First Sun Blog Archives - Page 72 of 239 - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

Got Kids?: What You Need to Get Hired in 2020. (i.e. Job Trends)

January 23, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Welcome to 2020, a new year and a brand new decade offering you the perfect opportunity to find the job of your dreams. 2020 follows a year that brought us an unemployment rate at a record 50-year low of 3.7 percent. This is an excellent time to find the job of your dreams, as long as you know where to look for the jobs. Currently, the recruiting industry, like many industries, is facing a war for talent.

As a leader of a company that recruits for 150+ clients including numerous Fortune 500 companies and many government agencies across the country, I see trends evolving that will affect a job search. There are many jobs available, but not enough candidates skilled to fill these jobs. Before we get into the skills needed to acquire these hot jobs, it’s important to recognize the cultural shifts occurring in the world of work. If you’re aware of these trends they can guide you in your job search.

Knowledge Work Rules

First off, the U.S. is continuing the long-term trend towards being a knowledge worker-based economy. Compounded with the important push to increase women and people of color in STEM-driven industries and roles, many companies are beginning to normalize remote work and flexible schedules. This allows companies to be based anywhere, opening up the pool of talent. If you don’t live near Silicon Valley, Seattle, or New York, you may still be able to work for a startup or Big Tech company, if you have the skills they are seeking.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

Automation Creates New Opportunities

As technological innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and robotics continue to mature, we’ll see major changes across the board in all industries. Automation is set to shift work away from rote tasks that can be completed efficiently via AI. In automation’s wake, new positions will emerge that co-exist and support AI.

Strong Workplace Culture is an Attractor

In addition to this major driving force of change, there is a continued increase in strong workplace culture as a requirement for workers and job seekers alike. Companies that do not create a diverse and inclusive workplace will be at a loss, as a strong workplace culture is linked to talent attraction, innovation, and better productivity. When seeking a job, target companies that you have researched to be certain their culture aligns with your values.

Contingent Work Opportunities in 2020

Contingent work offers many benefits that align with the trends listed above. Contingent work is flexible, skills-focused, and offers opportunities that may allow workers to get their foot in the door in any industry. Contingent recruiting firms provide all types of jobs to their clients, including business and professional services, light and heavy industrial, healthcare, and IT roles. There are numerous opportunities available to work for top companies. Many clients are known to provide formalized training to contingent workers, enabling upskilling necessary to stay ahead in the workforce. Contingent work also offers job opportunities for those with expert- or advanced-level niche work experience, especially in the IT and professional services sectors. Since hiring is based predominately on skills, Contingent positions are normally not plagued by a gender gap, ageism, or other problematic issues.

As a company that hires 10,000 Contingent workers every year, we see popular jobs such as:

These roles require numerous skills, but these top skills are the ones that are the most sought after:

People skills/EQ: Candidates with good people skills are very marketable. The ability to communicate effectively, be adaptable, have empathy for others, be creative, and have a deep understanding of human behavior sets you apart from the crowd. Our clients often go out of their way to retain candidates with good people skills.
Program and Project Management skills: Candidates who have these are effective leaders. They understand risk and cost management, are great communicators, have knowledge of Salesforce CRM, Agile, are tech-savvy, and critical thinkers.
Data Analysis skills: Candidates who have programming languages such as SQL, R or Python specific to the position, the ability to mine and visualize data, critical thinking and reasoning abilities, and expert mathematical abilities are in demand. The next level of data analysis will require predictive modeling and machine learning knowledge, so those interested in applying for data science positions should consider upskilling for marketability.
Cloud computing skills: Many positions such as software and DevOps engineers, back-end developers, systems administrators, and Data Scientists will increasingly require cloud skills as this job market continues to expand. There are numerous opportunities in SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud are top cloud providers currently.
Programming Languages and Operating Systems skills: Knowledge of languages such as SQL, Java, JavaScript, Python, .NET, C#, HTML, and CSS is critical for a number of IT positions. Experience with Linux and Unix is also in demand.

The 2020s are set to bring numerous advancements by way of technology. The contingent and gig workforces will both become more mainstream, as an increasing number of workers opt for flexibility. AI will require full-time traditional workers to upskill their knowledge and become adaptable to rapid changes. For those seeking to become more flexible, or to have the option to work for a variety of companies instead of limiting themselves to only one, contingent work is a great option that can lead you to the career of your dreams.

Author: Sue Bhatia founded Rose International, the 24^th largest IT staffing company in the U.S. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Rose International employs thousands of people in all 50 states, and has offices and service delivery centers in 20+ U.S. cities and India.

