Posted Monday, January 05, 2009 by Kelsey Kennedy
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Posted Sunday, January 04, 2009 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
I hope your having a wonderful first day of the Winter quarter. Did you make any resolutions in the new year? Anything regarding school? My resolution this year was to find balance. To make sure that I am respecting my own personal needs and wants while still pushing myself. I think sometimes we get lost in the hard things in life. I want to make sure when that starts to happen to me that I find the reassurance in that the good things in my life are just as powerful and important as those hard things. I hope you all are able to achieve the resolutions you set for yourself. I also hope you used the holidays to network amongst your family and friends regarding your career search. These people are your allies (people that want you to do well and find success) make the most of it.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2068837_career-network.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art How to network.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2001861_accelerate-job-search-networking-cards.html Networking Cards
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Posted Wednesday, October 01, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
I am fresh back from two days off and now have a superb cold/flu roaring its head. I hope you are all staying healthy and avoiding such germs. We also just had graduation this saturday. It was a wonderful event as always. So touching to see everyone (freinds/family/faculty/staff) all cheering for the grads as they walk across the stage. I look forward to seeing each one of you experince such a fabulous celebration.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
This artical link warns of the consequences of inappropriate blogs/facebook/myspace pages.
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/yoon/1123
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Posted Wednesday, September 24, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
I hope your having a superb break week. I also hope you are continuing to check your email. I have been sending out some very neat job listings as usual. In addition there are a handful of great networking events coming up. Please check your email to make sure you not missing out on something great.
So you may be wondering whats going on here on campus while you are gone. We are hosting a pluthera of orientations, cleaning the place up, taking a few days of vacation (if we can...and I have), putting on graduation, and just taking care of business as usual.
News in my world is that my tomatoes have decided they are not going to turn red. My father gave me the advice to cut the vines and hang them upside in my hallway allowing for them to get nutrients and turn possibly ripe. Any advice? If not I may have to make fried green tomatoes (not sure if I like them) because I have many vines that are still quite full. My sunflower has officaly died and been tossed to the side. I have been cooking up a storm must be the cold weather providing motivation of hybernating with a good book (Curently just finished reading Gurney Island Potato Peel Literacy Society. I really enjoyed it.) and a good meal.
Often students have at least a idea of how a resume looks but don't know that you even need a cover letter. Blow is some advice on cover letters.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Writing a Cover Letter - The Cover Letter Checklist
When you have completed the first draft of your cover letter, compare it to the list below. Some of the items on the checklist refer to content and other items refer to format. You may have even read some of these before. As you review this checklist, compare it to your letter and determine if there are any additional changes that need to be made before sending it and your resume to the employer.
Yes, this is a bit tedious, but if you want to beat out your competitors, you have to do more than they do and you have to do it better.
Here goes:
1. Use the same paper that you use for your resume. They should match. If the papers do not match (or if they are of poor quality), then you might as well not send anything at all. What you are telling the employer that professionalism is not one of your strong suits.
2. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
3. Keep the letter to one page. You are not writing your life story.
4. Ensure the name of the person addressed in the letter is spelled correctly and that you have his/her correct title. No one likes to have his/her name misspelled.
5. Demonstrate that you have researched the company by including some information in one or more of your sentences.
6. Sign the cover letter with a blue or black ink pen. This is an old standard, but it is still true today.
7. Use clear and concise sentences. Be professional, but also conversational.
8. Sell yourself. This is not a license to use "I" at the beginning of every sentence, but you can state in clear and well-defined language what you can do to assist the employer in reaching specific goals. Use active language to engage the reader in wanting to know all about you. Generate excitement. When you speak convincingly, your reader will find it easy to agree with you.
9. Ensure your letter is an original and not a copy and printed on good/quality printer. Copies are a waste of time.. It reflects poorly on you and it sends a clear signal to the prospective employer that you didn't care enough to create a letter specifically for them.
10. Use the traditional business letter format. Do not get cute in the hopes of standing out. Let your words stand out as they create a picture of your abilities and accomplishments. Don’t use more than one font and keep your statements easy-to-read.
11. Explain anything in your resume that might concern the employer, such as gaps in employment history. Be brief with your explanations and spin them in the best possible light.
