Rule of Engagement # 4: Be a Strategist (going after the right jobs)

Hello Everyone!  I think that this posting is very important, so please read it carefully!  Also remember that I will talk about my experience and depending on your line of business your approach may be a little different, and that is OK.  Just follow the basic principles while customizing your own search.  

I think that it is worth mentioning that the economy seems to be getting a little bit better.  It is true that here in Florida it is improving very slowly because of the big dive that we took between 2006 and 2009, but we will get there.  And this is a good point, maybe I will really have to consider to move out of this beautiful State if I want to advance my career. The alternative might be to take a few steps back and wait for the economy to improve. Then maybe my dream job will show up.  However, I am a nester, meaning that I do not like to jump from job to job. In my previous job I stayed for almost 4 years and only left because of a layoff and the one previous that that one almost 12 and likewise, I left because of a layoff.  

OK, let's get to business, Rule of Engagement # 4: Be a Strategist (going after the right jobs)

In one of my previous posts I mentioned What I Wanted vs. What I Needed.  For now, I am still going for what I want.  Still have a little time.  However, what I want is really hard to get.  What I want is mostly out of State, which for me is not a problem, my family is willing to move.  But I think that even though I have an excellent Resume, personal interviews is where I excel.  Anyway, below some tips.

Tip # 1 - Do not place all your eggs in the same basket.

Do you know how many job search boards, websites, and social media forums are available to you? I do not know the exact number but there are MANY.  Just to mention some:

For Free:

Monster.com (hotjobs.com)

Careerbuilder.com (why is it so slow when I try to input information?)

Simplyhired.com

Indeed.com

Upgrade for a Fee: (Usually for jobs that are $100,000+)

Theladders.com

6figurejobs.com

LinkedIn.com

There are many professional groups (such as SHRM in my case), where I can go and check jobs directly related to HR. If you are part of a professional group, you will most probably be able to obtain some leads there.

Tip # 2 - Read the employment announcement carefully.

If the employment ad says "experience in such industry required" or "certain degree required" and you do not have it, don't apply; they won't call you, you will waste your time (and theirs).  If they say "no relocation" that means that they are looking for a local candidate; the way around this is if you have family members in the area and you are willing to relocate at your own cost, then use their address.  You will have to flight really soon if you get an interview, so be prepared with top cash to purchase the ticket with little time in advance.  

Tip # 3 - Subscribe to "search agents"

If you want to work for a specific company, send them your Resume.  Some of the more organized companies have "search agents" meaning that you can enter your information and you will get advised whenever they post a position that may be good for you; you can then apply. 

Tip # 4 - Create a log of the positions and companies that you have applied for.  

This is basically a self-note for me.  I am wondering, what if someone calls me and I don't even remember the position for which I have applied?  After I am done writing this I will go to my e-mail and I will get all the confirmations and make my list.  

I think that we did well for today. Next time: Rule of Engagement #5: Preparing for the interview!

Interim Posting

Before I continue with the next rule of engagement, I want to interject that it is very difficult to find a job outside of your "normal" industry experience.  I have interest in many areas such as retail, consumer goods, and technology, but because I have been in the construction industry for over 15 years, there is not too much that I can do to obtain an opportunity to transition to another industry. I think that they count that the learning curve will be costly, and that is understandable; they do not know me personally, otherwise, they will hire me, right??!!

So, lesson learned, if you have the opportunity to have a job in a different industry in your early career, you will have better chances to move freely across industries when seeking for career opportunities.

The other alternative is to network that you are in the market for a job. Hopefully someone that knows you (me) can open the door for an interview.

We'll see! Write to you soon.

Rule of Engagement #3: Cover Letter, Resume, and APPLICATIONS! (Part III)

You know, the good thing about unfavorable situations is that once you've hit rock bottom the only way that you can go is UP; that is, if you choose not to dwell at the bottom.  Don't be surprised if those whom you have helped used you and then threw you away; or those who hide their incompetency by taking it on the smaller player. They are just demonstrating their true character and now you know that the only reason that they were somewhat good is because you were around them.  Now that you are not, well, not so good for them. So, what is your decision?  Will you push yourself up or will you stay at the bottom?

So, let's talk about the third part of our Rule of Engagement #3: APPLICATIONS.

I have so much to say about this, but I promise that I will keep it concise.  

Applications is a recruiting document with which companies extract from you the information that they need when they are screening candidates.  Even if at the beginning they only ask for your Resume or Letter of Interest, you will most probably end up completing an application. Applications are not standard. Some are short and some are long, depending on the company and the information that they need.  

Tips on completing applications:

Tip #1 - Prepare! Have Customary Information at Hand

Don't be unprepared! You know that they will ask you for professional/school references. Have the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers ready.  Also, have the right information on your work experience and school dates. Accuracy is important! Use your Resume to help you complete the application.

Tip # 2 - Read the whole application before you start completing it!

All applications have instructions and disclaimers; please make sure that you read them. If you are dealing with a paper application, read it all before you start completing it.  If you are dealing with online application, read the instructions and whatever entry requests the page allows to see at a time. 

Tip # 3 - Do not leave any blanks!

