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Career and Job Search
                              Planner




                                           ©Linda Raleigh
                                       dcdresearchproject.com



Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
CAREER/JOB SEARCH PLAN

MY CAREER/JOB SEARCH GOAL

To gain an entry level post in Human Resources with an employer who values diversity
within an hour travel time and who can offer further training.




MY AGREED COMMITMENT

e.g.
 two mornings a week = 6 hours on my days off
or
every day for 3 hours a day




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
WEEKLY PLANNER
Name:                                                    Date:



Key areas to work on             What do I have to do
                                                                              What I achieved
1. Job Fit                       Does this job match my skills and
Career Assessments               abilities and is it what I want to do?
Job Descriptions
                                 Who can I ask more about this job?
Observations
Informational Interviews         Do I know someone who does a job like
“Trade Offs”                     this?

2. Search Strategy               Am I using all the resources I need to
Traditional Job Search           find job opportunities?
Job Web Sites
                                 Who can I talk to about job
Employer Web sites               opportunities?
Job Ads
Job Fairs                        How many calls have I made this week
Job Agencies                     about job opportunities?

                                 Am I staying in touch with people in my
Hidden Job Market                network who can help me?
Networking contacts
Informational Interviewing
Cold/Warm calling
Job Leads
3. Personal Marketing            How many CVs have I sent/given out for
Plan                             job opportunities that I am interested in?

                                 Did I send a cover letter that matched
Develop CV                       the job?
Develop cover letter(s)
Elevator Pitch                   Did I follow up my application with a
                                 phone call?

                                 Did I send a thank you letter following
                                 interview or informational interview?

4. Interviewing and      Are my references lined up?
Negotiating
                         Am I prepared for interviews?
Interviewing Preparation
Salary Research          Do I know the current pay for this job?
Pre-employment checks
Employer Guide for       Have I discussed my DCD needs with
                         my employer?
Specific Learning
Difficulties
Follow Up Notes: Please use Daily Planner to schedule activities and look up resources.
Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Daily Planner:

                  8.00 am      9.00 am   10.00 am 11.00 am 12 noon   1.00pm   2.00pm     3.00pm   4.00pm   5.00pm




Monday                         Update    Update   Draft    Draft
                                                  cover    cover
                               CV        CV       letter   letter


Tuesday




Wednesday                                                                     Coffee
                                                                              with A N
                                                                              Other re
                                                                              job info

Thursday




Friday




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
JOB SEARCH RESOURCE GUIDE




    1. JOB FIT
        My Best Self
        Dream Future
        Comparing Competence
        My Favourite Working Conditions
        Success Criteria
        Trade Offs




    2. SEARCH STRATEGY


        What are my resources
        What am I initiating
        http://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/


    3. PERSONAL MARKETING


        Cover Letter format
        CV checklist
        CV Branding
        Elevator Pitch
        Work products/portfolio




    4. INTERVIEWING AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT


        Interview checklist
        Interview Questions
        Specific Learning Difficulties – Employer’s Guide




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
LEARNING LOG – REVIEW




What has happened this week in your job search that has been a good experience for you?




What do you wish had gone better this week?




What did you learn from this experience?




How will this affect what you do in the future?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Reflected Best Self Profile



I am currently taking stock my abilities to help me find a suitable job. As part of my career
review I want to construct a profile of my strengths and the contributions I have made to
others. This profile is based on work completed at Michigan Ross School of Business on the
Reflected Best Self. I am asking/inviting you to help me do this. I wonder if you could share
a brief story (or two) with me about when I was at my very best in your eyes.

It will be really helpful to me if you could describe the situation, explain what I did, said etc.
that made my contribution so important.



I made an important contribution to ……………………………. by…………………..



What did I do?

What did I say?

What was the impact on others?

What did you value most about me in this situation?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
DREAM FUTURE
Although real life involve compromises and trade-offs, it is still helpful to try to imagine what
an ideal life situation would be like. Imagining your fantasy future can give you a basis for
evaluating real possibilities as they develop in your life. Comparing the ideal to the reality
helps you to better understand the compromises you might be making by accepting a
particular situation.

