posted Wednesday, May 2, 2012 5:27 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I am always surprised when outplacement is provided as part of a severance package and people decide not to take advantage of this tax free, employer paid benefit.
Why is outplacement a good idea?
1. You get a powerful resume which puts you ahead of your competition
2. You get interview preparation which helps you understand how to position yourself and put your best foot forward
3. You get help with how to ...
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posted Thursday, April 19, 2012 3:06 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I am always amazed at what people think networking is. For so many people in transition, career coaches talk about the power of networking and how 70% of people get their jobs through a contact. At the same time, as soon as they find a job they drop the network until “the next time”. I am saddened by how often people forget about me until they need something then they reconnect.
The other thing that I find is that not everyone ...
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posted Wednesday, April 11, 2012 10:48 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
In my work with outplacement candidates we talk about the power of networking and how it is still the most effective way of finding jobs that are “hidden”. What I mean by that is jobs that are referred to us by our friends are very often not posted or the process of hiring within an organization has slowed down to an agonizing crawl. If your contact networks you in directly to the hiring manager you are more likely to jump to the head of the candidate ...
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posted Tuesday, April 3, 2012 8:18 PM
by Lynne Johnston, Earl W. Johnston Roofing, Inc
With the increasing use of tablets, ipads and smart phones, where does this technology fit in with Roofing Estimates? How much is too much and what is the customer really impressed by? Even more important, what does the customer expect and want?
Did you know that Roofers can get a satellite view of a building and prepared report showing all measurements and use this to prepare a quote for the client before stepping out of his truck in the driveway? Photos taken by him on ...
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posted Sunday, April 1, 2012 9:17 AM
by Syndee Feuer - CPRW, CPCC, Career Tactics
There are a number of important steps to take after you go on any interview:
1- Send a thank you note after the interview to each person with whom you spoke, thanking them for their time and the information they provided to you. If possible, mention something of interest to you that was said during the interview. This is an opportunity to keep the relationship going and keep you in the mind of the interviewer. You can send either a ...
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posted Wednesday, March 14, 2012 5:12 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I recently had someone in my office who was going through a bit of a career “crisis”. This person had been in the same profession for the past 30 years. She now is less than 10 years away from retirement and does not want to do the same job again. I always feel really bad for people when they feel stuck. Her options were to either start at the bottom in a different career but take a huge pay cut or find a job doing the same thing ...
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posted Friday, January 27, 2012 4:40 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
Ask not what your company can do for you – let the company know what YOU can do for them!
OK so I butchered President Kennedy’s famous quote – but hopefully for a good cause. What is my point? If you cannot explain the value that you bring to a job/organization during the interview process, chances are you are not going to be perceived as a potential valuable resource. More and more companies are focused on your understanding of how ...
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posted Monday, January 16, 2012 8:00 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
One of the most often asked interview questions is “Tell me about yourself”.
This question always strikes terror in the applicant’s mind – a lot of times the interviewer asks the question to see if the person is able to clearly outline their value proposition. They are not interested in your personal stats – only the business ones. Often the interview wants to see if the applicant is articulate and how confident they are. ...
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posted Monday, January 9, 2012 12:45 PM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
Here are a few things you can do to position yourself for career success in the New Year:
1. Update Your Résumé: Make sure your resume is up to date, include any temporary or part time jobs you may have had during the year – this shows that you are willing to take on work rather than just staying home and collecting unemployment. If you are employed, think about successes you can add to showcase your talents.
2. Focus on Your Personal ...
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posted Tuesday, December 20, 2011 11:56 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
It is often said that there is not a lot of job movement during the holiday season. Whilst this may be true for some, but not all, there is something everyone can do to be productive on the job search front at this time of year. What are we talking about? Networking of course. Just because there is not a lot of hiring going on that does not mean you can rest on your laurels.
I suggest that you use this time to expand your network. Get some ...
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posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011 8:31 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I recently read that over 58% of companies are planning to allocate additional budget and time to social media and that 38% of high level execs embraced the importance of social media. That being said, it’s no wonder that companies are now using social media for recruitment and to monitor their employees during and after work hours. The legalities are still out on this controversial practice however here are some tips to help you get the most out of your social ...
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posted Tuesday, December 6, 2011 8:23 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I personally am not a great fan of cover letters. I do not believe many Hiring Managers or Recruiters even read them – most people in organizations will read the resume first.
Job boards don’t keyword search cover letters and if a cover letter is not well written or customized to fit each specific job application they can hurt rather than help. If you really want to send a cover letter, I suggest the following format:
1st paragraph - ...
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posted Thursday, December 1, 2011 10:42 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
I started thinking about how the holiday season impacts us in both positive and negative ways. What prompted me to think about this was the news of the “pepper spray” incidents that occurred during the Black Friday shopping rush. Whilst I do not know how “reasonable” these perpetrators are normally, certainly their need to purchase “deals” overcame their rational thinking. Who in their right mind thinks it is OK to use ...
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posted Wednesday, November 23, 2011 6:22 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
At this time of the year, I would like to say a big "Thank-You" to our wonderful Corporate Clients and our Candidates. Without you we would not be here.
I would also like to Thank our Troops who are fighting for our freedom. Without you we would not be here.
Last but not least, Thank-You to our Strategic Alliance Partners who support our efforts. Without you we would not be here.
I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving ...
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posted Friday, November 11, 2011 5:56 AM
by Alison McGhee, Career Movers and Shapers, Inc.
Today's post is short and sweet. Are you sending you resume over and over again to the same company? You may want to re-think that strategy.
People are under the mistaken impression that the more times they send a resume the better - when in fact the opposite is true. We receive resumes each week from some of the same people who apply over and over again for any position we have open. Unfortunately this is a waste of your time, because what ...
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