12. Identify the specific job that you are seeking to be hired for. If you let the employer guess what you want to do for them, they'll probably guess something that you weren't expecting, so make it clear for them.
13. Request an interview and let the employer know that you will follow up at a certain time on a particular date. Simply state that you would like to meet face to face to further discuss the mutual benefits of a potential working relationship. Add that you will follow up in a few days to ensure your letter was received.
14. Grab the reader’s attention and don’t let it go. Be positive and enthusiastic. Show the reader why you are better than the other candidates seeking the position. Enthusiasm is contagious. Infect someone with your positive attitude. They’ll like you before they ever meet you.
15. Focus on the employer. What can you do for the company? How quickly can you add to the bottom line? Be dynamic and express your desire to work hard to achieve results.
16. Quantify your experiences rather than rehash them. Instead of saying you helped the distribution center organize its processes, state "HOW" you helped them do this. Be specific and use numbers whenever possible. It means more. It is relevant. It is definable. Your statement might read, "Increased efficiency in the distribution center which resulted in a 15% reduction in employment costs. That is a measurable difference.
17. If you fold your letter and resume, put the cover letter on top and fold them in thirds. Better yet, mail them flat in a larger envelope. Your resume will look better than the others from the start because it won't be creased. Everything matters.
18. Keep a copy of the cover letter for your records. It is also wise to track the letters and resumes you send out. Keep a copy of everything including newspaper clippings or other job-related information. You never know when you might need to refer to something.
Writing an exemplary cover letter requires attention to detail the very thing that most employers are craving in their employees. If you can show them in your letter why you are the right person for the job, you will get the interview and be well on your way to the job you want.
Best of luck!
http://www.resume-resource.com/article32.html
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Posted Thursday, September 11, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
I hope your having a wonderful end of the week and end of the quarter. On campus I have been working away at putting together things for graduation. Which is right around the corner. I hope that things are coming together for you as much as they are for me.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
- Date: July 31st, 2008
- Author: Jeffrey Krivis
Whether two employees are fighting or a disgruntled client is on the verge of leaving, you — yes, you — can step in and help solve the problem. Veteran mediator Jeffrey Krivis offers some tricks of the trade.
Conflict happens. It happens in all areas of business. When your employees spend 40 plus hours together each week, they are bound to run into disagreements and arguments that can hurt not only their productivity but the productivity of their fellow co-workers. And if such issues are not settled, bad things can happen. Good people quit. Profitable relationships dissolve. Great companies go under. Clearly, too much unresolved conflict is hazardous to the health of your organization.
How do you deal with conflicts between your employees? Do you pray that the situation works itself out without any lasting consequences? Or do you come in with an iron fist doing what you think is right, but not paying attention to the needs of your disagreeing employees? Actually, both approaches are wrong. In a world where relationships matter more than ever, mediation skills matter more than ever. So whether you manage employees or clients or both, it’s critical to learn the art of bringing harmony out of conflict.
I serve corporations and individuals from all walks of life, helping them settle disputes before they end up in the courtroom. The skills I use to mediate legal disputes can easily be used to defuse workplace conflicts. Follow my tips and you can help your employees stop beating their metaphorical heads against metaphorical brick walls and reach creative, mutually beneficial solutions.
First things first: what, exactly, is negotiation? It’s reframing a situation in order to get people to shift their positions in a way that makes a resolution possible. My own formula for negotiation is as follows:
- Instinct + Information = Intuition
- Intuition + Knowledge = Improvisation
In short, negotiation is part art and part science. You needn’t become a certified mediator in order to settle a dispute in the workplace (or at home for that matter). You just need to understand some basics about human behavior, practice the fine art of paying attention, and offer yourself up as a neutral party who just wants to resolve the problem.
Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.
#1: Understand the basic structure of a negotiation. The easiest guideline for structuring a session is to remember that there are five stages: convening, opening, communication, negotiation, and closure. In real life, these stages don’t always follow in precise order; but understanding this structure gives you a workable default when you are considering how to plan the negotiation. Look below for more details on each stage:
- Convening Stage: During this stage determine whether it is a good idea to talk to all of the parties during a joint meeting or whether it is best to talk to the parties separately before bringing them together.
