Another Morning

Have you had one of those days when you wake up, and think 'ugh, another xday' where x is any day of the week.  It's troublesome when you've had time off, hit a brick wall, can't find another person to throw a resume at, have your resume formatted 17 different ways, and still found that at this point in your life, you might be thinking, 'Would you like fries with that?' wasn't such a bad gig after all.  Don't despair!  A lot of people are taking this 'off time' opportunity to go back to school -- which is fantastic.

I would highly encourage you, as a job seeker to upgrade your skills, what  ever they may be. Perhaps you always wanted to be a nurse but you are stuck tech mode, or maybe you are a nurse who always dreamed of teaching. Maybe you are an engineer or architect who has always wanted to start a company that led expeditions in the wilderness of wherever.  It can and should be done.

If  I had my own life to do all over again, I'd probably choose a life long skill set that is transferable in any job market, but is technical in nature.  But that's just me!  Although  I do like to get my hands dirty....maybe my life long obsession with growing mango trees indoors could -oh, wait (we interrupt this blog to bring you an important announcement).

Do you, like me, love the tangy, peppery smell of a ripe mango?  Did you know  that you can now have your very own mango tree, right INSIDE your house? It's true! If you call right now, operators are standing by to rush you your very own six pack of Mango seeds, a germination handbook, special recipe kit (straight from your kitchen cabinet) on how to fertilize your own Mango tree?  A specialized book, "The care and feeding of Mango's"  the follow on book "Mature Mango's" all in full color, with questions on every single detail!  Live in Dubuque Iowa, yes you too can have a Mango Tree!  Nebraska? You bet?  Alaska?

Call now, as operators are standing by!  Think of the lifetime of Mango's that you can have in you own home! You'll never have to pay outrageous store prices again!!!  Sweet, tangy, Mango starter kit with all mentioned above has a retail value of $75.99 but today, it's been marked for FREE! For the first 500 callers only, pay only $8.99 shipping and handling!

Now back to our regular scheduled programming.  On a serious note; if you are in IT, expand your skill set; there is a plethora of information online for free to expand your market. In fact if you are interested in expanding just about any part of your knowledge, I encourage you to take free classes online, lectures can be had at a myriad of places for free, including MIT, Harvard, and Yale.  Study up, expand your knowledge, stay sharp, and you will likely find your new found experiences will lend themselves to you expanding your mind, your circle of friends, and associates.

And remember, if you are still fishing for a job, throw in your line at www.govtcontractorjobs.com and find out who is hiring in your area!

You don't really want to work, do you?

I remember a few years ago, I got a call from Computer Sciences Corporation. I talked to the recruiter, we did a mini-interview, I answered technical questions for a screening process. We went a step further, and then she stopped.  I asked about setting up the first phone interview, and she froze. She apologized and said she'd made a mistake. And I asked her what was wrong.  Turns out that CSC, had at that time, a minimum 80% buzz word screening.  I was at a 72%. She wasn't supposed to call me until after they had run through all the other candidates. I had somehow filtered to the top.  It was then that I learned that when a job is posted at a large corporation, it's probably an excellent idea to tailor your resume, specific to their job requirements.  Had I done my research and added my experience in a different way, I would have hit that job requirement at 99%. But because of the way I had my resume formatted at that time, I was a lowly 72% on buzz words. I was dismayed, at first, but learned a valuable lesson.  Take time, read the requirements, and if you want the positions, tailor your resume, it works.

Now about what doesn't work: I'm thinking that B. really didn't want to work.  I received, as I often do an unsolicited resume from a well meaning person. I always take the time to respond, even if briefly, and let them know that I do have over 1Million new jobs across the US and the Middle East.  I always review their resume and generally send them a link with a list of jobs that they are qualified for in their region or city.

And for about the third time recently, I've kindly responded, let them know hey, here's a site; or sometimes I see that they may be looking for specific employment in Iraq or Afghanistan or the Middle East in general. And if I think that they could use additional exposure, I often ask  them if they want me to list their resume as an example on my site.

