If you weren't at the Net2Work on Monday at the Botanical Center, here's what I got out of the event:
From 8:30-9:45am there was an informal networking session with over a dozen business professionals with expertise in the career search process including employer representatives, recruiters and career counselors. I wasn't able to make it to this session. Did any of you find it useful? I talked to a gentleman today at Project Lemon-aid who said he went to the morning session and he said he was able to speak with a representative from Marsh. He had applied for a job there and said it was extremely beneficial to meet the hiring manager in an informal setting.
Then came the traditional 30-second introductions at our table from 10:00-10:15am. I always try to sit at a table where I don't know anyone so I can meet as many new people as possible...tough to do when I've been going to these events for a while :) 3 of the 7 others at my table I knew already, but made great connections with the rest of the group.
From 10:15-11:00am, the below panel spoke about interviewing expectations. They answered 3 prepared questions they had received before the event: how to prepare for the interview; how to shine during the interview; and how to follow up after the interview. The panel included:
Kaci Rother, Des Moines University
Kris Benge, Nationwide
Joey Leonhardt, Marsh
Sue Cheek, Mid American Energy
Kerry Funke, Nationwide
Kendra Sones, Wells Fargo
After the panelists answered the prepared questions, they opened it up to Q&A which could have gone on all morning and part of me wish it had...What if the event started an hour earlier and we had more time to engage with the panelists? Or what if the "facilitated table discussion" from 11am-noon was shortened up a bit to allow more time for the "meat & potatoes" of the presentation? After the panel, there was facilitated table discussion during which career search professionals at each table continued the discussion and provided expertise and advice. This doesn't need to be an hour long in my opinion.
What did I take away from Net2Work? Even though I've been to quite a few of these events, I still manage to take away some great information.
When you're "reinventing" yourself, i.e. applying/interviewing for jobs that aren't necessarily anything you've ever done before, be passionate about the company and bring that passion to your resume, cover letter and interview. Be clear that this is an area that you would like to transition into and make sure they understand what skills you bring to the table...
This is something that I'm experiencing firsthand: During the past 8 months, the jobs I'm applying for have changed a bit. At first, I was straight international sales/marketing support and now with my experience using social media and managing online communities, I've started applying for jobs that require this skill set. Do I have much experience doing this sort of thing? NO, but I've gotten interviews because I can demonstrate that I'm learning and growing as much as I can in this field and I'm passionate about making this transition.
When I do interview for jobs with this "new, self-taught" experience, I am very well prepared to answer questions regarding my ability to do the job. Always anticipate questions and have answers prepared.
One of the panelists mentioned that we should give ourselves a pat on the back for just making it to the interview phase. I wholeheartedly believe this. Give yourself a break sometimes! You may be one of 300 applicants for a position. If you get an interview, give yourself a pat on the back. This is an extremely competitive environment right now. Don't beat yourself up so much; celebrate and recognize the successes.
The panelists addressed how we should follow-up after an interview. They said that when we walk away from an interview, both parties should have a clear understanding of what the timeline is for the decision and how we should follow-up with them. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is when they NEVER follow-up with candidates when they say they will. I've had first and second interviews with organizations and I have NEVER heard anything back from them. And I'm talking after 2-3 months...I followed their process of how to follow-up and I hear nothing back. This is what I have a problem with. If I didn't get the job, just tell me...
Something dawned on me a couple weeks ago. Another person in transition and I wanted to go to go to Net2Work and then grab lunch afterwards; we're actually encouraged to do so by the facilitators of Net2Work in order to continue the networking process. I don't know about you, but I'd rather save my money instead of going out to lunch...so my friend and I decided to pack a lunch and ended up driving down to the Chinese monument/display on the river and having a great picnic. Honestly, the only reason I leave Net2Work when I do is because I'm starving. Who would be interested in packing a lunch and picnicking after the next Net2Work? I'm game. If the weather's bad, we might be able to just stay in the room and have an indoor picnic!
