Miami Dade Jobing Community Blogs

As I write this message, I am frustrated.  Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm kind of ticked off.  My evening started out great.  I finished my original president's message for October, got home at a reasonable hour, had a nice meal, and then sat down with a favorite magazine that had been sitting unopened on my coffee table since it arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago.  "You are not going to believe this," I told my husband with a few added expicatives.  Before I continue, you should know that my husband is not particularly interested in the magazine I was reading, and looked at me with apprehension when it appeared I wanted to discuss one of the articles.  You should also know that I had been crafting the original president's message since I returned from a fabulous two-week vacation in mid-September, but had not yet started putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) until last week.
 
Imagine my surprise, and dread, when this article had a similar theme and actually referenced a "do over". I was, and even now that three hours have passed, pretty peeved.  Although, I was mildly satisfied that a "real" writer was published using a theme similar to the one I used in my original message.  My first thoughts were all of the why's.  Why couldn't the article have been published in some magazine that no one reads, like Aviation Week or Popular Science (my apologies to Dad and to any other engineers who might happen across this message who enjoy those publications)?  Why me--aren't I too busy to write another message?   Next, I thought about using the original message with a footnote, briefly explaining the similarity in the event some of you subscribe to the same wildly popular magazine.   But, then I did what HR professionals do.  Adapt.
 
Instead of tossing and turning about how unfortunate it was to have that author come up with a similar theme for her article, I got out of bed and started writing.  HR professionals have to adapt every day, sometimes multiple times in one day.  I bet you've gone into work with your plan for the day mapped out and then, BAM, your CEO takes half of your morning to flesh out her latest and greatest ideas that she will need your immediate assistance to implement.  Or, you've been working on a project preparing employees for an upcoming organizational change and then, BAM, you're told the change is not going to occur in the same way (or at all) and you need to somehow communicate this to employees in a way that doesn't make the organization look, well, unorganized. 
 
One way to make sure you continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape we operate within today is to stay on top of legislation affecting our profession.  While you need to know this information to perform your job effectively, you need to understand it in a way that will allow you to educate your executives and leaders at your organization.  At our November 19 Dinner Meeting, Eric Gordon and Arlene Kline of Akerman Senterfitt will present The Obama Agenda: Recent Changes and Pending Legislation in Employment Law.  Register today to ensure you have a seat at this great event.
 
Our members in transition have probably the most relevant and recent experience in adaptation.  Many of these members managed their organization through mass layoffs during the past year and assisted in the transition to a smaller workforce, including elimination of their own human resource function.  The Water Cooler Series is back this month, at 4:30 pm before the dinner meeting, as a free benefit to our members in transition.  Marilyn Durant, of Durant Resources, will be facilitating an open forum for our members in transition.  While the series is free of charge, members must register through our website to attend.
 
One way we all have learned to cope with the challenges of being an HR professional, and the constant adaptations, is to commiserate, I mean... network.  We would love to have you attend our holiday party at the Chesterfield Hotel in Palm Beach on December 10 at 6:30 pm.  We have arranged for cocktails and hors' dorves by the pool prior to the dinner inside the Leopard Lounge.  If you have not had a chance to meet many other members, this is a great time to get to know your fellow HR professionals.  But, please register soon because we anticipate a sold out event. 

The HRPBC Leadership Team is in the process of creating a brief survey for you to ensure we adapt to your needs.  Your thoughts and suggestions regarding the chapter and our events are very important to HRPBC’s success.  When you receive the survey, please be sure to fill it out.  Whether you regularly come to our events or not, we want to know what you think.  The survey should not take you more than a few minutes.  We are very interested in hearing from you.  Please keep in mind that you do not need to wait for a survey to let us know your thoughts.  You are always welcome to contact me or any other member of the Leadership Team at any time.

Well, I feel better now that I have vented and, essentially, written a second message to you.  And, if I could do it all over again, I would have written and distributed my original message before that darn magazine landed in my mailbox.
 
Sincerely,
Lara Donlon, Esq., SPHR
Chapter President
 

I was reading a fantastic article on ERE the other day about social media recruiting strategies. There are a lot of blogs and articles on this topic lately and I often share my thoughts as well. This one was especially poignant because it spoke directly to strategy. Everyone is talking about what we should do and here is a great strategy to help get us there. For me, the biggest trigger to launch into a conversation about social media with recruiters is when they mention an employee referral program. Using our best to hire the best is nothing new. Using the social media networks of our best to hire the best is. It's about transitioning the traditional mindset into new media ways of communicating, and thus recruiting top talent.

