a job near home

A Job Near Home

November 24th, 2009

The concept of A Job Near Home began in 1989 under the name of CareerSearch Online. It would have been the first website dedicated to “Employment and Living”, but we couldn’t get venture money. Actually, 22 of 22 VC’s contacted replied “What’s the Internet? We tried again in 1998, but couldn’t find a reasonably priced software platform. Many NEO folks may remember that AJNH then became a different type of company that was later turned back into A Job Near Home (.com). We never gave up the idea of having a comprehensive “Employment and Living” site for NEO, and here we are. With a great amount of altruism, we have dedicated AJNH to being the center of all that is important in Business, Life, Employment and Civic engagement in North East Ohio. We are all about “Lifting” NEO out of the image of the burning river (even though some use that image to promote themselves), city default and rust. We KNOW that the people and communities of NEO are unique, strong and far underrated. We love it here, and want to mirror those of you who do too. AJNH evolved and is still evolving. The concept grew from a job board for North East Ohio ONLY, into a totally unique “Opportunities Area” (Jobs, Assignments and more), the most powerful Networking site on the planet (Network North East Ohio), a content and guidance area not to be found elsewhere (300 articles), a HD Video area dedicated to Celebrating the BEST Entrepreneurs in NEO (E2e), The BEST Civic/ Social Entrepreneurs and their organizations (People Making A Difference), The BEST Innovators (Innovation NEO, in conjunction with Nortech) and the BEST advisors for start up and stage one companies you can find (Solution Series). ALL of these people are in North East Ohio. We are starting with OVER 200 “webisodes” to watch (over 60 hours of video that took over 3,000 hours to produce, film and edit) and we are producing more each week. We even threw into all that “Corporate Connect” our version of Corporations Telling You why you should want to work there. We are innovators in bringing Crowd Sourcing (Idea Challenge NEO) to the region in an open and beneficial way so that companies can find solutions locally and local ideas can find rewards for their solutions. We are the innovators bringing to all Businesses Owners and Creative Videographers (pro or am) a way for small business owners and Creative Videographers to collaborate on short ads for “Ad Competition NEO”. AJNH takes those 4-minute videos and puts them up in Network NEO for all visitors to see and rate. Videographers have a showcase for their talents, business owners can get PR and the audience can have fun and vote for their favorites. How darn cool is that! We have FUN things to do; we have serious things to think about. Actually, A Job Near Home has something for you regardless of what you do or who you are. A Job Near Home is all about: Connect, Engage, Collaborate% on our site, in your career and in your life. The majority of our content channels are blogs, both created here and RSS fed. In Network NEO anyone can form a group (or put up your existing group) and put up a blog or RSS feed their blog in. What we hear is that a good number of people want to do is to create groups around answering the Idea Challenges. How productive can you get? We even have an incredibly thorough and NEW look at “The Great Workplace 2.0” that shows that the future of work is not what you have been told. This content area alone is worth telling your friends and co-workers about. Even (and especially) if they have a company of two people but are thinking about growing. AJNH has a strategic plan to expand our extensive research into a community-based recognition program that encourages the small company to step forward. Yes, it will send some HR folks into a tizzy, and will infuriate some managers in “Command and Control” organizations or those who fete only the top% of the company’s elite crew. Move over folks, the Collaborators are in-charge now. We have elvolved from a website concept into the world’s first “TREEN™” (Tool for Regional Employment and Economic Networking). We encourage you to contact us if you would like to have a guidance channel (you could promote yourself) or have a great idea for AJNH. We will respond! ras@ajobnearhome.com A TON of people had a hand in all this and we thank you for it. A man named Chris Luke helped almost from the beginning and almost to launch, and we thank you for your fine contributions. A guarantee: A Job Near Home will be in your face and grow. Every week, every month. You won’t get bored. Connect, Engage, Collaborate™. It’s About Time™ and “Where Employment, Life and Business Meet In North East Ohio™”. Or even: “North East Ohio. Now THIS is Living*#8482”. Be proud. A Job Near Home is a privately owned company in NE Ohio. We own 20 trademarks relative to our business, over 300 URL’s relative to our names, content channels and concepts and we own the rights to everything on our site. If you wish to quote us on something, please do so. If you wish to make suggestions or volunteer to help, we welcome your support. We do not claim a minority status even though the ownership family is Native American. We do however claim the right to be whatever the great region of North East Ohio wants us to be. Yes, our plans are to go “National” after populating many more planned regions that deserve to be showcased just like North East Ohio.

Tags: Author: ROBERT SCHEPENS
Posted in A Job Near Home, Main | 1 Comment »

Should I apply for that opening I saw on the job board when I don’t have everything they are asking for?

November 24th, 2009

Don’t “Self-Reject”

You saw a great job on your favorite job board. But, you don’t have everything that the company is asking for. You have some of it, but not all…. should you bother applying? When looking for a new career opportunity, one of the hardest things to do is to be creative, think outside the box, take a risk. As a seasoned job search counselor, I have had to help many of my clients deal with “self rejection”. This behavior causes the job hunter to pass up on opportunities that might very well lead to their next job.

Do you like to be rejected? Do you like to fail? Do you like to be “turned down”? The answer? In the words of my teenage children, “Duh, um no!” (Note: the words “duh” and “no” must be spoken with appropriate inflection…). Since basic human nature causes us to avoid rejection, especially during times of stress (job hunting), we choose to steer clear of risky actions: risky being defined as at risk of REJECTION. So what happens is, we “self reject”, that way we can’t be rejected by a potential employer. If you aren’t following me yet, think back to high school. Guys, did you go straight over to the most gorgeous girl in your class and ask her to the prom? Or did you “self reject”, deciding not to bother asking, knowing that she wouldn’t possibly say “yes”. And what were the results? No rejection (and no prom date…) It’s the same thing here. Job seekers do it all the time, they do it every day, and in doing it, they miss out on loads of potential opportunities.

So, you say, what am I supposed to be doing? When you read a “help wanted” ad online or in the paper, think of the experience you have that will show the employer you can do the job. Most job seekers read a job ad, find one thing the employer is asking for that they DON’T have, and avoid rejection by not applying for the job. Think about it, how many candidates are out there who have every qualification that the employer is looking for? And how many of them are looking for a job right at that moment? Okay, so there might be a few. But employment selection is tricky. You have to be IN THE GAME to have a chance at winning. If you don’t apply, you are on the sidelines. So what you must do is tell the employer, in your cover letter and resume, what you DO have that makes you an excellent candidate for that job. Focus on your skills and experience. If the employer is seeking someone with 3 – 5 years’ experience and you only have 2 years, you need to beef up your cover letter telling them what you accomplished during those two years. Do not include in your cover letter the fact that you only have two years’ experience. They will see that on your resume. Your goal should be to take attention away from that fact by catching their eye with a few of your stellar accomplishments. Did you save the company money? Earn any awards? Receive excellent performance ratings? Get promoted? Train other employees? Beat deadlines? Learn a new software program? You get the idea. Remember, someone with two years of progressive, genuine accomplishments is much more valuable than someone who has five years of poor attendance, repetitive mistakes and questionable interpersonal skills. As my former boss used to say, “Five years of experience? What did you DO for those five years?” Just the fact that you have five years’ experience means zip if you haven’t accomplished anything.

Read job ads carefully. You will find that there are “required” qualifications and “desired” qualifications. While it’s true that “required” qualifications are harder to gloss over than “desired” qualifications, the lack of a requirement is NOT an automatic reason to avoid applying for that position. You just need to work a little harder to prove to the employer that you have some valuable skills and experience that they can’t live without. You do this by communicating your measurable accomplishments to that employer in your cover letter and resume. For instance, if the job ad for a customer service position states “Bachelor’s degree required” and you hold an associates degree, you might state in your cover letter, “After graduating from Community College, I began my career in sales support with ABC Corporation. Since that time, I have annually received my company’s highest rating, “Superior”, for customer services provided. I have frequently received compliments from clients regarding my follow up and problem resolution skills.” Bingo, you just successfully blocked their initial rejection of “this person doesn’t have enough education.”

