When you get laid off

Chris Brogran recently wrote about getting laid off. It is in his newsletter so you have to scroll down.

He says two things that I thought were helpful:

Accept that your layoff has to do with the economy..not you.
Accept that you are still valuable and no less useful than you were last week.

(I'm paraphrasing..sorry Chris)

Short term questions he asks you to think about include: what skills do you have that people would pay for and who do you know who might have job leads?

Long term questions
What is your pie in the sky dream for your future? Can you get there with your current skills ( and if not, what is one step you can take towards that dream?)
Who is doing what I want to do? Can they give me a start? ( or what advice would they offer me)

Chris is heavy into social media..so if you read him, beware they he will suggest Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Don't get discouraged if you are not using those tools. His questions are worth thinking about.

Notice how often he suggests connecting and networking with others.  Most job leads are found through connections.  What can you do to make the most of your current network? What can you do to expand your network?

And finally, what do you need to do to take care of yourself.  Job searching is tough, emotionally draining work....remember to be kind to yourself.

Ever thought of going into business for yourself?

This tip comes from a SE region networking meeting ( I can't remember who shared it! Sorry!)

The WI Women's Business Initiative provides loans to start up a small business.  In looking at their website, I was impressed by how much training and assistance they provide in addition to micro loans.

It looks like the educational programs are in central and south Wisconsin...but they have quite a few resources on line as well. 

If you have ever though about running your own business this looks like a compreheniive resource to help you assess your skills, develop a business plan and provides loans.

Interview Tips

Harvard Business School has a Management Tip of the Day blog and today's tips are related to interviewing.

Their three top tips are:

Research: There is no excuse not to spend time researching the organization online before your interview. This will help you both answer questions and come with questions of your own.  I have printed pages from websites to take with me to interviews so I can refer to what I saw on line.

Show interest: not just in the position and the organization but in the interviewer(s).  I almost always ask the interviewer what they like about working at the organization as well as what they find challenging.

Listen: in other words...don't talk the whole time. What the interviewer says can help you both answer questions and decide if you want to work there.

One more tip from me: come with questions( not about salary and benfits..leave those for after you have an offer) questions like: What is the most important thing this position needs to accomplish in the next year?  And the question I almost always end with is "Do you have any concerns about my ability to do this job?"

The most under-utlized job search strategy

Informational interviewing is one of the best job search strategies and yet, very few people use it.

Here is how it works. You decide who would be helpful to interview.  Someone who:
-is in a field you want to work in
-is in a job you might like to have
-works for an organization you are interested in working for
-has some kind of experience that you are interest in

You call or email and ask to meet for coffee( or tea, or lunch)

Introduce yourself:  Hello ______, my name is Julie Swanson

Describe your connection or how you got their name:  I got your name from ____ ( a mutual friend), we met at a conference, I saw you present, I did an alumni search at ______college where we both went, etc.

Ask for a meeting: I'm going to be making a career transition soon, due to budget cuts, and I have always been interested in working in __________. I was wondering if you might have time to meet for coffee so I could ask you some questions about your job: how you got it, what it's like, any advice you would have for someone interested in that kind of work.

Three reasons informational interviewing is effective.
1. People like to give advice.Most people are honored to be asked to informational interview and genuinely enjoy talking about their work and helping someone out.

2. Most people want to hire someone they know or someone who is recommended by someone they know.  So the more people you network with, the more likely you get referred to a job. Informational interviewing is a way to grow your network directly related to the kind of work you want.

3. You can get great tips about: how to present the skills you have, experience you need to get and how to get it, who else you should talk...etc.

How do you want to be remembered?

I just read " Quitting with Style" from Harvard Business blog. When you quit, it is a decision you have made.  Many people in tobacco control are  (or may) be laid off.  Leaving is not a decision they made...but can you still leave with style?  Here are some thoughts:

1. Take control of what you can.  Do you have a clear understanding of your benefits?  Vacation, sick leave, health care? If not, who do you need to meet with? What is your job search plan?

2. Leave your office and program in the best shape you can.  As you clean up your desk and computer, think about who could use what you have created, how can you pass it on? If information is going to left in your office, how can you organize it so others can find it. Are there things that can and should be thrown away...toss or recycle so no one else has to try to figure it out when you are gone. Create a transition or program closure plan. Share it so your co-workers and supervisors know what to expect.

