Helping...Stephanie Renk and Vera Savany. ALSO, Member for Member this month is Matt Warzel...
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M ay 2021 Helping Professionals THRIVE! since 1988
Transcript of Helping...Stephanie Renk and Vera Savany. ALSO, Member for Member this month is Matt Warzel...
M ay 2021
HelpingProfessionalsTHRIVE!
since 1988
Margaret PharesPARW/CC Executive Director
May 2021 | PAGE 2
In This IssueHello Friends!
Wow - what a month April was! Thank you to every single person who contributed to THRIVE! There were so many folks behind the scenes who helped us bring this all together. The collaborative nature of the members of this Association is unique and extremely special.
Personally, I left that conference tired, but so excited and full of ideas
for things to accomplish before our NEXT conference! I hope everyone else did too!
And we aren’t slowing down! May will bring us Rising Professionals on Thursday, May 6. Make sure if you are interested in a lively, sharing, active chat register for that today on the website. Rising Professionals is facilitated by Stephanie Renk and Vera Savany.
ALSO, Member for Member this month is Matt Warzel presenting You on LinkedIN, playing the LinkedIn algorithm to maximize your post visibility, brand identity and lead generation can easily yield BIG returns to your business. Register for that at parwcc.com. And remember that all webinars are free to members!
Have you ever had a job seeker unsure about applying for a specific position? Columnist Heidi Giusto breaks down the ways to help clients understand the ins and outs of job descriptions.
Please remember if there is something you’d like to see your Association bring to you, reach out and let us know!
We’re stronger together,
Margaret
From HQ
Register for PARW/CC 3
Certifications or Education 3
Congratulations NewCertificate-Holders 4
Detoxify Networking for Your Clients by Don Orlando 5
How PARWCC Began by Jay Block 9
Change by Diane Hudson 13
The Games We Play by John Suarez 16
Help Job Seekers Decode Job Descriptions by Heidi Scott Giusto 17
The Funnies 19
May 2021 | PAGE 3
Register for PARW/CCCertifications or Education
Maryann Riggs, CPRWLevittown, NY [email protected]
CPRWCarol Heider, CPRWRésumés by ProfessionalsTampa, FLheider@résumésbyprofession-als.com
CPCCDiane Hudson, CPRW, CEIP, CPCCBoise, [email protected]
CEIP & CEMPJay Block, CPRW, CEIP, CPCCSalem, [email protected]
Fundamentals in Résumé WritingJohn [email protected]
Board of Directors 2019 - 2023
PARW/CC Membership and MoreYour Member Listing: The PARW/CC Membership Directory is a steady source of new business for you. You can control your listing by modifying your profile on parwcc.com
Certifications: PARW/CC offers certifications in Résumé Writing (CPRW), Interview Training (CEIP), Career Coaching (CPCC), and Career Empowerment & Motivational Professional (CEMP). These three credentials represent the majority of a client’s career needs. Certification demonstrates that you have tested and met the industry’s standards to provide these services. As you add these certifications, members tell us that they book more client business and can also charge a higher fee.
The Spotlight: This monthly publication is full of excellent educational articles, written by experienced professionals. You will receive a reminder at the e-mail you provide on the website when the Spotlight is released to the website.
Submission GuidelinesArticle Topics: Any subject related to résumé writing, interviewing, and/or career coaching, including: Sales & Marketing, Management, Pricing, Formats, Interview Techniques, Profit Centers, Internet and Technology Resources and Techniques, etc.
Feature Article Length: 1,000 word maximum.
Submissions Format: Set in Word or Pages. Please do not apply any formatting (no tabs, indents, no double spaces after each sentaence, bullets, lines, forced spacing, etc.). You may use the return key and bold to differentiate paragraphs and headings but please keep the font and size the same throughout. Avoid using ALL CAPS. IMAGES: We will happily source relevant images, but if providing your own, they must be a minimum of 1MB in file size. Include them as attachments, not embedded in the document. Embedding in the document reduces their quality. Images with a file size of KB are not acceptable. Note: All images become the property of PARW.
The PARW/CC Spotlight is published monthly by The Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches. All contents ©2020 Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARW/CC). We invite our readers to submit articles and materials pertinent to the industry for publication in The Spotlight. Send correspondence and article submissions to: PARW/CC 204 37th Ave. N, Suite 112 St. Petersburg, FL 33704 or via email at [email protected].
