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Lamplighter

Welcome to ETP

(Empowering Today's Professionals)

ETP was established specifically to help individuals in transition find jobs.

MISSION

Encourage, train, support, mentor and advise fellow CEOs of ME, Incorporated in all aspects of defined responsibilities to their personal Board of Directors. ETP CORE VALUES

ETP has a special concern for the advancement of professionals worldwide and is committed to delivering its core values of

INTEGRITY, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, and COMPASSION to its members. Today, ETP consists of 13 million LinkedIn professionals and 1000s of members. We are developing teams globally to assist members with their networking and career management programs.

Since 2004 Empowering Today's Professionals (ETP)

has helped hundreds of people successfully land jobs

and business opportunities. It's a known fact

Members land jobs quicker, with over 250 people

landing safely in 2009 alone. Combined with

Member benefits, Rod Colon's "Win the Race for 21st

Century Jobs" is a must read for anyone who wants to

insulate their career from all types of economic

conditions.

Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs Order Book Now

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Welcome Message The best presentation you'll ever give is the one you study, learn and master

and then deliver by simply being yourself.

Hilton Johnson

Welcome to our August-September 2010 edition of the Lamplighter.

Our heartfelt thanks to our readers who generously filled out the Lamplighter Satisfaction Survey. Please continue to do so for this edition and other editions to come. Your feedback is very important to us so we can serve you better. We hope that you are enjoying the remaining warmth and activities of the summer.

Special thanks to the volunteer staff of the Lamplighter; Eric Nilsson, our design layout expert,

Barbara Daisak, our proofreader, and our contributing writers.

We are proud to present you with the following selections:

A very Special Feature - Spotlight on Eric Nilsson

Benefits of ETP Membership

Rod Colon‘s ―Run Your Career as a Business‖

Ken Eisenberg‘s ―How Measurable Goals Support Mental Toughness with Weekly Plateaus‖

Carl Reid‘s ―Dirty Jobs Build Reputation‖

Lamplighter Survey page

Chip Hartman‘s ―Fast Track to Nowhere‖

Scott Chase‘s ―Networking Is Not Just for Those Not Working‖

Eric Nilsson‘s Crossword Puzzle

Eric Nilsson‘s ―The Alchemist‘s Arcanum‖

Aaron Cohen's "Twenty Lame Excuses For Not Networking"

Barbara Daisak‘s ―Tech Tip‖

Awareness Corner - ―Cyber Thieves‖ and ―The Danger of Driving While Texting‖

Meet the Lamplighters

Solution to the Crossword Puzzle We hope you will enjoy reading this edition as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

Spotlight

Lamplighter Features

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SPOTLIGHT ON . . . Eric Nilsson

For his valuable volunteer work as the Design Layout Expert and Contributing Writer to the Lamplighter, the ETP newsletter. Eric has given us the privilege of enjoying the Lamplighter issues with his graphics, crossword puzzles, and Alchemist‘s Arcanum compilations column. Eric is an epitome of a real professional who uses his energy, experience, and expertise to help other human beings in advancing and enhancing their personal and professional lives. It is no surprise what a great job Eric has been doing with the Lamplighter because he brings with him his impressive credentials and personal achievements. Eric worked as a reporter for his college newspaper, has a degree in English, has worked at a major newspaper (The Record of Hackensack), and has experience in newsletters from his time as Marketing Director at the Professional Service Group of New Brunswick. Eric has volunteered his services to the Lamplighter from its February 2009 debut.

―I have had the privilege of working with Eric when I took over as the Editor-in-Chief of the Lamplighter. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Eric for his generosity, support, and expertise in making the Lamplighter a powerful newsletter. It has always been a great pleasure working with you, Eric.‖ – Aida A. Rodriguez ―Eric is the best at what he does. He is the backbone of the ETP Lamplighter newsletter. He was instrumental in its startup and continues to be inspirational in its creation. We couldn‘t have done it without him.‖ – Scott Chase, Former Editor-in-Chief of the Lamplighter

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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Lamplighter Features

Lamplighter Features

Welcome

Message Benefits of

ETP Membership

Lamplighter

Survey

Crossword Puzzle

(Created by

Eric Nilsson)

The Alchemist's Arcanum

(Compilations by Eric Nilsson)

Barbara Daisak's Tech

Tip

Lamplighter

Staff

Crossword Solution

Awareness Corner:

The Robber in the

Dell (or Apple or

Sony or Acer)

Awareness Corner:

A Very Bad Driving Habit

Featured Writers

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Featured Writers

Run Your Career as a Business By

Rod Colon

How Measurable Goals Support Mental

Toughness with Weekly Plateaus By Ken Eisenberg

Dirty Jobs Build Reputation By Carl Reid

Fast Track to Nowhere By

Chip Hartman

Networking is Not Just for Those Not

Working By Scott Chase

Twenty Lame Excuses for

Not Networking

By Aaron Cohen

Lamplighter Features

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Benefits of ETP Membership

Other career outsourcing companies provide tools that tell you "What" to do.

ETP's proven education programs and methodologies guide you explicitly through "HOW" to accomplish your career management goals.

Related FAQ topics: What's In It For Me | Membership | Success Stories

Member Benefits That Achieve Results

For less than 21 cents a day receive benefits valued at $879.00

Member

$74.99/yr

Student Member

$37.50/yr

1. Receive copy of book "Win the Race for 21st Century Jobs". ($20 Value) Read more

2. NEW Weekly "high energy" Job Search School conference call and webinar with Q & A. ($250 Value per call)

3. Proven ETP Network 7 Step Job Search (c)" methodology with access to video, audio recordings and document reference libraries.

4. NEW Targeted Resume Review Program gets you to "INTERVIEW" phase quicker.

5. NEW Mock Interview Program with assigned professional increases job offers.

6. NEW Solution Center available at 732-367-5580 for impromptu Job Search Q & A, Personal connection introduction, Pre-Interview preparation etc.. ($150 Value per 1 hr call)

7. Exclusive ETP Angel Program with personal introductions and connections within a network of 13 million company insiders.

Tools Resources & Networking Opportunities

8. NEW Advanced Job Search Class Room Training at New Horizons Learning Center Princeton, NJ, with Internet ready computers. Register Now

9. Practice reciprocal networking techniques, taught only by ETP Network for proven results, at ETP sponsored training events throughout the United States.

10.Career Management Online Webinars: (LinkedIn, Indeed, Twitter, Social Media, Resume Writing, Personal Branding, Relationship development Scripts)

11. Smart Radar subscription makes customized job opportunities come to you. Eliminate time spent looking for a job. Spend more time scheduling interviews. ($60 Value) Start a Smart Radar Subscription

12. Access to member directory.

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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Run Your Career as a Business

By Rod Colon

Who are the most important people in your life? The most popular answer to that question is: ―My family.‖ For most of us, ―family‖ represents those individuals who believe in us and trust us to provide them with the necessities of life. I now ask you to begin thinking of your family as your Personal Board of Directors. These are the people to whom you have the greatest responsibility and who will benefit the most from your successful job search. They are also the individuals who endure hardship if your search is unproductive and there‘s no other source of income. Put another way, your Personal Board of Directors deserves to have you working at nothing less than peak performance during your search. That‘s why learning to detach from the grip of The Black Hole is so essential. While The Black Hole is a no-brainer to use, that personal comfort level comes with a steep price tag: no acknowledgement of resumes and cover letters, no status updates via e-mail or phone calls, and no invitations for interviews … just to name a few. And getting miserable results like that does nothing to support your Personal Board of Directors. I don‘t know about you, but if I‘m in a job search and I have a choice between an approach that‘s easy to use but lightweight on results or a methodology that requires me to work hard but produces consistently favorable results, I‘ll go with the more demanding option every time. Why? There‘s simply far too much at stake. To get started and overcome the addictive force of The Black Hole and Black Hole-style thinking, I require all new members of ETP to commit wholeheartedly to the following paradigm:

Each individual will promote himself or herself to the position of CEO of ME, Inc. and make a conscious decision to run his or her own career as a business.

