Friday, September 24, 2010

Homecoming Starts This Week!


The Worst Mistake You Can Make On Your Resume
Karen Burns, On Wednesday September 15, 2010, 11:46 am EDT
Fact: Job hunters obsess about resumes. Who wouldn't? There's so much to get right--functional versus chronological, objective statements (pro and con), key words, templates, references, font size, white space, action verbs, employment gaps, placement and style of bullets, typos, and whether to include hobbies (probably a "no" on that last one).
So much, in fact, that we often forget the most important ingredient of a really great, interview-obtaining, new-job-snagging resume: It needs to be written specifically for the job you're after.
Does that mean you have to do a new resume for every single position you apply for? Yes, that's exactly what it means.
Fear not, this is not as laborious as it sounds. You don't have to start from scratch each time. All you need to do is edit--or refocus--your "master" resume to sync with the job in question. How?
--First, read and reread the job description. Study it. Ponder it. Identify the words and phrases the employer uses to describe the position.
--Next, take a look your work accomplishments, certifications, education, and experience. You should be keeping lists of all this stuff. This is the raw data you draw on to craft your resumes and cover letters, too.
--Then ask yourself which of your credentials can honestly be described using the same words and phrases the employer uses in the job description.
--Finally, take those words and phrases and use them to describe yourself in your resume. From this point, all you have to do is plug in info from your master resume. See, it's not a total rewrite. In fact, most of your resume will stay the same. You'll find that customizing your resume gets easier each time you do it.
A few more thoughts to consider:
--If you use a career objective at the top of the page, it should include the exact job title of the position you're seeking.
--Remove experience/qualifications that have nothing to do with the job in question. You want to make it easy for employers to see the credentials they most care about.
--Try to figure out what credentials are of highest importance to the employer and put those first. Pretend you are in the employer's shoes and ask yourself, "What's my biggest need? What's most important to me about this job?" Talk to your mentor and contacts in the field. Try to find people who are already doing the job you want and ask them, "What is the most important part of your job?"
--If your past job titles are ambiguous, overly jargony, or don't obviously relate to the job you're applying for, rephrase them in laymen's terms--in a way that shows how those past jobs qualify you for this new job.
So, what's the worst mistake you can make on your resume? Failing to customize. It's a new employment market out there. A cookie-cutter resume just doesn't cut it anymore. You need to show your potential employer that you're applying for this job, not just any job. Good luck.
Something New Called Focus 2!
Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.
It helps you decide what your major should be!
OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!
FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.
Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:
When mailing a business letter (the traditional way, not the celebrated "e" kind), the return address should be on the front of the envelope in the upper left corner. When sending a personal letter by mail, the return address should be on the back flap of the envelope.

If the business letter is of a personal nature on "monarch" stationery (smaller than a standard business letter, 7 1/4 x 10 1/2 inches, commonly used by executives) or a correspondence card (4 1/4 x 6 1/4), then the return address should be on the back flap of the envelope.
As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events for the Week:
9/24
Cerner

10-11
Union

UMKC Law School Admission

Union
9/29
UMKC Fall 2010 Career Fair

10-3
Sinney Rec Center
10/1
Mentor Blitz

10-7
Union
10/4
Nursing Resume Workshop

10:15-11:05
306 Marston



Monday, September 20, 2010

Get Ready for Fall!