There are no experts in this arena. Those who are finding success are doing so from shared and learned experiences. Just as the article states, "From experimentation comes innovation and learning!"

Employers, recruiters, business owners....What are your thoughts? I ask because for some time now we have heard speaker after speaker share on social media and I have noticed a definite change in our community in regards to the willingness to want to get started and a lot of reservations in regards to just not being sure where and how to start. So again....From experimentation comes innovation and learning...What are you doing to experiment? Have you started by building your own online social network? This will help you get comfortable and engaged in the social media world. Talk about your experiences and share with others.  Then watch and recognize how the brainstorms will just start to flow. Get engaged in our fan page....and share your innovations and learnings....Post a comment now and be one step closer to a great new world of user generated real time communication!

Facebook.com/SouthFloridaJobs

For this article, I went through the dozens of books I’ve reviewed in Career Jockey’s Book Review topic and forced myself to pick only three books. (BTW, Career Jockey has been totally revamped. You might want to check it out.) I had to make some tough calls, but these are the ones that together contain the meat of what every job seeker needs to know.

Book #1 - What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers by Richard Nelson Bolles

I wrote my What Color Is Your Parachute book review within three weeks of launching CareerJockey.org. I’ve recommended it to almost every Back on Track Network job seeker I’ve met. (Back on Track Network is the nonprofit that lit my passion for helping job seekers.) Every one of my networking articles and presentations references the book’s first chapter to explain why networking through contacts is your best job hunt technique available.

I’ve developed several job hunter and career changer presentations using material from different this book. They are:

• The Five Worse Ways to Job Hunt. The Five Best Ways to Job Hunt
• The Importance of Goal Setting
• Finding Your True Calling
• Career Crossroads? Let Me Show You What One Looks Like

In Finding Your True Calling, I put myself through a Parachute’s career discernment exercise that helped me discover how strong a set of interpersonal skills I really had. It inspired me to consider a career change from software engineering to technical sales and marketing a few years back.

You can find What Color Is Your Parachute 2010 on Amazon.com or at any book store. You can find older copies in just about any used book store. You don’t even need the current year’s version. I still use my 2008 version because I can’t pry myself away from all the book marks, highlights and dog ears that help me get to the sections I need quickly.

(Note: Bolles also publishes a Parachute for Teens that I've also reviewed aimed at the high school and college crowd.)

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi

A sales lead exchange group buddy of mine recommended this one to me a few years back. “It’s a great networking how-to book,” he told me. As a software engineer turned technology sales rep, I thought this was an area where I needed help so I went out a got me a copy. (This was also first Audible.com book download for listening on my IPOD – great for the car.)

In Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi explains how his networking skills helped propel him from his blue collar upbringing to his Yale, Deloitte and now Ferrazzi Green Light successes. This book is NOT a how-to book on better brown-nosing and kissing up to people in a self-serving way. It is filled with practical advice including how to effectively work a room and how best to follow up and stay in connected with people. More importantly, Never Eat Alone shows why it’s important to understand people’s needs and take an interest in sincerely helping them. He stresses how people can see through hypocrisy so your work must be driven by a desire to serve others. That’s the quality that leads to networking success.

In my Never Eat Alone book review I explain how I have used what I learned in my personal and professional dealings and how it can fuel a job hunt.

(I’ve also reviewed Ferrazzi’s Who’s Got Your Back and met him in July during his book tour. Follow these links and you can see Keith’s Good Morning, America appearance and his Larry King’s Ferrazzi interview.)

Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life by Dr. Phil McGraw

Losing a job can be one of life’s most punishing blows. It strikes at the core of how many of us define ourselves. It forces us to grieve, face our anger, consider our inadequacies and outright messes with us close to home. A former work associate of mine took his own life and his unemployment played a part in that.

Please don’t discount this book because of its author. Dr. Phil's done a good job here. It made my list. I read and reviewed Dr. Phil’s book this past Spring (2009) and really like how to laid out the grieving process that goes on when one suffers a loss. Four out of the book's seven most difficult days address issues most or all job seekers experience and especially those like me that have dealt with more traumatic firings involving personal friends. (We can sit down when you have some time and I’ll share my story with you.)

Together this collection of books covers three areas job seekers need to master in order to get through it all successfully.

Hope this helps.

