Career Karma

Career Karma - Last Call

Dear Friends:

Thank you for your loyal readership. This is the last Career Karma blog. As we've shared over the last two weeks, you can continue following us as follows:

• Subscribe to our free twice monthly e-zine "Career Connections." Visit the "Keep Connected" link on the front page of our website to subscribe for this no-cost, value-packed publication.
• Get on LinkedIn and join Tri-City Connections, our LinkedIn group. We publish regular short articles in the discussion area on all things career. Oh, and we also list any jobs we know about in the Jobs area of the group, too!
• Follow us on Twitter and you'll receive regular updates on any new articles posted to CollegeRecruiter.com, ezine Articles, JobNews, or to any other places BoldlyGo is noted and quoted. (Just search those sites by Sharon DeLay and you'll find us! On Twitter, look for career_coach.)
• Visit the Media section of our website. We update information there regularly regarding appearances, articles, and podcasts.

Thank you for 3 great years of readership and we look forward to giving you great information through these other resources.

DON'T FORGET to check out our re-designed website. BoldlyGo is about coaching, consulting and connecting and we look forward to making sure our website reflects that.

Sharon DeLay is a credentialed career coach and HR professional. For more information, visit www.boldlygocoaching.com

Career Karma - Last week

Dear readers:

For 3 years wehave provided a twice-weekly blog on all things career. Sometimes the inspiration hit while at the campground, and other times it was the result of some chance encounter with someone in career transition or with a human resources professional. Needless to say, the blog has covered a lot of territory.

The time has come, though, to consider other outlets. As we review what has been the most effective method of getting the word out, it's been through many of the outlets below. So, as we make the last push to leave Permanent Ink Professional Development Services behind and launch BoldlyGO 100% on May 1, we'll be leaving Career Karma, too.

Never fret, though. There are many ways to get your career transition advice fix. To stay in touch and in the know, please plan on following us in the following places:

• Subscribe to our free twice monthly e-zine "Career Connections." Visit the "Keep Connected" link on the front page of our website to subscribe for this no-cost, value-packed publication.
• Get on LinkedIn and join Tri-City Connections, our LinkedIn group. We publish regular short articles in the discussion area on all things career. Oh, and we also list any jobs we know about in the Jobs area of the group, too!
• Follow us on Twitter and you'll receive regular updates on any new articles posted to CollegeRecruiter.com, ezine Articles, JobNews, or to any other places BoldlyGo is noted and quoted. (Just search those sites by Sharon DeLay and you'll find us! On Twitter, look for career_coach.)
• Visit the Media section of our website. We update information there regularly regarding appearances, articles, and podcasts.

Thank you for 3 great years of readership and we look forward to giving you great information through these other resources.

And, on May 1, check out our re-designed website. BoldlyGo is about coaching, consulting and connecting and we look forward to making sure our website reflects that.

Sharon DeLay is a credentialed career coach and HR professional. For more information, visit www.boldlygocoaching.com

Career Karma - Countdown to great things

Dear readers:

For 3 years wehave provided a twice-weekly blog on all things career. Sometimes the inspiration hit while at the campground, and other times it was the result of some chance encounter with someone in career transition or with a human resources professional. Needless to say, the blog has covered a lot of territory.

The time has come, though, to consider other outlets. As we review what has been the most effective method of getting the word out, it's been through many of the outlets below. So, as we make the last push to leave Permanent Ink Professional Development Services behind and launch BoldlyGO 100% on May 1, we'll be leaving Career Karma, too.

Never fret, though. There are many ways to get your career transition advice fix. To stay in touch and in the know, please plan on following us in the following places:

• Subscribe to our free twice monthly e-zine "Career Connections." Visit the "Keep Connected" link on the front page of our website to subscribe for this no-cost, value-packed publication.
• Get on LinkedIn and join Tri-City Connections, our LinkedIn group. We publish regular short articles in the discussion area on all things career. Oh, and we also list any jobs we know about in the Jobs area of the group, too!
• Follow us on Twitter and you'll receive regular updates on any new articles posted to CollegeRecruiter.com, ezine Articles, JobNews, or to any other places BoldlyGo is noted and quoted. (Just search those sites by Sharon DeLay and you'll find us! On Twitter, look for career_coach.)
• Visit the Media section of our website. We update information there regularly regarding appearances, articles, and podcasts.

Thank you for 3 great years of readership and we look forward to giving you great information through these other resources.

And, on May 1, check out our re-designed website. BoldlyGo is about coaching, consulting and connecting and we look forward to making sure our website reflects that.

