Certified Resume Writer and Career Coach

Certified Resume Writer and Career Coach helping job seekers in resume development and job search strategies in Michigan and Globally.

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Certified Resume Writer and Career Coach

Job Search: Say Yes to the Best by Keeping Your Career Goals Clear and Close

 

Target, Goal, Focus - Kris Plantrich - http://www.resumewonders.comKnowing your career goals and staying focused on those goals during your job search is vital to achieving long-term career success and that you say yes to the best job for you.

A client I have been working with (we’ll call him Greg) was excited to start a recent coaching call. He had been approached by a recruiter interested in him for a VP Sales and Marketing job for an international retail organization. The company is taking steps to enter the North American retail market and is looking for someone head up the U.S. Region.

Greg was very excited and had many things to talk about. He quickly jumped into concerns for the interview and addressing questions he thought might come up. He also commented that the position really didn’t fit the profile we had developed for an ideal position.

In response to that comment, I reminded him of earlier work we had done on creating a Career Goals Profile for the type of transition Greg was looking to make. One of the many points that came out of the assessments and discussion early on was that he wanted to once again make his family an intentional priority in his life.

The last few years had been extremely busy and Greg knew he had put much on his wife to manage without him, and more importantly that he missed being involved in the lives of  his wife and kids. After revisiting his priorities for the transition he grew suddenly quiet.

Greg remembered his Career Goals Profile and what he wanted from this transition. This new opportunity didn’t really fit the criteria. It would mean even longer hours and more travel for at least the first couple of years, it wasn’t in his top 3 pick of industries, and there were other initial differences. The excitement knowing someone was interested in him, a company wanted him, and the initial salary range was very enticing, and all the bells and whistle almost swept Greg away.

He sounded relieved as he said the accountability of our conversation would keep him from jumping into an opportunity that although was great, wasn’t great for him

Has this ever happened to you? An exciting career opportunity comes along that gets you excited because of the interest, but deep down you know it isn’t the right job for you? One way to avoid it happening again is to  have a clear understanding of what you want from and in a position,  before you initiate your next career transition.

Create and stay accountable to your own Transition Goals Profile, your Top 3 Industry picks, and your defining criteria. Include criteria such as the specific experience, skills, and strengths you want to use in your next position or the location, company size, and company culture that you want for the next company you work for. Keep it close at hand and compare opportunities to your Profile to be sure you are staying true to what you want most from the transition.

Career transitions are time consuming, costly and cause much pressure for both the employer and  the candidate, be diligent in securing the right job the first time.

Shine on Job Seekers!

Focus Your Search for Faster Results

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Everyone has their own unique set of skills and abilities, and individual experience to offer employers. Your talents are YOUR talents. This means the combination of your abilities to perform a task are unique unto you. No one else has those same combinations. Somewhere there is a job just waiting for your mix of uniqueness.

If you can work with spreadsheets to analyze information and present it meaningfully, that’s a skill a lot of people have. But if you couple that skill with the list of other skills you possess, the totality of that skill group is unique to you. No one else has that same unique mix of skill, abilities, and talents. That’s something to celebrate.

The key to celebrating your uniqueness is to engage in a targeted and a focused job search. But how do you do that? Start with a personal inventory. Discover what your unique talents are then package them into your unique personal brand, which includes your focused resume and cover letter.

As you execute your job search, instead of throwing a wide net to see what you can catch, be specific in your search. Research industries and positions to narrow the search choices and then target companies that that feel like a good fit with your skills and values.

Use your in-person and online network to get your unique message out to others. Ask for advice or opinions instead of asking for help, those conversations will spark ideas and opportunities. Make sure your online identity is aligned with the message you are sending to employers and your contacts. The more you work to grow an informed network, the faster you’ll find the right job.

Shine On Jobseekers!

Resume Writing for a Career Transition

If you have been working in one industry for most of your adult life, a career transition can be frightening. While you may be excited at the prospect of changing jobs, it is understandable and expected that a tiny bit of apprehension will sit in a corner of your mind. It isn’t uncommon for those of us that change careers to sit, staring at our resume, and wonder, “Am I doing the right thing? Is this job for me? Am I crazy?”

