By Rosalie Maggio
Beginning with the "thank you" for your first job interview and ending with the "thank you" for your retirement party, your career can benefit enormously from simple notes of gratitude written along the way. Frequent, well-written thank-you notes can foster professional success in unimaginable ways, and they are especially important after a job interview.
The Mechanics
Thank-you notes should be printed on letterhead stationery or personal-business stationery, or -- for a little warmer tone -- handwritten on fold-over note cards. You can simplify the process by sending an email thank-you message (more on this later), which is not as distinctive as a handwritten note but far better than no message at all. As you're writing, don't worry about being creative or clever or profound. People are so charmed to receive thank-you notes at all that they are seldom very critical. "Thank you very much" are words that everyone likes to read.
After the Job Interview
An essential job-seeking technique as well as a gesture of courtesy is to thank the people who interview you. Write a note immediately after the interview and before a decision has been made.
1. State what you liked about the interview, the company, and the position.
2. Emphasize briefly and specifically your suitability for the job.
3. Address concerns about your qualifications that came up during the interview.
4. Mention any issue that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss. But primarily say thanks.
5. If you felt you had a particularly friendly interview, you might close with a sentence or two referring to something you talked about unrelated to the interview (like sports, common interests, or family).
Keep in mind that several people spent time setting up the appointment, doing the paperwork, interviewing you, and doing the paperwork again. They'll appreciate a little recognition.
A few letter-writing experts dislike the "thanks again" that concludes so many thank-you letters and notes. However, it is a popular and benign way of reminding the reader of the purpose of your note. If you like it, use it.
A Sample Note
A sample thank-you note for a job interview might look like this:
I enjoyed this morning's discussion of the research position you want to fill. I was pleased to know that my advanced degree is definitely an asset, and I was impressed by the team spirit among the other employees I met. Thanks so much for your time and for the congenial interview.
Other Factors To Consider
You can email your thanks, but in most cases, it's not as impressive. The point of a thank-you note is that it is personal and somewhat formal. However, if the company you're interviewing with tends to do business by email and if most of your contacts have been through email, then it's definitely the way to go. Once you're hired, you'll want to send thank-you notes -- or notes of appreciation, which is almost the same thing -- to the interviewers, your new boss, and anyone else you dealt with throughout the interview process. Saying thanks is one of the least expensive, easiest strategies in creating a favorable environment for yourself wherever you go. Harvey Mackay, founder and chairman of the Mackay Envelope Corporation and bestselling author of "Swim with the Sharks (Without Being Eaten Alive)," says, "Anyone too busy to say 'thank you' will get fewer and fewer chances to say it."
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Right People Can Help You Find Your Calling
By Caroline Levchuck
Finding the job you want isn't always easy. And, when you don't know what job you want, it can seem impossible.
What's a job seeker to do? You can spend hours doing research, along with some serious soul searching. But you may still come up blank.
There are people who can help. Some are pros; some you already know. But either way, they can assist you in answering the age-old question of what to do with your life.
Career Counselors
Career counselors can help you shape your career path, including find a job. They rely upon a host of resources, such as personality tests, expert knowledge and experience. If you're really confused, a good career counselor can help you explore many different career options.
There are career counselors for every stage of your career and every budget. School-based counselors offer career advice to students free of charge. Independent career counselors or consultants will often require you to pay an advance fee for a set number of sessions. Others won't limit the number of sessions and will work with you until you land a job.
The best way to find a skilled, dependable career counselor is by word of mouth. Ask people you trust for referrals. You can also screen a counselor through the Better Business Bureau before signing up at http://www.bbb.org.
Personal Coaches
Personal coaches can be very helpful to job seekers.
Coaches focus on helping people identify their values, dreams and goals. But, a word of warning: If you're looking for advice, career coaching might not be for you. A good coach won't tell you what he thinks you should be doing because he believes that, deep down, you already know. Simply put, coaches work to uncover existing knowledge -- and to eliminate self-doubt.
If you know someone who has visited a personal coach, ask for a referral. You can also consult the International Coaching Federation (http://www.coachfederation.org) for trained and certified coaches in your area. To help you find the right coach before making a commitment, most coaches will even offer a free, 30-minute phone session.
