Blog – Page 8

Molly…You in Danger Girl!

October 5, 2016

Are you on LinkedIn? As I sit here on a plane to the annual LinkedIn Talent Connect Conference my frustration is growing. Why is it growing? Glad you asked. Literally thousands of recruiters and HR professionals are traveling to Talent Connect to discuss and learn how best to find and retain TALENT through things like employment branding, employee referral programs, creating better job postings, data/analytics etc. with a LinkedIn narrative. I hear people say all the time there are no jobs and I would have to say that’s not completely true (I’ll explain more in a separate post). One of the biggest and best tools to find a job or networking opportunity is, LinkedIn.

The majority of the world’s professional talent and hiring authorities are on LinkedIn. I tell jobseekers all the time there has to be more effort on your part these days. I know it’s probably not fair, but when you have hundreds of candidates applying for the same role it’s necessary. We are living in a digital world and you, the jobseeker, have to physically reach out to people to highlight what separates you from other candidates. I have personally used LinkedIn as a tool to pursue 3 job opportunities that have been wonderful for my career. Submitting your resume and just letting the chips fall as they may, is not always going to get you that dream job. Companies pay thousands of dollars to LinkedIn for sourcing great talent despite the fact they have a stream of online applications. My charge to you is, make sure you have a professional online presence via LinkedIn and that you use it to your advantage. Here are a few tips to get started:

Go to LinkedIn.com and setup a profile
Upload a professional headshot/photo (no selfies!)
Make your summary interesting and marketable (include keywords that make you searchable)
Don’t list jobs dating back to 1990
Make sure to check your settings so people can find you
Connect with people you know you build your initial network (i.e. school alumni, former colleagues, etc.)
Join affinity groups based on your skill set

We’ll be talking about LinkedIn more in the coming months so stay tuned. Our friend Julie Huval from Benchley Design, wrote a great post last week on Branding Yourself like a BOSS! Take her advice and follow through with creating a profile on LinkedIn.com. If you’re not on LinkedIn, in the words of Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg) from the movie Ghost, “Molly, you in danger girl!”

Follow @thecareersalon on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the happenings at the LinkedIn Talent Connect Conference this week!

Style Resume: Faith Wimberly

September 29, 2016

Career and Style Summary:

The Career Salon is proud to feature Faith Wimberly, for our Thursday, Style Resume Series. Faith serves as one of the Lead Recruiters for Sales Empowerment Group. She is an MBA with a broad range of experience in Business to Business sales, Corporate Sales Recruiting, Leadership, and training both in corporate America and in the non-profit sector. Faith currently serves as Founder of The Empowerment Group, a nonprofit that focuses on community development. She has won various awards, one being “40 under 40” from WVON radio station for her work with mentoring girls and working with women in the community. She brings a variety of experiences in the work place that allows her to connect with people and help them reach their goals. When Faith, is not at work, she can be found hanging out with friends and family, traveling, laughing, singing, and spending quality time with her husband and two beautiful children. The Career Salon is honored to highlight such a mover and shaker!

Experience:

What’s your current occupation and how long have you been in your career?

I am currently a Senior Lead Sales Recruiter for a small boutique recruiting firm, in a hip area of downtown Chicago. Lots of good eats and hang out spots in this area and great shopping as well. Since college I have spent most of my career in a professional Sales role, but I have also done recruiting as well. I have been in my current role for over two years and I love it. I am pretty certain, connecting and helping people via finding their dream job, and helping clients hire top talent is where I am meant to be. My career, all of my experience and quests landed me here and I am happy camper. This role is going to open doors for bigger opportunities in my career. #StayTuned

Education:

Where did your style originate and who or what are some of your influences?

My mother was pretty stylish growing up and so were both of my Aunts. I especially loved playing in my Aunt Sissy’s shoes and clothes as a child. Like most, I appreciate certain trends and I follow fashion bloggers and Hollywood to check out what’s hot and best for me. I love a good mix of Trendy, funky, classic and chic. Hip hop (old school) was always an influence as well.

