Career Portfolio, YOUR Edge

I had numerous requests for topics come in this week and appreciate your suggestions.  The main categories mentioned are career portfolio related and how to overcome background challenges.  Next week you will find several submissions dealing with challenges; today will briefly discuss career portfolios.

 

To be specific, I was asked “What does an overview of an individual professional portfolio look like?”

 

• Your portfolio design was developed through years of hands-on experience within the classroom and corporate setting.  The importance of possessing a professionally formatted portfolio can never be denied.  By “showing” value contributions, you are better prepared for the interview and ongoing promotional evaluations.
• It is encouraged your portfolio remains active and updated on a regular schedule.  The reason is quite straightforward: hiring managers want to retain individuals who display continual growth.  If this growth happens to be by way of certifications, ongoing professional development/training, education, seminars, etc., you display a progressive work ethic. 
• The manner of which your portfolio is presented is just as important as the content itself.  Know the vehicle is being judged—are you organized, error-free, relevant, to the point, and the right candidate?

 

No matter what your resume/career objective may be, portfolio’s offer insight beyond the rest of the crowd….and with the unemployment rate bloating, this may YOUR edge over the competition.

 

The use of professional portfolios has been around for many years and the value it brings should never be underappreciated.  As a writer for Career Services International, former college instructor, and author of “Your Personal Career Manual & Portfolio Essentials,” I have seen the good, the bad, and the not so pretty portfolio from students all the way to seasoned corporate executives.  Know the vast majority of “stack of cash” seekers do not present their value properly.  Do you?

 

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.  If you are a student, allow your Career Services Department to review and assist you in this endeavor.  If you are alumni, you have not been forgotten by your college or university.  Prove from your portfolio that you are a great candidate for the position.   

 

Danny Huffman, MA, CPRW, CPCC, CEIP

dhuffman@careersi.com

Education Career Services: http://www.educationcs.com

Career Services International: http://www.careersi.com

Recipe for Success: Attitude

How can two people with the same skills and abilities in the same situation have different outcomes?  I believe the difference maker is attitude. Many people will tell you if you can believe – you can achieve.  That is certainly important, but I know a lot of good people with great out-look who haven’t reached their goals yet.  Attitude isn’t everything, but it is the main thing that will make a difference.

 

It is THE DIFFERENCE MAKER, when you’re going for a job; meeting new people are simply doing chores around the house.  For example: two athletes with the same skills compete for the same position; but one is going to have a good team attitude and the other is not. Which one would the coach pick?  It really is the difference maker and with all things being equal, a good attitude will set you apart.

 

We all have a chosen attitude.  Our self-image, how we see ourselves, is going to greatly influence our tendency to be either negative of positive in our appearance and the way we convey our thoughts to others.  In the long run it is our choice and that choice does help determine the outcome of our efforts.

 

Now, attitude cannot replace competence and experience.  Great skills combined with experience are a hard combination to turn down.  However, when you mix their dynamics with a great attitude this is a recipe for excellence.

 

Competence in the work place and in living your life is the continuing ability to handle situations effectively, producing a positive outcome.  Experience, of course, is something you continuously gain as we work and enjoy our lives.  Those two things are facts that employees are looking for in a person.  Although attitude cannot replace competency or experience it will show your desire to learn and grow in your chosen career.  I believe a good positive attitude allows us to approach people and our responsibilities in such a mental way it gives all of us the best shot of walking in, taking off and succeeding.

 

The above was submitted by K. D. Byrne:  A former owner of multiple, successful businesses, has built start-up companies with diversified venues in the oil, food, and educational industries.

 

Let me know what you think,

 

Danny Huffman, MA, CPRW, CPCC, CEIP

dhuffman@careersi.com

Education Career Services: http://www.educationcs.com

Career Services International: http://www.careersi.com

Job Fair Realism

Sorry for being a tad late this morning but had a little fender bender along the way to work.  Needless to say, all is well and my back bumper is the only thing needing replacment.  While waiting for the accident report, I listened to NPR (National Public Radio) and a discussion regarding job fairs.

 

According to the radio, job fair attendance has been increasing dramatically over the past few years.  As a matter of fact, there was a recent job fair in New York that attracted 5,000 individuals looking for a job.  One in South Carolina doubled it’s attendance to 1,000 from last year’s as well.  Interesting enough, the one in South Carolina was offering 18 part time (and relatively lower paying) positions.  Upon further review, it became apparent that job fairs are a great place to hone in on your job searching skills but can not, and should not, be a primary source.

 

According to NPR, there is a low success rate during job fairs and for those receiving job offers, they typically tend to be short term and with a lower salary.  With the odds so wide against success, what does one do to stand out amongst such a crowd?

