Recently in Job Search Category

by Braathe Enterprises Virtual Intern Liska Wilson

According to the Australian Blueprint for Career Development, a career involves managing life, learning, and work. Using that definition as a reference, I broke down managing my career into three different, intertwining plans. It's still a work in progress, but if nothing else, I hope sharing it will give you another perspective on your career.

Here is an overview of each plan:

Career Development Plan (CDP)
My CDP covers the work side of my career; it is a timeline of work roles I want to have. For me this even includes volunteer work and other unpaid work roles.

Professional Development Plan (PDP)
My PDP covers the learning side of my career. Workshops, classes, etc. are some things that go into my PDP. The goal of my PDP is to help me develop my resume and grow as a professional. In turn, my resume and personal growth will help me move forward in my CDP. My PDP is my favorite plan to execute and also the most important. For more on professional development planning, read my 3-part series in the Golden Briefcase Blog.

Budget Plan (BP)
My BP covers the life side of my career, but also trickles over into the professional side and both help me make decisions about the work side of my career. My budget includes my income, expenses, and how I'll achieve various monetary goals.

Overall, the most important part of how I manage my career, especially with all these plans, is that I write them down.

Do you have a written plan for your career development? If no, why not?

For more information, visit
http://www.shesabossnetworks.blogspot.com

Join me on Monday 10/8 from 10-1 at the Times Union Job Fair, where I'll be doing free resume critiques during the Job Fair, which runs from 10am-4pm.

See a number of area employers and attend informative job search related seminars.

Since January 2011, Braathe Enterprises has mentored over 80 students through the Braathe Enterprises Virtual Internship Program. Working remotely with students for 5-7 hours per week, we have managed to produce some great improvements to resumes, engaged in incredible skills building and personality building activities, and helped students to gain experience with companies while they are still in college.

This fall, we are going on tour with our Virtual Internship concept. Tuesday October 2nd, we will be speaking at the University of Southern California to my current interns and future candidates. Sunday October 7th, we will be doing a free webinar covering how the program works as well for prospective interns and prospective for-profit and not-for-profit companies.

For more information, visit http://saratogacollege.eventbrite.com

Sometimes the most difficult decision in the job search is where to look for work. From job fairs to job portals like indeed.com, there often is a sea of information out there on where to find a job and how to find a job.

The best way I have found to find work is via developing relationships. Today, I encourage you to reach out to someone today who has nothing to do with your current job search (whether it be me, a career counselor like Dr. Tom Denham, or other trusted advisor) and find new ways to develop your search into one that is productive and more focused.

While online searches and job fairs can be helpful, sometimes well-timed and well-placed efforts in networking and meeting up with others can be extremely valuable.

I sometimes feel that nothing is worse than being nearly 40 and being single; the questions, the surprise, and the uncertainty from others as to why I have waited this long to get committed with the woman of my dreams. However, I must say that I have made some wise decisions when it comes to dating, and it is usually because I can smell from a mile away a lack of commitment or other issues.

When you are looking for the right mate, do you do any of the following?

1. Talk about your exes
2. Talk about your opposite sex friends and how great they are
3. Talk about other people you are dating
4. Neglect to return phone calls, emails or texts in a timely manner
5. Act erratic or non-committal

If you do any of the above 5, you may be lacking commitment.

Apply the same 5 no-no's to your job search:

1. Talking about your former employers
2. Talking about rival companies and how great they are
3. Talking about other companies you are interviewing with
4. Neglect to return phone calls, emails or texts in a timely manner
5. Act erratic or non-committal

Very alike!

Next time you are out looking for a special someone, or special job, avoid doing things on the top 5 list above, and you may very well find that special opportunity you've been wanting.

Recently, a few job seekers have contacted me about their concerns about the job market being too incestuous, where there seems to be too many of the same people rotating among the same positions at different companies due to their familiarity with the area and their experience in the field.

My response, which took a while to gel in my head, is that if you feel an environment is incestuous, you probably are right; once you have made the decision that you are an outsider, it may make you come across that way. As well, it may be an indicator that you are swimming in the wrong seas when it comes to job search.

The best options for those who may be entering a new environment or new industry are to get connected with a solid recruiter who can give you the insights on the local job market; networking with others to break into the local business environtment; and possibly most importantly, to carry yourself as if you belong.

I talk to my students, virtual interns, and colleagues nearly every day about how important it is to network, schmooze, and have booze (or other suitable beverages such as coffee or a soda) with colleagues, potential employers, or key connectors. A recent article in Business Week also stressed the importance of making connections:

"A large body of research shows that half or more of all jobs come through informal channels--connections to friends, families, and colleagues, according to Limited Network Connections and the Distribution of Wages, a study by economists Kenneth J. Arrow of Stanford and Ron Borzekowski of the Federal Reserve. What matters is a recommendation and personal assessment. Valuable recommendations come from what Stanford University sociologist Mark Granovetter calls "the strength of weak ties." Acquaintances (weak ties) have networks that go beyond a job seeker's immediate circle (strong ties). Yet the acquaintances know the applicant well enough to vouch for their character."

Get out there, people! A $2.00 coffee or a walk through the park with a potential suitor can net quite a bit of long-term results. Even better, reaching out to others on LinkedIn and sites like it can bring about similar results.

We were talking at the office the other day about whether someone preferred being hourly or salary and someone remarked "sourly" instead of salary.

Very often, salaried positions can turn sour very quickly. We used to joke back in my salaried days that we worked undertime rather than overtime because the more we worked the less we made.

Salaried positions have their perks, but sometimes its best to evaluate some of the benefits that come with an hourly position, or a 1099 position.

Don't rush into a job because of a high salary. Look at the entire compensation package before making a rush decision on a job offer.

Tune in to a special edition of Capital District Business Profiles on Valentine's Day featuring motivational speaker and career counselor Dr. Tom Denham.

Dr. Tom has worked with colleges, students, and career professionals for many years in the Capital District and has great insights on how to make a career transition.

Have you fallen in love with your career? If you haven't, it may be time to listen to your heart and also listen in to our show 330-415 on Valentine's Day.

You may be in a situation now where you are unsure where the next step may lead, and its time to remove the fear from your life by facing it and moving on!

I volunteered my time yesterday at the Times Union Job fair from 10-1 yesterday to critique resumes of those who were seeking jobs at the fair. One of the recurring themes I saw among the resumes I reviewed was the lack of a LinkedIn profile link at the top of the page.

If you have a LinkedIn account, you should put your LinkedIn URL on your resume to use it as an enhanced version of your resume to direct employers to greater details than your resume can provide.

LinkedIn has become such a valuable resource for employers, job seekers and consultants among many others. From finding the right talent to finding the right service provider, having LinkedIn as part of your strategy as a job seeker or business person is crucial.

For those seeking to switch jobs or finding jobs, using the Skills feature on LinkedIn can enable you to stand out from others in your field of interest.