References:

Who are some of your favorite designers? What stores do you prefer to shop?

Some of the designers I love are Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Diane Von Furstenburg, BCBG, Marc Jacobs, Elie Saab, Givenchy and Tracey Reese. Of course, being more practical (hello? Lol) I tend to shop at Top Shop, Nordstrom (who always has super different styles from different designers to try), H&M, Zara and gotta love a quick stop at Forever 21 to piece some things together.

Do you think personal style is important as it relates to your work? If so, how?

I think it’s important to be true to who you are and to always be the best representation of yourself both inside and out. In my line of work, recruiters come a dime a dozen, and being a fashionista isn’t very important depending on the industry. However, it’s always important to stand out with confidence no matter what your style may be. That speaks louder than anything else.

If you had a dream career/occupation what would it be?

This is a great question. I have wanted to be and do different things throughout my life and I have always been of the mindset that it’s never too late to try! I wanted to be an Attorney, a real estate mogul, owner/operator of community centers throughout the city of Chicago, radio personality, you name it. I think my dream at this point is to be the captain, owner, and operator of whatever it is I do. I want to be CEO and call all the shots, while being a resource for others and helping people.

What’s the best career advice you could give someone seeking a new career?

Talk to people in the field and reach out to them. Network and connect with others via LinkedIn and other avenues. Never be afraid to step out, introduce yourself, and sell yourself. No one can sell you, like you can. If you can afford it, seek out a professional resume service (I have just the person you need :)) and invest in yourself and your future. Lastly, never, ever give up. You may have a million interviews and get NO’S… But always KNOW, that NO’S lead to YES and a door will open just for you!

Quote that keeps you motivated?

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” -Philippians 4:13

Thanks Faith, for stepping into the salon to chat!

Shop Talk: Brand Yourself like a BOSS

September 27, 2016

We are so excited to have THEE marketing genius of Julie Huval, President and Director of Strategy for Benchley Design in the salon today for Shop Talk. Julie is a walking brand and a highly sought after speaker on all things marketing, brand, analytics, and other smart people things, so it is our pleasure to make the introduction and have her speak about how to brand yourself like a BOSS!

by Julie Huval

“Word of mouth.” A lot of times we think of that phrase when it comes to hearing about a new restaurant, the funny outtakes video on YouTube, or that amazing book our friend read on the beach. But “word of mouth” also applies to individuals. It is called personal brand.

Personal brand = Someone’s “word of mouth” about you

In the realm of career development, personal branding can be a huge boost. Your ideal employer may already know a lot about you because of “word of mouth” from your professional network. Your peers may acclaim you are a creative, able to work through difficult situations, and shocked the pants off your client because you delivered ahead of schedule on that really big project. That’s an amazing personal brand.

Or your personal brand can be a huge door slam on opportunities. What if your “word of mouth” sounds something like …

And, thanks to our digital world, there are a lot of people with a personal brand that they would like to fix. Pronto! So how do you develop a personal brand?

Develop your legacy.

What do you want to be known for? At the end of your life your legacy is the culmination of your life’s work: what you stood for, what you fought for, what you educated other people about. Your legacy may be helping your community get out of poverty or you want to be the best/favorite educator in your district or you want to be a renowned architect. This step is not “What do you want to be when you grow up?” but a bigger picture idea of how do you want to affect the world. As you start to develop your legacy start acting on it. Don’t wait for “the right time” to get started … just start. Overnight successes took years of practice to get to where they are.

Be authentic.

Don’t try to be something you aren’t. Instead, be open and honest. This is the awkward phase. You will not be applauded by everyone for being authentic because authenticity means different. But stick to your authentic self. It is what makes you stand out from the crowd. Break the mold, discover new stuff, and continue being you.

Promote yourself.

This step can get tricky. Promoting yourself feels wrong. This is the pinched nerve part of personal branding. However, if you don’t start supplying other people with your “word of mouth” messaging then you are leaving it up to them to create it for you. You can help them craft their words in this step. But you need to have the first two steps in place in order for your messaging to take hold.

