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| Career Building CAREER BUILDING BRINGS MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING TOGETHER: See yourself as the CEO of Me, Inc. doing SWOT analysis on your product (you), determine competitive advantage, and then create and deliver a marketing campaign to your target audience. RECOMMENDED TECHNIQUES FOR CAREER BUILDING CONTINUALLY CHANGE: You will want stay up to date and reflect current techniques, and to check and meet culture and specs of audience (see their websites). CAREER BUILDING IS A PROCESS. IT IS A DYNAMIC 2-WAY EXCHANGE, AND IT IS ONGOING: 1. Identify and show your competitive advantage (central selling point) for the position you seek. 2. Match the criteria your target has established, and show you are in sync on 5 Cs (capability competence; commitment staying power; compatibility chemistry/fit; contribution value added; credibility telling the truth). 3. Display you have done your homework, and have a reasoned interest in pursuing this position and company. 4. Get your story told: have anecdotes providing examples and proof. 5. Show a documented record of success and promise. 6. Tell the truth. 7. Make each of your career building materials a stand-alone piece. 8. Portray desired qualities and values, not just skills/experience/education. 9. Present skills and results: be specific and quantifiable showing accomplishments, contributions, and career progression. Show what you can do for them in the future. PROCEED USING 6 PS: 1. Plan: Inventory wants/needs, conduct a SWOT analysis, identify resources, and set a timeline. 2. Prepare: Conduct market research, gather supporting materials, network, and build lists. 3. Package: Create materials (resume, cover letter, portfolio, interview packet). 4. Practice: Simulate interviews. 5. Present: Distribute materials and follow up. 6. Positive: Assume positive results, stress and speak in positives, show a positive and reasoned interest in the position and company, and convey enthusiasm for being a positive contributor to their efforts and organization. CREATE STRONG CAREER MATERIALS (COVER LETTER, RESUME, PORTFOLIO, INFORMATION PACKETS, AND FOLLOW UP LETTER) THAT ARE PERSUASIVE, CURRENT, AND ERROR-FREE: make each piece a stand-alone targeted to the position and company, and matched to the criteria established by the target. COVER LETTER/PITCH: goal get the resume read. Show why/that you are interested, match their criteria, give 2-3 examples showing what you can do for them, and establish next steps. 1. Target/you-orientation/persuasive (AIDA). 2. State their criteria and show that you match it. 3. Come alive as if you were being interviewed. 4. Connect with the reader/company by stating such common ground as your being a referral, customer, or stockholder. COVER LETTER CHECKLIST: 1. Open: gain favorable attention including why you are writing/interested (how your work skills can benefit the firm and/or qualifications fit the job), showing your understanding of the firm/job and its needs 2. Introduce specific qualifications relevant to job requirements, including your skills/qualities valued by target 3. Present evidence demonstrating your value to them, including detail or responsibilities/accomplishments of 2 relevant positions 4. Request relevant action, and re-state interest RESUME/BACKGROUNDER: goal get an interview. 1. Start with a profile/summary/qualifications/key words. 2. Describe scope and significance of each position you have held in 1-2 sentences, then bullet your skills/results; convey capabilities and accomplishments, do not re-write job descriptions. 3. Keep presentation format consistent throughout the resume, in both look and grammar. 4. Create for scannability: start each bullet with a strong active verbs conveying relevant skills; do not repeat words. 5. Use the so what test: interpret the items you list so their relevance in qualifying you is clear. 6. Go to a second page only if it will contain more 9+ lines; repeat your name on p.2) RESUME CHECKLIST: 1. Contact information 2. Career objective and/or profile/summary of qualifications 3. Education (what, where, when, major, GPA, relevant courses/projects/activities) 4. Career-related experience (what, where, when, responsibility/achieved) 5. Professional training/certifications 6. Special/related skills 7. Honors/awards/recognition 8. Affiliations/activities/leadership/service 9. Presentations/publications/research/projects/recent conferences attended 10. Professional/organizational membership 11. References (with title and contact information) 12. Other PORTFOLIO/SAMPLES AND TESTIMONIALS: goal get believed and favorable attention. 1. Establish your credibility and competitive advantage. 2. Show you are who you say you are. 3. Document key items in your resume and cover letter. 4. Include all portfolio items in your resume. INFORMATION PACKETS: goal supply the information you want told. 1. Identify your 5-7 key strengths targeted to the position/company you seek. 2. Select 1-2 specific examples/anecdotes that illustrate each strength. 3. Include these points in your materials and in answers to questions when interviewed. FOLLOW UP LETTER: affirm your interest in the position and company, clarify answers to interview questions if necessary, and present additional information if necessary. INTERVIEWING: after you have completed your material, prepare for interviewing by reviewing your information packets and simulating the interview. Remember to use the you orientation: 1. Think of it as a chance to get to know someone, rather than as a test. If you think of it is a test, think of it as an essay test but not as MC or TF. 2. Determine a mutual fit on the 5 Cs. 3. Listen before telling. 4. Get your story told. 5. Anticipate questions you most dread and neutralize them. 6. Identify questions you most hope for, and bridge to them if they are not asked. 7. Maintain a relaxed demeanor but keep composure/guard up. 8. Be proactive rather than reactive/passive. See yourself as interviewing them; determine their interests/needs/criteria and show you are a match. 9. Tell stories/anecdotes conveying proof (qualities/skills/results). 10. Affirm the question you are asked before answering it. Answer it in 3-5 sentences. 11. Focus on what you can do for them (not what they can do for you). 12. Convey a strategic, result-oriented, and team orientation. 13. Present problems as opportunities/lessons learned: reflect problem, solution, result, lesson learned (positive experience). ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN, AND USE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: 1. Network: build bridges. 2. Shadow: observe firsthand. 3. Mentor: open doors. |
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