In this exercise try to imagine what an ideal day in around two years time would be like. See
if you can picture what you would be doing and answer the questions below. Give as much
detail as possible.



    1. What time do you wake up?

    2. Where are you?

    3. What is your room like?

    4. Go to your wardrobe and describe the clothing you put on?

    5. What do you do before you leave?

    6. Where are you going?

    7. What time do you leave?

    8. How do you get to where you are going?

    9. Describe the building where you study or work?

    10. How long do you study or work?

    11. What are you studying or working at?

    12. Do you prefer to work alone or in a group?

    13. Who will you be meeting or socializing with today?

    14. What other images does this exercise bring to mind?

    15. What do you like best about this time?



Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
COMPARING COMPETENCE



JOB REQUIREMENTS                       HOW DOES MY COMPETENCE FIT?



                                       What did I do and to what standards? In what circumstances did I do this? What knowledge did
                                       I develop? What personal abilities did I develop?

                                       Think CAR – what was the ‘Challenge’, what did I do ‘Action’ and what was the ‘Result’ – benefit
                                       to my employer.




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
MY FAVORITE WORKING CONDITIONS

Your Favorite Working Conditions

Or

Under what circumstances do you do your best work?

Start with all the things you disliked about all your previous jobs using the following table. Column A may begin with such things as: “too noisy, “no
windows” or “too much supervision”.

When you get to Column B, you should rank these factors in their exact order of importance to you.

When you get to Column C, the factors are already prioritized. Your only job here is to think of the positive form of the factor that you hated so much
in Column B. It is not always the exact opposite. For example, “too much supervision”, listed in Column B, does not always mean no supervision, in
Column C. It might just mean: a moderate amount of supervision, once or twice a day.



                                       Column A                        Column B                           Column C
Places I have worked in my
life                                   Distasteful Working             Distasteful Working                The keys to my effectiveness
                                       Conditions                      Conditions ranked                  at work

                                       I have learned from the past    Among the factors or               The opposite of these
                                       that my effectiveness at        qualities listed in column A       qualities, in order:
                                       work is decreased when I        these are the ones I dislike
                                       have to work under these        absolutely the most (in order      I believe my effectiveness
                                       conditions                      of decreasing dislike)             would be at a maximum if I
                                                                                                          could work under these
                                                                                                          conditions:




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Column A                       Column B                        Column C
Places I have worked in my
life                                   Distasteful Working            Distasteful Working             The keys to my effectiveness
                                       Conditions                     Conditions ranked               at work

                                       I have learned from the past   Among the factors or            The opposite of these
                                       that my effectiveness at       qualities listed in column A    qualities, in order:
                                       work is decreased when I       these are the ones I dislike
                                       have to work under these       absolutely the most (in order   I believe my effectiveness
                                       conditions                     of decreasing dislike)          would be at a maximum if I
                                                                                                      could work under these
                                                                                                      conditions:




Adapted from “What Color is Your Parachute”, by Richard N. Bolles
Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Success Criteria

Complete the table listing your success criteria (examples included based on our discussions). Success criteria are the specific
personal and professional imperatives we must have to feel successful.

List your previous, current and possibly future career options

Assign a numerical value between 1 and 10 to how well these criteria are satisfied in each job

Thoughtfully determine and list the specific personal and professional imperatives you must have to feel successful.

Rate criteria 1 – 10 with 10 being the highest

Success                   Option 1      Option 2           Option 3        Option 4          Option 5          Option 6
Criteria




TOTAL




Source: Capitalizing on Career Chaos, Helen Harkness
Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Job Criteria/ Trade Offs – Ranking exercise

Extrinsic Criteria                                       Rank

Salary

Training

Working hours




Intrinsic Criteria

Job content e.g. ethical

People I work with




Please include any criteria that you feel is important




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Coaching Conversations – James Flaherty “Evoking Excellence in Others”



