What’s the Caffeinated Careers Club?

Caffeinated Careers Club in Arvada is one of the Denver metro area’s longest-running job search club. Often imitated, but never matched!

At the Caffeinated Careers Club, we network, share advice, job leads, resources, and encouragement. Facilitated by job search expert Tracy Laswell Valdez, is positive, businesslike, uplifting, and focused. Established October 1999 and going strong, with typical attendance of 30+ individuals.

Cost: $1.00.

Dress: Business casual, accessorized with a smile.

RSVP: We use Meetup.com for RSVPs and to share meeting minutes (uploaded under files), click here to join Caffeinated Careers Club (Arvada) on Meetup. Info on meeting process and protocol is listed here as well. When you RSVP, add your target job titles and target companies to the comments.

We also have a LinkedIn group to share job search resources, click here to join.

More Info: Call Tracy Laswell Valdez at 303-424-1700.

Caffeinated Careers Club Meetup

by Tracy Laswell Valdez, CPRW, JCTC – CAREER-Magic.com

No doubt about it, job searching can be a draining, emotionally gut-wrenching, and depressing experience. The world as you know it hangs in the balance throughout a long, anxiety-ridden jaunt through the unknown. As a job search expert, a big part of what I do is help clients stay “up” emotionally throughout the process. I feel for you! So here are some thoughts on how to stay up during an extended job search, contributed by real live job seekers like yourself:

1. Treat your body like the temple it is: quit smoking, exercise, eat yummy and nutritious foods, rest well, keep yourself meticulously well-groomed. Pamper yourself!
2. Get outside each and every day for at least 30 minutes – fresh air, sunshine, and nature are free and powerful medicine.
3. Stay away from booze and other chemical depressants.
4. Limit Internet, television, and other electronic depressants.
5. Volunteer for worthwhile causes where your contributions are truly appreciated.
6. Go to church, meditate, do yoga, read inspirational books – do things to keep your perspective.
7. Avoid grumpy, pessimistic, critical, demanding people. Instead, hang out with supportive, energetic, POSITIVE people who are always trying something new. And contrary to your gut instinct, it’s often quite helpful to socialize with other unemployed people as long as they’re perky, can-do folks who are not going to let life get them down.
8. Along those lines, spend some time with babies and puppies and kitties – in other words, those who serve as reminders that the simplest things in life can be a joy.
9. Get a small job where you can make a difference, make a few dollars, and make some new networking contacts / friends.
10. Throw yourself a pity party – I’m serious! Invite your wisest, closest friends, whine and moan, get it all out of your system, then move on.
11. Ask your closest friends to tell you five great things about you.
12. Cut yourself some slack if you’re feeling angry, bummed, or tired. Give yourself permission to take a break from the search every so often.
13. Go back to school to develop a new skill, whether it’s job search related or something fun you’ve always wanted to learn (like a foreign language, cooking, pottery, dance). Learn something new even if you have to get a student loan.
14. Find some free fun each day – if you look, you can probably find free and low-cost sources of entertainment (free art exhibits and live music at coffee shops, free video and music rentals at the library, etc.).
15. Get your expectations on straight. Job searches take a lot time -  the rule of thumb is month of full-time searching for every $10k in annual salary you’re seeking – in other words, most people’s job searches can be expected to take 4-12 months.
16. Try not to go through your job search like a lead balloon, tense and tight and deadly serious in all you do. Get wacky, laugh a lot, take a lighthearted approach. Instead of getting tangled up in small details (should I email, should I fax, should I write a cover letter?), realize that the people on the receiving end of your application are people too. This means they all respond differently to different things. Instead of following the job search herd, try to think of some goofy, out-of-the-box (yet legal and somewhat professional) ways to get in front of hiring managers. You really have nothing to lose at this point.
17. Develop a habit of gratitude to replace the habit of self-pity. I personally count my blessings at least once a day, often in writing, and it’s a great way to stay up when life gets grueling and discouraging.
18. Get professional help! Call CAREER-Magic today and let us help you get unstuck. Or at very least, email us your resume for a free resume critique (resume analysis).

