march 2012 vol. 3, no. 3 in this issue featured stories in ... 2012.pdf · kanwal minhas by rick...
TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 2012 Vol. 3, No. 3
In This Issue Welcome Editorial
NEWS FEATURES Hired Learning
Recent Landings
Committee Spotlights
Helpful Tips
About PSGCNJ Official Website
Yahoo Group
Programs Calendar
Submit Your Bio
Tech Tips
Transition Tips
COMMITTEES Administration
Marketing
Membership
Opportunity Center
Programs & Networking
Technology
Training Advanced Résumé Review Mock Interviews
General Meeting and Location
Mondays at 10:30 AM First United Methodist Church Basement Meeting Hall 48 West High Street Somerville, NJ
Useful Links
NJ Department of Labor
Job Search Websites
Reference USA
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Featured Stories in this Issue: EDITOR’S NOTE – New Tools for your Job Search Arsenal by Rick Verbanas 1
HIRED LEARNING – CAR Stories Distinguish Denisha Rowe by Frances Chaves 2
Preparation was Key for David Willoughby by Rick Verbanas 2
COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHTS – “What Have You Been Doing with Yourself?” What to Tell the Hiring Manager by Kenneth Hitchner & Marketing Committee 4
– Administration Committee 5
– Marketing Committee 6
– Membership Committee 7
– Opportunity Center Committee 8
– Programs & Networking Committee 9
– Technology Committee 10
– Training Committee 11
HELPFUL TIPS – MARCH 14th
Job Fair Etiquette by Sonia Vera 12
RECENT LANDINGS – A List of Newly Employed PSGCNJ Members 13
MONDAY MORNING MEETINGS – Calendar of Upcoming Topics and Speakers 14
New Tools for your Job Search Arsenal By Rick Verbanas, Managing Editor
Greetings, PSGCNJ Members! If your job search is resulting in multiple offers, you can skip this issue. If not, get out of your comfort zone and add some tools to your arsenal. This issue is packed with new ways to get noticed by employers. Start by registering for the March 14th Professional Service Group of Central New Jersey (PSGCNJ) Job Fair. This issue
tells you how to register, and helps prep you to make the best first impression with hiring managers. For more tips come to the General Meeting on Monday, March 5th. Next, update or submit your PSGCNJ Candidate Profile or Bio Blast. This issue shows you how to best present yourself to the companies PSGCNJ contacts every month, and how to get on the list presented to all Job Fair exhibitors. Lastly, get involved! A great advantage of PSJCNJ membership is learning skills or keeping sharp while in transition. This issue provides information and contact data for all seven PSGCNJ committees as well as the skills participation enhances. Three months into 2012 have you followed through on your New Year's resolutions, trying new avenues in your job search? Read this issue and choose at least two new ways to get closer to landing your next opportunity! Happy Landings!
We want to hear from you — CONTACT US:
rickverbanas@ bellsouth.net
STAFF
Managing Editor:
Rick Verbanas
Layout Editor:
Frances Chaves
Copy Editors:
Ken Hitchner
Rick Verbanas
MARKETING COMMITTEE:
Robert Acquaye Julius Alberici Frances Chaves Ken Hitchner George Hunter Robert Kolvites Luann Ladley Cynthia Lewis Tom Makowski Kanwal Minhas Leanore Naphtali David Pastore Rick Peterson Leanne Rea Sonia Vera Rick Verbanas PAGE 2
HIRED LEARNING
CAR Stories Distinguish Denisha
Rowe from the Competition
By Frances Chaves
Denisha Rowe landed as a Financial Sales Consultant
with PNC Bank at the end of a two-month hiring process. She found the job
opportunity while researching the bank’s website. Two weeks after filling out an
online application, Denisha was interviewed on the phone by a recruiter. This led to
a more formal interview by a panel at the corporate office, immediately followed by a
one-one-one interview. Denisha feels that the valid and relevant questions she had
prepared before the interview were important in her success.
PSGCNJ training provided Denisha with valuable tips on how to sell herself and how
to use CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) stories. She advises job seekers to work on
their CAR stories which were important during her interviews because “they help to
highlight your achievements to potential employers and distinguish you from other
applicants.”
Denisha started at PNC Bank on February 2nd. We wish her great success there!