Also, it is becoming increasingly common for employers not to respond to all inquiries. In the past, most companies sent out “no thank you” letters to those who were not being considered. Today, due to the high number of applicants and the ease of application through internet job boards and company web sites, many companies only contact those applicants who are being considered for interview. So if you don’t hear from the company, take it in stride, realize that this is not a personal rejection; there just happened to be others who were a better fit for the job. So move on and keep sending out those resumes.

Finally, DON’T self reject! Apply for every job you are interested in provided you have at least some of the requirements they are seeking. Remember this is a game, a numbers game, and you have to be in the game as often as possible to come out a winner! And just like a toddler learning to walk, you will likely have to take a few falls before you can run through the door to your new job.

Tags: Author: KATHY DUCHARME
Posted in Main, The Great Workplace | No Comments »

It’s All-Relative: The Blue Collar Interview Versus the White Collar Interview

November 24th, 2009

“So, tell me about yourself.” “Why should I hire you?” “How does your experience meet our needs?”

Have you ever heard these questions during an interview? I guess that depends on the type of position you were interviewing for. If, for example, you were called in for an interview as a fry cook at a fast food joint, then these questions probably never surfaced. However, it is true that employers want to know about you as a person and as a professional. They are interested in how you feel about yourself and why you think you are deserving of the position. They also want to know if you are confident and have what it takes to be successful. There is such a thing as employer standards, and maybe asking these questions of a person interviewing for a fry cook position is a bit extreme. But let’s say you are interviewing for a tow-motor operator at a local factory. The company is stable, has a proven track record of growth, and looking to expand its operation within the next year. The employer may not expect, you as a blue-collar candidate, to know these little tid-bits of information. On the other hand, letting the hiring manager know that you have done your research on the company would be a huge advantage for you. You don’t have to own a computer or have Internet access to get this information. These services are free at your local library. If the Internet intimidates you, there are classes held at the library and this service is also free of charge.

What blue-collar workers should know is that most interview advice is targeted toward young, white-collar professionals because that’s who is most representative of its audience, everything from dress codes to post interview follow-up techniques. I believe the difference between the two is relative. Surely, a blue-collar, semi-skilled tow-motor operator can oblige by the same basic rules of interviewing as a candidate interviewing for a white-collar, number crunching position, right?

The blue-collar interview may differ from the white-collar interview for two reasons. First, the quality of the position for which you are applying. Typically, blue-collar positions are those that include some sort of manual labor, and are usually positions that are open in factories and warehouses. Sometimes you find these positions open in the most exotic of places, this job advertisement was taken from the Club Med website:

As a Club Med Plumber, you will repair and maintain all drinking water systems such as pipes, water softeners, leaks, etc. You will also be responsible for the repair and maintenance of waste water systems, kitchen burners, hot water production, and supervision of swimming pool filters and the sprinkler system. Qualifications: Vocational diploma or minimum one year work experience.

Pencil pushers across the country would kill for this position simply for the chance to see hot babes on the beach everyday.

The second reason why the interviews may differ is the depth of the employers question asking. During a white-collar interview, the hiring manager may inquire about the candidates “vision,” or “leadership abilities.” They may also require an extensive conversation about the candidates’ education, experience, or other relevant qualifications. To be considered for most blue-collar positions, as we saw from the Club Med job posting, candidates usually just need to have a basic education. Ultimately, I think the reason why the two interview situations differ is because employers interviewing candidates for white-collar positions are looking for an individual who fits into the grand scheme of the company’s objectives, a person who can help the organization reach or maintain a certain standard of success. A person the company can brag about for the sake of highlighting their own competencies. Imagine the company newsletter:

“Our newest addition to the staff is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, a Rhodes Scholar, and ten year executive level manager at JP Morgan Chase and Company. Who is also a Six Sigma black belt and has additional federal tax law training. Aren’t we lucky to have found such a wonderful candidate?

Employers looking to fill a blue-collar position are trying to find a person who simply meets their labor needs.

So, making interviewing advice relative to your job situation is up to you. While it sounds like a huge task, doing your research is indeed a great advantage for both you and the employer. You demonstrate your commitment to work for a top company, and the company will demonstrate it willingness to employ knowledgeable individuals. I want to
highlight other job interviewing tips that would make for a dynamic blue-collar interview experience.

Next, don’t be afraid to talk about yourself. For individuals interviewing for white collar, executive level positions, this is an opportunity to rattle on about their degrees, corporate accomplishments, and personal accolades. They may even be compelled to discuss hobbies such as golfing or white water rafting if they know that the employer shares the same interests. Blue-collar candidates may not have the same advantage, so it is a good idea to underline specific training especially if it is relevant to the position. Also, don’t minimize your own accomplishments. For example, if you have a perfect attendance record, or an employee of the month recognition. Furthermore, be willing to discuss why you are seeking another position. If asked, let the employer know if you have worked the same position for several years and that you want a more challenging position, different hours, or a change of scenery. Be cautious though because you don’t want to give the impression that if hired, you would jump ship at the next great opportunity. Nonetheless, you do want to demonstrate your desire for growth.

Third, while it sounds corny, dress for success. There are all sorts of rules for appropriate interview attire. Everything from the number of accessories one should wear, to the length of your fingernails. Most job seekers are taught to believe that a suit is the only proper interview attire, which may be true for most white-collar positions. But the truth is that most companies are a lot more casual then they were even ten years ago, and therefore don’t require all of their employees to wear such a uniform on a daily basis. Make sure your clothing is clean and fits well. If you own a decent tie wear it. Otherwise tuck your shirt in, wear a belt, shine up your shoes, and most importantly wear a smile!

Two other important interview tips to remember is to answer the employers questions honestly and not to act arrogant. Portraying confidence and assertiveness are surely the most important parts of an interview. The employer wants to see that the applicant is sure of himself, and that his high confidence is a reflection of his abilities. Typically, blue-collar candidates are not confident and assertive during an interview because of the nature and skill level of the position for which they are applying, for example, a lack of mental stimulation. Your work routine will most likely be repetitive; the flip side is that you don’t have to face the same mental stress as a white-collar worker. It’s no secret that blue-collar positions are not the most glamorous, and that they are usually associated with starting at the bottom. For some, these positions are a self-fulfilling prophecy of feeling “less than” and dealing with social prejudices. Like it or not, many people look down on blue-collar workers. If you choose this career path, be aware of this injustice, ignore it and make enough money to afford a bigger house, better car and nicer appliances than the ones you renovate, repair or maintain. That will shut mouths and changes minds fast.

The point is that there are a ton of inherent rewards in a blue-collar career. Keep this in mind when preparing for your interview, and be proud of the career path you have chosen for yourself.

Tags: Author: K. DENSON
Posted in Main, The Great Workplace | 4 Comments »

What Color is Your Collar?

November 24th, 2009

Interviewing Tips for a Blue Collar worker…

Scanning the newspapers, filling out applications, and making phone calls isn’t all you have to do to get the job anymore. Now even machinists, tradesmen, maintenance, and most of all types of blue collar workers must interview with either a human resource professional, an executive or owner from the company before meeting the person who would be their immediate supervisor or even see the inside of a facility. Whether it’s protocol, a way to weed out the weirdo’s, or to save the time of the hiring manager, there isn’t anything you can do about it, except prepare for it!

Keep in mind, that blue-collar workers often intimidate some white-collar workers. Blue-collar workers are willing to get their hands dirty while white-collar workers are not. Blue-collar workers have a specific skill or trade that white-collar workers rely on. Yes, some blue-collar workers would like the pay that white-collar professionals earn, but in real time life, a blue-collar worker can make great money, and a great living, while learning to adjust accordingly to what they’re making. Often, white-collar workers are not able to make this transition, and are not willing to do so as easily.

It is absolutely true that in the interview, first impressions are the lasting impression. As a staffing recruiter with over eleven years of experience, only a select few of my many, many, blue-collar interviews have stood out. Appearance is key in these situations.

Just because your collar is blue, does not mean you need to prove to the interviewer that you are comfortable in a manufacturing setting, by looking like you just came out of one. You do not live in a factory so don’t appear as though you do.

