Jobs and Moms

Alumni Career Services Departments: Free, Fabulous and Frequently Overlooked

I love this NY Times article that discusses the important role that college career service offices play in helping alumni with both career counseling and job search assistance. At my alma mater, alumni can tap into career services for help with the job search, attend free webinars and take advantage of the alumni network. They offer many of their services at no charge, and thanks to technology, many of the resources are available without having to return to their physical campus.  Hopefully your university has equally worthwhile initiatives in place --  definitely worth looking into!

Job Search Lessons from my Daughter: Turning Lemons into Lemonade

In my last newsletter, I wrote about my daughter Danielle (pictured at left)  who recently graduated cum laude from the College of Charleston with a BA in Art History and Historic Preservation. 

Danielle has been actively seeking full-time employment with a design related company in NYC.  But the design industry is in a serious slump, and in spite of having a strong resume for a recent college grad (okay, I'll admit to being biased on this one) the search is moving more slowly than she would like.

Finding the dream job, even with a career coach as her mom,  is going to take some time.  But, instead of wallowing in self-pity, Danielle and five of her friends from high school, recently banded together to form a company called Grads4Hire.  They will do any odd job from sitting (baby/pet/house) to running errands to tutoring to catering.  For every job they book, they give back an hour of time to a community service project (e.g. serving meals to the elderly and helping out at our local clothing/food pantry).

Since they started the company, the girls have been booked almost non-stop.  The local papers have done two stories about them, their story has been shared on several blogs and tweets, and they have been learning invaluable lessons about pricing, marketing and customer service. 

Most importantly, the girls are having fun and feeling really good about themselves.  No small matter at a time when many other graduates are floundering.  Not surprisingly, all of their contact with the public has led to some interesting networking opportunities that might very well lead to full-time jobs.  At a minimum, it sure makes for a good story when they go in for job interviews.

I'll keep you posted on Danielle's progress.  And if anyone knows of someone who is looking for a great entry-level person in the design field in NYC, be sure to let me know!

Networking on Ten Minutes a Day: 5 Tips for Online Success

Online sites like Facebook and LinkedIn provide a fast and easy way to keep your networks active, even when you take a break from the workplace. Here are some tips for maximizing those tools:

1. Use LinkedIn for business contacts and Facebook for personal friends: Keeping the two separate makes it easier to decide what to post where. Of course, if you have business contacts who are also friends ( a pleasant problem in my line of work) you might opt to maintain connection to them on both sites.

2. Several times a week, respond to status updates that merit attention: Congratulate people on promotions or offer suggestions of useful resources to people who post work or job-search related questions.

3. Post links to useful articles: Almost all of the major online news outlets now offer the ability to easily connect to their articles on your Facebook or LinkedIn profile. Maintaining a steady stream of useful content on your profile helps reinforce your image as an expert in your field.

4. Update your status on a regular basis: Sharing projects you're working on or books you're reading keeps your network aware of your "continuing education" and accomplishments in a subtle way.

5. Don't wait until you are in active job search mode to nurture your network: The worst time to build a network is when you're out of work.

Job Search Tip: The Power of Thank You

My clients are sometimes my best teachers.

One of my clients, Sarah, is a master at doing the little things that make a big difference in the job search. Sarah first came to see me as a result of being laid-off from her employer of the past seven years. She was justifiably upset about the layoff, but instead of lashing out at her former company, Sarah processed through her anger, and chose to look at this turn-of-events as an opportunity for growth.

She wrote a carefully worded note to her old employer, thanking them for her years of employment and wishing them well for the future. Although this was a difficult letter for her to write, the act of expressing her thoughts on paper helped to free her negative energy and enabled her to focus more fully on moving forward. Not only was it liberating for her on an emotional level, but it also left a powerful and positive impression on her former colleagues, who are bound to speak highly of her to any potential references.

Recently, Sarah used the power of thank you again, when she was turned down for a job at a prestigious university near her home. Upon receiving her rejection letter, Sarah wrote back to the university, thanked them for considering her candidacy and expressed appreciation for their kindly worded rejection note.

A few days later, Sarah received a reply back from the hiring manager expressing her thanks to Sarah for taking the time to write such a lovely letter. She also indicated that she would be saving Sarah's application for consideration for future openings. With just one brief note, Sarah distinguished herself from the competition.

