Career Consulting Services (410) 271-5815 careerconsult@mindspring.com
Articles:
Please note: Some of the links for articles and resources may redirect you to an external web site where the information is posted.
Internships…they’re not just for students and recent graduates!
When you are exploring a potential career or working on transitioning to one you’ve selected, gaining experience in the field of your interest can help you in many ways. Internships are one of the best ways to get this experience. If you are exploring a career field, an internship is a relatively low-risk, low-cost way to try it out and see if the reality of the work (including the culture of the field, the day-to-day work,…) matches your expectations. If you know this is the field for you but are trying to figure out how to transition to it, create a network of contacts within the field, or meet the “previous experience” requirement many employers have, an internship can give you relevant work experience, people who can serve as references in your new field, and might even lead to a position with the very employer who is hosting your internship. Internships are also a great way to try out a company you may be interested in. It could confirm your interest in that particular organization and your view of who they are and how they do the work that they are engaged in. Or, it could help you realize they are not really a good fit for you (in which case, much better to find this out as an intern!).
Luckily, regardless of economic conditions, employers do host interns (in paid and unpaid capacities) and continue to consider proposals from potential interns who wish to bring their qualifications to the organization in exchange for the opportunity to gain new skills, knowledge, and experience. At a human resources and recruiting presentation, I recently heard an expert verify that many small to medium sized companies are eagerly welcoming interns who are experienced professionals interested in contributing to the employer while gaining new or additional experience. Remember, many skills and qualifications can transfer across fields, so will provide immediate value to the employer who is hosting the intern. Now, I’m not suggesting getting an internships will be effortless, just that is it possible and very much worth the effort.
Before approaching the employer about a possible internship, create a plan and a set of marketing documents — résumé, cover letter, etc. — that allows them to see why you wish to intern at that particular organization, what you would bring to them, and what you’re hoping to gain from the experience. Treat the internship search (and the internship itself!) as seriously as you would a paid employment opportunity.
Are you thinking "this all sounds good, but I don’t think I can afford to do an internship"? Many of us may not have the time or financial resources to intern for free or for a small stipend. My suggestion, rather than assuming an internship is impossible, is to consider interning part-time while you continue to work (or seek employment). There are employers who will understand the practical considerations of your situation and will likely even appreciate your commitment and passion, demonstrated by your willingness to seek such an internship while fully engaged in another career.
So, think about the field you want to try or the organization you want to learn more about and consider whether pursuing a related internship is right for you. As you begin thinking about this resource in your career development toolbox, I’d love to hear about your experience and any thoughts you’d like to share. Please share your comments on my blog or drop me a line if you’d prefer to reply privately.
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, and a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator. If you are ready to create your career search plan and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2009. Shahrzad Arasteh. All rights reserved.
7 Ways to Organize Your Job Search!
Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, have been laid off, or recently graduated, if you are job searching you’ll enjoy better results by organizing your search. It doesn’t matter so much how you do it, as long as it is organized in some way and works for you (i.e., includes the right balance of all the elements that will lead to your next success). Here are 7 key ways to organize your search. Use them to create and tweak a plan to fit you, and help you effectively pursue and reach your employment goal.
1) Have a clear idea of the job/field you want! This may sound simple or obvious, but
many people begin looking for a job without first taking the time to be sure they can answer
the question “What position are you looking for?”
As Alice learns when she asks the Cat “̒Would you tell me, please, which way I ought
to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.’”
–Lewis Carroll
Start with the destination in mind and work back to create a plan that will get you
there (or closer to it). Much of the rest of what we’ll talk about here depends on
knowing “where you want to get to.”
2) Create a weekly schedule with all 7days and either blocks of hours or morning/
afternoon/evening sections for each day. Use this to list activities that will be
a regular part of your job search and note when you’ll typically do each. These will be
activities such as networking; reading job ads online and in print, creating and sending
customized cover letters and résumés in response to the job postings; researching
companies you may want to work for and actively identifying positions that offer a
good match for your skills/passions; seeking effective ways to approach and connect
with someone in these companies; attending job fairs and networking/professional
development opportunities, and participation in professional social networking sites
(e.g., LinkedIn).
