How to Market Yourself In a Competitive Job Market; Cutting Edge Tips You Should Know

1. How to Market Yourself In a Competitive Job Market; Cutting Edge Tips You Should Know Presenter: Dr. Lucy R. Cannon, LCSW, CCDP-D

2. Objectives: • This workshop will teach participants the process of job search • How to assess skill sets (e.g. examples of aptitude tests) • Participants will learn key information to include on their resumes, cover letters, and references, • The importance of portfolios (see MJ’s portfolio) • Learn how to use the five marketing strategies that are necessary to market skills in a competitive society • Dos and Don’t of networking utilizing social media • Interviewing Attire Tips and, • key interviewing tips you need to know to help you get that ideal job

3. The Process Of Job Search Mission Accomplished Take Ownership Execute Unemployed Gainfully Employed 1st Impression & The Interview Preparation & The Resume Job Search The Application How is the job market? Who you are going to apply with ,why, when and where? What are your resources? • Skills Assessment • Qualifications • Resume style • Attire • Questions Arrive Early. Greet/Introduction. Know yourself. What questions are you going to ask? • Was job offer favorable? • Job Title • Duties • Salary

4. My Dream Job Activity • Group Activity- identify and describe your dream job to team members. What are the barriers to getting this job?

5. Career Choices • “A career aptitude test can give you an indication of which jobs match your personality and which careers you may have an aptitude for.”

6. Career Choices Cont. • Career tests can give you ideas about what you possibly should do rather than you simply pondering what you want to do.

7. Types of Aptitude Tests • MAPP Assessment Types (on internet & Free): • I'M EMPLOYED BUT LOOKING (e.g. those who hate your current job) • I'M UNDEREMPLOYED / UNEMPLOYED (e.g. those who are unemployed or underemployed and are looking for their next job opportunities) • CAREER COACHES / CAREER COUNSELORS (those who want to help others locate job opportunities) • HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE STUDENTS ( this comprehensive assessment is for students to find the right curriculum for them) • (http://www.assessment.com/takemapp/)

8. The iPersonicPersonality Aptitude Test • Your iPersonic Career Profile • gives you invaluable insight into your individuality, outlining your strengths along with areas of relative weakness. It maps your behavioral style and core motivations to areas of work and patterns of work which best accommodate your individual make-up, giving you vital opportunity to reflect and make decisive choices on your working life and career. • http://www.ipersonic.com/test.html

9. Purposes of Resume • To describe your skills and abilities in a detailed and concise manner • To get an interview

10. Effective Resume

11. Sections of a Resume • Professional Summary • Professional Skills • Professional Experience • Education/ Certifications • Volunteer Work/ Community Outreach

12. Understand Your Skills • Build a master skills inventory • Utilize (Job titles) http://www.onetonline.org/find/career?c=8&g=Go • Utilize Credentialing Opportunities On-Line • ww.cool.army.mil or www.cool.navy.mil • Identify and list all of your skills gained through: education, military service, previous jobs, hobbies, interests, participation in professional organizations and community activities.

13. Key Things You Need to Know about Resume Writing • Your Resume should be no more than 2 pages long, • The exceptions to length of resumes are; educators in academic settings and federal/government organizations (no more than 5 to 6 pages) • Quantify results: use numbers, percentages, statistics and examples (e.g. Customer services complaints for FY 2014 was .05 percent) • Begin with an action verb

14. Avoid using the term “responsible for” Avoid personal pronouns (e.g. I, me, and my) Use key words from job announcement Video: Do’s and Don’t in Writing Resumes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrOTDNcpkeg

15. Cover Letter Rules • Send cover letters when asked or as needed • General Rules: • Should be directed to the name of human resource director or identified person in announcement, • Should be brief, identify job applying for title, • Identify a few bullets of skills based on job announcement job duties, • Video: How to write a Cover Letter • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxOli8laZos

16. References Rules • Five Rules to Make Your Professional Employment Reference an Asset • 1. Call your former bosses and ask them if they are willing to provide favorable job references on your behalf. As an additional courtesy, offer them an update on your career. • Let your references know each and every time you give out their contact information and thank them for their efforts.

17. References • 3. Keep your references informed of your career and educational progress. • 4. Note that spending time communicating with your prospective employer takes valuable time from your references' workdays. If you plan to use these positive references over the years, you need to give something back. • 5. If you win the new position, call or email your former boss and thank them again for their support. Also, let them know your new contact information. • Reference Information should include the following; Name, job title, company, phone, email, and relationship to applicant

18. Portfolio?/When to Use Them • The purpose of a portfolio is used to put together the practice and education of educators and others who want to show an evolvement of development, skills, and growth in a field of study.

19. Example of Portfolio • See MJ Portfolio (Academic)

20. Five Marketing Strategies • It is necessary to know what your skills are worth in dollars and cents. 1. Identify what skills would bring you an advantage; • This refers not just to hard skills (technical skills), but also to soft skills (such as communication and time management).