Spotlight design by:ginatracy.comAvailable for hire
May 2021 | PAGE 4
Rachael Altman, CPCCHomewood, IL
Amaris Bertholf, CPCCDenton, TX
Linda Brannock, CPCCPrescott, AZ
Robert Ellis, CPCCSpringdale, AR
Hillary HuffordTucker, CPCCEvanston, IL
Lynne Muck, CPCC
Alan Munro, CPCCRenton, WA
Gabrielle Petagna, CPCCHauppauge, NY
Kelly Snow, CPCCManchester, NH
Giuqui Wang, CPCCPlymouth, MI
Theresa White, CPCCHonolulu, HI
Amaris Yoneda, CPCCDenton, TX
Congratulations New Certificate-Holders
Roseann Callens, CPRWWoodland, CA
Jessica Cole, CPRWProsper, TX
Kristi Davis, CPRW Wichita, KS
David Jones, CPRWUpper Marlboro, MD
Rebecca Kaas, CPRWMarshall, MN
Paige Kiel, CPRWPortland, OR
Giuseppe Liquori, CPRWSpringfield, MA
Sandy Lukavsky, CPRWSuffern, NY
Martha Maratta, CPRWLusby, MD
Isaac Nguyen, CPRWIrvine, CA
Amari O’Bannon, CPRWWoodland Hills, CA
Vera O’Shea, CPRWBrick, NJ
Ashley Ranasinghe, CPRWAurora, CO
Elisander Rivera-Delgado, CPRWWorcester, MA
Jennifer Schwecten, CPRWMurfreesboro, TN
Angie Thompson, CPRWWichita, KS
Xenia Paschopoulo, CEIPAthens, Greece
Alexandra Willingham, CEIPWethersfield, CT
Roseanne Callens, CEMP
May 2021 | PAGE 5
Don Orlando MBA, CPRW, JCTC, CCM,
CCMC, CJSS, MCD
The McLean Group Montgomery, AL
dorlando@yourexecutive careercoach.com
Detoxify Networking for Your Clients: Introduce Them to “Goodworking”
If career coaching has a bedrock paradox it concerns networking. On one hand, we educate our clients about the necessity to network. We explain not only how to network, we also trace the logic behind it and cite years of studies showing networking is key to employment. On the other hand, we often don’t follow through—even though our clients’ inaction adds frustration and cost to their job searches and makes it harder for us to help them.
We shouldn’t be surprised. Here’s how conventional “wisdom” describes networking: A mutually mortifying ritual whereby you impose on every friend, relative, and total stranger to ask them for something they cannot give you…a job! No wonder people recoil from the very word.
In this article I’ll offer a new definition, layout practical ways to implement it well, and describe benefits your clients get as they adopt it.
Because the old definition is so toxic and pervasive, I’ve tried come up with a fresh word that captures this new approach. The best I could do is “goodworking.” (I still want a better word; any suggestions more than welcome!)
Here’s my proposed definition. Goodworking: A natural preference for offering value to people and organizations who might return the favor. Goodworking is done without expecting immediate return (certainly not expecting a job employment right away) and without giving away the store.
That last sentence separates the self-serving from the professional.
My idea isn’t new. Here’s how John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, expressed it more than two centuries ago: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” As coaches, we translate that advice into practical requirements. Our clients should do as much as they can…as long as what they do is true to their brand and doesn’t “give away the store.” Let’s take those constraints one at a time.
Brands require clarity. People with “general” résumés make no progress; their brand isn’t clear. Once you’ve helped a client establish her brand, guide her to deliver that brand only—even if she does other things well. A business development expert with a powerful background in computers might help potential hiring officials leverage IT architecture to speed a new product to market. However, she’d never offer to help them optimize their internal servers.
A mutually mortifying ritual whereby you impose on every friend, relative, and total stranger to ask themfor something they cannot give you…a job!
What Most Clients Think Networking Is:
May 2021 | PAGE 6
Using brands to help others has limits. Our client could never offer comprehensive suggestions to decision makers in target companies; he just doesn’t know the company well enough. Even if he did, he should never offer enough information to allow someone else to execute his ideas without hiring him and thus steal his ideas.
Wesley says we should do all the good we can “…to all the people we can.” Career coaches might change those words slightly telling their clients “…to all the people who can help you help others.” We want our clients seen as irresistible choices to deliver excellent ROI to companies who hire them. Our clients should offer ideas only to those who understand the message and see the value in acting on it. In short, our clients should “goodwork” with people who can refer, recommend, or hire them.
Wesley enjoins people to do good “…in all the places you can, at all the times you can….” If he were alive today, he would understand social networking instantly as a way to act on his advice. Today informed digital visibility does the job; it’s the best way for clients to do the most good “…to the most people.”
Value counts more than numbersHow easy it is to be distracted by the number of people in a network, the number of followers, and the number who view posts.
Help your clients to post content that’s genuinely helpful to the right people. Political statements, pictures of cute dogs, and five ways to fold socks never belong on professional platforms. Save those for Facebook and Instagram.