For more tips on positive, productive job searching, check out our book The Essential Job Search Companion, or call CAREER-Magic today to schedule a job search coaching session – 303-424-1700. We guarantee to provide a boost to your job search!

by Tracy Laswell Valdez, CPRW, JCTC – CAREER-Magic.com

More than ever before, a job seeker’s resume must be carefully composed in such a way that each word on the page supports a specific career objective. And it better be all about benefits of hiring you: 75% or more of the content needs to prove your worth and demonstrate the RESULTS you will bring to your next employer. Features (for example, 20 years of progressive experience) can’t sell like specific benefits (improved profitability by 25% in 2008).

I challenge you to read your current resume, line by line, and ask yourself with the question “so what?” at the end of each sentence. Ask yourself whether a statement can that be expressed as a specific quantifiable contribution to the company’s bottom line. It can be difficult, and at times you will have to estimate, but the more you are able to assess your value to a company, you will be more likely to win and retain a rewarding position.

Relevance: Be sure all the points in your resume are truly relevant to your current objective? Some of your background may be in a completely unrelated industry, and some may be “ancient history.”  Consider removing any information that instead of better qualifying you, could be used to weed you out. That would include irrelevant qualifications, whether educational or experiential. The competition today is nothing less than fierce. Recruiters are charged with finding the exceptional fit, the amazing value candidate, and a one-size-fits-all resume simply cannot convey the right stuff. It is also important to realize that “more” experience may not be seen as “better” – you are likely to be perceived as older, more expensive, or just “overqualified.”

Tailoring. The right stuff may be in there, but is it translated to the words the employer is using? Each resume you send for a specific opportunity needs to be tailored so that the recruiter can see exactly those qualifications being sought. This can be done in a number of ways throughout the resume but the introductory section of your resume should say it all – fluently, persuasively, in the language of the specific employer.

CAREER-Magic offers free resume critiques via our contact page as well as cost-effective resume editing and complete development services. The right resume can pay for itself many times over by shortening the search and giving you leverage to negotiate the best offer. Call 303-424-1700 or email us today for more information.

Not getting the results you want in your job search? 

Don’t give up! Learn what you can do to take your search to the next level. The Smarter Job Search Workshops are interactive, information-packed one-hour workshops designed to make you more successful in a number of ways:

• Brand Yourself! Create winning resumes and cover letters with all the right buzzwords!
• Job search efficiently and effectively using metasites (Indeed) and social media (LinkedIn, Meet-Up, more)
• Network live and online to get more interviews (don’t be an anonymous job seeker!)
• Interview persuasively to become the candidate of choice!
• Negotiate the best possible offer!

TOPICS (see our Meetup page at the link above for specific times and locations)

• The Above & Beyond Job Search by CAREER-Magic
• Smarter Interviews & Salary Negotiations by CAREER-Magic

• Cover Letter Magic by CAREER-Magic
• Generating Job Leads for Fun & Profit by CAREER-Magic

• Using the Phone Effectively in Your Job Search by CAREER-Magic
• Job Search Skills For Introverts by CAREER-Magic

• Branding & Buzzwords: Using Powerful Language in Your Job Search by CAREER-Magic
• Social Media 101: Using LinkedIn, Meet-up, and other platforms in Your Job Search by CAREER-Magic

CAREER-Magic Job Search Workshops are facilitated by Denver Job Search Expert Tracy Laswell Valdez, leveraging 16+ years of job search support for 3000+ clients. For more info, please call 303-424-1700 or email tracy@career-magic.com. Please RSVP online by clicking here!

WHEN & WHERE: See calendar of events at http://www.meetup.com/The-Smarter-Job-Search-Workshop/

Cost: $10 per session by cash or check. Please RSVP online by clicking here!

The following is a recent exchange with a pretty savvy job seeker – I hope it’s useful information for you as well.

Q. Do recruiters have an extensive list of opportunities, or do they really only get a small portion of what is out there?