GlassDoor.com | January 21, 2020

7 Mistakes that can Derail a Promising Job Interview.

January 23, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Applying for your next big career opportunity requires a lot of work. You need to reach out to your network, arrange informational meetings, talk to recruiters, submit résumés, prepare talking points, and ace the preliminary interview.

Beware of the following seven things that can derail your interview at this all-too-critical stage of the game:

1. NOT LOOKING THE PART

Your appearance makes a huge difference—that is the conclusion of a recent study by JDP, a consumer reporting agency specializing in background screening. The majority of respondents said they worry that some aspect of their dress will cost them the job.

Here’s my advice: Research the way people dress in that company, and dress a cut above that. A job interview is a formal event, so dress as you would if you were making a client presentation in that firm, or having a meeting with senior management. In many instances that means wearing a suit or jacket, and making sure your top and bottom coordinate.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

2. GOING OFF MESSAGE

Straying from your message in a job interview can be dangerous if it makes you sound unfocused. Make sure to bring every answer back to why you are a highly desirable candidate.

If asked about your former boss, for example, show how he mentored you in ways that make you ready for this new assignment. If you’re asked about a time when you failed at something, tie that back to lessons learned that will help you in your new role. If you are asked about volunteer work you’ve done, show how it reflects the values you bring to the company. Reinforcing the same message over and over again may feel repetitive to you, but it will make you sound focused to the interviewer.

3. GETTING INTO YOUR PERSONAL LIFE

You’ll come to the interview prepped with key messages, but if the discussion moves into personal topics, gracefully shift back to your core arguments.

Some interviewers will quiz you about your personal life. According to the JDP study, more than half of job candidates (59%) are asked about their personal life, and 37% of women are queried about their plans for children, despite the fact that this is illegal. Interview questions about parental or marital status—as well as race, religion, sexual orientation, age, or disability—are not permissible under Federal Equal Employment Opportunity laws.

That doesn’t always stop interviewers from asking. When I was 37, I interviewed for a speech writing job. The CEO for whom I’d be writing said out of the blue, “Well, at your age thankfully you won’t be having any more children.” I remained silent, passed up the job, and had a child at age 44.

Besides being inappropriate, these personal questions can derail you from your professional pitch. You can get caught up in “well, I’m not sure,” or “my partner and I are just starting out, we don’t know if we want children,” and before you know it, you’re sharing more than you like. If you feel any topic raised is out of line, return to the points that will help you get the job.

4. BECOMING RATTLED BY A QUESTION

Questions can fly at you from all directions, and it’s important that you not get rattled. Take time to answer each question, and prepare as fully as you can.

For example, suppose you’re asked about a recent project you led, and you freeze, unable to think of an answer. Don’t start babbling, which is what we often do when we’re nervous. Instead, pause, think it through, and provide a thoughtful answer. You’ll look more confident because you’re not afraid to take a moment to collect yourself.

More broadly, prepare answers to as many questions as possible. By spending time in advance thinking through the tough questions, you’ll ace them when they come to you.

5. GETTING TOO CHUMMY

If you’re lucky enough to bond with the interviewer, be wary of becoming too familiar with that person.

Let’s say she compliments you on your shoes or your shirt, and suddenly you feel the two of you are friends. This might lead to your tone becoming less grounded and your words becoming less polished and more akin to the language you use in everyday chats with friends.

You might even disclose things that are better left unsaid, such as, “You know, this interview process has been awfully long, and I’m glad we’re at the end of it.” While it’s good to develop a friendly rapport, stay on a professional footing.

6. LOSING YOUR CONFIDENCE

In the interview, there may be moments that surprise you or unnerve you, but that’s when it’s most important to remain confident.

The interviewer may disclose, for example, that there are nine other candidates being interviewed, when you thought you had been short-listed. Avoid dropping your eyes, showing disappointment in your face, or slouching in a body position that shows you’re disheartened.

Instead, sit tall, make direct eye contact, keep your arms open, and keep a receptive expression on your face.

7. NOT CLOSING

As the interview winds down, reaffirm your interest in the position and ask about next steps. Many candidates walk away from a job interview feeling confused about how they did, and what the future holds for them.

In affirming your interest in the position, you might say, “I was excited about this opportunity when I came in today, and I am even more excited now.”