We should guide our clients to get the most from social networks, LinkedIn special groups, influential blogs, and trade journals. They should never miss an opportunity to speak for professional organizations—especially when the cost to do so has been slashed by virtual conferences. They should consider writing book reviews on Amazon. There are more opportunities for online “goodworking” than most clients could ever use.
LinkedIn, Facebook, other platforms all link people. But we should help our clients built networks based on quality, not quantity. Shouldn’t most of our clients’ networks consist of potential internal and external customers? Only a part of it would be colleagues.Consider your own network. It’s wonderful to invite others in our industry to join you. But you can already reach them faster through other portals like www.parw.com. How much better it would be if your network included independent recruiters, decision makers in many industries, contacts who set governmental policy that affects us, and people whose expertise might assist us (marketing gurus, IT wizards, financial planners, and the like). Why not invite your clients to be part of your network? Aren’t they experts in their fields, the very fields your future clients might share?
If your clients are new to social networking, ask them to start by Googling themselves. It has nothing to do with vanity. We want them looking for two important elements.
First, we want a baseline to see how well they are known now. To get the best matches, have them enter their name in quotes to keep first and last name together. Then have them add just a few descriptive words. For example, a VP for production might Google himself as ‘“John Smith” production operations.’ (He would enter the double quote marks). Have him look at the total number of hits and the quality of hits on the first two or three pages. Each hit should illustrate his brand. Repeat the Google search about once a month so you and the client can measure progress.
Also have your client look for other people with the same name he entered. The results are much like those the employer will see when she Googles applicants. Nearly all hiring officials Google everybody considered for an interview.
We don’t want the interviewer confused with hits that refer to someone else with the same name. Worse yet, we don’t want hits about undesirable namesakes. Consider a hapless client who happens to be named Jim Jones. When I Googled the name, here are the first hits:
May 2021 | PAGE 7
Jim Jones: an American cult leader, responsiblefor a mass suicide
Jim Jones: a rapper
If your client has a common name, ask him to rely upon just one: a distinctive version whenever he uses the net to extend his brand. In our example above, our client might have to try several versions to find one that works. Using a different form of the first name (“James” vs. “Jim”), using a middle initial (“James T. Jones” or “J. T. Jones”), or employing a middle name (“J. Thomas Jones”) may all help.
With the name decided, it’s time to build the profile. There are entire books written on this subject. Our goal is to transmit our clients’ brands as irresistible. You have probably done much of the work when you wrote the résumé. But remember: a brand is not a glittering collection of adjectives, responsibilities, and skills. I know some of us include those items to influence applicant tracking software. But there is still a need for a brand statement to use in “goodworking” and the interview.
To see the difference, put yourself in the shoes of a harried decision maker as she reads words like these: “…Problem Solving …Leadership Role in Employee Engagement …Coaching Effective Work Teams…Managing and Leading Change / Managing Diversity….”
You can hear her thinking: “I wouldn’t hire the most junior professional who couldn’t do all those things!” This job seeker would be horrified to know those words describe her (very unfairly) as mediocre!
Compare that “brand” with this one:
“The passion to give team members’ proof of their own abilities and thus steer their organizations to expanding, undisputed excellence,
The skill and drive to capitalize on opportunities before their shelf life expires and faster than our competition,
The courage to show others how embracing change skillfully is a durable advantage we can earn,
The willingness to demonstrate knowledge has more power when it’s shared then when it’s hoarded,
The humility to learn how companies, employees, and customers can best work together, and
The integrity to give people the best answer—even if they don’t like it, at first.”
Since a brand (a profile) is a unique promise of value let’s lay it out in profit-building capabilities our clients pledge to demonstrate on the job from the very first day. Said another way, if we help clients demonstrate their brand by using it to help others, they’ll get the best jobs and get them sooner. That’s a great payoff for them and for us.
The brand is the credibility our clients need to “play in the game.” Here are examples of how it works. With my client’s LinkedIn profile done, I encourage him to join any of the special groups dedicated to his career field. He may wish to “lurk” for a while learn the newest threads in the conversation. He can then respond with a suggestion that moves the conversation along powerfully. Or he might respond offline to a participant, offering a new method to help him.
To ease my clients into powerful networking, I ask them to write out the one thing they would change about their career field. As we talk about their idea, I encourage them to expand on it, laying out the advantages of their approach.
Then I ask these critical questions: 1. How many people know about your idea? 2. Who else could benefit from your thoughts?
And then I give them the good news: they have just written an article worth publishing.
Notice the approach I didn’t use: telling them to “write for publication.” Rather, I engaged their passion, then guided them through the mechanics
May 2021 | PAGE 8
A natural preference for offering value to people and organizations who might return the favor, without expecting any immediate benefits and without giving away the store.
