It’s about people and connections. The more meaningful connections you can build, the larger your network and the easier it gets to find gainful employment. CareerConnects combines social media & technology, along with passionate employment experts AND diverse local employers to create a truly unique and empowering all-day conference for 500+ career seekers in Austin, TX.
Event is January 29th from 10 am to 6:30 pm
Click here for more information: http://careerconnects.org/
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Career Transitions starts Spring Series
The Covenant Career Transitions Series will start again for this spring on Februrary 4th @ 7:00 pm. Seminars run from 7 - 8:30 pm. If you attended the last series, you know that the content of the seminars is top-notch. This series will have some new speakers and topics. The seminars are free to the public and please invite anyone you know who might be going through a career transition.
Here are the topics and dates for the series:
Here are the topics and dates for the series:
- Feb 4 Angela Loeb, InSync Resources "Visioning Your Vocation"
- Feb 11 Nelson Mann, "Resumes that Work"
- Feb 18 Dr. Chris Thurman, "Managing Change"
- Feb 25 Karen Harrell, "Interviewing"
- Mar 4 Scott Carley, "Smart Networking"
- Mar 11 David Hughen, "Personal Branding"
Thursday, November 19, 2009
UT Career Centers
You have career resources right in your own backyard. I know that you have access to this information if you are an alumni but you may also be able to use the resources if you are not.
Career Exploration Center
http://www.utexas.edu/student/cec/
UT School of Business Career Center
http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/career/
UT Alumni Career Services
http://www.texasexes.org/career/
Natural Sciences Career Center
http://cns.utexas.edu/careers/
Career Exploration Center
http://www.utexas.edu/student/cec/
UT School of Business Career Center
http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/career/
UT Alumni Career Services
http://www.texasexes.org/career/
Natural Sciences Career Center
http://cns.utexas.edu/careers/
Job Fair in January
Here is an Austin job fair that is taking place in January
http://austin.localhires.com/events/MzIyMA==/+Job+Fair+January+25%2C+2010
http://austin.localhires.com/events/MzIyMA==/+Job+Fair+January+25%2C+2010
Monday, October 19, 2009
Salary Negotiation Tips: Do You Have to Reveal Your Income?
Discussing your salary history can be the most uncomfortable moment in a negotiation. But what do you really have to say? Follow these steps to be honest without being vulnerable.
By Kevin Fogarty
Few professional conversations are more awkward than those about how much money you make.
For job seekers, though, salary and compensation history isn't just an uncomfortable topic to avoid with a relative. It's often a make-or-break moment in a long-sought job interview.
You probably don’t want to answer the question about your salary history at all, and most employment lawyers and job-interview experts say your best bet is to dodge the question and focus on your potential value to the company, not your current paycheck.
There is no legal protection to prohibit a recruiter or hiring manager from asking the question or pressing you to provide an answer. So prepare an answer that you can support but also maintains your control of the situation.
Leverage
There is a significant risk of either pricing yourself out of a job or lowballing a potential offer, according to David A. Earle, lead researcher at Staffing.org, an analyst company that measures recruiting trends.
"If you really need the job, you're at a disadvantage; if you end up taking an offer that's too low, you're going to find out about it around the water cooler," Earle said. "If you're an in-demand candidate, it's a different psychological situation. Then there's nothing wrong with walking in and saying 'I make $170,000 where I am and would need at least $190,000 to even think about leaving."
Hiring managers are under enormous pressure to keep salaries down, said Ed McGlynn, managing director of Financial Recruiters LLC and a former senior vice president at Lehman Brothers. But if they press too hard, it might be a sign the candidate should remove the opportunity from serious consideration. "If I got that question in an interview, I'd think, 'This guy's trying to get me for the lowest price he can get,' and I'd have to wonder if I wanted to work for him," McGlynn said.