- Opening Stage: This stage is often done in a joint meeting with all parties present. The purpose is to set forth each side’s statement of the case. Often you will try to create a safe environment for the exchange of dialogue by coaching the parties beforehand as to what would be the most effective use of their time in joint session.
- Communication Stage: This stage allows the parties to express whatever legal or personal issues might affect the negotiation.
- Negotiation Stage: This stage is the heart and soul of the mediation. Now you create an atmosphere in which you and the parties can be flexible and innovative.
- Closure Stage: The final stage of mediation. At this point, the parties are coming in for a landing: everyone is aware of all the relevant information and you work to create an outcome both sides can live with.
#2: Stagger the presentations to shift the balance of power and keep the parties off balance. Staggering the presentation creates a situation in which the balance of power quickly shifts from one side to another. This is contrary to traditional mediation theory, which generally holds that in order to create balance and procedural fairness, each side should have an opportunity to make a statement to each other at the same time. But when it’s clear that this traditional approach will result only in each side’s shooting bullets at each other, it makes sense to stagger the presentations so that the focus is on one side only. Then, after negotiations begin, you can redirect the focus to the other side.
#3: Check the reliability of your information. It’s always a good idea to double-check that the information you’ve received about a conflict is true. A great way to do this is to break perceptions into component parts: reports, inferences, and judgments.
- Reports: The basic element of exchanging information is to report what we have seen, heard, or felt.
- Inference: A statement of the unknown based on the known.
- Judgments: Conclusions that evaluate previously observed facts and either approve or disapprove of something.
When someone reports a new bit of information, asking how the person would demonstrate the fact in a court of law can often provide surprising results. Other times, people offer inferences. Listening for inferences from either side allows you at least to mentally check the reliability of the statement and direct the parties to a better understanding of the evidence. When parties use judgment-laden words like “fraud” and “guilty” to describe their opponent, it is a good sign that you should explore the parties’ underlying factual support. I once mediated a sexual harassment case in which the accused party claimed the relationship was consensual. It turned out that he had the evidence to support his side of the story. When this information was shared with everyone involved, it was easier to bring the negotiation to a close.
#4: Appeal to the parties on an emotional level to help them understand each other’s position. When you appeal to emotions, you are seeking to get the parties to acknowledge some sense of responsibility for their actions. By the time your employees bring their problem to you, they will probably be fairly well entrenched in their beliefs about who’s right and who’s wrong. An emotional appeal forces each party to consider how the other might feel and what that person might have gone through as a result of the conduct alleged. Some people, in fact, operate through “emotional” intelligence rather than through reasoned logic. For them, connecting emotionally with the situation helps them better understand the other party.
A great example of this is a case I mediated that involved Dan, a systems analyst who had been downsized after 10 years with his company and who was suing his former employer for wrongful termination. When he was finally allowed to tell his story in mediation, everyone was stunned by the raw emotion that came pouring out. Dan had lost his parents as a child and had always spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with coworkers. He saw the company as family — literally — and thus felt hurt and betrayed by the lay-off. As it turned out, the company was ultimately able to re-employ Dan as a consultant. He got to start his own business and his old company got to continue benefiting from his services. But if Dan hadn’t been allowed to express the emotional connection he felt with the company, and tell it in front of his old boss, the answer would never have presented itself.
#5: Think creatively about ways people can cooperate rather than clash. In every negotiation, there is a tension between the desire to compete and the desire to cooperate. Be on the lookout for signals that support a cooperative environment. That’s where the most creative solutions are born. These kinds of “joint gains” are often born of conflict.
Take the case I recently mediated that involved Golden State Grocers and its objection to being billed for a three-week “training cruise” taken by the employees of its computer consulting firm, Apex. Golden State felt ripped off by being charged for what looked like a vacation; Apex insisted that its employees worked intensively on Golden State’s account during the cruise — and besides, “this is how it’s done in consulting.” The solution I helped them find involved forming a whole new company, Golden Apex Seminars, which offered training services to other retailers. Instead of spending my time divvying up the consulting bill, I spent it building up the relationship between the parties. Suddenly, the money dispute that had started the mediation became secondary to the created value of a new, mutually beneficial business venture.
