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Effective Networking and Resume Strategies

Effective Networking and Resume Strategies. -While developing an aggressive Personal Action Plan-. Author: Rick A. Ross 214-471-3462 (C) http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickaross 20 Sept, 2011 St Jude Career Alliance Council. Individual Opportunity Preparation. Effective message delivery.

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Effective Networking and Resume Strategies

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  1. Effective Networking and Resume Strategies -While developing an aggressive Personal Action Plan- Author: Rick A. Ross 214-471-3462 (C) http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickaross 20 Sept, 2011 St Jude Career Alliance Council

  2. Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery Ensure you have an effective resume Ensure your networking reach is broad enough Research Target Companies Compile your initial contact list Effective Networking and Resume Strategies: Seminar Goal • The intention of this body of work is to share lessons learned from successful situational engineering trial and error and then required message crafting for the purpose of differentiating yourself from a multitude of applicants and gaining employment. • This body of work is intentionally written in ‘cookbook’ fashion based on personal lessons learned and assumes that the participant will use some or even all of the information for success. • Recommendation: the job seeker should agree to create and possess at least two resumes • 1 static resume and • 1 flexible resume (editable to align to an opportunity) • A key component to both versions is the derivation of your marketable and transferrable job skills (see section 2.1) • Specifically, the value add of this deep dive into your personal value proposition derivation is that you the candidate may recognize the value in first deriving and then leveraging your own transferrable skills. You the candidate can then consider adjacent industries and associated companies as a part of your job search and thus increase the likelihood of making the most of networking contacts while securing a higher volume of job leads and frequency of interview appointments. • “If I were given eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first six hours just sharpening my axe.” • -Abraham Lincoln

  3. Developing an effective personal Action Plan framework • (suggested Action Plan sequence and Summary) • Preface: Faith as a common denominator to your Personal Action Plan • Section 1: Compile your initial Network Contact List / Daily Networking Log book • Section 2: Ensure that you have an effective resume prior to sharing your information • 2.1 Building Blocks to Effective Resume Development • 2.2 The Sum of the Parts: I - IV • 2.3 Information Flow • Section 3: Ensure that your Networking reach is broad enough: Casting a bigger net • Section 4: Research Target Companies: Opportunity ‘Needs’ Research and Proactive • Preparation • Section 5: Initial engagement / first impressions and Effective Message Delivery • Summary • End Intended take-away understanding: Get organized and take aggressive steps to position yourself effectively and get on your feet

  4. Preface From the Author: I compiled this work as a summary of my personal lessons learned but also to offer back to God the sacrifice of my time such that others in need may benefit. To anyone who attends this seminar or downloads this body of work, I cannot stress enough to you the importance of daily prayer as a part of your job search campaign. As for me personally, when I was briefly unemployed I said a daily Novena prayer to St. Jude for assistance and I know that my prayers were indeed answered quickly. Regardless of your religious affiliation, please allow these words to generate thought and foundational planning for each day. Best of luck in your job search. Yours very sincerely in Christ, -Rick Ross 4 July, 2011 Novena To St. Jude Most holy Apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of difficult cases, of things almost despaired of, Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Intercede with God for me that He bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly -(make your request here)- and that I may praise God with you and all the saints forever. I promise, O Blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor granted me by God and to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you

  5. SECTION 1 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery Ensure you have an effective resume Ensure your networking reach is broad enough Research Target Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 1: Compiling your initial Network Contacts / Daily Log Book: Networking: The making use of personal contacts for the purpose of assisting with a job search campaign. • Questions to be answered initially • What Contacts do I have today? • Have I leveraged my Linked In Contact Resources effectively? • How do I manage the several daily contact discussions that I have? • How do I remember which ones I have spoken to last and when I should reach out to them again? • Should I immediately share my resume with my contact or the target company? Answer:Start by organizing your efforts in a clear and concise expeditious manner

  6. SECTION 1 Section 1: Compiling your initial Network Contacts / Daily Log Book • Business Associates / Brokers • Investment Bankers • Industrial Development Officials • Contacts Made in Past Jobs • End Customers supported by Past Jobs • Congressmen / Senators / Local Represenatives • Trustees of Organizations • Account Executives (Sales) • Fraternal Contacts • Former College Professors / Teachers • Developing Contacts through Networking • Relatives, Personal Friends and Family • Neighbors and Community Contacts • University and Alumni contacts • Former Employees • Former Employers • Insurance Agents • Newsletter Editors • Trade Association Contacts • Management Consultants • Community Business Leaders **Requesting professional advice from a key decision maker whom you do not know can also result in opening doors. Intended take-away understanding: As a first step: Brainstorm to compile as many Networking contacts as you can possibly think of