21. It helps to do your homework about what skills are valued in your desired field, both today and in the future. 2. Do an honest self-assessment of your current skills. • . Looking critically at your strengths and weaknesses cuts out a lot of wasted time in your pursuit of skills development. 3. Decide whether to focus on solidifying your strengths or improving your weaknesses. • “Schawbelstates “If you know you've got a weakness that could potentially hurt or limit your career, your first priority should be to resolve that weakness.”

22. 4. Put in the hours to develop your skills. • Develop new skills or solidify existing ones, from online education courses to conferences and webinars. Develop your speaking skills. • Start working from your core skills and developing adjacent ones. 5. Make sure to showcase your newly-developed skill set. Activity: Identify two weaknesses you experience in the workplace. Get feedback from group members.

23. The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) estimates that by 2015, 60% of new jobs will require skills that only 20% of the population currently has. You alone are responsible for developing your skills.

24. Networking • Networking is defined as developing and keeping relationships with others. • It involves staying connected to people to learn about such things as new ideas, services, advancements, and, of course, job openings. • Networking is most successful when done consistently over time. • When it works, networking can “net” many gains for you personally and in your job search.

25. Networking • Use of Business Cards • Elevator Speech-Activity • Selling Yourself to Others/ Use of Resume • Social Media Most locations can provide opportunities to network.

26. Networking Do’s and Don’ts 1. Try to give as much as you get from your network. 2. Keep contacts informed of your job search progress, and keep in touch with your network over time. 3. Follow up on any leads or names you have been given. 4. Be professional in your approach and behavior. 5. Continue to expand your circle of contacts. 6. Be clear about what you are looking for when making contacts.

27. Networking Do’s and Don’ts 7. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and assistance. 8. Don’t expect your network to function as a job search firm for you. 9. Don’t be discouraged if someone doesn’t have time for you. 10. Don’t be shy; speak out and be assertive. 11. Don’t pass up any opportunities to develop your network Source: Career Focus: A Personal Job Search Guide (Helene MartucciLamarre)

28. How Jobs are AcquiredSource: Career Focus: A Personal Job Search Guide

29. Social Media

30. 1. Check out the jobs section LinkedIn does actually have a dedicated jobs section. 2. Complete your profile The more complete your LinkedIn profile is, the more jobs LinkedIn will be able to suggest for you. 3. Join Groups You’ll get more traffic to your profile if people know you exist.

31. Leaving Your Profile Page Open to Strangers • Displaying Unprofessional Profile Photos • Allowing Friends to Post Unprofessional Comments • Tweeting about Bad Work Behavior • Bashing Current/Previous Employers • Over 90% of hiring managers will research their candidates online.

32. Interviewing Attire • Examples of what not to wear on an interview; • Alter tops • Spandex • Dresses and tops that shows cleavage • Tight pants • Mini skirts and dresses • Earrings and jewelry that is too large and colorful • Be cautious with sandals

33. Appropriate Attire to Wear on Interviews and at Work

41. Types of Interviews • One-on-one interview: This involves you and one interviewer who is asking questions that are either structured or unstructured.

42. Group interview: In this type of interview, there are several people asking questions of one applicant. key to success is to stay calm and focus on each question one at a time. Try to break down the group into a collection of individuals

43. Unstructured: The interviewer has no set agenda and seems to make up questions at will. Usually, the questions posed will come from information you put on your resume. Stay calm and simply answer the questions as they are posed

44. Structured: The interviewer utilizes common, predetermined questions that appear to be thought out, but the questions are not exactly tailored to you and your experiences. Focus on each question, and do your best to personalize them in a positive manner. Job Interviewing Video- IntervieweingTips from Dr. Phil’s Guest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZalKNsr74o

45. You can generally expect two types of questions during an interview. Standard (traditional) questions seek factual information about you, such as your work experience and educational background. Behavior-based (situational) questions ask you to describe your past experiences

46. illegal question (e.g., age, marital or family status, religion, etc.)- be careful how you answer these questions

47. key interviewing tips • Interview for as many jobs as you can • Develop a compelling story e.g. Give you confidence, Increase your self-awareness, Bring humanity to your resume, Make you memorable and set you apart • Tailor your story to the job (e.g. Lining up the stories that apply to the opportunity at hand is critical)

48. Manage stress (e.g. learn stress reduction techniques) • Be prepared: • Do your research. Gather information about the company and the position available. Try to specifically relate your experience to the duties the job opportunity entails. • Practice interviewing. Enlist a friend (better yet, a group of friends and colleagues) to ask you sample questions. Practice making eye contact.

49. Record your practice sessions. Pay attention to body language and verbal presentation. Eliminate verbal fillers, like “uh,” and “um.” • Handle logistics early. Have your clothes, resume, and directions to the interview site ready ahead of time, to avoid any extra stress.

50. Anticipate likely questions (e.g. behavioral interview questions) Example questions; Describe a situation in which you didn’t meet your stated goal, how did you handle it? Describe a situation in which you took the initiative to change a process or system and make it better, how did you identify the problem? How did you go about instituting change?