From CBS MarketWatch: American companies
announced almost a quarter-million job cuts
last month, many of them the direct result of
the Sept. 11 terror attacks, according
to the monthly tally compiled by
outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
More than 200,000 of the job cuts were announced
after Sept. 11, the firm said.
It's the highest monthly number of planned job
cuts in the eight-year history of the Challenger survey.
(Read the full article.)
As times get tougher, aggressive self-marketing techniques
become ever more important to the job-seeker. It's with that
idea in mind that we bring you our annual look at MARKETING YOURSELF.
Good day! I had the opportunity to
read your article titled "Job Hunting in
Times of Uncertainty." I must admit I was
disappointed you did not mention
the benefit of partnering with a reputable
recruiter. Recruiters often have
awareness of current and future openings
that are not known to the general
public and in many cases other internal employees.
A solid, professional recruiter can provide valuable
information for the job-seeker. From designing and critiquing
resumes, providing direction on their own marketing
efforts and in helping keep their spirits up.
Many are wonderful role players and understand
the importance of being helpful to all qualified
candidates whether or not the recruiters are
able to place them. Great candidates are the future
clients for good recruiters, and good recruiters
know it.
I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback
and think you're a talented writer. I'll look forward
to seeing more articles in the future and only
hope that you will consider my comments regarding
the benefit of working with a good recruiter.
Don't miss our HUGE Nov. 12 anniversary issue
jam-packed with exciting expanded features and introducing
a terrific new tool to help you prepare for job interviews...
along with more invaluable additions to the Quintessential
Careers Web site.
Feature Article: Using Key Marketing Tools
Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market
Marketing is the lifeblood that runs through
the veins of all successful organizations. Without
marketing, no matter how good the product or service,
the organization will fail. It's marketing that defines
the distinctive features and benefits of the product
or service, it's marketing that sets the price, it's
marketing that communicates those features and benefits
to the appropriate audience, and it's marketing that
delivers the goods to the consumer.
How does this little marketing lesson apply to you?
In today's job-hunting environment, the most successful
job-seekers are those who understand the value of marketing
and apply to themselves those principles that companies have
used for years to successfully sell their products. And that's
what this article is all about -- helping you better understand
how you can use and apply key marketing principles and concepts
to better position yourself on the job market, whether you are
looking for a new job with a new company or a promotion within
your current company.
Expanding the Definition and Use of Career Portfolios
A career portfolio represents an attempt to communicate
ideas using words AND pictures, as well as the entire
array of multimedia possibilities (sound, animation,
'Net surfing, etc). This broadband definition of a
portfolio means it can take the form of a visual
proposal, a brochure, or a scrapbook-like traditional
portfolio displayed either in print or in digital
format (e.g.; PowerPoint®, PDF® files, multimedia documents).
Unfortunately, too many people have created samples of
"portfolios" that fall far short of its dynamic
possibilities. For instance, many people have simply
assumed that adding links to a resume turns the text
document into a portfolio. Therefore, it is important
to note what does not constitute a career portfolio.
A career portfolio is not a resume or text-bound document
with links to yet more text or sites.
Rather, the career portfolio document or presentation
conveys its high-impact message with a blend of white
space, words, and graphic elements. In this brave new
communication world, the effective communicator will
attend to the formatting and design as well as the
content and words of the document. In the end, the
career portfolio must include samples of one's work.
And if the individual is changing careers, then it is
appropriate to include examples of work one is capable
of performing, which means the samples can come from
hobbies, volunteer jobs, or other learning experiences.
Martin Kimeldorf, co-author of the preceding article on
career portfolios, is a teacher and writer in
the Pacific Northwest.
He writes about many topics
such as intergenerational volunteering, bicycling,
cooking, leisure wellness, Internet research techniques,
portfolios, and a host of other topics found at
, which will shortly
release a print version of the revised Portfolio Power
and
Kimeldorf's new book, Grill Play, The Art of Leisure Barbecue.
In our Q&A with him, Kimeldorf talks about the new economy and the
advantage of career portfolios over resumes.