Preparation was Key for David Willoughby By Rick Verbanas David Willoughby credits his few months with PSGCNJ with sharpening his technical knowledge, selling himself better, and keeping positive. What started as exploratory phone calls gained through networking, turned into an offer within several weeks. “Through a friend, the company’s hiring manager contacted me on the phone,” David explained. “He was expecting a lot of new business in the next year, was considering changes to his organization, and was always on the lookout for good talent. He wanted to see if there could be a fit for me with them.” Willoughby says that focusing on CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) stories helped him talk about himself and his accomplishments better in the interview. He also says the week-long training was essential in preparing him to be focused. “Completing the training material helped me articulate specific things I liked and didn't like about my previous jobs, companies and managers (and helped) me formulate what I was looking for, what work environment I wanted to be in and what type of work I wanted to do,” David shared. “This was important because I had two situations where the hiring managers did not have written job descriptions. I was asked to tell them what I wanted to do, what I was good at, how I could help them and what role I wanted to have. I was prepared for these questions and could shape the job description to suit my interests.” David’s hiring process went fairly quickly, considering there was no official position
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available when they first spoke. “We emailed around Thanksgiving, then (I learned) a lot more about the company… and how I could fit in at a meeting in the first week of December. Two weeks later the hiring manager made an offer and I accepted the position at the end of the following week!” David said that the general meeting and his committee meeting helped him structure his time and “…I met a lot of great people to share ideas and concerns with. Being unemployed creates a lot of challenges. Associating with people in the same situation was really helpful. (Also) I learned valuable things from all the presenters and the following Q&A. That helped me feel more knowledgeable and confident about my job search.” The five things Willoughby said worked best in his job search were: 1. Practicing his Elevator Speech
2. Developing his CAR Stories
3. Cleaning up his resume
4. Getting active on LinkedIn
5. And, of course, Networking “Networking, being able to talk with and exchange information with strangers is a skill that we all need to develop. Marty Latman's presentation (Working the Room, 12/27/2011) should be ‘stickied’ to the training committee web page,” he added. Congratulations to David Willoughby for working such a successful job search!
What you can do:
Attend the Monday 10:30 AM PSGCNJ General Membership meetings at
First United Methodist Church (Basement Meeting Hall), 48 West High Street, Somerville. Speakers are listed in this newsletter and at www.psgcnj.org: click on “Professional” at the top of the page, then on “Newsletter” in the left column.
Take a Career Beacon job-search workshop on topics such as networking,
résumé writing and self-management skills. Sign-up at DoL (Department of Labor) or contact Somerville One-Stop Center at 908-704-3000.
Schedule a one-on-one résumé review meeting by emailing your current
résumé to [email protected]. Receive feedback from your peers on the Career Training Committee, which meets at the DoL Building in Somerville.
Join the Transition Management Team (TMT) to support your job search. TMT
meets at 9am on the second and fourth Mondays before the General Membership Meeting. Contact Emmanuel “Manny” Inyang from the DoL for more information.
JOIN A COMMITTEE! It looks great on your résumé; it gives you something good to talk about in your interview; it’s a great way to network; and PSGCNJ needs your support.
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COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT:
“What Have You Been Doing?” What to Tell the Hiring Manager…
By Kenneth Hitchner and the Marketing Committee
Picture yourself at your next job interview. You have just sat down in front of the hiring manager. You recite some variation of your 30-second pitch and begin to weave your Challenge-Action-Result (CAR) stories into the discussion. Next, the hiring manager asks you the question that will determine whether you will be hired. He knows that you have been in transition for more than six months and presumes that your skill-sets have started to diminish in value. The $1,000,000 question “So what have you been doing with yourself since you’ve been laid off,” he asks. “Well, I’ve taken this time to make myself more valuable in the workplace,” you reply with a straight face. The hiring manager lifts his head and sits back. For the first time in the interview, he is no longer thinking about what he will have for lunch. “How do you figure being laid off has made you more valuable?” he asks in a bewildered state. During your transition, you had planned your work and worked your plan. When all the structure in your life seemed to have disappeared, you took the initiative and created a new one. And now, it’s your time to turn uncertainly into opportunity. “Once I was laid off,” you say, “I quickly identified my major skill sets. And then I analyzed my industry and the specific job listings to determine what employers would value. “I joined the Professional Service Group of Central New Jersey so I could join its committees to help me maintain my existing skill sets and learn new ones. I also went back to school to learn new skills and the latest technology in my field.” “Ironically,” you add, “I probably could not have accomplished this feat had I been in the workforce, but now I am ready to help my next employer take their business to the next level.” The hiring manager quickly processes your logic and smiles. He likes your story. And you start your new position next week. Your next move To make this story your own, join one of PSGCNJ’s committees to maintain your value in the workplace and fill the gap on your resume. And if you plan properly, you can make yourself more marketable. A brief description of each committee, along with the skill sets they provide, follows.