What‘s the benefit? By segmenting your job search into ―branches‖ or ―divisions‖ (e.g., Research & Development, Sales & Marketing, etc.) that correlate with a traditional corporate structure, you can train yourself to develop two key attributes that are missing from the Black Hole: personal accountability and workload distribution. Together they are an unbeatable combination compared to piling all tasks into one overstuffed filing cabinet in your brain — which often leads to chaos and the need to assign blame when the load becomes unmanageable. This ME, Inc. paradigm is also the centerpiece for my 7-Step Job Search Methodology. The beauty of the program is that new ETP members learn how to integrate their business divisions into a meaningful, end-to-end process that‘s sensible, manageable, and measurable; that‘s right — you can develop metrics that will tell you if you‘re making progress and help you pinpoint any disconnects. About ETP (Empowering Today‘s Professionals) ETP has engineered an entirely new type of job search built on four key interrelated goals. Members will:

1. Develop and refine all networking skills 2. Adopt the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set 3. Create powerful and compelling value propositions to attract potential employers

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4. Use a precise, step-by-step approach that leverages the connecting power of advocates to help you ―network your way‖ to key people in the hiring process

The power of this system is its ability to reduce the time between the next suitable opportunity and the call for an interview. It will help you connect the dots — but only if you work it properly. And that is a key point: first you need to learn it, then you need to ―work it.‖ I‘d like to welcome you to this incredible organization. We are all about power networking, power business ownership, power value propositions, and an incredible new power job search methodology all rolled up into one. Best wishes and keep networking alive, Rod Colón

Chief Executive Officer

Empowering Today’s Professionals

Network

Running the Business of "ME"

www.ETPNetwork.com

rod@etpnetwork.com

732.367.5580

Connect with me on:

http://RodColon.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/RodColon

http://www.linkedin.com/in/RodColon

http://www.facebook.com/RodColon1

Order Your Copy of My Book Today –

Win The Race For 21st Century Jobs

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

How Measurable Goals Support Mental Toughness with Weekly Plateaus

By Ken Eisenberg Maintaining a positive frame of mind can be a daunting task when in a work transition mode. There are days, weeks, even months, of minimal responses, interviews, business opportunity meetings, etc. The road to transition is littered with the potholes of frustrations, rejections and the unpredictability of when will be the next interview. Even with the support of the robust ETP team and the many effective tools and processes, it is only human to suffer the emotional pangs of having to overcome these inevitable setbacks. Any life goal or objective is made more attainable by breaking it down into more easily identifiable and thereby more measurable components. Following the ETP process, here are a few plateaus to help you in your job transition phase:

Weekly Plateaus

Developing a formula to buttress our Mental Toughness is made easier if you rely on an outline of steps to achieve your goal of getting two new business appointments and/or interviews per week, for example. Identifying these weekly plateaus serves several useful purposes, which include; 1. Personal progress can be more easily measured to help you reach your goal.

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2. Achieving any of these plateaus can be a reward in itself to maintain your positive outlook, while increasing confidence and self-esteem. 3. Tracking your progress can buffer the unpredictability of limited responses or Rejections. 4. Honing your own personal formula supports your ability to fine-tune for success. 5. Giving you a sense of control with your direction and to maintain your commitment and focus on the overall objective to transition to new opportunities. As mentioned, these numbers are merely examples. I have not done any research on what would be an industry average, although I am sure the numbers will vary. Also, the numbers may vary simply by the specificity of your job requirements, the level of expertise you have in a particular discipline, and your skills at using the telephone to follow-up. I recommend that you refine these Weekly Plateaus to fit your own personal goals and requirements. This approach has worked well for me and I urge you to test them out and use them in your life to help you achieve your fullest potential.

Ken Eisenberg is an Industrial Marketing entrepreneur having created the specialized Industrial

Marketing Associates, LLC over 15 years ago to assist manufacturers create new sales

opportunities in niche market segments. Most recently, Ken leveraged the advantages of

Salesforce.com CRM, with implementations to support sales, marketing, and customer service

teams. http://www.linkedin.com/in/keneisenberg2010

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

Dirty Jobs Build Reputation

By Carl Reid

A client hired me to provide technology support at a conference in Atlanta this week. This has been a "low visibility" role since last week. Once computers, peripherals and wireless networks were setup by the technology team, my role has been to just be "on call". Yesterday I heard through the grapevine that the event producer commented "Carl does a great job of making other people look good". It was very gratifying to hear this, because I didn't think he was even paying attention. The irony of the statement is it came as a result of creating visibility by doing

mundane, dirty jobs unrelated to my core technical skills. So far, some of the tasks I've done at this conference are crowd control in getting attendees on tour buses, insuring the registration team had a constant supply of office supplies, directing attendees to workshops, helping the command center team collate presentation copies and herding some children playing on the escalator to the daycare center to play safer games. Do you think my client will be satisfied with engaging my technical expertise? The answer is since 2002, this is the 4th time the client has engaged my services at this biennial week-long conference. Creating high visibility at work many times requires stepping outside of our primary role. Doing

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those dirty jobs most people don't want to do. This is smart marketing in building a reputation with peers, managers and the "powers that be" at the top of the corporate food chain. In an interview with Bill Powell of CNNMoney.com, CEO of Baidu, Inc., Robin Li says it best. "During our first board meeting, when the company was founded, I said, "I never ran a company by myself -- what kind of advice do you have for me?" And I was told, "Under promise and over deliver." The advice Robin received is the key to strategic career positioning or developing a successful business. Everyone at work is expendable. Performing some extra unsolicited tasks can make you be perceived as indispensable, when the staff cut hammer drops. It starts by asking the question "do you need help with something?‖ Having the attitude of "it's not my job" is definitely a career killer these days. By searching for opportunities at work to step out of your core skill comfort zone, better positioning is always gained. Years ago, during a ―bring your child to work day,‖ a senior vice president asked me to keep an eye on his son, while the SVPattended a meeting. For an hour I was probably the most expensive baby sitter in the world. This paid big dividends when the SVP renewed my technology consulting contract 3 months later. Doing whatever it takes to create and maintain visibility with clients is a savvy intrapreneur's best marketing strategy. Be there and be there often, even if it means not always doing what you were initially hired to do.

About Carl Reid

Chief Operations Officer at Empowering Today's Professionals

Chief Savvy Intrapreneur (CSI), Business Career Coach,

Speaker & Professional Blogger at Savvy Intrapreneur

Sr. Email Engineer & Helpdesk Manager at Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Dept. of

Internet Ministries Email: carlreid@success4u2.net

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

Fast Track to Nowhere

It’s Time to Practice the Fine Art of Being Uncomfortable By Chip Hartman June 28, 2010

Who in their right mind wants to be uncomfortable? It sounds crazy, but the question is legitimate. To be successful in the 21st century job search, professionals must acquire a skill that earlier generations never had to grapple with: the continuous stretching of their personal comfort zones. Without the push and pain of testing their limits, they remain stalled in their search efforts while those who recognize the importance of continuous growth fly past them — right into the open arms of all the best jobs. Without the embrace of some temporary discomfort, we put our personal growth in deep freeze and put ourselves on the fast track to nowhere.

Introduction It‘s frightening to discover that many of us are actually on that fast track to nowhere. We go through life day to day just spinning our wheels — then wonder why there doesn‘t seem to be any progress. Worse, it may not occur to us that we are the only

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ones with direct control over the journey. It‘s as if we‘ve relinquished control of our lives to some imaginary authoritative figure who tells us what to do, when and how to do it, and what results to expect. Why? The answers are as varied as they are unattractive. It goes by many different names: rut, vicious cycle, comfort zone — whatever — it all comes down to the same thing: allowing complacency to dominate one‘s behavior. In fact many of us are actually willing to sacrifice a future brimming with achievement and success just to preserve a present filled with the ongoing familiarity and safety of the status quo. Since we all pretty much understand the concept of a comfort zone, let‘s examine the subject through a specific lens — a 21st century career management lens — to build relevant connections to our job search efforts. To do this effectively we need to be aware of some fundamental principles of human behavior. What Keeps Us Locked in our Comfort Zones? The following principles of human behavior are the primary culprits in keeping us locked within our comfort zones:

High resistance to change. If change is necessary, people accept it in measured doses, not wholesale lots. They like to decide if and how much they will embrace change. They hate to be ordered to change if their minds aren’t ready to accept it.

Natural avoidance of discomfort or pain. This is a ―hard-wired‖ human trait with very few exceptions. We are biologically programmed to dislike discomfort and avoid pain.

Fear of the unknown. It’s doubtful that anyone is 100% fearless all of the time. Fear is another hard-wired human trait, so it’s not surprising to learn that it often plays a role in preventing someone from stepping outside of his or her comfort zone.

Super-sensitivity to rejection. For some, a single rejection or failure finishes them off. They retreat into their comfort zones, lick their wounds, and lapse into comfortable routines of avoidance.

Marginal use of overall intellectual capabilities. In some cases, individuals are unaware that they have more productive capacity and potential because no one has ever challenged them to tap it before. In other cases, there’s a high level of awareness but it’s regrettably trumped by apathy.