I sit here in my office, with a job, with a home, and not having to chose between eating this week or taking prescribed medicine... and I think of next week. The meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday was never really something I did. I always thought about the food, and having the day off, but not about being thankful. Now... it is different this year. I am rrrrreeeeeaaaallllyyyyy thankful and aware of what might have been. What has gone on for the past year doesn't really equate to the uncertainty the original pilgrims went through, they faced death by starvation or disease or being killed by natives. The economic 'down turn' (who thinks up these euphemisms for skirting around words like economic recession or even depression) wasn't that. But with so many of my friends and acquaintances losing so much, having worked so hard for it in the first place, has slapped me in the face with my good fortune.  Oh I lost also, my 401K is still black and blue from the hits, so my retirement is going to have to be pushed back... it would have left me furious and scared before, but now instead I think, heck be grateful I have a 401K, and be grateful for the job I still have, that pays the mortgage for the home I still own. 

Next Thursday I will still be grateful for the day off and the food, but I will share my table with some who will also be grateful for a lot less than I have.  It will definitely be a day for looking at the glass half full and ignoring what isn't so great in favor of seeing all that is and saying thanks.

Keywords are a central feature of our business day.  We use them to search our resume databases and to parse through the profiles and resumes posted on job boards and social networking sites.  The problem, of course, is that we pesky humans have a bad habit of using different words to express the same idea.  That variability in human expression makes it difficult to know which keywords will actually identify the best candidates for each of your openings. 

So, what should you do?  How can you select the right keywords when there are so many competing alternatives?  The answer, I think, is to create a keyword taxonomy—an annotated list of search terms—that is rich in the language of the top talent in the specific career fields for which you are recruiting.  Think of it as a “set of master keys in words” that can unlock the candidate databases you are probing. 

Creating such a tool is not particularly difficult.  Doing so, however, is a departure from the current practice in many organizations.  It involves temporarily stepping outside the press of individual, day-to-day assignments and taking a longer term view of how keywords can best serve your recruiting strategy.  Here’s what I mean. 

The rule of thumb in developing a list of keywords has usually been to rely on the information provided to us in a job description or requisition.  The problem with this approach, of course, is that those documents are typically formulated by hiring managers—one of the least articulate populations on the planet.  The terminology they provide, therefore, is necessary but insufficient to unlock the best talent in an ATS or job board database.  It is a part of the master keyword set, but not all of it. 

How can you fill in the gaps? 

I suggest you borrow a page from your colleagues in sales and marketing and form a focus group.  Such a group is only useful, however, if it is composed of the right participants.  You’re trying to uncover the language used by the best talent for your openings, so your focus group should be populated with the same kind of people.  And, you have a ready source of such individuals among your organization’s “A” level performers in the career fields for which you’re recruiting.  They, better than anyone else, know exactly which terms their peers will use to describe their qualifications. 

Top performers are usually very busy, however, so you may have a hard time breaking them free for such an exercise.  If that’s the case in your organization, you can also build your set of master keywords by conducting a similar survey with your new hires during their orientation.  This approach is clearly more challenging to implement, however, because you will have to base your selection of the group’s participants not on their demonstrated excellence at work, but on your judgment of how they are likely to perform once they are on-the-job. 

In either case, your focus group will yield the best results if its work is conducted in three steps.

• First, build your baseline.  Ask the participants to list all of the terms they would use to describe the qualifications required for an individual to be able to perform their job effectively.  These attributes can include specific skills, occupational and/or industry knowledge, prior work experience, personality and any other factors that would bear on their ability to contribute.  If the group has a hard time knowing where to begin, ask them to review one or more of the keyword references that are currently available.  These include Google’s Keyword Tool, which will suggest keywords based on previous Google searches; Wordtracker, an online research tool; and WEDDLE’s 3 volume set, Finding Needles in a Haystack, which lists over 25,000 keywords and keyword phrases, across 5400 job and position titles in 28 industries and professions.
• Second, restate the terms in order of their importance.  Ask the group to prioritize each of their terms according to its impact on an individual’s job performance.  While there may be some disagreement among the group about the placement of specific terms, encourage them to arrive at a consensus rank ordering of the overall list.
• Third, group the terms into search baskets.  The best way to probe a resume or profile database is to conduct your search in concentric circles of ever greater specificity.  This approach enables you to hone in on and eventually determine a reasonable slate of the most qualified prospects in a database.  Therefore, ask the group to break their list into the following categories: absolutely critical, very important, somewhat important and nice to have.

 

Those four baskets of search terms should then be added to the terms you derived from the hiring manager’s job description or requisition.  If those documents enable you to do so, assign each of those terms to one of the categories used in Step 3 above.  If not, the most politic course to assign them to the absolutely critical category.  The resulting integrated list of search terms is your set of master keywords.  

