CCAREERAREER TTRANSITIONRANSITIONSSTRATEGIESTRATEGIES

Career Continuation 2

Career Transition StrategiesCareer Transition Strategies

• Module One: Assessment and Resume Development

• Module Two: Research and Developing Your Network

• Module Three: Interview Skill Development

• Module Four: Integrating Technology with your Career Transition

Career Continuation 3

MEETS

Career Continuation 4

Module One: Assessment andResume Development

• Critical FIRST STEP in the Process!

• Know Yourself Well…• “Plot Your Course” to

Career Transition Goals

Career Continuation 5

•Skills

•Knowledge

•Experience

“Hard” Measures:

“Soft” Measures:

•Personality

•Work Habits

•Interests

•Values

To “optimize” your career transition, consider doing what you’re good at... and that you choose, or are otherwise MOTIVATED to do.

Career Continuation 6

“FIT” HAPPENS !

• You are screened for your HARD measures… CAN you do it?

• You are selected for your SOFT measures… WILL you do it?

• When “FIT” happens, you are made an offer for your services--employment or contracted business.

Career Continuation 7

OnLine Self-Assessment...NOTE: most on-line assessment

tools are NOT certified… psychological assessment is heavily regulated for your protection!

• …IS useful to identify words to describe your “soft measures”

• …CAN ASSIST you in being aware of relationship issues in your communication skills

Career Continuation 8

OnLine “Pop-Psychology”Career-choice “Tests”...

• Can serve to point out areas for you to explore…

• Can help identify interests and aptitudes for you to “check in to”

• Often create strong “messages” that confirm your own options and thinking.

Career Continuation 9

Suggested Sites For Your Exploration...

• A very comprehensive site: http://www.cdm.uwaterloo.ca/

• The Kiersey Profile – a type indicator http://www.typefocus.com/ • …Use your search strategies to find more.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Career Continuation 10

Resume Types

• MS Word File (saved in 6.0/95 format)…use your name in the file name;

• A text file (.txt);• An Ascii file (.asc);• Be prepared to cut and paste into emails

and databases!When in doubt as to “best” method of transmittal: cut and paste your

resume in to the body copy of an email…this creates an opportunity fr your resume to be viewed by a human being!

Career Continuation 11

Module Two: Research and Developing Your Network

• SEARCH ON relevant industry, professional and economic data

• Utilize list serve, newsgroups, bulletin boards and other appropriate resources

• “Plot Your Course” to career transition goals, and…• Identify target companies with

CareerAdvantage…our proprietary research site!

Career Continuation 12

About CareerAdvantage…

• A powerful online research tool with a comprehensive and feature rich database!

• CareerAdvantage utilizes over 20 resources…

• Fully integrated contact manager, PSA, and data/update link!

Career Continuation 13

In CareerAdvantage, You Can…

• Identify your target firms;

• Find recruiter contacts;• Find Bio information on

high level contacts• Locate Consultant

groups;• Manage your contacts

Career Continuation 14

Q: WHY Is Targeting Companies So Important?

A: Takes the randomness out of the process!

Career Continuation 15

EXAMPLE #1

• Telecommunications companies…

• In Richardson…

• With at least 100 employees.

•Keep industry broad when geography is narrow…

•Separate reports by industry…

•Ideal result is 50-70 companies!

Career Continuation 16

No database is perfect… including CareerAdvantage!

• Always verify contact names.• Check financial information against other

sources.• Specific companies often missed in your

search… for many reasons!– Private Firm– Newly formed company– Unlisted sub-division

Career Continuation 17

Next Steps...

• Confirm keyword selection utilizing any job bank;

• MORE RESEARCH:– professional trends– industry information – economic data

• NETWORK, Network… network!

Career Continuation 18

LURK Before You Leapinto...

• Bulletin Board Activity

• List Serve

• Newsgroups

• Online Networking Groups

Remember, your mission is to be visible Remember, your mission is to be visible and gain needed information…and gain needed information…

NETWORK EFFICIENTLY, don’t NETWORK EFFICIENTLY, don’t simply crowd your email-boxsimply crowd your email-box

Career Continuation 19

PLAN Your Time-WORK Your Plan...

• UTILIZE available contact management software, or…

• CREATE your own “navigation aides”:– TrackTrack contacts– RecordRecord company info– KeepKeep a calendar of activity– ANNOTATE ANNOTATE your resume

• DEVELOP your own Website!

Career Continuation 20

CONSIDER YOUR OWN WEBSITE...

• With an interactive resume– hyperlinked to amplifying resources

– addendum info

• To provide a “homeport” for favored PORTS-o-Call…your own bookmarks;

• Create an active desktop for career transition;• To facilitate regular contact with your

supportive consulting team.

Career Continuation 21

Personal Market Plan:Contact MANAGEMENT…

• Create folders for target companies…track email and other activity;

• Use calendar to facilitate time management…use task manager for follow up and other activity;

• Create “company research” file;• Your MSOutlook can facilitate long term career

management…your evolving Market Plan!

Remember, CareerAdvantage has a fully integrated contact management system!

Career Continuation 22

ECabinet: AUTOMATEDJob Lead Development

• Direct and scanned input from potential employers…

• Current “Market Intelligence” Reports on local employers…

• A Public Resume Bank for area employers.

Career Continuation 23

Work SMART...• DEVELOP YOUR

PERSONAL MARKET PLAN

• IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN:– include research time

– consistent networking

• SMELL THE FLOWERS !!

Career Continuation 24

DEVELOP Your Computer Savvy...

• Fully Utilize

The Internet• Be Aware of

Available Software• Manage Your

“Learning Curve”

Career Continuation 25

So I’ve Identified Target Companies… NOW What?

• Participate in networking organizations;• Get involved with an Association;• Talk to your networking contacts;• Attend CCG Career Project Management

Team….

Use technology to leverage your efficiency, but not at the expense of your high touch activity!

Career Continuation 26

HIGH TECH to support your HIGH TOUCH career!

Career Continuation 27

Step Away From Your Monitors…

Career Continuation 28

Bob Maher,maher@optimance.comOffice: (972)250-5209Office E: maher@optimance.com

ON THE WEB at

www.careerpilot.comwww.careerpilot.com

Career Continuation 29

Module “NEXT”: Networking Your Way to Interview Success!

Back to CareerAdvantage and ECabinet for more information and leads…•Competitors…

•Recruiters…

•Consultants…

•Associations