Welcome to the Illinois workNet Center Employment Power Workshop

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Welcome to the Illinois workNet Center
Employment Power Workshop

• Job Search and Networking Techniqueswww.worknetnc
  c.com

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Agenda

• Job Search and Networking
• Resume Preparation
• Elevator Speech
• Interviewing
• Mock Interview

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About the Illinois workNet Center

• Computer Classes On Site
• Resource Center
• Job Seeker Workshop
• Workforce Investment Act Grants (WIA)
• Illinois Skills Match (ISM) Help
• On Site Recruitment
• Harper College Extension Office

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Job Search Networking
Objectives

• Job Search Process
• Personal Marketing Campaign
• Steps to Find a New Job
• Job Search Tools
• Networking

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Job Search Process

• The product that you are marketing is YOU and
  your target market is a potential employer.
• Job search process is cyclical, consisting of
  three different phases

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Job Search 10 Step Process
1. Focus your job search
2. Build your brand 3. Connect with your
contacts 4. Use job search tools 5. Create a list
of companies
6. Find job listings 7. Target cover letter and
resume 8. Ace the interview 9. Follow-up 10.
Accept (or Decline) a job offer
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Focus Your Job Search
I lost my job, what do I do first?

• Look inside yourself, take inventory of who you
  are, what you want, and how willing you are to
  obtain it.
• Financial Situation
• - Salary/severance/vacation pay/savings
• - Benefits (health insurance/COBRA, 401K,
  pension) - Retirement needs
• - Unemployment Insurance

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Focus Your Job Search

• Personal Situation
• - Lifestyle/wants/needs/ travel requirements
• - Support system, effect on family/friends/network
  
• - Positive mental attitude
• Professional Situation
• - Hard and soft skills, transferable skills
• - Career path goals
• - Education/credentials/certifications
• - Employment options (full time, part time,
  contract, consulting, volunteer)

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Build Your Brand

• What do I need to start my job search?
• Brand is who you are and what you do to
  provide value to Society
• (marketplace, education, government)
• Brand outlines your special talents, skills, and
  knowledge around your persona

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Build Your Brand

• Its what you advertise, its your personal
  marketing campaign
• - Marketing materials - portfolio
• - Resume
• - Handbill (target companies)
• - Business card
• - Elevator speech
• - Cover Letters

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Connect with Contacts

• The opportunity to make connections, to build
  relationships, help others to succeed, and help
  you target/land the right job.
• Serves as a way to get a lead on a job, gathering
  intelligence, or catching the attention of a
  company recruiter.
• Networking - 70 of employment opportunities!

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Connect with Contacts

• Job fairs
• Networking groups
• Church groups
• Latter Day Saints
• Business expos
• Community College

• Friends/Relatives
• Career centers
• Recruiters
• Staffing agencies
• Former co-workers
• Government agencies

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Connect with Contacts

• Business associations
• Employment centers
• In-store applications
• College placement centers
• Chamber networking events

• Alumni
• Trade shows
• Union halls

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Use Job Search Tools

• Search Engines powerful mechanism
• to search internet for specific search
• topics (job listings)
• LinkedIn/Facebook
• Job Fairs

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Search Engines

• www.Monster.com
• www.CareerBuilder.com
• www.Dice.com
• www.Indeed.com
• www.SimplyHired.com
• www.Linkup.com
• www.USA.gov
• Search agents Job Alerts

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Search Engines

• www.worknetncc.com
• - View presentations/calendar
• - Workforce Investment Act W.I.A.
• www.illinoisworknet.com
• - Source for job seeker information, including
  search engines
• - Job fairs and trade shows
• - Illinois Skills Match

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LinkedIn

• A complete profile increases your chances of
  being contacted by prospective employers and
  recruiters.
• Include information on your skills and
  experience.
• Search by company name, individuals, or by
  occupation.

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LinkedIn

• Be willing to help your connections when they
  need your advice and referrals.
• Use introductions to connect to hiring managers.
• Join specialty and professional groups.
• Watch use of photos on Facebook.