Whether the question is asked at all and what part it plays in the negotiation depend largely on leverage — something few professionals have in the job market right now, according to Stephen E. Seckler, president of Seckler Legal Consulting in Newton, Mass., a consultancy that advises law firms on how to manage their businesses more effectively.
"It's very difficult to not answer that question if it's asked straight out," Seckler said. "It's not usually to your advantage to answer, but saying you don't feel like answering sends the signal that you're not a cooperative person. They're screening you partly to see if (you're) someone they want to work with, and that could create a problematic impression."
Most negotiation experts say the first person to speak a number or make an offer is at a disadvantage because they give the other party a target to shoot down – in this case telling a job candidate the number is far too high for the position or budget, whether it is or not.
Victoria Pynchon a veteran litigator-turned professional negotiator as a mediator at ADR Services, emphasizes the importance of preparation. Do your homework, and be able to back up your negotiating position with evidence from Salary.com, professional association surveys and other sources that provide hard, competitive numbers.
Dodge and deflect
Refusing to answer when asked point-blank or lying about how much you were paid in order to push up the amount of any possible offer is the absolute worst option for a job seeker, McGlynn, Earle and Seckler agreed.
"Part of the company's due diligence on you is going to be checking references, and there's a good chance they're going to find out either then or later what your real salary was," Seckler said. "You're basically starting out by giving the company a reason to fire you if they ever want to, even if there wasn’t cause for it then."
The best way to deal with the question is to deflect it, McGlynn said. If you can't, break your whole compensation package down to show where the value lies. Your salary might have been X, but your bonus was Y for specific accomplishments you can name, he said.
Being honest doesn't mean being vulnerable, Seckler said.
"It's very important to know where you stand, and there's far too much information available online about salaries and compensation to not know how you compared," Searle agreed. "If you made $142,000 and you know damn well that this position rarely pays less than $130,000 – and you're willing to take that – then if they come back with an offer of $120,000, you know that's outside your playing field and they're just trying to screw you."
The bottom line
To prepare and execute a salary negotiation, follow these steps:
1. Research competitive salary information for your position, industry and region.
2. Calculate the total value of your last compensation package, including base, bonus, commission and any other extras. Be prepared to be specific and exhaustive.
3. If you’re asked for salary history, ask what the company is prepared to offer.
4. Don’t lie. Expect that the company can and will check every number.
5. Explain why you’re worth what you’re asking based on your research of the market, not your previous salary.
By Kevin Fogarty
Few professional conversations are more awkward than those about how much money you make.
For job seekers, though, salary and compensation history isn't just an uncomfortable topic to avoid with a relative. It's often a make-or-break moment in a long-sought job interview.
You probably don’t want to answer the question about your salary history at all, and most employment lawyers and job-interview experts say your best bet is to dodge the question and focus on your potential value to the company, not your current paycheck.
There is no legal protection to prohibit a recruiter or hiring manager from asking the question or pressing you to provide an answer. So prepare an answer that you can support but also maintains your control of the situation.
Leverage
There is a significant risk of either pricing yourself out of a job or lowballing a potential offer, according to David A. Earle, lead researcher at Staffing.org, an analyst company that measures recruiting trends.
"If you really need the job, you're at a disadvantage; if you end up taking an offer that's too low, you're going to find out about it around the water cooler," Earle said. "If you're an in-demand candidate, it's a different psychological situation. Then there's nothing wrong with walking in and saying 'I make $170,000 where I am and would need at least $190,000 to even think about leaving."
Hiring managers are under enormous pressure to keep salaries down, said Ed McGlynn, managing director of Financial Recruiters LLC and a former senior vice president at Lehman Brothers. But if they press too hard, it might be a sign the candidate should remove the opportunity from serious consideration. "If I got that question in an interview, I'd think, 'This guy's trying to get me for the lowest price he can get,' and I'd have to wonder if I wanted to work for him," McGlynn said.