As Sarah's story illustrates, saying thank you is not always easy, but it is almost always appreciated.  You never know when those two little words might make the critical difference in your job search.

Who Earns What Where: New Site Shares Salary Scoop

Finding out what companies pay for positions can be a frustrating experience and the lack of that information can cost you big time when it comes time to negotiate your salary in a job interview. 

To the rescue comes a new site, Jobnob.com which offers a wide variety of information for job seekers across the US. You can find information about salaries being offered at particular companies and even find out which jobs are currently available. All information is provided free of charge. 

You Gotta Be In It, To Win It!

I love this recent quote from Patricia Rose, Director of Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania (NY Times, April 18, 2009):

"We are hearing from some students that they are discouraged, and have stopped applying for jobs because so many other candidates are competing with them, some undoubtedly more qualified. Resist this impulse! By not applying, you are rejecting yourself."

Wise words for all job-seekers, no matter what your age.

New Media Skills = Higher Salary Potential

Tired of watching your children "waste" time on their computers and cell phones? Well, they might just be getting some needed on-the-job training without even knowing it.

According to a recent survey conducted by Ball State University, the vast majority of employers are willing to pay higher salaries (ranging from 2% - 8% more) to new hires skilled in new media. Regardless of whether they are willing to compensate employees extra for these skills, 93% of the employers polled indicated that it is somewhat or very important for employees to have up-and-coming media skills, including knowledge of e-mail, mobile computing, podcasts, digital audio or media players, mobile communication devices, instant messaging and interactive web applications.

Few of the employers polled indicated that they are offering on-the-job training for these skills, so it will be up to you to secure these skills on your own.

Job Search Tip: Link into your Target Company

We all know that networking is the best way to find jobs. Fortunately, sites like LinkedIn.com are making it easier all the time to get connected. If you haven't already done so, now is the time to begin building your network on LinkedIn.com. It is free, easy to use, and has a number of very sophisticated features. For example, if you have an upcoming job interview, you can use LinkedIn.com to connect with people in your network (or expanded network) who might be able to help you with your pre-interview research. All you need to do is go to LinkedIn.com, click on the company tab and enter the name of a firm you'd like to work for. A list of people with LinkedIn profiles who work there will pop up and if you're connected to any of them, even with a degree or two of separation, your connections will be noted on the screen. You can then leverage those connections to network your way to helpful information about your target company.

Great Place to Work? Tips for the Interview

As a career coach, I help my clients figure out the best careers for their unique package of experiences, personality traits, skills and interests. But, when it comes to lasting career satisfaction, finding the "right" fit is as much about how you work as it is about what you do. A top-notch boss, a compatible team of co-workers and/or the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance can turn a mediocre work assignment into a truly enjoyable job.

If you're in the market for a new position, here are three interview questions that might help you to better evaluate prospective employers (without appearing to be overly concerned about work-life and flexibility issues):

1) What do you enjoy most about working here? This can be a deceptively simple way to learn about a company's culture. In general, happy employees are eager to share positive information about their employer and will answer this question with enthusiasm. Disgruntled employees are more likely to answer this with a routine response (e.g. "This is a nice company" or "Management treats us well") without offering examples or elaboration.

2) How does this company compare to other places you've worked before?  Hopefully this answer won't won't be only about profits and products.  Listen for references to work-life benefits, flexibility, teamwork, opportunities for training and development, recognition programs and other features that demonstrate the company's commitment to being both an "employer of choice"  and a profitable company.

3) What makes your company unique? This question gives employers an opportunity to choose what they want to emphasize. Some employers will tailor their response to focus on their products and services. But other employers, particularly those who place a premium on work-life satisfaction, will see this as an opportunity to boast about their unique culture, mission and/or benefits.

Supercharge your Online Networking

Looking for a brilliant (and easy) way to put the power of LinkedIn to use in your networking efforts? Check out this article that details how to combine Google and LinkedIn to mine the entire 20 million people who now use LinkedIn, instead of just the hundreds or thousands of people you're individually connected to through the site. Excellent advice -- this one is a keeper! To read the article, click here.