3) Treat your job search like a full-time job (it is!). Schedule 25+ hours a week if you
are currently not employed. If you are working or attending school full-time, adjust the
hours around your work or school schedule and strive for at least 5-10 hours per week.
Include weekly time to relax; do something for fun, enjoyment and renewal.
4) Follow-up after interviews, meetings and networking contacts. Also (if you know the
name of the company) you may want to follow-up a week to ten days after sending a
résumé. Put the follow-up date and contact information/notes you’ll need on your
calendar.
5) Include time for activities related to skills you want to develop or keep fresh.
Examples of such activities include volunteering, taking a class, interning, and working
part-time in your chosen field to gain experience or a specific skill. This strategy will
also help you answer potential employers’ questions about what you’re currently
doing, in addition to job searching (if you are not employed or a full-time student).
6) Organize and document job descriptions, résumés and cover letters you’ve sent for
each, and track contacts you’ve had with those in your network, potential employers and
others (include dates/notes on the content of contact and follow-up needed). You
can create a system to do this—using a notebook or capturing the information in an
electronic format—or use a career management system such as JibberJobber—a high
quality web-based system with lots of great features and options for both free and
premium accounts www.jibberjobber.com. Remember to keep this information
throughout your job search to refer back to. You’ll also want to keep much of this
(contact information, for example) for future reference.
7) Maintain and nurture a positive attitude throughout your job search (and beyond!).
Not only will it benefit you and your well-being, but it will also be more likely to lead
to success with your job search efforts. Employers consistently cite positive attitude
as a highly sought after quality in candidates.
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to organize your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2009. Shahrzad Arasteh. All rights reserved.
Job Search and Your Online Presence
Part 1
Most of us have a web presence – whether or not we are aware of it – but we don’t always know what information (or misinformation) exists about us online. Your online presence is part of your brand (your image, who you are, what you stand for and how you and your essence are perceived by others). With more and more employers researching potential job candidates, you need to know what they’re likely to find in an online search of your name and how to increase the likelihood that what they find highlights your professionalism and qualifications.
1) Google yourself. The first step is to do an online search on yourself. Using search engines such as Google and Yahoo! type your full name and review at least the first few pages of the search results. Since you are likely to get results that differ slightly from one search engine to another, try at least two of them. Look for anything that is inaccurate or negative (including anything you think would be inappropriate for your potential or current employer to see). Also explore what information comes up that showcases your skills, accomplishments and professional values, and communicates the message you want to potential employers or clients.
2) What to do if you find negative information? Let’s say your search shows information that mistakenly links you to an organization you would not want to be associated with (first ensure it refers to you and not someone with the same name). Try contacting the site’s webmaster and asking that they remove/correct the inaccurate post. If you uncover information that is accurate, but not something you’d want an employer to see (say, something you impulsively posted online in a fit of anger and now regret), you can still request that it be removed. Keep in mind that this request may not necessarily be honored, and even if it is, you have no way of knowing for certain where else this information now lives on the web. In a future article we’ll look at tips for highlighting positive information in search results.
3) What about social networks? Some of the content about (and by) you may come from the many social (and professional) networking sites available today. Sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter can be a great resource for staying in touch with your network, learning new things, meeting others with similar interests, and sharing your knowledge and expertise. Social networking sites can also provide the “opportunity” to post comments or information you might later wish you’d kept private – or at least not made visible to everyone on the online community. Get to know the privacy settings (and limitations) each offers and decide which sites fit your interaction style, personality and needs. You may also want to start by limiting who can see the information you post and expand what you make public as you become more familiar with how the site works.
4) When employers dig deeper. If you need another reason to think carefully about what you share online, here’s one. There are some employers who – depending on their sector and position requirements – will spend the money and resources to hire firms specializing in conducting “digital dirt” searches and finding information you think has been completely removed from the web.
5) Avoid the need to clean up your web presence. Consider developing a habit of evaluating each item before posting it online and deciding whether you would be comfortable with others reading or seeing it. This includes pictures, comments on blogs and social networking sites and anything else you post or submit online. This might greatly reduce (or eliminate) the need to go back later and clean your online presence.