Part of this fear stems from re-vamping our resumes. It is possible to have written a great resume only to discover it reflects just your knowledge of your previous career. This can be turned into a strength for a new resume by recycling skills already developed. Believe it or not, your previous career and hobbies have a treasure trove of qualifications that transfer to your new career.

Take a moment (or few) to consider job duties you have performed in the past. No one begins a career as an expert. Even college graduates have knowledge – not experience. As you spend time engrossed in your resume writing, consider how each experience can be listed as a qualification for your new career. For example, someone that worked in childcare may have the skills needed to work in human resources. This may sound strange until you realize that working with children requires a vast amount of patience. Problem solving skills used with children can carry over to resolving co-worker issues because children lack the same reasoning skills as adults.

Every learning experience you have had can be translated into a meaningful entry on your new resume. All it takes is a little insight, along with understanding of the career you plan to transition into. Remember that life experience can also be work experience. Don’t discount the industries you have worked in part-time. Even so-called “lowly jobs” can teach us all something useful for later positions. Don’t forget that social networking can now be considered a skill set, and as you consider how to re-write your resume, brush up on your social networking skills. You’ll make new friends, learn social media marketing, and make contacts for your career transition.

 

Corporate Culture and Employee Engagement: How Important is it to You?

In the July/August issue of Inc. Magazine, survey results showed that 18% of 2012 graduates said their top priority when looking for a job, ‘is the company culture and perks’. While this certainly is not the majority of graduates, it does seem to be a growing sentiment.

Throughout most 2012, the overwhelming majority of my professional and executive clients talked with me about the importance of finding work in a company that has a caring, positive culture. One that works proactively to engage employees, making them feel a part of a team and more fulfilled while utilizing their strengths and values to accomplish corporate goals.

Over the last few years, companies have struggled to stay profitable and in many cases to stay afloat, while managing a reduced workforce. For the employees that remained employed during that time struggled physically and emotionally as they tried to meet the additional demands this placed on them.

Most felt they didn’t have control or a choice in the matter since leaving the job left a big uncertainty of how long they would remain unemployed. Many also felt guilty that they weren’t as grateful as they thought they should be, because they still had a job and a paycheck when many of their colleagues, friends and family had lost theirs.

As the economy continues to slowly recover, some employees feel they are now able to begin looking for new opportunities or possibly a transition into a new field or professional role. For these employees, it is very important that if a change in companies is going to be made, it must be to a company willing to invest as much in to their employees as the employees give to the companies. The employees want to feel valued and involved instead of simply working unappreciated for a company.

So, my questions for you are…

What is most important to you when looking for a new company to call home?

How important is the culture of the company?

In your last job search what was the top criteria used to find your job? Has it changed?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Shine On job seekers!

 

Job Search Success – Takes More than The Shoe Maker’s Elves

When things are crazy-busy and I am trying to fit one more thing on my plate, or when I want to forge ahead with something new but am not sure how, I sometimes think of the story of The Shoe Maker’s Elves. The magical elves would come in during the night and make beautiful shoes and take care of all of the old man’s work.

When I’m that busy I would welcome their visit. But unfortunately elves will not be coming into my home at night to finish my chores either will a personal assistant just show up wanting to take care of the grocery shopping, laundry or cleaning. If I want my house and personal life to run smoothly and be something I enjoy, I have to do the work myself. I can’t wait for the elves, I have to make things happen and be responsible for my happiness.

The same is true in my professional life, and yours. If you want to move your career to a new direction or a new level, it is up to you. The wonderful thing is that you are able to choose any career that aligns with your interests and passion, but again it is up to you to prepare and act in order to make it happen. Preparing can come through completing education or training, building a large and helpful network, or working smart to grow your work experience.

In growing and looking for the next great opportunity, whether it is a promotion or a new position with a new company, it is your decision and action that will to find you the job of your dreams. You deserve the very best and a job that fits your skills, competencies, experience and passion. Make that passion a driving force in your job search will help to keep you motivated.