Showing posts with label Net2Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Net2Work. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
What's Your Job's Version of a Perfect Game?
Andrew G.R.'s blog post that I read with my reaction below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's the dream of any kid who has ever picked up a baseball. 27 up, 27 down. Sure it ranks behind the bottom of the ninth grand slam and the over-the-wall-homerun-robbing catch, but the perfect game definitely cracks the top 5.
Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle became the first major league pitcher in five seasons to hurl a flawless game. And that got me thinking...
WHAT WOULD MY PERFECT GAME LOOK LIKE?
I'm not a baseball player. I'm your average middle class, blog-writing, new-media loving Webaholic who mostly operates under the radar.
I have work goals that I would like to accomplish; career feats that I am driven to achieve. But when I sit down, take a few deep breaths and clear my mind, I still have no idea what my version of a perfect game would look like.
That's a problem.
Since dream chasing is an important aspect of success, I'm now determined to put more thought into what ultimate perfection looks like for me. Is it an error-free presentation? Consecutively successful projects? Increasing ROI by 100%? I don't know, but thanks to Mark Buehrle's magical performance, I am now on the path to find out.
What does a "perfect game" look like for you?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I read this blog post and started thinking about what my “perfect game” would look like. If you’re on the job hunt and someone asks you what your dream job would be, do you have an answer? If you can’t articulate it, you’re never going to be able to find it.
My perfect dream job would be one where I could work from home because I really enjoyed not going to work. I found that I can still be dedicated and focused without being in an office setting. I have a relatively short attention span, so sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day can be trying at times. I get more accomplished without the interruption of office politics.
I want to make a difference. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been doing a lot of things and not getting paid for it, but I love it because I feel like I’m helping people. I want to add value and I want my voice to be heard.
I’ve discovered in my time off that I can write and be creative.
I enjoy meeting new and interesting people and learning what they’re passionate about.
I love social media. Writing this blog, twittering (tweeting?), keeping up with contacts on LinkedIn; it would be great to continue working within these mediums in my dream job.
So, dream job includes working from home, making a difference, writing/being creative and using social media. Oh, and if I could get to Europe every couple of months on a “business trip”, that would be great :)
My dream job has changed over time because kids are on the horizon, so working from home has really been on my mind. You need to reassess your dream job scenario and keep in mind what’s important to you and yours.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB? Post it here for all of the readers to see – who knows, you might make a connection through this blog!!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's the dream of any kid who has ever picked up a baseball. 27 up, 27 down. Sure it ranks behind the bottom of the ninth grand slam and the over-the-wall-homerun-robbing catch, but the perfect game definitely cracks the top 5.
Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle became the first major league pitcher in five seasons to hurl a flawless game. And that got me thinking...
WHAT WOULD MY PERFECT GAME LOOK LIKE?
I'm not a baseball player. I'm your average middle class, blog-writing, new-media loving Webaholic who mostly operates under the radar.
I have work goals that I would like to accomplish; career feats that I am driven to achieve. But when I sit down, take a few deep breaths and clear my mind, I still have no idea what my version of a perfect game would look like.
That's a problem.
Since dream chasing is an important aspect of success, I'm now determined to put more thought into what ultimate perfection looks like for me. Is it an error-free presentation? Consecutively successful projects? Increasing ROI by 100%? I don't know, but thanks to Mark Buehrle's magical performance, I am now on the path to find out.
What does a "perfect game" look like for you?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I read this blog post and started thinking about what my “perfect game” would look like. If you’re on the job hunt and someone asks you what your dream job would be, do you have an answer? If you can’t articulate it, you’re never going to be able to find it.
My perfect dream job would be one where I could work from home because I really enjoyed not going to work. I found that I can still be dedicated and focused without being in an office setting. I have a relatively short attention span, so sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day can be trying at times. I get more accomplished without the interruption of office politics.
I want to make a difference. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been doing a lot of things and not getting paid for it, but I love it because I feel like I’m helping people. I want to add value and I want my voice to be heard.