#6: Deliver bad news with pacing and patience. Most of us will actively resist accepting new or difficult information that is unceremoniously dropped on our heads, and parties in a conflict are no different. When you have bad news to deliver, parcel it out slowly to give them time to absorb it. This is all about timing. When a child asks a parent for a raise in allowance, for example, she knows instinctively that the best time to ask is not when her parents are worried or distracted but when things are comfortable in the house. The “slow drip” is one way to pace yourself, softening up the parties and ensuring they are receptive before you give them the bad news.
#7: Use the “one-step” approach — prepare a proposed agreement based on the ideas of all the parties. This approach allows for circulation of a draft agreement or memorandum that is subject to comments and criticism by both sides in a safe way. Neither side is being forced to accept the agreement, but you have prepared it with the knowledge that the parties will most likely accept it. You then present it in such a way that the parties are asked to accept or reject the proposed agreement as outlined in the draft.
#8: Sweeten the agreement with an apology, an acknowledgement of misunderstanding or some other symbolic gesture. Always tap into your employee’s primary reason for presenting his conflict to you and try to couple any agreement with a nonmaterial statement, such as an apology or a gesture of appreciation. It will help achieve a more durable agreement.
Consider the case I mediated between Margaret (a waitress who was fired after nearly 40 years of service with the same restaurant) and Sheryl and Ted (the restaurant owner and manager), both of whom she was planning to sue for age discrimination. Margaret had been very emotional throughout the mediation and it took hearing her story before I could realize it would take more than money for her to be satisfied. She said she loved the restaurant and the customers and couldn’t understand why Sheryl and Ted hadn’t come to her directly to tell her why they were letting her go. Sheryl and Ted decided to show how much they truly appreciated Margaret’s years of service by naming two awards in her honor, having a celebratory party tribute and giving her a lifetime of free meals at the restaurant and a substantial sum of money. The awards provided Margaret with a connection to the restaurant that would last even after she died. That made her feel important and valued, which is all she had really wanted from day one.
#9: Trust your intuition and see where it takes you. Intuition can be a powerful mediation tool. It is especially useful in situations where you’re dealing with preconceived notions and need to improvise. Remember effective improvisation is a product of skill (education plus experience) and intuition. If you trust your intuition that one of the disputants reached a conclusion based on inadequate or inaccurate information, you can follow that intuition and seek to verify the facts. You can then use these facts to turn a perception around and open the conversation to a discussion of a principled agreement for both sides.
#10: Finally, realize that every conflict can’t be solved. What if you’ve tried and tried to help two warring factions find a fair solution and you just can’t? It may sound odd coming from a mediator, but some conflicts just aren’t winnable. Not every negotiation is going to have a win-win outcome. Not everyone can live together in harmony. There are times you just have to accept that both parties are going to leave the table equally unhappy. Isolate the participants if possible and just move on.
Get comfortable with the idea that when it comes to mediating your employees’ problems there are no hard and fast rules. Negotiation is all about going with the flow and seizing opportunities as they arise. You can familiarize yourself with the tools — indeed you must — but there’s no substitute for jumping right in.
Improvisational negotiation is kind of like jazz. You have to know your chords, your scales, your patterns, your licks. But ultimately, these are building blocks, not formulas. The chords you use depend on the chords you hear from the other participants, and vice versa. It’s a conversation. It’s organic. There are no limits on what can come out of mediation, and that’s what makes it such a powerful skill.
Jeffrey Krivis has been a lawyer-mediator for 19 years, resolving disputes in mass tort, employment, entertainment, business, complex insurance, catastrophic injury, and class action matters. He is adjunct professor at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law and the author of two books, Improvisational Negotiation and How To Make Money As A Mediator. His Web site is www.firstmediation.com.
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Posted Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Welcome back from a long labor day weekend. I hope you are feeling rejuvinated and ready to jump back into the job hunt. Here are a few words of wisdom from an artical that I stumbled upon.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Employment News August 30th, 2008
Whether you are currently working and are looking to make a change, or you’ve lost your job and are eager to get back into the workforce, this is a challenging economic climate. You can find a job but you need to do things that your peers are not. Let me share with you four things that will help you stand out:
1. Stop taking it all personally. It’s frustrating to apply for positions and not get any responses. The truth is hiring managers and recruiters are being inundated with resumes and applications right now. The fact that they haven’t replied to your application has nothing to do with you. By personalizing the situation, you waste time and energy, often with the end result of feeling bad about yourself. Realize that if you want to stand out from the competition, you’ll have to stop wasting time and focus instead on the next best action to take.