Asking what the next steps are further reinforces your commitment. It also can elicit from the interviewer some sense of where you stand. If your future boss says, “I have enjoyed our discussion, and we’ll get back to you within a week,” that’s cause for believing it’s full steam ahead for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FastCompany.com | January 23, 2020

15 Interview Questions You Should Be Prepared to Answer.

January 22, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

No matter how many you go on, job interviews can always be nerve-wracking. You put on your nicest clothes, print out your resume, and remind yourself to smile real big–and just when you think everything is going well, the interviewer hits you with a curveball question you aren’t prepared for.

Luckily, you’re not going to let that happen again and you’re planning ahead to ace this month’s interview. The best way to for anything is to do your research ahead of time–which is why we’re here to help.

If you’re preparing for a big interview in the New Year, prepping beforehand with these 15 interview questions will help you get one step closer to that dream job.

1. Tell me about yourself?

Most interviews start with this question and how you answer it will make your first impression. If you stumble over the answer and aren’t quite sure what to say–you’re lack of confidence in yourself is showing. If you start listing all your greatest accomplishments and talk too much, your ego might look a little too big. You need to find a good balance between being confident, but not pretentious.

The best way to prepare for this question is to prepare an elevator pitch about who you are. Skip your personal history and give about 2-3 sentences about your career path and how you ended up in this interview, applying for this job. You don’t need to be too detailed, there are plenty of more questions coming. You just want to leave enough curiosity that the interview becomes excited to learn more about you throughout the interview.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

2. Why do you want to work for [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][insert company name]?

When a hiring manager asks this question, not only do they want to know why you want to work for them, but they also want to know what you know about the company. This question tests how well you know what the company does and how passionate you are about the work they do–so make sure you know the company well and can speak truthfully about your desires to work there.

3. How did you hear about this job?

When asked this during an interview, don’t just say you heard about the job on a website. This is your opportunity to go into more detail about why you love this company and what motivates you to want to work there. Moreover, if you have a personal connection at the company, this would be a good time to mention their name!

4. Tell me about something on your resume.

Everyone has something on their resume that they’re really proud of. Whether it’s a skill or achievement you’ve listed or a specific place you worked, considering answering this question with the most interesting thing on your resume. Plus, don’t just say something relevant to your most recent position–you’re already going to be asked about that. Instead, think back to one of the older positions listed on your resume and talk about how that job helped you grow into the person you are today.

5. Why are you looking for a job? Or, why are you looking for a different job?

This question might seem innocuous, but this is how interviewers weed out the people who are either a) just looking for any job b) were fired from their last position or c) might have a high turnover rate, meaning you won’t be sticking around for too long. Focus on the positives and be specific. Think about why you are looking for a job: did you just graduate and this will be your first real job? Are you switching career paths? Are you leaving a current job for this one?

If you are currently working somewhere, you should also be prepared to answer, “why do you want to leave your current job for this one?”

6. Why should we hire you?

When asked this question, keep in mind that the recruiter is looking to hear what skills you have that you’re going to bring to the team. Don’t give a vague answer, such as, “I’m friendly and a hard worker.” Instead, be specific, summarize your work history and achievements, and use numbers when possible.

For example, say how many years of experience you have or name some of the accomplishments you made at your last company. The more specific you can be about what your skills are and how valuable of an employee you are, the better the interviewer will be able to picture you working there.

7. Where do you see yourself in five years?

This can seem like a heavy question during an interview, especially when you haven’t prepared for it ahead of time. Keep in mind that you’re in an interview setting–so you don’t need to go into all the details about what your personal life goals are for the next five years. Focus on your career goals and be realistic.

If you plan to work at this company for five years, make sure you understand who would be working above you and what potential career growth there is. The hiring manager asks this question to find out if you set realistic goals, if you are ambitious, and to confirm that the position you are interviewing for aligns with these goals and growth.

If this position isn’t exactly a job with a lot of future opportunities, you can simply answer this by noting that you are not certain what your future is going to look like, but that you believe this position is going to help you navigate yourself in the right direction.

8. Tell me about a conflict you faced at work and how you dealt with it.

This question is important to ace because it helps an interviewer understand how you deal with conflict. It also helps test how well you think on your feet–so if you prepare ahead of time with a specific example, you’ll avoid the awkward moment of silence while you try to think of an example.

Once you have an example in mind, simply explain what happened, how you resolved the issue in a professional manner, and try to end the story with a happy note about how you reached a resolution or compromise with your co-worker.

9. What is your dream job?

Similar to the “where do you see yourself in five years” question, the interviewer is looking to understand how realistic you are when setting goals, how ambitious you are, and whether or not the job and company will be a good place for you to grow.