Hair should be washed, and well maintained. If you wear it long, tie it back to look professional. Do not wear a bandana, a ball cap, or anything else on your head except your clean hair. Also, be clean-shaven. If you do have facial hair, it should appear neat, maintained, and look as though you always keep it that way-not as if you’ve been on a long hiatus from shaving while you were out of a job. (Having facial hair that does not wear well, or that is properly groomed, just comes off as being lazy or uninterested in how you look). Male interviewers tend to be bothered by this more than female interviewers.

A trademark of the blue-collar worker, are usually rough, dirty hands. Sometimes no matter what, the dirt just doesn’t come off! Especially, deep into the fingernails, but a little extra scrubbing and elbow grease can make a huge difference. You will have to shake someone’s hand, and this should be done with confidence and clean hands. Take an extra minute, use a little hand lotion to smooth the rough edges, and cut your nails neatly!

When dressing for interviews, wear Sunday church attire whether you attend church or not. Clothing should be clean, unstained, and ironed. 3-piece suits are unnecessary, but you should present yourself professionally. Don’t wear anything too flashy or trendy. Simply wear clean clothes, even if it is clean jeans and a collar shirt with buttons. Your clothes do not have to be name brand; you can buy a nice pair of pants and a decent shirt for the interview at a Wal-Mart or Target for under $50.00.

Many interviewers, especially females look at hands and shoes. Shoes should be as clean as you can get them. Wear the best pair of shoes you own that look well with the pants you will wear, and be sure to pay attention to your socks. A second opinion is a good idea if you need help in this area. Ask someone who cares that you get the job-sometimes that may not be your best buddy. If you are required to wear Steel Toe boots for the job, it’s okay to wear them to the interview if, and only if, they are in good condition.

If you own a watch, wear it. Do not ever look at it during the interview, but be sure to wear it. An interviewer told me one time that he checks to see if a person is wearing a watch. He said that if they didn’t have a watch on, they were less likely to know what time it was. He continued, that they were unaware of the time either because they have too much time on their hands and like it that way, or are less likely to be on time.

Another thing worth noting-the way you smell. Hopefully you know to wear deodorant! Keep the cologne, after-shave, or perfume to a minimum if you even wear it at all; you really should not have a smell to you. The chance that someone is going to like your choice smell is slim, so why take it? This especially applies to smokers. If you smoke, do not go into the interview with cigarettes in your pocket, and don’t smoke after you’ve showered and brushed your teeth prior to the interview. Yes, you may be able to smoke on the job, but you will find this out after you get the job. Don’t risk getting the job because of your bad habit(s).

Following your appearance, your eye contact, speech, and enthusiasm are the next key factors. Look the interviewer in the eye as much as possible. Command attention when you are speaking, and talk about your previous job duties as though you enjoyed doing them. Take pride in your previous work experience. If at one time, all you did was put one widget onto another widget, talk about the importance of what you were doing that impacted the end result and know what that end result is. Know about the companies you have worked for, what they made and whom they made them for. Many times, an interviewer has a hard time picturing a blue-collar worker on the job because they have never done the job themselves. Explain your role as though you were teaching someone who was going to do your job. Do not talk down, but use descriptive language in order to create an image for the interviewer. I once had a welder describe the difference between his TIG welding, and other common welding by comparing it to a painter. There are painters who paint houses and there are painters who paint portraits. Regardless of how he actually welded, he made it to the next round.

If you work on machinery that is unique in any way, it is appropriate to bring certifications or other visuals with you, but how you present this makes a difference. Carry any certificates you have in a binder or portfolio and ensure that the documents are neat and legible. Do not pull your card out of your back pocket in a crumpled mess. I interviewed a Boring Mill Operator who brought in a binder with all of his certifications, and pictures of the actual equipment he worked on. I knew that in the twenty-five years of his work, he had taken great pride in his job. He had pictures of himself next to the machines to show the size of the equipment that he worked on. He also provided examples of the detailed prints he had worked from to prove his ability to read and create from prints. In another section, he had pictures of when he had brought his son’s classmates in to show off what he did as a job for a school project. This all proves that he is interested in what he does, he takes great pride in his work, and will also promote the company he is going to work for in a positive way.

Many blue-collar workers are experts at company promotion, even more so than the white-collar workers who work there. Although you should speak descriptively about your job, you should also assume that the person you are speaking to does have an understanding of what you will be doing. You want to be sure that you are not talking down to the interviewer, and assume that they know exactly what you do and how you do it.

Be prepared. Bring your resume along with a portfolio as described above, if you have one. Bring a pen. You will most likely fill out an application even if you bring a resume. A resume simply shows that you made an effort to put on paper what you have done and gives you a slight advantage over those who do not have resumes, but most employers will require a separate application. Do not sigh and roll your eyes when you see the stack of papers coming at you. This is all part of the interview process, you are being observed from the moment you walk into the facility, to getting the application, filling out the application, and even as you walk to your car. Speaking of which, wash the car, and if it is a broken down mess, do not park where anyone can see you.

Remember, just because your collar is blue, you should know that if you are being interviewed, someone needs the skills you have, so own those skills with pride and confidence. Interviews take practice and most people will have to go through several prior to accepting a job offer they want. For any worker, regardless the color of their collar, the interview is the first step to a career. Take the time to prepare for it, just as you would prepare for the first day of the job.

Posted in Main, The Great Workplace, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Can you recover from a career sacrifice?

November 24th, 2009

Barb Westfall (not her real name) was engaged at age 20. Once engaged she dropped her Spanish minor, realizing that her idea of becoming a radio personality for Voice of America in Spain wasn’t going to pan out, if she wanted to stay with her fiancé while he attended dental school in Ohio. She graduated with a major in communications and started her career as a waitress before landing an entry-level job at an in-house advertising department for an industrial manufacturing firm. After a few years she became bored with the work and was lonely since her husband was working long hours on a PhD. Her husband encouraged her to attend law school and she did. She enjoyed the hard work and personal sense of accomplishment that came with performing well, in school. She found an interesting job as an assistant city prosecutor.

Her husband finished his PhD and was accepted to the orthodontic program at the same university. Her law career flourished. They had a child and were very busy with their careers and child rearing. Barb’s husband finished his specialty program and applied to be an assistant professor and clinical researcher at a university in Illinois. He was accepted, so Barb decided to put her legal career on hold and join him. She only had six more months to practice law, and then her law license would be recognized in Illinois too, but she decided it was more important to stay with her son and husband then to commute for six months. Besides, she was looking forward to spending more time with her son.

In Illinois, Barb worked a few part-time jobs that didn’t require a law degree. She was doing some impressive work for a non-profit organization that was giving her excellent management experience. Barb now had a newborn daughter to care for in addition to her 7-year-old son. After only two years in Illinois, Barb’s husband decided he wanted to change careers and decided to join the Navy for a four-year tour of duty. He came in as a lieutenant commander and was sent to Newport, Rhode Island for six weeks of officer training school, after which he reported immediately for overseas duty. Barb finished working and concentrated on caring for the children, selling there home, and doing all of the stuff required to ship everyone and everything overseas.

In Italy, Barb cared for the children and was very involved in her son’s extra curricular activities. Also while in Italy, her 16-year marriage fell apart. Barb and her husband separated in War of the Roses fashion. Barb found herself needing to bring in money quickly. She relocated to Illinois again and after a few rough starts landed a decent job working in the communications field. She took the Illinois bar exam for the first time, thinking she might want to get back into the practice of law. Between the times she took the exam and finding out she’d passed, she realized that she would probably need to move to the Cleveland, Ohio area to be near family. She told her current employer that she was more marketable now as a licensed attorney and that she was going to start looking for legal work, but that she would stay on with her employer for another year if she got a substantial raise. She got the raise and stayed in her communications job another year. She figured her best chance to get hired in Cleveland was to find a job in the communications field as well, since that was where her current job experience was.

She found a well-paying job and moved to Cleveland where she worked for a few years before being laid off by the company that brought her to town. Barb had discovered that she wasn’t enjoying the work she was doing anyhow, and thought she might want to switch her career focus again. Again!

Life isn’t simple, but when you take an indecisive career-minded person and add to that an equally indecisive career-minded husband, and one of them decides that they will sacrifice their career for the good of the family, you can and in this case Barb did, end up with a career challenge. What can you do to maximize your career opportunities, even if you decide that it is your career that will suffer for the sake of the family?