By “marketing,” I don’t mean hyping, exaggerating, or selling someone something they
didn’t know they needed…Marketing…is figuring out what customers are going to need
and finding a way to get it to them on terms that are satisfactory to both of you.
So says Michael A. Goodman in his very informative and easy-to-read book, The Potato Chip Difference:
How to Apply Leading Edge Marketing Strategies to Landing the Job You Want.
This book is designed for job-seekers who want to find the ideal job with the ideal
employer -- not just the next job that comes along. It’s also a book for the job-seeker
who is ready to put some time and thought -- and work -- into the job search. At 144 pages, it’s
a short read, but if you are serious about finding the ideal employer and the ideal job,
you need to budget extra time for doing the various exercises and “homework” Goodman assigns.
Impact Publications, which publishes more than
100 books on a variety of career, business, and
travel subjects, publishes several spinoff Web sites
featuring articles excerpted from the company's books.
Job-hunting topics at the company's runs nifty site, winningthejob.com,
include: cover letters, interviewing, networking, resumes,
salary negotiations, Internet, and image/etiquette.
The Managing Your Career section presents articles
on inspiration, self-assessment, career development,
presentation skills, networking, empowerment, anger, and
conflict.
The company is especially noted for publishing
several popular career series: Haldane's Best,
Cool Careers for Girls, CareerSavvy, Dynamite
Job Search Skills, Military Transition,
Executive Coaching, and Click and Easy. The
company's books can be purchased through the site.
Need a speaker for your career-oriented conference or
event at your college or organization? The Quintessential
Careers Speakers Bureau can help! Our quintessential experts
can provide presentations/workshops on a variety of
career-related topics.
Domain Name Sanity
-- where else can job-seekers get a Website (with the domain name of your choice), enough space to publish
your Web-based resume and career portfolio (20 megabytes), up to 50 email addresses, and lots of publishing
and promotion resources -- for under $20 a year!!
This deal is amazing -- almost too good to be true. If you don't have a Website, but want to put your
resume and portfolio on the Web, take advantage of these services! Fee-based.
Do A Project.com -- an online referral service for
IT contract-based employment -- connecting businesses with projects with individuals and firms
seeking contract employment. Specializes in IT-related projects such as programming,
design, writing, translating, graphic design, project management, search engine placement,
and software development. Fee-based.
FindARecruiter.com -- where job-seekers who
are looking for a recruiting professional (headhunters, executive search, staffing firms) can search
a database of more than 10,000 recruiters. Search by company name, specialty, or location.
Free to job-seekers.
jobsinthemoney
-- a job site dedicated to finance and accounting professionals, where job-seekers can search
(by keywords and job category) for jobs in the finance, accounting, banking, investment, and
insurance fields, post your resume confidentially, and find key finance career resources such as
salary information. Free to job-seekers.
Snaiil.com
-- an employment site for the biotechnology, medical, pharmaceutical, and information
technology fields whose mission is to be the source for
relevant career information, job listings, resume database, and industry events for those fields.
Job-seekers will find job openings, resume building advice, salary data, interview tips, and critical
career information. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest
Additions section.
Orlando writes: "I have recently moved to New York
City. I have four solid years of Web development/programming
and design experience. I have also worked two years out of the four
years, as a Web development consultant. On top of my experiences
and skills, I am still pursuing my first bachelor's degree in computer information systems.
For some reason, I am experiencing difficulties in
finding a job in New York. I have been sending resumes
for more than a month now and have generated only
one interview, but another candidate was selected.
I was wondering if this is because I don't have my
degree yet, or is it my resume? How long does it
usually take, on average, for someone to hear from companies?
I would really appreciate any suggestions you can give me
on how to get interviews with companies."
Melissa writes: "I have been looking for a job for the
last five months -- to no avail. I am just about to sign
up with a resume blasting service. Because I have heard
it is so much of a 'numbers' game, I thought this service
might not hurt. I am, however, quite ambivalent. Any advice?"
Francis writes: "I have been scouring the Internet
for some guidance concerning cover letters when
responding to ads for jobs from web sites like Monster
Board, Hot Jobs, etc.
The current thinking is that you
should always respond with the name of a person. If this
is the case, no one seems to advocate not applying for
a job using one of the above sources to submit a resume
since many times there is no name given.