2. Ask for feedback. Find out how you can improve your chances of being hired. When you get those opportunities to speak to employers make sure you ask for specifics: Do you have feedback on my resume? How did I do in the interview What advice do you have for me? What can I do differently to stand out next time? Many employers welcome this as an opportunity to help someone out.
3. Be proactive. Don’t just apply for jobs online or e-mail your contacts asking for leads. Pick up the phone and make sure you follow up each contact. Call your network of friends and family and remind them of what you are looking for, and ask if they are willing to help. Be sure to ask for focused assistance. Don’t just ask them to pass on any leads they come across. Instead ask if they have contacts in the field you are interested in or a company you would like to know more about. Will they make an introduction? If you’ve had an interview and are wondering what happened, stop wondering, pick up the phone and find out. By following up, you demonstrate initiative and remind a busy hiring manager who you are.
4. Get out of the house and meet people. You may feel uncomfortable with the whole idea of networking. Here’s another way to look at it. It’s about getting to know people and having them get to know you. Don’t go to functions because you feel you should. Find gatherings of people with whom you have an affinity: alumni, special interest clubs, exercise groups, community associations, classes, etc. Make it your intention to simply meet people–don’t weigh yourself down with expectations! Be open to people and to having them get to know you. We help people we like. For someone to like you, they need to get to know you. Be interested in people and what’s going on in their lives. Give yourself the gift of sharing something about yourself. If you keep the focus on building relationships you’ll naturally connect with people who will want to help yo u and vice versa.
Annemarie Segaric is a respected career change coach, motivational speaker, and the author of 107 Tips for Changing Your Career While Still Paying the Bills.
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
(me with a friends dog)
Hi People,
Do you self assess? Do you think you are self aware? I know I am self aware but at times I wonder if my imagine of myself is accurate.
Interestingly I have never thought of myself as a dog person or even really an animal person. As a kid I was very scared of most dogs. My family had one when I was very young and it would always jump on me and bark. I was not a fan. We then became a cat household. I should mention my family doesn't think of itself as being very pet friendly. They probably got the cats out of peer pressure from me. However they were outside cats. We had a lot. Then we moved into town and simplifed. We went down to one cat. It ran away. No more cats for us. I grew up and still wasn't a big fan of animals. Didn't love the concept of fur on me. I had freinds that had dogs and I was nice enough with them but didn't really like them. I know that's not nice to say. Most people love animals to thier very core. Then when I was in my late teens we got Liberty Blue a english springer spanial (This happend after again I begged for a puppy. I have no clue where this need came from.) She is compleatly adorable. I love her to pieces 12 years later. But really she is the only dog I really really like. I still don't think of myself as a dog person. I like Libby. Thats it.
Now look at the photo above. Does that person look like she doesn't really like dogs? I played with that pup for probably for 3 hours when I visted last. Maybe my image of myself is inaccuarte in this area. Maybe I should reevaluate. :)
Career Evaluation
I always recommend students to participate in informational interviews. This allows students to learn more about what people in your field did to get where they are. It also gives students a opportunity to network, and have someone in their field evaluate their resume. Remember that every time you contact an employer/employee you are creating a first impression with a company.
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi Everyone,
What is enough money to you? How much should you be paid? What are you worth?
I just got done talking to a student here at campus and he was mentioning how much he thought he would need to money wise to live on. He suggested that you needed $50,000 to live. I laughed and said when I graduated from college I thought that I very minamaly could live on $35,000 a year and that I probably deserved to earn more. We laughed some. Then we talked about how people live on less. A lot of people live on less. I lived on less post graduation. I for sure did not make $35,000 starting out. I lived a whole summer with no AC. Scrimping and saving as much as possible.
I am beyond that now. However I wonder if what I make now is really enough. Is it what I deserve to make? These are all good questions. What do you think you deserve to make? What for you would be enough money to live well? I know many very wealthy people that don't think what they live on now is enough. That they still need more to live well. What does living well really mean?
Would you be happy and live well if you made $20,000 a year? Would you be good to go and live well if you made a million a year? What about $200,000 a year? How about 50,000?