1. Have a career plan

Barb had many different interests and talents, but she never had a career goal. She just went from job to job, caring more about how the job would complement her family life, than how the job would advance her career aspirations. Sure quality of life is important, but she needed to be honing skills specific to her dream job. A prospective employer, noting how Barb worked a few years here and a few years there in disparate jobs, could conclude that Barb will not make a good employee because she isn’t committed.
Minimize the chance of being perceived as flighty by understanding what skills you need and then targeting the jobs that will help you to develop those same skills. Be able to articulate the job choices you’ve made and how they have enhanced your skills. A career plan isn’t static; it will change as you discover new interests and skills. Your prime objective may change with your experience, but revise your plan and forge ahead.

2. Make the best of a scatter-shot work record with a skill-based resume

List your skills and accomplishments first and then follow that further down the resume with a chronological listing of employers. You want the prospective employers to be impressed with your skills, and not preoccupied with the fact that you’ve never actually worked in that select field or did so a while ago.
Barb would list her communication, legal, managerial and volunteer skills first, giving ample examples of her successes, and later under the heading “work experience” list the names of the employers and dates worked.

3. Volunteer to round out your work record

Barb performed a substantial amount of community service in furtherance of her children’s activities. She began looking for volunteer opportunities that would complement her skill set. Specifically, she wanted to be considered managerial material again, so she sought out assignments where she would be in charge of people and events. Organizations that benefit from your volunteerism will be happy to provide a glowing recommendation for you.

4. Be sure to consider the drawbacks of leaving your current employment before you quit

Barb never considered staying at her attorney job for six more months, so that she could attain reciprocity in another state, but if she had, she would’ve been able to immediately look for legal work in Illinois, once she joined up with him. Long-distance commuters are not abnormal anymore. Many people do it for years on end, traveling home on weekends to be with the family. If Barb had chosen that course of action, she probably would have stayed in the legal field and still be practicing law today. Instead, Barb has found that she can’t quite get an opening back into the profession, because she has been out of the practice for too long.
Employers would rather hire someone right out of school where the training is recent, than take the chance on someone who left the profession and may be “stale”. That philosophy applies to any profession. If you haven’t done anything in furtherance of your profession for a while, you’re pitting yourself against recent graduates who many employers prefer, because they usually settle for less pay and are considered “moldable.”

Don’t be shy about telling people what you do

If you relocate, like Barb, and everyone you meet is a new contact, or if you are opening up to different groups of people you associate with, work your experience/career aspiration into your everyday conversations. You never know when one of those mothers you are chatting with at your daughter’s ballet class, may have a sister in the HR department of a promising company, who is looking for the type of expertise that you can provide. Make sure if you do generate some interest that you have a business card to give out, even if it is one you generated on your home computer.

Job sacrifice should be a conscious decision. While it may set you back in the short-term, there is no reason that it should set you back permanently if you have a game plan and stay involved in the profession; either through paying jobs that hone the skills you need for your dream job, or through well-chosen volunteer opportunities. Everyday networking, talking to the ordinary people you meet about what they do, and telling them about yourself will broaden your audience immeasurably, because these are more than impersonal HR resume readers-these are real people who have already interacted with you and have probably formed an opinion about you. However, put together the resume that paints the most attractive picture of you that you can, one that focuses on all of the great skills and accomplishments you’ve acquired, because you want to stand out from the crowd when it is time for the decision-maker to decide whether you are someone they would like to meet or not.

By treating your career aspiration like a journey, the side trips along the way shouldn’t matter so much…as long as you regain your momentum towards reaching your destination.

Tags: Author: KRISTEN VAN SICKLER
Posted in Main, The Great Workplace, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Be Professional, Even if it is Casual Friday!

November 24th, 2009

Yeeeyyyy!!! I had been offered my first “big girl job.” It was super exciting…I mean how fun was it going to be? I was now going to wear the business casual clothes that I so admired in the Victoria’s Secret, Anthropology, and J. Jill catalogues. My intention to purchase an expensive suit was justified, because I was going to be in a business casual environment that desired such threads. I had a purpose for going to the expensive department stores and spending lots of money to buy designer shoes, suits, belts, jewelry, handbags, etc. After all, I was now a professional, and it wasn’t all about my Sunday’s best anymore…it was my Mondays best, Tuesdays best, Wednesdays best-you get the picture. I was a recent grad from university—many companies and organizations weren’t down with Birkenstocks, holey jeans, or tank tops. After all, I did grasp the concept of work attire versus non-work attire.

Work attire is considered to be appropriate clothing for the workplace. This type of clothing is requested to be: wool pants, pinstriped suits, silk blouses, cashmere sweaters, tailored slacks, dresses, khaki slacks, sweater twin sets, golf shirts, A-line skirts, going tie less, leather pumps, wing tips, loafers, chunky boots, flats, and much more. Of course there are variations: not all blouses must be silk, not all sweaters should be cashmere, not all suits pinstriped, not all skirts A-line, etc. Work attire is a mixture of business, corporate, professional, and business casual, corporate casual, and professional casual. It is a combination of classic looks, trendy fashion, often casual.

Non-work attire is described as inappropriate clothing for the workplace. This type of clothing is reckoned to be: clothes that are too tight, miniskirts, midriff-baring tops, halter tops, see-through tops, shorts, sweat pants, items that reveal too much skin, or flip flops. Again, there are variations of what is and isn’t acceptable from company to company, but the majority of what is listed above is across the board, non-work attire- period.

And, then, there’s Casual Fridays! God bless! Employees go bananas for them, and now, so do I. We can’t wait! Casual Fridays…blue jeans, sweatshirts, T-shirts, cargo pants…Yee haw!!! TGIF. Casual Fridays are dress down days where more casual dress is accepted, and it’s truly fabulous for some individuals.

According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, Casual Fridays originated in Canada and the United States during the 1950’s. It was originally an attempt to heighten worker morale in the newer white-collar office environments. During this period, Casual Fridays were not widely encouraged nor were they popular. In the 1970’s the production of cheap clothing became widespread outside of the United States. A huge campaign was launched by the larger clothing companies to make Casual Fridays a weekly event, and create more of a market for goods produced in cheap Third World factories. The idea behind this campaign was to oppose the formal clothing from the European industry.

The dot-com boom of the late 1990’s, early 2000’s turned Casual Fridays into more of a daily commonality. Some companies were and still are relaxed enough to allow shorts, sweatshirts, and Hawaiian style inspired button downs as regular work attire. This varies within each company’s standards and policies.

After working at my “big girl job” for more than a year, being fashionably poised and professional became somewhat of a nuisance: the dry cleaning and the cost of the clothing was expensive (which was totally the choice I had made. It doesn’t cost a fortune to accumulate a nice work wardrobe-that was my personal decision). On the other hand, I felt good when I was put together. First impressions are important when meeting potential clients and it gave me a clean, presentable appearance. I noticed that when I felt good about myself I was confident about what I was doing, plus I received more compliments. It showed that I cared for the work I was doing. I did a good job representing the organization, and that is important all the way.

It came across to my boss that I cared for the company, and that I had respect towards my work because of the way I dressed myself. Even if you’re a jokester or the office clown, it’s good to let your boss know you take your work seriously on some level or another. Managers and bosses typically perceive dressing appropriate and well for the job a compliment to the company, and they perceive employees who do so to be more productive and responsible than those who don’t. (Case studies have proven that if several equally qualified, casually dressed employees are up for a promotion, the one that dresses in accordance with company executives will be promoted. Usually that is business professional or business casual attire).

I then was offered another “big girl job” in another highly creative industry (Hollywood). I was working for large studios and production houses. In this industry, we could wear anything and everything, because the type of work we were doing coincided with the fashion industry. Some of the most successful, accomplished people I had ever met wore holey jeans, T-shirts with outlandish sayings on them, sandals, mini-skirts-you name it, they wore these items everyday. The liberty to wear what we wanted was granted due to the flexibility of our jobs-development meetings, moving from location to location, and working fourteen-hour days. It didn’t interfere with our productivity or our outlook on work. We were afforded the luxury of wearing whatever our pleasure, since we worked long hours in an artsy, creative field. It wasn’t an issue, nor did it interfere with our productivity; we were on our A game regardless of what we were wearing.