3.  Leave yourself in the best shape you can
What do you want to take with you? Here are a few ideas:

• Examples of work accomplished for a professional portfolio. 
• Examples of praise, thank yous, quotes from colleagues and people served.
• Your rmost current job description and copies of all performance appraisals.
• A list of references and their current contact information.

4. Stay connected.  Who knows what will happen in the future?  You don't know who you will work with or who might supervise you ( or who you might supervise.)  Think about who you'd like to stay connected with and how to do it.  What about planning a few lunch dates or coffee's before you go?

5. Be intentional about closure. Do you want to have a farewell party so you can say good bye to colleagues?  Sometimes co-workers plan this but there is no reason you can't initiate it.  Do you want to post a message on tobacco talk?  Who do you want to say thank you to and how?

Bottom Line: How do you want to be remembered? People remember last impressions almost as clearly as they do first ones.  Make sure the last impression of you is what you want it to be.

Photo Credit: Flickr: muehlinghaus

Responsibility vs Accomplishment

I know. I'm awesome.
Originally uploaded by Big C Harvey

When you are writing your resume you can list your responsibilities...or you can describe you accomplishments.

For example

Responsibilty
Establish and recruit partnerships

Accomplishment
Identified and recruited ___new partners each year

Responsibility
Implement effective fundraising plan

Accomplishment
Implemented a fundraising plan that resulted in _____

Wrote ____successful grant applications

Met or exceeded fundraising goals for the past 4 years

Two ways to show communication skills

Almost every job I have ever applied for has wanted someone with
Excellent Communication Skills. The trouble is, how do you show communication skills in a cover letter or on a resume?

Here are two ideas

Highlight accomplishments that demonstrate your communication skills

-Created and implemented a conflict management training ( or process)
-Facilitated a coalition through the strategic planning process including developing a mission, vision and work plan.
-Led a work group that crafted our coalitions' communication plan.

The idea is to show potential employees what you have done with your communication skills.

Another idea is to use the credibility of quotes( which is basically testimony). So for instance, in a cover letter, I might say

My supervisors consistently rate my communication skills as excellent.

" Julie has established excellent working relationships with staff and partners"
(Supervisor at the Cancer Information Service)

Look for quotes in your performance appraisals, in evaluations, partner or coalition member surveys, and in your praise folders.  If you are not getting good quotes, consider changing how you ask your questions or at least adding one question that asks for quotes.

Google to the Rescue

I really like this. Google has a one page template to help you prepare for an interview. Check it out!
 Hat tip to Sarah Apple for keeping an eye on Google

Your most powerful six words

This is a "reflect on what you do well" post.

Taking the time for reflection on what your unique skills and contributions are can help you: maximize your impact at your current job, direct a future job search and help you market yourself effectively.

In the article "Sum up your Leadership in Six Words" from Harvard Business School, we are challenged to sum up (briefly)our most important, unique contribution. 

Reflecting on what is most unique and influential about your contribution can be helpful in two ways.

In my current position: What parts of my job do I love and look forward to?  What do I do really well? ( better than others?)

How do I make sure that I use my most effective skills?  How do I communicate the unique contributions that I make to my supervisor?  What influence do I have over my work to include more of what I do well?

If I am looking for work, how do I best communicate: How is my organization ( or coalition or community) better off because of my contributions? And how can I communicate my unique contribution in a brief but powerful way?

What are your six most powerful words?

Resume Tip: Action Verbs

Struggling to find the right action verb to describe what you did? 
Find yourself using the word "developed" for the third time?

Here are some lists of action words to help you accurately describe what you did

• Action Verbs from WriteExpress
• Resume Action Verbs from Boston College
• Action Verb Lists Morraine Valley Community College

Photo credit: flickr.oxfam

Resume Tip: Start Strong

The first thing on my resume is a section called : Qualifications Highlights or Summary of Qualifications.
This is a short section, that I change for every job I apply for. I highlight what I have to offer related to this specfic position.  It is like the abstract for my resume.