These principles explain why so many individuals remain trapped in their comfort zones. They‘ve made a decision to suspend all attempts at exploring their true potential. And make no mistake: it‘s the potential stored in each one of us that holds the key to how we manage our careers, build networks, get interviews, land targeted positions, write books, etc… The Job Search Connection For those who are hip-deep in the job search, getting stuck in a comfort zone is pretty much the kiss of death. It seems like only yesterday that world economies were stable, companies were healthy,

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and jobs were plentiful. Today, the business environment is radically different and competition for available positions is fierce. If what Charles Darwin said about survival of the fittest is true, only the most well-differentiated among us stand a chance at landing 21st century jobs. Here are some of the more ―job search-specific‖ stumbling blocks that can easily be tied to an individual‘s reluctance to push the boundaries of the comfort zone:

Being shy: Shyness is not an asset in today’s business environment but it is not necessarily a mortal wound, either. Shyness can be overcome — usually in small incremental steps — so that an individual’s true character can be exposed to the job market. Most individuals who recognize they have a significant shyness problem retain the services of a professional career counselor to step them through the corrective process.

Fear of phoning: Don’t laugh — in one Midwestern networking group, a surprising 37% of members were not only afraid, but actually petrified, to pick up the phone, dial a number, and speak with a stranger (in this example, the ―stranger‖ was identified as someone who had the ability to help them).

Being unwilling to ask: If you’ve built a network of trusted professionals but are afraid to ask any of them for help, then why did you bother to build it? For some people, this inhibition can paralyze their search efforts and bring any meaningful progress to a standstill.

Being unwilling — or unable — to make and keep commitments: In any job search methodology, there are touchpoints of responsibility that cannot be outsourced; the individual alone must be able to manage those responsibilities if there is any expectation of growth.

There are many more examples, of course, but the goal here is to illustrate the problem, not quantify it. The Bad News About Comfort Zones Many people are content to conduct their lives almost totally within their comfort zones. They are the people least likely to take risks. Unfortunately, all positive change takes place outside of the comfort zone … and that presents a huge problem for the complacent crowd. They want results but are unwilling to absorb the discomfort needed to get them. Achievement expert Brian Tracy claims that over 90% of people will withdraw to their comfort zone when they experience even a mild rejection, failure, or setback. By contrast, only 5 – 10% will keep challenging themselves and absorb the accompanying discomfort … because they know that a goal to be won is a goal worth fighting for. Then there‘s the ―regret factor.‖ If you‘ve ever been in a situation in which you‘ve experienced deep regret over the failure to act decisively, you‘re already familiar with the sting and lingering pain of regret. You had an opportunity to take bold, positive action but you declined. It was a bad choice but it was your choice … thus the consequences are yours, too.

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The Good News About Comfort Zones The good news is actually quite good. There are ways to coach people out of their comfort zones. It‘s based on the time-tested approach of taking small incremental steps to change behavior (e.g., the challenge of making a cold call to the CEO of a company might begin with learning how to call a long lost relative) and gradually scaling the achievements upward. The coaching method to coax someone out of a comfort zone generally consists of these steps:

1. Being completely sure why you intend to leave your comfort zone. 2. Accepting the fact that there will be some discomfort, anxiety, pain, and fear of the

unknown. 3. Building a support network of friends, colleagues, and online communities that will

recognize and encourage your small incremental improvements as the key to changing your entire life.

4. Never, ever giving up. If you are rejected or experience failure, steel your resolve and jump back into the battle. You probably won‘t want to, but force yourself to do it anyway.

Characteristics of Achievers One of the best expressions of continually pushing the limits on your comfort zone is captured by this quote from World Champion Cyclist Lance Armstrong: ―Pain is temporary. It may last a minute or an hour or a day or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, the pain lasts forever.‖ Eleanor Roosevelt is credited with having said, ―Do one thing every day that scares you.‖ She was suggesting that the mere act of stepping outside of your comfort zone not only strengthens your character, but positions you favorably to manage the next challenge and the next one, and so on. Meet Jim Rohn Jim Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. For many years, his books, lectures and seminars taught millions of Americans the principle of attaining growth and success by pushing their limits and learning how to deal with new and unfamiliar challenges. The following quotations from Jim Rohn underscore the importance of continually stepping outside of your comfort zone. Each one — if you read it carefully — offers a new insight into the enigma of our comfort zones.

―Don't bring your need to the marketplace, bring your skill. If you don't feel well, tell your doctor, but not the marketplace. If you need money, go to the bank, not the marketplace.‖

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."

―Don't just read the easy stuff. You may be entertained by it, but you’ll never grow from it.‖

―Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better.―

―Either you run the day or the day runs you.―

―If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.‖

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―If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.‖

―The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized - never knowing.‖

―We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.‖

―When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.‖ Source:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jim_rohn.html

In Conclusion If you believe that life is what you make of it, then success always comes to those who continually push the envelope by regularly testing the limits of their untapped potential. But career paralysis is the unwelcome result for those who prefer to stay curled up in their comfort zones and just grind out the same activities day after day, always hopeful for great results but always disappointed in the day‘s outcome.

Chip Hartman is a writer, author, and online marketing specialist based in Montville, NJ. He is the CEO of MeridiaSystems.com, LLC, a marketing/branding/advertising company that has distinguished itself by integrating unusually high-impact language, visuals, and technology for B2B marketing and advertising collateral. Chip just completed work on his new book ―Win The Race for 21st Century Jobs‖ co-authored by Mr. Rod Colon (Founder and CEO of ETP). Chip is the Editor-in-Chief of ETP and can be reached at chip@meridiasystems.com.

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

Networking is Not Just for Those Not Working By Scott Chase

I borrowed the title of this article from a friend of mine, to illustrate a disturbing trend I have been seeing. With the economy starting its recovery, people are actually starting to find jobs and get back to work. This is a great thing to see, since I know first hand how it feels to be un-employed during this current economic recession. However, what I have seen during the past several months is when people get back to work; they disappear from the networking scene. I have built up some great relationships with people over the last couple of years and when I now go to networking events, I do not see their faces anymore. Granted, I am working also and can‘t get to as many networking events as I have done in the past, but I want to try to keep my relationships going with as many people as I can. I try to ping them throughout the year just to say ―HI.‖ I see some great professionals, from all walks of life, missing the boat on networking just because they landed a job. Landing the job should only be an added bullet in your networking arsenal. It gives you an extra edge to share with your network your experience of going through the search, interview and finally the landing of your current job. People need to hear about your success in landing that job. It gives them hope and inspiration that would be sorely missed if you do not continue to network and share your experiences. You will also continue to gain insight as to the current trends in the marketplace and continue to share real life work experience with your network. This is invaluable, especially for your first 90 days on the job.

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Of course, you will never know when that layoff or downsizing will come around again. So, for those of you who have landed and I have not heard from in awhile (You know who you are), please send me a note. If you have stopped networking, I encourage you to please start up again, because NETWORKING IS NOT JUST FOR THOSE NOT WORKING.

Scott Chase

Manager, Human Capital at INTTRA

COO, CIO at Burke & Chase Career Management Resources

Manager, Group Benefits Specialist at Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.

The Career HelpDesk - The Hotline to Your Career1-866-387-8740

Former Editor-in-Chief of ETP's newsletter – The Lamplighter

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

Lamplighter Survey

Please help us help you!

The Mars Surveyor had been employed for years, losing its job at NASA to the recession. While it has

nothing to do with the survey, if you take a few seconds to fill out the Lamplighter Survey, you can feel like

the Surveyor is looking out for you.

The survey is anonymous and so are the comments. The comments are important because they help define

the composition of the Lamplighter. The comments should be constructive, pointing out what you as a

reader like and dislike. The great thing is that you can take the survey as often as you desire, especially if a

short while after completing the first survey, you want to add another comment.

Let's all make Lamplighter a newsletter worthy of its name and keep the Surveyor around Mars (you don't

know what it will find).

Thanks from the Lamplighter staff and from the Mars Surveyor. It will be watching.