A. Interesting question. I think when many people think of recruiters, they think of them as being tapped into hundreds, maybe thousands of positions, in all industries, in all geographies, surely having access to several positions that might be suitable for them. That’s far from true. Given the nature of the work, finding candidates with highly specific qualifications, many recruiters specialize by profession and industry. Most contingency recruiters I know work on no more than 10 positions at a time. Corporate or contract recruiters may work on up to 20 positions at one time for one specific organization. It is estimated that recruiters fill no more than 5% of all available opportunities.

Q. Do recruiters focus on and work at having a large “candidate pool” so that they can pull from it for the opportunities they are trying to fill? (Say a pool of 200 people for 10 opportunities).

A. Methods vary by recruiter. If the recruiter has a specific profession or industry focus, they would be smart to build a candidate database that they can utilize again and again. Many recruiters will build a candidate from scratch each time they start a search. They typically have no more than a couple dozen candidates per position.

Q. Do recruiters care about nurturing a professional connection, or are they just trying to find a quick qualified candidate and leave it at that?

A. As is true of people in all professions, recruiters can vary widely in their approaches. Many recruiters would love to nurture relationships with as many quality candidates as possible, but recruiting is often very deadline driven and competitive. There are so many hours in the day, and they have to spend their time wisely. If you are not qualified for that urgent requisition they are working on, they’re unlikely to be able to spend much time with you.

Relationship building goes both ways. While some may not return the favor, I do recommend that candidates be courteous and helpful when speaking with recruiters. If a recruiter approaches you with a job opportunity that isn’t right for you,offer to spread the word to some of your contacts or to make a referral. Recruiters are often highly networked and when a candidate is rude or unreliable, word definitely gets around.

Q. Job seekers want to find employment sooner than later. Are recruiters a big piece of this, or just another tool in the tool belt like LinkedIn, networking groups, and job boards?

A. If you have highly specialized, highly sought-after job qualifications and are relatively open to relocation, then cultivating recruiter relationships should be a relatively large part of your overall  job search effort (say 20%). If your skills are more generalized and your search is geographically limited, I would recommend building out a good LinkedIn profile so that recruiters can find and contact you more easily.

Hope that’s helpful insight! For more information on creating a smart, productive job search campaign, identifying recruiters with whom to network, or building out your LinkedIn profile, please contact Tracy Laswell Valdez at CAREER-Magic.com – 303-424-1700.

Recently a client of mine abruptly returned to a 40-hour a week job after more than a year of unemployment. He related his surprise at how he felt returning the 9-to-5 in a busy workplace, even having had many years of such experience. The words culture shock and jet lag came to mind – after being on his own schedule and relatively isolated for such a long period of time. His first few days on the job were admittedly a bit rough and he might not have been making a great first impression due his jet lag and culture shock

The old standard advice for job seekers of maintaining a schedule, to which I frequently add the importance of  getting out with people as much as possible is not only good for your mental health, but it improves your job search prowess and facilitates a smooth transition once you get back to work.

For people who have taken an extended period of time out of the working world, such as those who have cared for their young, old, or ill family members, I frequently suggest easing back into the working world with a part-time arrangement. Most of my clients who from a more nurturing home environment to the political nuances, fluorescent lights, ringing phones, and hectic pace of a busy corporate environment suffer from culture shock and can become acutely unhappy.

Other ideas include taking on a part-time volunteer job that gets you out with people on a regular basis or even a minimum wage job that allows you to interact with the general public.

If nothing else, anticipate a little jet lag and culture shock, take it slowly, and treat yourself well as you begin your next ‘vacation’ from unemployment.

Tracy Laswell Valdez

By Katie Smith

When people generally think of job search we tend to think about things we should be doing. I would like to direct your attention inside and begin to observe how you are BEING in your life. Granted there are always things we need to DO to create our next position, but the way we are feeling and being also plays a large role in our success.