The email I sent out said, hey take a look at this site: http://www.govtcontractorjobs.com  I see you are in the Cleveland Area, and I found 214 jobs specific in your career field.  I got a reply back, "Thanks, but if you know of someone personally hiring, please forward my resume to them, or just let me know."  I replied back and said, ok I will, but already I can tell this person has no initiative on his part.  I then e-mail and suggest that I could put his resume on my site, for exposure.  He replies, well, ok, but I'd want all identifity material removed.  I agree and tell him I can do that.

He then e-mails me back and says, well, I'd prefer if you  make it a jpg or a tiff image so no one can plagiarize my resume.

Now, I laughed out loud. He sent, to me, his resume, unsolicited. And so I just wrote him back, and said, 'hey no problem, I won't bother putting your resume up there.'

However, I still am under the impression that people in our instant-society have forgotten, or perhaps never learned the key to actual job searching. Perhaps they are ignorant of the interview processes, and the need, these days to painstakingly input all data into a prospective employers database-all before you even get to find out if someone wants to even talk to you for a first interview.

Can you advance confidently?

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." - Henry David Thoreau 


If you find yourself, stumped, feeling bad, against a wall, or depressed about your current situation. Realize this: It can change, and change for the better.  We need not look any further than the quote about by Mr. HD Thoreau.  His simple statement holds truth in it.


A great example of this is in modern day would be Mr. Steven Speilberg. I will summarize the story I recently read about how he actually got his start in the movie industry. He took a Universal Studio tour, and jumped off the shuttle at an opportune moment.  He would take the same tour every day dressed in a suit and tie, and always walk out and acknowledge the guard in the evening. He eventually found an empty office and took up residence in there, and even put his name on the directory.  That, my friends, takes chutzpah.  But his sole reason: He wanted to make movies. That is what his vision was, and he went confidently in the direction of his dreams. He used that in-roads to get his first student film in front of some directors.


If you are searching for a dream job, with the dream company. Make yourself known, go confidently in the direction of your dreams. If you are sitting around waiting for something to fall in your lap, you will most likely keep waiting. But if you take ACTION, and you do the things that will put you where you want to be.  If you found the 'perfect company' have you researched it, can you tell them in an interview how you can solve issues? Can you identify ways, as non-employee of the company how you can go in and improve their bottom line?  It's possible. Look at the company, look at their overall structure. Look at their competitors, study what sets them apart from their competitors.  Put yourself out there, offer to work two weeks for free, or even a month. 


There are over 1Million new jobs in the United States that were listed in the last seven days.  I know unemployment is high, but being un-employed shouldn't be an option for you.  Endeavor to live  a life YOU imagine and YOU WILL MEET with success unexpected, in common hours!


Until next time. 

One of those days

Ever have one of those days?  Sometimes, there are times it seems to me anyway, that I just can't catch a break. Today was one of those. I had signed up for a webinar/telecon to get what I thought would be vital information to my career.  I had actually missed the last webinar/telecon because I had forgotten to put it on my calendar.

Lesson learned.  This time around I signed up two weeks ahead of time.  I put it in my calendar, I set an alert. I got the email. It was in a different time zone. No Problem! I still had two and a half hours to go. Just to be certain I set my ancillary clock on my Vista machine to show the time in PST time as well so when I hovered over my computer clock, I would verify I wouldn't be late.

I called in a few minutes before the call, as was requested.  A few to me is code for more than 2 less than 10.  I called in and got a 'gasp' live person, who asked where I was calling from. I told the lady what country I was calling from.  I was then transferred to a man, who asked where I was calling from. I explained I was out of country and was calling in but my home state was Florida.  "Oh, sorry," he says. "We aren't taking any more callers from Florida."