Mentors
People frequently find mentors in their workplaces to guide and nurture them in their present position and up the corporate ladder.
But, even if you don't have a job, you can still have a mentor.
Many colleges and alumni associations offer mentoring programs. You can also join a local business or professional association and inquire about a mentor program. Even if there isn't one, you may still find someone to mentor you informally.
Another idea is to find someone who works in a field that interests you. Set up an informational interview. If the two of you click, ask if you can e-mail or phone them from time to time with questions. If you're lucky, it may be the start of a mentoring relationship.
Friends and Family
Everyone you know probably has an opinion about what you should be doing in your career. Most times, we don't care to hear these opinions.
But, if you're stuck, it might not hurt to solicit opinions from friends and family members as to what career they think you should pursue. Likely, they know you well enough to know your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. They're probably also familiar enough with your past to know what you should avoid.
Ask direct and earnest questions, such as, "What do you think my strengths are?" and "Have you ever imagined me in a certain career?"
Your friends and family may dream bigger than you would ever dare.
Finding the job you want isn't always easy. And, when you don't know what job you want, it can seem impossible.
What's a job seeker to do? You can spend hours doing research, along with some serious soul searching. But you may still come up blank.
There are people who can help. Some are pros; some you already know. But either way, they can assist you in answering the age-old question of what to do with your life.
Career Counselors
Career counselors can help you shape your career path, including find a job. They rely upon a host of resources, such as personality tests, expert knowledge and experience. If you're really confused, a good career counselor can help you explore many different career options.
There are career counselors for every stage of your career and every budget. School-based counselors offer career advice to students free of charge. Independent career counselors or consultants will often require you to pay an advance fee for a set number of sessions. Others won't limit the number of sessions and will work with you until you land a job.
The best way to find a skilled, dependable career counselor is by word of mouth. Ask people you trust for referrals. You can also screen a counselor through the Better Business Bureau before signing up at http://www.bbb.org.
Personal Coaches
Personal coaches can be very helpful to job seekers.
Coaches focus on helping people identify their values, dreams and goals. But, a word of warning: If you're looking for advice, career coaching might not be for you. A good coach won't tell you what he thinks you should be doing because he believes that, deep down, you already know. Simply put, coaches work to uncover existing knowledge -- and to eliminate self-doubt.
If you know someone who has visited a personal coach, ask for a referral. You can also consult the International Coaching Federation (http://www.coachfederation.org) for trained and certified coaches in your area. To help you find the right coach before making a commitment, most coaches will even offer a free, 30-minute phone session.
Mentors
People frequently find mentors in their workplaces to guide and nurture them in their present position and up the corporate ladder.
But, even if you don't have a job, you can still have a mentor.
Many colleges and alumni associations offer mentoring programs. You can also join a local business or professional association and inquire about a mentor program. Even if there isn't one, you may still find someone to mentor you informally.
Another idea is to find someone who works in a field that interests you. Set up an informational interview. If the two of you click, ask if you can e-mail or phone them from time to time with questions. If you're lucky, it may be the start of a mentoring relationship.
Friends and Family
Everyone you know probably has an opinion about what you should be doing in your career. Most times, we don't care to hear these opinions.
But, if you're stuck, it might not hurt to solicit opinions from friends and family members as to what career they think you should pursue. Likely, they know you well enough to know your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. They're probably also familiar enough with your past to know what you should avoid.
Ask direct and earnest questions, such as, "What do you think my strengths are?" and "Have you ever imagined me in a certain career?"
Your friends and family may dream bigger than you would ever dare.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Smart Risks vs. Foolish Risks
5 Risks That Could Help Your Career
by Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Playing it safe with your career may seem smart. But to really get ahead, you may need to take some risks.
"Nothing gives your career a boost like succeeding at a risk," says Sheila Wellington, author of "Be Your Own Mentor" and a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business. "It helps you break out of the pack."
Still, before you take a risk -- whether it's quitting your job or confronting your boss -- consider whether it's smart or foolish.
Make sure you know yourself and your organization well enough to understand what happens if you take a risk and it doesn't work out. Will failure damage your career, or will coworkers admire your initiative? Will you be devastated, emotionally or financially, if you don't succeed? Or do you have a high tolerance for failure?
