College Graduate Seeking Employment? Five Strategies for Uncovering New Job Opportunities that Work

A recent article in Business Week refers to them as “The Lost Generation”- unemployed or “underemployed” young adults feeling frustrated with their job search during the highest unemployment in decades. For recent college graduates, it’s especially difficult. High expectations and newly minted degrees are met with the reality that there may be few employment opportunities, let alone in their chosen field of study.

And it’s not only the recent grads who are discouraged. With each passing day, their parents also become frustrated - especially after paying a small fortune in college tuition - to realize the college degree is not a sure ticket to a good job. But all is not gloom and doom. Those young people who adapt to the realities of the changing economy will be successful in launching good careers. As career coaches, we help recent college graduates think about their job search and career goals in new ways, and we offer practical strategies to help them move forward. Here are some examples:

Start With Your Strengths: What are you really good at? Maybe you are a people person. Maybe you are a logical thinker. Or an excellent writer. Think beyond your major and last summer’s job to what skills you bring to these ventures and really enjoy using. Although the job you imagined yourself doing while you were in college may not be available, there may be other fields you haven't yet considered where your skills will be valued.

And Build From There: Make sure your skills and strengths shine through on your resume. Instead of listing your experience in chronological order, highlight your abilities and selling points, and use your experience to support them. For example, if you have terrific computer skills, say so, and then name situations in which you've used them. These can be paid or unpaid experiences. Functional resumes, as career coaches call them, help you market your real abilities to industries in which you've had little or no experience.

Adjust your Mindset To See Opportunity: Although our world economy appears to be stuck right now, it’s actually in transition. Recognize that many of the jobs lost in the economic downturn are not coming back, but new ones will arise. Learn as much as you can about what is happening in the world, so you are able to identify opportunities of the future and be in the front when hiring begins. For example, the auto industry appears to be in the decline, and this may not a good time to look for manufacturing jobs. But to make a comeback, the industry will need young designers who think about cars differently than in the past. Jobs for designers are opportunities that will arise from the crisis.

Also, what you may consider “just a job” or a “stepping stone job” until you find “a real job”, can introduce you to exciting new markets, interesting people, and opportunities that you never considered before. Try to let go of the idea that there is only one clear career path for you, and be open to new experiences that come your way.

Become A Possibility Thinker: A possibility thinker is someone who perseveres to reach his or her goal, and when obstacles arise, he or she finds a way to blast through them. Sometimes, it takes more ingenuity than others. In a challenging job market, young people need to become resourceful, proactive problem solvers and create job opportunities for themselves. One way is to create your own internship. Offer a business, hospital, school, or non-profit organization your time, energy, and skills for a limited time for free. This provides you with concrete work experience to put on a resume, and a network of new business contacts. And, often, an internship leads to a paid position.

It’s All About Relationships: Many new grads send out hundreds of resumes or job applications and get no response. This is very frustrating. While it's useful to expand your job search as much as you can, it's equally important to target specific markets, and build personal relationships through networking. Networking is a necessary skill that can be developed through coaching and practice. We teach young people how to make contacts, and effectively describe your skills, experience, and career objectives to people you meet. Think of everyone you meet as potentially moving you closer to your goal.

Note:It's important to network beyond traditional circles such as college career centers and college alumni. Get creative. One idea is to attend networking events and conferences for professionals already working in your field of interest. Focused on Green Energy? Go to a Sustainable Business Networking meeting. Thinking about starting your own business? Attend a Women-Owned Business networking breakfast. Most professional networking events are inexpensive ($25) and open to the public (if not, call the contact person and ask to attend). You will meet people who might be hiring (or know someone who is hiring), and at the very least, you will make valuable networking contacts. A little creativity and a dose of chutzpah can pay off!

Don’t Go It Alone: Career coaching involves helping new graduates face the changing economy, with the vision, skills, and positive mindset to take productive steps toward a meaningful career. You can learn the skills involved in capturing a job in a competitive field, but it often requires some help. Identifying your own skills and strengths sometimes takes an outside perspective. Practical skills - such as effective relationship building and networking, crafting your resume to showcase your talents, and interviewing with confidence - improve with coaching and practice. Learn these skills now, and they will benefit you at every stage of your career.