Again, try to set aside your personal goals (don’t say your dream job is to be paid to take Instagram photos) and focus on your career goals. Think about how this job is going to set you up for the future and get you closer to your dream job. But, don’t be that person who says, “to be CEO of this company.”

10. What do you expect out of your team/co-workers?

This question is meant to understand how you work on a team and whether you will be the right cultural fit for the company. To prepare for this answer, make sure you research the company ahead of time. You can always tell a little bit about what a company’s culture is like by looking through their social media profiles or reading their reviews on Glassdoor.

11. What do you expect from your manager?

Again, the hiring manager is looking to understand what kind of employee you would be and whether you will be a good fit to add to their team. In some interviews, your future manager might be interviewing you. Answer this question as honestly as possible and pull examples from your current manager if you can show how they positively help you work better.

12. How do you deal with stress?

Answering this question will help hiring managers identify any potential red flags you might have. You want to show that you can handle stress in a professional and positive manner that helps you continue working or won’t stop you from accomplishing your goals. Moreover, be specific and explain what you actually do to deal with stress–like taking a 15-minute break to take a walk outside, or crossing items off on a to-do list, etc.

13. What would the first 30 days in this position look like for you?

This question helps a company understand what you will get done in your first month, to three months in the position–and how you answer it will signal whether or not you’re the right person for the job. Start by mentioning what information you would need to get started and what would help you transition into the new role. Then focus on your best skills and how you would apply those to this position right away.

14. What are your salary requirements?

Some interviewers ask this question, others don’t. It’s always better to be prepared, especially because you want to make sure you would be paid a fair wage for the value you are going to add. That’s why we built our Know Your Worth tool–to help you determine what you should be paid.

Note: While employers can ask what your salary expectations are, in certain places it is illegal for them to ask what your previous salary was.

15. Do you have any questions?

The last question you will always be asked during an interview is whether or not you have any questions for the interviewer. This is your chance to really stand out–so don’t blow it by saying you don’t, or that your questions have already been answered. Even if you don’t have any questions–there’s always a question you can ask at the end of an interview.

Keep a list of at least three to five questions in the back of your mind so that no matter what, there are at least two questions you have to ask at the end of the interview. Recruiters say that actually enjoy getting to answer some questions at the end of an interview–they did just listen to you talk about themselves, so ask about them for a change. Once this part is over, you can rest easy and walk out of the interview knowing you aced it!

GlassDoor.com | January 21, 2020 | Posted by Isabel Thottam

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Why Honesty Might Not Always Be the Best Policy at Work. Your Thoughts?

January 22, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The 24/7 news cycle, chants of “fake news,” and the spread of disinformation on social media had writer Judi Ketteler worried about the state of honesty in the world. Did it matter anymore? Then, came an interaction with a doctor she was interviewing for a project. He stated that his hospital did more of a particular procedure than any other in the region.

That exchange set Ketteler off on an exploration of honesty that she captures in her new book, Would I Lie To You? The Amazing Power of Being Honest in a World that Lies. In it, Ketteler shares some important insights about honestly, as well as distinctions between being honest and sharing the unvarnished truth under any circumstances, regardless of the consequences.

While honesty is a highly valued trait in leaders, it’s usually not just one set of facts delivered without regard for the context or consequences, Ketteler says. In fact, that approach can backfire. “I have friends that I rely on to be brutally honest with me and vice versa. And it works, right? But most of the time in the workplace, I’m going to guess that that’s not a very good approach,” she says.

Being aware of the situation, timing, and individual can help you decide the ground rules for your honest evaluation and feedback. Here are some things that you should think about before you give “brutally honest” feedback in the workplace.

TIME THE RESPONSE WELL

Let’s say an employee just gave a big presentation to the group and didn’t exactly nail it. You may have negative criticism to relay. However, now you have a decision to make: Is it best to share it immediately in front of the group or wait and share the feedback in private?

If you have a culture where sharing honest feedback in front of a room full of people is expected and encouraged, engaging in constructive criticism of the presentation may be the best way to be honest. However, if the individual is going to be humiliated after being criticized in front of a room full of peers or colleagues, you may ultimately undermine your relationship with them.

“We get very impatient with our honesty sometimes, instead of realizing there’s more than one chance and there can be a better way to facilitate something that isn’t going to demoralize,” Ketteler says.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Different people respond well to different types of feedback. A good manager communicates with team members to understand how they like to receive feedback and what helps them best. Some may prefer a short, just-the-facts evaluation while others may want to have longer conversations that include advice about how to improve. Both are honest, but delivering in the way that is most helpful for the employee is going to build a stronger relationship—and, likely, a more skilled employee.

“What happens in the workplace a lot of times is that people don’t really communicate very well with each other about what they need from each other,” she says. Understanding how to frame your feedback is important, too.

BE COMPASSIONATE—TO A POINT

Ketteler says that kindness and compassion can help take the sting out of criticism or negative exchanges. However, you also need to be mindful that being kind or preserving the other person’s feelings doesn’t get in the way of delivering the information the other person needs to hear.

In one study she cites in her book, groups of people evaluated poorly written essays. Some were told a sad story about the writer’s background. Those who felt compassion for the writer tended to inflate the quality of the essay. While that may have made them feel like they were protecting the writer from being hurt over negative criticism, the result was that the writer didn’t get the feedback necessary to make the essay better and improve their skills overall.

“You don’t want to be honest because you don’t want to cause any more harm, but really withholding something that would be helpful for them to know is doing them more harm,” she says.

CONSIDER THE OUTCOME YOU WANT

Sharing negative or hurtful feedback when there’s a reason to do so is one thing. But, before you do, consider the outcome you’re trying to achieve. Will it help the person become better at the job? Or does it not really matter?

As Shelley Osborne wrote in Fast Company in April 2019, “feedback focused solely on shortcomings isn’t effective. But I don’t think that the problem is feedback itself, but the way that managers frame and deliver it.”

Think about whether your employee will truly benefit from knowing everything they did wrong, Ketteler says. “That winds up demoralizing people far more than it helps,” she says.

FastCompany.com | January 22, 2020

5 Healthy Ways To Deal With Criticism At Work.

January 22, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We’ve all been there. Your boss shares negative feedback during your performance review that seems to come out of left field. Or a co-worker delivers a withering critique of a presentation that you worked on for months. While criticism at work can be difficult to deal with, it can also be a gift.

Without constructive feedback, it’s impossible to boost your performance and get better at your craft. Fortunately, the choice of how to handle negative input is yours. Here are five healthy ways to deal with criticism at work that will help take your career to the next level.

1. Be open

The first step in benefiting from criticism at work is to be open to it. Actively listen to what is being said and take time to absorb the information. Don’t jump to the conclusion that the person delivering the critique is out to get you. Instead, assume that they are honest and have good intentions. Even if the feedback isn’t tactful, that doesn’t mean it’s meant to be hurtful. Restate the feedback to confirm you are both on the same page. This gives you more time to process it and ensure you understood it correctly. Acknowledge the input and thank them for providing it.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

2. Consider your body language

Be aware of your body language. Make sure to uncross your arms and make eye contact. Slow your breathing to reduce your stress level and give your emotions a chance to settle down before you respond. Try to keep your body language open, and your shoulders relaxed. Dealing with criticism at work can be challenging, and open body language will make you feel less defensive.

3. Ask clarifying questions

Once you both understand the feedback, ask clarifying questions. Do you agree with the input, or is it a complete surprise to you? Remember that this is a two-way conversation, and it is up to you to take control of the discussion.

Some possible questions could be:

What is the context?
Could you walk me through an example?
What do you suggest I do differently moving forward to address this?

4. Schedule a follow-up

Planning a follow-up conversation will demonstrate to your boss that you listened, and you’re serious about improving your performance. Develop action steps to address the issue strategically and share them in this meeting. This is a great opportunity to develop additional rapport with your manager and make them feel like a partner in the process. It is also an excellent forum in which to offer a rational counterargument if there were elements of the feedback you disagreed with. By stating your case without anger or defensiveness, it will help them understand your point of view.

5. Share the feedback

Find a mentor, colleague, or advisor and share the feedback with them. This approach is a good way to get a different perspective from someone whose opinion you trust. Ask them if they feel that the input is accurate. You can also use this opportunity to confirm that you’re not being too hard on yourself. The manufacturer reports that a single dose of Tramadol may reach 100 mg in case of severe pain. Depending on the intensity of the pain syndrome, the analgesic effect of Tramadol lasts 4-8 hours. In the postoperative period, a short-term use of Tramadol in exceeding doses is possible. The maximum daily dose of Tramadol should not exceed 400 mg, with the exception of some clinical cases described in www.morepowerfulnc.org/tr/ (for example, in the treatment of pain in cancer patients and in the postoperative period).