 

Common Sense:

• Have plenty of hard copy resumes, cover letters, and networking cards
• Have a well-prepared elevator speech, highlighting what you offer to a prospective company (in other words, how will you bring in money or decrease costs)
• Appearance is important (I have been to many job fairs and couldn’t help but note how poorly dressed the vast majority were)
• Possess realistic expectation and take advantage of the networking system (meet, greet, and exchange information with fellow professionals and students—one never knows what tomorrow may bring)
• Do not become frustrated or overwhelmed due to the mass of job seekers

Let’s be realistic, job fairs are successful for many but given today’s highly competitive employment arena, there is a lower success rate than previous years.  I encourage all students to attend as many job fairs as humanly possible.  Professionals with a vast amount of experience may find greater success at job fairs specific to their industry. 

 

While a professor and dean of academic affairs, I personally witnessed many students attain lucrative offers due to job fairs—they are out there!  Follow the common sense bullets above and never stop believing in yourself and the contributions you will bring to your next employer.

 

If you have a specific job fair story you would like to share to our group, feel free to submit as a comment or email directly to me.

 

Danny Huffman, MA, CPRW, CPCC, CEIP

dhuffman@careersi.com

Education Career Services: http://www.educationcs.com

Career Services International: http://www.careersi.com

The Ever-Unreliable Unemployment Rate

An extremely gifted professional writer (Robert Swanson) jotted a few lines regarding the unemployment rate — take a few minutes to review:

It’s become a figure of terror; misunderstood and wrongly applied, it initiates panic in the populace.  News commentators raise it on a pole and predict the economy is going down for the last time…

 

That’s a lot of power to give an undifferentiated Unemployment Rate.  As of this writing, the UR is at 7.2% (please, no screaming allowed). 

Always concerned for the unemployed (at least those who want to be employed), a good understanding of the Unemployment Rate is necessary to retain hope and stave off discouragement.

 

The US Department of Labor conducts a monthly survey of 60,000 homes, categorizes each person over 16 as part of the Labor Force or the unemployable.  They do so by asking the unemployed if they are looking for work, and if they have, in fact, actively looked for work in the last four months.  Then they add up those in the Labor Force and the portion unemployed and wizard up the UR.

 

So, assuming .0015 of the population is a good sample (it isn’t) and assuming everyone tells the truth (they don’t), the UR is still a useless number, it doesn’t tell you who is unemployed. What percentage of your demographic is unemployed?  Do executives make up that number or do minimum wage workers?  What age?  Even the Department’s breakdown is vague (two categories for age; 16 to 19 and 20 on up).

 

The DoL claims to weed out the unemployable, composed of those physically and mentally unable to work.  Unfortunately, the people interviewed in the poll may not classify themselves thus.  Further, people on assistance programs who have no intention of working, claim they are looking for employment to retain eligibility of benefits (which is not to say all those on assistance fall into that camp).  Thus the numbers are skewed by the mentally ill and infirm who simply don’t realize they are unemployable, and those protecting their aid eligibility.

 

Further, unemployment is fluid, not static.  People transition from job to job; are the 7.2% unemployed the same individuals unemployed during the same time last year?

 

The simple truth is no statistically miniscule sample is going to be accurate, and even if it was, it is a number of averages, and you are far from average, right?  Do not be discouraged by the UR.  Jobs are out there.  Companies may not be advertising them, but they still need quality people.  Consider the early 80’s when the UR was at an all-time modern high of 10.5%; innovation reigned within the marketplace.  The PC was invented and refined; consumer electronics shrank in size and grew in quality.  CD’s were invented.  Almost every sector innovated new products and channels leading to a giant drop in unemployment, because the market needed people to manage, expand, and improve business.

 

Do you find it difficult to proceed with hope?  Perhaps you’ve been that rare individual stuck in unemployment despite impressive skills?  Or maybe you think you’re going to be in that small percentage soon as companies restructure to weather the present storm?  Consider that you’re not the problem; it could be your approach! 

 

Navigating the job market is a full time job.  You may need help to create a winning strategy and there is plenty help out there.  If you have any questions, do contact me and I will be glad to assist in any way possible.  

 

NEVER give up hope! 

 

OOOPS, Did This Really Happen? Another Interview Blunder

Interviews in and of themselves can be an overwhelming experience…and I do not necessarily mean for the interviewee—think about how the interviewer feels:

 

As a company owner, I have the luxury of interviewing candidates.  Last year I noticed an applicant who I felt had the potential to be a great match and made the decision to handle this one myself.  On paper, this lady (who we will name Sally) had the qualifications, experience, and education I was looking for.  The day and time came without a hitch and before long, I was notified Sally was here and completed our application form.  In typical fashion, several minutes passed before I made it to the front, but only several.

 

I walked into the lobby to find a candidate visibly upset for having to wait five minutes.  Her posture was hunched and ready to pounce, I approached cautiously.  Sally shook my hand and we went back to my office.  Within seconds it was clear the image on paper did not represent the reality in front of me. 

