Comprehensive Career Counseling: Volume 14

Patricia Crew - COmprehensive Career Counseling

Patricia has almost 30 years of experience helping individuals pursue, change, manage and advance their careers. As well as a Masters degree in counseling from Catholic University, Patricia has completed numerous post-graduate classes in counseling and career development at Johns Hopkins University.

Patricia previously worked as the Career Development Manager for the Montgomery County Government and as a career counselor for the Montgomery County Commission for Women.

She continues to be a featured speaker with recent presentations topics that include: Secrets to Predicting Career Success That Only You Know, Get Out of Your Own Way To Get What You Want in Your Career and Winning Strategies to Enhance Your Worth at Work.

COMPREHENSIVE CAREER COUNSELING CAN HELP YOU TO:

~ Gain a clear understanding of your core strengths.

~ Do a thorough career exploration.

~ Manage a career change.

~ Improve your work performance.

~ Remove artificial, organizational barriers to success.

~ Navigate thorny management issues.

~ Prevent derailment by building strategic alliances.

Volume 14: Spring 2011

Greetings!

Welcome to the 14th edition of the Comprehensive Career Counseling newsletter. In this edition, we continue the story of John*, who took control of his job hunt despite the recession and secured a job - better than he ever expected. Forget what you hear about the recession and focus on proactive professional development and mining your networks. John's story will demonstrate that it is possible to find the right job for YOU.

Upcoming Presentations

I would like to invite you to several upcoming presentations.

The First Five Years of Your Career
Date: March 29, 2011

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Location: American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave.,NW, Kogod School of Business, Washington, DC 20016

Women in Technology and American University will host a frank talk about the truth on how to be successful in your first five years in your professional career (or the first five years of your new profession!) (Mentoring Best Practices - Patricia Crew) http://www.womenintechnology.org/calendar_day.asp?date=1/27/2011&event=802.

Personal Analytics: Secrets to Predicting Career Success with the Commission for Women
Date: April 12, 2011

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Location: 401 Hungerford Drive, 1st Floor. Rockville, MD 20850

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw

*Name changed to protect identity.

Hope in the Middle of the Recession - Part 2
The Roulette Game of Layoffs:
Even the Best Employees Get Laid Off

In my last issue, I highlighted the story of "John," my client who, after being laid off eight months ago, found a new and much better job. John was persistent in his pursuit of employment despite the fact that he had not job-hunted in many years and was missing a few important components in his skills profile.

After John sought out appropriate professional career counseling assistance, he updated his resume with new and relevant skills, prepared accurate and convincing resumes, and fine-tuned his interviewing abilities. He went further by creating a presence online, as well as in person, by utilizing LinkedIn, informational interviewing, career fairs and one-to-one networking.

John was relentless in his job hunt, leaving no stone unturned to find his current employment. He also used a number of other strategies and techniques to help him secure his prize job.

The Value of Preparation
One clear key to John's success, in his own words, "was how well he prepared himself." He applied for positions in the private and public sector and sought expert advice on all applications. In each case, he honed his resume and applications until they matched the job requirements of each position.

For example, John applied for a number of Federal positions and became fully familiar with the necessary methodology to produce excellent KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities). John states that by the time his new position became available, his applications were well-honed-practice does make perfect. According to John, he was using all the right key words gleaned from each job description in his resume, applications and cover letters. Thus, he was able to clearly express how his skills and experience were a complete match and transferable to the specific job.

The Job Hunt is Like a Game of Cards
As you become involved in a job search, everything gradually unfolds like a game of cards. You don't know what's going to happen until you turn over that next card. You don't know who someone is going to refer you to or which network is going to wind up providing you with valuable information.

John applied for many jobs and put a lot of energy into networking around each of these initiatives. As he got more information and more interviews, he used this information and these contacts to strategize so that he would know what his next move should be. Discussing each lead, initiative and strategy with an expert career consultant helped John to carefully sort out his strategies, options and next best moves.

To cross the job-search finish line, John fully recognized that he had to view each opportunity as possibly just another step leading to the eventual job offer he wanted and ultimately received. He didn't allow himself to run out of fuel. He stayed in the race, continuing to initiate contacts and build his network.

