The Outplacement Alternative

LifesaverNo one wants to lose their job. Actually, I have run into some clients who were unhappy at their jobs and were thrilled when they were downsized. But that is the exception rather than the rule.

As a country, we’ve been riding the great recession wave and in its wake there have been thousands of lay-offs, downsizings, and job eliminations. Whatever you want to call it, it’s usually tough to take if you’re caught up in the changing tides. There is one good thing that comes out of some corporate reorganizations . . . outplacement.

Some companies, who care about their people (or at least want to give the appearance that they do) offer a lifeline, they provide outplacement services for the employees they’ve displaced. But what if you’re company doesn’t offer that benefit, can you still compete in today’s job market? There is an alternative, you can hire your own career transition expert to help with your career transition.

At The Imagemakers, Ink! LLC, we do provide outplacement services for companies, but our core business is providing exceptional career services to individuals whose companies have left them adrift. You can expect outstanding resumes & cover letters and customized coaching on performing effective job searches, interviewing techniques and negotiating tactics.

Working with a career search expert offers the displaced employees a chance to not only keep their heads above water and land on their feet, but also to land in a better place. Many people ask why companies offer outplacement. It’s a win-win because while it helps the employees who’ve been let go, it also let’s those left behind know their company cares and won’t just leave them adrift should they be on the next workforce reduction wave.

That’s one plus for the companies who provide this lifeline. But what are some other reasons companies choose to provide outplacement? Besides treating their employees with dignity and respect, it’s just the right thing to do. Also, in these times teeming with tweets, viral videos and people crying foul on Facebook, it can help keep a company’s image and reputation from being tainted. Not to mention going a long way to provide goodwill, thereby heading off any lawsuits from especially embittered employees.

But whether it’s provided by the company or you decide to invest in yourself and your future, working with a career search strategist will enable you to come out on top in today’s competitive job market. Whether company provided or your own personal investment, working with an expert will ensure yourself a smoother career transition and go a long way to calm the waters of today’s turbulent times.

~Linda

4 Must Haves for a Winning Resume

ResumeWith the hundreds of thousands of resumes floating through cyberspace, being handed out at career fairs and passed among your friends, colleagues and hopefully an ever-expanding network, how do you make sure you stand out? The following addresses the four must haves for a winning resume.

1. Targeted. When writing your resume, you must have a goal in mind, a target at which you’re aiming. As Stephen R. Covey says, “start with the end in mind.” If you don’t know what you want to do, how can you expect to get the message across to others.

From top to bottom, your resume needs to have a single purpose: if you’re looking for a sales position play up things like deals you’ve won, teams you’ve built and accounts you’ve managed; if operations is  your bag, focus on processes you’ve implemented or improved and times you’ve cut costs; if you’re in marketing, accentuate the campaigns you’ve created, the channels you’ve expanded into, the market share you’ve won. You get the idea. You want to make it easy for the reader to see that you have everything it takes to succeed in the position for which you’re vying.

2. Marketing Statement. You should begin the document with a powerful marketing statement that really emphasizes your strengths. Remember that when you’re in a job search, you are your product. Therefore, you should stress what distinguishes you in the competitive job market, or in other words, develop your personal brand. That means name dropping if you’ve got great company names in your background, underscoring significant achievements and really highlighting what makes you the best choice.

I’ve had some clients send me the resumes they’re using that are just not working for them. One of the problems, the document begins with an objective statement regarding what it is they’re looking for. Objective statements are passé, from another era. The reason why marketing statements are so much more powerful: an objective statement is about what you want while a marketing statement is about your strengths and accomplishments and how they can be of use to your target audience. It’s not about you, it’s about what you can do for them.

3. Key Words. The importance of key words is twofold. Many hiring managers, recruiters and HR departments use software to scan resumes for key words. Additionally, when you post your resume on job boards or build your profile on sites like LinkedIn, potential employers and recruiters often use key words to search for  good candidates. Besides the electronic aspect of key word searches, highlighting the key words helps the reader see the skills you bring to the table.

4. Results Oriented Accomplishments. For everything we do in our jobs, there’s a goal that you’re striving for; did you achieve it? I often see resumes that talk about what the individual did, but fail to say whether they did it successfully. Also, whenever possible it’s great to quantify your accomplishments. If you grew sales by $2 million then say that, if you reduced costs by 50% that should be in there too. Quantifying accomplishments makes them stand out and adds credibility to your achievements.

I often have clients tell me that they have trouble “blowing their own horn” or they just have a hard time telling their own story. They’ve realized the importance of having a resume that illustrates their personal brand that they can use as a marketing tool to get in front of decision makers and that’s why they’ve turned to The Imagemakers, Ink!, to help them tell a compelling story that makes them stand out from the crowd.

~Linda

Is Anyone Hiring?

Yes, they are. But you wouldn’t think so if you watch or read the news. In fact, with all the doom and gloom being reported these days, it’s a wonder that anyone looking for a job bothers to get out of bed in the morning.

I’m here to tell you that there is a reason to get up in the morning, that people are in fact finding jobs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s easy, but there are jobs out there and finding them means taking a strategic and aggressive approach. Today’s competitive job market requires you approach the job search with a well thought-out, targeted marketing plan.

The foundation of the marketing plan is an outstanding resume. I often speak to HR professionals and they tell me that they’re not finding quality, talented applicants. How can this be with the number of people available? Perhaps it’s because there are good people, they just don’t know how to get their message across with a well-crafted resume that highlights what makes them stand out.

Your resume should be targeted to they type of position you’re seeking. Not only should it show how you’re a perfect match for the job, it should also illustrate how you’re special. I often run into people who say they don’t like to “blow their own horn.” Well if you don’t, who will? Writing a resume is the perfect time to brag about your accomplishments and if you can’t, find someone who can.

Even when people do include their accomplishments on their resumes, they’ll often fail to put in the results. For instance, they’ll talk about improving a process but fail to mention how that reduced costs or how much it decreased production time. Another example, they’ll talk about building a sales team, but not include how much more revenue that team brought in. In other words, how did you help improve the bottom line?

Quantifying your accomplishments with dollar amounts paints a vivid picture for the reader and adds credibility to your success stories. These important details are what makes the difference between a resume that gets over looked and a resume that generates calls. Besides getting the attention of hiring managers, a well-crafted resume also helps build your confidence and that comes through the moment you pick up the phone or walk in the door for your interview.

Remember, don’t get caught up in the media madness, make your own headlines by starting off with a positive outlook, a marketing strategy and a winning resume.

~Linda