Why Goodworking
is BETTER
of drafting an article without ever using that word. The next step, finding the trade magazines and blogs, is easy. Soon my clients are published.
No matter how or where my clients’ words appear, those who like what my client writes will search for him on Google or on LinkedIn…and find the profile we worked so hard to craft. Soon my client is the “go-to-guy” in his field.
More and more, jobs will find people. It’s the “go-to-person” hiring officials think of first. She may begin by searching for the capabilities she needs in the person she’s trying to hire. As she searches with real key words (everybody can “solve problems;” few are Black Belt Certified in Six Sigma), we want our clients’ names to appear. All that happened because our client generously offered help, contributing ideas, positioning himself as a genuine expert.
Make no mistake: “goodworking” means working hard. Why do it? Because it gets jobs. It’s effective because it has our clients helping others, appealing to the best their human nature, and building their confidence.
No matter what the field, companies like to hire helpful people with documented backgrounds of excellence, and a willingness to share it. That positive outlook is key to winning over employers and getting hired in great jobs. When that happens, the only casualty is toxicity.
May 2021 | PAGE 9
During PARWCC’s virtual conference this past April, I was asked by many members how I came to co-found PARW / PARWCC. For those who appreciate history, with all its uniqueness - the expected, the unexpected, and everything in between. Below is a brief history of how PARWCC came to be.
The PARWCC virtual conference this past April 20 and 21 was a grand success. The event was well attended, and over the coming months and years, literally thousands of industry professionals will review and study the videos of the well-presented sessions from this two-day event. And all this, following a successful, pre-pandemic conference in 2019 in Clearwater Beach, Florida, that was attended by more than 250 members, speakers, sponsors, and guests.
And the new PARWCC leadership team has added so many new member programs, online tools, and communication platforms, you’d need a calculator to count them all. Kudos to Margaret and Doug for adding so many new and valuable member benefits over the past 18 months or so. PARWCC is the first, largest, and most respected résumé and career coaching association on the planet. And every day and in every way, the 2,000+ members are contributing to their profession and their industry. They are collaborating with colleagues, expanding their knowledge and skills, and helping clients/students achieve rewarding workplace opportunities - to enrich their lives.
Jay BlockCPRW, CEIP, CPCC, JCTC
The Jay Block Companies Salem, MA
How PARWCC Began
It’s an exciting time to be a member of our profession and of our professional association.
But how did we get here?
The year was 1988. A young kid sat in the waiting room. Probably mid-twenties. He was referred by his dad, and he asked me how much I would charge to write his résumé. I told him there must be some mistake because I don’t write résumés, and asked him why he thought I did.
Back then I wrote business plans for people who were selling or growing their small enterprises. The kid proceeded to tell me that the résumé I included in his father’s business plan helped his father land a job – after the business plan helped him sell his business. Yikes! Two birds with one stone!
What’s important to understand at this juncture, is that I had relocated to Florida two years earlier from New England, where I had lived the first 33 years
of my life. I had moved to Fort Lauderdale to play “Miami Vice” and to become Don Johnson - without a gun. And in 1986, before I headed off for Florida, I paid an outplacement company $325 to write a professional résumé for me. Imagine, $325 for a résumé back in 1986! I had owned a law enforcement uniform company, that I started, grew, and sold after five years. So now, how does a former business owner write a résumé seeking a job as an employee? I had no clue. So I hired a reputable company to write a professional résumé so I could land a job when I got to Florida.
Soon after arriving in Florida, I realized my $325 résumé was pretty much useless. So I launched a business plan writing firm that focused on small businesses being started, being sold, and/or seeking capital, that required a business plan to achieve their goals.
Anyway, to this day, I don’t recall the kid’s name, but he sure had a significant impact on my life. The résumé I wrote for his father was more of a marketing document that included color, graphics, and “sizzle” to complement the substance. Tom Jackson would not have approved. Either would Dick Bolles. (These were two industry icons and top authors at the time – The Perfect Résumé by Tom Jackson and What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles.
I told the kid that I would write his résumé for free. And if, by chance, he were to become as fortunate as his father and land a job using the résumé, he could send me a check for whatever he thought it was worth. To my utter surprise, the kid sent me $200 three weeks later. Could this be a new niche opportunity?
In addition to the book, The Perfect Résumé, the only other résumé book at the time was called, Do Not Use a Résumé, Use A Qualifications Brief, by Richard Lathrop. They pretty much taught job seekers how to write the typical chronological obituary – an unexciting, look-alike document. The philosophy taught to job seekers back then, which is still pretty much taught today, is: Blend in – in order to stand out. And this didn’t make much sense to me.
