Boomer job retraining a best-kept secret - Hire Imaging

Boomer job retraining a best-kept secret - Hire Imaging Many community colleges are partnering with local businesses to retrain workers. These relationships are a great potential resource for boomers and older workers to find work they love; and for employers to find talent with skills in demand. Silver lining for my coaching client Ben Ben, an over-50 construction laborer, saw his industry drying up. By early 2009, he was without a job and unable to find steady employment. He researched the market, networked, sent out   targeted resumes. All the right things. Nothing full-time in his field materialized. In late 2010, he learned that a community college nearby was offering specialized job-training classes in partnership with local employers. He visited the school’s career counselor for some free assessments. Then he enrolled in map use, analysis and interpretation, data acquisition, database development, and other courses geared toward a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Several months later, one of his instructors (who worked for a local urban planning company) recommended Ben for an opening with his organization. Ben started full-time work the next week! Ben benefitted from one of the best-kept secrets in job retraining: community colleges. In talking with clients since Ben’s experience, I realized that few think of a community college as s place to recharge a career. But these school-employer relationships can be gold mines for the job seeker. An often affordable solution Job seekers often hold back on school for financial reasonsâ€"lack of income leaves them hesitant to invest in expensive college programs with no guaranteed results. The good news is that community college tuitions average $2,700 a yearâ€"about one-fifth of that of many private or for-profit colleges. Flexible scheduling (online, nights, weekends) allows students to work part-time while studying. Better yet, community colleges can offer a community. In an interview with AARP Magazine, Norma Kent, a senior vice president of the American Association of Community Colleges, representing 1,200 schools, says, “We provide a support system of assessment, career counseling, and job placement. We don’t put you in a position to fail.” Of course, demand can vary by location. What’s great about the community-college approach is that schools are customizing training certificate programs to meet local companies’ unique needs.   It’s a win-win scenario The scenario is a win-win for employers and job seekers. Back to the school that Ben attended. The program content was developed in conjunction with input from local, regional and national GIS professionals, and was tailored to prepare individuals with the technical skills and confidence to be productive within the professional GIS working environment. Instructors came from local businesses. These businesses also integrated on-site visits into the learning. They also hired heavily from the program. The new talent on the local scene was now ideally matched to need! Keep in mind that while community college certificate programs can help you land a job faster, they are not always the higher paying jobs. Realistically, some of the better-paying positions do require more school time and cost more. But many job seekers have used the retraining to get their feet in the door; and then pursue additional education (often reimbursed by their employers) to qualify for higher-paying positions. Ben hopes to move up the ladder now that he’s landed a full-time position where there is room to grow. To locate a community college in your area, check out the website of the American Association of Community Colleges at aacc.nche.edu/pages/ccfinder.aspx. You may find it helpful to make an in-person appointment to meet with a career representative to discuss a potential fit for you. If you’re struggling in your job search, consider reinvention! Photo: jitze

Career Development Move Your Job from Tasks to Strategy

Career Development Move Your Job from Tasks to Strategy Does this sound like your job description? Meet with my boss once or twice per week, write down all the things she would like me to do, then try to get them done before our next meeting. I think a lot of us feel this way on some level. Recently, I worked with a client who was very unsatisfied with his job and we boiled it down to one primary factor his day was spent trying to complete the tasks his boss gave him. He didnt have a purpose behind the task, just the task steps. He felt disconnected from his boss overall vision and viewed most of the tasks as boring. He wasnt fulfilled and didnt feel empowered. Based on this, we came up with two ideas for him to try: Ask his boss to explain her vision and the big items on her plate. Never hesitate to ask for the background on a task, even if it was something he should know already. After 3 conversations with his boss, something remarkable happened: my client became very excited about the tasks! Heres how it happened. Whats the purpose behind the task? My client first realized that he wasnt asking for the purpose he wasnt seeking it. He just wanted the details of what he was to deliver. One of the consequences was that he became stuck when the task morphed or headed into an unexpected direction. He had to wait until his next meeting with his boss to explain the situation and get her direction. Second, it turns out that his boss was very stressed out and was concerned with very real problems. His boss was, in fact, happy to explain the background and lay out the reason behind the task she assigned to him. Once his boss started explaining the course of events that led to the task, my client finally began to see her vision of the situation the problems she saw and the reasons why she handed him these tasks. See what your boss sees Whats amazing is what happened next. After the second call with his boss, my client sat down and started to list the problems his boss mentioned as well as the problems he felt were already on the table or would arise very soon. With that vision, my client got very excited about working on such big problems. He looked at his tasks in a whole new light the way to solve problems at his company. In fact, he went back to his boss with the following: A list of the issues they were currently facing A list of issues they might soon have Suggestions for solving all those issues A revised overarching strategy for his boss entire department The job became fun again. Understanding the context of the problems helped him appreciate the tasks his boss gave him as well as the new tasks he proposed. Who knows the best strategy? Another interesting conclusion from this career development work was the following: oftentimes the person with the best strategy is the one who is doing the work. Your boss may have an excellent perspective on the desired business outcome but her vision for achieving that outcome may be inadequate. Dont limit yourself to being a project manager and simply executing the tasks you are given. Put yourself in your boss shoes. Adopt her problems as your own. Solve them for her and your boss will start to view you differently and come to you for strategy, not just tasks! Help your boss succeed This brings me to the next steps for my client: Continue feeding strategic ideas to your boss while also completing the tasks to implement your ideas. Show your boss the progress youve made towards the plan. Let her know that you can execute this plan give her a concrete list along with delivery dates. Let your boss know how much more productive you could be with an additional team member. Show the additional goals you would achieve and the compressed time frame you could deliver them in. Ask her to give you a raise/promotion if you execute on your plan and reach the targets you jointly set. This is ambitious and more easily said than done but you can see how my client can get 1) a promotion, 2) a bigger team to lead and 3) a lot more job satisfaction all while making his boss look good too.