  7. SECTION 1 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery Ensure you have an effective resume Ensure your networking reach is broad enough Research Target Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 1: Compile your initial Network Contact List / Daily Networking Log book • Reach out to each contact, request assistance and generate the incentive to proactively assist you • Request assistance directly and personally – don’t assume that contacts just ‘get it’ • Telephone or face to face engagement are more effective in gaining a contacts assistance • Make each contact aware when you have found work and remember to thank each one of them after you find work

  8. SECTION 1 Action Item detail: Compile your initial Daily Networking log book of Contacts -Reach out to each Contact via telephone (preferred), and ask for a few minutes to discuss your request for help. Keep an ongoing daily log of when the conversation took place and when you agreed you would be back in touch. Always set the expectation that you will be back in touch – soon. -Recommendation – Incentivize your contact to help you in a (potential) long term fashion: Ask if your contact knows whether their company (or even a separate target company) has an employee referral bonus plan. *Ensure that you both understand whether or not your contact needs to be the person submitting your resume in order to receive the potential referral bonus reward. -Recommendation – begin compiling an understanding of your target companies ‘Needs’: In speaking with your contact, gain insight into latest company contract wins, company growth areas and company resource investment areas and even recent employee vacancies, etc. Note this in your Networking log book. -Recommendation – Carefully craft your ‘flexible’ resume submission before engaging directly with a target companies key decision maker, human resources group or hiring manager:Do not share your resume until you know more about the specific opportunities at your target company. Continue reading below… -Recommendation – Search the companies ‘Careers’ link to see if positions your contact may have shared are visible to the public. Attempt to obtain internal job postings if there is no risk in just asking for them: Research any opportunity leads your contact may provide before you take further action to submit your personal background and interest. -Recommendation – Your static resume may not spell out a close ‘fit’ to the opportunity you are interested in: If available, print your target companies posted opportunity (job description) of interest to you and with integrity align your ‘Flexible’ resume to the required Job Skills and experience to the opportunity beforeconsidering to submit your resume. (see ‘Effective Resume Development’ chart pack description of flex resume and ‘marketable and transferrable job skills’) Intended take-away understanding: Gain a partner in networking through company incentives while aligning to any opportunity

  9. SECTION 1 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery Ensure you have an effective resume Ensure your networking reach is broad enough Research Target Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 1 Action Plan Summary: Compile your initial list of contacts and keep a daily log book of activities and agreements Try to incentivize your contacts to offer proactive assistance as needed Begin researching companies, company news links and careers databases to develop an understanding of the companies needs Ensure that your resume is aligned to the needs of a posted opportunity before you consider sharing

  10. SECTION 2 • Section 2:Ensure that you have an effective resume prior to sharing your information Intended take-away understanding: An Effective Resume can also help to ensure that you present an effective personal value proposition

  11. 2.1 Building Blocks to Effective Resume Development Step I.) Compileyour personal Success Stories (Estimated time to complete this essential first step: 4-8 hours dedicated) Defined: A brief and concise method of summarizing a truthful personal achievement be they large or small in the form of the situation that you were in, the action that you took, and the end result. Helpful references and resources to gather for this step: Mid-year and End of year employment reviews / write ups (as many and as far back in time as possible). Professional Awards and certificates. Old resumes which make mention of professional achievements and awards that you may have forgotten. Compile as many Success Stories as you can. ************************************************************************************************************* One Success Story example(after word-smithing / shortening to a crisp recite able form) Situation: Executive management determined that the time required to capture a customer order, assemble the order and then ship the product was deterring customers from purchasing our product. I was tasked with reducing the overall lead time. Action: Using the equation (Available time / week) / (Customer demand) I was able to calculate the requirement and isolate the process step which produced the overall lead time bottleneck and then automate that process step. Result: The overall lead time to capture, assemble and ship our product was reduced by 40%. Intended Take away understanding: Your personal Success Stories provide the very foundation for Effective Resume Development and more...