Consider this – when we are in desperate mode we are operating from a place of fear, all of our decisions, the thoughts we think and the energy we convey may feel negative and restrictive. But when we are relaxed we allow ourselves to go with the flow, have fun and trust ourselves and the decisions we are making, our body and mind are naturally more relaxed. Desperation breeds fear and stress and stress stops flow and opportunity from showing up. Fun and relaxation breed confidence, flow and allowing. I know budgets are tight with so many in the job hunt, so what are you doing to relax and have fun? Are you allowing yourself breaks from the job search? It doesn’t have to cost money to relax. For some it is allowing a nap from time to time, for some a hot bath at the end of the day, it could be getting regular exercise, a hike or bike ride can shift the brain and the thoughts within 10 minutes of the activity. During this time of job creation it is the perfect time to do some self-reflecting and self-care and think about what strategies you can incorporate to relax and take YOU time. This type of action actually acknowledges the work you are doing and the more you learn to acknowledge yourself and take care of yourself in this way the easier it will be to stay in a positive frame. And people and employers like positive vibes.

Give yourself permission to take breaks in the middle of the day to breathe, walk, laugh, etc. When we are creating regular patterns of self-care in this way you think clearer, work more effectively and feel happier. And that all adds up to being more relaxed and letting the opportunities and ideas flow. I find when I take breaks in the middle of my day I work much more effectively and feel much better. I invite you to share what you do to relax and when you find it hard to relax what simple techniques work for you in helping shift your mental state?

Remember you are more than your job and your job search. Pay attention to your feelings and will begin to enjoy the journey!

Happy Relaxing,

Katie

Katie Smith is a professional life coach & executive search consultant. Her expertise lies in helping individuals that are interested in bringing their goals into reality, reinventing themselves and their livelihoods and creating a more relaxed joy filled life.  www.katiebsmith.com

An esteemed colleague of mine, Carol Ross, writes a brilliant blog, often putting lucid words around the topics that I find myself pondering (though with less clarity). Her most recent, The Upside to a Recession, is about “realistic optimism” –an oxymoron better known as the silver lining. Like Carol, I have pondered the implications of our present economic circumstances — and have come to the conclusion that the changes occurring are not all bad.

One of the good things Carol Ross mentions is that we now seem to have a renewed focus on connecting with others, whether live and in person or on Twitter. Connecting with others, sharing thoughts, ideas, feelings, getting real, getting focused, getting help – these are critically important behaviors, in my opinion. Following the enthusiastic response to another recent article by Carol, Nine Networking Mistakes to Avoid, she created a new educational offering – the Networking Naturally Program. While I have not yet attended this teleseminar, I know Carol well enough to heartily recommend it. If you do, let me know what you think.

What does the phrase “job security” mean to you? Twenty-five years ago, job security meant finding a position in a good company, showing up on time, and performing one’s duties reasonably well. Advancement within the ranks was also fairly predictable.

When I hear people use the phrase “job security,” and I think they believe in this career phenomenon of days gone by, I begin to wonder about their views on Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

Most of us know the definitions of terms like downsizing, rightsizing, restructuring, temping, and outplacement… and we have some idea that the buy-outs, mergers, and bellies-up that businesses experience have something to do with a rapidly evolving global economy. Many of us, working hard at “good companies” don’t fully grasp what this means to our careers until it’s too late.

If you’d like to experience a measure of job security in the new millennium, then I’d like to advocate a proactive rather than reactive approach to career management.

The advice I offer today falls into three categories:

1. Surviving and thriving in a constant restructuring company
2. Increasing your market value or “employability factor”
3. Keeping a roof over your head

1. Surviving and thriving in a constant restructuring company

To survive and even prosper in a continually churning corporate structure, keep a positive attitude. Demonstrate your willingness to embrace change. When new management arrives, build rapport rather than mope about the loss of co-workers who became friends. Continually seek ways to add value at your current place of employment – broaden your repertoire of skills. Aggressively pursue your own professional development – take advantage of corporate-sponsored training and tuition reimbursement programs. If those perks aren’t offered, design your own professional development path – take advantage of the vast wealth of career-related topics available for the asking at your local library and on the Internet. Join professional associations related to your field and/or industry. Stay abreast of business news – be conversant in the market factors that catalyze change in your company’s industry.