How a Mentor Can Help You Land a Job -

How a Mentor Can Help You Land a Job - Finding a job does not need to be a solitary activity. In fact, it’s better when you can tap into other people’s skills, experiences and resources to help connect with an opportunity. Networking is one great way to accomplish those goals, but having a mentor is an even better way to help you land a job faster. Who qualifies as a mentor? A mentor can be anyone willing to take a strong interest in another person’s professional success. Typically, the mentor is more experienced and connected in the job seeker’s field, but that doesn’t necessarily mean older. If you’ve changed careers, it’s possible you’ll connect with a younger mentor who has more experience and connections in your new field. Get my free white paper:  5 Mistakes Preventing You From Landing a Job This Week   It’s worth looking for a mentor to take on the following roles: Suggest Strengths Sometimes, our most marketable strengths aren’t obvious to us. A mentor can hone in on what you offer and suggest how to market those skills to be attractive to your target employers. Point Out Weaknesses Is a weakness preventing you from landing your dream job? Perhaps it requires someone experienced in your field to notice you’re missing a key skill necessary to win the job. A mentor can step in and help you fill in the missing pieces so you’re competitive for the job you want. Create a Plan A mentor can help you strategize about a plan to accomplish your goals. Whether this involves focusing on strengths or addressing weaknesses, the mentor can help guide you to your goal based on his or her experience in the field. Offer Connections The best mentors open up their networks to their mentees and make introductions likely to lead to new professional relationships. A great mentor can make all the difference for a job seeker, because all it takes to find an opportunity is one great connection. An experienced mentor can be the bridge to that connection for you. Give Advice It’s great to read job search advice, but sometimes, having someone with their personal best interest at heart makes all the difference for job seekers. A mentor can provide insider knowledge on everything related to your search. For example, how to apply, when to follow up, how to prepare for an interview and what’s negotiable in an offer. Teach You By Example One of the best ways to learn how to do something well is by watching someone else who’s already mastered what you hope to accomplish. A mentor can teach you what you need to know to get the job you want. Push You to Succeed Sometimes, you need a pep talk from someone who has been in your situation and succeeded. A mentor can give you that boost and encourage you to stick to your goals. Inspire You The best mentors will inspire you to be the very best you can be, which should lead to new professional opportunities. You’ll never know how much a mentor can help you unless you try to connect with someone willing to serve in that role for you.