Re-entering the Workforce- Are You Part Of The Trend?

Are you thinking about returning to work after staying home to care for your children? You are not alone! Professional women who have taken time off are successfully re-entering the workforce in record numbers. And this trend is beginning to capture the media's attention.

Erica Noonan, staff reporter for the Boston Globe writes at length on how this trend is affecting Boston Area women. In Return Mission, Noonan writes, "Though home with children today, more college educated women are planning to re-launch careers, this time with a new perspective."

As career coaches, we work with many women who want, or need, to go back to work, but do not know where to start. Whether we work with them one-on-one or in small groups, we always begin by identifying their strengths. Women lack confidence about their skills and marketability when they have been out of the workforce for a number of years. Yet, they have more experience and skills than they think. Our process for helping women move forward with their careers is grounded in positive psychology, and one of the most important principles that we espouse is that lasting personal growth only begins when we acknowledge and embrace our strengths. Beating ourselves up by focusing on our weaknesses, simply keeps us stuck. Women need to catalogue their strengths, build on them, and most importantly, gain the confidence they need to move forward in the marketplace.

Many women find it difficult to recognize their strengths. So, we begin by asking a series of questions:

-What is the one thing about yourself you wouldn't change no matter what?
-Where and when do you see yourself doing that/expressing that part of yourself?
-How do you feel when you are doing that/expressing yourself in that way?
-Can you think of a time when you utilized this strength that made you really proud?
-Now, imagine yourself at work utilizing this strength. What are you doing?

Once you begin to identify those skills and strengths that you have been using and enjoying, you can begin to focus on how to move forward in your career.

FREE Career Development Sessions

If you live in the Boston area, please join us for three
FREE Career Development Sessions!

Getting Back on the Career Track- You need a Resume
This career development session will focus on resume writing for women who have been out of the workforce and want to get back in.
October 30, 10:30 am

Interviewing with Confidence
Many people view the interview process as a test to be passed. We will show you how to use the interview as an opportunity to sell yourself -- with confidence.
November 13, 10:30 am

Re-thinking Your Future after College
You have the degree, a willingness to work hard, and goals, but the tough economy has you stalled. We will show you how to jumpstart your enthusiasm and re-evaluate your skills, strengths and direction - so you can move forward.
November 18, 7:30 pm

*All sessions held at the First Parish Needham Unitarian Universalist
23 Dedham Avenue, Needham, MA 02492

Pre-registration required. Space is limited. Contact us today for these free career development sessions at karenhoffman@rcn.com, (781) 433-0307, http://www.dksconsultingroup.com/

It's All About Relationships

Networking to develop new business relationships takes a lot of time and can easily fall to the bottom of your list. Your days are filled with the tasks of running your business, meeting deadlines, responding to emails, and trying to address long-term projects. Many women business owners put this off. But it's not a good idea.

Successful people know that relationships drive their business, and forging new alliances, even when we are incredibly busy, is a key ingredient to growing a business. As business consultants we know there are many ways to network, some of which require a major time investment and others that do not. Here are a few professional organizations that we recommend to women business owners to help you expand your network, build referral sources, and provide valuable support.

For example, The National Association of Women Business Owners is a great place to learn about trends in your industry, national conferences , and large-scale government initiatives designed to grow your business. The local chapter in Massachusetts hosts a number of events to help women business owners connect to increase their spheres of influence within the entrepreneurial community at large.

In addition, there are state-wide organizations that support women business owners. In Massachusetts, the State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Assistance provides a wealth of information on state policy related to your industry, state-wide initiatives, and business referral sources. Although it does not sponsor formal networking events, you can use the website to discover other women business owners to contact.

There are also dozens of local networking organizations devoted to the women small business owner. In Massachusetts, from Provincetown to Amherst, local networking organizations are often the best place to connect, share advice and expand business possibilities. The Women’s Business Network and New England Women’s Business Owners are two networking organizations designed to foster business growth by providing professional resources, educational programs, and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

Online networking sites are another excellent way to make connections and grow your business.