A good personal brand can go a long way in life … not just your career. More opportunities will open up so you can continue to build your legacy because people are excited about your authentic approach and they found out about all of it through your self-promotion.

Look out for my next post about correcting your dreaded digital personal brand! Get ready to delete some photos and inappropriate posts.

For more information on Julie and Benchley Design visit her website at benchleydesign.com.

Style Resume: R. Rene

September 22, 2016

Career and Style Summary:

The Career Salon is super excited to introduce a super sharp professional and style contributor to the site, R. Rene. R. Rene is an Operations Consultant who currently resides in Washington, DC . She’s a true professional dedicated to improving the quality of life , business, beauty and branding while impacting communities across the globe . R. Rene is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University where she obtained her B.S. in Health Administration\Biological Science. She is currently enrolled in John’s Hopkins University where she will receive a Dual Master’s degree in Nursing and International Healthcare Leadership. She has been recognized in many industries for her bold personality, creativity and the fearless nature in which she engages teams to recognize workplace value. Her ability to connect with people on a personal level when navigating processes on her quest to address and resolve organizational issues has equipped her with the key characteristics needed to promote both corporate and individual CHANGE. We admire R. Rene as a stylish, savvy, on-the-go professional and she works hard to help others with their personal brand. You can find out more about R. Rene here.

Experience:

What’s your current occupation and how long have you been in your career?

Currently a Lead Healthcare consultant with a Top 500 Firm. Nineteen years of Healthcare experience and 11 years of documented consulting success in business, healthcare operations, process improvement and technology. With a great passion for helping others I have been able to provide a quality yet effective work experience that allows myself and others to create and maintain positive relationships across multiple industries and teams. From Strategic Planning, Implementation, Training and overall business optimization I have successfully managed multiple projects to include up to 300 providers and multiple ancillary roles.

Education:

Where did your style originate and who or what are some of your influences?

My style originated from my great -grandmother the late Mrs. Effie Mae Woodard- Green. She was the epitome of class and grace . She was simply put a ” lady”. She taught me the importance of representation and owning what you represent at the early age of 5 years old and her style nuggets have followed me throughout my journey. From pearls, hair-styling and more she was my go-to girl ensuring my look was appropriate for both the church and the workplace. Style to me is more about character and poise than it is about clothing and appearance what do you carry on the inside! My influences have always been the likes of the graceful – Audrey Hepburn and believe it or not Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad are also favs. Their STYLE is full of such confidence, grace and boldness it makes a statement for itself.

References:

Who are some of your favorite designers? What stores do you prefer to shop?

I love sooo many designers and do not preference one over the other but to name a few Rachel Roy, Kate Spade, Ann Klein, Chanel, Gianvito Rossi, Calvin Klein , Rebecca Minkoff , Jimmy Choo and more.

Ha, I am a Nordstrom Rack,TJmaxx , Ross and online boutique junkie for the most part. There is not one of the above designers that you cannot find at a discounted price or store. I love the model of ROSS – Dress for less – You don’t have to break the bank to stay in style!

Do you think personal style is important as it relates to your work? If so, how?

Very much so, your personal style is important as it relates to your work because one should always present as a walking brand no matter the occupation. Your personal style can be the one thing that sets you apart from others in the room , it can be the one memorable thing that the right people notice at the right time that places you in a position you did not even ask for all because your presentation was well done.

If you had a dream career/occupation what would it be?

My dream occupation would be a Chief Operations or Vice President for branding/relationship management division of a major magazine or fashion company. This would be give me an opportunity to be the face of the brand behind the scenes while utilizing my ability to improve the quality and process of internal and external relationships throughout the organization.

What’s the best advice you could give someone seeking a new career?

The best career advice I can give someone is ” Think Bigger” – So many times we get into careers that we wholeheartedly love but we don’t see beyond that. I encourage all no matter what their occupation to think BIGGER even where they are . What else can I do here? What skills do I have that I can offer a different department or people around me in the workplace to make an even bigger difference.