Contrary to Hollywood, an office environment is much different when it comes to apparel and wardrobe choices. Casual Fridays have become such an issue that there are seminars held within corporations to outline and define what is acceptable, and to reinstate that Casual Friday is on Friday, not Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday!

Many of these seminars make it clear that Casual Fridays are not a day to roll out of bed wearing your pajamas. They are not a day to go braless. They are days to incorporate other articles of clothing you would usually not incorporate into your workweek attire. The idea is to be comfortable and relaxed, without the comfortable and relaxed attitude.

Whether you have a “big girl job,” a “big boy job,” or work in a more conservative environment than Hollywood, computer programming, or the fashion industry, there are some key things to take note of. While the theory behind dressing down is that employees feel more relaxed, creative, and liberated, it is often interpreted by clients, bosses, and whomever else to be sloppy.

For some individuals Casual Fridays can be challenging territory, especially since there are generational shifts in what is and isn’t appropriate. Apply the following blanket rules to Casual Friday and every other day of the week. You will appear sophisticated, professional, behold productivity, and be smashing.

When shopping, ask for help to coordinate colors, fabrics, patterns, and styles.
Make sure that your clothes fit properly.
When in doubt, ask your boss what is and isn’t appropriate.
Check to see if there is a company policy regarding the dress code.
Make sure you look “put together.”
Try to only buy items when they are on sale. You will feel good about the deal, and how your clothing options are growing at a reasonable cost.
Don’t mistake casual for sloppy.
Don’t wear your pink bunny slippers to work.
Be presentable meaning: Don’t wear clothes that are stained, wrinkled, or that smell.
Again, don’t wear miniskirts or sweatpants. You’re still going to work, not the club or yoga class.
If you’re getting dressed in the morning, and you feel what you are putting on is questionable, don’t wear it.
Don’t put your nose ring in or expose your body art, because it’s Casual Friday. You may feel like its Saturday, but remember you are going to work.

There have been several studies conducted that contradict one another. One study states, “Employers feel that productivity is lower from their employees, and they don’t work as hard when they come to work in jeans.” Opposing results, according to research done by the makers of Dockers and Slates, state, “Sixty percent of people polled feel more productive when they feel comfortable.” The study also indicates that second to flexible work hours, casual dress is a favorite workplace incentive.

A great suggestion for Casual Fridays or dressing down any other day of the week is to collect a dollar from everyone that would like to dress down in the office. At the end of the month, this money can put be put forth to a favorite charity. In addition to feeling comfortable and relaxed, participants will feel positively rewarded for helping those in need.

Since most companies do have dress codes policies, the consensus is that employers would like you to come to work clean, neat, and dressed a better than you would dress at home. No matter what kind of “big adult job,” you have or what studies reveal about Casual Friday, the most important thing is to do a good job at work. Therefore, your casual wardrobe won’t make a difference in your productivity and success, and everyone will benefit from this comfort ability.

Tags: Author: KENDALL EMBRESCIA
Posted in Main, The Great Workplace | No Comments »

Cleavage, Belly Buttons, and Baggy Pants

November 24th, 2009

“America, we have a problem.”

The American educational system and in turn the workplace is becoming a place where it is more important to compete for sexual attention then valedictorian or employee of the month.

Walk into any high school or college in America today and you will see hundreds of girls and sometimes even boys with their belly buttons decked out in “bling” and their breasts only half covered up. Walk into any workplace that does not strictly monitor their employees attire or require them to wear uniforms and you will see the same behavior.

At what point did modesty, decency, and self-respect become an option? It is now unfortunately the exception rather then the rule.

Why is this a problem for employees and employers?

The workplace is a place to apply and enhance your skills, training, education, and talents while earning money for your efforts. It is a place to develop both temporary and permanent platonic relationships with both co-workers and company or organizational leadership that may eventually assist in future career opportunities or an increase in your earning potential. In this process personal friendships and romantic or sexual relationships do develop but they are not nor should they ever be the focus of one’s workday. Nor should one’s efforts to pursue this become a distraction to their co-workers.

Employees who choose to dress this way in the workplace easily become a target for sexual harassment, office gossip, reprimanding, and embarrassing documentation in their personnel files. They may also have difficulty in developing strong and cohesive relationships with their co-workers who are either bothered by the feelings that their scantily clad coworkers outward need for attention conjure up or too busy checking out their belly button ring to really pay attention to the task they are suppose to be working on together.

Employers who allow this behavior to go on are in the least inhibiting the development of a good team oriented environment and allowing for tension in the workplace. They may even be opening themselves up to potential lawsuits or sexual harassment claims.

Educational institutions that do not enforce the school dress codes or have a too relaxed approach to managing what students wear are not properly preparing students for the world of work, maybe actually putting students in danger of being abused by teachers, and are certainly opening themselves up to potential legal problems.

Why is this happening?

It is starting in the homes and educational institutions all across our country. Although most schools and workplace’s have dress codes that require modest dress and attire schools are becoming more and more relaxed about enforcing the rules and punishing those who refuse to follow them.

I recently asked a male friend of mine who is a high school teacher in the inner city of Cleveland after visiting the school that he teaches at “How are the children in the school getting away with dressing in clothing that clearly shows their bellies, breasts, boxer shorts, etc.? His response was interesting. He replied “ Well it kind of works like this, if a girl comes into my class dressed in a shirt that shows her belly or her breasts and I write her up and send her to the office, the question out her mouth is ….”Why were you looking?” Now I am in a position to be accused of sexual harassment. If I write up a male student for wearing saggy pants with his underwear or belly showing the first question out of his mouth is…..”Why are you writing me up and not the girl with the low cut shirt?” Now I am in a position to be accused of discrimination. I’m darned if I do and darned if I don’t.”

Unfortunately, employers are in the same predicament. In our extremely litigious society, employers and educators are constantly put in the situation of attempting to enforce rules while protecting themselves from false accusations.

Even in schools and working environments that require that students and employees wear uniforms, they still find a way to “expose themselves”.

It starts in the home.

Parents allow their children to dress provocatively and indecently. They are too busy, too lazy, or too irresponsible to monitor and limit what their children can and cannot wear while in or out of the home. In some cases, daughters are mimicking their mothers and sons are mimicking their fathers. Parents are also becoming more and more liberal about what they allow their children to be exposed to on television, the Internet, and whatever other electronic communication device ‘little Susie” might have gotten for her 12th birthday.

As there becomes more and more emphasis in the media to sexualize children and to make a buck, and as we as a society continue to attempt to botox our way back to our mother’s womb, the American worker will go to farther and farther extremes to appear sexually attractive in the workplace.

Sure, we can go on and on about the irresponsibility of the media moguls who keep pushing the “sex sells” envelope closer and closer to the brink of danger. We all know that our children are bombarded with scantily clad images and the societal acceptance of using sexuality for various gains.
(A major department store in America is selling “thong” underwear for preschoolers. How much farther can we possibly go?)

What can we as a society do to reverse this problem?

Let’s start with in our own homes.

Parents, here is some tough love.

Stop letting your children dress this way!

Start right from the birth of your child. Do not dress your two your old daughter in little pin blue jeans that say “cute” across the butt and putt glitter lipstick on her. Didn’t any learn anything from the death of Jon Bennett Ramsey?

Moms, stop walking around in front of your daughters with you bellies hanging out. Save it for your husband. He’ll appreciate it. If your single, save it for Friday night out with the girls. Dad’s stop encouraging this behavior in your wives and daughters and please, pull your pants up. Only your wife should know whether you wear boxers or briefs.

Go shopping for clothes with your children. Teach them the difference between dressing attractive and wearing fun and fashionable clothing and looking like they should have a sign on them that reads “please kidnap me”.

