Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Dr. King's message rings true for job seekers

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President Lyndon B. Johnson and Rev. Dr. Marti...

Dr. Martin Luther King offered many inspiring messages. As we honor him today, it seems fitting to remember his message of hope. His “I Have A Dream” address was delivered in a time when most of his “dreams” really seemed to be just that.

However, having dreams isn’t enough. Dr. King and other leaders of the Civil Rights movement recognized that hard work and sacrifice was key to success. Thinking outside of the box, organizing peaceful marches…Civil disobedience. All of these at a great cost, but prepared and enacted with great hope.

It is impossible to observe this King holiday without thinking ahead to President-Elect Obama’s inauguration. Obama’s message that seemed to resonate with so many voters, “Yes we can,” was another message of hope when things are not looking very hopeful.

Every job seeker can take something away from these optimistic messages. Maybe the message is as simple as a reminder that hope is important, even when it is hard to muster. Maybe the more important take-away is that nothing worthwhile comes without hard work and effort.

No matter the message, as the nation pauses to honor Dr. King, this is a good time for job seekers to stop and think about how to harness hope with hard work to move forward with an optimistic job hunt. Or, take another lesson from King and turn this day into a day of service and volunteer. It’s a great way to spend the holiday, with added benefits for job seekers.

Need some help with your hunt? I can help! Contact me for a free resume assessment.


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How to find a community of job seekers, Part 3

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This is part 3 of a series to describe a selection of resources to help job seekers support each other for networking and information sharing. Today, the topic is college/university alumni groups. I’ll also share some additional on-line resources targeted at helping alumni and mentors connect.

Read Part I – On-line resources

Read Part II – In-person resources

Don’t forget your alma mater!

Some college and university career centers have begun to extend benefits (some for a small fee) to graduates, and alumni organizations may be great resources of information and support. LinkedIn is full of opportunities to join alumni networking groups.

Andrew Rosenthal, President of the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club of Philadelphia, acknowledges that his club is encountering increased discussion of how the alumni group can help connect people to job opportunities. While focusing on what services alumni should provide and what services the University should offer,  the club does partner with Penn’s career services for job seeking events.

Will Robinson, owner of Virtual Career Coach, has contact with college career offices as a business owner, and he suggests that both alumni and career offices have experienced an uptick in addressing their alumni relations. He notes that Yale, his alma mater, has had an evolving program that offers job-listings for alumni and the beginning of some ‘career transition’ seminars to local alumni groups.

Old-fashioned networking with a modern twist is alive at Wake Forest University. Business school professor Aneil Mishra, co-author of the book (with Karen Mishra), Trust is Everything, maintains a network of well over 1000 current and former MBA students whom he helps find opportunities for free via his “Trust Network.” He receives “scores of job opportunities” via his network and then passes them along to students and other alumni.

Mishra is connected to members in a variety of business school networks, including Princeton and U-Michigan alumni. He notes, “There is not much of a chance that Princeton, Wake Forest, and Michigan alums would have naturally had the opportunity to learn about and share such opportunities with each other, so we thrilled about how [the network has] taken off.”

Ben Holcomb, Mishra’s former student, learned about his current job via this network. He says, “The Trust Network was an invaluable tool to further my career upon completion of my MBA at Wake Forest University…I was connected with Green Resource LLC, a rapidly growing business (in the top 5 of The Business Journal’s FAST 50 Awards Program) who sought a Controller to manage the company’s finances. Without being a part of the Trust Network I would not have been presented with such a great opportunity.”

It is worth investigating if YOUR alma mater offers a network or resources. Otherwise, you may be missing some great opportunities.

Interesting online resources.

As with in-person networking, there are new businesses aiming to help connect alumni for networking.  One such site is www.onedegree.com, which is University specific (only 5 schools are online now), and offers social and professional networking for students, fans and alumni.

Another interesting service to investigate is GottaMentor. This site aims to connect those who have advice to offer (mentors) with those who seek it. CEO Ron Mitchell notes, “We felt that, particularly in this tough economy, people needed a resource they could use to get more personalized career advice and feedback from people they know and trust.”

Potentially useful tools in GottaMentor’s library include a public database of searchable career advice from trusted sources related to finance, consulting, education, media, marketing, healthcare, entrepreneurship, technology and more. The site offers certain services free to anyone who joins and has a list of paid services.

Summary

The last topic in this series is corporate “alumni” groups. I am still collecting information about these groups and welcome you to email me at [email protected] if you are involved in a corporate alumni group or have benefited from an affiliation with one.

Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help?I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by clevercupcakes

How to find a community of job seekers: Part 2

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In an effort to share a selection of resources to help job seekers support each other for networking and information sharing, this week, I am writing about resources to help job seekers connect. Read Part I (On-line resources) HERE.