Professional networking sites now allow us to connect virtually with women across the country. One popular site is Linkedin with over 44 million members from around the world. Most people think of Linkedin as a way to explore job opportunities. You can also use this site to network and collaborate with potential customers, referral sources, and colleagues - all from the comfort of your office at a time that works for you . Look for our future column with tips to use Linkedin most effectively.

Co-Promotion is Effective Marketing

In this challenging economy, we all wonder what we can do to give our business a marketing boost without investing a lot of money into advertising. You may want to consider co-promotions.

Co-promotion is simple - you promote someone else’s business and they, in turn, promote yours.

We have used co-promotion to foster mutually-beneficial business relationships across the country. As small business owners, we understand the value of preserving capital. Co-promotion is a creative and inexpensive way to promote your business. It has worked for us and it can work for you too.

Here are our top five co-promotional initiatives that you can use to amp up your business – and they are free.

• Link-sharing with Like-minded Businesses – list your link on our website and list our link on yours.
• Newsletter Spotlight– highlight each other’s business in company newsletters.Coupons - offer a coupon that adds value to another business. We offered a coupon for a free half-hour of career development coaching for all attendees at business networking event.
• Coupons - offer a coupon that adds value to another business. We offered a coupon for a free half-hour of career development coaching for all attendees at business networking event.
• Gift with Purchase – offer a gift from your business inside another business' product. We offered a free coaching download with the sale of a nationally distributed product.
• Email Promotions: trade email promotions by forwarding to each other's contact lists. This can instantly double the reach of your emails promotions.

You may have used some other co-promotion strategies. Let us know what has worked for your business. And, if you are interested in co-promoting with DKS , we are always open to new ideas.

You’ve Got Talent! Assess Your Career Strengths with Free Online Tools

When you are making a change, especially a career change, you need to get a good firm grip on what makes you the fabulous, talented person that you are.

Are you kidding, you say?

I’ve got a good firm grip on my faults, but my strengths? That’s hard.

Acquiring a solid understanding of your strengths doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it can be fun. As career coaches, we spend a lot of time with women just like you teasing out a detailed list of all their skills, strengths, and talents. Then, we begin the process of developing a career path that is energized by their strongest abilities and passions. However, you can begin to discover your strengths on your own with a number of free, online tools. In fact, we often suggest to clients that they use these online assessments to supplement our work together.

One popular online tool is the Myers-Briggs personality type indicator – the gold standard in the industry for assessing strengths and, even better, how those strengths map into different careers. Monster.com, that job search powerhouse, created a quiz based on the Myers Briggs called Discover Your Perfect Career Quiz that you can do in less than 10 minutes.

Click on: http://resources.monster.com/tools/quizzes/perfectcareer/

Another fabulous source for learning about your strengths is the University of Pennsylvania’s Authentic Happiness website. Those happiness gurus at UPenn have developed a number of scientifically validated surveys, questionnaires and scales to provide you with insight into your character strengths and emotions. You need to complete a short registration (for free) to have access to their questionnaires. Try their Brief Strengths test as a way to get started.

Click on: http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

Still want more?

How about this. If you’ve ever wondered if you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur, try this scientifically validated test called Can you be an entrepreneur? It provides you with information about which parts of your personality are suited to starting your own business. It takes about 15 minutes, and you will get an interesting snapshot of your results for free. The detailed report costs $14.95.

Click on: http://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=694

We meet with so many smart, poised, articulate and accomplished women who look at us completely puzzled when we ask them to list their strengths. (However, they can rattle off a list of weaknesses in seconds.) We tell them that to move forward you must begin from a positive place and acknowledge the strengths, skills and talents that you already have. So, whether you turn to the web, an old friend, or a career coach, you need to assess, catalogue, and write down a list of all of your skills, strengths and talents. Then, carry the list with you to your next interview!

Thinking About Starting Your Own Business?