Whether the question is asked at all and what part it plays in the negotiation depend largely on leverage — something few professionals have in the job market right now, according to Stephen E. Seckler, president of Seckler Legal Consulting in Newton, Mass., a consultancy that advises law firms on how to manage their businesses more effectively.
"It's very difficult to not answer that question if it's asked straight out," Seckler said. "It's not usually to your advantage to answer, but saying you don't feel like answering sends the signal that you're not a cooperative person. They're screening you partly to see if (you're) someone they want to work with, and that could create a problematic impression."
Most negotiation experts say the first person to speak a number or make an offer is at a disadvantage because they give the other party a target to shoot down – in this case telling a job candidate the number is far too high for the position or budget, whether it is or not.
Victoria Pynchon a veteran litigator-turned professional negotiator as a mediator at ADR Services, emphasizes the importance of preparation. Do your homework, and be able to back up your negotiating position with evidence from Salary.com, professional association surveys and other sources that provide hard, competitive numbers.
Dodge and deflect
Refusing to answer when asked point-blank or lying about how much you were paid in order to push up the amount of any possible offer is the absolute worst option for a job seeker, McGlynn, Earle and Seckler agreed.
"Part of the company's due diligence on you is going to be checking references, and there's a good chance they're going to find out either then or later what your real salary was," Seckler said. "You're basically starting out by giving the company a reason to fire you if they ever want to, even if there wasn’t cause for it then."
The best way to deal with the question is to deflect it, McGlynn said. If you can't, break your whole compensation package down to show where the value lies. Your salary might have been X, but your bonus was Y for specific accomplishments you can name, he said.
Being honest doesn't mean being vulnerable, Seckler said.
"It's very important to know where you stand, and there's far too much information available online about salaries and compensation to not know how you compared," Searle agreed. "If you made $142,000 and you know damn well that this position rarely pays less than $130,000 – and you're willing to take that – then if they come back with an offer of $120,000, you know that's outside your playing field and they're just trying to screw you."
The bottom line
To prepare and execute a salary negotiation, follow these steps:
1. Research competitive salary information for your position, industry and region.
2. Calculate the total value of your last compensation package, including base, bonus, commission and any other extras. Be prepared to be specific and exhaustive.
3. If you’re asked for salary history, ask what the company is prepared to offer.
4. Don’t lie. Expect that the company can and will check every number.
5. Explain why you’re worth what you’re asking based on your research of the market, not your previous salary.
How to Handle Extended Unemployment: Tips from a Marathon
What to remember when a job search goes from weeks to months, or longer.
By Dan Coughlin
Before you can deliver a great performance, you need an opportunity to perform.
With at least 15 million Americans out of work, the length of the job search has stretched from a sprint to a marathon.
To endure and succeed, you need to be in shape. Here are a few tips to get you through the long haul:
1. Warm up and cool down
Be ready for an employer before the employer is ready for you.
Being without a paycheck for months on end can be a very difficult blow to your self-esteem. After a while, it can be hard to remember the qualifications that make you a contender in the first place. Consequently, it’s very important for you to take exceptionally good care of yourself.
So my very first suggestion when you’re looking for a job for an extended time is physically exercise. Get in the best condition you can . This is something you are in control of.
Rather than working eight hours a day searching for a job, I suggest you carve out 90 minutes a day to warm up properly, exercise and warm down properly. Even if this means walking around the block one time to get started, do it. As you begin to get into better physical shape, you will strengthen your self-esteem and remind yourself that you are to a large degree in charge of your destiny.
This physical workout will prepare you mentally for your search.
2. Count your calories.
Before you start searching for a job, know what you’re getting into. Research the industry and any targeted companies you would like to work for. Learn everything you can.
Before I speak to an audience I always interview at least a dozen people, study as much information as I can get my hands on about the organization, and usually volunteer to go on site and observe people in their normal workday activities.