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Salary
At times students are unsure of what they should be making with their experience and education.
Some great websites to check out regarding this question:
http://www.salary.com
http://www.indeed.com
People researching compensation should rely on more than one salary Web site, and they should research the methodologies the sites use. Laurence Shatkin, author of the forthcoming "Salary Facts Handbook," recommends that consumers first use the Department of Labor's America's Career InfoNet, which provides free salary data based on government data. Such data, Coleman and Brennan caution, may be up to three years old, however.
Shatkin also recommends that consumers look for sites that have local salary data and offer specific job descriptions or data on jobs with multiple levels of experience. If you're an accountant, for example, salary ranges should be available for entry- to senior-level positions.
He also cautions consumers not to use sites that provide data based on self-selecting surveys. A Web site that compiles its statistics by asking users how much they make isn't producing scientific data, Shatkin warns.
Employees should also check salary ranges with professional associations or colleagues in the same field, experts say. They also agree that employees and job-seekers should consider benefits and perks like flexible working hours when calculating their compensation.
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
Development. What does development mean to you? For me it means that I am streching and challenging myself to learn and achomplish more. To work smart not hard. I hope that when you work towards development that you think of it as a never ending proccess.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Applying Online
If you are searching jobs at monster.com employers have requested that you apply via the employer website instead of at monster.com. All formating is lost when applying though monster and makes resumes difficult to read.
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi All,
I hope you are having a wonderful day. The fall air is starting to blow in. Not sure if I am prepared for fall to happen. Today I saw something on campus that impressed me. It was from one of our students in a success strategies course. They were asked to develop a project that talked about their goals. They were suggested to use their creativity. One of the students developed this amazing mobile and a student from a previous quarter developed a treasure map with even the edges burned. These are so very different from what every other student turned in. They are memorable. I may often teach you in my course how to do things in a standard manner. This to me is handy to have in your pocket. A lot of employers want well done standard. However I also want to ask you all to be memorable, different, stick out, risk big, show your creativity when you apply to a job, when you go to the interview, and afterwards. I want you all to ask yourselves if you are thinking big when you are applying to jobs. A lot of people don’t. They get suffocated in the process. The process that is often very frustrating. Can you imagine how even more unique it is to experience an individual that shows initiative when they are in a frustrating situation? I find it rare and impressive when I do.
Exude that amazingness that I know is inside of you. Show me and the world all the great tricks up your sleeves. Make us believe in you and what you can do.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Finding a Job Using Uncommon Search Tactics
By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer
Rules are meant to be broken. Think outside the box. Be original. These are all clichés meant to inspire and remind you that creativity can often be rewarded in life.
Yet, even the most adventurous of us can't overcome our reservations when it comes to job hunting. Everything you've been told about the application and interview processes emphasizes being professional. Don't try to be funny in your cover letter. Wear a conservative business suit. Show how you'll fit in as one of the team. In other words, do what everyone else is doing.
For some people, that just won't do.
Tony Beshara, author of "Acing the Interview," has seen his share of unusual job search methods over the years, ranging from quirky to bold. And several of them have been successful.
"For a marketing job, the candidate bought a pair of baby shoes, wrapped one in a box along with her résumé and sent it directly to the hiring authority," Beshara remembers. "The box had a tag that said 'Let me get my foot in the door and you will be pleased.' When she went to the interview, she took the other shoe with her, which was a great way to start the interview."
Another job candidate who was hoping to land a sales position sent his résumé to the hiring manager with miniature star tickets that fell out when you opened it up. Across the top he had written "Hire a Star."
Quiet and clever tactics don't work for everybody, though. Beshara recalls another job seeker who decided to wear a sandwich board that read, "Brand new, hardworking MBA needs work." He then stood at one of Dallas' busiest intersections during the morning rush hour.
"He had a job by noon."
Even advertising your job hunt to thousands of morning commuters seems insignificant when compared to the gutsy move of John Gaines, a copywriter in Seattle. During his weeklong freelancing stint at an ad agency, he decided he wanted a permanent position with the company.
"The Monday after my assignment ended, I came in early and fished some important-looking papers out of a recycling bin. I found an empty office with a computer whose monitor didn't face the door and sat in it surfing the 'Net for a few hours every day."