Here are some suggestions of activities you can do with your children that may help:

When your child is born begin saving magazines, sales ads from the Sunday paper, etc. Every year from the time they are about 3 years old, about a week before your child’s birthday plan a special day that is called “birthday outfit shopping day”. Make a big deal out of it. Make whole or at least a half of day of it. Let them pick the department store (Wal-Mart, Target, whatever store has a good selection of children’s clothing) that they want to shop at and a restaurant that they would like to go out to for lunch or dinner. Spend the day talking about fashion and celebrities and what is ok and not ok to wear. Go through the clothes on the racks in the store and show them different outfits and explain to them why some are ok and some are not. Without seeming gossipy or being obvious about it, point out different people you see in public throughout that day and explain to them what is appropriate dress and what is not. Don’t forget to explain why. Then on your child’s birthday from the time your children are about 3 years old (yes, they will already care about fashion) sit down with some paste and scissors and make a collage with them of different kinds of clothes, pictures of properly dressed children and adults, pictures of properly dressed cartoon characters (not all are) etc. While your are doing this fun little project talk about things like modesty and decency in the way people dress and why they are important. Leave a space in the middle to past a photo of your child. Then at their birthday party take a few photos of your child dressed in their cool but appropriate birthday outfit. Let them choose the photo that they like the best. Paste the photo in the middle of the collage. Frame the collage and hang in a special place in their bedroom where they will see it everyday. Do this every year of their childhood. You can even do this on a very low budget. If a local department store is out of your budget range, try a thrift store or flea market. Thrift stores are a fiesta of kid’s clothes for literally pennies!
Dollar stores usually have a great selection of poster board and arts and crafts supplies. If a restaurant is not in your budget let your child select from a variety of fast food establishments such as McDonald’s or Burger Kind. You can even pack your child’s favorite peanut butter and jelly or fried bologna sandwiches and a couple of juice boxes into a brown paper bag and eat on a blanket in the park or while parking your car where there is a cool view that your child likes such as near the airport where the planes take off and land, near a local waterfront where the boats come in, or even in the local mall parking lot so you can people watch and talk about the way they are dressed. You can be creative and frugal at the same time.

Reward your children for their good judgment in the way they dress. Develop a point system. Make a game out of it. Let your child help make up a name for it like “The Dress The Best” game or “Who Wants To Be A Fashion Icon?” Help them a poster with a chart on it. Hang it in their room. Every time you see them in an outfit that is appropriate give then a point. Every time you see them with something on that is not, take a point away. Make a deal with them for a reward for their good fashion judgment. For example, when they earn 10 points they get a new outfit or when they earn 100 points they get to go on a little shopping spree for new clothes. You’ll be amazed at how well they respond to positive re-enforcement.

Most importantly, be a good example and be consistent in your expression of the importance of decency in the way they dress.

Educators, have a system in place and some safety pins.

Develop a good dress code for you school or college and diligently enforce it. Make it seem a little overboard in its requirements. The harsher it is the closer you will get people to following it.

Have a “fashion assembly” where students participate in the planning, modeling of clothes, etc. Invite speakers in from local business to talk about the importance of decency in attire in the workplace.

Have a dress for success contest day once a month at school. Put ballot boxes in the classroom. Ask a local department store, amusement park or restaurant to donate gift certificates for prizes.

Here is an idea that I gave to friend who is a teacher.

At the beginning of the year before the first day of school take three colored pieces of construction paper one red, one green, and one yellow. Laminate each of them. Make a key for the students that indicates the meaning of each. Red can indicate that when it is held up by you during class, someone in the room is dressed in an extremely inappropriate way and that they can figure it out for themselves and ask for a pass to go take care of it. Have a spare sweatshirt, some safety pins, a couple of t-shirts ect. stored in the guidance off that can be requested for by a student to fix their problem. Yellow can be that someone in the room is walking a fine line and that they should take a look at themselves and come more properly dressed the next day. Green can mean that someone is getting written up. Write out the referral and pass to the office and hand it to them with what the dress code violation is written on it. This system eliminates any accusations of sexual harassment or discrimination.

Employers, be smart but be fun.

Develop a dress code and diligently enforce it. Include a video about proper workplace attire as part of your orientation. Take action immediately when someone violates it. You can do it discreetly and even allow for a first and second warning policy but stick to it. Don’t show favoritism to certain employees and let them get away with not abiding by it.

Have a “Best Dressed” employee of the month contest.

Have a work attire fashion show once a year.

Trade dress for success speakers with other businesses in your area and have someone from another business come in to give a presentation on the importance of workplace decency and modesty.

There are I am sure that there are dozens of great ideas that you yourself can even come up with to consider as possible solutions to this growing problem in our society. Even little changes in the home, schools, and work places can begin to make a difference.

For the record, it’s not about being prudish, old fashioned, overly conservative, or boring. It’s about common sense, safety, increased work productivity, respect for others, and respect for oneself.

Tags: Author: SUSAN A. PALMENTERA
Posted in Main, The Great Workplace | No Comments »

CSI: Career Scene Investigation, or, How to solve the recruiting case by being the best person for the job!

November 23rd, 2009

It’s 3:00 a.m. and you can’t sleep. You keep tossing and turning, thinking about the job opening you saw in the newspaper with the best company in the area. You know the company’s reputation-everyone does. It is good. You are good. It’s a perfect match. So, why can’t you sleep?

How did you hear about the fabulous reputation of this company? Friends? Family? People who do business with them? Did you read about all the great things they are doing in the newspaper? Do you believe everything you read? How would you fit into their picture as the ideal candidate?

You have all seen the crime scene investigators on television. Who usually solves the crime? The investigator who accepts the evidence at face value, or the investigator who keeps on uncovering more information? Which one do you want to be in your career scene investigation? Before you even send a resume, start doing your homework. It is critical that you begin the matching process before you get to the interview. You can find out if this is or isn’t the place for you by digging deep to discover you would or wouldn’t be satisfied with this job.

Sometimes, there’s only one way to get the job: BY SHOWING THE INTERVIEWERS THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR COMPANY IS DOING AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM DO IT BETTER. You are there to solve their job search case by providing the solution: That you can do the job they want to fill better, faster, and more effectively than any other candidate. How? By learning about the company from the inside out and being prepared to present workable solutions to their problems based on their company and the industry. Sound simple? It requires a thorough investigation, so let’s get started!

Pre-interview Research is NOT just about using the Internet

The Internet is a great tool for research. At a touch you can find just about all the information you want on just about anything you want. Companies are well aware of the image they project, and their cyber image is as important to them as their real image. Whether a company is small or large, the image they project on the web is critical to their success, and they know it. It is here that you will find the useful information you need to start building your foundation about a company or organization.

Where do you start? The answer is just like crime scene investigation: go to the scene of the crime! In this case, go to the website for the company/organization you want.

Before you begin, take a look at the layout of the site. The style, color, tone, and user-friendliness of a site can speak volumes about the culture and vision of a company. Just as a CSI investigator examines a crime scene before securing it, you are going to examine the website for obvious clues as to what is important so you can focus on those areas during your interview.

What should you look for?
User friendliness – are visitors welcome to browse?
Can you find the different areas quickly and easily?
Is there a separate page for the company history?
What is listed first? Sales figures? Products? Staff? History? The layout can give you nonverbal clues as to what is valued in the company structure
Are there loads of graphics or is it primarily text?
Are the job/career listings easily accessible, or do you have to wind your way through the site to find them?
Are Contacts easy to find for each area, or is one General Contact listed?
Do they list a mission or vision statement?
Can you find an area for News or Press Releases? Although a lack of these areas does not indicate stagnant activity, it might be a red flag to check against other data
Note colors, graphics, interactivity, and focus of site. Pay special attention to the pictures. Are they pictures of happy customers? Serious employees? Are the employees dressed casually or professionally? Are they in cubicles or at desks? These are all clues as to what the company is trying to represent
Is the Annual Report and financial figures readily available?

All this may sound over the top, but remember: You are not meeting them in person until the interview, and you WANT an interview. Knowing as much about them, their focus, their successes, and their orientation to the public is something that can be gleaned from many non-written cues. So before you start reading, get a feel for the site and what it is trying to say about the company and its products.

Start with the Mission/Vision Statement

Why? A good CSI investigator is going to see if anything obvious pops out first that could solve the crime. If you read the Mission/Vision statement, search for the indicators that you can capitalize on from your own experience. Are they future-directed? Tell them about the innovative plan you developed at your last job that saved the company hundreds of dollars a week. Are they using technology effectively? Craft a short paragraph that details how you used technology to improve procedures. If you don’t know where they are going, how are you going to help them get there?