It’s healthy to nurture a culture of feedback in the workplace. If you’re especially sensitive to receiving criticism, you may want to determine why. It may just be a matter of adjusting your inner dialogue to combat a lack of self-confidence or perceived inadequacies. You should also consider the source of the comments. Is it someone whose opinion you respect? Are they interested in helping you develop, or merely putting you down? Either way, you’ll want to remain calm, focus on the facts, and move on. Criticism at work can be a blessing in disguise. Use it to help you improve, and it can be your best friend.

Author: Caroline Castrillon Contributor Careers

Forbes.com | January 19, 2020

How to Be a Networking Pro when you’re Shy and Would Rather Stay Home. “You’re an Introvert?” People often Ask when I Tell them that Networking Doesn’t come Naturally to Me.

January 21, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

“You’re an introvert?” people often ask when I tell them that networking doesn’t come naturally to me. As an entrepreneur, networking can be the lifeblood of your business. By getting out there and meeting new people, you can increase your lead pipeline, make new contacts, and even forge new friendships.

MAKE A GOAL FOR EVENTS

This year, I started creating music for the first time and dove headfirst into the music industry. I started with zero contacts, so I knew that I needed to put myself out there. I made a list of events I wanted to attend, and each month committed to going to one. Often, the hardest part of networking is encouraging yourself to attend an event. Whether it’s outside your regular commute or it seems far too intimidating, getting there is the first step.

Each month, set a goal for how many events you would like to attend. Having a written goal can help hold you accountable. The next step is to just go, as simple as it may sound. “Let go of any insecurities or fear, and just dive in.” says Emily Roehl, Manager of Programming at Superfly, an industry vet I met after encouraging myself to attend a music conference this year. “It’s okay to introduce yourself first or even remind folks of your name—networking is hard for most people. What helps me the most is remaining humble and kind. If you give people the space to talk about their lives, you can quickly pick up on their values and intentions and find a common ground to anchor the conversation.”

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

FIND A NETWORKING BUDDY

As the saying goes, there is support in numbers. For your next event, grab a colleague or friend to hit the event with you. Find a peer that has similar industry goals and also is looking to widen their business network. You can go to the event together, but once you’re there, start talking to other people and reconvene later in the night. “When I go to networking events, I like to bring a friend,” says Derek Merdinyan of Video Igniter. “We both support each other to reach our business goals and also hold each other accountable to get out there and go to more events.” If you bring a buddy, you can even approach groups together to intermingle. Simply having someone at the event that you know can help alleviate networking anxiety and also provide a fallback plan. Having a networking buddy at the event is also great for when a conversation goes flat, and you’re looking for an escape route. When that happens, I usually tell the person it was nice to meet them and that I need to find my friend.

SUPPORT OTHERS BEFORE YOU EXPECT THEM TO SUPPORT YOU

You wouldn’t go to a party and immediately start talking about yourself without getting to know the other party. The same goes for a networking event. Go to events hosted by industry veterans, and get to know what they are about. Ask them questions about what they do and what they are passionate about. “I always suggest anyone get involved in their local scene for starters. It’s the most important networking tip and where it all begins.” says Erin Tonkon producer and Mixer at Little Underground.

This rings true for any industry. “Find all of the events happening in your area, and get to them as frequently as you can. “Get to know the artist community in your area. Go to shows. Support them. The music industry starts with the artists—they are who it’s all about, and it’s important to be a part of the scene whether you are an artist yourself, a producer, engineer, or interested in anything on the business side of things.”

DON’T FOCUS ON SELLING, FOCUS ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

There’s this idea that networking is for selling yourself. But in reality, you’ll get much further if you focus on cultivating relationships. “Don’t immediately ask for something, lead with value and how you can help them. Ask a lot of questions, and be genuinely curious about the person you are speaking with,” says Tamisha Arrendell, a singer and songwriter. Whenever I attend a networking event, I never try to close any sales. I focus on getting to know the people there and see how I can help them. Often this leads to new business relationships, friendships, and new clients.

Networking can be intimidating, but remember it doesn’t come naturally to most people. Go to events often, practice talking to strangers, and this year could be your best year in business yet.

FastCompany.com | January 21, 2020

The Six Rules For Crushing It On Linkedin.

January 21, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for networking. Now, instead of firing out email blasts or troubling someone for a lunch date or coffee, you can promote your latest achievement from the confines of your laptop or phone, dashing off a quick little note or tip that lets your best contacts know you’re still in the game.

