A Compelling Career

CareerBuilder Launches New Site for Career Changers

CareerBuilder has decided to launch a new site to address the needs of many Americans looking for a career change. CareerPath, sites CNN Money is "a comprehensive resource for workers who are interested in trying out a different career. CareerPath.com centers around a free assessment test made up of 36 questions about skills, abilities, personal values and interests that are then correlated to competencies that are necessary for certain fields of work. The test is based on the well known Holland Theory that suggests that people who work in an environment that closely mirrors their personality will be more successful and feel more fulfilled. Visitors to the site can take the test, obtain career advice and find new career opportunities". You can check out the full article here.

Are You Ready to Change Careers?

Before jumping off the deep end into a new career because you are feeling overly restless in your current one, do a self-assessment to see where you are. In "Finding Happiness at Work" Kate Lorenz, a editor at CareerBuilder suggests completing a simple checklist derived from the work of   Dr. Steven Reiss, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University and author of "Who am I? The 16 Basic Desires that Motivate our Actions and Define our Personalities." Reiss's research suggests that "happiness and life-satisfaction stem not from experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain, but from a sense that our lives have meaning and fulfill a larger purpose." He calls this "value-based happiness."

Reiss then narrowed these down to sixteen "universal desires" that drive individual actions and behavior. Using these profiles one can roughly measure the "degree to which an individual values each of these desires and reveals his or her enduring life goals, psychological needs and personality traits" or in career speak, a "self-assessment."

The following quiz, taken from the Career Builder article is a simplified version of Reiss's questionnaire that includes over 100 questions.

Read the following statements about each basic desire. If they strongly describe you mark "+" if they somewhat describe you mark "0," and if they apply to you very little mark "-":

1. Curiosity.  I have a thirst for knowledge.

2. Acceptance.   I have a hard time coping with criticism.

3. Order.  It upsets me when things are out of place.

4. Physical Activity.  Physical fitness is very important to me.

5. Honor.  I am a highly principled and loyal person.

6. Power.  I often seek leadership roles.

7. Independence.  Self-reliance is essential to my happiness.

8. Social Contact.  I am known as a fun-loving person.

9. Family.  My children come first.

10. Status.  I am impressed by people who own expensive things.

11. Idealism.  Compared with most people, I am very concerned with social causes.

12. Vengeance.  It is very important to me to get even with those who insult or offend me.

13. Romance.  Compared with my peers, I spend much more time pursuing or having sex.

14. Eating.  I love to eat and often fantasize about food.

15. Saving.  I hate throwing things away.

16. Tranquility.  It scares me when my heart beats rapidly.

Now, look at your "plus" items.  These are your priorities, and you should have five or six of them. 

"Once you know your deepest values, one of the best ways to become happier is to find work that fulfills them," says Reiss. "For example, if you shun power or don't like to lead, you would be unhappy managing a large staff.

"If you have a high desire for acceptance, don't choose a job that exposes you to a lot of evaluation and criticism. If you prize order, look for a vocation that involves minimal ambiguity. If you're a curious person, find work that makes you think."

Reiss cites how a desire for status and competition drives many stockbrokers. He suggests that when evaluating a job, you understand the kinds of tasks you will be doing throughout the day, week and year. Compare those to your top desires to make sure what you will be doing each day will be a source of happiness.

But he cautions it's not just the work itself; ideally your value system should match that of the industry, the company and your boss, too. For example, Julie, who identified her highest desires as honor, social contact, eating, idealism and curiosity, loved her job as a sales associate for a major food manufacturer until she got a boss who routinely cut corners and urged her to lie to clients and superiors.

"To do well in a career and enjoy life, people need to be in a job and work environment that are compatible with their intrinsic desires," concludes Reiss. "By repeatedly doing those things that fulfill your values, there is no limit to how meaningful and happy your life can be."

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.

Blogging and Job Searching

So, you have a personal blog (or website) where you post your latest and greatest adventures and communicate with your friends and family. But, how discriminating are you when it comes to posting content? In other words, if a potential employer were going to Google you, would they be thoroughly impressed with what they found? If not, you might want to assess what you are putting out there for the world to see. It would be a challenge to find an employer who is not Googling their candidates. It is simply another aspect of the background check - in fact, even those that slack on the formal background check, at least Google their potential employees. So, before you decide to post everything you think, do, and say, think about how it will look to others. Personal blogs are great but you have to look at the big picture and decide how much of you you want exposed for the world to see and judge.

Here's a great article on the subject for further reading: "Googling Candidates: It's Not Just for Entry Level Hires Anymore"

A Great Resource in Preparing for Your Next Job Interview

Here is a really great resource for people who are preparing for job interviews. It is called Perfect Phrases for the Perfect Interview by Carole Martin. It is packed with hundreds of ready-to-use phrases that will help you demonstrate your skills, experiences, and value to your employer. Do not go to your next interview until you read this book.

Employment Trends

Here is a video worth watching. It is about job trends, booming sectors, and how companies are handling this tight market. Its from MSN.

Tips for Generating Quality Job Interviews by Jay Litton

Many IT professionals are having a difficult time finding enough quality job opportunities in today's tight job market. At the same time, I've heard from people who are getting multiple job offers from companies they want to work for. These people have somehow identified the secrets to uncovering job interviews with attractive companies.

