Career Goddess

Careers Conference 2011 Future Trends and Strategies - Part 4

Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the job-hunting bestseller What Color Is Your Parachute?, capped off Careers Conference 2011 with humor, wisdom, and hope. He had hundreds of career counselors and coaches from education, government, non-profit and private practice settings sitting with rapt attention for more than one hour! Dick Bolles’ story of his own career development and the genesis of his Parachute book was riveting and moving.

For me, the icon of the career development field is also a role model. My interactions with him go back 20 years. His presentations are always standing-room only events and with good reason. Here are the five themes that resonated with me from this presentation:

1. Passion
Dick’s whole being comes alive when he is talking about career development and the practical issues of job search. He is not pedantic, but rather tells remarkable stories about individuals to illustrate his points. Although 83 years old (young), the energy exuded by this is compelling and mesmerizing!

2. Mission
His overriding message to the audience was, “Bring sight to the blind”. This mission statement for any career practitioner is succinct and clear. Dick Bolles is the penultimate example of this mission statement. In addition to updating his Parachute book every year, he produces other career / job search books, conducts workshops, and travels worldwide to spread his message of hope and clarity.

3. Professional Development
Throughout the 2-day conference, I observed Dick networking and building relationships, as well as attending sessions by other presenters and taking notes. His love of learning has been the backbone of how he keeps his Parachute book relevant every year over the decades. In fact, you can find him on Twitter as the ParachuteGuy. Dick holds a mirror up to all of us that you are never to old to learn and grow!

4. Inspiration
Another message that came through loud and clear was about personal courage, for ourselves as career practitioners and also for those we serve. He encouraged us to guide our clients/students to “be brave enough to venture and uncover what is beneath”. That includes exploring strengths, skills, interests, values, needs, purpose, and goals, and the personal courage necessary to take action.

5. Dedication
For many career counselors, our profession is a labor of love. We are attracted to the field because we want to make a difference. How we do that is as individual as each of us, but the common thread is the desire to be of help in a concrete way. Dick Bolles’ longevity in this field reminds us how exquisitely fulfilling a life lived on purpose can really be. That is certainly a message worth spreading!

For those who want to read first chapter of the current edition of What Color Is Your Parachute, see http://tinyurl.com/4bwwv28

Careers Conference 2011 Future Trends and Strategies - Part 3

The Center on Education and Work’s 25th Annual Careers Conference at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had a wealth of great speakers on career development and job search trends and issues.

In previous installments of this report (Part 1 and Part 2), I covered the highlights from presentations by futurist Jim Brazell, a Madison-local Business Panel with global ties, author Elizabeth Harney, Richard Knowdell (Executive Director of the Career Development Network), and Global Career Development Facilitator Erica Maleski of Northcentral Technical College.

My presentation on The BRAAAVE Approach for Job-Seeking Success (in collaboration with John Gosling, a career counselor with the Wisconsin Job Service) attracted a large audience. This interactive seminar among experienced and new career practitioners focused on the elements of the acronym BRAAAVE:

B - Brand Yourself with your personal brand, unique brand proposition, and Career Focus,

R - Research best-fit employers, industries, and jobs,

A – Add Skills such as foreign languages, computer skills, and required industry-specific technical skills,

A – Access Your Network both online and offline to uncover job leads and connect with hiring managers and industry / company influencers,

A – Add Value by understanding that job duties are not enough; bring value to the employer through accomplishments that matter and express that value in your resume and cover letters,

V- Volunteer or serve in paid or unpaid internship roles in organizations that are relevant to your Career Focus, and

E – Evaluate the results of your job search strategies and tools, and then adjust them until you get the job!

The Business Panel (mentioned in Part 1) re-confirmed the timeliness and effectiveness of many of the BRAAAVE methods. Personal branding led their list of the new “must-have’s” along with face-to-face and social networking.

They also stressed the importance of bringing something extra as a job candidate to compete more successfully. These extras could include showing polished soft skills, knowledge of other languages and cultures, an understanding of how your job duties connect to the big-picture outcomes for employers, and passion for the work and company. 

Bottom-line: your job-search strategies and methods must evolve into what works in the 21st century and what employers now value. Anything less will keep you in the ever-revolving door of a protracted job search. So, be BRAAAVE and land your next job faster!

Tip: you may need the assistance of a careers practitioner to objectively review your methods and results and to offer alternative strategies for a more productive job search.

Careers Conference 2011 Future Trends and Strategies - Part 2

Careers Conference 2011 Future Trends and Strategies – Part 1 reviewed the future of occupational careers in America as presented by Jim Brazell and also discussed what employers look for in desirable job candidates (via a 3-member Business Panel) . In Part 2 of this 4-part series, you will learn about the new world of job search, five powerful coaching questions to ask yourself, and how mental health issues impact job search and careers.