You can hire a career coach to help you understand where you really want to focus your search. Or invest in a resume writer to create powerful marketing tools (ie., resume, cover letter, reference sheets, LinkedIn profiles, biographies) but to get noticed, meet the right contacts, and use creativity to stand out – that’s all you !!

Professional contacts, friends, colleagues, and family are always willing to listen, provide support and lend a hand but again, the work must come from you. Do you hear a recurring theme? I think by now I’ve stressed the “it’s up to you” point enough to make you sit up and listen. I do this because so many job seekers only take their search to a low-reaching level. They accept whatever comes along and don’t take the initiative to reach for their dreams and then they are never truly happy with where they end up. It is scary, nerve-wracking, time consuming and sometimes takes thick skin but you won’t regret it.

I’ve never had a client come back to me and say that the hard work and pay off of a rewarding job wasn’t worth it.

Don’t wait for The Shoe Maker’s Elves or settle; the rewards of pursuing your professional dreams are priceless. The job search is always full of lessons, new industry or field knowledge, and is a great way to meet new contacts. Hard work helps you appreciate the outcome, making it very rewarding. Finding a job that is fulfilling and that you are passionate about (or at least truly enjoy) will make getting up every morning and your life – a joy!

Career Change Question: Can I Make the Move?

My new client Sandy called me recently with a question about knowing whether her skills can be used for a position in a different field. She feels it would be a good move for her and loves the idea of the new position, but has no idea if the move is possible and if it will offer a similar (or higher) salary and benefits to what she currently is receiving.

Sandy’s question was, “How can I know that I can make the change successfully?” Unfortunately there are no guarantees with any career change or in life in general. But I told her that she can prepare through research, to eliminate as many roadblocks as possible; which will give her a clearer understanding if the move is right for her.

I suggested to Sandy that she start with research to see what was needed for her new targeted career choice in order to find out if she currently meets the requirements of the job. This will be her first hurdle. If Sandy meets the requirements, great! If she doesn’t, what will it take to get there and will she want to make the commitment to meet these requirements? All things she’ll have to answer before moving forward.

Next step is to research the position and see if the salary will meet her expectations and what benefits are usually offered. If the salary is within Sandy’s range, she can move forward and develop a targeted resume to focus on the desired position. With continued research she can begin making tactical connections within the industry to find out more about the industry, prospective companies and to build a network that will benefit her career goals.

LinkedIn and its’ related groups are a great first step, joining associations and local affiliations within the industry will help too. The more Sandy becomes part of the niche community the more she will be able to build relationships and zero in on companies that will provide the job she is looking for.

This process can and should begin before Sandy leaves her current job. The preparation may take only weeks or it could take months or longer. Learning all she can about the position, industry, and building a related network will greatly help to make a smooth transition when the time is right.

Career Transition: How to Be Successful in Your Career Change

Making the decision to change careers is definitely a stressful process. Changes are made for many different reasons; job dissatisfaction, economy fluctuations, income, and lack of advancement are all incentives to make career changes. Once the decision has been made, measures should be taken to make the transition a smooth, lucrative and rewarding experience. Below are five points to consider before ever leaving your current job. Proper assessment of each point will help you facilitate an enjoyable transition.

THOROUGH CAREER CHANGE EVALUATION – Search inward and outward to find the reasons for the desire to change careers. Some decisions are made easily and for very practical and clear reasons. Those still unsure should search to understand why they want to change careers. What are they trying to leave behind and what are they looking for? Are you looking for changes in your industry, field, position or all three?

Determine if this new career choice is the right job and fit for you before you give notice? Have you looked into requirements for the position, the growth potential, or what skills you will be regularly using? Have you anticipated how the career change will affect your family and personal life? Realistic understanding of your new career will help to ensure satisfaction of the job once you have obtained it. After evaluating your options and deciding that a career change is the right decision – you can be confident in moving forward and giving full attention to your new career search.