That's what Wellington and other experts say you should consider when evaluating career risks such as these:
* Taking on a tough project. Succeeding where others have given up is a great way to make a name for yourself.
"It's a way to get ahead, to take something that's big and dangerous," says Norm Meshriy, a career counselor and principal of Career Insights in Walnut Creek, California.
But look at what has happened to others who have tried. Have they had their reputations tarnished? Or have their efforts been rewarded?
* Changing careers. It's exciting to think about making a fresh start. But especially in today's economy, make sure you have a Plan B.
"The biggest risk in terms of a job transition is going to a different job in a different industry," says Michael Beasley, owner of Career-Crossings in Portola Valley, California, and a consultant with Right Management. You'll have a lot to learn -- right at the time when you need to be proving your worth to your new employer.
* Taking a contract job. If you have to choose between a contract job at a company where you really want to work and a permanent position at a less desirable company, taking the contract job is the bigger risk -- but could have the bigger payoff.
The key to your decision is "finding out every single thing that you can know" about the company, Beasley says. Assess your chances of being hired on permanently at the end of the contract.
* Taking time off between jobs. This risk can have big personal payoffs. It can also give you time to explore new career options. You can make it less of a career risk by keeping your network current and having a compelling story to tell about what you did with your time.
* Confronting your boss. Disagreeing with your boss in anger, without having thought through what you're going to say, is a foolish risk. But arranging a meeting with your boss outside of the office and offering a rehearsed, well-crafted explanation of how you feel can be a risk worth taking, Meshriy says.
You may not get the answer you want, but you will get better insight into your situation.
Whenever you are contemplating a risk, remember that doing nothing can also be risky.
"Your performance will suffer if you're not happy in your job, or an opportunity could slip away," Beasley said.
by Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Playing it safe with your career may seem smart. But to really get ahead, you may need to take some risks.
"Nothing gives your career a boost like succeeding at a risk," says Sheila Wellington, author of "Be Your Own Mentor" and a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business. "It helps you break out of the pack."
Still, before you take a risk -- whether it's quitting your job or confronting your boss -- consider whether it's smart or foolish.
Make sure you know yourself and your organization well enough to understand what happens if you take a risk and it doesn't work out. Will failure damage your career, or will coworkers admire your initiative? Will you be devastated, emotionally or financially, if you don't succeed? Or do you have a high tolerance for failure?
That's what Wellington and other experts say you should consider when evaluating career risks such as these:
* Taking on a tough project. Succeeding where others have given up is a great way to make a name for yourself.
"It's a way to get ahead, to take something that's big and dangerous," says Norm Meshriy, a career counselor and principal of Career Insights in Walnut Creek, California.
But look at what has happened to others who have tried. Have they had their reputations tarnished? Or have their efforts been rewarded?
* Changing careers. It's exciting to think about making a fresh start. But especially in today's economy, make sure you have a Plan B.
"The biggest risk in terms of a job transition is going to a different job in a different industry," says Michael Beasley, owner of Career-Crossings in Portola Valley, California, and a consultant with Right Management. You'll have a lot to learn -- right at the time when you need to be proving your worth to your new employer.
* Taking a contract job. If you have to choose between a contract job at a company where you really want to work and a permanent position at a less desirable company, taking the contract job is the bigger risk -- but could have the bigger payoff.
The key to your decision is "finding out every single thing that you can know" about the company, Beasley says. Assess your chances of being hired on permanently at the end of the contract.
* Taking time off between jobs. This risk can have big personal payoffs. It can also give you time to explore new career options. You can make it less of a career risk by keeping your network current and having a compelling story to tell about what you did with your time.
* Confronting your boss. Disagreeing with your boss in anger, without having thought through what you're going to say, is a foolish risk. But arranging a meeting with your boss outside of the office and offering a rehearsed, well-crafted explanation of how you feel can be a risk worth taking, Meshriy says.
You may not get the answer you want, but you will get better insight into your situation.
Whenever you are contemplating a risk, remember that doing nothing can also be risky.