Go on the Internet, and be creative. Put in search words for the type of industry, organization or job that you want. See what you come up with. Keep searching online to see if you can find a key person to contact. Intelligently use Facebook and Twitter to reach out to people to see if you can uncover opportunities for the type of job you want and the type of company you want to work for.
When the actual job opportunity opens up, you will be infinitely better prepared if you’ve been doing your research all along.
3. Block out time.
Businesses sell products and services. You are selling yourself. Your product comprises your:
• Values
• Strengths
• Passions
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Experience.
Take out a sheet of paper.
Under each of those headlines describe what you bring to a potential employer. Then think of an example that supports why you feel you bring that characteristic.
Invest 60 minutes in this exercise. Pretty soon, you’ll see that some employer is going to be very fortunate to hire you.
4. Don’t train alone.
Take out several sheets of paper. Start writing down every single person you know.
Really challenge yourself to think of people who might know you. Write their names down, and then start to contact them systematically. Let these individuals know specifically what type of job you want and what type of organization you want to work for. Remember: Clarity is powerful, vagueness is not.
You are trying to stir up a wide range of people who can recommend you to a potential employer. If they don’t specifically know what you want, what are the odds they are going to be successful in recommending you?
When I speak to entrepreneurs and salespeople, I often explain how some of my biggest business opportunities came from people I never would have expected to help me. I just didn’t know who was going to open a door for me or how big the room was going to be. And neither do you. Never write off the possibility that an unlikely source might turn out to be the most important person in your career.
I used to be a high-school teacher. I wanted to be a management consultant and business speaker. That was 13 years ago. I taught freshmen algebra. The father of a sophomore, whom I had taught the year before, worked for McDonald’s Corp I gave one speech to his group, which led to more than 500 presentations in the end.
You don’t need to run this race alone.
5. Make it a lifestyle.
Searching for a job is not a job. A job is when you receive an opportunity to create and deliver value for other people for which you are financially compensated. You don’t have a job until you close the deal.
Instead of thinking of a job search as a once-a-decade activity, think of it as part of your professional life.
Not having a job right now isn’t the point. Whatever your current employment situation, you should always sharpen your ability to search for a job. It’s really like running a marathon. Get yourself ready and go after the finish line.
It’s an exciting and challenging adventure, and it will bring out the best in you.
By Dan Coughlin
Before you can deliver a great performance, you need an opportunity to perform.
With at least 15 million Americans out of work, the length of the job search has stretched from a sprint to a marathon.
To endure and succeed, you need to be in shape. Here are a few tips to get you through the long haul:
1. Warm up and cool down
Be ready for an employer before the employer is ready for you.
Being without a paycheck for months on end can be a very difficult blow to your self-esteem. After a while, it can be hard to remember the qualifications that make you a contender in the first place. Consequently, it’s very important for you to take exceptionally good care of yourself.
So my very first suggestion when you’re looking for a job for an extended time is physically exercise. Get in the best condition you can . This is something you are in control of.
Rather than working eight hours a day searching for a job, I suggest you carve out 90 minutes a day to warm up properly, exercise and warm down properly. Even if this means walking around the block one time to get started, do it. As you begin to get into better physical shape, you will strengthen your self-esteem and remind yourself that you are to a large degree in charge of your destiny.
This physical workout will prepare you mentally for your search.
2. Count your calories.
Before you start searching for a job, know what you’re getting into. Research the industry and any targeted companies you would like to work for. Learn everything you can.
Before I speak to an audience I always interview at least a dozen people, study as much information as I can get my hands on about the organization, and usually volunteer to go on site and observe people in their normal workday activities.
Go on the Internet, and be creative. Put in search words for the type of industry, organization or job that you want. See what you come up with. Keep searching online to see if you can find a key person to contact. Intelligently use Facebook and Twitter to reach out to people to see if you can uncover opportunities for the type of job you want and the type of company you want to work for.
When the actual job opportunity opens up, you will be infinitely better prepared if you’ve been doing your research all along.