Here are two examples (from my files)

Summary of Qualifications

• Fifteen years developing, implementing and evaluating training programs
• Six years experience in public health outreach
• Over two years of experience in tobacco control

Qualification Highlights

• 20 years experience developing, implementing, and evaluating educational programs
• Five years living and working overseas
• Three years experience supervising volunteers/ students overseas

 

 

Where do I find job postings?

Here are few websites that list job openings in WI.
Job Center of Wisconsin
UW Systems Employment Resources (for jobs within the UW system)
Jobs at UW Extension
WI Technical College Jobs
State of Wisconsin Employment Job Seeker
Wisc jobs: The Official Employment Site of WI state goverment
Rural Health Careers Wisconsin
WI Job Network
APHA Public Health Careermart can be searched by state

Know of others...please post them in comments

Photo Credit: Flickr: bjmccray

Good references are like back up singers.

A good reference should make you look and sound good. Here are some tips for recruiting your professional back up team:

1. Choose 3-5 references: you want to have more than 2 in case someone is out of town and you need a fast response.

2. Choose a variety:  Think about different perspectives employers will be interested in: colleague, supervisor, team member, customer ( someone from the audience you serve), funder...
3. Never assume: Ask people to be your reference.  Ideally ask people before you need them..so you don’t catch people off guard.   Ask them in a way that makes it OK for them to say no. "Would you be comfortable being a reference for me? If not, that’s OK..just let me know. "

The bottom line: your reference needs to be able to give strong, credible testimony to your strengths as a professional. If someone is not able to do that..you don’t want them to be your reference.

4. Keep contact information current: Make sure you have their current phone number, including cell phone and an email address they check regularly.

5. Give them a heads up before you give out their name and contact information, let them know. The last thing you want to do is catch them off guard or give out their name only to find out they are on vacation for a week.

Photo: Polkaholic back up singers!
Originally uploaded by Vera Gavrilovic ... PolkaSceneZine

Seven Reasons to keep a Professional Portfolio

These are examples of work portfolios we keep at the Resource Center.  We have portfolios of workshops we have created, highlights of our accomplishments and high impact projects. A work portfolio is a visual aid that showcases accomplishmets and, when possible, impact.

Portfolios are useful when

1. writing an annual report
2. writing a performance appraisal
3. meeting with your supervisor
4. meeting new partners
5. job interviews
6. planning similar events
7. showing impact to funders or potentional funders

If you have ideas on other ways to use portfolios..please suggest them in the comments.

Start a Praise Folder

I keep a praise folder. Any time someone gives me a compliment or praises work we do at the Resource Center it goes in my praise folder.

These compliments or praise come in handy for

• performance appraisals
• evaluations
• summary of accomplishments
• cover letters
• interviews

Also, anyone who has sent you a compliment is someone to keep on file as a potential reference (hat tip for this idea to Paula Silha!)

Photo credit: flickr: brain malfunction

For people with policy advocacy experience

3 9 09 Bearman Cartoon City Council Job copy
Originally uploaded by Bearman2007

Three job search tools to keep up to date

If you keep these up to date, you are ready to go if you need to look for a job or you weren't looking but your dream job turns up.  Even if you aren't job hunting, a current resume and professional portfolio can help when you do your performance appraisal.

1. Resume
( you are going to tailor this for any job you apply for but I try to keep one master copy to work from)

2. Professional Portfolio: Keep copies of work samples ( online and hard copy)

3. References (when is the last time you contacted your references?)

Wearing your resume

You can find anything on flickr these days. When I searched on resume, I found people wearing their resume on their t-shirt.

Cool Blog Sociale - 10 July 2008 - Original Resume T-shirt by BlackBirdTees B
Originally uploaded by SOCIALisBETTER

Four Top Tips for Resumes

1. Tailor Each One
When I review resumes, anyone who hasn't taken the time to personalize their resume for the specific job opening, goes in the "No" pile.

2. Don't Include Everything
The purpose of the resume is to get you an interview.  Highlight your most relevant experience so the employer will be interested enough to interview you.

3. Make it Skimmable
People don't read any more.  Use headers and white space so it is easy and fast to skim your resume.

4. Showcase Accomplishments
Think: What have I done that will be interesting to this employer? What have I done that is relevant to this job?   Don't just list skills and experience, describe outcomes.