The above process is clearly labor and time intensive so think of it as an investment to develop an asset.  The product you create—your keyword taxonomy—is just such a resource.  It is a state-of-the-art search tool that can be used over and over again by the entire recruiting team.  No less important, that tool gives them a genuine competitive advantage because it will increase both their efficiency and their performance.  It should, therefore, be password protected and carefully monitored.  As with all assets, it will require updating from time-to-time, but the effort involved will be substantially less than of the original development. 

Keywords are typically viewed as one of the basic tools in our profession.  For better or worse, everybody uses them so it’s easy to assume they have little or no differentiating value.  When forged into a powerful asset, however, keywords can help an organization unlock talent other employers can’t reach.  That’s why no recruiting team should be without “a set of master keys in words.” 

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com 

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System. 

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

The positive growth turned in by the American economy in the third quarter of this year suggests that maybe, just maybe this Great Recession is now in our rear view mirror.  As it fades away, of course, the tales will begin about what we did during this terrible time.  While recounting those legends is surely important, so too is sharing the insights we’ve acquired from our experience. 

Cataclysmic events often alter our perceptions of the world around us.  That was true during the Great Depression, and it will be true as we emerge from this Great Recession, as well.  Some of these new views are opinions about what happened and why, but others are actually lessons that we’ve learned about how best to survive and prosper.  They’re the things we wish we had known before the event occurred because that knowledge would have undoubtedly enabled us to fare better than we did. 

I think the sharing of this wisdom is good for us—it’s cathartic to acknowledge that we’ve earned an advanced degree in the school of hard knocks—but it’s even more helpful for our kids and grandkids.  In a very real sense, we are giving them a gift, a roadmap for the future that may help them avoid the dead ends and dangerous potholes they are sure to encounter. 

Each of us has our own view of the lessons we should pass along.  For me, the following four insights are among the most important.  They are realizations everyone must have in order to chart a successful and fulfilling career in the 21^st Century world of work. 

Seeking job security makes you vulnerable.  In today’s turbulent economy, employers have no idea what will happen tomorrow or the day after.  They may promise you job security, but they can’t deliver it.  So, counting on it is likely to put you out for the count.  A far better objective is career security—the ability to stay employed in a job of your choosing regardless of the condition of any single employer or the economy as a whole.  Unlike job security, career security is a state you create for yourself.  You don’t have to rely on the good will of some employer.  You anticipate the changes in your career—the timing of a move from one boss or organization to another, the refocusing or reskilling that’s necessary to accommodate shifts in your industry or profession—and then you plan and execute those changes so they benefit you. 

Recognition is something you give yourself.  Most managers and supervisors mean well, but if you wait for them to recognize your accomplishments at work, you’re likely to be disappointed.  Some have the social skills of a brick and others are too worried about their own security to take care of yours.  That’s why it’s important for you to keep track of your own “career victories.”  Sure, it takes a little effort to maintain a contemporaneous record of what you’ve done and how well you’ve done it, but that account will give you more satisfaction than most managers ever will.  Don’t just write it out, however; also review it regularly.  Take the time to remember what you’ve done and pat yourself on the back when you deserve it or give yourself a little counseling if you’ve let yourself down. 

Working tirelessly is a sure way to get tired.  Sadly, many people in today’s world of work find themselves wired up with no place to go.  They’ve learned the hard way that staying continuously in contact with the office doesn’t protect you.  It exhausts you.  We’re all worried about the H1N1 flu becoming a pandemic, but workaholism already is.  If you have any doubt about that, look left and right the next time you’re lying on the beach.  Every other person will be glued to their Blackberry or iPhone checking their email.  The impact of such behavior on both individual performance and wellbeing is already acute and likely to get worse.  In a knowledge-based economy, your worth is measured not by your connectivity, but by your contribution.  And, your contribution suffers when you don’t give your mind and body a chance to rest. 

Taking care of your career is the best way to take care of you.  The conventional approach to career self-management has been to get an annual checkup and leave it at that.  Historically, we paid attention to our career just once each year—during our performance appraisal and salary review.  That approach was dangerous then; today, it’s a sure-fire way to induce career cardiac arrest or what most of us call unemployment.  The only safe course in a workplace as turbulent as the one we now have is to develop career fitness the same way you develop physical fitness.  You have to commit yourself to building up the strength, endurance and reach of your career every single day.  Yes, that’s a lot of work, but it’s also a smart investment.  You spend one-third or more of your day in your profession, craft or trade, and you deserve an experience during that time that is every bit as good as the rest of your life. 

We have acquired many insights from our experience over the past two years, but these four maxims are the key lessons we have learned.  They are the things we wish we had known so they are now the things we want others to know. 