Honestly I am a little bit miffed. And then I realized that it's not necessary for me to listen to that particular webinar. Heck there is another one in a week. I can sign up for that one.  I am,after all, interested.  But, I know that this pitch is going to be relative to the spin of making a sale, a pitch that will lead to more information.

I know how this particular outfit operates. I have succumbed before. Here's the catch. They really do have solid information. They really are a marketing company which I will most likely use in the future. I have used them in the past. However, they do limit the number of people they work with.

Being blown off particularly in a job search bites.  How many thousands upon thousands of times have you sent out resumes only to hear not a thing in return.  I want to relate an experience. Last July I began pushing out resumes for a position. I knew the contract that I was working on was ending soon. I begin my search about six months in advance of contract end.  I sent out easily 500 resumes.  I followed up and my follow ups were eventually  narrowed down to  5 interviews and three quality offers. I chose one.  However the other 495 languished through varying stages of death. Follow ups sometimes-probably most times should be done every four weeks. It's like a marketing campaign of yourself. Persistence some times is key.

The inverse of persistence would have to be apathy. I know that most companies do not return your email nor a 'sorry it's not me, it's you'  letter.  I got one last week;The first week of March, for a job that applied for, as far as I can tell in my records... Sept 08.  Perhaps persistence might have been key if I'd have been following up on all my job searches back then.  On the other hand, maybe someone refreshed a database and it kicked out a generic email.

Market yourself, be persistent, and if you want to find out who's hiring now: www.govtcontractorjobs.com

Action makes all the difference.

The other day I went into a shop to have a vehicle serviced.  The service was lackluster, the personalities within, just as enlightening.  And then, I saw something that was posted near the ceiling of the office, and it wasn't just one. It was a whole series of quotes on action.  And apparently these people whom had given empowerment to do their jobs, and given latitude with which to do them, were rather aloof of what hung above their heads.

Which brings me to a point. Before I headed to Germany, I had the pleasure of doing business with a small town auto dealership, in Temple, Texas: Garlyn Shelton Volkswagen.  The receptionist was the most pleasant, the manager was the best auto manager I've ever dealt with, the salesman with whom I had to deal with was the best too.  In fact there is no doubt in my mind that the level of service I received there will no doubt carry that auto dealership into the next 100 years.  They were all empowered to do their jobs, and do it well, they were all smiling, and happy to help.  And this was during the period of high un-employment. I was turning in a lease. The company was not making money on me. They had never serviced my vehicle.  They had nothing financially to gain from me being there.  They did however leave an impression; they took action. No one, complained. No one said, this isn't my job. Maya Angelou said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  And I can tell you right now, those individuals at Garlyn Shelton, they made me feel welcome.

The biggest difference between these two shops.  One had signs all over about taking action. One simply took action. They had no signs, they just did.

Are you actionable, or are you reactive?  Napoleon Bonaparte said, " Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in." That's pretty sound advice.  How can you decide when the time is right? Do you get an analysis-paralysis when you look at the job boards, when you think about what you could be doing instead?  Do you say to yourself, "there is no way..."?  Stop that destructive self behavior. Look forward, make a goal. Make an actionable task of getting where you want.

Charles Kettering said, "Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail." I remember watching a segment from Tony Robbins who twisted that slightly and said, "What could you accomplish if you knew, if you knew, you couldn't fail? You aren't allowed to; failure is NOT an option." And you know what that guy knows how to stir excitement in a person. He knows how to emotionally grip you and question yourself.

What actions would you take to get what you want? Let me re-phrase that, "What actions will you take to make certain you get where and  what you want?"  You see. It is all up to you. Whether its a playground island in the Caymans, a 12 foot bass boat, or a sixty foot yacht. Whether its a mansion, or a log cabin in the snowy woods. Those steps, the solitude the significant accomplishments in your life, they all start with one thing: Action.

