Press releases for ITS during July of 2006How To Handle: Achievements Aren't MeasurableHow To Handle: Been An Entrepreneur Too Long Part 1 How To Handle: Been An Entrepreneur Too Long Part 2 How To Handle: Competitors Have Moved Ahead Part 1 How To Handle: Competitors Have Moved Ahead Part 2 How To Handle: Don't Have Line Experience Part 1 How To Handle: Don't Have Line Experience Part 2 How To Handle: Education Is Unrelated to Goals Part 1 How To Handle: Education Is Unrelated to Goals Part 2 How To Handle: Education Is Unrelated to Goals Part 3 How To Handle: Have Changed Jobs Too Much Part 1 How To Handle: Have Changed Jobs Too Much Part 2 How To Handle: Have Changed Jobs Too Much Part 3 How To Handle: Have Changed Jobs Too Much Part 4 How To Handle: Lack of Leadership Experience Part 1 How To Handle: Lack of Leadership Experience Part 2 How To Handle: High Earnings May Disqualify Part 1 How To Handle: High Earnings May Disqualify Part 2 How To Handle: High Earnings May Disqualify Part 3 How To Handle: My Experience Is Narrow Part 1 How To Handle: My Experience Is Narrow Part 2 How To Handle: My Experience Is Narrow Part 3 How To Handle: Need More Income Part 1 How To Handle: Need More Income Part 2 How To Handle: Returning To An Old Occupation Part 1 How To Handle: Returning To An Old Occupation Part 2 How To Handle: You Need Confidentiality How To Handle: You Need To Change Careers Part 1 How To Handle: You Need To Change Careers Part 2 How To Handle: You Need To Change Careers Part 3 How To Handle: You Need To Change Careers Part 4 How To Handle: Your Career Has Peaked Part 3 How To Handle: Your Career Has Peaked Part 4 A random selection of press releases this month.How To Handle: Returning To An Old Occupation Part 1Denver, CO — July 18, 2006Not many people have the courage to switch occupations, but among those who do, some find they really don't like the new job as much as their previous one. When that is the case, it's best to admit the mistake and return to the previous occupation. The problem, of course, is that your most recent experience no longer relates to your goal. One of the more common situations is that of the former "producer" who finds that "management" is not so satisfying and rewarding as expected. Educators sometimes reach the same conclusion and find that they want to return to teaching. Many times, the employer is unwilling to return the person to their old job. That means the only way to reach their goal is through a well executed job change. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to handle this situation. Mindset Keep in mind that your recent experience does not detract from what you have achieved previously. In fact, it has probably helped you develop a broader perspective, and perhaps new strengths and capabilities, all of which would make you more effective in your past occupation. An astute employer will recognize this. At any given moment, each of us brings to the table the talents and knowhow developed over several types of positions. It is rare that all of someone's experience will apply 100% to the job they are seeking. Your related experience, regardless of when it was developed, applies fully. The other experience, regardless of when it was developed, may or may not add to your appeal, but it certainly will not detract. Resume On your resume, use a format which presents goal related achievements first, regardless of when they occurred. Put a summary near the top which emphasizes the experience most closely related to your current goal. After that, use a heading such as "Relevant Achievements" or "Sales Achievements" (if Sales is your goal), as a device to help justify the lack of emphasis on your most recent position. When you present your most recent experience, consider a headline such as "Supporting Experience" and show how you developed or used skills there which would also be valuable in your previous occupation, which you are targeting once again. Those skills may complement the basic skills of that occupation, and help you excel in it. More often than not, you will have gained additional insights that would not be possessed by someone who never left the field. If so, an introductory statement for that section of the resume could make that point. For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com. Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable. News Contact: Chad Carter How To Handle: You Need ConfidentialityDenver, CO — July 31, 2006Many people overestimate the need for confidentiality, but ultimately this decision should be made only by the job seeker. The problem with maintaining absolute confidentiality is that it tends to make your job search efforts less productive. Mindset It is important to keep in mind that, no matter how many steps you may take to keep your activities confidential, there is always the chance that they may be communicated to your employer. Ultimately, the only way to ensure 100% confidentiality is to do nothing, and that defeats your purpose. Nevertheless, be aware that it is possible to run an active job search and take several steps to minimize the possibility of your employer learning about your activities. Resume You can have your resume stamped "Confidential." Or you can have a prominent statement that says, "Effective care to protect the confidentiality of this communication is essential. Thank you." In some extreme cases, people have not put their names on the resume itself, but only on correspondence that goes with it, and that correspondence emphasizes the need for strict confidentiality. Often the name of the current employer is not used, and