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com 

Peter Weddle is the author of over two dozen employment-related books, including Recognizing Richard Rabbit, a fable of self-discovery for working adults, and Work Strong, Your Personal Career Fitness System. 

© Copyright 2009 WEDDLE’s LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

This weekend I was introduced to Byron Katie. I am so grateful and thought instantly that I had to share her with our South Florida job seekers. Byron Katie provides a process to challenge our thoughts, our beliefs, our stories if you will. For me, quite often I find myself totally engaged in my head in a conversation with someone that hasn't happened or worrying about a situation that has not even occurred or thinking about what I think of something that someone said, etc. This is human nature, yet some people get "stuck" in it and some move through it. "The Work" of Byron Katie gives a process, she provides a solution. "The Work" is to simply question our thoughts. Pretty simple, right? On the surface sure, but making it a habit is the challenging part.  I was thinking about how this could support all the job seekers in our community who are struggling to stay focused and positive and even get an interview.

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about turning frustrations into solutions. Here is a great process to support moving out of the frustration, so for example:

Frustrated thought: "I can't get an interview!"

The Work:

Is it true?

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?

Who would you be without the thought?

After we answer these questions the next step is to Turn it Around and look at it differently. There are so many "self help" type of books, speakers, and exercises out there today and it's hard to distinguish between what's valid and what isn't. All I can say is that this struck a cord with me and I invite you to check it out. Then please engage in our facebook fan page and share your experiences.

How might you and others benefit from relating this in the job search?

 

Here is a great aol article I read and wanted to share it with you.  One of the most important reasons why an employer wants to hire you is having relevant experience!

Well, what if you do not have any and you have gaps on your resume?  I am trying to help job seekers one at a time and this Wednesday, I will be doing a free teleseminar on closing the gaps on your resume. 

You want to give great reasons for the employer to hire you, read this article and also, call in to see how to help close the gaps on your resume... remember, they want relevant experience.

 

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/10/08/top-10-reasons-employers-want-to-hire-you/

Have a great day!

I have done numerous workshops in our community and most recently, I did a Dress for Success, Resume and Interview Tips workshop for the Hollywood Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees)!

There were many people there from the community, including job seekers like yourself!

I was able to talk about how you need to have a professional resume and be able to present yourself in the best possible way in the interview process by being prepared. Another tip was to Dress for Success! We had Dillard's from Galleria Mall "in the house" to show us the latest business fashions.

Today, I became a fan of SYMS, just like Dillard's and I noticed this article they had published on their fan page. Lot os of information on Dressing for Success, so I thought I would share.

I would like to add that I know we live in Florida, but, we are too casual! I think we should all step it up to look more polished. I think it is appropriate and professional to wear pantyhose in an interview and most times when wearing a skirt or dress. (this is for women). There are many other things...put it this way... if you have to ask, should I take this out or maybe I should cut my hair, etc...chances are you should do it. So anyway, read on, and I hope you enjoy!

The Problem: In today's world, where casual dress is the rule and where too many people's sense of casual has crossed the line into slovenly, many people, especially young people, show up for white-collar job interviews dressed in a highly unprofessional fashion. ---- you see I told you!

The Experts: Here fashion expert Roger McKenzie and executive interview coach Trisha Scudder offer their views.
Both are based in NYC and are consultants to SYMS, a leading discount retailer of brand-name clothing, especially business attire, in and around NYC.

QUESTION: What rules of thumb do you offer regarding dressing for interviews for white-collar positions? In particular, what do you tell women, who do not have a business "uniform" as well-defined as a man's conservative dark suit, white shirt and tie? Indeed, many women show up at interviews dressed in too flashy or revealing a manner.

ROGER'S ANSWER: Since women have many more options in their fashion attire they have to be even more careful about what they wear to make sure it is appropriate. ( hence why you always go more conservative and with a dark suit... I know they will go over this, but I agree!)

* If a woman chooses to wear a skirt, the length should be at her knee, and slacks are welcome also.
* In general, a woman should stick to dark colors for the shell and earth tones for the under layer of the suit.
* It is acceptable to wear short sleeves but it should be paired with a jacket or cardigan. A twin set is a good way to put this look together.
* Women also need to be aware of the way their top fits; of course cleavage is a big no no.
* When it comes to accessories, it should be kept at a minimum: nothing too flashy, heel height should not exceed 3 inches, and makeup should be very clean and natural.