Read the History next

If the company has a long tradition of success, they love to trumpet it, and usually expect their employees to be proud of it, too. Knowing how the company started and developed during an interview is a surefire way to impress the interviewers. Just don’t overdo it by reciting names and dates without meaning. Remember, you are investigating the best techniques here, so selecting the most important or interesting facts and weaving them into your interview makes a better impression than sounding like an encyclopedia.

Check out the Press Releases/News Section

If you want to work for this company, what are they doing that is building their stellar reputation? Again, this is a great bugle-blowing part of the website, as companies are rightfully proud of their successes and want everyone (especially their competitors) to know what they are doing that is innovative and cutting-edge. Not only do you want to show that you are aware of their successes, but how YOU can increase those successes by talking about their latest project, program, or product and how you would fit into the success role. Don’t just say, “I am really impressed by the success of Product X.” Say, “Product X was a really innovative product. I can see taking that one step further by adding another component X or Y to really maximize the efficiency.” Not only will they see you as someone who has read their press releases, but that you have already put yourself in the role you are seeking.

So what do they do at this company anyway?

Important Point – Please memorize: NEVER ASK A COMPANY WHAT THEY DO WHEN YOU GET AN INTERVIEW. You might as well get up and leave right there. If you don’t know what they do, what their products are, and who their clients/customers are, get out before they show you the door. This is the number one pet peeve of employers when they interview candidates.

If you aren’t sure what they do, this should be right on the opening page of their website. If not, you can check out their products and find out by looking at their offerings. The reason you are doing your pre-interview research is so you will NOT ask the automatic knockout question!

BE AWARE OF THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THE COMPANY SELLS OR MAKES. This is where you can really make a hit by talking knowledgeably about the products and the industry. Why would anyone want to hire someone who is clueless? If you want to convince them that you are the best person for the job, know your stuff – and theirs!

The Job Description says ‘Accountant’ (or Marketing Assistant, Administrative Assistant, etc.) What exactly do they want?

The advent of laws regarding employment has forced many employers to be very specific in detailing what they expect of their employees. This usually takes the form of a Job Description, a thorough analysis of what is required. It is also a way to make it easier for Human Resources professionals and supervisors to evaluate an employee’s performance and assess progress within the company. Small employers may still rely on short descriptions or a few words; don’t be afraid to ask questions about your duties, requirements for the position, or anything else that will help you make your successful pitch. When searching the website, check out the Careers or Employment section. Usually a description of the position will be posted there so you can assess how you can highlight your qualifications in such a way that they puts you in the frame as the best candidate. In general, newspaper ads give a condensed version. You may have even seen a reference to go to the website for a complete job description.

Benefits and Compensation

The work of Human Resources has become more difficult as healthcare costs soar, pension plans go belly up, and time off has changed from sick/vacation time to other forms of time off. It takes an intrepid sleuth to find specifics about benefits and salaries on the website. Many companies will give a basic overview such as: health insurance, time off, 401k, dental and eye plans. As to what they are in more detail may be difficult to assess from the website. Keep in mind, though, that benefits and compensation, while important to YOU, are not what the interviewer is seeking. The Human Resources Office knows that making a hiring mistake is expensive and puts their jobs on the line. If you have convinced them by knowing your stuff and supplying them with the skills and abilities that are going to help them reach their corporate goals, the compensation and benefits will follow.

You’ve now secured the basic career scene in your investigation, but what do you do next?

Company culture – it’s not listening to the opera at your desk!

For some people the word “culture” brings to mind a vision of a fat lady in a steel helmet carrying a shield and spear while singing at the top of her lungs. Or it might bring to mind spending an afternoon at the local art museum. These are artifacts of culture, or perhaps it is better put as highbrow culture. How does that apply to a company?
A 2002 document from the United Nations agency UNESCO states that culture is the
“set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group, and that it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs”. http://www.unesco.org/education/imld_2002/unversal_decla.shtml

Now think about the company where you want to work. It, too, has a distinctive value system, traditions, beliefs, and ways of living and working together. They might not be obvious to you just from the website, so how can you find out more about this important component of job fit?

Talk to the witnesses

After you gather your evidence from the scene (website), you go in search of witnesses. Who would be likely witnesses for you to assess the company culture? A good staring point is people who currently work there. If you don’t know anyone who works there, check around with your friends, family, and coworkers. Do they know anyone who works there? You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will find a connection. Remember the 6 degrees of separation theory? There are no more than six intermediaries between you and a relationship to anyone.

The harder route is to find someone who USED to work at the company. TREAD CAREFULLY! A disgruntled former employee might not make the best ‘witness’ for your investigation. But…former employees are often very aware of the culture, and the current climate (which is not about the weather, but about the conditions existent in the offices at any given time), so talking to them is a good idea, as long as you weigh their evidence with the evidence from current employees. THIS IS ALSO A GREAT WAY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY, AND HELP YOU TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE FRAME. All this information searching is giving you the ammunition to land squarely in the job seat!

Customers of the company, both past and present, can give you an assessment of the products and services. Again, weigh all the evidence you gather carefully, and consider the source of the information. Competitors are not the best source for unbiased information.

What if you cannot find any employees to talk to, past or present? Review your website research to identify keywords that indicate what is important to the company culture. Some good ones to look for are:

Tradition
Innovation
Integrity
Fun
Cutting-edge
Technology
International
Leaders
Customer satisfaction
Teamwork
Casual environment
Promotion

These words can give you a fair idea of what is valued in the company culture. Don’t forget to use those words in your strategic plan to nail the job during the interview.

You’ve gathered the evidence, talked to witnesses – what next?

Now you need to see what additional sources you might identify to help you get a full picture of the company.

Do an Internet search using the company name. Amazing information can appear with a simple search. Weigh it carefully before using it, as disgruntled customers or employees may make outrageous charges that cannot be substantiated. But if you see a thread that indicates trouble, make a note of it.
Go to the library. If you haven’t been there in a while, you’ll be amazed at how extensive the career section has become. This is where you will find an amazing number of helpful books that will give you more in depth details about the company
For corporations, look for How to Find Information about Companies, the Corporate Intelligencer; Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources; and Job Seeker’s Guide to Private and Public Companies. These are just three excellent sources you can find at most libraries. Here is where you can find out everything from hiring practices, benefits, and features of employment.
For non-profits, check out Gale’s Guide to Non-Profits
Annual reports. Yes, I know – what are you supposed to find in there anyway? Check out the way the report looks, the photos they choose to represent themselves, and the report of their financial condition. If they are borrowing lots of money but not showing a good sales record, you might want to think twice before accepting a job
Read newspapers, magazines and trade papers, such as the Crain’s Business publications, the Wall Street Journal, or the business sections of local papers. This is where the ‘buzz’ usually starts for company ups and downs
Want to know how reputable the company is? You can check them out with the online Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbbonline.org/consumer/
If you went to college, your college Career Services Office and Alumni Association can often be a great source to learn more about a company, and also help you find fellow alumni to talk with who work or have worked there

You’ve got your case down solid, so it’s off to court – I mean the interview!

Just like in court, what you say and how you say it can mean the difference between losing a case and winning. During the interview, weave the information you have found in your responses, always keeping in mind that you want them to see you as part of their organization already. Here are a few tips:
Don’t overwhelm the interviewers with facts about the company – they already work there and probably know most of them. Coming off like a know-it-all can be detrimental to you getting the job
Fuse their words and ideas gleaned from your research into your answers, without memorizing sentences word for word. Subliminally you are tying yourself to their organization as they register their own words in your answers
Just like in court, state the facts, not your opinions, about the company and its past and future
Indicate, when appropriate, that you are aware of a new program or product. Use that opportunity to show what you know and how you can be a valuable addition to them in this area. SELL YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE –OFFER SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS AND SPEAK TO THE ISSUES YOU KNOW THEY (AND THEIR INDUSTRY) ARE FACING
Ask questions about something you have read during your research: a new program, product, or innovation that you can see yourself being part of if hired. THIS IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE INTERVIEW – PREPARE WELL!
Use inclusive language when responding; such as “As we conduct more research on these products, I can see where our sales figures can skyrocket.” You have already put yourself into their framework
Dress and conduct yourself as if you already work there. If their culture is highly traditional and conservative, dress the part and polish your manners. ALWAYS CHOOSE TO BE PROFESSIONAL IN DRESS AND DEMEANOR

A highly effective technique that is used is called ‘mirroring’ or ‘pacing.’ This is when someone adapts the stance and body language of another to indicate agreement with that person’s ideas or attitudes. Prospective dates use it to indicate, subliminally, that you think alike. Use the mirroring technique during the interview. Act as if you already work there, talk about the job as if you already have it, and know your facts. When the job offer comes, you can claim your CSI investigation as solved!