 

Though my company is not what one would call conservative, I expect first interview sessions to be conservative in conversation and style.  Sally did not seem to calm down from the time delay and after several questions, it was clear this was not a good fit.  Don’t get me wrong, she answered the questions well and did not lack the skills to do the job…but doing the job is not good enough.  The ideal client can do the job but will also bring to the company a team attitude, a good spirit, a pleasant nature, and a personality ready to work under many contingencies. 

 

Sally refused to look anywhere but directly at my eyes.  I was spooked by her creepiness and her ability to NOT blink for minutes at a time.  Her voice never changed in tone and she kept flicking her pen on and off.  At first I felt as if I had misplaced ketchup on my nose and this would explain her refusal to look away—then I remembered I have not had lunch yet. 

 

Fifteen minutes later I escorted Sally to the front office and thanked her for coming in…she gave me another direct glare—daggers all but pierced my skin.  The next morning Sally was found in the front office area, sitting, waiting, and looking angry (I avoided the situation by entering through a back door).  For three hours Sally sat and stared and waited.  This ritual lasted five consecutive days until I finally found body armor and informed her a decision was made.  I told Sally her resume and application would remain on file just in case.  Thinking this would do the trick, I went back to my office.

 

For the next two weeks Sally sat and stared, to this day I am not sure what she was looking at.  Oh, I somehow lost her resume and application within seconds of her initial (and only) interview.

 

Interviewees beware: not only are you being evaluated, but your behavior and total presence is also being evaluated.  If you become angry, scary, or in stalker-mode, chances are you will not get a second chance.

 

I still share this experience with individuals preparing to go to an interview.  Not that it calms them down, it does not seem to.  I share this story to reinforce the fact that another individual with his or her own perceptions, fears, and beliefs will be looking at more than what’s on paper; and that’s a lesson we all should take to heart.

 

Your turn:

For those wanting to share interview experiences for all to benefit from, be sure and send them to me.  If nothing else, they are great fodder for fireside chats.

 

Danny

Do You Need Career Management Help?

Recognizing the need to accept guidance in your career management strategy is an important step to securing success.  With the economy continuing to struggle and the pool of applicants continuing to rise, the sense of overwhelming drowning can easily seep into the soul.  Take it from someone who is a poor swimmer, I embrace inflatable life boats now and then.  Perhaps no man (or woman) can exist as an island.  Or does one begin staying afloat by learning the doggie-paddle and then, and only then, reach for guidance?

 

In the previous post the topic of self-help was introduced as a building block for personal career management.  True enough, before I can seek a helping hand or life jacket, I am obligated to stand on my own two feet (perhaps wobbly at first) and, as ABBA exclaimed, “take a chance on me.”  If this is the case, where do I begin and what do I do with what I have?

 

Effective personal career management is not a life-changing event to be taken lightly.  According to the top three career management associations, reviewing and updating your resume should occur at least once a year.  Let’s venture onto the island of “self” and examine resume refreshing guidelines:

 

• Out with the old and in with the new; this includes formatting.  Nothing can be less exciting than seeing the same shape, tone, and template over and over again.  Many hiring executives review up to a hundred resumes a day—imagine, if you dare, living in an homogenized setting where each island serves the same landscape.  To be effective, you must change the way, the feel, and the look of your resume throughout the year.  If you have an accomplishment, express it and prioritize your contribution and value by keeping the cream at the top and the “ho-hum” on the bottom of the sheet.
• Resumes reflect more than your educational achievements and career background; they are the window in which you are judged, professionally and personally.  This may not be fair but it is reality.  To the person critiquing your resume, it is not only what you state but how you state as well as what you elect not to state.  Being a student of semantics, the very words we choose to select tells a great deal about the author.  This is where position, company, and industry research pays a high dividend or may cause you to sink in a sea of misconstrued verbs…not a fun place to tread!

 

In the next few posts we will begin examining the concept of partnering with professional companies, describing the pros and cons as well as tips on selecting what may be best for you.

 

Charting career management territory as we go; time for me to get the map out and dust my compass.

 

Until then, Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Career Cafe! (Bring Your Own Java)

College is a time to prepare for your career…  most colleges do a great job at it, too.  Forget what the press says, our centers of higher education are turning out exceptional graduates, and despite the stereotype, you and your fellow students take career preparation seriously.

Unfortunately, what you may not be taking seriously enough is career management!  If you have, if you’re actively involved with the career center at your school, we applaud you.  While the rest of the university is preparing you for driving on the highway, your career center is going to help you find the on-ramp–an important aspect to all highway driving!

That’s why we’re partnering with career centers to provide curriculum for in-class and take-home instruction, we’re also publishing this interactive “Career Cafe” to:

• Share our insights (we’re career management professionals as well as academic professionals.  A happy fusion, IOHO.)
• Gather your questions, feedback, and concerns so we can even more accurately serve your educational needs.
• Network you with visiting executives and career professionals.

We welcome Students, Executives, Educators, and anyone else interested in contributing to the next generation’s career management development!