Today, my post focuses on in-person resources you may not have considered…
In-person resources
  • Meetup.com is an organization that helps connect people locally who have similar interests. Review their site and see if there is a group that might interest you, either a job hunting group or a more general networking group of interest. My friend and colleague, Chandlee Bryan, hosts a job search Meetup group in New York City. You should definitely join if you are in the Manhattan area. If there isn’t a group in your area, you can consider starting a job search support networking group!
  • Many communities host career ministries at churches that might be able to assist and support you in your search. Work Ministry is a resource for these groups, but you may be able to find a group locally by checking your newspapers or doing a search for “career ministry, (your city).” These groups often have speakers and offer other resources for job seekers to help them connect.
  • Networking in of itself has become a business. Many people host get togethers for the purpose of connecting people. For example, ExecuNet is one such group for executives. You can see if there are meetings in your area. Do a search for “business networking, your city.” See what comes up. If you live in a fairly large area, I would be willing to bet there are a variety of opportunities to meet people in person. The quality of the groups and interactions will vary. Try to do some homework, especially if there is a fee associated with attending.
  • Don’t forget your professional associations and organizations. Many have local chapters. Hopefully, you are already connected, but if not, now is a good time to start. These groups are also terrific if you are transitioning to a new field. People in leadership roles should be able to welcome you and offer information about the new field of interest.
  • Another resource is Pink Slip Mixers. They host free group meetings for job seekers and have a discussion board and online activity to join.
  • If you are in the Round Rock, TX area, my colleague Michael Kranes is co-hosting a Job Search Boot Camp. There are probably similar events in your city. (Contact me if you are interested in something in the Atlanta area!)
Keep your ears and mind open to the possibilities that exist when you actually engage with people in person instead of focusing all of your networking online. Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments! I would love to add it to the next post in this series.
Stay tuned for alumni resources!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help? I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by donkey cart

How to find a community of job seekers: Part I

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If you’re a regular reader, you know that I am working with Carolann Jacobs from Vivid Epiphany on a free teleseminar series to help job seekers dive into their job hunts. (Click HERE for more information – you can still sign up; there are 7 weeks to go!)

At our first session last week, one caller made a comment that really resonated with me. She pointed out that it was so nice for her to join the call with so many other job seekers and to realize that she is not alone in her job hunt. All along, I had been focusing on offering specific information in the seminar that would be useful and practical. I hadn’t specifically considered the value of bringing a group of job seekers together for support and encouragement. I’m glad to be enlighted! It was exciting when the participants on our call started to help each other and make suggestions to fellow callers. We started to build our own community in only one “meeting!”

Which leads me to this post…Where else can job seekers find support and encouragement?

My business partner Hallie Crawford made several good suggestions in her recent guest post.

I thought it would be useful to make some additional specific suggestions.

When I started to write this post, I realized that there are so many resources, I decided to break this up into a mini-series of posts. So, please stay tuned for the next few days for a slew of ideas if you are looking for a job! Don’t hesitate to comment with additional ideas or resources. I’ll be happy to include them in future posts.

Blogs

I am a bit biased, but I think blogs are terrific sources of support and can be community building mechanisms. I’d like to think that my blog is a place for job seekers to gain support and information, and there are many other great bloggers in the job hunting niche. You’ll find all of my favorites and more oncareer.alltop.com.

Select online resources

  • Online job seeking support forum, such THIS ONE on about.com, hosted by career advice guru Allison Doyle. At this site, “you can discuss issues related to job searching, employment, and work. Ask questions, provide answers or start discussions on topics of interest to you.”
     
  • Secrets of the Job Hunt is another terrific site that brings job seekers and career professionals together. If you have a question, you can post it and Chris Russell, who created the site and is also a founder of JobRadio FM, may repost it to all of the career professionals who are members on the site to respond to you. You can also read blog posts from many career professionals on this site. (I am a contributor as well.)
     
  • job-hunt.org has a wonderful list of resources and in-person groups by state.
     
  • I’m the Career Advice Expert for GreatPlaceJobs, a job board that only posts positions from award winning companies. Since we know that networking is key to the job hunt, GPJ hosts a LinkedIn networking community for our members, employees at great workplaces and recruiters. We are also planning teleseminars and other opportunities for recruiters at great workplaces to connect with employees. This could be a great resource if you are interested in working for an organization that has the potential to outperform in a recession.
Keep your ears and mind open to the possibilities that exist when you actually engage with people in person instead of focusing all of your networking online. Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments! I would love to add it to one of the next posts in this series.
Stay tuned for in-person resources and more!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help? I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by niallkennedy

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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