What are these successful job seekers doing to generate multiple job interviews? After listening to many of them share what worked for them, I was able to identify their top methods. My conclusion: By taking a focused and deliberate approach, you will begin producing job interviews that will put you on track to get the kind of offers you are seeking. I call these tactics the "nine Vs." Choose the one that will put you over the top, or try several of them.

 

1. Volunteering.

Be seen in a positive light. Volunteer with an association or charity where employed people in your industry can get to know you on a personal level. Select a volunteer opportunity that your prospective employer is involved in. What volunteer activities have you been involved with in recent months? A good book on this topic is Ricky Steele's "The Heart of Networking," which can be found at www.rickysteele.net.

2. Vendors.

Identify the vendors that service the industry or companies that you want to work for. Then take a key contact at one of these vendors out to lunch or for a cup of coffee. You might be able to help them when you get employed again, but in the meantime, they can help you. Integrate these vendors into your network of contacts.

3. Venting.

By this, I don't mean that you should vent; I want you to listen to what employers are venting about. What problems do they need to fix that simply are not getting resolved? Are there newspaper articles, Web sites or newsgroups that could help you identify their problems? How can you position yourself as the person who can solve them? When speaking to employed people, ask them what problems they are trying to solve to improve their companies. Then find a way to offer your ideas as solutions to their problems. This is a great way to get their attention and provide value.

4. Valuable contacts.

Which of the business cards lying on your desk can connect you to that next job interview? What have you done to help that person in his business so he considers you a valuable contact? The key is to be valuable to them first. One of the best Web sites to help you do this is www.netweaving.com.

5. Value.

Most people out of work have an "elevator pitch" that outlines their career experience and skills. Instead, try to focus on communicating what your higher-level value is. If you can clearly define your value in a 30-second "commercial," people will more quickly grasp how they can help you. Your own value becomes a calling card that will attract other people to you. An example might be: "I help companies turn their IT departments into profit centers." That would get my attention; I'd want to learn how you do that!

6. Validate.

Have you validated your job search? A validated job search is one where you have taken the time to write down your goals. On a single piece of paper, write down what type of job and company will match those goals, and begin networking to make it happen. I recently met someone who had targeted three local employers. Everyone, from his wife to his friends, was trying to help him. Finally, someone told him that one of his neighbors was an executive at one of his target companies, and it resulted in an interview and then finally a job offer.

7. Vince.

The incomparable coach Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, "The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare to win." We must be ready to start each day with preparation that is focused on having the will to network and stretch beyond our normal comfort zones. Use this quote to inspire you to achieve your daily goals. It comes from one of the greatest football coaches in history. If you had an interview today, would you be the most prepared candidate, or would you just show up to learn more about the job?

8. Volume.

When on the phone, speak up! Convey energy. Stand up. Be ready to discuss how you help companies improve their bottom lines. People are attracted to others who speak with excitement and conviction. Be yourself, but increase your volume. A few years ago, I called a prospective candidate at 9 a.m., and I still can't believe this: He yawned twice during our 10-minute interview. Obviously, he made my decision very easy.

9. Vault.

Everyone has treasures hidden in his own personal vault. Your treasures are your skills and achievements that should be discussed, shared and used for the benefit of others. Begin sharing your treasures today by opening up your vault for others to see. Great things (like job interviews) can happen to you if you do.

Use the nine Vs to multiply your success in generating job interviews. Job interviews are taking place every day with companies you would love to work for. Shouldn't they be interviewing you?

Jay Litton is is the founder of The Litton Group and can be reached at jay@littongroup.com. Jay shares his 20 years of sales and sales management experiences so professionals can market themselves better. Jay also volunteers at one of the largest job networking programs in the Southeast at www.rumcjobnetworking.com.

Recent Interview with Online Degrees Today

I was recently interviewed by Online Degrees Today about careers and job searching and thought you might want to check it out. They are a great site with excellent ideas and resources to help people finish or begin new academic programs. Online education is growing at break-neck speed. What do you want to learn today?  Click here to read the interview.

Job Trends

Here is a pretty good article on job trends I thought I would share. It is titled "Top Jobs for the Future" and it talks about trends in different industries as well as lists whether thing are looking up or out for different jobs. Definitely worth a read if you are researching what you might want to do next!

Is it a Waste of Your Time to Try and Find a Job on a Job Board?

I think it would be a stretch to say it is wasting your time but considering that surveys consistently show that nearly 85% of job-seekers find work as the result of a referral from networking and only 2-4% land jobs from Internet job boards, I highly recommend spending most, if not all of your time, creating contacts and building the network you already have. The only caveat here is new grads. When you are just out of college and your network consists of your buddy in the frat house, internet job boards (which tend to post tons of entry level jobs) may not be as much of a long shot.

What Associations Do You Belong to?

Joining an association in your field is a great idea for several reasons. You can...

1. Make contacts - this is one of the best ways to network and create relationships with others in your field. You can get to know who the leaders are in your field and learn from what they are doing.  But remember, these relationships are a two-way street so do not use your membership to "get" to other people.

2. Keep up to date on problems or issues facing your industry. Understanding the "hot" topic will help you out when you are interviewing and when you are looking for ways to grow in your current position.

3. Gain a perspective on what is emerging in your field. This allows you to anticipate changes and assess where you might be able to fit in and influence the situation.

4. Gain access to training and receive advice on career issues such as how to negotiate a new employment contract or salary expectations.