  12. 2.1 Building Blocks to Effective Resume Development Step II.) Extract your marketable skills from personal success stories (Estimated time to complete this second step: ~30 minutes dedicated) Defined:Marketable Skills are those transferable skills employers are seeking and make up the requirements to fill a posted employment opportunity. **************************************************************************************************************** From our Success Story example on the previous slide Situation: Executive management determined that the time required to capture a customer order, assemble the order and then ship the product was deterring customers from purchasing our product. I was tasked with reducing the overall lead time. Action: Using the equation (Available time / week) / (Customer demand) I was able to calculate the requirement and isolate the process step which produced the overall lead time bottleneck and then automate that process step. Result: The overall lead time to capture, assemble and ship our product was reduced by 40%. **************************************************************************************************************** Extracted Transferable Value-Add Skills from the example above: Customer focused Statistical Analysis Process Control Techniques Order Procurement Specialist Meticulous and Methodical Operations Process Streamlining Manufacturing Assembly Experience Process Improvement Process Lead Time Reduction Intended Take away understanding: Your Personal Success Stories provide you with the means to identify your transferable value-add skills

  13. 2.1 Building Blocks to Effective Resume Development Step III.) Create a Personal Value Proposition statement (Estimated time to complete this second step: ~60-120 minutes dedicated) Defined: A Personal Value Proposition Statement should provide the reader with a brief basic understanding of what employers will get if they select you to join their team. Additionally, this statement should be positioned in the upper 1/3 of your resume and wordsmithed to encourage the reader to want to learn more about you as a candidate for selection. In crafting a Personal Value Proposition Statement, consider addressing four areas in a clear and crisp brief message: Your Capabilities – what it is you do and how you do it Your Impact to an organization – what benefits or difference your capability will make Your Proof – what Success Story evidence substantiates your relative impact Your Cost benefit – the implied financial benefit previous employers would acknowledge *********************************************************************************************************** From our Success Story example on the previous slides: “A high-energy Order Procurement specialist with quantifiable experience in streamlining manufacturing and delivery processes. Selected to reduce lead time while improving Customer satisfaction, significant cost, quality and interval improvements within a business and background diversity for creative problem solving in a fast paced environment.“ Intended Take away understanding: Your Personal Value Proposition Statement should entice the reader to want to learn more while also providing a segway into the remaining document for evidence that substantiates your Personal Value-Add comments

  14. 2.2 The Sum of the Parts: I - IV Name Mailing Address Phone # / email ************************************************************ (Your Current Industry Recognized title –or- How you Market Yourself) ************************************************************ -Summary of Qualifications- Your personal Value Proposition Statement(~3-5 Sentences) Your Transferable Value-Add Skills ************************************************************ Professional Experience ************************************************************ Company 1.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories … 2.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories Personal Accomplishments -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories ************************************************************ Education and Training ‘Who Are You?’ I.) Know: Adding your ‘LinkedIn’ profile link below name/address/phone/email is highly recommended ‘What Value-Add skills do you bring to the table?’ II.) F L O W Know:Many Search Engines software programs sift through numerous resumes and count the number of times a specific skill shows up on your resume as a part of candidate selection. ‘What are your supporting accomplishments?’ III.) Note 1: If your resume could be classified as ‘chronological’ and the dates you show are very short in duration, consider a ‘combined’ resume style that emphasizes your experiences. Note 2: Avoid listing responsibilities and instead emphasize achievements that link to success stories ‘What training and certifications do you have?’ IV.) Intended Take away understanding: Designing an intentional information flow pattern increases your chances of ‘hooking’ the reader Note: Consider maintaining at least 2 versions of your resume. 1 standard resume and 1 flexible version

  15. 2.3 Information Flow ‘Who Are You?’ I.) Name Mailing Address Phone # / email ************************************************************ (Your Current Industry Recognized title –or- How you Market Yourself) ************************************************************ -Summary of Qualifications- Your personal Value Proposition Statement(~3-5 Sentences) Your Transferable Value-Add Skills ************************************************************ Professional Experience ************************************************************ Company 1.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories … 2.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories Personal Accomplishments -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories ************************************************************ Education and Training • Perceived negatives / gaps in information flow: • Mailing Address not provided • Phone Number not provided or outdated • Email address not provided or even silly in nature: • Example: batman@yahoo.com • Discriminating information added (Marital Status, # Children, personal photo) • Current Title is not a common industry recognized title or is not descriptive enough • Current Title contains acronyms and is assumed to be easily understood by the reader • Industry Recognized Title does not match or map to the opportunity that you are applying for • Current Title or Industry Recognized Title not provided or left blank Intended Take away understanding: Title information must reflect an honest, skills supported reflection of how you are marketing yourself

  16. 2.3 Information Flow Note: “VPS” stands for Value Proposition Statement ‘What skills do you bring to the table?’ II.) Name Mailing Address Phone # / email ************************************************************ (Your Current Industry Recognized title –or- How you Market Yourself) ************************************************************ -Summary of Qualifications- Your personal Value Proposition Statement(~3-5 Sentences) Your Transferable Value-Add Skills ************************************************************ Professional Experience ************************************************************ Company 1.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories … 2.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories Personal Accomplishments -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories ************************************************************ Education and Training • Perceived negatives / gaps in information flow: • VPS not provided, only spoken • ‘Professional Objective’ (old school) and not VPS • VPS too wordy & font too small • VPS filled with industry specific acronyms • Industry common skill set bullets specific to one industry only • Skill set bullets use too many acronyms • Skill set bullets not balanced between hard skills and personal soft skills • Skill set bullets not supported by professional experience below • Key skill bullets buried at bottom of Resume Intended Take away understanding: The combined Value Proposition Statement (VPS) and Skill Set bullets provide a very powerful brief summary

  17. 2.3 Information Flow ‘What are your supporting accomplishments?’ III.) Name Mailing Address Phone # / email ************************************************************ (Your Current Industry Recognized title –or- How you Market Yourself) ************************************************************ -Summary of Qualifications- Your personal Value Proposition Statement(~3-5 Sentences) Your Transferable Value-Add Skills ************************************************************ Professional Experience ************************************************************ Company 1.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories … 2.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories Personal Accomplishments -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories ************************************************************ Education and Training • Perceived negatives / gaps in information flow: • Professional Experience is responsibilities driven and should be accomplishments driven • Professional Experience not bulleted in short concise key words and comments • Candidate has Professional Experience required by a posted job description, but that experience is not reflected in an ‘-Achievements from Success Stories’ • Professional Experience lists multiple 1-2 year jobs indicating ‘job hopper; Experience a mile wide and 1 inch deep’ • Experience emphasizes ‘stayed too long at one company’ • No accomplishments listed which emphasize the impact the candidate had on the business (Optional) Intended Take away understanding: Upper 1/3 of resume should spark reader interest. Lower 2/3’s of resume should compliment upper 1/3

  18. 2.3 Information Flow IV.) ‘What training and certification do you have?’ Name Mailing Address Phone # / email ************************************************************ (Your Current Industry Recognized title –or- How you Market Yourself) ************************************************************ -Summary of Qualifications- Your personal Value Proposition Statement(~3-5 Sentences) Your Transferable Value-Add Skills ************************************************************ Professional Experience ************************************************************ Company 1.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories … 2.) Job Title or Industry Recognized Title -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories Personal Accomplishments -Achievements from Success Stories -Achievements from Success Stories ************************************************************ Education and Training • Perceived negatives / gaps in information flow: • College Graduation year long, long ago. Information flow must emphasize strong experience using acquired skills from degree vs. year degree was attained. • Many jobs list ‘degree or equivalent industry experience’. Leverage / emphasize experience if no degree • Targeted Opportunity may require skills included in certification or training programs but not broken out, and explicitly listed for hiring consideration • No listing of Management training courses, MS Office skills, specialized business database training, personal development soft skills which can round out information flow of candidate offering • Education only lists college degree while other value add training could be listed Intended Take away understanding: Education and Training should compliment Qualifications and Experience sections above for continuous flow

  19. SECTION 3 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough Research Target Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 3:Ensure that your networking reach is broad enough. ‘Casting a bigger net’ • Questions you yourself should consider as we progress through this section: • i.) Is your personal networking focus is too narrow: • Focused on niche area only? • Are your Salary demands realistic? • ii.) Is your networking focus flexible as well as broad enough: • Is your target industry experiencing high, medium or low growth or is it perhaps declining? • Are you making optimal use of your marketable and transferrable job skills against available opportunities