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The Role of Human Resources in The Great Workplace 2.0

November 23rd, 2009

CHANGE.

The professionals in Human Resources have a difficult job that most people do not quite understand, nor appreciate. HR professionals are supposed to be developers of people, systems and environments, but most companies have them cornered into performing duties and responsibilities that turn them into Castle Guards, Benefits Technicians or policy messengers.

HR Pros have been forced into functioning in a CLOSED, CONFIDENTIAL and secretive manner. It is not the people. It is the functions they are performing in management-created environments. Having to deal with and protect confidential information on a daily basis is not a justification for becoming your material. It is however the cocoon that has formed around the functions and by association, the profession itself.

In The Great Workplace 2.0, the HR role is changing. It is now becoming a “micro” role (more hands on) than the “macro” role (benefits, downsizing, policy administration that) organizations have allowed them to play.

Clearly the majority of people in an HR function will need to change with the changing Workplace. Their challenges will be to direct, guide and help change the environments, the relationships of “Participants”, how Participants are Immersed (onboarding) into the organization, and how all Participants interact with each other. HR Pros will be teaching and guiding management, vendors, employees and all Participants on the fluidity of a changing environment.

They will face incredible new challenges in being a critical “center” to all that happens within the changing environment now and in the next 5 years. Now is the junction where opportunity and choice intersect and create the ability for dedicated HR professionals to become the person “at the table” they have aspired to be. The real change now is that “the table” is in the open, no longer contained within a privileged room.

Here is some learned guidance for the HR professional of the future:

If you want to make an “Impact” on an organization attempting to create the (or a) new Workplace; go to classes, seminars or get one-on-one training in the skills needed to facilitate Collaboration. This will be difficult. HR’s function has been to be CLOSED, guard the fort and to be the last line of defense against the Barbarians at the gate. Good HR people will realize however, that their base skills put them in the lead to be key figures in changing their environments to that of Collaboration. Management does not yet have these skills. You have the “three steps to the door” lead. Collaborations are not TEAMS, but there are teams within collaborations. If you can herd cats, you are on your way. Read, attend classes (especially on your own time) and stop hanging around only with other HR people.
Change Management. This is your new role. Unfortunately for just out of school HR trainees, you were not taught this in school, nor are you experienced enough (yet) to lead this critical effort. You can learn the techniques and the rules. Be the facilitator’s backup. Learn. Grow. Be open. And again, learn Change Management, just like you will need to learn Collaborative Skills.
Learn Operations. Until you REALLY learn what people in your company do for a living by getting into each department (the fabrication shop or coding room won’t kill you), get out and network with people who are NOT in HR. HR has been a closed community of “rules and regulations” folks. Get out and meet people who are proactive. Meet Entrepreneurs. Learn what “making a payroll” feels like. Meet BUSINESS Managers. This will give you an appreciation for disciplines outside of HR. The future is in start-up and smaller companies. Go find out what that means if you don’t know. Start ups can be exciting, but they are also huge challenges.
Get to know people (Participants). That means get to REALLY know the people in your company, the customers, vendors, board members, professionals who service your company (Lawyers, Accountants, Funders, Bankers, Sales Reps and Recruiters) and the community around you. If you are going to change their lives, you need to know what that means.
READ. Read the Top business books. Read books about people, ideas, innovation, marketing, sales, and technology. Studying for your SPHR is a good thing. You will know a lot about things you may never use. But while you are doing all that know that a person in Operations became your boss and is facilitating the Collaborations and Change management groups. He came looking for you at 5:15, but you were gone to an HR meeting about Immigration. That was a topic you could have read online in 15 minutes.
Be “Open”. The HR community (SHRM as an example) has created a closed system of individual members, not companies and not Executives. Their membership is tiered and in some cases requires memberships in local and national organizations. In attempting to create a community of professionals who will better themselves and therefore better their respective companies, they actually have created a closed community with exclusionary rules of entry and an “us versus them” attitude. (I am and have been a member, supporter and have been an “outsider”). Use your membership wisely, but don’t sink in it. Don’t believe this? When is the last time you have seen an HR seminar where they invite business executives, entrepreneurs and the general public to their affair? The email invitations go to HR members who have paid their dues. Membership is for HR people only. They do allow “Associate” memberships of non-HR “Practitioners” (a word used specifically to create the “Professional Aura”), but you will pay more, be invited less. As Groucho Marx said “I wouldn’t belong to any club that would have me as a member”. SHRM is NOT a bad thing. Just don’t drink the Cool Aid. Join groups that are frequented by the people you will influence.
Get Out Of Your Office and Don’t Hide Behind Email and Voicemail. Interact. Learn to read people and their (your) emotions. Technology can be a blessing for Information, Communications and Knowledge. It will NEVER take the place of reading someone’s eyes and voice inflections. Meet your providers and learn one important lesson: most of those outsiders know more about your business than you do. Let them help you and your organization succeed.

LEADING an organization through change requires that you change. HR professionals will need to learn the skills required to be at the CORE of fluid organizations. As was said in the movie The Matrix: “Open your mind, Neo”.

HR professionals have the ability and opportunity to become key players in the Work Place revolution. They will simply need to be open to new opportunities through new methodologies.

Tags: Author: ROBERT SCHEPENS
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The Changing Workplace: Our Newsletter’s Purpose

November 20th, 2009

The very nature of work, who does it, where, why and with whom, has been changing dramatically and forever. The “social contract” with employers and workers has changed. The workplace is no longer just hired employees and employer and is no longer a space confined to a legacy corporate structure.
This has dramatically changed the way people and executives look at great places to work, and in turn great workplaces.

The Great Workplace newsletter and The Great Workplace 2.0 site are designed to keep proactive employers, business managers and start-up entrepreneurs informed about issues and opportunities that can affect the ultimate profitability of their business. Our collaborators each have special knowledge that can affect the efficiencies and profitability of the workplace and their articles reflect that. The articles are NOT ALLOWED to be marketing pieces for their services, but for you to take advantage of their willingness to share expertise.

The Great Workplace 2.0 research findings are the core of the site and offers an exposé of how the workplace of today has changed, how to adjust to and take advantage of those changes. You will not find this information anywhere else. This core offering is the ongoing reflection of over 500 interviews (and continuing) with business owners and managers and over 2,000 (and continuing) hours of pointed research into what the best companies are doing that you will want to know about and apply to your business. In the very near future The Great Workplace 2.0 will be a book with a unique twist: research finding updates will be published to this site so that the book itself is a living and growing repository of knowledge, not like paper-only books that become “old news” by the time they are in print.

The articles provided by our “Best In Class” collaborators support the core principles of what makes a solid organization: Best In Class knowledge that can help any organization become more competitive in their field.

The Great Workplace 2.0 is focused on the most prevalent organization in NE Ohio: the smaller company. We define that as the private company, start-up, and entrepreneur-managed or entrepreneur-backed organization of less than 500 employees. Granted, many of the ideas of what makes a great workplace today are taken directly from larger companies who have done the expensive part of development for us: formal experimentation. We have filtered their “big company” discoveries down to the “doable” for smaller organizations, and found those ideas already thriving there.

We know that you will find this site, the newsletter articles and the guest articles to be invaluable and more importantly useable. In keeping with our findings for what makes The Great Workplace 2.0, our purpose is simple: Offer knowledge that our readers will implement in their pursuit of becoming more profitable and The Great Workplace 2.0.

Tags: Author: ROBERT SCHEPENS
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a job near home

A Job Near Home

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Can you recover from a career sacrifice?

Be Professional, Even if it is Casual Friday!

Cleavage, Belly Buttons, and Baggy Pants

CSI: Career Scene Investigation, or, How to solve the recruiting case by being the best person for the job!

The Role of Human Resources in The Great Workplace 2.0

The Changing Workplace: Our Newsletter’s Purpose

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