Are you Mixing it up? Part 2

Are you Mixing it up? Part 2

Embrace the small stepping stones that can get you to the big break

Your big break or dream job may seem far away or unavailable. Don't panic, in this day and age you may want to consider a position that could lead to your dream job until your dream job becomes available. Now some people would reject this idea immediately however if you focus on the fact that there are certain skills you need to master for your dream job, and then find a job that focuses on those skills you will be in a much more marketable position to receive that dream job when it becomes available.

Networking Vs Met-working

Many people of have heard the term Networking but few have heard the term Met-working. Even if you have, I'm finding that Met-working even has different meanings. I like to think I came up with this term about 5 years ago when trying to teach college students the art of Networking and what not to do. To me Met-working is simply going to professional gatherings and meeting lots of people, collecting lots of cards, shaking lots of hands, smiling all night until your cheeks ache, and leaving these events feeling really good about your wallet or purse full of cards. Some people even brag to their family members, professors and friends about who they met but then never do anything else with those cards except collect them. It's like having your 15 minutes of fame! That is met-working.

Networking on the other hand starts out the same way, however when you're shaking hands you're introducing yourself and finding people that you connect with that you'd like to talk to again later. Some of my clients are trained to try to identify who will be in attendance before they arrive at the events, research the company and have some commonalities or crafted questions. Now, that's like having an open book test! It's hard to fail if you can catch all the details. After you leave the event the major endeavor is to follow up with the people you meet. There are some other objectives with this also that I lack the time to share now so look for follow up information in a future blog.

Many people miss the other aspects of networking like connecting yourself to industry, and community, faith based and educational organizations. When you find your passion and lend your services to others there is a double reward often times. The first reward is the pure satisfaction that you gain from giving of your time, helping others, and learning more about your industry or passion. The second reward is that these places are great breeding ground for networking and collaborative relationships. To reinforce this point we contacted Mr. Eric Walls a Nashville based Talent Acquisition Consultant with a national fortune 500 company to have him weigh in on this topic. Eric agrees that networking is key. He says whatever your industry you need to make it a priority to join a regional or national organization. Organizations like SHRM and the American Marketing Associations are two organizations for business professionals. Additionally, Eric adds a word of caution to anyone in the job market, " don't rely solely on cyber space...the face to face time in invaluable." it gives employers an opportunity to get to know you. Career Fair anyone?

Craft an exceptional resume that can't be denied

Another important tool is crafting an exceptional resume. This first begins with knowing some "No-No's" in the game of resume writing. The number one taboo is to stay away from template resumes as much as possible. They are hard to manipulate if scanned or uploaded on a company's on-line application system. Did I mention that you'll need to proof read carefully and to use a font no smaller than 9. Many employers won't give your resume the time of day if its too small. Lastly in this regard, please don't use a "cookie cutter" resume for every employer. That's so "2008"...no better yet that's so 1998.

Let's discuss some of the things that you should do. To be fair by saying there are far too many to list here so here are some key principles. First you must know the different types of resumes and which is best for you. For instance will you need a chronological, functional or situational resume? Understanding the importance of the length of your resume is also key to getting the extra look by an employer. You would also serve yourself well to know how to craft a great objective statement, and when to use a professional summary instead. One other key you must know is how to maximize the on-line application system. The major piece here is that if you don't not have quality, key words that an employer is looking for you won't even get a second glance. To overcome this, carefully study the job description, then craft a resume that speaks to these needs and relates to your experience.

Seek out as much professional assistance as possible

If you're going to be as successful as you can be, you must decide to invest in your own career search. There are so many places and people that can help you and do it without you having to spend the proverbial "arm and leg" to get quality services. Here are three suggestions for you to get professional help. First, for upcoming and new college grads you may be well served to contact your college career center. The second option is to visit a local or community career center. Finally, for quality, hands on service where you will learn to fish for a lift time and not just get a fish sandwich for today, contact someone like us, professional career coaches. It is our passion and pleasure to assist our clients and help them reach their goals. Each career coaching professional will have their specialties and specific strategies that work. Without sounding as if we're bragging but rather extremely confident, passionate, humbled to serve and excited in what we do, we possess an arsenal of tools to assist our clients. So if you are in need of additional services and answers to your questions please contact us. To find out about more about what we offer please head over to www.curtisandmeichelle.com at the Gibson Consulting and Entertainment Groups website or call us at 615-796-6360

Web sources/ Bibliography

(New Mexico Business Weekly - by Steve Ginsberg Special to NMBW, 1/8/2010)

(What's your hiring outlook for 2010; columbus.bizjournals.com 12/11/09)

(Nashville Business Journal - by Brian Reisinger Staff Writer, 3/5/2010)