6) Keep updated. Once you’ve “Googled yourself” and learned what information is available about you, you can continue to keep up with what’s being published about you on the web by setting up a Google Alert using your name. This is an easy way to receive an email notification any time a new post containing your name is found.
These tips will help you get started in effectively managing your online reputation. In the next article, we’ll look at creating a positive, professional online presence.
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to take charge of your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Job Search and Your Online Presence
Part 2
If you are job searching or self-employed, chances are potential employers and clients research you online before making a decision about working with you. You should have at least as much information about your online presence as they do. In part one of this two part series, I touched on how to find the information a web search would yield about you (including any negative information or misinformation) and how you might avoid having a negative online presence. Part two will focus on how to highlight positive information online.
The sources of online information which will portray your professionalism are generated, in part, by others. Examples of such content include an article referencing or quoting you, which is written by a colleague or posted through a professional association you belong to, as well as published lists of association members or conference attendees containing your name. Such information can serve you well by highlighting your professional memberships or expertise. However, whether it is generated depends primarily on the person or organization selecting the content. So, how do you increase the likelihood that a search of your name will produce information reinforcing the message that you are the right candidate for the job?
What you write and share on the web can help to support your position as a desirable candidate (vs. giving the potential employer a reason to eliminate you from consideration). Choose what you write (and where you post it!) carefully and assume your potential employer will read it. These tips apply whether or not there is content on the web about you that is less than favorable. However, if search result do bring up anything negative that cannot be removed, it becomes particularly important to ensure links to professional, positive information show up in at least the first few pages of any search of your name. This will require thinking carefully about how and where you post content online. Select appropriate sites that have a high ranking on search engines.
LinkedIn is an excellent example of a site with a high search engine rank and professional content. If you haven’t explored this site already or created a profile on LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to do so now. How LinkedIn works, and why you should consider using it are the subjects of a separate article (several books have also been written about it, including Jason Alba’s excellent book I’m on LinkedIn — Now What???). I am listing the site here to emphasize how important it is and to share that your LinkedIn profile would typically show up in the first page of a web search on your name (*choose your first and last name for your profile link and set your account so it will show up in search results). Your LinkedIn profile is one more opportunity to share your professional identity with potential employers or clients.
Online communities and sites for organizations that are particularly relevant to your field of work, and blogs that fit your professional areas of interest and experience can also be effective places to post thoughtful comments and engage in dialogue that would be helpful to readers (as well as allowing you to share your expertise; be sure to use your full name since you’ll want this information to show up in searches). If you have your own website or blog, you can use them to post content that clearly demonstrates your skills, expertise, and professional philosophy. Again, be sure your full name is mentioned so these will show up in searches using your name.
Best wishes as you use these tips and techniques to help you manage your online presence well, allowing employers and clients to find abundant evidence of your professionalism and experience.
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to take charge of your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2009. Shahrzad Arasteh. All rights reserved.
Networking for Success
One of the best tools you have for successfully finding a new job or changing careers is networking. I know, chances are just the word networking brings up feelings and thoughts that range from confusion about what it is, to aversion and dread at the thought of what you imagine—or have been told—networking involves. Proper networking is really just about building and nurturing ongoing, mutually beneficial relationships. It is not about using each other, but helping each other. Those in your network, the people you can reach out to (and be a resource for as well), are friends, colleagues, neighbors, people you know from community or volunteer activities, or the gym, fellow alumni of your school…you get the idea. Think about how much and how quickly your potential opportunities can increase by seeking suggestions from all these people!
When you are looking for a new job or considering a new career field, let your network know about your goal, some of the steps you are taking to reach it, and a brief summary of how your background, skills, interests and experiences support that goal (especially any relevant pieces they would not be aware of). Invite them to share any information, feedback, and specific suggestions they may have to help you refine or expand your search, including organizations and people they might suggest you contact for additional information or possible opportunities. Be sure to follow up on suggestions that match your goal and thank your network for all ideas offered. It is especially important to follow-up on a referral to a contact and to keep the person who referred you updated on the status of your follow-up. Keep in touch with members of your network, providing them with periodic updates on your progress. Remember to let them know when you have reached the goal so they can join you in celebrating your success! Most people are happy to help someone else, and they appreciate learning how their help has made a difference. Finally, don’t forget to give back! Be a resource to others, and actively look for opportunities to stay connected, help, and share periodic tips, ideas or interesting/useful bits of information with those in your network.
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to organize your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2008. Shahrzad Arasteh. All rights reserved.
Explore Your Next Destination
If you were thinking of moving to a new town and staying there for at least a year, how would you pick the place? Some might just choose a spot on a map and go, others would pick based on a variety of factors such as their interests, preferences, values and needs. You might know that you need to be in a large, bustling city with access to museums, the theatre, and a community of individuals who value and support the arts. Or, you may thrive in the country in the midst of nature and in the heart of a community that values taking care of each other.
Choosing a career is kind of like picking a place to live. Some of us find it by accident and others by exploring interests, preferences, values… Sound familiar? The accidental careers can be an adventure to be sure, and sometimes work out very well. To chart your path in a way that is likely to lead to fulfilling work, however, consider engaging in career exploration to make an informed decision about which careers are a good fit for you, and which are not.
Some of the steps in the exploration phase include gathering information about yourself (e.g., activities that interest you; your values – such as making a difference, or receiving recognition for your work; and skills and qualities you have and like to utilize) and identifying and researching potential careers. Using resources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Department of Labor) and talking to people with experience in your fields of interest about their work are wonderful (and low risk) ways to learn about possible choices. You can then decide whether to drop some of them from your list, research others further, or begin to pursue one. To get a better feel for the ones you’ve decided to keep on your list, and depending on how much time and resources you can devote to this step, you may try volunteering or interning in an organization that does the kind of work you are interested in, or taking a class in that field. The point is to select activities that will give you more direct and in-depth exposure to the work and its environment before fully committing to it.
When you have gathered enough useful information and experience during the career exploration stage, use this newfound knowledge to decide with confidence, start your journey and enjoy your new career!
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to organize your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2008. Shahrzad Arasteh. All rights reserved.
Value-driven Job Search
When you think about how many of your waking hours are spent at work, doesn't it make sense to choose work that you love, find meaningful, and that matches your interests and values? Even in a rapidly changing world of work and tough economic times, it is possible to find this by taking some time to think about what really matters to you and creating a successful plan to pursue it.
You have options in how to start this journey. Some choose to set off primarily on their own, while others prefer to use the expertise of a career counselor. Whichever approach you choose, the key will be accessing a variety of valuable resources to provide you with useful information and insights and help you make a decision that is right for you. This article will briefly address the exploration phase of choosing a career.
Begin by investigating what skills you have and enjoy using, your work-related values (making a positive difference, making large sums of money, etc.), the kinds of environments you like to work in (e.g., office, outdoors), and so on. Like a jigsaw puzzle, you can put these pieces of information together to create a picture of potential career fields and jobs that appeal to you. A variety of books and online resources deal with topics related to career exploration and provide useful exercises to help with this crucial step (please keep in mind, the quality and value of resources may vary greatly; select carefully). One of my favorite resources is What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. This inspiring book will be an excellent companion on your career journey and is filled with useful information and exercises you can use to identify and move toward your goal.
Once you have selected a list of possible careers, the next step is to learn more about them. O*NET OnLine is a great starting point http://online.onetcenter.org/ You can also research careers by reading books and articles describing them, arranging informational interviews with people already working in those fields, and (if possible) shadowing people who do the kind of work you wish to learn about. These steps will help you gather enough important information to decide which careers might best match your interests and needs and what steps you'll need to take to prepare for your chosen career.
A rewarding career is well worth pursuing and the hard work you put into this pursuit pays off in the wonderful feeling of excitement you'll have when doing work you are passionate about. Begin today by exploring which careers might spark that passion in you!
Shahrzad Arasteh, M.A., helps people create and pursue their career search plan using 10 years of experience and a holistic approach to career counseling. She is a Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Practitioner and a Certified Professional Résumé Writer. If you are ready to organize your job search and find the work of your dreams, visit http://www.careerconsultmd.com/Sample-Job-Search-Schedule.html to sign up for a free copy of her sample weekly job search schedule and tips, resources and articles.
Copyright © 2008 Shahrzad Arasteh