9 Job Tips You Can Learn From Politicians

Published: Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010 | 11:17 AM ET
By: Cindy Perman
CNBC.com Writer
When you think about it, politicians running for office are really just conducting one, long job interview with voters.
So start taking some notes along the campaign trail — there are some good lessons that will help with a job search!
Here are nine things you can learn from politicians that will help with your job search.
1. Think of Your Job Search Like a Campaign.
Just like a politician gets out there, shaking hands and kissing babies, you, too, must get out there and spread the word to everyone and anyone who will listen that you are looking for a job.
“We’re talking about networking both online and shaking hands in person,” said Matthew Rothenberg, the editor-in-chief at TheLadders. com and co-author of  “You’re Better Than Your Job Search.”
“You’re campaigning for a job,” he said.
So, initiate as many meetings as you can — whether it’s with someone you know who works at the company you’re applying to or an old colleague. And, very important — never turn down an invitation to a happy hour, birthday party or kids’ soccer game. Every outing is a chance to spread the word that you’re looking for a job.
2. Prepare a Stump Speech.
You are the candidate and when you campaign, they’re going to want to know what your message is.
Don’t — and that’s a capital DON’T — rely on your ad-libbing skills.
Write.
It.
Down.
“Politicians will write down their talking points that make their key arguments,” Rothenberg said. “You need to be able to have a stump speech that you can give over and over again … your 30-second recap of what you can offer to an employer.”
Now, that’s not to say memorize a script — just that you should know what your key talking points are and make sure you drive them home.
3. Remember: It’s Not About You.
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is thinking it’s all about them. Why this job would be good for me. What’s in it for me.
You need to make sure you tell your future employer what’s in it for them.
“One of my favorite analogies is, ‘Ask not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company,’” Rothenberg said.
“Take that JFK mantra to heart!” he said. “It’s about how you will fit the needs of the organization.”
4. Cheat.
No! Not, cheating on your spouse. (Though we know more than a few politicians do that kind of cheating!)
What this cheating means is that you don’t have to come up with your three talking points on your own — you can get them right from the human-resources person at the company you’re applying to.
Just ask them: What are the top three things you’re looking for?
Then, all you have to do is fill in the blanks, about how you would fill those three things — how you are those three things.
5. Make Them Love You
Do you make a terrible first impression? Do you feel like people only like you once they’ve gotten to know you?
Well, too bad! Politicians don’t have that luxury — and neither do job seekers.
“I don’t care if you’re the smartest guy or gal in the room — if people don’t like you, it doesn’t matter!” said Peggy Klaus, a career coach and author of the book “Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It.”
Klaus says be aware of the way you come across. Are you warm? Are you friendly? Do you look people in the eye?
“If you’re condescending and arrogant — they’re not going to vote for you — and they’re not going to hire you,” she explained.
If you’re shy or introverted, “that’s no excuse!” Klaus said. You can learn behaviors that will help endear you to people.
For example — Smiling.
“It’s not too hard! Even if you don’t feel like it — you act as if you’re delighted to be there,” Klaus said.
Plus, make eye contact. Give them a firm hand shake. Ask questions — and, this is the one people often forget — make sure you’re a good listener.
If you’re nervous, Klaus has a method for warming up.
“I go over the top. I get myself really excited,” Klaus explains. “As I’m walking down the hall for the interview, inside my head, I’m saying: 'I’M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE! I’M SO DELIGHTED TO MEET THESE PEOPLE! I CAN’T WAIT FOR THEM TO MEET ME!'
It sounds crazy — but it works. What you’re doing, Klaus says, is focusing on the positive — and shoving out all those negative thoughts like, “My pants are too tight” or “I hate my hair.”
6. Remember, You’re ‘On’ 24-7
It’s not just during the job-application process or the interview — you have to be “on” at all times.
“Make sure that your brand is what you want communicated at all times — 24-7,” Klaus said. “That means from the way you walk into the interview, physically, vocally — to not having any Facebook photos of you drinking and smoking a hookah,” she said.
And, don’t start slacking just because you’ve landed the job — you have to keep it up even after you’re hired.
“The day after they’re elected, politicians are running again,” Klaus said. “And the same thing holds true for a job candidate — Even when you get the job, you’re still auditioning. People are judging you all the time.”
7. When You Screw Up, Do Some Crisis Management.
“Just like reporters’ or citizens can dish the dirt on a politician by looking through what’s searchable online — folks have the goods on you as well!” Rothenberg said.
“It’s very important that you search the public record the same way that employers most assuredly will — there’s no getting around that,” he said.
So make sure you Google yourself, know what’s out there — and either clean it up, or make sure you address it head on in the interview.
You should always assume that the interviewer has Googled you, so have your answers ready — especially for the embarrassing stuff.
"You can spin anything if you use the right words,” said comedian Harrison Greenbaum. “Caught stealing company funds at your last job? You were 'recognized for your wealth redistribution acumen.' Caught cheating on your wife with your secretary? You 'excelled at internal affairs.'  Caught drinking excessively at your advertising firm?  Well, that would probably make an awesome TV show," he quipped.
8. Stay. On. Message.
Politicians get peppered with tons of questions that are all across the map — Do you support the Tea Party? What did you think of Lady Gaga’s Meat dress at the VMAs? Do you have a love child?
You won’t face nearly that many crazy questions — but you still need to take a page out of the campaign book and, no matter what you’re asked — stay on point.
“No matter what the question is, and no matter how impertinently put, the politician has an answer and doesn’t get distracted by the host’s badgering,” Cenedella and Rothenberg write in "You're Better Than Your Job Search." “We can’t say whether that’s good for us voters, but we can tell you it’s deadly effective for giving a great interview!”
So stay on message. No matter what they ask you, always circle back to your three main points.
9. Be Persistent.
Some people treat applying for a job like dating.
Should I call again? Is it too soon? Maybe I should wait for him to call me?
That may work for dating but when you’re applying for a job — you have to be persistent.
“It’s OK to be persistent in asking for that endorsement — getting that endorsement from the hiring manager, from the company,” Rothenberg said. “Hopefully they’ll vote for you.”
Oh, and don’t forget to vote for yourself!

Career Athletes
On Tuesday night, nearly 300 student athletes attended two sessions with Career Athletes. Judy Rychlewski says, “Career Athletes representatives speak the language of the athletes, couching their career development message in terms like game plan, competition and success.  Chris Smith, former NFL player and Director of Community Development for Career Athletes, demonstrated how to use the “Day in the Life of” (DIOL) technique in order to relate athletic traits to the job being sought.  Each student was encouraged to pick their top 3 traits from a list of 25 traits of an athlete and develop their own stories for future interviews.  To me, this was both powerful and practical!  I am glad to have the support of Career Athletes in helping our student athletes prepare for career success.”  This seminar was sponsored by Northwestern Mutual.
Something New Called Focus 2!
Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.
It helps you decide what your major should be!
OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!
FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.
Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:
In social etiquette, when gentlemen are introduced to ladies, the gentlemen stand and the ladies remain seated. Both ladies and gentlemen stand when introduced to older people, clergy or other dignitaries. Young ladies stand when introduced to older ladies. (Which can be a tricky situation with ladies who are sensitive about their age.)

The business world is gender neutral. In business, both ladies and gentlemen stand for introductions. To remain seated is to insult -- as if you are telling the person he or she is not important.

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events for the Week:
9/20
Federal Reserve Open Info Session

9:45-11
212 YGCU
9/21
2010 Job Fair
Employer Guide

10-3
Penn Valley College

9/23
FRB Deadline
9/24
Cerner

10-11
Union

UMKC Law School Admission

Union


Quote from the Office:
“Tree stands? Oh I was thinking Christmas trees!” - Judy

Friday, September 10, 2010

Back in the Swing of Things!


Employee Diversity Training Doesn't Work

By Lisa Takeuchi Cullen Thursday, Apr. 26, 2007
Some decades ago, the powers that be declared that employee diversity was a good thing, as desirable as double-digit profit margins. It's proving just as difficult to achieve. Companies try all sorts of things to attract and promote minorities and women. They hire organizational psychologists. They staff booths at diversity fairs. They host dim-sum brunches and salsa nights. The most popular--and expensive--approach is diversity training, or workshops to teach executives to embrace the benefits of a diverse staff. Too bad it doesn't work.
A groundbreaking new study by three sociologists shows that diversity training has little to no effect on the racial and gender mix of a company's top ranks. Frank Dobbin of Harvard, Alexandra Kalev of the University of California, Berkeley, and Erin Kelly of the University of Minnesota sifted through decades of federal employment statistics provided by companies. Their analysis found no real change in the number of women and minority managers after companies began diversity training. That's right--none. Networking didn't do much, either. Mentorships did. Among the least common tactics, one--assigning a diversity point person or task force--has the best record of success. "Companies have spent millions of dollars a year on these programs without actually knowing, Are these efforts worth it?" Dobbin says. "In the case of diversity training, the answer is no."
The law is one reason that employers favor diversity training. In the wake of whopping settlements in race-discrimination suits against large companies, including Texaco and Coca-Cola, over the past decade, employers believe that having a program in place can show a judge that they are sincerely fighting prejudice. But this too is a myth, says Dobbin: "I don't know of a single case where courts gave credit for diversity training."
Social psychologists have many theories to explain why diversity training doesn't work as intended. Studies show that any training generates a backlash and that mandatory diversity training in particular may even activate a bias. Researchers also see evidence of "irresistible stereotypes," or biases so deeply ingrained that they simply can't be taught away in a one-day workshop.
Consultants on diversity insist that the training they give has value. R. Roosevelt Thomas, founder of the American Institute for Managing Diversity, says corporate America must first redefine the word. "Diversity means differences and similarities," he says, be they in race, gender or corporate culture. He teaches executives to focus on skills and not familiarity. "In a foxhole, I want someone who can shoot," he says. "I don't care where they're from. Some folks have to be reminded of that."
So what does work? The study's findings in this area were striking too: at companies that assigned a person or committee to oversee diversity, ensuring direct accountability for results, the number of minorities and women climbed 10% in the years following the appointment. Mentorships worked too, particularly for black women, increasing their numbers in management 23.5%. Most effective is the combination of all these strategies, says Dobbin.
In practice, companies find that a multipronged approach leads to results. General Electric initiated an aggressive diversity strategy under former CEO Jack Welch that included employee networks, regular planning forums, formal mentoring, and recruiting at colleges popular with minorities. Perhaps most significantly, GE appointed a chief diversity officer, Deborah Elam. In 2000, women, minorities and non--U.S. citizens made up 22% of GE's officers and 29% of senior executives. By 2005, their ranks swelled to 34% among officers and 40% of senior execs. "Training just to train is not enough," says Elam. "You've got to have accountability at the top." Accountability for the careers of women and minorities requires a substantial commitment of time, staff and money--but so does diversity training. And only one works.
Dum Dums!
Thank you for all participated in this year's Career Service Dum Dum guessing Contest.  We had great participation and enjoyed all of your guesses.

Our mission is to help you in your decision making by providing resources, opportunities and professional experiences to meet your career goals.

You are ALL winners and to receive your prize, please stop by our office located on the second floor of YGCU Room 218.

The total count of dum dums was 553.  The Grand Prize Winner goes to Jessica Chandler with a Guess of 550.  Thank you again,

      The Career Services Team



Something New Called Focus 2!
Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.
It helps you decide what your major should be!
OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!
FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.
Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:
Start meetings on time. If you hold up meetings for latecomers, you are treating the people who did show up on time as if their time is less valuable. If you make a habit of starting late, people will assume your 9:00 AM meeting really begins at 9:20 AM and at 9:00 AM they will all still be grabbing coffee and wondering out loud about who took the last doughnut.

Respect your audience: end on time.  Have an agenda and stick to it. If you are speaking at the meeting, be prepared with your material. People who are unprepared talk and talk and talk until attendees are slipping under the table.