Women are starting businesses more than any other demographic, and you may be thinking about it too. The lure of controlling how you spend your time, money, and energy is motivating more of us to become entrepreneurs. And the range of businesses is very broad - from home based jewelry and craft businesses, to restaurants, computer/technology and law offices.

Six years ago, we created DKS Consulting Group to provide career coaching and small business consulting to women. Although we each had 20 plus years experience in our respective fields of psychology, management consulting and law, we had a lot to learn about promoting and marketing a small business. Here are three things we learned about moving a small business forward:

1. Is is vitamins or aspirin? Ask yourself, is the product or service I am providing something people want, like vitamins, or something people really need, like aspirin? (When you have a headache, you really need an aspirin). This question is really important. When the economy is flush, people spend a lot of money on things they want. But, when times are tough, people tend to pull back and spend mainly on things they need. The bottom line is that during a recession, it is easier to sell a product or service that people really need. You can still create a business based on something people want - just understand that you will have to invest extra time, energy, and money to market it.

2. You may have a great idea, but does anyone know about it? You may have a brilliant concept, a unique service, or a gorgeous product, but if no one knows about it, they are not going to buy it. There are many great ways to market your business that don't cost a lot of money. A simple but professional looking website is the place to start. Creating a facebook group, writing a blog, and sending email newsletters and promotions are easy and effective ways to get the word out.

3. Is is What you know, or Who you know? Answer: What you know is important, but it's Who you know that will catapult your business from great idea to profitable enterprise. And, we believe that it's important to network with anyone who will meet with you. Over time, we have learned that people who you least expect to be helpful for your business, turn out to be just the ones who help you move it forward. Ask the mom who volunteers with you in the classroom to have coffee and learn that she has a friend who owns a store and is dying to have your product. Networking is essential to getting your product or service promoted.

Network with us on our blog and share the lessons you have learned about promoting your business!

What am I going to put on a resume?

This is the number one question women who have been out of the workforce for awhile ask us.

"It's been ten years since my last paying job so what can I possibly put on a resume?"

We say plenty.

Women tend to craft their resume around their last paying job rather than the real experience and strengths they have. So many of us have done non-paying, but important, skill-building volunteer work. Just because you didn't get paid, doesn't mean that the skills you developed aren't valuable AND marketable.

Take Joan for instance. She told us that in the five years she's been out of the job market, she's only changed diapers and did some volunteer work for her church. But, when we dug a little deeper into her volunteer work, we learned that she organized a huge Hurricane Katrina relief effort - coordinating labor, supplies, shipping and distribution of goods - all marketable skills that she could put on her resume.

And what about Cheryl? She came to us when her husband lost his job and she needed to jump back into the job market after 12 years at home raising her sons. However, Cheryl DID manage her son's hockey team which involved managing the budget, fundraising, keeping player statistics, coordinating travel and lodging for 20 families for out-of-state tournaments as well as organizing the many details of hosting a large hockey banquet for over 200 attendees. Based upon her volunteer experience, Cheryl was able highlight "event planning" as a key experience on her resume.

Don't know what to put on your own resume?

Here is a strategy for thinking about skills you have been developing since your last paying job -

Apart from the work you do for your family, what is the single most significant activity that you have engaged in, in the last few years? It doesn't matter how big or how small.

Be honest.

What activity have you engaged in that you are truly proud of?


Readers, we would love to hear from you! Share some of your own proud accomplishments. We want to know!

Welcome

Welcome to "Success on Her Own Terms" - a career coaching blog dedicated to the belief that everyone can define success and achieve it on their own terms.

Are you a stay-at-home mom ready to jump back into the workforce?

Or maybe you are trapped in a job you no longer love and want to move on?

Or perhaps you have been thinking about starting your own business and don't know where to begin?

You have skills, knowledge, experience, and a good work ethic - but don't know what to do or where to go next.

This blog is a great place to start.

We are experienced career coaches specializing in helping individuals get "unstuck" and moving forward in their careers. We will share tips, strategies, things to think about, and success stories of people who were able to achieve success - on their own terms.