Focus – What Are My Resources



From your own observations and research



    1. What are your greatest strengths professionally and personally?
    2. Who is part of your network of support? What specific support does each person
       provide
    3. What does it take for you to live the way you do? Specifically address the question in
       terms of :
           Monthly expenses (include yearly items such as property taxes etc. by dividing
              them by 12)
           Hours dedicated to job (include travel), work at home, your spouse/lover, your
              children, meal preparation, cleaning, maintenance of home, clothes, car etc.
           Emotional energy
           Hours devoted to self care
           Any other costs, physical, mental, or monetary


    4. What resources do you have to address all the costs listed in #3 above
    5. What are you learning in this exercise?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Evoking Excellence in Others – James Flaherty



Focus: Gaining Strength – Initiating



       Invent, by declaration, an internal separation in yourself. Divide yourself into two
        persons, one who acts/reacts and one who observes and is passive in life.


       Using the following questions, begin to observe yourself in life. Observe quietly, passively.
        Observe your internal states as well as what you show to the world.


       At the end of each day, scan through your day and note what happened and how you
        reacted. You may want to write notes so you can begin to notice patterns.


            1. What actions, conversations, or relationships did you initiate?
            2. What other actions, conversations, or relationships were there that you wanted to
               initiate but didn’t? How are you justifying that?
            3. What actions, conversations, or relationships will you initiate next?
            4. What are you learning about yourself an initiating? How and when will you take
               what you are learning into action?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Cover Letter Format



First paragraph: Tell why you're writing, in such a way as to arouse the employer's interest. Use
this paragraph to display your specific knowledge about the company you're writing to. You
must grab the employer's attention. Avoid openings such as "I'm writing to you in response to
your ad for a nutritionist in the Sunday Los Angeles Time. Identify the job title or general area
you're interested in. The reader shouldn't have to guess what kind of job you're looking for.



Second paragraph: Briefly describe your professional and/or academic qualifications. Cite
examples of your qualifications for the position sought. Draw on the power of your resume and
refer to it-better yet, expand on it. Avoid trite, overused phrases, such as "as you will note in my
enclosed resume" or "I have taken the liberty of enclosing my resume." If you are short on job
experience, mention extracurricular activities, especially examples of leadership, special
projects you worked on, or the fact that you worked your way through school. If you're a
homemaker returning to the workforce, don't forget to include volunteer work and family-
management skills.



Third paragraph: Relate yourself to the company. Provide details as to why you should be
considered. Use this paragraph to show off your research on the company and the industry. If
you can't research the company, then use this paragraph to expand on your qualifications.



Fourth paragraph: Request action. Ask for an interview appointment. Suggest dates on which
you're available. Tell the employer that you will call to make an appointment. Be sure to follow
up! It's a lot harder for the employer to ignore a request for action than a wishy-washy "call me
if you're interested" approach.




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
CV CHECKLIST

STRUCTURE

       Personal Details
       Job Objective/Focus
       Career Summary
       Professional Experience
       Education
       Membership Affiliations

FORMAT

       Pretty
       Balanced - top/bottom; side/side
       Consistency of font – Headings and body
       Visual Pattern
       White space
       Bullets – avoid polka dot effect

CONTENT

       Reads like advertising copy
       Omits superfluous
       Active voice /action verbs
       Prioritize info
       Accurate, brief, clear
       NO negatives
       Keywords

MOTIVATION (to buy)

       Challenge, Action, Results (CAR)
       Features and benefits
       Is the reader interested?
       What does the reader need?
       Substantiate claims
       Buying Motivators
             o Make money
             o Save money
             o Save Time
             o Make work easier
             o Solve a problem
             o Be more competitive
             o Build relationships/image/customers/vendors
             o Expand business
             o Attract new customers
             o Retain existing customer


Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
CV - Personal Branding



    1. My top 5 strengths are?


    2. What have people been saying about me all my life?


    3. My passion is?


    4. In what area can I be considered an expert?


    5. What single core strength/talent makes me distinctive?


    6. Who is my target audience and what is important to them – what keeps
       them up at night?


    7. What is the ROI (return on investment) I can offer an employer?


    8. Who is my competition and how do I differ from them?


    9. What are my top 5 competencies?


    10. What have I done to demonstrate them? Facts?


    11. What do my peers say about me?


    12. What part of my work do I love?


    13. Oprah’s brand is rich, compassionate, humanitarian, humorous, warm,
        caring and powerful. What is your brand?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Elevator Speech - Example

Answer the following questions:

What do I want do?

e.g. I want to be a Customer Services Representative

The reasons I can do this…..e.g. because I am a friendly helpful person who
enjoys solving problems.