Quote that keeps you motivated?

“Ask, All they can say is No” – Kathy Borrus

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me Strength ” Philippians 4:13

We look forward to R. Rene’s great style advice and forethought on fashion trends for any career!

Iyanla, come fix this resume!

September 21, 2016

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In the opinion of some of my friends, the jury is still out on whether Iyanla fixes anyone’s life but for the purposes of this post I needed the comedy, energy, and facial expressions of Iyanla Vanzant to get my points across. The .gif above is exactly how myself and many of my colleagues feel about the atrocities, known as resumes, that come across our desks everyday. I guarantee you this will not be the only post about resumes, but in the words of Iyanla Vanzant today we are going to “Call a thing, a thing BELOVED!” I’m compelled to go over a few (not all) parts of frequent resume infractions so that the foolery will stop, if only for a small group.

OBJECTIVE: Just stop (period)
EDUCATION: After about 2-3 years this goes to the bottom of the resume. I don’t need to know you graduated with a 3.0 in 1986.
- Let’s add to that. If you are going to list your GPA please note if it’s below 3.0 leave it off…(we’re giving you the serious side-eye)
SKILLS (TYPING/WPM): Unless you’re an administrative assistant or a data entry operator we don’t need to know how many words you type per minute. Include skills that are relevant to the role.
EXPERIENCE: I find it hard to believe that the job description bullets you copied and pasted were all of your day- to-day responsibilities. Be detailed and show how you were an asset to the company, list accomplishments/results, and provide depth.
HOBBIES: Stop again.
- Instead of hobbies include organizations and/or civic activities you are involved in
PERSONAL INFORMATION: Can’t say it enough, STOP. A social security number and number of kids is not necessary on a resume.
THE BOOK OF ELI: Literally I should not have to put extra paper in the printer to print a resume. Enough of the resume booklets.
FUNCTIONAL RESUMES: I’m going to speak for my colleagues when I say this is an offense that has no coming back. I literally just want to see your resume in chronological order with the things you’ve done for the position I’m recruiting for.
EMAIL ADDRESS: Shouldn’t have to explain this but if your email address is strawberry69@xxx.com or fuzzynavel@xxx.com it’s probably not appropriate. Trust me, this happens all the time.
RESUME GHOSTWRITER: If you’re going to get someone to write your resume, get someone good. I can tell within seconds of reviewing a resume if it was written by a resume writer. The best person to communicate your experience is YOU. If a resume writer is not going to get to know you and write your resume with intention you don’t need them.

This post really stresses me out because there are so many resume writing self-help books and career coaches out there and yet for over 11 years I’ve seen madness more often than not. I could write a book on resume writing but until that time I’ll just leave you with continuous reminders of things to STOP, BELOVED (In my Iyanla Vanzant voice).

What steps are you taking to make sure your resume is solid? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.

Motivational Monday: You Need a Hype Man!

September 19, 2016

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I get so excited when speaking with people about their careers and how to make that next move, I would literally do it for FREE (I’m not, but I would think about it lol). I take my years of experience and knowledge of my craft to help build confidence or “hype” the person up so to speak because hey, we all need a “hype man.” Let me explain who the “hype man” is for the sake of this post.

Typically, in hip hop culture or even sports (i.e. boxing) you have someone or even a group in front of and behind the scenes pumping you up, encouraging you and basically filling in when you need to take a breath. Flavor Flav made his career being a permanent hype man alongside Public Enemy (I know, not the best behavior off the stage but you get my drift). In everyday life we all need influences to lend an ear, speak positive words, and be supportive. When looking for opportunities it can become discouraging because of long timeframes, limited responses, and people telling you no. It’s important to weed out negativity to prevent it from creating a situation of despair. Here are a few recommendations that might help:

Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people
Manage thoughts of negativity and block negative thoughts from others, no exception
Ensure your “hype man” has genuine motives
Create a goal-oriented environment of peace and productivity

We’d love to hear what strategies you use to keep a positive circle in the comments below.