TRISHA'S ANSWER: A woman should always wear a suit. It demonstrates respect for the interviewer, the company and the position. For any job in financial services, wear a suit. Other tips that one should remember are:

* If you're a guy applying for a creative position in a creative industry then you might drop the tie, but still wear a suit jacket.
* For women, a suit also. And watch what you wear under it. Often women (of all ages) wear a business suit with a V-neck or low-cut blouse revealing cleavage during an interview. I can't say that backfires every time but most times that will send the wrong message whether you are interviewed by women or men.
* This is no time to make a fashion statement. Be conservatively dressed so that the attention is on your resume, your qualifications and your response to questions. Anything distracting about your clothes, shoes, jewelry or hair will only cause the interviewer to "vote" on it, and you lose.
* At conservative companies bare legs would be inappropriate at an interview. Wear pantyhose if you are wearing a suit with a skirt.
* Dental work. If you chipped a tooth or had one extracted, reschedule the interview for a time when your teeth are all accounted for! Seriously, I've had to tell two clients to get their teeth fixed before they proceed with interviews. ( if you are local, I have a great dentist!)
* Clean shoes and clothes, freshly pressed.
* Women, clean out and organize your handbag prior to the interview. If you have to find a pen or get a Kleenex you don't want to rummage through a rat's nest. ( yes, I know, I have to do this more often!)
* Create an attractive, professional way to carry and display your resume, references, work samples, etc.
* Practice your handshake. Ask a friend for feedback. Is it too soft? Too aggressive? Too limp? Are your eyes down? Are you solemn or smiling? Be sure your handshake is firm and enthusiastic and brief. You do not want a memorable handshake! ( no dead fish or clammy hands)
* Go to the restroom prior to the interview and look in the mirror. Swig some mouthwash or brush your teeth again. Wash your hands from the subway. Practice your smile. Stand tall. Stride in, chin up, and have a great interview! ( you must practice this before hand...it works! If you do not have nay one to practice with...Use a mirror or even a bottle of water...anything that you can look at.

QUESTION: What basic tips do you offer for putting together a wardrobe in a cost-effective manner after understanding what are the norms of attire in the workplace that one is joining?

ROGER'S ANSWER: You should have plethora of top options to pair up with a bottom which you can repeat a number of times. Remember when at an interview you are sitting across a desk so more than likely you won't see your lower half.

Thanks for reading and I wish you success in your job search! Have a great day!

Violet

 

I just have to be the ray of hope. I have been accused of being too upbeat at times. Finally, this is the time that my optimism is really needed. I have facts to bring you hope.

I have been, and sometimes still am, fearful too. I work as hard as I can, when I can and when there is the opportunity. I give my coaching clients and business clients 150%. Sometimes it's 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes, it's not as plentiful and I get scared too.

Today, I saw the following news release from the NY Times. today It's all about theindustries that ARE hiring. I realize that we are really in control of our work situation. We must continue to nurture the relationships we have with colleagues and life long friends in the industries listed below.

These are the fields in which you will find work now. You are the only one that can make it happen:

• Home Health Care Services, up 10.8%
• Federal Government Except Postal Service, up 9.3%
• Oil & Gas Extraction, up 7.4%
• Pipeline Transportation, up 6.7%
• Outpatient Care Services, up 4.6%
• Hospitals, up 3.8%
• Computer Systems Design & Related Services, up 3.4%
• Nursing & Residential Care Facilities, up 3.2%
• Motion Picture & Sound Recording Industries, up 3.2%
• Educational Services, Excluding Government, up 3.1%
• Management & Technical Consulting Services, up 2.7%
• State Government Education Services, up 2.1%
• Utilities, up 2.0%
• Waste Management & Remediation Services, up 1.5%

Do something to stay connected to people you know in the fields. Look for opportunities to provide your talent and strengths and you will find a new job!

• Pick up the phone!
• Send an email.
• Invite a new LinkedIn connection.
• Facebook an old high school friend.
• Send a "tweet" containing advice on your area of expertise.
• Blog on a topic you are an expert on and love.
• Microblog.
• Send an informational YouTube video clip to your former bosses.

I promise to help you stay focused on who is hiring, where you can get a job and be there as the "half full", "partly sunny" side of the current workforce challenges. Granted, there are some days it's much harder than others. Then I see statistics like those I have listed above and I must share the hope with you. Now pick up the phone and call your contacts in the industries that are hiring. Ask them: "What is your biggest challenge in your company now?" And then, offer a solution or two using your area of expertise. You will reap the rewards of your generosity. Please let me know how this works for you.