I’ve discovered in my time off that I can write and be creative.
I enjoy meeting new and interesting people and learning what they’re passionate about.
I love social media. Writing this blog, twittering (tweeting?), keeping up with contacts on LinkedIn; it would be great to continue working within these mediums in my dream job.
So, dream job includes working from home, making a difference, writing/being creative and using social media. Oh, and if I could get to Europe every couple of months on a “business trip”, that would be great :)
My dream job has changed over time because kids are on the horizon, so working from home has really been on my mind. You need to reassess your dream job scenario and keep in mind what’s important to you and yours.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB? Post it here for all of the readers to see – who knows, you might make a connection through this blog!!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Net2Work Debrief
Net2Work was different yesterday. 90 potential employees had the opportunity to give their 3-5 minute elevator speech to 6 potential employers during a 90 minute networking session. (One of the employers left with 45 minutes to go in the program.) After doing the math, I realized that not everybody would be able to speak to each employer. There was one third-party recruiter (she left early) and 5 employers, so I pared down the list and focused on how make the most of my time.
I ended up talking to Addy Gould from Aviva and a handful of other unemployed persons who I had seen at previous events. It was great catching up with them and hearing how their search was going. They had quite a bit of feedback regarding the event. Keeping in mind that this is the first time Net2Work was organized this way:
1. Sometimes it's better to have a conversation with someone if you know a bit about them first. It would have been great to know which companies were going to be there; better yet, the specific people so we could do a LinkedIn profile review. That's what I like to do anyway...
2. The first 30 minutes were completely chaotic. The unemployed started in one room, then shuffled over to a smaller room where about 20 people had to stand during the 20 minute instruction session. After the instructions were given, the leader had to "check" in the other room to see if the employers/recruiters who signed up to come had actually showed up yet. Since there were only 6, I suppose that was a good idea.
3. Some attendees didn't know that they were going to be meeting with potential employers, so they didn't feel that they had "dressed for success" and asked if their attire was appropriate. Others hadn't brought enough copies of their resumes. The only people who knew about the format change were those who received the email reminder from the Partnership and those who were invited by a friend and their friend told them.
Suggestions for success in the future :
1. Let us know who is coming and what company they work for. This way we can do what we're supposed to do, namely, research the company, so we can have an intelligent conversation. We can also get a sense of whether attending this event will be worth our while.
2. Now that they've got one event under their belt, the next one will run more smoothly.
3. I don't know how you get the word out to the attendees that they will be 'interviewing' today. Since this is a reoccurring event, and people know that, they just show up every other week and expect the program to be like the last one. Yes, those that arrived were told that attire isn't that important and if you don't have a resume, that's alright. But WE feel uncomfortable if we're not dressed how we want to be and if everyone else has a resume and we don't. It's a comfort thing.
This is what I heard from other participants who I spoke with at the event. I hope the organizers read this and incorporate these comments into the next event. For those of you who attended, do you have any comments on how things went? Was it beneficial to you? What went well? What needs to go better next time?
I ended up talking to Addy Gould from Aviva and a handful of other unemployed persons who I had seen at previous events. It was great catching up with them and hearing how their search was going. They had quite a bit of feedback regarding the event. Keeping in mind that this is the first time Net2Work was organized this way:
1. Sometimes it's better to have a conversation with someone if you know a bit about them first. It would have been great to know which companies were going to be there; better yet, the specific people so we could do a LinkedIn profile review. That's what I like to do anyway...
2. The first 30 minutes were completely chaotic. The unemployed started in one room, then shuffled over to a smaller room where about 20 people had to stand during the 20 minute instruction session. After the instructions were given, the leader had to "check" in the other room to see if the employers/recruiters who signed up to come had actually showed up yet. Since there were only 6, I suppose that was a good idea.
3. Some attendees didn't know that they were going to be meeting with potential employers, so they didn't feel that they had "dressed for success" and asked if their attire was appropriate. Others hadn't brought enough copies of their resumes. The only people who knew about the format change were those who received the email reminder from the Partnership and those who were invited by a friend and their friend told them.