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Administration Committee Purpose: Ensures the continuation, effective operation and ongoing viability of PSGCNJ. Activities:
Liaise with the Department of Labor (DoL); deliver their monthly reports
Organize and supervise efforts to improve operations, products, and services of PSGCNJ
Maintain coordination between committees
Facilitate and ensure smooth operation of Chairs Council meetings
Liaise with the United Methodist Church
Maintain and oversee distribution of funds Skill Sets Provided
Management
Organizational
Project Planning Location/Date: to be announced Contacts: Stephen Goetzke ([email protected])
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Marketing Committee
Purpose: Promotes PSGCNJ both internally and externally. Activities:
Create internal and external communications, marketing materials
Create monthly online newsletter
Support other committees with marketing materials Skill Sets Provided:
Writing
Editing
Page Layout & Design
Project Management Location/Date: Panera Bread (Somerville Circle, Rt. 202S), Fridays, 10:30am EXCEPT the third Friday of the month when the meeting is at DOL Contacts: Ken Hitchner ([email protected]) Frances Chaves ([email protected]) David Pastore ([email protected])
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Membership Committee
Purpose: Promotes PSGCNJ and its benefits to membership. Activities:
Maintain membership information
Conduct weekly orientation for prospective new members
Generate membership reports
Administer Yahoo Group and LinkedIn for PSGCNJ Skill Sets Provided:
Data collection, input / entry
Microsoft Office Professional (WORD, Excel, Access, Outlook)
Public Speaking
Report Generation
Letter writing Location/Date: Department of Labor: PSGCNJ Room, Fridays, 10:30am - 3:30pm Contacts:
Dirk Graham ([email protected]) Burnett Lewis ([email protected])
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Opportunity Center Committee Purpose: Support the membership community by providing job leads to professionals in transition and job candidates to employers seeking to fill their staffing needs. Activities:
Call Center Management – cold/warm calling to companies to ID job opportunities. Develop and distribute leads to PSGCNJ members
Company Data Base Management – maintain and perform maintenance on PSGCNJ database. Track call results. Generate call sheets
Communications - Internal: Job leads and resume requests External: Distribution of Candidate Bulletins/Bio’s
Other – New OCC member training, company canvassing and supporting special initiatives such as Job Fairs
Skill Sets Provided:
Telemarketing skills, great for phone interviews
Database management skills, data tracking and usage skills, editing and review
Location/Date: Department of Labor: PSGCNJ Room, Thursdays, 10am Contacts: James Phelps ([email protected]) Carl Pflanzer ([email protected]) Cesar Flores ([email protected])
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Programs & Networking Committee Purpose: Ensure continuous educational and networking opportunities to the members of PSGCNJ. Activities:
Facilitate General Meetings
Moderate General Meetings
Arrange for Guest Speakers
Organize special events such Networking Exercises, Job Fairs, Picnics & Alumni Night
Skill Sets Provided:
Builds confidence
Improve public speaking
Enhance general management
Project management and leadership skills
Improve time management skills Location/Date: Department of Labor: WLL Room 2nd & 4th Mondays at 1:30pm Contacts: Cynthia Lewis ([email protected]) Hensley Jemmott ([email protected]) Alan Davide ([email protected])
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Technology Committee
Purpose: Responsible for supporting other committees, coordinating member activities, facilitating dialogue among group members and improving current processes and procedures as they pertain to technology related matters and issues. Activities:
PSGCNJ Website Management – including http://psgcnj.org/techtips
Equipment & AV – for General Membership Meetings, including WiFi and video recordings for the online PSGCNJ Media Library
Development Projects – MemberTrack online project and MS Access programming maintenance
Tech Support – ad hoc support for other Committees and limited-scope tech support for Members
Skill Sets Provided:
Project management
Presentation skills
Organizational skills
Leadership skills
HTML/CSS brush-up
Videographer skills
Wireless networking Location/Date: Department of Labor: WIA Room - Meets 2nd and 4th Mondays at 1:30pm Contacts: Eric Schwartz ([email protected]) Kevin Sorensen ([email protected]) Luann Ladley ([email protected]
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Training Committee
Purpose: To better prepare people in career transition by providing tools and information to help focus and accelerate their job search. Activities: Development training and delivery workshops delivered Monday to Friday consisting of:
Employment Orientation and Self-Assessment
Communication
Networking
Letter and Résumé Writing
Interview Technique Advanced workshops are also offered which can be scheduled after the 5 day training is completed. They consist of:
Résumé Review
Mock Interview Skill Sets Provided:
Public speaking
Education/training
Staffing/scheduling
Team building/leadership
Planning/organization skills Location/Date: Department of Labor: DVR Room, Thursdays, 9:30am Contacts: Karen Bieri ([email protected]) Steve Smith ([email protected]) Simon Stark ([email protected])
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HELPFUL TIPS
MARCH 14th
Job Fair Etiquette: Putting Your
Best Foot Forward
By Sonia Vera PSGCNJ’s Job Fair is scheduled for March 14th at Raritan Valley Community College. REGISTER NOW at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHQ4LXItcHBCeW9BTmNHS3dEcG9KaFE6MA Want to bring your “A” Game to the Job
Fair? Attend the March 12th General Meeting
training session where we’ll answer
questions and do role playing.