  20. SECTION 3 Action Item detail : Casting a bigger net (continued) Note: Per the LinkedIn seminars you may have attended, you should ‘narrow your focus to broaden your reach’ when engineering your profile such that you want to be found. Suggest you balance that rule with broaden your personal job search reach in order to ensure you can explore available opportunities with your specific skill sets – exactly the reverse thinking when reaching out. Q1.) ‘How can I increase the volume of opportunities available to me?’ A: Consider applying your highest value Marketable and Transferrable skills in another role, or type of business or industry. <*See ‘Extract your marketable skills from personal success stories’ from ‘Effective Resume Development’, seminar located at: http://www.ntxcatholiccareers.org/resources.asp > -Recommendation – Based on your Marketable and Transferrable Skills homework,consider at leastthree possible application titles of your highest value skills. Example: Candidate previous title was ‘Engineering Manager’. Based on marketable and transferrable skills sets possible transitional roles include: Technical Project Manager, Software Engineering Program Manager, or even IT Program Management Office Leader’. Depending upon the Candidates own personal Success Stories, several job descriptions will have common skill set needs. -Recommendation – Consider at least 2-3 industries or business types adjacent to your primary industry target and the companies in your area in those industries. Examples: Program Administration / Program Management (Common Multiple Industry skills) IT Program Management (Common Multiple Industry skills) Engineering Management (Common Multiple Industry skills) Intended take-away understanding: Your personal Success Stories can generate thought about lucrative alternative career paths

  21. SECTION 3 Action Item detail : Casting a bigger net (continued) Q2.) “But what about the pay scale? I only know what I was worth to my last company.” A: Consider researching several possible role descriptions on web sites such as Salaries.com or Jobs-Salary.com. Pay close attention to the salary range! You may be negotiating for the high end if your skills and experience provide you the leverage. Examples from Salaries.com: Intended take-away understanding: Your Marketable & Transferable job skills can open doors that you may not be considering!

  22. SECTION 3 Action Item detail: Casting a bigger net (continued) • Q3.) “How can I learn where my highest value skills are needed most?” • A: With the use of a personal computer through trial and error run a variety of searches on: • i.) top growth industries, top hiring companies, business periodicals • ii.) Local Chamber of Commerce brochures announcing companies growing/building in the area • III.) Linked In Industry specific groups (a favorite of industry specific recruiters) • IV.) Research the companies Careers links to become opinionated about whether any of the • alternative career paths you have researched will logically be needed in adjacent industries • Begin compiling your list of target Industries and Companies to investigate ‘needs’ further. Bookmark the company web sites and decide now to revisit them weekly or bi-weekly to catch up on company news. • Q4.) “How can I get the attention at these target companies?” • A: Start with returning to your networking contacts log book, your Linked In contacts, mobile applications previous co-workers, neighbors and more. Determine whether you know anyone that works for or with that company. Do not submit your resume – yet. …and so on Intended take-away understanding: Grow your professional network, remember to offer to help others and never stop…

  23. SECTION 3 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough Research Target Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 3 Action Plan Summary: Leverage your marketable and transferable skills to ensure the highest volume of lucrative opportunities Consider at least three alternative career paths that align to your transferrable skills inventory Research and consider at least three adjacent industries that may also be interested in your transferrable skills Research salary structures in your area to ensure that you are comfortable with an alternative career path in an adjacent industry and also to understand what a realistic offer would be in that area

  24. SECTION 4 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 4:Research Target Companies: ‘Needs’ research starts by profiling a company • Suggested resources: Free Public Computer Resources at the Allen Public Library • www.ask.com, www.bizplenty.com, and www.annualreportservice.com • Additionally: • -Your target companies web site ‘News’ link, ‘Careers’ Link, and industry specific newsletters • Questions to be answered initially: Note: Anyone with a scheduled interview should do this research in advance! • 1.) Company performance information (Annual Report: How did the company perform last year? Last fiscal quarter? What • announcements came with the last earnings report?) • 2.) Recent contract wins (implies corporate growth required to support these areas) • 3.) Recent Mergers and Acquisitions (rounds out a corporate product and services offering portfolio for a given business interest) • 4.) Where is the companies home office? What offices do they have locally and where? How many employees does the company • have? How long have they been in business?