Suggestions for success in the future :
1. Let us know who is coming and what company they work for. This way we can do what we're supposed to do, namely, research the company, so we can have an intelligent conversation. We can also get a sense of whether attending this event will be worth our while.
2. Now that they've got one event under their belt, the next one will run more smoothly.
3. I don't know how you get the word out to the attendees that they will be 'interviewing' today. Since this is a reoccurring event, and people know that, they just show up every other week and expect the program to be like the last one. Yes, those that arrived were told that attire isn't that important and if you don't have a resume, that's alright. But WE feel uncomfortable if we're not dressed how we want to be and if everyone else has a resume and we don't. It's a comfort thing.
This is what I heard from other participants who I spoke with at the event. I hope the organizers read this and incorporate these comments into the next event. For those of you who attended, do you have any comments on how things went? Was it beneficial to you? What went well? What needs to go better next time?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Net2Work - Utilizing Social Media to Maximize Your Job Search/Networking
Today's Net2Work at the Des Moines Botanical Center was another informative session. Ben Stone - RPO Consulting - talked about what social media is and how we as job seekers can use it to our advantage.
How many hours a day to you spend looking at the numerous job boards, checking your Twitter account and surfing LinkedIn for updates? Today, Ben introduced us to Google Reader. It takes a little time to set up, but once you do, you'll be spending a lot less time surfing the net. You basically tell the Reader what information you want (you can subscribe to many different RSS feeds) and it gets the information for you so you don't have to spend time looking for it. I'm very excited to start creating my Reader!
If you're coming to the next Net2Work session on 29-June, be aware that the format will be vastly different. We won't be sitting around a table networking with each other and then listening to a speaker. Human Resource staff from local companies, as well as third-party recruiters, have been asked to attend so we all can network. Have your 'elevator speech' prepared and your business cards and resume ready to hand out.
How many hours a day to you spend looking at the numerous job boards, checking your Twitter account and surfing LinkedIn for updates? Today, Ben introduced us to Google Reader. It takes a little time to set up, but once you do, you'll be spending a lot less time surfing the net. You basically tell the Reader what information you want (you can subscribe to many different RSS feeds) and it gets the information for you so you don't have to spend time looking for it. I'm very excited to start creating my Reader!
If you're coming to the next Net2Work session on 29-June, be aware that the format will be vastly different. We won't be sitting around a table networking with each other and then listening to a speaker. Human Resource staff from local companies, as well as third-party recruiters, have been asked to attend so we all can network. Have your 'elevator speech' prepared and your business cards and resume ready to hand out.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Net2Work, 15-Jun
Just got an email from Mary Bontrager at the GDMP. Thought I'd get her message out to my blog readers who may not be subscribed to her mailing list for the Net2Work events. She writes:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you want some FREE personalized, expert assistance with your interview skills and/or resume review? Come early to the next net2work where you can schedule a mock interview with a panel of experts or have a one-on-one resume review session with a professional career counselor.
Mock interviews (with constructive critique included) will be conducted every 15 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Once your interview is complete, you are welcome to sit on a panel as an interviewer. Depending on demand, we will plan to have two panels available to run concurrent interviews per time slot. If interested, please call 223-6200 and ask for Julie Lambirth or email Connie McKeen at Connie.mckeen@right.com.
Resume reviews will be scheduled in 10 minute time slots beginning at 8:00 a.m. and concluding at 9:50 a.m. Again, depending on demand, we will have two experts on hand to provide professional assistance to make your resume stand out in a crowd – be the Blue Marble. To schedule a resume review please call Cassandra Halls at (515)473-4980 or email her at c.halls@mchsi.com.