He walked around the office at regular intervals carrying the papers and interacted with other employees. If they asked what he was doing, he told them he was a freelancer who was "handling some paperwork." He eventually had another freelancing stint with them that became a five-year relationship.
Other tactics aren't as premeditated or elaborate.
When marketing and management expert Mark Stevens met with a candidate whose credentials showed great promise, he was disappointed when the interview didn't go well. The applicant wasn't engaged in the interview and as soon as he left he threw away his résumé.
"The next day, I received a FedEx package from him, with a book of poetry on human loss and a loving letter about how his mother had died that week," Stevens remembers. He knew he hadn't made a good impression and asked for a second chance. Stevens gave it to him and ended up hiring him.
When you're hunting for a job, keep in mind that these unorthodox methods worked for these job seekers. Not only did they have the guts to try them out, but they also encountered hiring managers who were willing to take their efforts seriously.
Althought wearing a sandwich board on a highway isn't the most reliable way to land a job, that job seeker did set himself apart from the thousands of other new MBAs fresh out of school. In a competitive job market, look for any opportunity, big or little, to give yourself an edge over the other applicants.
Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Copyright 2008 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority.
Story Filed Tuesday, July 08, 2008 - 1:00 PM
It!
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to talk about how a few weeks ago I went to my 10 year reunion. It was great seeing everyone plus a lot of fun catching up. The most fun was with those people that I thought had disappeared off the planet. Talk about a great networking event. I found out about everyone’s new professional endeavors most of us are now employed in the cities. I suggest making every outing you go to a strong networking opportunity and to have fun while doing it.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
RESUME/COVER LETTERS SAVING TECHNIQUE:
Saving your resume/cover letter when applying to a job:
When attaching your resume and cover letter to a email employer make sure that you have saved/named your documents accordingly. Example- kelseykennedyresume.doc kelseykennedycoverletter.doc
Rasmussen Online Policy:
Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the ".docx" extension to the filename.) The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date. An example is shown below: Jstudent_exampleproblem_101504
SUBJECT LINE FOR SENDING OUT RESUME/COVER LETTERS:
Make sure that you follow the instructions of the employer. Traditional example- Job Opening: Medical Assistant or #13954 Medical Assistant Opening-St. Louis Park
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Posted Monday, August 18, 2008 by Kelsey Kennedy
Hi Everyone,
I know it has been a bit since I posted. We have updated to a new platform. I hope this will simplfy things.
Best Regards,
Kelsey
Job Hunting Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Don't be lazy
2. Don't be a zombie
3. Don't forget to follow up
4. Don't forget to sell yourself
5. Don't be pushy and don't beg for the job
6. Don't interview with your favorite companies first
7. Utilize your resources
8. Know when to listen
9. Don't bad mouth
10. Always be prepared
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Posted Friday, April 18, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 Sorry for being a bit absent recently. I have been attending conferences, and meeting with HR individuals in the community. After my most recent events here are a list of things to think about when creating your resume.
Resumes Tips & Facts:
- Resumes just go into a huge stack
- How to differentiate yourself?
- Resume value is 0 if it doesn’t catch the employers eye
- Resume’s need to be intensely tailored to the business to be at all effective
- Resumes are sorted like junk mail
- Generic packaging
- I don’t know who is sending this to me why should I read it
- 1% of HR people interviewed said they utilized resumes to find a prospective employee to interview
- They traditionally use networking as their main method
- 60%-70% are filled by personal contacts
- Career builder filled less than 1%
- Monster 1-2% (hint: apply directly to the employer though their website)
- Hot jobs less then 1%
- How about having a connection call on your behalf to recommend you for a job
- Old method: letter of transmittal
- Current method: recommendation letter
- How about making a business plan instead of a resume
- How you plan to solve the business problem rather then just explain your background.
- Most important: True Motivation and Desire to do the job
- Resume needs to be perfect
- Chronological preferred-combination would be acceptable
- Pro bullets
- Consistency important (Structure, experience, and words)
- Some employers are not as worried about perfection
- List key achievements instead of objective
- Summary of experience instead of objective
- Sell experience not job duties
- Talk about saving the company money
- Talk about projects that were implemented
- Values white space imagines a box now imagine a arrow starting in the right corner and working down to the left. Everything to the right of the arrow has been not read.