Sharon DeLay is a credentialed career coach and HR professional. For more information, visit www.boldlygocoaching.com

Career Karma Countdown

Dear readers:

For 3 years wehave provided a twice-weekly blog on all things career. Sometimes the inspiration hit while at the campground, and other times it was the result of some chance encounter with someone in career transition or with a human resources professional. Needless to say, the blog has covered a lot of territory.

The time has come, though, to consider other outlets. As we review what has been the most effective method of getting the word out, it's been through many of the outlets below. So, as we make the last push to leave Permanent Ink Professional Development Services behind and launch BoldlyGO 100% on May 1, we'll be leaving Career Karma, too.

Never fret, though. There are many ways to get your career transition advice fix. To stay in touch and in the know, please plan on following us in the following places:

• Subscribe to our free twice monthly e-zine "Career Connections." Visit the "Keep Connected" link on the front page of our website to subscribe for this no-cost, value-packed publication.
• Get on LinkedIn and join Tri-City Connections, our LinkedIn group. We publish regular short articles in the discussion area on all things career. Oh, and we also list any jobs we know about in the Jobs area of the group, too!
• Follow us on Twitter and you'll receive regular updates on any new articles posted to CollegeRecruiter.com, ezine Articles, JobNews, or to any other places BoldlyGo is noted and quoted. (Just search those sites by Sharon DeLay and you'll find us! On Twitter, look for career_coach.)
• Visit the Media section of our website. We update information there regularly regarding appearances, articles, and podcasts.

Thank you for 3 great years of readership and we look forward to giving you great information through these other resources.

And, on May 1, check out our re-designed website. BoldlyGo is about coaching, consulting and connecting and we look forward to making sure our website reflects that.

Sharon DeLay is a credentialed career coach and HR professional. For more information, visit www.boldlygocoaching.com

Will you find your focus?

Last weekend was a fabulous weekend. The weather was beautiful and it was nice to just relax, hang around outside, and watch a couple of movies – a rare treat for me. On Saturday I was drawn into “Dragon, The Bruce Lee Story.” Early in the movie, Jason Scott Lee, playing Bruce Lee, said, “Focus and there is nothing you cannot bend to your will.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Focus is the foundation of everything. To get the best prices, to reach your goal, to win the game, you need focus. The same goes for your career transition. The payoff of focus in your career transition is:

• You can develop a targeted résumé that addresses not only your career goal, but also your related career accomplishments that will transfer to your next position.
• Your research time will be maximized because you will not only have your list of targeted companies, but also know exactly the type of position you are looking for within your targeted companies.
• The connections you make and nurture as you work toward your goals will be ones that are most likely to be able to help you accomplish your goals.
• The entire career transition will be more effective because everything you do will take you one step closer to your goal rather than be a distraction.

Think about the last time you focused on your goal with absolute determination. The end result was probably exactly what you needed.

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter @career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.

Where the jobs are

The February 2009 issue of More magazine  listed the top 10 growth fields, as projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as follows. The projected percentage of growth is indicated in parenthesis.

·         Network systems and data communication analysts (53.4%)

·         Personal and home care aides (50.6%)

·         Home health aides (48.7%)

·         Computer software engineers (44.6%)

·         Veterinary technologist/technicians (41%)

·         Personal financial advisors (41%

·         Theatrical Makeup artists (39.8%)

·         Medical assistant

·         Medical assistants (35.4%)

·         Veterinarians (35%)

·         Substance abuse/behavioral disorder counselors (34.3%)

The educational requirements for these opportunities range from certificate program to a professional degree and the salary opportunities also vary significantly. If you want to learn more about each position, research them on the BLS.gov website in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

But don’t stop there. Every growth opportunity  generates even more opportunities. For example, to train these different professionals, education programs will grow, which means schools will need more support staff. Companies that produce and sell medical equipments will grow.  If one of these growth areas don’t interest you, one of the residual growth areas might. How do you find out more? Through your connections, find people related to the growth industries and ask who their business partners are, what types of companies they outsource to, and gain a general understanding of how the full supply and operations chains work. Once you understand this, you will define your opportunities.

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter @career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.

Career Fair Killers

I conducted resume reviews last week at a career fair and it was wonderful to see people engaged in their career search, seeking out advice on how to better present themselves to potential employers. I am genuinely gratified when people take control of managing their career search.

 

Conversely, I am mortified when people take control of derailing their career search. For as many people at the career fair who were dressed professionally and marketing their skills to connect with employers, many others were inappropriately dressed and unprepared to talk about what they’re looking for and what they offer an employer.