As a helpful guide, remember these basic Do's and Don'ts:
DO – Dress to reflect your career goals. Business casual is acceptable.
DO – Bring plenty of resumes and business cards. Don't underestimate smaller companies; they may have the ideal opening for you.
DO – Prepare a cover letter for the job titles you have already researched.
DO – Manage your time. Modify your elevator pitch for each recruiter. Ask three to
five questions about the position, company or trends in your area of interest.
DO – Smile! Take a few deep breaths. Relax before speaking. Make eye contact.
DON’T - Appear greedy by grabbing a bunch of pens, pads or other freebies.
DON’T – Leave until you are confident five employers will want to receive your call.
DON’T – Forget to ask for a name of someone else they think you should contact.
DON’T – Waste time standing in lines where the business has marginal interest in your background.
DON’T – Overlook this opportunity for meeting, greeting and networking with others.
DON’T – Forget to prepare some basic questions to determine your best fit, the recruiter's hiring process, the company culture and any other aspects of the job hunt vital towards landing. Here are some examples:
What kinds of skills and experience do you look for in the employees you hire?
What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?
Which courses/experiences do you recommend to make me a good candidate?
Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain times of the year?
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How long does the hiring process take? What does it consist of?
What percent of applicants are eventually hired? What is the retention rate?
What is your organization's culture like?
For how many years does the typical employee stay with the company?
Are there opportunities for ongoing training through your organization?
Do you expect your employees to relocate? How much travel is involved?
What made you choose this company and why do you stay?
How long have you been with the company?
What's the one thing that most surprised you about this company?
Lastly, don’t forget to write thank you notes to the recruiters. These notes are always
welcomed and help you to be remembered. Little touches make a big difference.
RECENT LANDINGS Congratulations to the PSGCNJ members who have landed. This is a partial list: 1/9/12 Greg Brothers, Facility Manager (Outside Sales), Staples 1/30/12 Halina Kowalski, Sr. Admin Asst./Event Planner, Plymouth Rock/ OfficeTeam 2/13/11 Sandra Razor, Personal Trust Auditor (6 months), Experis Finance 2/15/12 Walter Shotwell, Research Assistant (part time), Rutgers University 2/21/12 Armando Silva, Product Manager, Falcon Safety Products When you land in your new career please remember to update your co-chair with
the name of your company and title of your new position!
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MONDAY MORNING MEETINGS Please check our Program Events Calendar for more information: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/psgcnj/cal
March 2012
=== ================================================
March 5, 2012 Topic: "Job Fair Etiquette" Presenter: Training Committee
=================================================================== March 12, 2012
Topic: "Are your marketing materials marketing you when you are not there To market yourself?" Presenter: Eileen Strong ==================================================================
March 19, 2012
Topic: "Creating a Winning LinkedIN Profile"
Presenter: Debra Wheatman
===============================================================
March 26, 2012
Presenter: Princeton Toastmasters
START YOUR WEEK RIGHT with TMT (Transition Management Team) - the 2nd
and 4th week of every month at 9:00am before the General Meeting at 10:30am
EDITOR’S NOTE:
If you have an idea or a suggestion for PSGCNJ, or a request for a specific topic to appear in this newsletter, please send it to: Rick Verbanas at [email protected]
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NOTES: