Happy Holidays! Next Meeting January 6, 2009

Yes its that time of year...have a great time with your family and friends!

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Look for the location of the next meeting to be announced here.

Job Application Process Do's and Don'ts

1. Minimum Qualifications - Mean that you must meet those requirements to apply. Don't waste your time or the company's time by applying if you cannot comply. Know your qualifications in the language and jargon of the business sector you work in and be able to express your qualifications verbally and in writing.

Preferred Qualifications - If you don't have the preferred qualifications, but know you can do the job, apply. Make sure you give compelling reasons that are quantifiable or referenceable for your application in light of the preferred qualifications.

2. Employer application instructions. Employers cannot consider candidates who do not comply with their HR policies. Read the website for their HR policy. You should also read the HR law in the country and locality where you intend to work as there are many differences in these policies. Giving information as completely as possible moves you closer to the interview process.

3. Entry level - Be able to detail your non-paid industry related experience (internships, community service, etc). Any honors you have been awarded should be listed in addition to educational credentials (degrees, diplomas, training certificates, etc). Take care not to list items that are not relevant (primary school, etc).

4. Accomplishments/Solutions/Results - Explain these items succinctly and show how they can add value to your target company. Make use of extra application pages if needed.

5. Onboarding Strategy- Think about the job you are applying for beyond the application process, thinking of the entire lifecycle of your employment there should you be hired. Clearly state what you intend to do in the target role for the company to ensure you will get the interview. Explain how you will want invest in the company you are applying to, and detail knowledge of the company in appropriate areas of your application.

6. Where appropriate, state your willingness to travel, work on-call, weekends, and odd shifts. Be sure to let the company know that while you work hard, you also have a quality of life balance. Do not apply to travel 100% if you need to be home for your family!

7. No fancy formatting or fonts in your resume or application - No shadowed text, even for headers - and No typos/grammar errors. This applies especially if its an online application. Careful if you cut and paste text that it stays in format.

8. Thank you note - After the interview, always send a short thank you note. Do not replay your cover letter or interview. One paragraph maximum. These days its emailed, but better yet mail it on good stationary.

Kickoff Meeting, Tuesday, December 16, 2008

10 am – 12 noon at Starbucks, Central/Clarke Quay MRT Stop


Moderated by Rick Price, MBA, PMP

Our agenda looks like this:

Brief intros:

Name
Education and years experience
Previous role and and company(s)
Target role and and company
Hobbies and interests
How can the group help you today?

Upcoming Weekly Meeting Formats:

Effective Internet Job Search Strategies
Resume Reviews & TIPS
Overcoming Call Reluctance
Establishing Targets for a Successful Job Search
Health Workshops
Web School
Structured Networking
Interviewing: Behavioral and Informational
Marketing Collateral: Verbal and Written
Recruiters' Perspectives
Special Interest Speakers
....and many other topics

Job Hunting References

Anything by Dale Carnegie
What Color is your Parachute (Annual Update) – Richard Bolles (www.jobhuntersbible.com)
It’s Called Work For a Reason - Larry Wingit (The Pit Bull of Business Coaching)
http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/cgi-bin/cw_cgi?resultsScreen+21359+1+10+0

Short Topic: 5 Job Networking Basics

Let people know you are searching via personal branding and promotion:

Calling card
Resume now on website or blog
Elevator speech
Identify networking events
Building your own network

Exercise: 3 x 3 x U

Open Networking

Exchange your calling cards
Exchange elevator speeches
Ask how you can help the other person today!
Stay in touch with your network friends
Bring a friend next week!

Next Meeting (January 6, 2009):

Location TBD – conference room pending
Guest speaker – recruiter’s perspective on hiring trends for 2009
Topic – Resumes that get read and why
Exercise – How to talk with someone using active listening

Happy Holidays!

Surviving Your Career Crisis: Update Your Hiring Qualifications Today

Never fear the want of business. A man who qualifies himself well for his calling, never fails of employment. - Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

Your qualifications are a key component of your career identity. Have you thought about your hiring qualifications recently? No matter your current employment status, are your qualifications still current in the career marketplace? Credentials, skills and experience are how you qualify yourself in the eyes of a prospective employer prior to the phone screen and personal interview. Ensure your qualifications are relevant and listed to an appropriate level of detail. There is no need to list your kindergarden! You should also observe local laws with regard to the listing of personal details.

1. If you are still employed - have you updated your resume to reflect your current role and most recent accomplishments? While this is the resume that you used to get the job you have now, is it the right resume to get you promoted or hired up your career ladder in the current job market?

2. If you have been terminated or have any break in employment for any reason, does your resume tell that story in an honest, positive way? Yes, you can make lemonade out of lemons. Getting terminated has many lessons learned for you. Which lessons will you use to make you a stronger job candidate in the future? Experience counts, even adverse experience. It is how well we respond to these adverse experiences that is judged, since there are no perfect employees.

For either category above, searching for a job requires your qualifications to be validated. You should be able to produce evidence about your credentials such as education transcripts and diplomas, technical and professional certifications, and active membership, honor society organizations, and any other affiliations that pertain to the best presentation of your resume to a prospective employer. Ensure your credentialing organizations are aware of your search. If possible keep copies available for informat presentation, while official credentials are sought by the company making you an offer.

Do not wait into the hiring process to check availabilty of your own credentials and references. This will slow down the presentation of an offer to you. You do not want to be surprised at this point in the process, and neither should your prospective employer be surprised by adverse information about your qualifications. This also applies to the reference checking process. Always alert your references that you are undertaking a new job search. If possible tell them the job you are seeking, and the name of the company that will be contacting them. Use references sparingly these days, as they are busy too.

NOTE 1 : A good rule of thumb is to hold reference information for only those interviews moving to the offer stage. References have let me know their contact details have been misused the past few years, so please be mindful of your references right to privacy. Placing a note on formal applications to that effect is appropriate.

NOTE 2: I recently interviewed a few people for an important role and 2 out of 4 candidates had spurious information on their resumes. Once I discovered this it was not long before additional details of the resume were found to also not be true. One candidate listed a certification which I myself have earned. We have a code of ethics for the certifying organization which would now bar that individual from holding the certification. Yes, honesty is still very, very important. Reputation is everything in life and business!

Free Online Business School

Selamat Hari Raya!

When we are out on the job market, keeping our skills updated is a key priority. You probably know all the traditional methods, MBA programs, skill certifications, membership organizations.

Here is something I found worth taking a look at, a Free Online Business School! I have reviewed a few of the videos already and want to share with you today:

http://www.chainetwork.net/

Introducing Career Connect Singapore

Who are we? - We are a group of hardworking people determined to succeed in our job searches, entrepreneurial efforts, and career changes.

What do we do? - We support each other in structured business networking which includes motivating talks, sharing job leads, career development information, resume writing workshops, and other creative ways to connect our members with hiring managers, recruiters, business coaches, investors, and business partners.

Where are we? - We announce our meeting venues each week.

When do we meet? - 10 a.m. - 12 noon each Tuesday.

Why does Career Connect Singapore exist? - Our purpose is to help people who need to find work.

How much does it cost? FREE! FREE! FREE!