Elizabeth Harney tackled the in-demand topic of how job seekers must change the way they search for work since employers have changed the way they hire. She said, “Especially when times are tough, employers hire candidates who understand that their job, no matter the title, is to make the company profitable and successful.” This session was packed with practical strategies and tips and focused on ideas from Elizabeth’s newest book The Six Reasons You’ll Get the Job. The six ways include:

1. Presentation (image),
2. Attitude (personality),
3. Dependability (trust),
4. Motivation (loyalty),
5. Ability (aptitude), and
6. Network (contacts).

Dick Knowdell of the Career Planning and Adult Development Network discussed the importance of both career counseling and career coaching for adults in transition. His interactive presentation brought out the similarities and differences between both models. In addition, he demonstrated the five powerful coaching questions (What? Why? How? When? Who?), and a structured approach to attain insights and action.

Erica Maleski, a career counselor at Northcentral Technical College, reminded us of the challenges that mental health issues can bring to the job-search process. According to the National Institute of Mental Health:

• 26.2% of the population has a diagnosable mental disorder and half of that group meet criteria for two or more disorders, and
• mental disorders are the leading cause of disability for people ages 15-44.

The counselor’s role is to address the whole client in the helping process, and to be mindful of cultural and gender influences. Consulting with and referring to other mental health practitioners and resources may be necessary more so now than ever before.

Careers Conference 2011 Future Trends and Strategies - Part 1

The 25th Annual Careers Conference hosted by The Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (yeah! my alma mater) was a resounding success! With a theme of “The Future Is Here”, the keynotes and sessions were to provide career practitioners with strategies and program ideas for schools, colleges, and job centers to address career needs of the future. This is Part 1 of a 4-part series on the highlights of the sessions I attended or at which I presented.

The first keynote speaker, Jim Brazell, talked about the future of careers, what occupations will be in demand, and how education innovation that will be required. Fully 80% of emerging jobs will require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills and knowledge. Whether in the healthcare, environmental, green technology, cybersecurity, or infrastructure industries, the high-demand jobs will revolve around the broad and deep interconnectedness of these skills.

Senior management from three Madison-headquartered companies with global branches and/or partnerships were featured in the Business Panel session. They all agreed that STEM skills training is vital and reflects in many of the occupations with fastest growth and occupations with largest numbers in growth. However, they added that “soft skills” were often the tipping point in the hiring process.

In other words, several candidates often possess comparable required technical training and experience. What they do not all have are a unique mix of soft skills and personal branding characteristics. The most desired of these include:

1. global skills, such as expertise in other languages and/or cultures,
2. diverse experience (large and small companies, US and non-US companies, clinical and corporate, etc.),
3. relentless dedication and strong work ethic,
4. a sense of urgency to get the job done well and quickly,
5. a solution orientation and strong problem-solving skills, and
6. an adaptable, collaborative team approach.

The Business Panel revealed that employers now have more of a focus on personal branding as a differentiator between candidates AND social network recruiting. All three employers said that hiring is not just about the degree you hold, but increasingly also about the passion you express for the company and what it does. “Drive can have the edge over more technically qualified candidates” according to Sue Gleason of SyzyGy50.

Behind Every Goal Is a Dream

We are now almost two weeks into the New Year, a year ripe with new possibilities and beginnings yet to become finishes.  I imagine many of you have made your New Year's resolutions, based on your vision or dreams for the future.

Your life and your career have a shot at an "extreme makeover" this year...yes, really!  Now here's an eye-opener: if you want your dreams and resolutions for the New Year to become reality, you must transform them into SMART goals.

A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline. -Harvey Mackay

Think of your goals fitting into two categories, Outcome Goals and Process (Activity) Goals.  Thanks to my professional colleague and friend Denny Stockdale, author of the award-winning book Conversations from the Neighborhood Ice Cream Shop: 8 Keys to Rediscovering Lost Dreams & Finding Your Life's Calling, for this important goals distinction.

An Outcome Goal is a Dream in Disguise! It's what you envision as the ultimate result of your steady, goal-driven progress. For example, slimming down from a size 14 to a size 10 pair of jeans is a visual picture of your "dream body image" goal.

A Process or Activity Goal is a sub-goal of an Outcome Goal and serves to help you attain it. Exercising 20 minutes for five times per week is an Activity Goal that will contribute to your Outcome Goal of dropping jean sizes.

The key is to come up with many Activity sub-goals to support each of your Outcome Goals. Make them fun and interesting, and start off easy. Ramp up the frequency or duration of your exercising, for example, as your body becomes more toned. You can even rotate the Activity Goals to create variety!

Now let's say you have written down your Outcome and Activity Goals as SMART goals. Hurray for you!