The policy of only linking with contacts you already know solves the spam issue that has plagued Facebook. The sense that LinkedIn is a business platform and therefore requires the decorum of a business setting weeds out the trolls of a platform like Twitter. And the same business sense keeps people from posting pictures of their kids or dog, because unless there’s some business benefit, it doesn’t belong on LinkedIn.

But let’s face it. LinkedIn can be a little odd. Judd Apatow has a great comic bit about how strange social media can be. For people who grew up in the analog age, if you wanted to send a picture of your dinner to a friend, you would have had to take the picture (with a camera with a flash), get it developed, put it in a envelope, find a stamp, get their mailing address, and send it. Then they would open it up and go: “What the hell is this? Why did Judd just send me a picture of his fettuccine alfredo?” LinkedIn is like that for resumes. It’s as if there’s a town where every inhabitant is like that kid with a note taped to his jacket, only we’re grown people, and the note is our resume. We all walk around glancing at each other’s note. “Wow—you went to Harvard! Oh, that was a summer extension program. Still—you’ve got the Harvard logo, so that’s something!”

LinkedIn is not going away. Microsoft bought it and they never get rid of anything.

LinkedIn is not going away. It has 575 million users and is growing at 6-9% per year. Microsoft bought it in 2016 and, guys, they never get rid of anything. They still have Internet Explorer. They would have the Zune if Steve Ballmer hadn’t looked so silly dancing with it.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

LinkedIn is here to stay. So here are The Six Rules For Crushing It On Linkedin:

Never use a pronoun. That’s right. Where a normal person on a normal platform writes: “I was quite humbled to be chosen as plumbing fixture salesman of the year by the Beardstown Rotary Club,” on LinkedIn, you’re expected to write “humbled to be chosen…” dropping the pronoun altogether. It’s hard to know where this tradition came from. Maybe pronouns take up too much time. Maybe they seem too braggy. But using a pronoun on LinkedIn will peg you as an amateur, and you can’t have that.

Humblebrag about the most mundane things. This isn’t Facebook. We don’t want to hear about your kid’s honor society selection or your dog’s cute sweater. This is business, dammit. But as long as there’s the slightest business application, it’s fair game. So feel free to brag/not brag about: local awards, running into a more senior exec at the airport, meeting Tim Ferris, reading a Tim Ferris book, lifting weights like Tim Ferris. Basically, if you can work Tim Ferris into a post, you’re golden.

Basically, if you can work Tim Ferris into a post, you’re golden.

Feel free to post something for an audience of one. Sure, you’ve spent the past five years cultivating LinkedIn contacts the way Liz Warren doles out selfies, but now that you have 25,000 connections, don’t hesitate to post something that only your boss will care about. “Thrilled to be a part of the SQL Server 25 security patch update cupcake brigade! We gave out 32 cupcakes to everyone at the office, and saved the biggest for my boss @Josh!” 24,999 of your followers will have no idea what that’s about, but who cares? You saved Josh a cupcake! And he liked your post! That’ll come in handy during your review!

Use an image. Studies show that posts with images get much higher viewership and interaction (and, power tip: upload the image directly to LinkedIn. Platforms like to keep you on their site, rather than clicking away with a link). And, come on, the goal of life now isn’t just to live, it’s to foster an interactive community. You want comments, lots of them, and fast! So when you post that humblebrag about your promotion to Assistant to the Product Manager, include the photo of you giving out kale to the poor kids in Bangalore during your year off after college. No, the photo doesn’t have anything to do with your post, but your hair looked great that day, and the photo is already on your phone, so it’s easy to post.

Post every business article you’ve ever read. Reading is hard. Reading more than a tweet is really hard. So if you take the time to get through 500 words on a subject related to business, by all means, post it. Preface it with something that proves you actually read the article, like: “Microsoft has a great new idea!” Or “Google is at it again!” Or even just “this ↓” Come to think of it, you don’t really need to read the article, just a few keywords. Keep that timeline fresh, people!

Become a thought leader. I’ve become a little obsessed with self-help gurus whose main qualification seems to be the willingness to opine on any subject for 500 words, and the strange ability to have a selfie to go with it. You’ve seen these types—how do they get so many photos of themselves? Are they dating a photographer? How can they possibly have a new photo at a different desk and laptop every day, always looking at the camera with a determined look that says “I am the future.” Well, if they can do it, you can, too. Pick up your phone. Set up a tripod. Get a picture typing at your laptop, walking around a park, getting into a car (preferably a Tesla). The world needs your opinion on “Why Joe Biden’s shirts are like Facebook’s algorithm” or “Why Oprah is just like my grandma.” Don’t delay. Your take on the day’s pressing issues won’t write itself.