3. Block out time.
Businesses sell products and services. You are selling yourself. Your product comprises your:
• Values
• Strengths
• Passions
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Experience.
Take out a sheet of paper.
Under each of those headlines describe what you bring to a potential employer. Then think of an example that supports why you feel you bring that characteristic.
Invest 60 minutes in this exercise. Pretty soon, you’ll see that some employer is going to be very fortunate to hire you.
4. Don’t train alone.
Take out several sheets of paper. Start writing down every single person you know.
Really challenge yourself to think of people who might know you. Write their names down, and then start to contact them systematically. Let these individuals know specifically what type of job you want and what type of organization you want to work for. Remember: Clarity is powerful, vagueness is not.
You are trying to stir up a wide range of people who can recommend you to a potential employer. If they don’t specifically know what you want, what are the odds they are going to be successful in recommending you?
When I speak to entrepreneurs and salespeople, I often explain how some of my biggest business opportunities came from people I never would have expected to help me. I just didn’t know who was going to open a door for me or how big the room was going to be. And neither do you. Never write off the possibility that an unlikely source might turn out to be the most important person in your career.
I used to be a high-school teacher. I wanted to be a management consultant and business speaker. That was 13 years ago. I taught freshmen algebra. The father of a sophomore, whom I had taught the year before, worked for McDonald’s Corp I gave one speech to his group, which led to more than 500 presentations in the end.
You don’t need to run this race alone.
5. Make it a lifestyle.
Searching for a job is not a job. A job is when you receive an opportunity to create and deliver value for other people for which you are financially compensated. You don’t have a job until you close the deal.
Instead of thinking of a job search as a once-a-decade activity, think of it as part of your professional life.
Not having a job right now isn’t the point. Whatever your current employment situation, you should always sharpen your ability to search for a job. It’s really like running a marathon. Get yourself ready and go after the finish line.
It’s an exciting and challenging adventure, and it will bring out the best in you.
Overachieving Manager Puts 110% Into New Resume
By Darryl Taft
Leshia Evans hadn’t needed a resume for more than 20 years. Loyal to her company, she never needed to look for a job.
Evans, of Cumming, Ga., has worked in the electrical industry for 30 years, the last 20 of them at a global engineering company with annual revenues of $110 billion. Evans started there as a regional engineer and left the company as a senior commodity manager when she was laid off earlier this year.
Her old resume needed to be recharged and modernized.
She tried including a summary section that read more like a cover letter, she added pages of testimonials and references from former colleagues, and she embedded her photo in every copy of her resume.
What she didn’t know: Each of those are grounds for rejection.
Either by an impatient human recruiter or an automated applicant tracking system (ATS), these formats are unacceptable. ATS software frequently dismisses long resumes and embedded images, said J.M. Auron, a certified professional resume writer who works with TheLadders resume-writing services and helped Evans update her document. In addition, many human-resources professionals are instructed to reject resumes submitted with photos to avoid claims of discrimination.
“She hadn’t written a resume in 20 years,” said J.M. Auron, the resume writer who worked with Evans. “She hadn’t looked for a job in 20 years. (She) had no need to even think about writing a resume in 20 years because of an extremely stable job history.”
Auron did away with the photo, the references and the summary, and he immediately set about crafting a document that brought to life an impressive array of performance numbers throughout a long career.
Back in the hunt
Evans is looking for a job similar to the one she had before she was laid off: a senior commodity manager in the electrical, power, or oil and gas industry. “A commodity manager produces quotes, plans and spec reviews; negotiates; and strategically aligns the commodity with technical support, risk management, industry and technology trends,” she said. “Also included in this position is supplier management and reporting.”
Auron began using Evans’ summary statement to paint a compelling portrait of an overachiever.