"Your performance will suffer if you're not happy in your job, or an opportunity could slip away," Beasley said.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Gartner's Top 10 Technologies
Gartner's published their annual list of the top 10 strategic technologies, and that's always interesting. It's also interesting that five of the 10 are on the list for the first time. IT is changing:
1. Cloud computing We've been hearing about this for the past few years.
2. Advanced analytics BI (Business Intelligence) plus. Analytics keep gaining importance.
3. Client computing* Companies are providing employees with stipends to purchase their own systems and then giving them the ability to access business applications through virtualized environments.
4. Green IT Anything that reduces energy consumption and a corporate carbon footprint.
5. Reshaping the data center* A new design for data centers which uses pods and adds power, air conditioners and generators only as needed.
6. Social computing Facebook, Twitter, etc.
7. Monitoring user activity* Getting harder with cloud computing, targeted attacks, etc.
8. Flash memory* Fast, rugged, and uses less energy than hard disks. Costs more initially, but the price gap is getting smaller. Also called SSD (Solid State Disks).
9. Virtualization for availability VMware's VMotion; Microsoft's Live Migration.
10. Mobile applications* Moving applications to cell phones.
How many of these affect you? Yet, it's more important than ever to get up to speed and stay current. Things change so quickly in IT, and this includes both the technologies and the jobs. Enroll NOW in our CSTA (Computers: Systems, Terms and Acronyms) Program where we cover ALL of these up and coming technologies.
* First time on the list.
1. Cloud computing We've been hearing about this for the past few years.
2. Advanced analytics BI (Business Intelligence) plus. Analytics keep gaining importance.
3. Client computing* Companies are providing employees with stipends to purchase their own systems and then giving them the ability to access business applications through virtualized environments.
4. Green IT Anything that reduces energy consumption and a corporate carbon footprint.
5. Reshaping the data center* A new design for data centers which uses pods and adds power, air conditioners and generators only as needed.
6. Social computing Facebook, Twitter, etc.
7. Monitoring user activity* Getting harder with cloud computing, targeted attacks, etc.
8. Flash memory* Fast, rugged, and uses less energy than hard disks. Costs more initially, but the price gap is getting smaller. Also called SSD (Solid State Disks).
9. Virtualization for availability VMware's VMotion; Microsoft's Live Migration.
10. Mobile applications* Moving applications to cell phones.
How many of these affect you? Yet, it's more important than ever to get up to speed and stay current. Things change so quickly in IT, and this includes both the technologies and the jobs. Enroll NOW in our CSTA (Computers: Systems, Terms and Acronyms) Program where we cover ALL of these up and coming technologies.
* First time on the list.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
5 reasons why you're not getting interviews and HR is one of the reasons.
Here are 5 reasons you may not be getting noticed.
1) Your resume isn't very good. I see a lot of resumes and perhaps 5% stand out. First impressions matter and if your resume does not attract the reader's attention in the first 10-20 seconds then your chances of obtaining an interview fall to almost zero. What an employer really wants to know is why they should invite you for an interview. The only compelling reason is that you appear to be a good fit for the position they are trying to fill. EVERY resume that you submit must be tailored specifically to the opportunity you are applying for. Also, the most pertinent information needs to be in the top 1/3 of the resume which, is about 10-20 seconds worth of reading. If you ask 10 people to give you an opinion on resume formats, you'll get 15 different answers. So at the risk of offering contradictory advice, I'll give you what I believe works best based on my experience. A resume should begin with a professional summary listing your capabilities followed by a list of your core skills or, when appropriate, your major achievements. The combination of these should match as closely as possible the job description you're responding to. If a company is looking for a marketing manager who can work with new product development teams to identify and satisfy customer demands; doesn't it make sense to tell the employer up-front that you are an experienced marketing manager with a successful track record of working with product development teams? Doesn't it also make sense to list some of your achievements in identifying customer needs and how you satisfied them? If you were the hiring manager, wouldn't you want to read more? Next, avoid the BS, fluff and over generalizations that accompany most resumes. After every sentence ask yourself, will someone pay me for this?
2) You're not really qualified for the positions you are applying for. This occurs when you hit the send button without much regard to the qualifications the employer is looking for. If the position requires a CPA with 10+ years of experience and you once worked next to an accountant, you're not qualified. Don't waste your time applying for positions you're not at least 95% qualified for. Sending out resumes for positions you're not qualified for is simply not going to get you anywhere.