Writing about Your Skill Set in Excel in a Resume Ideas

Writing about Your Skill Set in Excel in a Resume Ideas The Fight Against Writing about Your Skill Set in Excel in a Resume You must get your resume looked at and the best method to do it is to get an eye catching design. Soft abilities, on the flip side, are less tangible and more difficult to quantify, like getting along with others, managing your time, creative thinking and the capability to lead. Sentences ought to be restricted to only a single power word or action word to keep the resume smooth and simple to read. If you're a career changer, job hopper or have very little experience working in a specific field, your very best option may be to compose a skill set or functional resume. A resume isn't a regurgitation of what you've done, but instead a thoughtful and well-curated collection of your trip. As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. Note which skills frequently appear in ads and see wherev er your very own professional skills overlap. There are a couple unique forms of skill sections and formatting options which you need to consider when crafting your resume. Look carefully at the posting, and when you have the mandatory skills be certain to list them. Skills If there are several kinds of skills which are important to the job that you're applying for, you can include several skills list in your resume. If you get a wide selection of technical abilities, however, your abilities may wind up being precisely what gets you hired. Don't say you've advanced Excel skills as that will mean various things to various individuals. Your skills section stipulates a window into how much capability you may bring to the firm. Irrespective of where you include your skills section on your resume, you can be confident that the hiring manager is likely to find it and definitely likely to ask about doing it. Type of Writing about Your Skill Set in Excel in a Resume Also, if you'r e able to, have someone that has lately gone through an IT job search look at your resume and provide you suggestions. Every work applicant knows the way to compose a resume. A resume is a significant tool that may either merit the applicant a work interview or break his likelihood of getting one. It is crucial to know precisely which skills the employer is searching for so you know what things to concentrate on when tailoring your resume. What is Really Going on with Writing about Your Skill Set in Excel in a Resume If a work description contains any of the next skills, be certain that you add them to your resume. For more specific technical jobs based on a specific skill, it is significantly simpler to demonstrate. If you don't have the essential skills and experience, you might want to refine your work search to discover a great match. Job-specific skills vary depending on the position. You should constantly tweak your resume to make certain what you have at the top has become the most relevant info to the job that you are applying for. In the majority of cases, if you may make a case for why a patent is related to your application, then don't hesitate to include it in your resume. There are three kinds of resumes, each with its own benefits and pitfalls. Click every one of them to check out various resume examples and pick the one which is the ideal fit based on your qualifications and the job you're applying for.

Buying Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes

Buying Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes If you're wondering how a resume writer expenses, you're in the proper place. Now, if you're a competent writer and understand what it requires to make an effective resume, then you most likely don't require an expert support. You will need to employ a professional resume writer. Your own personal writer can help you create a modern resume, dependent on your career story and meeting all of the high standards of your industry. Yes, there are various options readily available, so you'll need to choose which option works best for you. It's also important to review what sorts of services are provided by the provider. The service utilizes an individual approach for writing all kinds of personalized documents, including cover letters and other sorts of employment-related correspondence. After you have crossed all the cheap resume services off your list, you are able to move on to other regions of elimination which I am going to expl ain below. The Key to Successful Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes The more you look around, the greater your odds of locating a trusted company that provides the high-quality services and product that you deserve. Don't just look at the very first couple of organizations you encounter. Historically, companies aren't going to pour in millions and millions of dollars into advertising should they believe just having an ideal product is enough to generate sales. Some businesses will check with you about your requirements, then quote you a flat rate based on the product they'll create for you. Whether you're unemployed and searching for work, or you've had it with your present job and wish to earn a change, obtaining a persuasive and professional looking resume is vitally important. If you find work which you might not feel as if you are qualified for, that is all in your head. Although there are numerous people out there still trying to find a new job. At times, you fin d it simple to become comfortable in your work and stick to what you only know. Rumors, Lies and Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes If you see a service we haven't evaluated, don't hesitate to drop us a message and we are going to take a look once possible. So, the trick to ensuring your resume-writing service would be worth the price is to choose wisely. A decent resume-writing service will want you to be involved at various phases of the procedure. A professional resume-writing company, however, is more than merely a means to a conclusion. Up in Arms About Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes? Resume Writing Lab supplies a well-developed discount system, which permits average job seeker for all types of application documents. Choosing a Professional Resume Writer is an excellent idea for the majority of professionals since resume writing is a distinctive skill. Calgary Career Counseling is excellent for clients that are pleased with the format and content of their existing resume but want an in depth review to check at grammar and spelling to make sure their resume is targeted to the proper job postings. In the event you want to go started, it's quite simple to order from Resume Writers. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Expensive Resume Writing Services Forbes You don't need to be worried about having a resume writer who's unaware of the role which you are applying for. Wherever you're in your career, we're here to assist. If you need assistance getting clarity on the following career move, you may be interested career path clarity coaching. Thereby, the resume will be customized toward the particular peculiarities of every expert area and the employer will certainly notice it.