a generic definition of the company is used instead. Interviews / e mail / Letters Some job seekers needing to maintain confidentiality use the third party approach in contacting potential employers, and in some cases even recruiters. A friend or associate writes a letter without mentioning the job seeker's name, describing the job seeker's background, achievements, and interest in the targeted company, asking that any replies be directed to them as an intermediary. The letter does not give details that would identify the job seeker. Another approach is to state in letters, emails and phone discussions that your communication and activity is strictly confidential, and that your job would be in jeopardy were your employer to find out you are actively looking. In general, you will need to avoid answering "blind" ads that do not identify the employer, or you will need to use the third party approach when responding to them. During the interview, reinforce the fact that your meeting must remain in strict confidence. Make clear the consequences, that you would either be embarrassed or lose your job if your activity were known. Actions Prepare yourself in the event that your employer finds out about your efforts and you are confronted about it. You might prepare a response along these lines: "Oh yes, it has always been my policy to test the market every three years. For my sake and the company's, I want to be sure I'm in the best place, making the most of my talents. So far I've never found anything better than what I have right here, and that still seems to be the case today. Don't you think that's a sensible way to make sure you do the best by yourself and your employer?" Many employers will not expect such a reply and be taken off guard. They may well agree that it is a sensible thing to do and forget the matter. For employers who take a more aggressive view, you may want to remind them of your legal rights. Today, managers are usually highly cautious about how they handle termination. If things get testy, seek out a Human Resources officer, who will usually try to calm down the situation. If exploring new situations places you under severe risk of termination, you can prepare in another way. Get a large volume of communication ready to mail or e mail and get it out into the market at one time. This may make it possible for you to arrange a number of interviews in a short period of time, increasing the possibility that you would quickly find another suitable position, For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com. Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable. News Contact: Chad Carter How To Handle: Been An Entrepreneur Too Long Part 2Denver, CO — July 17, 2006Interviews / e mail / Letters In interviews and correspondence you have the opportunity to address this so that it is neutralized, and in some cases actually make it an asset. You can cite your entrepreneurial experience as the reason why you are no doubt more highly motivated than any other candidate for the position, especially if you have also worked as an employee. Paraphrasing the old cliche about having been rich and poor, you can comment, "I've been an employee and I've been an entrepreneur, and being an employee is better." You can follow that with some observations based on your own experience, which might relate to many things... the "loneliness at the top," the lack of resources to get things done, the scarcity of time to do the things you do best, or any other comments based on your sincere feelings. As appropriate, you may want to express your respect for professional management practices and human values, to counteract any stereotypical impressions an employer may have about "tough guy" entrepreneurs. Actions Examine your experience closely, both as an entrepreneur and an employee, and prepare several action oriented stories that get across your talents in a variety of functions. Make sure they also illustrate your ability to work as part of a team. Be prepared to give as much evidence as possible in these memorable stories about your ability to manage effectively under a variety of circumstances, and consistently deliver results. Develop and coach enthusiastic references from people who dealt with you as an entrepreneur outside your organization, e.g., customers, suppliers, sales reps, consultants, etc., who will be happy to attest to your management style, and how well it would fit with a corporation Review your resume with them, and make sure they keep a copy available for reference when and if they are called. This step will enable you to make the statement in an interview that, "You've heard about Joe Smith from Joe Smith, but you really need to hear it from some of the people who know me best, and I strongly urge you to call them." That will reinforce the notion that you are well suited for a corporate position. If you're searching outside your industry, conduct research on any industry and companies you are targeting, using the Internet and/or resources in the Business Reference section of a good library. You might even consider going so far as to write a small article about the major trends in that industry as they affect someone in the general management function. In this way, you can balance the "entrepreneurial image" not only by emphasizing functional skills and personal traits, but also by showing extensive industry knowledge and a lot of enthusiasm. For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com. Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable. News Contact: Danny Clark ITS pr@newcareersonline.com http://itspersonalmarketing.com |