“She never missed a quota in 20 years,” Auron said. “In the last 10 years, she has been between 30 percent to more than 100 percent over quota,” he added. “So writing a resume for someone like her was a piece of cake. … You just work with the numbers.” Indeed, as one of the subsections in Evans’ updated resume noted she “dramatically exceeded targets year over year.” From 2000 through the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, Evans’ performance ranged from a low of 131 percent to a high of 203 percent of her goals.
He also dropped the long, conversational summary, which might have been confused with a cover letter.
Evans’ original resume began:
“Strategic purchasing of medium and high voltage switchgear 2.4kV to 800kV for the Strategic Industries Division, Power Systems Division and the Technical Service Division throughout the US.”
Auron’s revised version:
“Business and product savvy professional with more than two decades of experience slashing costs, and developing long-term customer and vendor relationships. Talented technical commodity manager with in-depth, diverse technical knowledge of electrical power and distribution commodities, and application and procurement of MV/HV engineered equipment for large project jobs in the Metals, Paper, Water, Mining, Oil & Gas, International and Service Solutions industries.”
Auron’s new version emphasizes what Evans says is her greatest strength: “Exceeding goals.”
Leshia Evans hadn’t needed a resume for more than 20 years. Loyal to her company, she never needed to look for a job.
Evans, of Cumming, Ga., has worked in the electrical industry for 30 years, the last 20 of them at a global engineering company with annual revenues of $110 billion. Evans started there as a regional engineer and left the company as a senior commodity manager when she was laid off earlier this year.
Her old resume needed to be recharged and modernized.
She tried including a summary section that read more like a cover letter, she added pages of testimonials and references from former colleagues, and she embedded her photo in every copy of her resume.
What she didn’t know: Each of those are grounds for rejection.
Either by an impatient human recruiter or an automated applicant tracking system (ATS), these formats are unacceptable. ATS software frequently dismisses long resumes and embedded images, said J.M. Auron, a certified professional resume writer who works with TheLadders resume-writing services and helped Evans update her document. In addition, many human-resources professionals are instructed to reject resumes submitted with photos to avoid claims of discrimination.
“She hadn’t written a resume in 20 years,” said J.M. Auron, the resume writer who worked with Evans. “She hadn’t looked for a job in 20 years. (She) had no need to even think about writing a resume in 20 years because of an extremely stable job history.”
Auron did away with the photo, the references and the summary, and he immediately set about crafting a document that brought to life an impressive array of performance numbers throughout a long career.
Back in the hunt
Evans is looking for a job similar to the one she had before she was laid off: a senior commodity manager in the electrical, power, or oil and gas industry. “A commodity manager produces quotes, plans and spec reviews; negotiates; and strategically aligns the commodity with technical support, risk management, industry and technology trends,” she said. “Also included in this position is supplier management and reporting.”
Auron began using Evans’ summary statement to paint a compelling portrait of an overachiever.
“She never missed a quota in 20 years,” Auron said. “In the last 10 years, she has been between 30 percent to more than 100 percent over quota,” he added. “So writing a resume for someone like her was a piece of cake. … You just work with the numbers.” Indeed, as one of the subsections in Evans’ updated resume noted she “dramatically exceeded targets year over year.” From 2000 through the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, Evans’ performance ranged from a low of 131 percent to a high of 203 percent of her goals.
He also dropped the long, conversational summary, which might have been confused with a cover letter.
Evans’ original resume began:
“Strategic purchasing of medium and high voltage switchgear 2.4kV to 800kV for the Strategic Industries Division, Power Systems Division and the Technical Service Division throughout the US.”
Auron’s revised version:
“Business and product savvy professional with more than two decades of experience slashing costs, and developing long-term customer and vendor relationships. Talented technical commodity manager with in-depth, diverse technical knowledge of electrical power and distribution commodities, and application and procurement of MV/HV engineered equipment for large project jobs in the Metals, Paper, Water, Mining, Oil & Gas, International and Service Solutions industries.”
Auron’s new version emphasizes what Evans says is her greatest strength: “Exceeding goals.”
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