I had already purchased one of the first laser printers sold ($7,500 back then), to produce business plans on; so why not résumés? I began taking on a few résumé clients just to “test market” my idea - that job seekers need to promote themselves like all other successful products and services – with excitement and sizzle to complement the value and substance.
Also, anticipating that a unique door of opportunity was opening for me, I began interviewing HR managers, recruiters, and hiring managers asking them what they liked and disliked about résumés. And I realized the door of opportunity was wide open, because most of what I was told by these hiring professionals, was the opposite of what the books and most career counselors were advocating at the time.
Over a short six-month period of time in 1988, I had written 16 résumés for clients, and without exception, every client landed a job quickly and confidently. Their successes ended up leading to my new profession. To my 30+ year career!
After reading everything I could get my hands on about résumés, which wasn’t much, I created an instructional résumé product I planned to sell to secretarial services, so they could re-sell it to their customers: The name was 30 Minutes to a Perfect Résumé. I made 100 copies.
Now all I needed to do was find a way to get them in the hands of secretarial services. I did my research and found an association for secretarial services – NASS (National Association of Secretarial Services), with 1,600 members. And to my complete surprise, the association was located in Florida. I was living in Boca Raton and NASS was headquartered in St. Petersburg, a three and a half hour drive. I called the association and reached the executive director, a guy by the name of Frank Fox.
“I have this new résumé product that I’d like to sell to your members. It’s a résumé preparation kit for job seekers, with worksheets in order to create a new type of résumé, a more exciting and engaging document.
“Your members can make money two ways – first, when they sell the kit and, then again, when customers return with the completed handwritten forms to be typed up on a computer and printed out professionally. And you get to sell it wholesale – so you make money for the association. A win-win- win proposition.”
Frank was interested. He told me to mail it to him and he’d review it. But I suggested we meet face-to-face where I could personally introduce the product over lunch. He agreed. We met in the summer of
May 2021 | PAGE 11
Jay Block and Frank Fox
1988. Little did we know at the time, what we were getting into. Our lunch would soon lead to a 30+ year friendship, and a business collaboration that would launch a new industry. It would not be an overstatement to say this lunch totally revolutionized both our lives – and the lives of many up-and-coming members and emerging industry leaders.
During our initial lunch meeting, I asked Frank if he would consider launching a professional résumé association. I explained that I believed that the secretarial business would recede because computer and laser printer costs would soon become affordable to the public. But I told Frank that I thought a résumé writing association had a long-term future if the focus was on professionalizing an industry – transitioning it from a secretarial service to a professional marketing service. After all, job seekers needed to package, position, and promote themselves in competitive job markets as well as Geico. He agreed!
A few weeks following our initial lunch in St. Petersburg, Frank and I got back together and began planning this new association. Frank decided to call it the Professional Association of Résumé Writers. He developed the logo and coined the name “Spotlight” for the monthly newsletter. And since the first newsletter went out via US Mail – we haven’t missed a month in31+ years.
We spent most of 1989 planning PARW, and in January of 1990, the Professional Association of Résumé Writers was officially launched. Over 60 NASS members joined for the introductory annual fee of $60. We quickly realized we were not professionalizing an industry—we were actually starting a new one.
The excitement back then was contagious. In 1990, the first CPRW certification was launched and then improved again in 1992 – led by Wendy Enelow. By the end of 1990, the first year, PARW had over 125 members. We scheduled the first annual PARW conference for 1991 on St. Petersburg Beach. Over 65 people attended that first conference. The industry was exploding quickly. You could feel the excitement, the passion, the energy. Those first 10 years were growth years for PARW, and the new, expanding industry.
During those first 10 years, PARW members began to dominate the résumé and career space in bookstores. My first McGraw-Hill book (1996), 101 Best Résumés, featured 60 résumés created by 26 PARW members who showcased their works and got exposure. My next four résumé books featured over 300 résumés written by 53 members. And many went on to become best-selling authors themselves – Wendy Enelow, Louise Kursmark, Jan Melnick, Susan Whitcombe, Walter Schuette – just to name a few.
In 1998, the second PARW certification was released – the Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP). Also about that time, we implemented “phase 2” of PARW’s evolution – adding CC to PARW. Career Coaching. PARW became PARWCC, and by 2010, we reached 1,000 members.
My good friend and colleague, Diane Hudson, launched the Certified Professional Career Coach program (CPCC) in 2005, and this made up the trio of certifications under the Frank Fox administration. Between 2010 and 2019, PARWCC remained primarily on autopilot… not many new programs. But membership continued to grow. Heading toward 2,000.