3) The job description for the opportunity you're applying for is poorly written. If job candidates can be criticized for writing poor resumes, than HR professionals and hiring managers can be criticized for writing poor job descriptions. This is one area that you, as the job seeker, can do nothing about. In many cases, the job description does not adequately detail everything that the hiring manager is looking for. Like resumes, many job descriptions are too often too vague, lack critical information, and are filled with fluff and boilerplate.
4) You lack any real job search strategy. Searching for a job is a process. It requires thought, planning and execution. Basically you need to focus you energy in two areas:
1) Breaking through the noise (the 500 other applicants) and
2) Looking for opportunity that is not posted all over the internet or given to 100 recruiters. You can accomplish the first by crafting a resume that meets the needs of the hiring manager 100% as outlined above. You can accomplish the second by targeting specific companies and reaching out to people within those organizations and presenting them with a reason to talk to you.
5) Not learning from your mistakes As the saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. If you're current approach is not working, ask yourself why. If you think you can improve your odds by doing something different, do it.
Let me know your thoughts!
1) Your resume isn't very good. I see a lot of resumes and perhaps 5% stand out. First impressions matter and if your resume does not attract the reader's attention in the first 10-20 seconds then your chances of obtaining an interview fall to almost zero. What an employer really wants to know is why they should invite you for an interview. The only compelling reason is that you appear to be a good fit for the position they are trying to fill. EVERY resume that you submit must be tailored specifically to the opportunity you are applying for. Also, the most pertinent information needs to be in the top 1/3 of the resume which, is about 10-20 seconds worth of reading. If you ask 10 people to give you an opinion on resume formats, you'll get 15 different answers. So at the risk of offering contradictory advice, I'll give you what I believe works best based on my experience. A resume should begin with a professional summary listing your capabilities followed by a list of your core skills or, when appropriate, your major achievements. The combination of these should match as closely as possible the job description you're responding to. If a company is looking for a marketing manager who can work with new product development teams to identify and satisfy customer demands; doesn't it make sense to tell the employer up-front that you are an experienced marketing manager with a successful track record of working with product development teams? Doesn't it also make sense to list some of your achievements in identifying customer needs and how you satisfied them? If you were the hiring manager, wouldn't you want to read more? Next, avoid the BS, fluff and over generalizations that accompany most resumes. After every sentence ask yourself, will someone pay me for this?
2) You're not really qualified for the positions you are applying for. This occurs when you hit the send button without much regard to the qualifications the employer is looking for. If the position requires a CPA with 10+ years of experience and you once worked next to an accountant, you're not qualified. Don't waste your time applying for positions you're not at least 95% qualified for. Sending out resumes for positions you're not qualified for is simply not going to get you anywhere.
3) The job description for the opportunity you're applying for is poorly written. If job candidates can be criticized for writing poor resumes, than HR professionals and hiring managers can be criticized for writing poor job descriptions. This is one area that you, as the job seeker, can do nothing about. In many cases, the job description does not adequately detail everything that the hiring manager is looking for. Like resumes, many job descriptions are too often too vague, lack critical information, and are filled with fluff and boilerplate.
4) You lack any real job search strategy. Searching for a job is a process. It requires thought, planning and execution. Basically you need to focus you energy in two areas:
1) Breaking through the noise (the 500 other applicants) and
2) Looking for opportunity that is not posted all over the internet or given to 100 recruiters. You can accomplish the first by crafting a resume that meets the needs of the hiring manager 100% as outlined above. You can accomplish the second by targeting specific companies and reaching out to people within those organizations and presenting them with a reason to talk to you.
5) Not learning from your mistakes As the saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. If you're current approach is not working, ask yourself why. If you think you can improve your odds by doing something different, do it.
Let me know your thoughts!
Monday, October 26, 2009
How To Find a Good Boss
By Marilyn Haight
Whether you get hired for a new job, promoted, or reassigned to a new position, you will most likely have a new boss. Each time that happens, you must develop a new professional relationship with the person you rely on for direction, development, and future advancement. You need to quickly determine if this new boss is a good match for you and your career goals. But how can you tell? Try these five questions.