By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. - Mark Victor Hansen, best-selling author and motivational speaker

So, what's next?

I recommend you read the following blog posts by some of my favorite people for how-to tips and inspiration on setting and achieving your goals:

•  "Goals" by William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding - January 2011 issue of the YOUnique newsletter. He provides do-able goals exercises and a goals workbook.
• "7 Goal-Setting Tips for the New Year" by Lorrie Febus, author and meta-financial coach
• "The Best Year of Your Life!" by Deb Scott (@GreenSkyDeb on Twitter)

Remember, behind every Goal is a Dream waiting to be realized. How many years are you going to keep it waiting?

The World Has Changed - Has Your Job Search?

Is your job search being left behind in the dinosaur dust of traditional, outmoded methods and a complacent approach to career development?

According to a study of the long-term unemployed by The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development and the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, job search success (or not!) is critically tied to keeping current.

This aging and work study compared older (55+) and prime-aged (18-54) unemployed workers from 2009-10. The data contains some interesting statistics:

• More than two-thirds (67%) of older job seekers in the study said they had been looking for work for more than a year. The study confirmed that 84% of the older workers who were unemployed in August 2009 were still unemployed in March 2010.
• The older workers were more likely to use traditional, static job search methods like newspaper ads and online job postings, while the younger group used more dynamic methods, such as social networking (both online and offline) and discussion boards.
• The majority (64%) of individuals 55+ admitted their job search strategies were not
  effective, while less than 49% of younger workers felt that way.
• Fewer (12%) older workers took new education or training courses in the previous year, as compared to 20% of the younger unemployed workers.

Reviewing studies and following trends about where the world of work is going can be both fascinating and alarming. Juxtapose the above study results with The Future of Work video (below) on YouTube by Odesk:

 

This nearly four-minute video quickly and clearly shows us how the world of work has changed:

1. Transparent - your work is tied to the bottom-line and can be tracked by your employer. In order to be taken seriously as a candidate, you must be able to demonstrate your track record of measurable accomplishments. These quantified results from your past reassure the employer that you can bring VALUE (ultimately in money saved or profits won) in your new role. Job duties and responsibilities only tell the employer what you were supposed to do (and who knows if you even did those tasks?), and not the outcome of your on-the-job, paid endeavors.
2. Flat – location no longer matters in a flat, increasingly interconnected world due to technology advances. Communications with people locally and globally is equally easy. I just got off a career consulting call with a client in Monaco (the country) via Skype and could both see and hear him via my webcam. You can potentially work from anywhere and connect online. This telecommuting trend is growing and could impact your job search. Are you prepared with well-developed communications and SOCIAL NETWORKING skills?
3. Competitive – your competition for jobs is not just local anymore. It could be an individual halfway around the globe, or even a group of people (crowdsourcing). Your PERSONAL BRAND is key to standing out from the crowd, whether that is one or more people. Your personal brand is unique to you, authentic, and based in real feedback from people who know you well. Discover your personal brand and showcase what you and you alone have to offer. Be sure to make it relevant and compelling to the employers you target.
4. (Work) On Demand – with no guarantee of lifetime employment any longer, the trend is for work to exist in “contract” relationships with employers. Workers will migrate from one project to another. This project-based approach means the employer can chose the best talent and configuration of team members from anywhere in the world to tackle particular problems. Those chosen will be at the peak of their training and development, and not individuals who have not made LEARNING a priority.

The onus of change is pressing on everyone, and especially in the world of work. The fleet of foot, adaptable and eager to learn and use new knowledge in their job search and careers, will thrive. The harsh reality is that keeping up with the times is no longer optional…unless you are content to be left behind in the dinosaur dust.

Green Jobs: The Future Begins Now

Here is a heads-up: The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is on April 22, 2010. Is it possible that 40 years have passed and we are STILL working on building a clean energy future? There is lots of global concern for renewable energy, climate change, sustainability, and green jobs. In fact, the Earth Day Network already has over one billion people in 190 countries!

My particular passion has to do with green jobs and the future of the world of work in the green economy. Green jobs do exist and are becoming more plentiful daily. Is there one or more green career opportunities in your future?

Here is a listing of some useful resources that define green jobs and green sectors, and provide more information so you can “dig deeper” (no Earth Day pun intended):

Ask Author Carol McClelland Your Green Jobs Questions – On Wednesday, March 31 Carol answers your green jobs questions with one person winning a signed copy of her book Green Careers for Dummies.

The Green Economy, O*NET Resource Center – The National Center for O*NET Development’s research and findings into green sectors, green occupations (including new and emerging occupations), ongoing activities, and online search. This is a key place to start your investigation of green jobs and the green economy.

Job-Hunt's Green Industry Online Search Guide – Great articles from green career experts on how to build your green industry expertise now, what exactly is the new green economy, entry-level green industry jobs, and more.