Just a few months after PARWCC’s 2019 conference in Clearwater Beach, FL, PARWCC’s ownership changed for the first time since PARW’s inception. Frank Fox transferred ownership to the present leadership team – Margaret and Doug Phares.
May 2021 | PAGE 12
In less than two years, Margaret and Doug have done nothing less than revitalize and revolutionize the association and, thus, the industry. A new website, new training programs, new ways to communicate and collaborate with other members, new certifications, new conferences… a game changing period of time for our industry.
My challenge to all membersI was fortunate. I found an opportunity and someone else, Frank Fox, who shared my vision. More importantly, he took action and made it happen. Ideas are a dime a dozen. But action taken on ideas is priceless. Frank took action – and so did countless members who have contributed so much to PARWCC’s success - Don Orlando, John Suarez, Debbie O’Reilly, the late Jerry Bills, Barbara Adams – and I just offended hundreds of others who I don’t have the space to acknowledge.
But there are UNLIMITED opportunities now – and moving forward. The oldies but goodies, like me, will soon ride into the sunset - staking out pastures where we will enjoy our final years. Are you one of our future leaders? Do you have a vision for the industry? Are you giving thought to how technology, globalization, pandemics, and big companies eating up little ones are affecting the job market? What about outsourcing?
I say it every day – the status quo cannot be followed any longer. It’s outdated, irrelevant, and even dangerous to our future. Are you ready and willing to be part of the leadership team that introduces the new vision – a new status quo? I hope so. I know from personal experience, that we are all limited only by the limitations we place on ourselves.
So, I wonder. What will you be writing about 30 years from now aboutyour profession, industry, and association?
With the advent of COVID-19, we have reassessed many opportunities in the past year. Those working in industries that served the hospitality, airline, amusement, sporting events, food service, and others have suffered greatly. Times, mindsets, and work cultures are changing:
A large percentage of the workforce was sent home to work from their home space in March 2020. The federal government has about two million employees, who were all sent to work from home. Which also meant, they needed a designated lap top, cell phone, printer, and other supplies. Companies are learning that they do not need large buildings to house scores of workers, when the work can be accomplished just as well at home (in many cases) as at a central work location. The question, however, is: Is the work being accomplished just as well as if the employees were in an office environment?
Even before COVID-19, many millennials and Gen-Zers preferred to work from home on their own hours rather than working in a facility with set job hours. Obviously, some jobs will have to remain at the work site: emergency medicine, surgical medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, policing/law enforcement, fire protection, mail delivery, retail, truck drivers, and many more. Much of triage medicine as converted to virtual / Teladoc appointments. Some managers and hiring officials are starting to believe that employees can be trained, rather than requiring a specific degree. Some degrees will most likely always be required: engineering, accounting (Certified Public Accountant), doctor, lawyer, nurse, and similar. But many degrees that do not
require a specific credential, can be taught on-the-job. My friend who is an accountant, said that when she learned accounting, it was all on paper. When the job converted to computer, she did not know how to turn on a computer in the beginning. The number crunching is the same, however.
My colleague who owns a veterinary clinic, says that her employees are seeking a ‘utopian workplace’– meaning they want to set their own hours, they want to work from home, they do not want any ill patients as their last two appointments of the day (they only want routine wellness checkups the last two hours of their shifts), and so forth. She struggles to keep staff onboard.
The way we engage in training has changed. Training used to be in-person, live. Then training shifted to online or via telephone. I could wash my floors while “in class” listening to a session – with PowerPoints in the background on my computer. Today, training is less traditional and includes gamification, e-learning, mobile learning, and social learning. Learning is presented in small segments (think ‘Sesame Street’) and not hour-long blocks. And, with Zoom / similar platforms, it is not as easy to step away from the computer. Millennials want to be able to learn while on a train, plane, or jogging machine. I have learned, as a career coach, I am delivering content to multiple generations and learning styles. Thus, I provide written, verbal, and engaging (kinesthetic) activities to include all of my audiences.
Diane Hudson CPRW, CEIP, CPCC, CCMC
Director, Certified Professional Career Coach Program
Change
March 2021 | PAGE 14
To engage employees, companies are now using “Upskilling.” Upskilling facilitates continuous learning by providing training programs and development opportunities that expand an employee’s abilities and minimize skill gaps. Upskilling focuses on improving current employees’ skill sets, usually through training, so they can advance in their jobs and find different roles and opportunities within the company. Upskilling allows an organization to fill gaps and positions while maintaining their current workforce and creating employee strengthening and learning opportunities. When companies focus on strengths rather than weaknesses they can energize and grow a workforce. Upskilling techniques include mentoring and shadowing, lunch-and-learn / brown bag sessions, and microlearning (the process of acquiring knowledge through small chunks of information used to meet a specific learning outcome).