DOCUMENTATION PREPARATION – Before giving notice and jumping into your new career, get all your ducks in a row. This includes all career documents beginning with your resume, cover letter, thank you letter and reference list. Your new documents should showcase your transferable skills relevant to your new career choice. Your cover letter should also include transferable skills and provide examples of how you can contribute to a new company. All documents should emphasize the skills and accomplishments applicable to your new career.

References can be a deal maker or breaker and are something valuable to invest time in. Always ask permission before including anyone on your reference sheet. Provide an outline if possible for what should and should not be included in the reference. Groom your contacts by providing skill sets, accomplishments and examples that would be appropriate affirmations for the desired position.

PRACTICAL PLANNING – What will it take to be successful in your new career? It is crucial you are aware and prepared for what is expected of you. Do you need to become certified in something, complete a degree, or pursue a masters program? Talk with others in the position and build your network in your new field. Find out the pitfalls to be aware of and discover the best ways to get noticed and ahead.

DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH – A career change within the same industry can be used to your advantage. You already have an in-depth understanding of the industry and this can be an added value highlighted on your resume, cover letter and during interviews. Existing contacts within the industry can and should be relied upon for networking. The majority of jobs found (some say as high as 80%) involve some form of networking. Networking within the same industry may be a bit tricky if you don’t want your current employer to know you are searching for a new position.

Careers sought outside of your current industry will take a little more work for network development, however joining associations, utilizing LinkedIn and other online networking sites can help. Having a flexible time frame is optimal because you would then be able to select the best fitting job instead of feeling pressure to take the first job that meets most of your requirements.

DON’T BURN BRIDGES WHEN LEAVING YOUR CURRENT JOB – Make every attempt to leave your current position on a positive note. A helpful reference will be much easier to acquire from a boss, department head or coworker that enjoyed working with you and respected your work. Depending on your new career you may easily be back in contact with your old employer or former company. You may even be able to find contacts for your new career through someone at your current employment.

You’re Fired: Handling a Professional Breakup

With a new season of The Apprentice beginning, we will once again be hearing and joking about the now house-hold phrase, “You’re Fired”. But for those in the real world that have to pick up the pieces and carry on after being fired, the phrase is far from common. Just like a personal breakup, professional relationships can end on good and bad terms. As the employee, the outcome will stay with you and affect your career, so it is important to handle any professional breakup, regardless of who initiated it, with professionalism.

It is understandable that emotions come into the breakup equation, but if you were fired from your job it is critical to assess how this will impact your career and then immediately begin implementing damage control to salvage what you can of the relationship and your reputation.

Clients often ask me about the best way to proceed after being fired. My suggestions usually depend on the situation but dusting off the old and preparing for the new is usually my best advice.

You can begin by seeing if you can get a positive reference from someone above you at the place you were let go. If you are not able to generate an effective letter or contact name it might be worth a small investment to contact a reference checking company such as www.alllisontaylor.com which will inquire about your services at your previous employers to see what they’re recommendation will be. It can save you in sleepless nights and the uncertainty of not knowing what they will be saying about you.

As you prepare for your job search make sure your online presence has a consistent message and relates directly to your resume and your current goals. Take time to make the necessary changes to your online and offline materials to ensure a strong branded message. Develop a motivated plan for your search  including  narrowing down the industries, companies, and location you will focus your search on and ramping up your networking.

Assume you will have to discuss the reason you were let go from your previous job. Spend some time either writing or talking with someone to get out your feelings, fears, frustrations and even anger regarding your departure. Once you’ve got it all out you can organize an honest yet positive response that isn’t dripping in spite or excuses. You want an answer that does not bog down the interviewer with details or emotions, but does leave them seeing the positive nuggets that came from the breakup which you learned about yourself. Share with them that what you learned about yourself will be valuable to your next employer.

As you look for your next job make sure the position and the company are the right fit for you. Do your due diligence to confirm that the company, culture and employees align with your personality and goals. Use your networking savvy to find contacts that can provide rave reviews and hand deliver you to your next opportunity.