Have you seen our Facebook Fan Page this week? Our job seeker newsletter went out on Tuesday and the lead conversation was titled, "ENGAGE IN THE PAGE!", and engage they did! We gained over 30 fans that day and a ton of local, qualified job seekers have posted comments about what they are looking for. They are also reaching out in this new media fashion and soliciting help, guidance, and feedback.

Whether or not you are currently hiring, this is such a wonderful forum to be part of so you can engage in conversations with future candidates. What seems like basic career advice to some is very hard to come by information to others. Perhaps it is as simple as sharing a story of hope in how you might know someone who has landed a job in this economy, or maybe you have recently hired and you can share something specific that the candidate you hired possessed that afforded them the opportunity to rise to the top. This simple information could help others to brainstorm and consider situations and opportunities that otherwise might not have occurred to them.

I believe in today's job market it's a good bet that we all know at least one person close to us that is unemployed and this is a great way to personally make a difference and help them by having a place full of great relevant local contributions for them to turn to. I am excited to be sharing our Fan Page with the community as a place for job seekers to engage with each other and for employers and recruiters to also chime in and share real world examples and advice.

Please take a minute and if you have not already done so, BECOME A FAN, stay engaged, join a conversation, or even start one! Over the last several months that we have been promoting our fan page  I have received a lot of great feedback from the community as job seekers and employers are grateful to have this new media forum to engage in.

Let's together take it to the next level and get the page jumpin! South Florida Job Seekers are waiting to ENGAGE WITH YOU!

As you know, this past weekend was Halloween. I am always telling my clients to know their strengths, accomplishments, how they could be a value to their next employer, and most of all, know how to network and stand out from their competition. Think of this as your "30 second commercial" or snap shot of your business card.

Here is a great example of what happened this past weekend.

On Thursday before Halloween, I was the guest speaker at a meeting. I brought little bags of candy with my business card attached because I know how to do the little things that market my business. I had extra bags of candy and gave out the candy with my card attached on Halloween night.

The next day, Sunday, one of the parent's called me to say that was creative of me to attach my business card to the bag of candy. But more importantly, he is an HR Director for a local company and asked if I knew of individuals that had sales experience. I was excited to tell him yes, and actually it was a fellow neighbor that was looking for a job.

I called both of them, they spoke and tomorrow he has an interview!!! That is the power of Creative Networking!

Just like Jessica posted about helping each other out on the Fan Page...think outside the box. Even though the job may not be for you...do you know someone else who may be a fit!

Get creative...happy November! I'm here to help you too!

I hear a lot from job seekers that they don't know what else to do and they feel they have done everything and are still coming up without a job. In a previous blog we discussed the importance of turning these frustrations into solutions. It's super easy to get caught up in the frustrations, but takes a truly dedicated and committed individual to not let them hold you back and instead turn it into something you can use.

To expand on this a bit more I also suggested to get engaged in our Facebook Fan page. I wanted to dive into this a bit more as I had a lot of great conversations last week in our community at Hispanic Unity's annual Diversity Career Fair and The BBLN's Annual Connections Job Fair for people with disabilities. It was great to have these conversations face-to-face with job seekers and give them the ability to become fans of our page while at the job fair. What I shared with each of them is simple, "Never before has there been a forum for job seekers to interact and talk to each other."

People reacted to this and it excited them. This is the something different everyone has been asking for. Will this absolutely get you a job quicker? I do not know.... Will this increase your opportunities? ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT!

So the cheezy line I kept hearing myself say over and over again was "Get engaged in the page!" Our Facebook Fan Page is a place for you to celebrate when you get an interview, offer support to those that might be stuck in a rut, and share best practices in the job search. Give it a go, a real true effort and GET ENGAGED IN THE PAGE!

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, GMSHRM hosted its annual Diversity & Inclusion Awards during its October dinner meeting. This year’s award was presented to the Early Learning Coalition of Miami Dade/Monroe (ELCMDM).

THE EVENT

Miami Dade College's Stuido Jazz Ensemble opened the evening with its performance during the networking hour. The night’s dinner program then went on to be one of the most interesting ever, as it portrayed a best practices panel, comprised of a number of past Diversity & Inclusion award winners—VITAS, Akerman Senterfitt, Burger King Corporation, Ryder Systems Inc, and Miami Dade College. The panel was presented in a rarely-seen 'talk show' format directed by a moderator. Each panel member spoke about ways their company fosters diversity and inclusion in the workplace, sparking an insightful Q&A discussion with attendees.

The program was pre-certified for 1.25 HRCI recertification credits.