 

A few examples of inappropriate dress:

• 4-inch stilettos, in any animal print
• A purse with the Playboy bunny logo on it (for the record, NOT the same person in the 4-inch stilettos)
• 2-inch long nails with all sorts of crazy stuff all over them
• T-shirts (men or women), unless you’re applying to Abercrombie & Fitch
• Tennis shoes (men or women), unless you’re applying to a gym
• Cropped pants, too-short skirts
• Too-tight anything or too-big anything
• Pants hanging down to your knees
• Too much jewelry, perfume or cologne
• Dirty anything
• Unkempt hair, out-of-control facial hair
• Coats so big they can hide the kitchen sink

 

There are only a handful of employers in an even narrower number of industries where any of these types of dress might be warranted. For the record, none of them were at this particular career fair.

 

The worst thing to say (or not say) when you’re talking to employers:

 

When you approach an employer at the career fair and the company representative asks why you’re there, don’t answer, “A job.” First, DUH! Second, your responsibility is to help the employer help you and if you do not have a clear request, job or role in mind, then you need to be better prepared. If there are 20 people standing at an employer’s table and that employer has to try to pull from you what you do and where you fit with the company, it won’t. It will move on to the other 19 people.

 

Think of the career fair a little like a blind date. You’re meeting for the first time and it’s important to make a good first impression in order to get the second date (the interview).

 

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter @career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.

From employed to notorious in 140 characters or less

I spend a lot of time with my clients helping them understand how to use social media tools to their career search advantage. However, every now and then there comes a cautionary tale reminding us why and how using social media in your career search can also backfire on you.

 

Honestly, I want to feel sorry “theconnor,” but I can’t. In using social media to gain a goal, he is now a notorious footnote in the social media world.

 

So, let’s revisit a few netiquette notes that work for social media, too.

• Remember that in the WWW, it’s from your lips to the world’s ears.
• In today’s environment especially, personal ethics and values matter. Selling yourself for a good paying job with a company you don’t passionately want to work for akin to prostituting yourself – which is neither ethical or full of values.
• The Internet and social media tools will allow whatever you say go viral in seconds. Remember, slow news days can be the nightmare of anybody. Ask anyone in Hollywood.
• Just because you don’t like or even love a company doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there who are very loyal to a company. Those people don’t want to work with people like “theconnor” so they will very quickly do what needs to be done to not mess up their work experience.
• Never, ever, ever assume. You know what that does and, my friends, that saying is much older than the Internet, than social media, and most of the companies out there. When you assume you can get away with something like slagging off one of the biggest tech companies out there, then you really ought to be in the barnyard with the rest of the donkeys.

 

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter @career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.

Another free resource in your career search

Looking for more resources to help you in your career search, check out Calling All Students (CAS), a wiki created by students at Franklin University to provide a centralized location for career resources.

 

The project began as a class project, but it is now available on the WWW as a resource for anyone to review and contribute to for the success of all users.

 

This wiki is currently available under the “What’s New” section on my home page but will become an addition to our Free Resources section of the website going forward. I’m a little partial to this wiki because it includes a link to the various free resources on my website. (You’ll find us listed under the Website & Resources > Interview Questions & Sample Resources.)

 

Keep in mind that wikis are only as useful as the content you, the user, provides, so become part of the career solution and add your own great resources. Also, as with any resource on the Internet, check out the accuracy of information before you utilize it or subscribe to it.

 

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter @career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.

 

Linked In, Facebook, and Twitter - Oh Why?

Everyone is all a-twitter (pardon the pun) these days about Twitter. It seems like no matter who you're talking to one of these topics eventually comes up in the conversation.

Facebook and Twitter go back and forth between being a verb and a noun (Did you Facebook that out to your friends? Hop on Twitter and tweet about it.)

You'll hear a lot of people refer to these three social mediums as "The Big Three" when it comes to seeing and being seen for career networking. Each has its own use, but the key you need to remember is that while all of these have complex technological processes behind them, they are growing rapidly because of the "social" aspect, and the opportunity to create communities.

While hiring managers and recruiters may be slower adopting these as methods ways to find candidates, just check out my followers on Twitter (@career_coach) and you'll see there are several recruiters following me (and I'm following them in return). Twitter happens to be one of the quickest ways to post a job lead and take it viral. Hop onto Twitter now, follow me, and watch it happen today when I post a job lead I reccently received.

LinkedIn remains the "professional" site of choice and it continues to grow and evolve. If you went through a webinar with me in the last year on how to use this tool to search for a career, it has aleady changed so much.

To help you figure out how to integrate these tools into your job search, I'm offering a no-cost tele-seminar that provides an overvieve of these three tools and how they're being used. You can also explore my webinars and workshops for other learning opportunies.

Sharon Thomas DeLay, CPCC, CPRW, MBA, is the owner of BoldlyGO Coaching, Consulting and Connecting. You can find Sharon on Twitter at career_coach and become a Facebook fan of Boldly GO.   (c) 2009 BoldyGO.