- Personality is key-Remember to sell, sell, sell yourself
- It appears no effort has been spent if someone utilizes the Microsoft office template
- Create bullet points on your resume that match up with the job description/job lead
- Follow up-after sending the resume call for confirmation (how many times have you sent an email to a coworker or friend that they didn’t receive what you attached, make sure to do a follow up call or email)
- Utilize your cover letter to do all the explaining of transferable skills
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Posted Thursday, February 21, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 Remember the details when looking for a job:
Voicemail:
Make sure your voice mail works, that the voicemail they reach is a professional one. Clear, clean, and cheerful.
Internet:
Make sure your image on the internet is a professional one. At the very least make sure that it will not hinder you in getting a job. Check your myspace, facebook, blogs and etc to confirm that they are not open to the public.
Email Address on Resumes:
Please make sure you are utilizing a professional email address. One that does not include nicknames.
Presentation of Self-Visual:
Make sure when you go to an interview that you are in tip top interviewing shape. You are in non wrinkled suit (That it is conservative not loud. If you are wearing a skirt suit make sure to wear nylons.), your hair is clean (male-combed female-conservatively styled), fingernails are groomed, shoes are polished and close toed, that your make up is understated, and that you have fresh breath.
Presentation of Self-Preparation:
Make sure you have brought multiple resumes, that you have brought your cheat sheet for filling out the application, you have researched the company, and prepared questions to ask the interviewer. Also great idea to practice interviewing and working on questions that seem difficult. Make sure to have lots of examples prepared in your head to reference. Bring your portfolio.
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Posted Thursday, February 21, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 Please take a moment to look over these articles..
Can't Find Job on Web? What You're Doing Wrong
A great article regarding specialized field sites.
Get Hired in '08: Workplace Trends to Put You Ahead
A great article on networking and some alternative methods.
GMA Boot Camp: Get a Job
A great article with a check list of things you need to do to prepare for the job search.
Let me know what you think
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Posted Thursday, January 31, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 When creating a resume please remember there are a three resume formats to choose form.
I strongly recommend the functional resume for most of our students. Please look over the 3 types of resumes to choose which is best for you.
If you are going to talk about an experience during a interview it is wise to include that on your resume.
Hopefully this will help you.
Please contact me with any questions.
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Posted Friday, January 18, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 When you go to a interview what are you thinking about?
- Are you just thinking about if you are right for this position?
- If your qualifications match what they are searching for?
- If you can sell them on yourself?
I want you to be also thinking about if the place your interviewing at is the right place for you.
- Do you like the people that interviewed you?
- Did the management style they discussed sound like it would fit your personality?
- Were their glairing issues?
- Did you feel like you would have your needs met?
If they decide that you are perfect for the position but you have concerns if you want to work for the company or with the people that have hired you this may not be the perfect match. Make sure you take care of yourself when your searching and do not just get sucked in by the opportunity if it’s not what you want.
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Posted Friday, January 04, 2008 by Mark Krupinski
 This season can be slightly tricky. Many companies hire according to their budget plans. Many budgets regarding hiring get a bit wonky come January. Also many of the recruiters and individuals that would do interviewing are not at work over the holidays or do not interview over the holidays. Don’t be disheartened.
I would say keep applying. Use this time to apply to jobs, to check out the newspaper, to network with family and friends regarding opportunities they might be aware of. I always say the best way to get a job that you will love is networking.
You may have noticed I have been a bit MIA recently. I apologize for that. With the holidays and orientation the past two weeks things have been a bit insane. Hopefully come Monday I will be right back in the groove and you will be getting regular updates.
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Posted Friday, December 14, 2007 by Mark Krupinski
The perfect day in my office is when one of my students is hired for their dream job. This perfect job that the student has been working for and studying for over the years. I am lucky to have watched the pride on a student’s face when they stop in my office and tell me of their success. I also relish the moments when I get emails from students telling me of their placement and sharing how excited they are for their new job. I feel such a rush of pride and excitement for these students. They have all struggled at some point with the job search. They know what moments of failure feels like. This moment is something to celebrate.
Just remember as the job search is daunting that at some point the perfect job will be what you have achieved. That the pride will be on your face, the success will be yours, and I will be sitting in my office glowing with excitement for you.
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