1. Does your boss showcase your work? If you're not sure, you could ask him, "What leadership opportunities will I have in my job?" If he says something like, "There's only one leader here -- me," you may have what I call a "Suppressor Boss." A boss who replies, "We're all leaders here; you'll be in charge of projects that need your expertise," will have no problem appreciating your role and contribution.
2. Does your boss solve problems? Try asking, "How should I escalate problems to you when I think you need to get involved?" If she insists you must solve your issue alone, then she could be a "Confounder Boss" who ignores problems, which makes them worse. A good boss might say, "Give me detailed examples; I'll determine the cause and work with managers at my level to correct the issues."
3. Does your boss let you complete your work? When in doubt, try asking him or her when you can start handling tasks from start to finish. If the answer is, "I'm a hands-on manager; we do everything as a team," you've got trouble. This is a "Player Boss" who does parts of your job he likes and leaves problems for you. If you hear, "Tell me when you think you're ready; I'll give you guidelines and be available only when you need me," you'll know your boss trusts your skills.
4. Does your boss listen to your suggestions? If not, tell her that when she cuts you off you wonder if she values your opinion. A reply like, "I have the final word," could mean she's a "Manipulator Boss." A good boss will say something like, "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was doing that. Please bring it to my attention next time it happens." A good boss always listens attentively.
5. Does your boss treat you and your co-workers equally? If you notice preferential treatment among your co-workers, try asking your boss, "What measurements will you use to evaluate my job performance?" If he says, "Every case is different; I use my judgment," he could be a "Dumbfounder Boss" who uses the wrong measures to evaluate job performance. A better answer, like, "Your work will be evaluated according to the documented standards we've already agreed upon," will signal your boss's fairness.
Listening skills, problem-solving, a sense of fairness, and an ability to trust are just some of the hallmarks of a good boss. A good employee will learn to spot and appreciate those attributes, and then move toward building a mutually successful relationship.
Whether you get hired for a new job, promoted, or reassigned to a new position, you will most likely have a new boss. Each time that happens, you must develop a new professional relationship with the person you rely on for direction, development, and future advancement. You need to quickly determine if this new boss is a good match for you and your career goals. But how can you tell? Try these five questions.
1. Does your boss showcase your work? If you're not sure, you could ask him, "What leadership opportunities will I have in my job?" If he says something like, "There's only one leader here -- me," you may have what I call a "Suppressor Boss." A boss who replies, "We're all leaders here; you'll be in charge of projects that need your expertise," will have no problem appreciating your role and contribution.
2. Does your boss solve problems? Try asking, "How should I escalate problems to you when I think you need to get involved?" If she insists you must solve your issue alone, then she could be a "Confounder Boss" who ignores problems, which makes them worse. A good boss might say, "Give me detailed examples; I'll determine the cause and work with managers at my level to correct the issues."
3. Does your boss let you complete your work? When in doubt, try asking him or her when you can start handling tasks from start to finish. If the answer is, "I'm a hands-on manager; we do everything as a team," you've got trouble. This is a "Player Boss" who does parts of your job he likes and leaves problems for you. If you hear, "Tell me when you think you're ready; I'll give you guidelines and be available only when you need me," you'll know your boss trusts your skills.
4. Does your boss listen to your suggestions? If not, tell her that when she cuts you off you wonder if she values your opinion. A reply like, "I have the final word," could mean she's a "Manipulator Boss." A good boss will say something like, "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware I was doing that. Please bring it to my attention next time it happens." A good boss always listens attentively.
5. Does your boss treat you and your co-workers equally? If you notice preferential treatment among your co-workers, try asking your boss, "What measurements will you use to evaluate my job performance?" If he says, "Every case is different; I use my judgment," he could be a "Dumbfounder Boss" who uses the wrong measures to evaluate job performance. A better answer, like, "Your work will be evaluated according to the documented standards we've already agreed upon," will signal your boss's fairness.
Listening skills, problem-solving, a sense of fairness, and an ability to trust are just some of the hallmarks of a good boss. A good employee will learn to spot and appreciate those attributes, and then move toward building a mutually successful relationship.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
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