Lamplighter Features

Featured Writers

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Lamplighter Crossword Puzzle August-September, 2010

Across

4 Part of a Fishbone Diagram

6 Childbearing or an arduous task

7 What is common in Autumn (2

words)

10 Sometimes "redundant", always

unwelcome

12 Its weight in gold

13 Majestic month

15 Emotional influence

16 They say one thing and mean

something else

17 Believe it or not, this reduces

work

18 An hour's or week's time

20 Travel transformation

22 Profit-generating ad

24 When smiles become frowns

26 A cul-de-sac or a change of

mind; a recovery

28 One of a kind

30 Six feet under water

31 Brazen, yet courageous

32 The "King" of NASCAR

34 Wages without overtime

35 Sought after by job hunters

36 Paper and some kinds of plastic

are this

Down

1 A devastating event, not always

unexpected (2 words)

2 Wasting time (and money)

3 Character concealment

5 A source of wealth

8 Freedom north and south

9 Precedes man, woman, or

person

11 Unlikely

14 The Vernal happens in Spring,

the Autumnal in Fall

15 Righting a wrong

18 Most people or a type of bee

19 Feather Weight

21 A market with few sellers and

many buyers

23 Boldly going where some have

gone before

25 Sticky persuasion

27 A pose and a disposition

29 A SIC look at one side of the

market

33 From the ground or on the

ground

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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The Alchemist Speaks: Jaques: All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143

Hamlet: I'll have grounds More relative than this—the play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King.

Hamlet Act 2, scene 2, 603–605

In Airplane II, when asked about his impression of Ted Stryker, the psychiatrist played by John Vernon replies, "I'm a psychiatrist; I don't do impressions." Job searches are all about impressions: the ability to impress the employer to meet with the seeker and the ability to captivate the employer in an interview. How often does the seeker recite a 30-second speech without emotion? How often does a seeker fail to convince the employer he or she is the person for the job? The Alchemist looks in this issue at the components of the impression of confidence and competence.

That's the operative word here ― Impression. As an actor auditions for a role by studying the character to be portrayed and the character's involvement in the environment (the scene or with an employer), so must the job seeker prepare for the audition. The job seeker must convey competence and confidence in him- or herself by projecting those values to an employer, as does an actor. Break a leg! I hope these articles help in your search and your next employment. Click on these links to go to the article of interest:

1. How to Enhance the Eye Appeal of a Layout

2. Write better copy, and boost the credibility of your brand

3. Tips on How to Write Persuasively

4. The Secret to an Effective Résumé

5. How To Write A Thank-You Letter

6. The Five Things Job Recruiters Want From You Now

7. Read to Sound Good on Video

8. Interview Lessons from an IKEA Cartoon

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

(Read Eric Nilsson's brief biography by click here)

How to Enhance the Eye Appeal of

a Layout

By: lexpower on: June 3, 2010

When you write sales and marketing copy, remember that the layout will affect the readability and eye appeal of your words.

Will your text appear online or in print? If you are responsible for the layout as well as the copy, you‘ll want to experiment with graphics, colors and typeface. Consider also that you may need more than one layout if your copy will appear in more than one medium. If you are working with a graphics designer, review

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at least one draft of the piece to be sure the layout is clean, easy to read and eye-catching. Does the layout draw readers into the copy? Is it inviting? Are there enough (but not too many) subheads to break the information into logical chunks? Does the use of typeface encourage readers to notice the most important information first? Does the layout move the reader along from the headlines through the copy to the contact information and take-action statements? Do photos or drawings convey what you intend to communicate about the product or service? Do captions make sense in the context of the piece? Here are some tips for enhancing the eye appeal of your copy:

Use large, bold type for the headline.

Use one, dominant visual image. Keep

visuals fairly simple and easily

understandable by your audience.

Place body copy below the headline

and the primary visual.

Use a clean, readable typeface for

body copy. Generally, a dark typeface

on a light background works best.

Use subheads to break information

into logical chunks, which will help

lead the eye through the text.

Leave enough space between

paragraphs so the page appears clean

and uncluttered.

Remember that short paragraphs are

easier to read than long ones.

Keep the lead paragraph very short;

three lines (or fewer) are optimal to

drive your point home.

Remember that a simple, clean layout

is usually the most effective way to

communicate your message.

A good layout should grab readers‘ attention and make your copy sparkle. It‘s the ―secret sauce‖ that can add the right touch of magic. How well are your company‘s sales and marketing communications working? What layout tips would you recommend? Retrieved 6/18/2010 from http://lexpower.wordpress.com/

Alchemist's Arcanum

Write better copy, and boost the

credibility of your brand Posted by: writethinkexist on: June 13, 2010

The point of your business copywriting is to make your point. But credibility comes before points. The average reader is not an English master, but he knows enough to know when something isn‘t quite right. If he hesitates, you probably will lose him. Here are some of the many ways to lend credibility to your marketing content. One exclamation point only No: We have the lowest prices!!! Yes: We have the lowest prices! Each exclamation point beyond the first one increases how desperate (and inexperienced) you look. He and she problems To avoid using either ―he‖ or ―she‖ or recasting the sentence, many people succeed only in making themselves look illiterate. No: ―When a writer sits down to write, they should be in a quiet place.‖ No: ―When a writer sits down to write, he or she should be in a quiet place.‖ Correct: ―When a writer sits down to write, he should be in a quiet place.‖ (Even if the ―writer‖ in question could be a female; however, if the writer in question could only be a female, obviously use ―she.‖) Best: ―When writers sit down to write, they should be in a quiet place.‖ Plurals/possessives Most of the time, possessives are formed with an apostrophe: ―My dog‘s collar.‖ But not with the word ―it‖: ―My dog has its collar on backwards.‖ With ―it,‖ use an apostrophe to contract: ―It‘s a very weird-looking collar for a dog. It would look better on my wife.‖ Their, there and they’re Almost everybody knows the difference between these words, but even experienced writers have mind-lapses and occasionally mix

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them up when typing them. Pay attention as you write, and pay close attention when you proofread. Ellipsis An ellipsis has three periods – not two or four or ten. Correct typing method calls for spaces before, after and between: ―Her car was . . . messed up, to say the least.‖ Capitals Rule of thumb: you use capital letters way too often. If it‘s not a formal, official title or name or part of a formal, official title or name, don‘t cap it. Yes: Barack Obama is the president of the United States. Yes: U.S. President Barack Obama. No: The Software Program is not running. No: The Dodgers will probably win the Playoffs. No: We do Marketing and Advertising. Periods and quotations In American English, commas and periods and any sentence-ending punctuation go inside quotation marks. ―Hi, my name is Donald Trump.‖ ―Hi, my name is Donald Trump!‖ ―Hi, my name is Donald Trump,‖ Trump said. Quotation marks Don‘t overuse them. When you use them for taglines and slogans, it can make it look like you‘re stating an as-if, or in-a-sense: No: ―Where quality comes first.‖ Yes: Where quality comes first. Use double quotes, not single quotes, to set off a word: Yes: His ―knowledge‖ of music was deplorable. No: His ‗knowledge‘ of music was deplorable. But if that previous example were dialog, set off the word with single quotes: ―His ‗knowledge‘ of music was deplorable,‖ Marty said. Italics Use italics to emphasize a word or phrase, and also to style names of films, television shows, books, magazines, newspapers, etc. (Specific

article or short story titles use quotation marks.) Bold Use bold to make a strong point. But don‘t make too many of them. Also use for headings to make visual navigation easier. Underline Many readers are thrown off by too much underlined text. It‘s rare that you need to underline something, when bold and italics do the job just as well and are less intrusive. Paragraphing Don‘t use big paragraphs, especially online. Find ways to split paragraphs with more than five or six lines. Sentences If you use long sentences, make sure you punctuate them correctly. You will absolutely lose your reader with long, poorly punctuated sentences. Bullets Rule of thumb is seven bullets, max, in a list. These are some ideas you can easily incorporate into your writing. There are many more that you can find in books like The Elements of Style, which no writer should be without. Retrieved 6/18/2010 from

http://writethinkexist.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/styl

e-ideas/

Alchemist's Arcanum

Tips on How to Write Persuasively

By: lexpower on: June 10, 2010

Have you ever had to ask someone to do something and then motivate them to act? Maybe you‘re trying to get people to donate to your cause, or prompt a customer to pay a bill, or inspire your employees to adopt a procedure, or get a company to give you a job interview, or ask strangers to vote for you. All sorts of situations require us to write persuasively in order to get what we want.