We all know of certain people who can talk the leg off a chair and those who can derail a meeting onto the strangest topics.  As the meeting leader, you are in charge.  In your mind, you may be tackling them at the knees and throwing them to the conference room floor.  In reality, a simple, "We seem to have slipped off topic and we need to return to our agenda..." will do.
As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events for the Week:
9/14
Career Mentor Program Orientation

5:45-7
WSC 304
9/16
KU Business Fair

12-5
KU 5th flr Union

9/20
Federal Reserve Open Info Session

9:45-11
212 YGCU
9/21
2010 Job Fair
Employer Guide

10-3
Penn Valley College



Quote from the Office:
“Why’s there a rock in my shoe? Oh wait, it’s a chocolate chip.” - Katie

Friday, September 3, 2010

Fall Semester 2010


Welcome Back!

The Office of Career Services is very excited to start the new school term! We’re busy planning events and networking opportunities for all of you. We hope that you take advantage of the services that we offer throughout the semester, whether it’s help with a resume or finding an internship. Hopefully you’ll also use the various web resources that we have set up. As of now Career Services has our official website, a Facebook group and fan page, a blog, a Twitter account, and of course eRecruiting. We try to update each of these regularly with information useful to you the student! Let us know if there is anything we can add to make sure everyone knows about the opportunities available!

How to sell 'soft' skills
Bob Lankard
CTW Features
Have you ever asked questions in a letter only to have the responder answer some questions, but ignore others? Some job seekers treat job applications this way. They respond to some qualifications an employer specified in an ad and ignore others.
Often, job seekers are more comfortable explaining hard skills, such as software they have mastered, degrees they have earned or machines they are qualified to operate. Soft skills - qualities such as being a self-starter or being terrific at project management - may be more challenging to present and explain.
The upshot: some candidates simply avoid presenting their soft skills all together. Others resort to selling these skills using weak qualitative claims, such as "I am great at project management." To strengthen their pitch, candidates should skip the 'I ams' and work to deliver specific examples that demonstrate their soft skills.
A talent for organizing is a great soft skill, and one that many employers value and seek out.
To present organizational skills on an application, cover letter, résumé or in the interview, consider these approaches.
Have you ever been asked to help out with a project? What did you do to get the job done? For example, perhaps you solicited businesses to get donations for a fundraiser.
Have you ever been recognized for your productivity on the job? Look at old employee evaluations.
Think about projects where you used your planning skills. Think about the process you went through. Are there other occasions where you used the same process?
The best way to sell organizational skills in an interview is to tell a story. The applicant who obtained donations for the fundraiser could tell how many they collected, the most interesting donation, or how he solved a problem that arose.
Your application, résumé or cover letter may give the message of good or bad organizational skills all by itself. An application with smudges and incomplete answers shows someone to be poorly organized. On the contrary one that is clean, without errors, and complete answers shows good planning.

Something New Called Focus 2!
Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.
It helps you decide what your major should be!
OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!
FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.
Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:
Ever get to the end of a letter and ask yourself, "How do I end this?"  Here are some ideas on how to close:

Best closing for a business letter: Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Very sincerely,
Also appropriate for business and slightly less personal: Yours truly, or Very truly yours,
(Yours, by itself, is something you yell out to your partner in doubles tennis.)

Acceptable, but a little on the chilly side: Cordially or Cordially yours,

To someone you know well, but not enough to kill the fatted calf over: Regards, Warm regards, Kindest regards, Best wishes, All the best, As always, As ever,

For a family member or close friend: Love, With much love, Fondly, Affectionately, Affectionately yours,

Addressing clergy or members of high political office: Respectfully, or Respectfully yours, Faithfully, Faithfully yours,
Thanking someone: Gratefully, Gratefully yours,

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events for the Week:
9/7
Meet the Accounting Firms

4-6 Rockhurst
9/8
Mink Law Day

3-7
Overland Park Con Cntr
9/14
Career Mentor Program Orientation

5:45-7
WSC 304
9/20
Federal Reserve Open Info Session

9:45-11
212 YGCU