  25. SECTION 4 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 4: Research Target Companies: Drilling down further into understanding a companies ‘Needs’ Example:Contract wins, Newly created job postings and Job Descriptions can be very revealing of and companies skill set needs in your research “GE Oil & Gas awarded $120 million subsea service contract to maintain Petrobras’ Campos basin” Company level research reveals a large contract win: Careers level research can reveal desired skills needs and hiring patterns: Job Description level research can reveal desired skills needs:

  26. SECTION 4 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 4:Research Target Companies: Drilling down further into understanding a companies ‘Needs’ (Continued from last chart) Initial telephone interview questions can further reveal a companies desired skill needs: Interview Question: Personal Homework Response: “What do you know about Oracle projects software?” Oracle Projects Success Story effective here “How much experience do you have with mining data from a database?” Data Mining Success Story effective here “Can you give me an example of a conflict that came up and how you resolved it?” Leadership Success Story effective here “Have you ever had to hand manage new product introduction to a customer?” New Product Introduction Success Story effective here Telephone interviews are used as a means to determine whether a candidate is truly a fit for a posted position and whether next step interviews should be considered. Ensure that you have your success stories in front of you and provide crisp and concise answers while also asking questions to discover ‘needs’.. You get one shot at making a favorable first impression with initial telephone interviews! For more detail regarding the development of Success Stories, see ‘Effective Resume Development’, seminar located at: http://www.ntxcatholiccareers.org/resources.asp

  27. SECTION 4 Individual Opportunity Preparation Effective message delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 4 Action Plan Summary: Begin researching a companies ‘Needs’ research through company profiling Recent contract wins, employee hiring patterns and recent job postings & job descriptions can provide valuable insight into a companies current needs Questions asked in initial telephone interviews can provide valuable insight into a hiring managers needs Capturing notes from initial telephone interviews can help you to sharpen your message with the best success stories you have in advance of next steps interviews Always send a letter or email after initial telephone interviews summarizing comments and your fit to the hiring mangers needs. Think‘you need… & I have…, can I reach out to you in 5 days if I don’t hear from you?’

  28. SECTION 5 Individual Opportunity Preparation • Effective message • delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial • contact list Section 5:Initial engagement / first impressions and Effective Message Delivery • Questions to be answered initially • “I have a friend who will submit my resume for me, but what part of the business should receive it?” • “I’ve been given a Marketing executive’s name, but I work in Operations. What should I do?” • “My friend has submitted my resume to the companies data base but I haven’t heard anything.” • “Shouldn’t I submit my resume as soon as my contact asks for it?” • “How do I remember which ones I have spoken to last and when I should reach out to them again?” • First; A few thoughts about typical corporate structure…

  29. SECTION 5 Individual Opportunity Preparation • Effective message • delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial • contact list • Understanding where your message should probably be received… • (Helps to first think about ‘what your message should be’ and ‘how’ it should be delivered for success) • Example: Typical Top Down Corporate Structure and high level key decision makers CEO CIO COO VP Human Resources VP Marketing VP Sales VP Legal CFO CTO • Chief Information • Officer: • -Corporate Comms • -Intelligence • Gathering • Chief Financial • Officer: • -Finance • -Accounting • Chief Operations • Officer: • -Supply Chain • -Delivery Services • Chief Technical • Officer: • -Product Mgmt • -Technical Support • If your networking contact gives you a name: • It’s worth asking any networking contact a few quick questions: • Is the name you’ve been provided a key decision maker and if so in what area? • Does your contact know the name of the key decision makers in your respective area of a business? • Should you use your networking contacts name? (yes of no) • Make every attempt to start with the highest possible level in generating interest in your skills…