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Swaying someone‘s mind can be hard work, as we all know. So here are some tips for a better shot at achieving your goals: What Is Your Purpose? Before you begin the first draft, decide: What is the purpose of the piece I am writing? What is it exactly that I want my readers to do? Be very specific in your answer, because your stated purpose becomes the focus for every detail, statistic, set of results, observation, fact, argument and data point you will include. Everything must support your purpose. Who Is Your Audience? To persuade people, you must know who they are, so that you can find a point of agreement where they can say ―oh yeah, that‘s true,‖ or ―that‘s right,‖ and get on board with you. This means you need to identify who your audience is. Are they individuals you know? Consumers? Retailers? Strangers? Companies in a particular industry? People who have a certain type of job? Members who belong to a specific organization? People in a certain age group? Research your audience as much as possible. Get all the demographic data you can. And then be prepared to make some general assumptions as well. What Does Your Audience Care About? Once you know who your audience is, you should be able to define the kinds of arguments they will respond to. This will help you determine whether to lean toward the logical or the emotional. You also need to define the kinds of issues they care about. What moves your audience? Where do their interests lie? What are their touchpoints, those areas where they feel they have some skin in the game? When in doubt, paint the issues with a broad brushstroke, so you include as many people as possible. What Tone Works? The tone you use in writing reveals your attitudes toward your subject and your audience. The right tone is absolutely critical. Control tone, or risk losing your audience.

In general, a positive tone is more persuasive than a negative, sarcastic, humorous or angry one. So write positively, and express confidence and hope, warmth and cheer. If you can do that, and make your readers feel empowered and good about themselves, you will write persuasively. What other techniques can you think of to make your writing more persuasive?

El Retrieved 6/18/2010 from http://lexpower.wordpress.com/

Alchemist's Arcanum

The Secret to an Effective Résumé By Peter Weddle

If you've been in the world of work for more

than 15 minutes, you know just how

uncommunicative a résumé is. No matter how

much information you cram into that

document, it simply cannot convey the

character, dedication or capability you offer to

an employer. You can, however, remedy this

situation, but you'll have to accept a counter

intuitive idea to do so.

The secret to creating an effective résumé is

to throw out traditional ideas and use a new

version of that document-one that's best

described as an "incomplete record."

Ironically, presenting an incomplete portrait

of yourself is the only way you can look better

than the rest of the crowd in today's job

market.

Despite its name, the "incomplete record" has

all of the information provided by a

traditional résumé. It is a complete description

of your work experience and

accomplishments, your education and

training, and your professional or

occupational affiliations and activities (e.g.,

the associations to which you belong). This

self-description must tell employers what you

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Page 21 of 35

can do, of course, but equally as important, it

must also tell them what kind of contribution

you can make to their success.

The information can also be presented in any

one of the traditional formats for a résumé:

chronological, functional or hybrid. The only

difference in an "incomplete record" is at the

beginning of the document. Regardless of the

format you select, the résumé must begin with

a Qualifications Summary that appears

directly beneath your name and contact

information. This three-to-four line section

should use keywords and phrases to highlight

your strongest credentials for employment. It

ensures that recruiters will see your best

assets, even if they don't read all or even most

of your résumé.

At a superficial level, therefore, the

"incomplete record" looks just like any other

résumé. So, what makes it incomplete? You

do.

In order for a résumé to be an "incomplete

record," you must first become incomplete

yourself. You see, employers face two

certainties in the 21st Century workplace:

• Certainty 1: The skills that are necessary to

make a meaningful contribution on-the-job

today will be different from those required to

make such a contribution tomorrow.

and

• Certainty 2: Employers no longer have the

resources or the time to provide the

development necessary to keep workers up-

to-date with their skills.

As a result, every organization now needs

workers who (1) get it and (2) get it done on

their own.

Proving That You Get It & Get It Done

On Your Own

An "incomplete record" is designed to prove

to employers that you understand the

certainties of the modern workplace. You

design your résumé to acknowledge-and

promote the fact-that you are an incomplete

professional in your field and that you take

personal responsibility for fixing that

situation. In other words, you don't want the

document to perform as a traditional résumé

and show you as a completed person, but

instead, you shape it to convey exactly the

opposite impression. You use it to describe

yourself as proudly unfinished in your

development.

How do you do that?

One way is to start upgrading your skills right

now. Even if you're already an expert in your

field. And, even if you're in an active job

search. Enroll in an educational or training

program that will strengthen your ability to

contribute on-the-job. Everyone can get

better at what they do, and pursuing that self-

improvement is the only way to protect

yourself from the never ending creep of

obsolescence in the modern workplace.

Then, add that credential to your record. First,

make yourself look incomplete by adding the

following information to the Education

section of your résumé:

• The name of the course or program you're

taking;

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Page 22 of 35

• The institution or organization that's

providing it;

• The term On-Going.

Then, add a key phrase denoting that effort to

your Qualifications Summary.

Those simple entries will convey a powerful

message to any prospective employer. It

signals that you know you can always get

smarter in your field and that you take

personal responsibility for doing so. It shows

you have the humility to acknowledge what

you don't know and the courage to add to

what you do know. There's no more appealing

credential to an employer in today's job

market, and only the "incomplete record"

enables you to claim it.

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Visit me at Weddles.com/WorkStrong

Retrieved 6/17/2010 from WEDDLE's Newsletter: The Secret to

an Effective Resume 6/17/2010

Alchemist's Arcanum

How To Write A Thank-You Letter By Judi Perkins

Sending a thank you letter is as important as

interview preparation. But they‘re tough to

write, so people either tell themselves that not

sending one doesn‘t matter, or they

procrastinate until it‘s too late and almost

pointless anyway. Anyone who tells

themselves that foregoing a fundamental rule

of etiquette doesn‘t matter, not only taints

themselves in the mind of the interviewer, but

misses two additional opportunities to sell.

A thank you letter is an additional sales piece.

As I‘ve said before, you‘re selling a product

and the product is you. So beyond the reason

of etiquette, the letter sells you as a polite

person who recognizes that the interviewer

gave them something valuable: time and

consideration.

A fundamental rule of sales is to keep the

product in front of the buyer and reinforce its

benefits. So beyond the etiquette, the letter

gives you ample space to comment on what

you liked about the company, why your skills

are of benefit to them, and how much you‘re

interested. If something wasn‘t tied up, or

was left unsatisfactorily, you should use the

space to further address the issue.

If you miss the opportunity to reinforce your

skills and tie them to the job requirements,

you miss a chance to sell. If you miss the

opportunity to address a negative, and leave it

to fester in the mind of the interviewer,

you‘ve failed to overcome an objection. And

if a buyer has an objection to the product, if it

isn‘t addressed the likelihood of the sale is

slim.

The third opportunity missed by skipping the

thank you letter is the chance to keep your

name in front of the buyer. Read newspapers?

Watch TV? See the same ads over and over

and over again? It‘s somewhat the same

principle – if you keep your name in front of

the hiring authority, they‘re more likely to

remember you.

So let‘s look at how to create a thank you

letter so that it becomes a less odious task.

• First paragraph: Open with the

obligatory thank you and include how you

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Page 23 of 35

enjoyed the meeting. Say why. Maybe the

people you met were exceptional. Perhaps

their company philosophy was exactly what

you had hoped for. It doesn‘t matter. Pick

something out, and put it down. But make it

real.

• Second paragraph: What took place

during your interview? Pull out a piece of

information that pleased you, say what it was,

and tell them why. For instance: I was

particularly pleased to find that X

company/the opportunity/your management

style has/was/is/does whatever. This is

exciting because…… . You can expand on

whatever it is for a few sentences by

elaborating: how it relates to something

you‘ve experienced and like -- or didn‘t liked.

Discuss a particular aspect of the job you find

appealing and reiterate why you‘d be

successful at it or how long you‘ve been

performing it or how similar it is to something

you‘ve done in the past.

• Third paragraph: You can add a

similar paragraph if the second was fairly

short. Or you can wind it up if it was a bit

lengthy. If there was something that came up

that needed clarification or about which they

were dubious, address it and clear it up here.

• Fourth paragraph: Wind it up. Re-

iterate your interest. Be enthusiastic! Leave the

job speak behind. If you really want to be

hired, let your interest shine through.

Caution: Don‘t start every sentence with ―I‖.

It may be the easiest way to write the letter

but it‘s not only repetitive, it‘s a turn off.

If you really want the job, the letter will be

easy to write because it will contain genuine

impressions. If you choose to skip the letter,

perhaps you don‘t care if you‘re hired or not.

But make that decision yours and withdraw

from the process instead of letting the

decision be made for you.

Retrieved 6/17/2010 from How to... Find Your Perfect

Job June 17, 2010 Volume iv, issue 14

Alchemist's Arcanum

The Five Things Job Recruiters Want

From You Now By Jerome Young, 06.09.10

With too many people looking for too few jobs, employers are being very selective and demanding more than ever from job candidates. Marketing yourself with a résumé that simply explains the things you've done in previous positions is not enough. Employers want to understand your ability to add value through results and your potential contribution to the bottom line. Recruiters are looking for people with strong records of accomplishment who stand out from others, because that's whom they can easily sell to hiring managers.