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Job Fairs

• Check out participating companies.
• Meet with employers you might not be able to meet
  any other way.
• Networking opportunities, résumé reviews and
  workshops.
• Promote yourself to a prospective employer.

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Create List of Companies

• Company Web Sites
• Libraries
• Reference Materials (Crains Book of Lists)
• Databases (Reference USA and DB)
• Hoovers
• Lexis Nexis (Arlington Heights Library)
• Annual Reports
• Newspapers, Periodicals, Journals, etc.

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How do I get myself in front of the person who
can offer me the job that I want?
Execution Phase

• 5-4-3-2-1 Rule
• 5 - Applications per week
• 4 - Networking events
• 3 - Personal contact meetings
• 2 - Personal activities (golf, exercise)
• 1 - Interview - phone or in-person

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Networking

• Build your network
• Make a list of people you believe can help.
• Sort your list from highest to lowest priority
• A - People who can help you directly
• B - People who might be able to help you directly
• C - People who can help you indirectly

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7 Networking Rules

• Know why you are contacting a person, how they
  can help you.
• Make a powerful first impression.
• Learn something from every contact.
• Get two referrals from every contact.
• Contact every new referral you receive.
• Send a thank you note to every person you
  contact.
• Keep an accurate list of follow-up activities.

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Elevator Speech

• Its your personal commercial, its your Me in
  30, 60 or 90 seconds
• It should include
• Your brand
• Where you most recently worked
• What you did (key duties)
• What you are looking to do
• How the listener can help you
• Target position and companies

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Short Elevator Speech
Hello, my name is John Smith. I'm a
communications professional with 10 years
experience as a manager in corporate
communications. Im looking for a similar job in
public relations or marketing. You can help me by
sharing the name of a contact in XYZ, Inc.
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Long Elevator Speech

• A longer personal commercial ( 60 to 90
• seconds) can also include
• An accomplishment youre really proud of
• Strengths you bring to an organization.
• Your objective (Im seeking a position where I
  can)

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Long Elevator Speech

• Hello, my name is John Smith. I was a CFO
• most recently at XYZ, Inc. I am broadly
• experienced in manufacturing service, supply
• chain and service industries. I have a
• demonstrated record of significant
• contributions in strategic and operational
• planning, contract negotiations, and capital
• Management. My target companies are ABC
• and DEF Inc. You can help me with contacts
• in these organizations.

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Networking Information

• Locate information at
• www.worknetncc.com
• www.networkingmonkey.com
• www.techvenue.com/USMidwest

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Business Cards
Business cards contain your contact information
with a Branding or Job Title and industry Plum
Grove Printers www.plumgroveprinters.com Vista
Print www.vistaprint.com
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Information Interviewing

• Gather information about a career and/or field
• Obtain job search advice from a professional with
  firsthand knowledge.
• Develop your network of contacts.
• Do not ask for a job.
• Send a thank you note or letter.

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Cold Calling

• One of the best methods to tap into the hidden
  job market. 60-80 of jobs.
• Networking can fill a job before it is advertised
• Produces leads that result in job offers because
  personal connections are established.
• Jump-starts your search by establishing a
  relationship with an employer.

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Cold Calling

• Script for Making Cold Calls - Basic
• Principles
• Have an objective for the call.
• Know the name of the person to whom you wish to
  speak.
• Outline in writing what you want to say.

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Cold Calling Script

• A good script should include the following
• Introduction--Tell the person who you are.
• Lead statement--Get the person's attention.
• Body--State your purpose for the call,
  information you want.
• Close--Ask for referrals, schedule a meeting,
  etc.

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Wrap-Up

• Looking for a job will be the hardest job you
  have ever had.
• Be willing to step out of the box and do
  something different.
• Have a plan. Keep track of your job search
  activity.

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Wrap-Up

• Job hunting is a work project, just like fixing
  a leaky sink, planning a wedding reception or
  building a house. If you have done the project
  many times, its easy to manage. But if you dont
  do it often, like planning a wedding reception or
  job hunting, you need a Project Plan so you can
  work smart and get it done right.
• Orville Pierson, Unwritten Rules of the Highly
• Effective Job Search

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Questions