Want to take action on a positive position with a company who is hiring today? http://www.govtcontractorjobs.com

Moral Compass, Ethics and The Truth

I was giving time to think about the recent re-instatement of the Federal Reserve Chairman and the swearing in of the Treasury Secretary, and watched enflamed arguments of both sides on Huffington Post's blog.  It made me reflect on the oaths I have taken in my life. The first oath I ever took was to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and swear to defend it with my life, against enemies both foreign and domestic. The latest oath I've taken was when I became a CISSP.

It states in the Code of Ethics Preamble:

Safety of the commonwealth, duty to our principals, and to each other requires that we adhere, and be seen to adhere, to the highest ethical standards of behavior.

Think that over for just a moment.  Think about the massive banking fraud that took place. Think about the bail outs. It is pretty clear in my mind that the bankers, the CEO’s, the trader's, the SEC, the FED and many others didn't have moral character. One of the tenants of a publicly traded company is to build shareholder's wealth, but not to do so at the expense of integrity. Yet Bernanke was re-affirmed by the Senate, and Geithner was sworn in, though he failed to pay outstanding taxes from 2001 to 2004, until he was nomination was affirmed.  In both cases there were at least 30 votes against it.

Wikipedia defines Moral character or character is an evaluation of a particular individual's moral qualities. The concept of character can imply a variety of attributes including the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits.

If our leaders do not exhibit these qualities, will you stand up and be that leader? Will you be ethical, will you have moral courage? Will you exhibit the fortitude to continue to do the right thing? In business, in life, either way - you are judged by your honesty, your truthfulness and your character. Where has the moral compass of America turned and why? When did our leaders that we elect lose their integrity, their moral courage?  What is your definition of ethics?

One of my friends, a teacher of ISC2's CISSP course gives this small talk about ethics and doesn't ask for your answer, he just presents the following

scenario:

Suppose you are in a position to make a huge sale for your company. In fact your entire livelihood depends on this one sale. If you don't make the sale, you are going to be axed, and you know this.  It just so happens as you are commiserating over your final approach to the customer in three days, you happen by the local watering hole to contemplate. As fate would have it, your primary competitor is there, discussing the same account you are calling on. They are within earshot. Do you listen in, or do you ignore?

Then your competitor opens his briefcase, pulls out the file and opens it.

Leaves the table to hits the bathroom, then the appetizer buffet. Do you casually walk by, and look? Whip out your cell phone and take pictures, or do you ignore it entirely?

Your competitor eats his appetizers, finishes his drink and walks out the door. But he leaves his briefcase behind. It's been five minutes, ten minutes. Do you take the briefcase? Do you turn it in? Do you look inside to find out what's really there?

Now remember this is possibly your job. You don't make the sell you lose the position. What do you do? Don't answer.

Now, what do you do if you just found out that your daughter has medical issues and is going to need surgery and long term care for recovery, and if you lose your job, you lose your medical insurance; what do you do?

Your resume is the first thing a lot of human resources will see. Will your character show through? When you interview, will you be ethical? Will you tell the truth?  When you present yourself will it be in the best light with no flaws, or will you, when asked for your greatest weakness, give the morally correct answer? Everyone has flaws, everyone makes mistakes.  When you are in an interview, don’t hide the truth.  I had once made a mistake by deleting critical log files; it ended up with me working extensive hours and recovering log files but everything was made whole again.  When asked about it, I told the truth.  It was a lesson learned. My employer appreciated the truthfulness, and future employers did too.

Truthfulness will only benefit you when or if you are given a security clearance.  Your moral compass should be on the right path when you are interviewed. When you are asked by the investigator about incidents, tell the truth. If you hedge, they will know. They are experts at reading body language, and changes of inflection in your voice.

Wanting to land a position with a government contractor that may require a clearance? Take a look at www.govtcontractorjobs.com

We now have over 3,000 open direct hire positions listed.

The Steps to the Dance of Finding Employment

How do you look for employment if you haven't had to in years, have no idea what to expect, don't really know and aren't really sure how to begin?