As a recruiter, one of the things that aggravated me the most was to see blank applications with "See Resume". This is a sign of laziness and will not leave a good impression in your potential employer.  If you are looking for a job, why not take the time to complete the application in a professional manner. You may think that the information that they are requesting is repetitive, but you do not know if they have a specific data base that they are populating to be able to find YOU in the future.  If something does not apply, simply enter N/A. That way the recruiter will know that you did not forget to complete it. 

Tip # 4 - Be descriptive!

If the application asks you for your duties, do not just enter "supervisor" or "payroll".  Be specific and descriptive.  How many people did you supervise? Did you have hiring/firing rights? Did you complete evaluations? What is the core are of your work?  Did you participate in cross trainings?  Help the recruiter help you.  Don make it difficult for the recruiter to understand your experience. What if the recruiter only looks at your application and not your Resume?

Tip # 5 - Date it and sign it!

No additional explanation needed, right?

Be careful! The best recruiting practices prevent employers from asking you potential discriminatory questions such as your race, gender, date of birth, etc.  However, the employer can as you to complete the information if you want.  It is you decision to decline or not.  Mos applications ask about your eligibility to work in US (or a specific country). In U.S., YOU DO NOT NEED TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION DOCUMENTATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR EMPLOYMENT UNLESS YOU ARE HIRED! 

Next time: Rule of Engagement # 4: Be a Strategist (going after the right jobs)

Rule of Engagement #3: COVER LETTER, Resume, and Applications! (Part II)

Hello my friends! Last Thursday and Friday (4/7 and 4/8) I was in Tampa, FL participating in the HR Florida State Council Meeting. It was amazing.  As usual, a lot of learning, a lot of networking, and a lot of new ideas! If you have Twitter and would like more info you can look for #hrflorida or go to www.hrflorida.org.

One side note and another tip for my previous posting (Part II):  I discovered a few days ago that I was sending my Resume without my phone number. Can you believe it?  So a good advise is to review your Resume frequently to make sure that all your information is up-to-date (and THERE).

Now, let's talk about the Part II of Rule of Engagement #3, the COVER LETTER!

The first questions that comes to mind is why include a cover letter?  The Resume has all the information that they need, right?  Well, the cover letter is an additional opportunity that I will have to present other experiences, skills, and trainings that I may have that are not included in one of the versions of my Resume.  For example, most advertisers are very specific in what they want, including the experience within specific industries.  So, the cover letter is your opportunity to explain why you are applying even though your experience may be scarce in that industry, or you don't possess certain experience (like a software application), and such.

The cover letter also provides you with the opportunity to hyphen certain aspects of your Resume that may be of interest to the recruiter.  So, having only one cover letter will not work, it is safe to say that you will have one generic one and possibly MANY cover letters, each customized for each one of your applications or Resume Submissions.

Tips for creating a professional cover letter:
Tip #1. Spelling - Make sure that the spelling and grammar are 100% correct. To me, personally, this is a challenge and I have to be very careful.

Tip #2. Size - You may be tempted to write a long cover letter. DON'T. It should be short, concise, and to the point. Just a help to get the recruiter to read your Resume.

Tip #3. Personality - The cover letter is a good opportunity to show professionalism but also to show some personality.  Let them know why you are interested in that job and why you think you will be able to help them achieve their company goals.

Cover letters may be formal or informal, depending on the requirements of the recruiter. General letters should be casual and relaxed if a cover letter is not required, but if the recruiter requires a Cover Letter or Letter of Interest, well, it is required so make it formal.

For sample cover letters you can go to http://jobsearch.about.com/od/cover-letters/tp/types-of-cover-letters.htm  They have really good examples and good information.

Next Time: Part III - Applications!

Rule of Engagement #3: Cover Letter, RESUME, and Applications! (Part I)

Good news! Some recruiters are interested and I received a communication from a local employer that took me to the second step of their hiring process; a Questionnaire.  Even though too early to tell, the fact that I am picking the interest of a few seekers is very exciting!

I have to tell you that writing a good Resume and Cover Letter is very time consuming; however, writing only one of each is not enough, you have to make sure that you customize your submissions tackling the required experience and qualification, that is, if you have them of course.  Applications these days are very long, mostly electronic and some of them ask the same information over and over again.  Actually, the information that they ask is mostly in your Resume, with certain very important exceptions.  Because these topics may be long, I am going to do a three-part of this Rule of Engagement.  

Rule of Engagement #3: Cover Letter, Resume, and Applications! (Part I)

My first time (and if I am not careful the last) opportunity to impress! 

RESUME:

Some think that a good Resume will get you a job but I disagree. A good Resume will get the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager, that's it.  So we need to make our Resume count!  

Tip #1 - Size of the Resume

Please mind the size of your Resume.  For people with limited to medium work experience a one page Resume should be more than enough. Example of people who should only give a one-page Resume are students or adults who are looking for part time jobs, people who have had jobs that are not within the same industry (for example, worked in an fast food, in shoe store, and at a warehouse).  However, people with years of experience within the same industry and/or field, degrees and certifications, can either have a fuller page or two pages, depending on how important the information is. Certifications and other documents may be included with the Resume but they should be mention in the Resume. People with PhD's could have three pages, if they also have extensive experience in their field. 