THE WINNER

Founded in 2000, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami Dade/Monroe offers a variety of affordable and innovative early education and voluntary pre-kindergarten programs serving more than 50,000 children in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

The ELCMDM was elected as this year’s Diversity and Inclusion award recipient for its impressive inclusion efforts despite its limited resources. Worthy of mention are its innovative diversity training program now in place at other coalitions outside the Miami-Dade area, its recruitment of minority vendors through its RFP process, and its teen-mentoring program.

Below is a reprint of the scenario:

You work for a customer service phone center.  The work is more involved and more interesting than you thought it would be because you have to know a lot to solve caller problems and to provide callers with the wide range of information on the company’s products and services.  You have a come a long way in three months and are now one of the most knowledgeable phone representatives.  You have also mastered the ability to calm and reassure agitated customers.  However, last week the company hired a new supervisor for the customer service phone center.  Two days ago your supervisor chewed you out for being 10 minutes late.  Yesterday he told you that you spent too much time on the phone with a couple of callers.  Today the new supervisor installed a policy where all breaks and lunch hours are scheduled for set times.  Your buddy, who you go to lunch with every day, has a different lunch time than you do.  And to top the cake, everyone now has to ask permission before leaving their workstation to go to the bathroom.

What are your impressions of the new supervisor? 

First of all, yes the supervisor has made a key mistake, but it isn’t what the majority of the people that have responded to this scenario in the past identify.

Many people respond with comments like:

• The supervisor is a control freak.
• The supervisor is power-hungry.
• The supervisor is treating everyone like children.
• The supervisor has his/her priorities wrong.

The answer is: The supervisor has poor communication skills.

The supervisor has implemented the correct workplace rules for a customer service phone center.  Let me address each item to inform you why that is the case.

(1)    10 minutes late.  One of the goals of a customer service phone center is to minimize the time callers are on hold.  Callers that wait a long time on hold are dissatisfied customers and that could cause them to do business elsewhere.  Therefore, phone centers forecast the number of calls they expect in given time frames, and hire staff to ensure that the vast majority of calls can be handled in a timely fashion.  If you are 10 minutes late, the call center will not have the representatives it forecasted it needed to provide good customer service (acceptable hold time before speaking to a phone representative).  In fact some may wait so long they will hang up and call back later.  That results in additional calls later in the day, at a time when the phone center may not have enough staff to handle the increased volume and maintain good service levels.  Now, even more callers will hang up and call back another time; some may even call the next day.  So a ten minute tardy could result in poor service levels for days.  While this is not always (or even in some phone centers usually) the case; if it does happen, the results are always major problems for the business.  So good phone center supervisors manage their phone representatives time very closely.

(2)    Lunch and bathroom breaks.  The reason for scheduling breaks is the same as in number (1).  The supervisor needs to manage the number of phone representatives to the expected call volume.  If you are scheduled for a lunch time and want to switch, good supervisors will allow that assuming you can find someone to switch with you (on a permanent schedule basis, not day-to-day basis since too much time will be spent looking for someone to switch if done daily).

(3)    Too much time on the phone.  This is a concept many phone representatives find difficult to embrace.  After all, many believe they should spend as much time as needed with a customer to solve his/her problem and keep him/her satisfied.  However, the goal of the company is to provide good customer service to all.  If you spend 20 minutes with one customer, the result may be that 5 other customers are now waiting too long to connect with a representative.  Even of their questions are handled fine; they may be dissatisfied because of the long wait on hold to get to a phone representative.  One extremely satisfied customer and five dissatisfied customers is not a good outcome.  So what do you do?  Be sure that you only spend time with customers where the time is genuinely needed.  Do not spend extra time thinking that you’re providing superior service.  And after a necessary long call, be aware that a backlog of calls may have arisen and look to handle simple calls that follow courteously, but quickly.  In this case, assume you spent too long on calls that could have been handled more quickly.

Now onto what the supervisor did wrong.  Before implementing the changes, the supervisor should have called the staff together and explained why the changes were being implemented.  One of my favorite lines when I performed this task in the past was, “If you don’t like these rules, don’t say it’s because I have an ego problem, or that I’m treating you like children, or that I’m a control freak.  Instead say that you think my capacity planning model (the phone representatives I need based on expected call volumes) is bull.”  I found that after explaining how phone centers work, and why I implemented the rules at work that I did, that most representatives asked on their own, “how may callers are waiting” before asking if they could go to the bathroom.  They realized that if I managed the call traffic well, they had to deal with fewer irritated customers.

If you are a manger, supervisor, or business owner and like my scenario approach to training, click here to find out how I can create custom scenarios for your workplace.