Mock interviews will take place in the Willow Room and resume review will be in the Walsh classroom. If we don’t see you early on the 15th, we do hope to see at 10:00 for net2work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you haven't had your resume critiqued, you need to, and this is the perfect opportunity. If you haven't interviewed in a while, don't "practice" your interview skills during your job interview! Take advantage of this great, FREE opportunity to mock interview with people who know what TO do and what NOT to do.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you want some FREE personalized, expert assistance with your interview skills and/or resume review? Come early to the next net2work where you can schedule a mock interview with a panel of experts or have a one-on-one resume review session with a professional career counselor.
Mock interviews (with constructive critique included) will be conducted every 15 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Once your interview is complete, you are welcome to sit on a panel as an interviewer. Depending on demand, we will plan to have two panels available to run concurrent interviews per time slot. If interested, please call 223-6200 and ask for Julie Lambirth or email Connie McKeen at Connie.mckeen@right.com.
Resume reviews will be scheduled in 10 minute time slots beginning at 8:00 a.m. and concluding at 9:50 a.m. Again, depending on demand, we will have two experts on hand to provide professional assistance to make your resume stand out in a crowd – be the Blue Marble. To schedule a resume review please call Cassandra Halls at (515)473-4980 or email her at c.halls@mchsi.com.
Mock interviews will take place in the Willow Room and resume review will be in the Walsh classroom. If we don’t see you early on the 15th, we do hope to see at 10:00 for net2work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you haven't had your resume critiqued, you need to, and this is the perfect opportunity. If you haven't interviewed in a while, don't "practice" your interview skills during your job interview! Take advantage of this great, FREE opportunity to mock interview with people who know what TO do and what NOT to do.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Net2Work - The Iowa Workforce Center System
Today, I attended my third Net2Work event which focused on the Iowa Workforce Center System. My only experience with Iowa Workforce Development is being on the phone on hold for 2 hours with my question not being answered. Anyone else out there know what I'm talking about?
Well, today we were informed of a new "integrated model", a team approach, if you will, of handling in-person requests at their offices. There will be no reception area. In this new model, each person will be greeted by a staff member and they will talk with you to determine your needs and then direct you to the person (or group of people) who can best assist you. These teams will consist of people from partnering agencies as well. Their approach will include the mentality that you are not a customer, but a "member"...they want to be known as an "employment office", not the unemployment office. While I appreciate all of these changes, what can be done to change the length of time I'm on hold? I wonder if this "integrated model" will be applied to those who call in? We shall see...
Anyway, the Iowa Workforce Center System has a host of resources that I just found out about today. They have a calendar of events http://www.iowaworkforce.org/region11/calendar/ which includes job fairs and career development workshops. Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds are also available to provide training for adults and dislocated workers http://www1.iowajobs.org/wiaproviders/. Check out their list of eligible training providers and download/complete the training program application to see if you qualify for this free training opportunity!
All-in-all, it was another great Net2Work event today. The next Net2Work event is on 15-Jun from 10am-12pm at the Botanical Center where the topic covered will be social media.
Well, today we were informed of a new "integrated model", a team approach, if you will, of handling in-person requests at their offices. There will be no reception area. In this new model, each person will be greeted by a staff member and they will talk with you to determine your needs and then direct you to the person (or group of people) who can best assist you. These teams will consist of people from partnering agencies as well. Their approach will include the mentality that you are not a customer, but a "member"...they want to be known as an "employment office", not the unemployment office. While I appreciate all of these changes, what can be done to change the length of time I'm on hold? I wonder if this "integrated model" will be applied to those who call in? We shall see...
Anyway, the Iowa Workforce Center System has a host of resources that I just found out about today. They have a calendar of events http://www.iowaworkforce.org/region11/calendar/ which includes job fairs and career development workshops. Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds are also available to provide training for adults and dislocated workers http://www1.iowajobs.org/wiaproviders/. Check out their list of eligible training providers and download/complete the training program application to see if you qualify for this free training opportunity!
All-in-all, it was another great Net2Work event today. The next Net2Work event is on 15-Jun from 10am-12pm at the Botanical Center where the topic covered will be social media.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
