Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Transferable Skills

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It is so important for you to know what you have to offer when you are looking for a job!  Transferable skills are a great avenue for marketing yourself into a new job or career.  These skills, when used to your advantage, can open doors and present opportunities that may have seemed unattainable.

Keppie Careers’ “Free Career Advice” has an article that describes transferable skills and offers a link to an assessment to help you figure out what you have to offer.  I hope you’ll take a look!  You may be surprised to realize all that you have to offer.

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Best Careers and Unemployment

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It’s not great news for the US economy…Numbers show that unemployment is at a 2-year high.  In December, the economy only added 18,000 jobs instead of the 70,000 predicted.  These are the worst numbers reported since August 2003.

If you are in the construction, manufacturing and retail sectors, these are not good times for your industry.   Health care and professional services did much better, gaining jobs.

As you think about “A New Career for a New Year,” consider reviewing US News & World Report’s “Best Careers for 2008.”  Some of their selections may surprise you.  Consider if angling toward a career predicted to have a rosier future might be right for you.   (Keeping in mind that not all predictions actually come true!)   What are your transferable skills?  Could you use them to market yourself into a whole new career? 

This is a great time for some self-searching and research.  Maybe it is time for a whole new direction!

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

What are you offering?

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It may be tough to think about yourself as a commodity – something to sell, like you might sell a car or a television.  Let’s face it, though, it is a tough job market, and if you can create a pitch for yourself, you will have a leg up on the competition.

A simple task for today – ask yourself:  Why hire me?

A more difficult task – ANSWER!

If you don’t know, who does?

Stay tuned for more on marketing yourself into a new career….

 keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

New Year’s Networking

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2007 draws quickly to a close.  Keppie Careers hopes that a job search and a new career are in your plans for 2008!

Many new job seekers or people who haven’t looked for a job in a long time may not know about the “Hidden Job Market.”  Sounds sinister, but all it really means is that most (70 – 80% or more!) of jobs aren’t actually filled with people applying to a job posting or announcement; they are filled via personal connections.

Since 70-80% is a huge number of jobs, it’s a good idea to get on this networking bandwagon! Networking is a huge topic, and I have tons to say on the subject, but since we are coming up on a holiday, let’s leave it at this:

You will probably be out and about this week celebrating the New Year and potentially meeting new people  Take the opportunity to think about how you can work your career plans and goals into the festive conversations you’ll have.

How can you introduce yourself with an eye toward seeing if there is a potential career link with your new acquaintance.  Ask someone about their New Year’s Resolution, and then tell them yours:

You hope to use your skills and experiences in _____________ to move into a position doing ______________.

If they are interested in your field or know something about it, they may ask you for more details. Consider pre-planning a 30-second infomercial for yourself!  What do you have to offer?

You never know where you’ll meet the professional connection that will link you to a new opportunity.

Stay tuned for more on the crucial topic of networking! Happy New Year!

Targeting Your Audience

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How can you tell if your resume targets your market? Read it from the prospective employer’s perspective.

Ask yourself:

  • Does it speak their language?  Does it echo lingo, jargon and buzz words found in the job description?
  • Does it focus on what YOU can do for THEM?
  • Does it emphasize themes and values found on the employer’s website or other written materials?

If the answers are “no,” it is NOT targeting your market.

What can you do? At the risk of oversimplifying the issue…

  • Incorporate language from the job description and lingo their company favors in your materials.
  • Take advantage of the fact that job descriptions are lengthy and involved…Someone spent time writing down exactly the skills and experience they seek. How flattering if you echo their language when you apply! You’ll look like the perfect candidate.
  • Think about what you have to offer in the way of accomplishments and skills.  Eliminate any language that suggests that they can do something for you.  For example: “Seeking experience in a fast-paced, high-tech environment.”  No employer wants to hire someone to give them experience!  They want to know what YOU can do for them.
  • Your research (via web information, informational interviews, reading industry publications) should uncover the organization’s culture and values.  Do they emphasize volunteerism?  Are they “green?” Are their employees chained to their PDAs and work 24/7? Your materials should incorporate how you fit into their culture.  The point is to help them visualize you fitting into their environment.  If you can paint a picture that helps them see you working for them, you are one step closer to an interview.