At www.AttractJobsNOW.com, as we recruit for corporate clients, we look for candidates who provide the five following qualifications, which we've found hiring managers deem essential:

1. Expertise. In a field where many people have very similar job titles, what makes you stand out? If you have trouble defining your expertise, start by listing your responsibilities at your latest and previous positions and then prioritize them in order of their value to the business. Mark the tasks where you provided substantial results. Then you'll see your expertise.

2. Success stories. Have you increased revenue or profit? Have you decreased costs or minimized risk? Tell concise success stories of how you met these goals and you'll make yourself an exceptional candidate. To identify those success stories you must understand how your position and your accomplishments clearly helped the bottom line of the business. That allows you to explain the value

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Page 24 of 35

you've provided in the past and can offer in the future.

3. Recommendations. A recommendation from a manager or colleague is far more valuable than any self-endorsement. LinkedIn lets you show recommendations right on your profile, which creates instant credibility. Be sure to ask recommenders for write-ups that explain your concrete contributions and value to specific projects or areas of business. Ideally you should ask for a recommendation right after you've provided those results, as that's when your value is most appreciated. I offer examples of effective professional recommendations on my own LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com/in/jeromeyoung.

4. Work samples. Examples of what you've done are far more effective that just talking about what you've done. Websites, pictures of products and actual products themselves grab an employer's attention and generate interest. I have offered employers a slide show with pictures of me working, just so they can visualize me effectively laboring in their behalf.

5. A consistent message. Your résumé, cover letter, website, LinkedIn profile and interview remarks should all promote a consistent message. If you change the message in one of those places, update the others. At www.AttractJobsNOW.com we recommend that whenever a client receives our résumé and cover letter service, they update their LinkedIn profile as well. An inconsistent message clouds the credibility of your accomplishments.

As you conduct your job search, remember that recruiters are evaluated by their ability to find a few of the most highly qualified candidates for any position. The more confident a recruiter feels about your accomplishments and ability to meet the needs of hiring managers, the more interested he or she will be in you as a candidate. Help yourself along by making sure you've covered the five points above. Jerome Young is the founder and president of www.AttractJobsNOW.com, a diversity recruiting and job search consulting firm.

Retrieved 6/17/2010 from http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/09/job-recruiters-pointers-leadership-careers-employment.html

Alchemist's Arcanum

Read to Sound Good on Video By Maria Elena Duron

No, I‘m not talking about reading a teleprompter (we’ll leave that practice to the anchors and elected officials). I‘m referring to your personal, Flip cam videos that you or a friend create. More and more personal and business YouTube channels are popping up – using video has gone viral! And, while it‘s alright to sacrifice a little visual quality for the immediacy of taking a timely video live – what‘s never okay is not being able to communicate in your video, succinctly, with passion and purpose.

Ben Franklin said, ―Words, like glasses, can either make things hazier or clearer.‖

I‘ve seen many a hopeful presenters flub their presentations or video moment by talking too fast, peppering their moment with ―ummms‖ and ―you knows‖ and a few ―uhs‖, or taking a pregnant pause that made everyone in the audience think ―this baby is way overdue!‖ Do you want to know the secret? Well, that magic bullet isn‘t so magic - you‘ve heard it many times before. Practice. You must practice. You cannot learn to swim by just studying someone. You must get wet. To be good on video, you must practice your storytelling skills. Here’s my favorite practice tool – And, it‘s one I didn‘t realize I was using until people started commenting how good my presentations were and how well I timed out my speeches and even television interview. Natural talent? Not really. You‘re looking at the gal who didn‘t get to go out to recess like

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everyone else because she was working with the speech therapist – I had a lisp and a slight stutter that frustrated me when I would work to communicate. Yes, when I would work to communicate. It does take work. The practice tool was reading out loud to my boys. Yes, reading stories – like the entire Harry Potter series out loud, with pauses, voices and everything. We‘re not the family that has the XM radio on when we would drive and travel together. We might have the occasional CD or plug in the iPod for a moment, but more often than not, my reading a story out loud was the entertainment for the trip. And, we live in Texas so our trips average 7 to 16 hours when we travel. I know – not glamorous but very effective. If you want to become better on video, where your stories flow and you emphasize the right words at the right time (like someone telling a joke – knowing where to pause for effect and emphasis), then do some reading out loud. And, get feedback from others hearing you. 1. It will give you timing and perspective. What might seem like a meaningful pause may actual feel like an eternity to your audience and a viewer might just click on over to another video that seems ―peppier‖. What seems like its passionate words flowing, might actual present itself like someone babbling like crazy. When you read out loud to someone, you learn to know the feeling of a pause that is―just right‖ in regards to timing. And, you can replicate it many times in the future once you know what it feels like.

Teleprompter - nice to have, but not

necessary if you learn from the

article and practice

2. It will help you read faster. People with notes when they‘re speaking drive me crazy. Even scribbles and outlines cause frustration when the speaker reads what‘s on them. We think much faster than we read. So, when you are reading slowly your audiences mind is running rampant wondering if you have a ‗fast forward‘ button. On video, you do and they will. If you must use notes, then practice every day in reading stories out loud so that you can close that gap between your speaking speed and your audiences thinking speed. 3. It will give you practice speaking with a variety of words. Most books are good at using a plethora of words so that the reader doesn‘t end up reading something to the effect of, ―See Spot. See Spot run. Run Spot run. After all, they‘re edited. Use books so that you‘ll come up with other things to say or phrases to use besides ―stuff like that‖. What have I missed? What have you used? Cross-posted on TheBuzz101

Author:

Maria Elena Duron | chief engagement officer is co-founder of

#brandchat, a weekly conversation on Twitter. Join us weekly

as we discuss all aspects of branding.

Maria Elena Duron on May 23, 2010 in Expressing Your Brand

Retrieved 6/17/2010 from

http://www.thepersonalbrandingblog.com/2010/05/read-to-

sound-good-on-video.html

Alchemist's Arcanum

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Interview Lessons from an IKEA Cartoon – by Brenda Bernstein

A cartoon image that had me laughing out loud was an ―IKEA Job Interview.‖ The interviewer sits behind a desk in a sparsely furnished room and points to a bunch of pieces of a disassembled chair, which lie neatly on the floor. ―Please have a seat,‖ says the interviewer. While this image is hilarious, if the interview were for a mechanic or an assembler of chairs at IKEA, the scene would not be so farfetched. And in fact, it is not unusual for an interviewer to test an interviewee with a task to perform on the spot. A good interviewer might test your practical skills in an interview, or your ability to respond to

criticism, by asking you to perform a task or adjust your demeanor mid-interview. I once interviewed a young man for a social worker position at the non-profit where I worked in Brooklyn, NY. There were two of us interviewing him, and I really liked him. He answered questions well and I was considering hiring him. My frustration was that he never made eye contact with me. It seemed as if he were gazing off into space and not fully connecting with me. And I knew there was no way I would actually hire him if he couldn‘t make eye contact. I did something perhaps unconventional. I stopped the interview, told him what I was experiencing, and asked him why he wasn‘t making eye contact. He gave a reasonable response that he was struggling with having two interviewers and didn‘t want either of us to get all his focus. From that moment in the interview, he made full eye contact with either me or my associate. I hired him. Why? Because I knew beyond doubt from that interview that this man took criticism and coaching well, and could implement a suggestion quickly and effectively. He also had all the other qualifications we were looking for. He is still working at the organization today, and is appreciated for his work ethic and great attitude, as well as for the results he produces. So this IKEA cartoon, while humorous, might not be that far off the mark for something you might be called upon to perform on the spot in an interview. Luckily, all the tools you need are already in your possession. You just need to be good at following directions.

Source URL: http://theessayexpert.com/blog/2010/07/15/interview-lessons-from-an-ikea-cartoon-by-brenda-bernstein/Alchemist's Arcanum

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LinkedIn Tip: About Suggestions

Did you know...?

About A Simple Guide for Job Networking on LinkedIn...