First things first.  You have to measure your level of comfortability with your current position.  Are you irreplaceable? Do you add value to your corporation? Are you a team player?  On the other hand; have you committed years of your life to this corporation only to find out, loyalty doesn't always work both ways?

No need to fret. It can be done. And if you haven't done this in a while, it's not painful, but it does take focus; a concerted effort, and follow up.  

Let's start with the basics:  When is the last time you updated your resume?  

If you aren't updating your resume quarterly you may be  doing yourself a great disservice. It could be updated monthly for that matter.  If you were asked to give your job description, right now, in writing, would it reflect what you do? What you were hired to do? Or has your job evolved since you were hired?  Honestly keeping monthly updates is not out of the question, nor would it be out of the question to keep a journal.  Why? When it's time for your annual review. It is a lot easier to summarize your accomplishments when you have them handy.  


The next thing you might want to do is begin your search: Does the company you work for offer upward mobility? Does it have a possible lateral move that has more responsibility?  In time those with greater responsibility are always paid for than those without responsibilities.  If current employer is out of the question; where to look next?
Competitors. Do your market research. Who does your company compete with? Does it manufacture widgets? Look at other manufacturers? Are you in Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable? Chances are 99/100 that most every company has that.  Do you work in sales?  That field alone is the life blood of every business.  Information Technology. Depending on the size of the company it's either in house, or outsourced.  Can you transfer your skill set to your companies natural competitors?  If not competitors, what about different type of company all together?  In manufacturing? Why not Insurance?  In Insurance? Why not back-end outsourced IT support?  Boiling this down, it's find the type of company you want to work for and come up with the reasons why. I want to work at ACME Widget company for the following reasons: 1. Straight 40 2. Benefits 3. Possible Overtime 4. Lifestyle 5. The are in the top 100 employers for the state. You get the picture: Find your perceived perfect employer and execute the necessary steps to obtain employment with them.


In the interim, practice interview questions. Get a book at your library. Ask a local SCORE office to interview you. These are all retired executives, they'd probably be happy to help. Just make an appointment, and ask.


Now study the company, if they are publicly traded, get as much information as you can on them.  Google the company in Google News, setup a news filter that will get you information on the company.  Have they produced press releases? Read them in detail.  If the company you have chosen doesn't have that information readily. Find it. Whether it's through an acquaintance, a contact, the receptionist, or someone. Find out all the background on the company you want to work for.


Contact Human Resources, direct letter to the HR director or VP, write an excellent cover letter, introduce yourself. Enclose your resume. Let them know you will follow up in 7 business days.  In seven business days, follow up. With a phone call, with another note.  Fact is there may be a job coming open that hasn't made it to the company career site, nor to the newspapers.  You can pre-empt this by getting your well written cover letter which points out how you can help solve company problems that you may have read about in the local business daily in the hands of HR before the job hits the paper.  Personal notes, follow ups, thank you's they will set you apart from your competitor. If you have samples of your work, if applicable, attach it with the cover letter and resume. Been published? Have a book?  Let them know of your expertise in your letter to them.  Open the dialogue with the company. 


Everyone one needs a backup plan.  If Corporation A isn't the means to and end, pick up to seven, and be relentless, and be flexible.  You should be an expert on the outside of the company before you ever step foot or have a letter sent.  If seven is not enough, pick twenty-five, or whatever number. It is possible that whatever you set your mind to achieve with regards to employment, you can achieve.  It may take time, flexibilty, and relentlessness, but in the words of Prime Minister Churchill, "Never, never, never, never give up."


A quick recap:
1. Get your Resume updated
2. Identify your ideal position, and ideal company
3. Research, research, research.
4. Make contact, with a detailed letter, and a targeted resume written specifically to the job requirements. This takes time but it will set you apart
5. Follow up. Written and electronic.
6. Follow up. Written and electronic. (yes, twice, just in case you need to).
Wash, Rinse, Repeat.


and Never, Never, Never, Never give up!


Find out who is hiring direct right now: www.govtcontratorjobs.com