Tip #2 - Content of the Resume

Just so you know, recruiters go over hundreds of Resume each week, possibly each day, so they just want to bottom line.  The following will give you an idea and the order in which you will present your qualifications:

Profile: Briefly tell them who you are professionally.  

Experience: (Most recent first) Dates of employment, Company, and City.  Please specifically and concisely explain your duties and accomplishments. 

Education: (Most recent first)Years attended, Major and Minors, graduation year, GPA.

Certifications: Full name, license or certification number(s), year obtained

Professional Memberships: List the full name of the organization and specify if you participate as a volunteer in any capacity.

References: Do not enter family as your references, they will not mean anything to the recruiter. Make sure that you write the full name, and working phone number and e-mail address. Students should list community leaders such as clergy and teachers in addition to any good reference for work experience.  Professionals and career seekers should list long term professional contacts, supervisors, consultants, etc. 

Tip #3 - Customizing your Resume

Like I said, I will have about ONE chance to pick the recruiter of hiring managers' interest, so I need to make sure  that my Resume "talks" to them. Reading the company's profile, the employment description and requirements is the first step before deciding if you current Resume will suffice.  If changes are needed, make sure that you save the new Resume with the name of the employer or position, so that you can easily reference them in the future.  

If you want more information, I recommend that you go to the following website, it has many examples!

http://www.bestsampleresume.com/info/how-to-write-resume.html

Next time Part 2: Cover Letter!

Rule of Engagement #2: Determining What I Want and What I Need

You know, news start to flow and some people may try to encourage you but some people may try to bring you down.  Listen to everyone at least once, then, because you don’t have time to waste, be picky, don’t give your time to negative or ill intended people, OK? Also, do not waste your time thinking on those who are having a blast because you are not “there” and they remain “there” even though they are not worth their salaries; doing that will drive you nuts! It is what it is; let nature run its course.

What I Want

I have been very clear in my career path in the past and I continue to be. I want a position that reports to the President or CEO, with a multi-State, or multi-national, or global company.  I would like a Director of VP position where I move freely through the organization to find the efficiencies and the improvements that are needed.  I want to work for a solid organization where brains are appreciated and not prosecuted, where change is welcome because these days companies need to be flexible and “innovate or die”, where work is work and not “family” because I know that having a “family” environment is way too difficult to understand, unless the leaders mean business for real.   Otherwise, power players are rejected because they just want status quo, which is very uncharacteristic of true leaders. Salary should commensurate with responsibility, definitively.  Some have asked me if I am willing to relocate and the answer is: Absolutely, if I can get what I want.

What I Need

To determine what I need, I had to do a few things. First, I created a list of my financial responsibilities with the due dates.  I also assessed my liquid assets.  I am concerned because definitively I’ll have to tap into my savings if I don’t find a job soon.  To my surprise, though, with normal adjustments and scaling down some of our technology (by the way, I cannot believe how many gadgets that require Verizon, ATT, Comcast, DirectTV, etc. services I have, these were not an issue before, but they are an issue now!)  To cover my responsibilities, I would say that I can go back to the HR Manager level, hopefully with a company that thinks of HR as a strategic partner and not a paper pusher.  What I want may put me out of the market in terms of salary, so unless something happens soon I will have to go with what I need and have patience.  

Next Time, Rule of Engagement #3: Cover Letter, Resume, and Applications! My first time to impress!

Rule of Engagement #1: Inventory what I have and determine what I need.

OK, let's talk about the Rules of Engagement, that is, how I will attack your job hunting following the proper steps. (I am learning how to blog, so that is why I wrote this one on the wrong place before, be patient with me!)

What I have:
1. Degrees (BS/BM + soon my MBA) and lots of brains
2. A professional certification (SPHR)
3. Many years of experience and expertise in my field (10 +)
4. Confidence (Oh yeah!)
5. Professional looking clothing (you know, for the interviews)
6. Good references (quite a few thanks to years of good relationships)
7. A good Resume 
8. Good presentation (well, I can make it happen!)
9. Several important contacts (through my professional memberships and Linked In).

What I don't have:
1. A job (of course!) LOL!
2. Money to spare (must spend wisely)
3. Time to spare (cannot fall into the sleeping in late and going to bed too late), plus I must make sure that I finalize my MBA this October. 
4. Patience (but I will acquire it...certainly I am going through tribulations to make that happen).

So what I have should help me find a job rather quickly but what I don't have may make me select incorrectly. For sure some things got to give, but I think that my limit to find a job is 2 months. After that my family treasure’s reserves will start to go below sustainable levels and definitively I will have to make some decisions. But I cannot let the “what I don’t have” place a shadow over the “what I have” because I think that what I have is pretty amazing!

Have applied to certain select positions, but the one that I like best is in Chicago. Out of State is a possibility but I don’t think it is a probability. We’ll see!

Later today:
Rule of Engagement #2: Determining What I Want and What I Need. This step will help me determine the minimum salary that I can accept…