Using coaching techniques, with all of these changes, how do we coach our clients to success in job search and career management?
For clients who lost their jobs during COVID-19, ask them what they want to do going forward? If they loved their job and compensation, then coach them on a path to find a new job in the same industry with a similar salary.
If they did not like their job, due to low salary or poor work-life balance, or because they did not like their boss, now is a time to make a change. Ask them, “What industry do you want to work in? “What kind of jobs would you like to pursue?” Ask them:“If you could have your dream job, with no deterrents, what would it be?” Then explore opportunities for new education, new skill development, or a new credential.
Encourage informational interviews. Review O*NET and the Department of Labor websites to determine and identify possible new jobs that will be longer sustained. The federal government has two million employees and hires daily, even through the pandemic. Medical is hiring, cyber security and Information Technology is hiring; the transportation industry is
hiring truck drivers and school bus drivers; food service is hiring starting at $11 to $15 an hour; retail is desperate for employees; and mechanics are in demand.
If they were laid off due to being in an industry that suffered from the COVID-19 shutdown (hospitality, airline, hotel, amusement, food service), explore options within the industry that can be done at home – or learn a new skill in that industry, so that when the jobs open again fully, they will be prepared with a new skill set. Skill sets are transferable from operations management in amusement / entertainment to green or aerospace.
For each job seeker, as you coach them to build a career management plan, the action plan needs to include building a story-telling, compelling, accomplishment-based resume, and LinkedIn profile. Coach them to ace the interview including virtual interviews – as this form of interviewing is the norm for now anyways. Build their confidence – many are lacking confidence. A lack of confidence permeates the job search process, as many will decline to interview; they will decline to attend networking events. Some employees will choose to not return to work after the pandemic is considered over or contained. Some will be very afraid still to leave their homes. Motivate them to move forward; teach them how to network and build relationship via virtual platforms.
There seems to be a lot of disappointment and doubt in job seekers of late. Change is inevitable, and we have lived it personally the past year. I am now asking my clients, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” I am identifying my clients’ perspectives and taking their emotional temperature.
I do not want any of their disappointments to permeate their job search.
May 2021 | PAGE 15
My grandmother lived through the Spanish flu, World Wars 1 and 2, the great depression, the Korean War, Vietnam, the introduction of the automobile and airplane, the introduction of the pour-your-own soda at a fast food, the electric typewriter, walk around telephone, she lived past the turn of the century and much more. Lots of changes.
My first experience with distressed living caused by the environment was this pandemic. I was able to see how it affected me, my family, friends, and clients – and it certainly will have a lasting impression for years to come.
However, as a career coach, and as a society – we always survive and THRIVE!
Featuring Matt Warzel, CPRW, CIR You on LinkedIN
1:00 PM ET, Thursday, May 13Playing the LinkedIn algorithm to maximize your post visibility, brand identify and lead generation can easily yield BIG returns to your business.
November 2020 | PAGE 16
John Suarez MBA, CPRW
Career Ready
The Games We PlayRésumé writers put themselves in some interesting situations. The accumulation of “firsts” is a process that takes time and requires the ability to get in just thismuch over your head…and find your way out. Your first senior executive, your first military transition, your first career changer, your first Sales Planning Manager…using everything you know to that point, the résumé writer accepts the challenge and ends up with a new tool in the tool box for future reference.
To celebrate this diversity of our struggles and growth, try spending the next few months tracking some of your success stories with a simple game of Bingo.
You can play across, up and down, diagonally, or go for the blackout Bingo by covering all 25 squares. There is no time limit, but you can’t cover a square based on what you have done in the past…it has to be from this day forward. If you’re lucky, one situation will allow you to cover more than one square.
Let the games begin!
PS: Some of you might be interested in adding your own content to the Bingo game (HINT HINT…It can be used as an excellent training tool!). It’s easy enough to duplicate this with a 5x5 table, but if you prefer, shoot me an email and I’ll send you the original MS Word version of this so you can modify it to suit your taste.
Résumé Writer Bingo Put an “X” through each square that represents a résumé writing situation you have encountered since May 1, 2021.