Reach Personal Branding Green Career Guide – Going Green: Five Tips for Getting a Green Job, 10 articles from personal branding strategists including one from me (A Green Career Makeover), and a full page of green jobs resources and links.

Green Job Spider – Newly launched search engine for green jobs in 22 sectors across 8 states and expanding.

Go Green, Get Hired – Interview for Vault.com with Chris Russell, founder of greenjobspider.com. Chris defines green jobs, cites the top 5 green jobs job functions / job postings, and makes bullish predictions for the green sector.

High Growth Occupations Revealed by O*NET

There could be a bright light in your career future! Despite the tough economy and high unemployment rates, O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor) says there are “bright outlook” occupations. These are defined as “occupations expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, will need large numbers of new job openings, or are new and emerging occupations”.

If you are considering a career change or simply interested in what fields are the best high-growth prospects, why not check out the list? The links contained within the list will take you to specific information about each occupation, including job description, salary level, education and training, and outlook for the future. Many of these occupations are also identified as “green jobs”.

Here is an A-B-C sampling of some of the “bright outlook” occupations:

Adaptive Physical Education Specialists
Biofuels Processing Technicians
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technicians
Energy Auditors
Fuel Cell Engineers
Green Marketers
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
Industrial Ecologists
Janitors and Cleaners
Landscape Architects
Mapping Technicians
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists
Online Merchants
Precision Agriculture Technicians
Quality Control Analysts
Recycling Coordinators
Solar Energy Installation Managers
Training and Development Specialists
Urban and Regional Planners
Video Game Designers
Water Resource Specialists

Many of the bright outlook occupations do not require a 4-year degree, so obtaining the necessary training to switch careers may be do-able for you. Consult with a career counselor to determine what might be the “best fit” option for you.

I was pleased to see that one of the “much faster than average” growth occupations is for Special Education Teacher, Pre-school, Kindergarten, and Elementary School. This is the field my daughter has trained for and is actively pursuing in her job search. Hurray for bright outlook careers!

Green Jobs: Your Future Career Path?

Green jobs are predicted by many to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the US economy for the future decades (Global Insight, 2008, report to The United States Conference of Mayors and the Mayors Climate Protection Center).  In fact, the O*NET Center (US Department of Labor) has identified 215 “green” occupations in 12 major industrial sectors, with more to be added.

These facts came to my attention as the result of reading “Building Windmills in the Green Economy” by Dr. Janet E. Wall in the most recent NCDA Career Developments publication (Winter 2009). Her article is available to NCDA members exclusively. 

Dr. Wall’s background as a career development expert, O*NET consultant, and one of the founders of the first Earth Day in Texas, demonstrates her experience and passion about career development and green careers. Her comprehensive article is a goldmine of green jobs information.

For example, she reports that the greening economy will directly impact the further development of existing occupations, as well as the emergence of new occupations, most consistently in 12 industrial sectors, such as Renewable Energy Generation, Transportation, Green Construction, Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, and Government and Regulatory Administration. Resources she cites include the Green Jobs Guidebook by the Environmental Defense Fund,  The Occupational Outlook Quarterly (Summer 2009 issue), and the US Department of Labor’s Career Voyages green jobs portal.

Reporting about green jobs and useful resources is also close to my heart, especially since I grew up on a farm where recycling and “green” job tasks were abundant. In addition, as a professional career counselor,  I have encouraged career development and career management based on being knowledgeable about yourself and future careers. With the fast pace of change, those future careers could be right around the corner for many of you!

Read my “Follow the Green Jobs Road” post (April, 2009), as well as The Reach Personal Branding Career Advice Guide on Green Careers, to get up to speed quickly on the essentials. Do not let the greening of the economy leave you and your career in the dust!

Social Media Tools and Building Trust

You have nanoseconds to capture the attention of your target audience. What do you do? If you believe you have tried everything, then hold onto your hats because the concept of Trust Agents has arrived! Chris Brogan, social media guru, will be interviewed by William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding, on Thursday, September 10 at noon EST on The Rise of the Trust Agent. The September 2009 Reach Personal Branding Interview Series will focus on:

- How you can be “human at a distance”
- How you can take advantage of relationship-centric tools on the new Web, and
- How to make your first moves in this online space.

Chris Brogan has been on the forefront of social media, web and mobile technologies for the past 10 years to build digital relationships for businesses and individuals. He is co-author of Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust (Wiley, August 2009). In addition, his blog ranks in the top 10 of the Advertising Age Power 150 and the top 100 on Technorati.

Whether you are a newbie at social media or believe you are a power user, Chris Brogan will  share some new ideas that could turn you into a new kind of social media connector: the Trust Agent. The interview will be recorded for those who cannot attend the live call.