2. Increasing your market value or “employability factor”

To keep your employability factor high, build and maintain professional networks. I cannot stress this enough. When you build outstanding relationships with managers, peers, clients, and vendors, don’t let it evaporate when the business relationship changes. Get e-mail addresses, postal addresses, and home phone numbers as your contacts permit. Why? So that you can stay in touch with these people… they know your value in the marketplace and will often be willing to help you find your next position – and of course, you will provide them with leads and support too, when the time comes.

Even if you feel like all is just ducky at work, I strongly encourage a preventative maintenance program for your career. Keep your resume updated and your interview skills sharp. Keep an ongoing file of your accomplishments, performance evaluations, and recently completed continuing education, and update that resume twice a year. If you don’t have anything to add on a regular basis, refer to Part 1.

Another way to remain gainfully employed is to rethink your present definition of work. Consider temping, contract work, and even moonlighting toward full-fledged self-employment These are increasingly valid ways of being employed. Stay in touch with your talents and aspirations and don’t worry that career switching or numerous jobs might “look bad” on your resume. As long as you’re learning and making a living, no one will fault you for trying new jobs.

3. Keeping a roof over your head

To keep a roof over your head, and to keep yourself from conducting a job search in “Titanic Mode,” have a solid emergency savings plan. I’m no financial planner, but I definitely know that not having six months worth of household expenses stashed away is financial suicide in today’s job market. Conducting a job search is sufficiently demanding of most people’s emotional capabilities without adding an element of sheer financial horror to it.

Jobs in corporate America may be shuffling faster than ever as we approach the new millenium, but there’s no reason you can’t start working now to stack the deck in your favor.

Here we stand, staring straight into the new millennium, in the infancy of the Information Age. How is it, then, that you’re still managing your career like it’s the early ’80′s? Many of the assumptions and values around your career, which made perfect sense in the Industrial Age, have been outdated for years now. The changes yet to come are guaranteed to come hard and fast.

Your career success depends on whether you surf the waves of change, or just stand on the beach, small and incredulous while they crash down on you. When you’re considering your career in the future, it may very well be useful to keep the image of a surfer in your mind while I explain a few of the changes and how they affect you.

The early years of any era are invariably dicey. The rules change quickly as we all struggle to get on the same page. As we leave behind the Industrial Age, we are forced to leave behind its paradigms surrounding careers. The American Dream is no longer attained by the old formula (four-year degree + “good company” = career progression).

Remaining frozen in fear, complaining, or ignoring change will not make it go away. Running around in denial looking for an old-style job at a “good” company will not save you. Staying in college longer won’t save you. Even starting your own company won’t necessarily ensure you a lifetime career, although the mindset involved in self-employment will be helpful throughout your career. As an example of how things have changed, know this: it’s no longer sufficient to get a four-year degree at the beginning of one’s career and call it good. Advanced degrees and ongoing attendance in focused technical programs throughout one’s career will be the norm for those who seek above-average earnings.

Darwin would say that what’s called for here is adaptability. The ability to stay abreast of constant, significant change is the key to your survival. Looking forward to the future, finding the good in change, and taking control of your own career development are steps in the right direction. Striving to truly understand the changes to our economy and the impacts of newly emerging technologies will help you accept and anticipate the changes that directly affect you. In an Information Age, it is deadly to your career not to understand the big picture and where you fit in. The good news is that, in an Information Age, it’s easy to find the resources you need to stay one step ahead.

Just like the surfer, in order to do well you’ll need to remain fit. In the career sense, fitness means continually defining and developing your unique skills as well as adapting them in an instant to satisfy a new and urgent business need. Make sure you’ve got a line between you and your surfboard …plan for the big spills and the changing tides that may leave you temporarily unemployed. This means having a solid financial plan rather than living two paychecks away from insolvency as most Americans are rumored to.

So what can you do right now? As you think of your career in the new millennium, keep the notion of the surfer firmly in mind. Keep your attitude young, hip, and healthy. View your time with each employer as a surfer regards a particular wave. Make the most of it, ride it as long as you can, and have fun. But if you want to keep going, be looking for the next wave to ride after the one you’re on subsides.