What's Your Real Market Value?
The issue of salary is always a conundrum for job hunters. Knowing your market value is one of the most important aspects of securing a position which reflects your true value.

In John's experience, the variability in salaries between seemingly similar jobs was extraordinary. Utilizing a variety of online salary calculators (searching by geography, as well as occupation and experience level,) and networking with professionals in the field, John was able to get a sense of the salary ranges available.

Believe it or not, John reported that the salary for similar IT positions varied greatly within the same geographic area with variances up to $60,000 per annum.

John reported that he had been negotiating for a position with a company who promised a security clearance opportunity. As this negotiation dragged on, John continued his job hunt and ultimately secured his current position making $30,000 more than he was making with his previous company. In addition, he is currently undergoing a top security clearance - clearly an added plus. John's strategizing paid off.

Does Anyone Know What the "Real" Job Is?
If you've ever responded to an advertised position, you realize that the job description language may not be an accurate depiction of what the employer is seeking or really needs. Frequently, these descriptions are overly comprehensive or sometimes quite vague. So how can you find out what the real job is before the interview?

Unearthing the concerns and needs of the employer is absolutely crucial. In John's case, the success of his interview rested on his ability to uncover the "real" job. During the interview, John was shrewd enough to discover the true issues and problems of his potential employer.

Having discovered that there were persistent problems between the software developers and the Quality Assurance Specialists, John adeptly pointed out that he had done both jobs in the past and clearly understood the concerns on both sides. He suggested that he could act as a liaison between the two professional groups perhaps resolving problems before they got "out of hand." This move was the key to John securing his new position.

Summary
John's advice to others working on their job search is to "Be persistent, realize that companies have a lot more going on than just hiring and you have to be proactive in following up with them. Make sure you have a well-written resume that can get you in the door. Use LinkedIn to find contacts at companies you are interested in. Get help in fine turning your applications and seek out networking contacts at all times."

RECOMMENDATIONS

Marva Goldsmith, "Job hunting is like a marathon, not a sprint," www.examiner.com, January 3, 2011, http://www.examiner.com/baby-boomer-in-washington-dc/job-hunting-is-a-marathon-not-a-sprint.

Job Seeker Weekly, www.jobseekerweekly.com , provides a succinct list of items to cover, whether you are just starting your search, or re-trenching and re-doubling your efforts.

Smart Brief on Your Career, www.smartbrief.com, a daily email "roundup of the most useful, career development, best practices - for job seekers, rising stars and professionals on the

move."

Career Exposure, www.careerexposure.com, Up Close and Virtual, facts, tips, interviews and excellent blogs regarding career paths and advice.

Salary Check-up, the following websites will enable you to compare salary ranges for different positions within a geographic area. I recommend looking at several for the most accurate view:

Jean Stafford, executive coach of Executive Coaching for Women Inc., specializes in the unique demands made on executive women. If you're in need of help in overcoming traditional barriers, identifying new business opportunities, and achieving new levels of both personal and professional satisfaction, I highly recommend that you contact Jean at 703-759-4862 or go to www.jeanstafford.com.

Job Seekers Groups at Teq Corner
(www.teqcorner.com) - All free of charge

- Ready to Work
First Tuesday of the month, 6:00 pm

- Transition Roundtable - TelecomHUB
Second Tuesday of the month, 4:00 pm

- CFO Support Group
Second Thursday of the month, 4:00 pm
For more information, contact ardell.fleeson@cbre.com.

PARTNERS CORNER

Marva Goldsmith
Most people have a vision of what they want to achieve but don't understand that their words, actions and image may be holding them back. Marva Goldsmith, a Certified Image Professional, delivers image and branding services through workshops, workbooks, consulting and branded collateral development that helps her clients market their best self. Check out her Web site at http://marvagoldsmith.com.

Missed one of my newsletters? Click here to go to the archives.

As always, I look forward to your feedback.

Sincerely,

Patricia Crew
Comprehensive Career Counseling
trishacrew@aol.com
301-838-9456
www.crewcounseling.com