A simple guide for job networking on LinkedIn Posted by: Angela Astley | Posted at: 12:03 AM Competition for advertised jobs is fierce. An advertised job posting can generate applications from thousands of potential candidates. Likewise, employers can cherry-pick potential employees. So how do you differentiate yourself while job hunting on LinkedIn? With all the tools for job seekers on the site you may get overwhelmed. Try this step-by-step process below and land a job on LinkedIn successfully! To increase your chances of generating a response including an interview from a job posting, you should: • Use LinkedIn to locate a company insider with a common connection (professional association, alum, etcetera) • Request an informational interview to determine if the job is still available, name of the hiring manager, desired characteristics of the potential employee, and etcetera • Customize your resume and cover letter using this information • Ask your company insider to deliver your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager Next, I am going to provide you with the steps I used to apply for a position last week with a Fortune 100 company. 1. Go to http://www.linkedin.com/ 2. Click on the ―Advanced‖ link for the Search People field in the upper right region of your screen 3. Select ―Located in or near:‖ for the Location field 4. Input a zip code for the Postal Code field and select the appropriate entry (such as 50 mi) for the Within field to ensure the location of the company is within this geographical range 5. Input the name of the company in the Company field and select Current in the box below this field Find out more here: http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/2010/01/9-steps-to-linkedin-networking-for-job.html

This issue‘s Tech Tip is submitted by Eric Nilsson. Thanks Eric! Be sure to check in our next issue for another quick Tech Tip!

Barbara Daisak is the Lamplighter Proofreader and Contributing Writer, a Learning, Training, and Development Specialist and Microsoft Certified Master

Instructor. Barb is also an Instructor Adjunct with the County Colleges of New Jersey with specialties in the

Technology Training Divisions and Corporate Training Programs. bndaisak@verizon.net

732.863.4948 - 732.616.2397-mobile

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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Twenty Lame Excuses for Not Networking

By Aaron Cohen Introduction I am a terrible networker. For me it is not a natural, comfortable activity. Even though I have learned how, I still procrastinate in making calls. I find excuses for avoiding events. I have used every excuse listed below, many of them in the past month! Despite that, I know what not networking gets me—exactly nothing. I wrote the first version of this over a year ago, and presented it on one of our conference calls. Rod Colon commented on my first draft, and I have integrated some of his comments, and distinguished them in red. Lame Excuses Here then, are my top twenty reasons people find for not networking: 1. I’m not ready to network. What do we really need to network? Networking is about building relationships. Even before we know what we want, or what we need to ask for, we have the ability to listen and to help others. Listen to others. Learn about their wants needs and desires. Think of whom you know who would enjoy speaking with your new friend. Listening and helping gives a better return than asking, anyway. You get to connect with two friends (the new and the old), and you can learn networking (good and bad) from the people you speak with. How did you react to their style? Why? What about their approach can you borrow, or should you avoid? No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main – John Donne (1572-1631) 2. Large groups make me nervous. Large groups of people are made up of small groups of people, and individuals. In every roomful of people there are several people looking lost, unable, or unwilling to insinuate themselves in existing conversations between people in earnest discussion. Pick out a fellow wallflower and open by introducing yourself. They will be relieved at not having to break the ice, and you will be pleased with yourself for having made the first move, and discovering that no one bit you. Next time will be easier. Come to an ETP event. We aim to provide a friendly safe environment to network and develop your networking skills. We will discuss (horrors) small-talk in excuses seven and eight. 3. I hate calling people on the telephone; I’d rather use e-mail. OK. E-mail has its place. But the gold standard is the face-to-face meeting, even for information gathering. The goal is to build long-lasting mutual professional relationships. E-mail is too impersonal to carry the entire load. Use e-mail to set up a mutually convenient time to talk. Have a good reason to need to speak. Plan your communication by e-mail, phone, or in person. However, e-mails that are not directed at an individual (e.g., mass mailings) are only appropriate if you are a Nigerian prince trying to get your money out of the country, or you are selling discount pharmaceuticals.

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Is it better for a business owner to send out a flyer or speak with someone? 4. I’m shy. Shyness is rooted in a range of legitimate fears, namely, fear of:

Failure

Embarrassment

Rejection

Humiliation

Shame However, as the CEO, you cannot let these fears stop you from fulfilling your responsibilities to your Board of Directors! Yes, networking can be tough for the shy person. However, being unemployed is hard, too. Nothing you will learn here is going to make networking easy for the shy person. However, networking is a learned behavior. If you learn how, and practice, you can get good at networking, even if you have to psych yourself up every time you do it. The first time you do anything, there will be some bumps and bruises. That‘s OK, get up and do it again. Practice, practice, practice. Shy people can be excellent networkers. It‘s not about walking into a room and slapping people on the back. Networking is about being genuine and sincerely interested in others. Quiet and introverted people can be very genuine and sincere. In fact, many would argue that it is the quieter people who fly under the radar who know what‘s really happening and who are the players. 5. I am a very private person. You may want to be a very private person, but you are actually the CEO of ME Inc. When your Marketing VP (you wearing another of your hats) comes to you and says, ―Boss, we‘re a very private company, so we‘re not going to do any marketing this year. Tell sales to get their job done, but to keep it hush-hush,‖ fire him on the spot. You‘re a CEO, and your shareholders and Board of Directors should not put up with that kind of performance! 6. Asking people for something makes me uncomfortable. If your approach to networking initially involves asking people for more than their considered opinion or valued advice, then you‘re doing it wrong. You‘re doing research and building relationships. You are not asking perfect strangers to work as uncompensated sales people for ME, Inc. What a turn-off that would be. Example . . . 7. I never know what to say. 8. I can’t make small-talk. After my ―elevator pitch,‖ I’m at a loss for words. OK, so listen. Learn to ask leading questions that require multi-word answers. Once you get the other guy talking, you will find plenty to respond to and riff off of. What really constitutes small-talk? How do you do it? Why is it so hard for me? A few tips:

Ask open-ended questions, then shut up and listen

Don‘t just talk about yourself

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Participate in the discussion – don‘t wait for someone else to initiate

Lead the conversation to a new topic if the present one is getting inappropriate or not going anywhere

Compliment someone on his or her attire or a recent accomplishment Now let‘s address why you think you are not good at small-talk, and how to overcome that:

1. You are uncomfortable with this because you have not done it enough. 2. Practice, practice, practice. Go to networking events with goals for meeting with and

connecting with a certain number of people. 3. When you get home, evaluate your results and revise your approach. 4. Remember to follow up with people – they will be pleasantly surprised 5. You really are better at this than you think, besides it is just learned behavior. 6. Don‘t be daunted by FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real)

9. I’m modest. I’m not good at self promotion. Start small. On your LinkedIn page you have an opportunity to name your proudest professional and even personal accomplishments. Sharing these accomplishments will help to establish your ―brand‖ name and set you apart from your many competitors. 10. I’m really an introvert.

1. See I‘m very shy 2. Get over yourself. Don‘t hide behind a label and misguided self-perception 3. It may not be easy, but you can learn to do this. Your career depends on it.

11. I don’t have time. I’m too busy. When I was actively job hunting, Laura would come home and ask me what I had done that day. I‘d proudly announce that I‘d applied for 10 jobs on the internet. Had I spoken with anyone? No. Had I had any human contact? Thankfully that was not required. All I had to do was scour the job boards. Write a cover letter identifying my skills and experiences that made me perfect for the job, and attach my finely honed (nearly perfect for all occasions) resume, and voila, I should soon be hearing from enthusiastic hiring managers. I was very busy doing things that were easy, gave me the illusion of progress, and had almost no chance of getting me the job I wanted. When it comes to return on effort, networking needs to be at the top of your list. It comes first, not after tasks with lesser returns. 12. I don’t like bothering people. Why do you feel that you are bothering someone? Are you doing anything that would bother you? If so, then don‘t do it. Most people are eager to talk with you when you flatter them by asking their opinion. I always get an ego boost when someone asks me for pearls of wisdom from my vast store of advice. It really makes me feel good al day. However, if you think networking is all about getting other people to do you favors, they WILL quickly tire of your calls. We are only bothering people if we don‘t know what we want or what we have to offer. In that case, we are not thinking about others; we just are thinking about ourselves. Shift the focus to the other people. Each day people ask for help. Sometimes it‘s small – what supplier do you use for your business cards? Sometime it‘s big – we‘re looking for $10 million in venture capital to start a

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technology business. Most people would like to help people, preferably with the least hassle to themselves. If they know what your product or service is or that you are seeking a new job, they can help everyone involved. 13. Why would SHE want to help ME? If you‘ve had a pleasant conversation and she‘s feeling good about having given you good information from an area of her expertise, then you‘ve begun to establish a relationship. If over the course of your conversation you‘ve found some way of helping her with information or a connection (and you follow through), you‘ve begun to solidify your relationship. Knowing your situation, she will most likely volunteer how she might help you. It‘s human nature at its best. Once someone cares about you, they will go out of their way to find ways to help. If you truly care about them, it‘s hard not to get a reciprocal response. 14. It’s too complicated. All human relationships are complicated. They are also surprisingly simple. Give and you get. 15. I can never remember anyone’s name. This is one of the beauties of LinkedIn. Especially if you post your picture, you will increase the likelihood that someone you have met will remember you. Most of us need an ongoing relationship of some kind in order to have a reason to remember someone. Finding something you have in common with someone at a networking meeting will make it easier to remember them. Asking someone a question and listening to the answer helps to make them more memorable. Likewise, you will be more memorable to others if they know something unique about you…a hobby, talent etc. 16. Networking is embarrassing, especially looking for a job. There are two strong cases for networking inherent with this comment. First: That is why it is so important to make networking a lifelong endeavor. You will have a network when you need one. Two, if you don‘t share with a lot of people the fact that you are looking for a job, there will be fewer people who will be able to help you. 17. I can do this myself; I don’t need anyone’s help. Have you succeeded yet? How long have you been going it alone? Is there a chance that adding some tools to your arsenal will improve your chances to land sooner? If not, then by all means go it alone for longer. But the help that networking can provide is low cost and will likely help you reach your goal sooner.