I really want to do this work because…. I enjoy making people’s lives easier and
more pleasant.

My capabilities benefit others/employers because....I am always looking for ways
to help people and I am patient in trying to find ways to do this.



My unique capabilities are (list three)…

I am patient and helpful and will help keep customers loyal

I am pleasant and polite and will ensure customers get a friendly experience

I am good at solving problems with technology so can help customers quickly



Put it all together…



I am a friendly helpful person who enjoys solving problems and I enjoy making
people’s lives easier and more pleasant. I am always looking for ways to help
people and I am patient in trying to find ways to do this. I want to be a
Customer Services Representative and my patience and helpfulness will help
keep customers loyal. Because I am pleasant and polite customers will always
get a friendly experience with me and I am good at solving problems with
technology so I can help customers quickly.




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
.INTERVIEW CHECKLIST

CONTENT                                OBSERVED EXAMPLE

Meets key criteria of job (see job
description/employee
specification)

Relevant answers

Communicates clearly

Illustrates competence by
reference to detailed examples
- stories



IMPRESSION



Appearance

Facial Expression

Eye contact

Gestures

Posture

Voice



SUMMATIVE FEEDBACK

INTERVIEWER:

DATE:




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Interview Questions You May Be Asked
Before attending an interview you should think about your responses to the following questions. Your
answers may depend on the job or company in question, so you should go through your responses just
before each interview. Wherever possible, give an example to support your answer.

Why do you want this job?

Think carefully about this question. Stress the positive aspects which have attracted you to applying for this
position. Do not mention any negative aspects of the job in question.

What can you contribute?

This is your chance to shine. Tell them about your achievements which are relevant to the new position you
are applying for.

Why do you want to work for this company?

Emphasize the positive reasons why you want to join their company, but avoid aspects such as more money
or shorter hours. These would not endear you to a prospective employer.

What do you know about this company?

This is your chance to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company. Give them a rundown
of their products/services, sales figures, news, company figures, customers, etc.

Why should we employ you?

The answer to this question will be based on your achievements or experience which relate to the company.
At the end you could add that you think there is a good fit between you and the job, and do ask the
interviewer for their opinion.

How would you describe yourself? / How would others describe you?

Pick your best attributes and achievements.

What was your greatest success? How did you achieve it?

You should pick an achievement which is related to their needs.

What has been your biggest failure?

Try to pick a failure which you were later able to correct or something that is not really important.

Do you work well with others? Or are you a loner?

Some jobs mean that you have to work very closely with other people whilst other jobs mean that you are
largely working on your own, so you need to say that you are happy in both situations.



Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
Are you accepted into a team quickly?

Hopefully you can answer a resounding "Yes" to this question.

Can you act on your own initiative?

You should say that you can. You could ask how much responsibility you would have.

How many hours are you prepared to work?

You would be prepared to work the necessary hours to get the job done on time.

What interests do you have?

Your hobbies and interests can tell an employer a lot about you, including whether you are sociable or
solitary, and whether you can take on 'leadership' roles. So you should think about which interests will paint
the right picture of you given the position you are discussing.

What level of salary are you looking for?

Be very careful when you answer this question - you do not want to appear to be greedy. If you are applying
for a specific vacancy you could ask them what the salary range is and target the upper range. If they ask
you this question fairly early on in the interview you could delay answering by saying "It is hard to discuss
salary without first knowing a little bit more about the job and the responsibilities."

What will your referees say about you?

Say that you expect excellent references.




From the candidate to the interviewer:

Sample Interview Questions to Ask about the Job

* Would you please describe the ideal candidate for this job?
* What are the day-to-day duties of this job?
* Do you have anything to add to the job description that XYZ advertised?
* What is a typical workday like in this position?
* How would you describe the working environment?
* Who would be my immediate supervisor and where does he or she fit into the
organization?
* Why was this new position created?
* How does an employee know he or she is performing this job to expectations?