The Top 3 Entry-level Job Seeking Mistakes You Do NOT Want To Make

The Top 3 Entry-level Job Seeking Mistakes You Do NOT Want To MakeHere are the mistakes you dont want to risk making as you prepare to enter the job-hunting fray for the first time. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Ignoring the Internet.Ok, if youre reading this, chances are youre no stranger to letting the angeschlossen world help you make heads or tails of the real world and the jobs it has to offer you. But dont make the mistake of letting just one website dominate your job searchingcover your bases TheJobNetwork, LinkedIn, Jobs, Monster, Idealist.Org, and the individual websites of companies youre interested. Make profiles, keep your materials current, take advantage of their job alert tools. Curate your social media presence to put your best foot forwardonline networking may come through Twitter or Facebook or even Tumblr, if youve kept your wits about you.2. Failing to Create Targeted Resumes.This is a big one. Ive worked with do zens of recent college and graduate school students preparing for their first jobs outside of university or their hometown. Even if you strive tirelessly to polish your work experience and proofread with a fine-toothed comb, if you havent taken the time to close-read the job-posting and adapt your resume accordingly, youre missing a major opportunity to showcase what a good fit you are. Every responsibility and accomplishment you represent on your resume should be supplying a requirement on the job posting. I have close to fifteen different resumes in my job search archives now, each closely tailored to suit a specific companys needs.3. Forgetting to Prepare for the Interview.According to Holbrook Hernandez, many entry-level job seekers undervalue the interview process. My personal tip is totreat the interview like your own personal quiz show. Make a three-column chartYour experiences What you learned from it How that aligns with a requirementThere are books and webs ites full of frequently asked interview questions, but what you need to prepare for, more than the questions, are your answers. What can you take credit for? What has it taught you? What will it empower you to do as X companys newest hire? Practice with friends and family until you are poised and professional no matter what is asked of you.Polish your physical presentation too, and youll have avoided the all of the biggest stumbling blocks a newbie encounters en route to their very first job.

5 Things Working Moms Can Do To Keep Moving Their Careers Forward

5 Things Working Moms Can Do To Keep Moving Their Careers Forward Being a working mother is all about balancing priorities.Sometimes home and work responsibilities have us running so hard that we forget to take a step back to think about the big picture, and specifically, to examine what were doing to move ur career forward. Moreover, motherhood sometimes causes us to re-think our goals and desires.If you realize youre not learning anymore or engaged to your full potential, its usually a clear sign that you should push yourself to start seeking out the next level.What is the next level? And how should you get to it?No matter what the competing priorities, these are five steps you should make time to think about so your career continues to advance.1. Identify your goal and dream big.Take the time to really hone in on your long-term career goal. Where would you like to be in 20 years? Dont worryyoure not etching it in stone. You may decide to change this goal the next time you do your career planning. But its important to have a clear idea of your destination so you can plot out your journey.Whatever your career goal, make sure you answer the call of your highest ambitions in selecting it. As Richard Branson says, if youre dreams dont scare you, they are too small. Often, women can talk themselves out of their highest goalssuffering from what has been called a confidence gap.Dont fall victim. Be your own supporter, not a critic.2. Create a roadmap for your career, and do your research.Once you have identified a clear and strong goal, map out a potential path that you could get you there. Again, this will most definitely change. But just like you would do for any business project, a plan-of-action is critical.How can you get from Point A (where you stand today) to Point B i.e., your career goal? What skills or experiences will you need? What relationships will you need to build? To figure out the path that might get you where you want to go, take to the time to le arn how others have succeeded. Use research toolssuch as Levo or Fairygodbossto be connected to successful women how have achieved in similar roles and fields so you can get a realistic picture of what traits are valued in your dream job.And dont be afraid to enlist a career coach. Its absolutely a worthwhile investment. You can find one thats right for you zugnglich, using a site like The Muse or Daily Worth.3. Solicit honest feedback about your strengths and shortcomings.It can be difficult and humbling to ask for feedback and here about where you need to improve. However, everyone needs to improve at something. Collecting honest and direct feedback from your boss or someone else you respect will certainly help you strengthen your value proposition as a professional.So dont be shy. Think of it as working out at the gym. It can feel painful...but the only way to get strongeror in this case better at your professionis to figure out where the weakness lies and work to improve it.4. R ead a lotget smart about your specialty.Find an emerging, topical area of your industry our business that interests you and get super-smart about it. Become an expert. For example, if you work in marketing, carve out a specific vehicle or social platform and become fluent in it. That way, you can become known as the person who knows everything about x.These days, there are lots of great online resources that allow you to take digital courses in many areas. For example, check out General Assembly for courses on everything from web development to data science to digital marketing.Be loud and proactive about what youve learned. Tweet about it. Blog about it. Schedule meetings with leaders you admire and present your findings to them about it. Figure out a way to use your speciality to help drive your companys performance.This will help heighten your reputation around the company and get you noticed when you otherwise might not have been.5. Network a lot.Whoever said getting ahead is al l about who you know was absolutely right. Build a network of advocates and supporters who have seen what you are capable of. Work hard to meet new people who can help advise you.And when youve networkeddont be afraid to ask for what you need. Recently, the President of NYSE wrote a piece for Fortune Magazine called I owe every job Ive ever had to networking. Men traditionally tend to be much more comfortable asking for help. You owe it to yourself to be aggressive and brazen in building out your network. Dont get shy because someone has a big title.It can be so difficult to try to manage a day job, family, and out-of-work responsibilities together with the third leg of the stoolwhich is continuous advancement of your career. However, if you keep a regular focus on these five things, you will surely move ahead quickly and achieve that big dream.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women. Join us by reviewing your employer