Build Effective Transition Resumes Using Common Denominators

Math was never my best subject but I did enjoy parts of it. I remember always enjoying the process of factoring whole numbers down to prime factors in order to find common denominators for fraction problems (weird I know, but true). I am often reminded of the factoring process when working with professionals in the throngs of a career change. As we sort through their transition, we work to uncover common denominators that highlight their new career criteria.

Guidelines for developing the common denominators are the new job descriptions and announcements for the type of position the professional is looking to transition into. We look for skills, achievements and experiences to demonstrate these smaller fractions in a way that will peak interest in the hiring manager. Our goal is to combine the fractions to create a whole number or in a job search would equal a dynamite resume and career search strategy.

A resume developed to lead a career-change job search must bring all of the fraction fragments together seamlessly in the form of a targeted, concise resume.

Any professional contemplating a career change can determine whether they have the actual requirements for the position the same way. Using job descriptions for the type of position you are interested in, review each past position in your career history and extract all nuggets that fit your current focus.

So, identify your focus, use job descriptions to determine what to leave in and highlight and what to leave out. Build and polish your resume so that it can brilliantly stand alone as a whole number and get you the interviews you deserve.

Shine on Job Seekers!

Getting Past the Fear – How to Succeed in a 21st Century Job Search

Most of my clients are experienced professionals in their 40’s or 50’s and come to me in the throngs of a failed job search. Usually their career has progressed easily through internal promotions or word of mouth referrals. Now faced with a struggling economy and a new job search arena, they feel unsure and even fearful of the challenge before them.

Suddenly they are 6 years old again and afraid to step off their bed for fear something is waiting underneath. Too afraid to look, they sit on their bed waiting for their mom to appear, then begs her to check for a safe path.

As adults, the wait for someone to come and hold your hand, help you look under the bed, and calm your fears might be a long one. There is help of course, in the form of certified career coaches and resume writers that are qualified to help with the process. We come with a flashlight and often a hug to light the way and rebuild confidence.

For those job seekers that want to overcome their fears themselves and succeed in a 21st century job search, the most important tip I can offer is to get educated. Things don’t seem as scary when you know how something works, what to expect and which strategies to use to succeed. Doing nothing only makes the fears grow and immobilizes you even longer. If you are like most job seekers, you really can’t afford to allow the fear of the unknown to threaten you and often your family’s wellbeing and safety for too long.

“…the only thing to Fear is Fear itself.” ~ FDR

It isn’t finding a job that is fearful, it is not knowing how to find a job and not knowing where to look that holds people back. So how do you educate yourself? You start small. While you are beginning your job search make sure to read blogs, articles and books on successful job search strategies – it will save a lot of pain and suffering!

While you are educating yourself, realize what type of job you are looking for and begin researching companies that support that kind of a position. Research 5 – 10 companies to find out their current needs, goals, culture and whether it is a company you would like to work for. If none seem to fit find, 5 -10 more and do it again. When you have located several companies that do seem to fit, have your resume written to specifically answer and solve the problems of those companies, targeting their needs using your career history to back up your abilities.

You can find these companies and contacts using LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other online networking communities. Or you can work offline using the phone, knocking on doors and communicating face-to-face. I think a combination of the two works best. Finding contacts that can refer you directly to the hiring manager will put your resume on the top of the pile – every time!

If you are uncomfortable with communicating or networking with new contacts researching the contacts will help you feel more comfortable and give you specific content to use as ice breaker conversation. Find a few contacts for each company you have researched. Find out something you have in common such as, did you attend the same college, work at the same company, know mutual friends, or have similar outside interests; pets, sports, or volunteer activities? Even just by knowing their history will help to generate interesting conversation.

Doing your homework, having questions prepared and knowing the background of your potential targets will help you gently engage these new contacts. Your preparation can open doors to new connections, friendships and referrals. Remember to say and write thank you letters to your contacts and ask if you can reciprocate the assistance in some way.

The more you know the easier it will be to take that leap of faith, trust your preparation and look under the bed. You might be surprised to find a new job hiding under there!