Sample Interview Questions to Ask about the Company

* Do you foresee any significant changes in XYZ Company?
Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
*   What's XYZ's policy about employees advancing their education?
*   Does XYZ offer employee training?
*   How would you characterize XYZ Company?
*   Would you please describe XYZ's strengths and weaknesses?
*   What can you tell me about the employees who work here?



Sample Interview Questions to Ask in Summary

*   Is there anything else I should know?
*   Is there anything else you'd like to know?
*   Do you have any feedback?
*   Do you have any concerns? What can I do to alleviate them?
*   When can I expect to hear from you again?
*   May I follow up with you by phone or email in about a week?
*   If you decide to extend an offer, when would you like for me start?
*   What’s the next step?




Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012

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Career Mapping And Planning
 

Career and job search planner

  • 1. Career and Job Search Planner ©Linda Raleigh dcdresearchproject.com Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 2. CAREER/JOB SEARCH PLAN MY CAREER/JOB SEARCH GOAL To gain an entry level post in Human Resources with an employer who values diversity within an hour travel time and who can offer further training. MY AGREED COMMITMENT e.g. two mornings a week = 6 hours on my days off or every day for 3 hours a day Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 3. WEEKLY PLANNER Name: Date: Key areas to work on What do I have to do What I achieved 1. Job Fit Does this job match my skills and Career Assessments abilities and is it what I want to do? Job Descriptions Who can I ask more about this job? Observations Informational Interviews Do I know someone who does a job like “Trade Offs” this? 2. Search Strategy Am I using all the resources I need to Traditional Job Search find job opportunities? Job Web Sites Who can I talk to about job Employer Web sites opportunities? Job Ads Job Fairs How many calls have I made this week Job Agencies about job opportunities? Am I staying in touch with people in my Hidden Job Market network who can help me? Networking contacts Informational Interviewing Cold/Warm calling Job Leads 3. Personal Marketing How many CVs have I sent/given out for Plan job opportunities that I am interested in? Did I send a cover letter that matched Develop CV the job? Develop cover letter(s) Elevator Pitch Did I follow up my application with a phone call? Did I send a thank you letter following interview or informational interview? 4. Interviewing and Are my references lined up? Negotiating Am I prepared for interviews? Interviewing Preparation Salary Research Do I know the current pay for this job? Pre-employment checks Employer Guide for Have I discussed my DCD needs with my employer? Specific Learning Difficulties Follow Up Notes: Please use Daily Planner to schedule activities and look up resources. Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 4. Daily Planner: 8.00 am 9.00 am 10.00 am 11.00 am 12 noon 1.00pm 2.00pm 3.00pm 4.00pm 5.00pm Monday Update Update Draft Draft cover cover CV CV letter letter Tuesday Wednesday Coffee with A N Other re job info Thursday Friday Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 5. JOB SEARCH RESOURCE GUIDE 1. JOB FIT My Best Self Dream Future Comparing Competence My Favourite Working Conditions Success Criteria Trade Offs 2. SEARCH STRATEGY What are my resources What am I initiating http://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/ 3. PERSONAL MARKETING Cover Letter format CV checklist CV Branding Elevator Pitch Work products/portfolio 4. INTERVIEWING AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT Interview checklist Interview Questions Specific Learning Difficulties – Employer’s Guide Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 6. LEARNING LOG – REVIEW What has happened this week in your job search that has been a good experience for you? What do you wish had gone better this week? What did you learn from this experience? How will this affect what you do in the future? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 7. Reflected Best Self Profile I am currently taking stock my abilities to help me find a suitable job. As part of my career review I want to construct a profile of my strengths and the contributions I have made to others. This profile is based on work completed at Michigan Ross School of Business on the Reflected Best Self. I am asking/inviting you to help me do this. I wonder if you could share a brief story (or two) with me about when I was at my very best in your eyes. It will be really helpful to me if you could describe the situation, explain what I did, said etc. that made my contribution so important. I made an important contribution to ……………………………. by………………….. What did I do? What did I say? What was the impact on others? What did you value most about me in this situation? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 8. DREAM FUTURE Although real life involve compromises and trade-offs, it is still helpful to try to imagine what an ideal life situation would be like. Imagining your fantasy future can give you a basis for evaluating real possibilities as they develop in your life. Comparing the ideal to the reality helps you to better understand the compromises you might be making by accepting a particular situation. In this exercise try to imagine what an ideal day in around two years time would be like. See if you can picture what you would be doing and answer the questions below. Give as much detail as possible. 1. What time do you wake up? 2. Where are you? 3. What is your room like? 4. Go to your wardrobe and describe the clothing you put on? 5. What do you do before you leave? 6. Where are you going? 7. What time do you leave? 8. How do you get to where you are going? 9. Describe the building where you study or work? 10. How long do you study or work? 11. What are you studying or working at? 12. Do you prefer to work alone or in a group? 13. Who will you be meeting or socializing with today? 14. What other images does this exercise bring to mind? 15. What do you like best about this time? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 9. COMPARING COMPETENCE JOB REQUIREMENTS HOW DOES MY COMPETENCE FIT? What did I do and to what standards? In what circumstances did I do this? What knowledge did I develop? What personal abilities did I develop? Think CAR – what was the ‘Challenge’, what did I do ‘Action’ and what was the ‘Result’ – benefit to my employer. Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 10. MY FAVORITE WORKING CONDITIONS Your Favorite Working Conditions Or Under what circumstances do you do your best work? Start with all the things you disliked about all your previous jobs using the following table. Column A may begin with such things as: “too noisy, “no windows” or “too much supervision”. When you get to Column B, you should rank these factors in their exact order of importance to you. When you get to Column C, the factors are already prioritized. Your only job here is to think of the positive form of the factor that you hated so much in Column B. It is not always the exact opposite. For example, “too much supervision”, listed in Column B, does not always mean no supervision, in Column C. It might just mean: a moderate amount of supervision, once or twice a day. Column A Column B Column C Places I have worked in my life Distasteful Working Distasteful Working The keys to my effectiveness Conditions Conditions ranked at work I have learned from the past Among the factors or The opposite of these that my effectiveness at qualities listed in column A qualities, in order: work is decreased when I these are the ones I dislike have to work under these absolutely the most (in order I believe my effectiveness conditions of decreasing dislike) would be at a maximum if I could work under these conditions: Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 11. Column A Column B Column C Places I have worked in my life Distasteful Working Distasteful Working The keys to my effectiveness Conditions Conditions ranked at work I have learned from the past Among the factors or The opposite of these that my effectiveness at qualities listed in column A qualities, in order: work is decreased when I these are the ones I dislike have to work under these absolutely the most (in order I believe my effectiveness conditions of decreasing dislike) would be at a maximum if I could work under these conditions: Adapted from “What Color is Your Parachute”, by Richard N. Bolles Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 12. Success Criteria Complete the table listing your success criteria (examples included based on our discussions). Success criteria are the specific personal and professional imperatives we must have to feel successful. List your previous, current and possibly future career options Assign a numerical value between 1 and 10 to how well these criteria are satisfied in each job Thoughtfully determine and list the specific personal and professional imperatives you must have to feel successful. Rate criteria 1 – 10 with 10 being the highest Success Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5 Option 6 Criteria TOTAL Source: Capitalizing on Career Chaos, Helen Harkness Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 13. Job Criteria/ Trade Offs – Ranking exercise Extrinsic Criteria Rank Salary Training Working hours Intrinsic Criteria Job content e.g. ethical People I work with Please include any criteria that you feel is important Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 14. Coaching Conversations – James Flaherty “Evoking Excellence in Others” Focus – What Are My Resources From your own observations and research 1. What are your greatest strengths professionally and personally? 2. Who is part of your network of support? What specific support does each person provide 3. What does it take for you to live the way you do? Specifically address the question in terms of :  Monthly expenses (include yearly items such as property taxes etc. by dividing them by 12)  Hours dedicated to job (include travel), work at home, your spouse/lover, your children, meal preparation, cleaning, maintenance of home, clothes, car etc.  Emotional energy  Hours devoted to self care  Any other costs, physical, mental, or monetary 4. What resources do you have to address all the costs listed in #3 above 5. What are you learning in this exercise? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 15. Evoking Excellence in Others – James Flaherty Focus: Gaining Strength – Initiating  Invent, by declaration, an internal separation in yourself. Divide yourself into two persons, one who acts/reacts and one who observes and is passive in life.  Using the following questions, begin to observe yourself in life. Observe quietly, passively. Observe your internal states as well as what you show to the world.  At the end of each day, scan through your day and note what happened and how you reacted. You may want to write notes so you can begin to notice patterns. 1. What actions, conversations, or relationships did you initiate? 2. What other actions, conversations, or relationships were there that you wanted to initiate but didn’t? How are you justifying that? 3. What actions, conversations, or relationships will you initiate next? 4. What are you learning about yourself an initiating? How and when will you take what you are learning into action? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 16. Cover Letter Format First paragraph: Tell why you're writing, in such a way as to arouse the employer's interest. Use this paragraph to display your specific knowledge about the company you're writing to. You must grab the employer's attention. Avoid openings such as "I'm writing to you in response to your ad for a nutritionist in the Sunday Los Angeles Time. Identify the job title or general area you're interested in. The reader shouldn't have to guess what kind of job you're looking for. Second paragraph: Briefly describe your professional and/or academic qualifications. Cite examples of your qualifications for the position sought. Draw on the power of your resume and refer to it-better yet, expand on it. Avoid trite, overused phrases, such as "as you will note in my enclosed resume" or "I have taken the liberty of enclosing my resume." If you are short on job experience, mention extracurricular activities, especially examples of leadership, special projects you worked on, or the fact that you worked your way through school. If you're a homemaker returning to the workforce, don't forget to include volunteer work and family- management skills. Third paragraph: Relate yourself to the company. Provide details as to why you should be considered. Use this paragraph to show off your research on the company and the industry. If you can't research the company, then use this paragraph to expand on your qualifications. Fourth paragraph: Request action. Ask for an interview appointment. Suggest dates on which you're available. Tell the employer that you will call to make an appointment. Be sure to follow up! It's a lot harder for the employer to ignore a request for action than a wishy-washy "call me if you're interested" approach. Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 17. CV CHECKLIST STRUCTURE  Personal Details  Job Objective/Focus  Career Summary  Professional Experience  Education  Membership Affiliations FORMAT  Pretty  Balanced - top/bottom; side/side  Consistency of font – Headings and body  Visual Pattern  White space  Bullets – avoid polka dot effect CONTENT  Reads like advertising copy  Omits superfluous  Active voice /action verbs  Prioritize info  Accurate, brief, clear  NO negatives  Keywords MOTIVATION (to buy)  Challenge, Action, Results (CAR)  Features and benefits  Is the reader interested?  What does the reader need?  Substantiate claims  Buying Motivators o Make money o Save money o Save Time o Make work easier o Solve a problem o Be more competitive o Build relationships/image/customers/vendors o Expand business o Attract new customers o Retain existing customer Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 18. CV - Personal Branding 1. My top 5 strengths are? 2. What have people been saying about me all my life? 3. My passion is? 4. In what area can I be considered an expert? 5. What single core strength/talent makes me distinctive? 6. Who is my target audience and what is important to them – what keeps them up at night? 7. What is the ROI (return on investment) I can offer an employer? 8. Who is my competition and how do I differ from them? 9. What are my top 5 competencies? 10. What have I done to demonstrate them? Facts? 11. What do my peers say about me? 12. What part of my work do I love? 13. Oprah’s brand is rich, compassionate, humanitarian, humorous, warm, caring and powerful. What is your brand? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 19. Elevator Speech - Example Answer the following questions: What do I want do? e.g. I want to be a Customer Services Representative The reasons I can do this…..e.g. because I am a friendly helpful person who enjoys solving problems. I really want to do this work because…. I enjoy making people’s lives easier and more pleasant. My capabilities benefit others/employers because....I am always looking for ways to help people and I am patient in trying to find ways to do this. My unique capabilities are (list three)… I am patient and helpful and will help keep customers loyal I am pleasant and polite and will ensure customers get a friendly experience I am good at solving problems with technology so can help customers quickly Put it all together… I am a friendly helpful person who enjoys solving problems and I enjoy making people’s lives easier and more pleasant. I am always looking for ways to help people and I am patient in trying to find ways to do this. I want to be a Customer Services Representative and my patience and helpfulness will help keep customers loyal. Because I am pleasant and polite customers will always get a friendly experience with me and I am good at solving problems with technology so I can help customers quickly. Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 20. .INTERVIEW CHECKLIST CONTENT OBSERVED EXAMPLE Meets key criteria of job (see job description/employee specification) Relevant answers Communicates clearly Illustrates competence by reference to detailed examples - stories IMPRESSION Appearance Facial Expression Eye contact Gestures Posture Voice SUMMATIVE FEEDBACK INTERVIEWER: DATE: Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 21. Interview Questions You May Be Asked Before attending an interview you should think about your responses to the following questions. Your answers may depend on the job or company in question, so you should go through your responses just before each interview. Wherever possible, give an example to support your answer. Why do you want this job? Think carefully about this question. Stress the positive aspects which have attracted you to applying for this position. Do not mention any negative aspects of the job in question. What can you contribute? This is your chance to shine. Tell them about your achievements which are relevant to the new position you are applying for. Why do you want to work for this company? Emphasize the positive reasons why you want to join their company, but avoid aspects such as more money or shorter hours. These would not endear you to a prospective employer. What do you know about this company? This is your chance to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company. Give them a rundown of their products/services, sales figures, news, company figures, customers, etc. Why should we employ you? The answer to this question will be based on your achievements or experience which relate to the company. At the end you could add that you think there is a good fit between you and the job, and do ask the interviewer for their opinion. How would you describe yourself? / How would others describe you? Pick your best attributes and achievements. What was your greatest success? How did you achieve it? You should pick an achievement which is related to their needs. What has been your biggest failure? Try to pick a failure which you were later able to correct or something that is not really important. Do you work well with others? Or are you a loner? Some jobs mean that you have to work very closely with other people whilst other jobs mean that you are largely working on your own, so you need to say that you are happy in both situations. Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 22. Are you accepted into a team quickly? Hopefully you can answer a resounding "Yes" to this question. Can you act on your own initiative? You should say that you can. You could ask how much responsibility you would have. How many hours are you prepared to work? You would be prepared to work the necessary hours to get the job done on time. What interests do you have? Your hobbies and interests can tell an employer a lot about you, including whether you are sociable or solitary, and whether you can take on 'leadership' roles. So you should think about which interests will paint the right picture of you given the position you are discussing. What level of salary are you looking for? Be very careful when you answer this question - you do not want to appear to be greedy. If you are applying for a specific vacancy you could ask them what the salary range is and target the upper range. If they ask you this question fairly early on in the interview you could delay answering by saying "It is hard to discuss salary without first knowing a little bit more about the job and the responsibilities." What will your referees say about you? Say that you expect excellent references. From the candidate to the interviewer: Sample Interview Questions to Ask about the Job * Would you please describe the ideal candidate for this job? * What are the day-to-day duties of this job? * Do you have anything to add to the job description that XYZ advertised? * What is a typical workday like in this position? * How would you describe the working environment? * Who would be my immediate supervisor and where does he or she fit into the organization? * Why was this new position created? * How does an employee know he or she is performing this job to expectations? Sample Interview Questions to Ask about the Company * Do you foresee any significant changes in XYZ Company? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012
  • 23. * What's XYZ's policy about employees advancing their education? * Does XYZ offer employee training? * How would you characterize XYZ Company? * Would you please describe XYZ's strengths and weaknesses? * What can you tell me about the employees who work here? Sample Interview Questions to Ask in Summary * Is there anything else I should know? * Is there anything else you'd like to know? * Do you have any feedback? * Do you have any concerns? What can I do to alleviate them? * When can I expect to hear from you again? * May I follow up with you by phone or email in about a week? * If you decide to extend an offer, when would you like for me start? * What’s the next step? Linda Raleigh/dcdresearchproject2012