We Don’t Want To Appear Needy: Neither does the other person. This is a hopeless stand-off someone has to speak first. When you have done your preparation and your analysis of why you are networking and with whom, then you will be genuine and sincere. You will know what you have to offer and what the other person may need. Having a need is very different from being needy. A need can typically be solved quickly and with on action – the right hire, funding for the business, getting a new job. Being needy is an ongoing and often draining experience for both parties. Articulate your needs.

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18. I DO network. I’ve sent everyone I know several e-mails telling them to be on the lookout for jobs for me.

Has that worked for you? Were you specific enough? Put yourself on the receiving end of that email. Would you stop what you are doing to send a response? How about if you really cared for the person? Even when asking a dear friend, one needs to be quite specific about the type of help one needs. Wouldn‘t a personal call be more effective? 19. I really cannot call Bob until I have reason to call him? Well, you have a very good reason to call. If you mean you need a reason to call that will delight Bob, then we have a different problem.

1. Why wouldn‘t Bob be delighted to spend a few minutes catching up. 2. Does Bob not like to be contacted to expound on an area of his expertise for a few minutes? 3. Have you made a pest of yourself in the past and been told not to call? 4. Are you calling to ask Bob to find you a job?

Most people do not avoid the phone – just look at the people walking around with phones glued to their ears! You don‘t need a national emergency to call an old acquaintance, or new contact. Call, make sure it‘s a good time, exchange pleasantries, state your business, listen, ask for permission to follow up and get off the phone. You have made a connection in a respectful, efficient manner which should allow you to repeat the procedure with Bob in the future. You did not suffer any severe physical, emotional or psychic damage. Good call! 20. I already have a job So what? If you have been ―Networking to find a job,‖ then you just don‘t get it. If you have been building and nurturing your network because having a solid professional network is a key powerful tool in all career activities, including looking for a job, then networking every day appears to be a no-brainer. Start networking today. Keep networking regardless of your employment status. Serve as a connector for someone today, use that new connection when you need it. As Rod says, ―Keep networking alive!‖

Conclusion Bottom line. You can, and will network. If you study how and practice, you will do it well. If not, you will muddle through less effectively. You will do things that make you uncomfortable until you have done them often enough to feel that you are at least doing them well, regardless of your comfort level. You will network for your career sake, and because it is intrinsically gratifying to help people. You will end up helping more people than help you, if you are doing it right! You will network because as the CEO of ME, Inc., there are no excuses, lame or otherwise. And you will network for the sake of your personal Board of Directors because they ARE worth it! You can, and will learn to network. If you are like me, it will never come naturally, but require some planning, effort, and psyching-up. We do it because networking is to your career as breathing is to life!

Aaron Cohen is currently Chief Technology Officer / Chief Administrative Officer at Financial TrackingTechnologies ,

CTO Consultant at Ehrenkranz and Ehrenkranz, and Networking Group Leader at Empowering Today’s Professionals

(ETP)

centralnjnetworkinggroup@gmail.com

908-759

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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Meet the Lamplighters

Volunteer Lamplighter Staff

Adelaida (Aida) Rodriguez is the Editor-in-Chief and

Contributing Writer of the Lamplighter Newsletter. She is a

Project Manager Professional (PMP), Business Analyst/

Consultant at the Warranty Recovery Specialist, LLC

Adelaida.rodriguez@verizon.net

732-225-0255

Eric Nilsson is the Design Layout Expert and Contributing

Writer for Lamplighter. Eric enjoys the art and science of newspaper layout. Aside from studying Economics, he has been an IT consultant at the Professional Service Group of New Brunswick. http://psgnb.org and previously worked for North Jersey Media Group as a Project Manager and Programmer/Analyst. Email: ericnilsson@earthlink.net

Barbara Daisak is the Lamplighter Proofreader

and Contributing Writer, a Learning, Training, and

Development Specialist and Microsoft Certified Master

Instructor. Barb is also an Instructor Adjunct with the County

Colleges of New Jersey with specialties in the Technology

Training Divisions and Corporate Training Programs.

bndaisak@verizon.net

732.863.4948 - 732.616.2397-mobile Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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AWARENESS CORNER

―Swindlers may be following your every tweet and post, looking for a chance to fleece you.‖ Here are some excerpts from the ―Cyber Thieves‖ article by Max Alexander (page 92), in the August 2010 issue of the Reader’s Digest.

Learn more about what to do at: readersdigest.com/net safety.

How to Protect Yourself

DON’T use passwords or user IDs that include personal information like your birth date or Social Security number.

DON’T use your mother‘s maiden name as a security question. Pick something more obscure like your childhood pet‘s name.

DON’T leave passwords in plain view – on your monitor for example.

DON’T use the same password for multiple sites. If crooks crack your twitter account, they can access your bank account, too.

DO create passwords that are at least 8 to 16 characters long, with a mix of capital letters, numbers and symbols. They‘re harder to crack.

DO use random pattern codes to create passwords. For example, pick two computer keys – say, 4 and 7. Type straight down the keyboard from 4 until you reach the bottom (the letter V), then type one character to the left. Then do the same for 7, this time using all caps. You now have a meaningless password that reads 4rfvc7UJMN, but all you have to remember is 47. Or use the first letter of each word in a line from a favorite song or poem.

DO change passwords often, about once a month.

DO hold your cursor over an unknown link before clicking on it, and look at the bottom of your web browser. It will show where the link is actually taking you to.

DO note the wording before the last period last period of the URL. (Just to the left of .com, .org, .edu, etc.). It‘s what counts. So, paypal.com is legitimate, but paypal1234.com is fake.

DO look out for links with the @ symbol. Browsers ignore everything to the left of it, so paypal1234.com is not a PayPal site.

DO watch for deliberate misspellings – like paypol.com – designed to trick you into clicking. Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

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Distracted Driving is Dangerous The popularity of mobile devices has had some unintended and even dangerous consequences. We now know that mobile communications is linked to a significant increase in distracted driving, resulting in injury and loss of life. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2008 that driver distraction was the cause of 16 percent of all fatal crashes -- 5,800 people killed -- and 21 percent of crashes resulting in an injury -- 515,000 people wounded. According to AAA, nearly 50 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. Distracted driving endangers life and property and the current levels of injury and loss are unacceptable. To stem this problem, the FCC is working with industry, safety organizations, and other government agencies, to inform and educate the public about the dangers of distracted driving and is seeking to identify and facilitate the development of innovative technologies that could reduce the incidence of distracted driving. To help in this effort and share information, we created a dedicated website,

www.fcc.gov/cgb/driving.html. Lamplighter Features Featured Writers

Lamplighter Crossword Puzzle August-September, 2010 Solution

Across: 4 EFFECT, 6 LABOR, 7 FALLINGLEAVES, 10 LAYOFF, 12 TROY, 13 AUGUST, 15

AFFECT, 16 POLS, 17 MACHINE, 18 WAGE, 20 COMMUTE, 22 COMMERCIAL, 24 DOWNTURN,

26 TURNAROUND, 28 UNIQUE, 30 FATHOM, 31 BOLD, 32 RICHARDPETTY, 34 SALARY, 35

INTERVIEW, 36 MONEY.

Down: 1 JOBLOSS, 2 INEFFICIENT, 3 SHADY, 5 FINANCE, 8 LATITUDE, 9 SALES, 11

FARFETCHED, 14 EQUINOX, 15 ATONEMENT, 18 WORKER, 19 AVOIRDUPOIS, 21

OLIGOPOLY, 23 ENTERPRISE, 25 PITCH, 27 ATTITUDE, 29 INDUSTRY, 33 PLANT.

Lamplighter Features Featured Writers