  30. SECTION 5 • Understanding effective message delivery… • Generating a sense of Risk and Reward to promote next step conversations “I’d like for you to look this individual over please. I think he’d be a good fit for some of the initiatives we’re driving “I’d like for you to look this individual over please. He knows one of our top tier customers and he looks good on paper.” • Optimal Scenario #1: Influencing the key decision maker indirectly • Sense of Risk and Reward Hmm.. What would Margie Think if I didn’t at least talk to this guy? “I’m not asking for a job but what would you do if you were me? I offer: List education background, key skills + <Success Story #1, Success Story #2, Success Story #3,> etc.” “Hi, Margie at Acme products thought you could use a person like me. Can we get some time to chat?” • Resume “Sure, no harm in that. Tell them Margie at Acme products thought they could use a person like you.” “I’m not asking you for a job, I would however like to ask you for permission to use your name as a reference. Would that be Ok?” • Resume “Sure, Why don’t you email your resume over and I’ll get back in touch with you soon.” • Boss • Boss • Hiring Manager • Key Decision Maker • Hiring Manager • Valued Customer to • Target company • Target Company • key decision makers • Optimal Scenario #2: Requesting professional advice and Influencing the key decision maker directly “I don’t have a position but I could create one. I’d like for you to speak to one of my Managers” If the boss likes him, I’ll reach out to him today. • Sense of Risk and Reward 1 2 2 3 1 • Target Company • key decision makers • Key Decision Maker • Three important pro-active activities enabling each scenario: • 1.) Gaining effective access to key decision maker with the goal of enabling next steps • 2.) Leveraging your elevator speech and your personal Success Stories to generate optimal interest in you • 3.) Use ‘Needs’ information from each conversation to build a thorough understanding of the opportunity and to align your ‘Flexible Resume’ skills • and achievements to Target Company ‘Needs’ prior to finally sharing • *Aside: If at all possible, submit your resume in these situations with three professional recommendation letters scanned into soft copies Intended take-away understanding: When you finally submit your resume the combination of Risk and Reward and updated Flex Resume are key to success

  31. SECTION 5 • Understanding ‘less than optimal’ message delivery… • Chances of success much less than ‘optimal’ • Scenario #3: Submission via direct contact or acquaintance “Hi Jill. I noticed that your company has a position open that I know I’m a fit for, do you know the hiring manager?” “Hi Jill. I noticed that your company has a position open that I know I’m a fit for, do you know the hiring manager?” “Hi Jeff, I’d like to stop by and drop off a resume to you. I’ve known this individual for years and I think he’d fill the vacancy you have very well.” “Ok, leave it in my chair in case I’m out when you drop by and I’ll have a look at it when I can find a minute” “I do know the hiring manager. If you send over the latest version of your resume I’ll walk it over and hand deliver it to him.” • *No Sense of Risk and Reward for acting on this quickly • Scenario #4: Submission via web site listing contact as referral • *No Sense of Risk and Reward for acting on this quickly “I do know the hiring manager. If submit it to the company careers link and list me as your referral, I’ll mention the submission to him today when I see him.” 1 1 2 Intended take-away understanding: Without the sense of Risk and Reward your resume submission can easily get lost in the noise of the day…

  32. SECTION 5 Individual Opportunity Preparation • Effective message • delivery • Ensure you have an • effective resume • Ensure your networking • reach is broad enough • Research Target • Companies • Compile your initial contact list Section 5 Action Plan Summary: When given the name of a key decision maker, determine the most appropriate method of approach to bias that individual in favor of your skills for optimal results If at all possible, avoid submitting your resume too early in the process in order to allow enough time to adequately differentiate yourself When submitting your updated ‘flexible’ resume to a key decision maker, ensure that you submit professional reference letters with your resume (written customer references are highly effective)

  33. SUMMARY Developing an ‘aggressive action plan’ requires motivation on your part. Only by deciding to take control and becoming very passionate and focused in your job search campaign will you shorten your job search campaign. Below is a brief summary of the mindset and steps that will help you to wrap thought around basic behavioral requirements for success: 1.) Decide now to take action and methodically put an action framework in place that makes sense to you 2.) Stay positive. Learn to recognize when doubt and questionable self confidence creep into your thinking 3.) Beware of your own perceptions about any given element of your job search. Negative perceptions can impede your progress and you never know when and where an opportunity will arise. 4.) Beware the emotional roller coaster. Your own emotions can get in the way of success. Make every effort to unload emotional baggage when necessary and re-focus your efforts on your job search. 5.) Learn to apply very sharp focus on any interviewers needs. Post interview, sit quietly and write down your notes and thoughts regarding the questions and answers from the discussion. 6.) Ask open ended questions during any interview to try and gather more information about the needs of a hiring manager. 7.) Follow up every interview with a thank you letter. If the interview is with the hiring manager, always summarize the points your interviewer agreed with you make you a good fit. 8.) It is not the most qualified that gets the job. It is the most memorable candidate. With due diligence you will be remembered. 9.) Your networking mindset must be non-threatening and friendly. 10.) Take the time to ensure that your networking contacts can speak to your skills and what you bring to the table. 11.) Set periodic time frames with each contact and set the expectation of ‘when’ you will circle back with them next. Intended take-away understanding: Aggressive action plans require that you challenge your own thought patterns each day to stay positive and push yourself further

  34. Good luck & may God Bless you

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