B I N G O
Résumé for a recent college graduate
Résumé for someone
with gaps in their career history
Résumé for someone with multiple short-
tenure positions
Résumé where you used columns as a formatting feature
You leveraged their
volunteer experience
Résumé for a Career
Changer
You turned negative
client feedback into a positive experience
Résumé for someone with highly-repetitive
jobs in long career (10+ years)
You connected with a fellow colleague on
You embedded
hyperlinks in résumé text
You condensed a 2-
page résumé to 1 page
You used a testimonial
in the résumé
Free
Résumé for someone whose entire career
(10+ years) was with 1 or 2 employers
You learned
something new and applied it for the first
time
You used color for
visual appeal
This was your first
time writing for this profession
You acquired a new
client via referral
Your client landed a new job with your
help
You helped a client avoid potential age
discrimination
Résumé for a Senior
Executive
Résumé for someone
returning to the workforce
Résumé where you purposely omitted
certain jobs
You combined
multiple job titles with one company
You did NOT use a
reverse-chronological format
Heidi Scott GiustoPhD, CPRW, CEIP
Career Path Writing Solutions
May 2021 | PAGE 17
Learning how to read job descriptions critically enables job seekers to use their time wisely by helping them decide whether or not to apply for a role. If they proceed with applying, the job description can also serve as a guide for tailoring their application materials. Here are three steps you can share with your clients and students to ensure they use the information in a job description to the fullest extent possible.
Step 1: Read the Job Description Completely Recently, I read a job description that stated toward the end, “Make sure you submit a cover letter so we know you read all the way to here.” This example illustrates that many people don’t read job advertisements thoroughly, which causes them to miss important information. Coach your students and clients to read every word of the job description, paying close attention. They can learn about the company’s culture and mission along with information about the role’s responsibilities and qualifications.
Step 2: Assess Required and Preferred QualificationsMany job descriptions categorize qualifications by “required” and “preferred.” While some applicants don’t distinguish between these categories when deciding whether they should apply, I recommend that they do.
If the job description neatly categorizes required and preferred qualifications and the job seeker lacks the top required qualification, they should carefully consider if applying to the role is a good investment of their time. For instance, assume a job seeker has two years of experience as an individual contributor but the job description states “10 years of experience required, with at least five years of team management experience.” This role is not a good match with the job seeker’s background. In our role as career service providers, sometimes we must remind a job seeker that just because they theoretically could do a job doesn’t mean they are a strong fit.
If the job seeker does have the top one or two required qualifications, then they need to evaluate whether they have enough of the other qualifications listed in the job advertisement. Back in my grad school days at Duke University, I was taught to apply if I had 60-70% of the qualifications; I still find this to be good advice.
When working with my clients and students, I tell them the following: Do not make the mistake of missing opportunities because you don’t have 100% of what the employer is looking for, but also don’t waste your time applying for a role if you are missing the most basic qualification the employer is seeking. I often remind women clients that women often underestimate their qualifications and lose opportunities for lack of applying.
Help Job Seekers Decode Job Descriptions
May 2021 | PAGE 18
Step 3: Use the Job Description to Tailor Application Materials Tailoring the resume and cover letter to the job description is the name of the game when it comes to applying for jobs. Job seekers can accomplish this by taking the following two actions.
Mine the Job Description for Key Words and Other Information
I instruct my students and job seekers to print the job description or save it in an editable file. They should have highlighters or colored pens on hand if working from a printout.
The job seeker should analyze the description and mine it for information. They should consider the following: What is the key skill or set of skills the employer is seeking? Which skills are preferences and which are requirements?
Next, the job seeker should determine what the employer needs them to do and know for the role. In one color, they can highlight or underline actions (verbs) and nominalizations, which are verbs in noun form, such as implementation and development. These are the key actions the employer wants the new hire to take and do.
In a second color, the job seeker can highlight or underline all core competency areas. These are typically nouns, such as MS Office Suite, microbiology, Python, digital marketing, or other key things the new hire is expected to know.
Next, the job seeker should review and categorize the highlighted terms to determine if they can be grouped into key “bucket” areas. These bucket areas can get to the heart of what the employer wants the person in the role to do and know, if it hasn’t been stated succinctly in the job advertisement.
For instance, your student or client might create a bucket category called “marketing” by grouping together the following terms: brand development, copy writing, engagement, monitor trends, Google Analytics, WordPress, SEO, and social media.
Cross-Reference and Incorporate Key Terms into the Cover Letter and Resume
Once the job seeker has divided all of the highlighted terms into buckets, they should cross-reference theirresume and cover letter and ensure both documents contain all—or at least most—of those terms. Depending on the length of the job description and how many terms the job seeker identified, they might use their cover letter to address the key bucket categories. In the letter, the applicant could emphasize three to five categories of information rather than try to incorporate 25 individual key terms.
TakeawayReading a job description carefully is the first step a job seeker should take to decide if applying for a particular job is a good use of their time. Once they determine they are a strong fit for a role, the job description also provides direction for tailoring their resume and cover letter for the job opening. Far too many job seekers do not take the three steps I’ve outlined above, but if we coach our students and clients to do so, we can help them accelerate the pace of finding an employment opportunity that is a good fit.
The Funnies
May 2021 | PAGE 19