My experience is limited in calling to find out who
to send the resume to. One time I called and was told
'we don't give out names' when I asked for a contact.
Would you tell me why this is so? Is it because it could
be financial suicide if this type of advice were given?'
Anonymous writes: "I recently lost my job at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
I was an HR Generalist, and I have an MBA in HR. I am finding
it very difficult to seek employment and am concerned that
my unemployment insurance will run out, and I still do not have a job.
I go into company Web sites daily and respond to job postings
and don't get one phone call. I want to be able to speak to
a human being instead of all this resume posting. It is getting
me nowhere, and I can't believe that an MBA in HR is not wanted anywhere."
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
In the syndicated column she writes with Dale Dauten, Kate
Wendleton talks about how to cut down on frustration when responding
to want ads: "If you don't fit 80 percent to 90 percent of
the requirements listed, don't bother to apply. Instead, turn
your attention to jobs you really fit and are fit for." Wendleton
also suggests deploying your cover letter to "make yourself a logical
choice for the 'Keep' pile" by using two columns in the cover
letter, with listed requirements in Column A and your "fit"
in Column B. "Make it easier to include you than to exclude
you," Wendleton writes. We give the same advice in our cover-letter
books, Dynamic Cover Letters and Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates.
See a sample of such a two-column letter.
Good news for IT workers: Michael Pastore reports that, although
the US economy has certainly suffered a downturn, and the
unemployment rate is at its highest in almost four years,
a study by the Computing Technology Industry Association
(CompTIA) found the average number of open IT service
and support positions in American companies has more
than tripled since 1999.
The study, "Ongoing Crisis in IT Management," found
that staffing and training issues remain the biggest
challenges faced by IT department managers.
The research found that the number of unfilled IT service
and support positions is 2.1, out of an average IT department
size of 25.6, representing a three-fold increase in the
percentage of open positions identified compared to 1999,
when CompTIA identified 0.6 open positions in average
departments of 20.2 people. Larger companies are even
more likely to face problems with unfilled IT positions.
IT workers would be well advised to highlight both
soft skills and technical skills; the survey showed that
CIOs value "soft skills" such as communications and patience,
while HR professionals tend to screen candidates for hard,
technical skills.
Diana LeGere, of Executive Final Copy, cautions that when
it come to job interviews, "better late than never" will
never, ever work. Be early! Fifteen minutes is a good general rule.
An early arrival will provide you with the extra time
you need should you run into problems. Managers want
an employee who arrives for work, promptly each day. Being late for
an interview is always unacceptable. Okay, so you are
generally on time and do not see any added benefit
for the 15-minute rule. Consider the following list of horrors.
You snag your nylons just as you get off the elevator in time for your
meeting. If you've ever experienced this nightmare, you
learn very quickly to carry an extra pair in your bag.
On the other hand, what if you spill coffee on your new tie;
do you have a spare?
You arrive to find no parking or even worse, you cannot locate
the building. Driving to the office on a day before the interview
at the same time will allow you to see approximately how long it
takes to get there and what type of traffic concerns you may encounter.
In addition to being a safeguard, arriving early allows you
to let the receptionist notice you. Often the receptionist
performs a preliminary screening analysis without your knowledge.
He or she may later report to the boss if you were on time,
appeared confident and what type of manners you presented
while waiting. You will also gain insight to the office
culture by watching bystanders and observing the general morale of
the employees around you. If nothing else, being early allows you
to take a deep breath and relax! Being relaxed is the surest way
to manifest what we need the most. Confidence!"
This Q Tip courtesy of Diana C. LeGere
president of Executive Final Copy and the
employment coordinator for Greenbacks Bringing
Hope Foundation in Salt Lake City, UT.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* How to conduct a long-distance job search
* Home-based careers
* How to start a job club
* Maximize your Interent job search
* The importance of company culture
* Letters of recommendation and references
* How to handle a request for a salary history
* Should you get an MBA?
* The value of a college education
* Networking timetable for college students
* The biggest myths in job-hunting
* How to resign from your job gracefully
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
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Quintessential Careers also offers writing services
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