched someone else lobby for a job you wanted, but stayed quiet? Or, are you the careerist you boldly moves forward and  gets the job? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you are tired of sitting around, waiting for some great job, Keppie Careers can help you turn the ignition on your job hunt.

photo by talkradionews

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