Follow these rules and you’ll be swimming with the LinkedIn sharks in no time. Will it grow your business? No. Will it get you a better job? Doubtful. Will it fill most of your workday? Absolutely. You’ll end up with more followers, to boot. And isn’t growing your following what it’s all about? Humbled that this article was published. Don’t forget to send an invite, like, and subscribe.

Forbes.com | January 21, 2020 | Will Jeakle

Follow these 5 Tips If you Want to Make a Career Pivot.

January 20, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Pivoting mid-career to a different profession is far from straightforward. Though I began my career in academia as a Classics PhD, I then pivoted to a job as a digital media specialist at a digital marketing agency. After that, I moved on to marketing at an industrial copper wire manufacturer.

At a time when millennials are hopping jobs more frequently than ever before, career pivots will become more common in the years ahead. Right now, there isn’t a simple path to make that transition, but as I learned from experience—following these maneuvers can help make the change less daunting.

1. SKIRT HR AND AVOID RECRUITERS. DISCOVER A WAY TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH THE HIRING MANAGER

Most job applicants for any given job will check off certain boxes. If they meet the specific skill sets and experience required for a listing, an applicant tracking system (ATS) will flag them and notify the recruiter.

But career pivoters tend to be light on the listed job requirements, so HR personnel and recruiters are fundamentally disincentivized from even thinking about forwarding their application to the hiring manager. Their job is to filter out high-risk applicants and discover the applicants that—on paper—most align with the particular attributes a hiring manager is seeking. Yet the most highly skilled applicants may be a costly disaster for an organization if they lack the fundamental soft skills.

Whether through an email, phone call, or handwritten letter (you don’t hear about those much anymore), find out who the hiring manager is and then reach out. They’re not being solicited every day. This is your chance to get in front of the audience that matters the most.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

2. NO MATTER YOUR AGE, CONSIDER AN INTERNSHIP AS AN ENTRY POINT

Organizations might see career pivoters as high risk. Therefore, the onus is on them to find ways to minimize that risk for the prospective organization.

The pivoters can prove their worth by mitigating the risk for the new organization by persuading a manager to create a six-month trial period internship. If the pivoter demonstrates his/her/their worth, it can potentially lead to a long-term position.

Career-pivoting applicants need to come up with creative ways to craft their skill sets as transferable and then articulate what they may look like in an internship. Even if the internship doesn’t lead to a full-time position, at the very least the candidate has some actual new career experience that they can parlay elsewhere.

3. DON’T SUBMIT YOUR RÉSUMÉ TO A WEBSITE. CALL OR APPEAR IN PERSON AT THE COMPANY TO SPEAK WITH THE MANAGER WHERE YOU HOPE TO PIVOT

An extraordinary, gifted individual doesn’t always translate into an email or a résumé. Résumés are fundamentally two-dimensional documents attempting to capture the rich complexity of individuals.

Consider an interview transcript. You lose so much of the texture and the conversation. Résumés are no different. They can’t capture the whole person.

So once the candidate knows who the hiring decision-maker is, they should show up in person. If they can capture the decision-maker’s attention, they can make an impression that lasts much longer than even the most impressive résumé.

4. UNLESS YOU ARE COMMITTED TO A CAREER THAT DEMANDS FULL-BLOWN RE-SCHOOLING, AVOID JOBS THAT REQUIRE YEARS OF TRAINING AND ACCREDITATION

Certain positions such as medical doctors, electrical engineers, and lawyers require extensive training and degrees—for obvious reasons. Know the time limits of what you are willing to commit to training. This way, you’ll avoid wasting your time on a pointless job hunt.

5. CRAFT A COMPELLING NARRATIVE ON WHY YOU ARE LOOKING TO GO FROM X TO Y

Humans think in stories, not in facts. Any hiring manager will want to know “what’s your story, and why you’re seeking to make this change?” Craft an unforgettable answer to that inevitable question. This is an opportunity to articulate how past interests and goals have brought you to this point, and how your core values, soft skills, and hard skills will be valuable to this new organization.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Undoubtedly, some are more helpful to extroverted personalities. Current HR systems are fundamentally not suited to screen for highly talented candidates but who do not align with the traditional skill sets outlined by the hiring manager. Yet the reality is that there are many job listings where the skilled candidates will fall outside this filtering system. In the current hiring system, career pivoters will have to discover creative solutions to get hired for jobs that don’t align with what’s on their résumés.

Author: Mike Zimm received his PhD in Classics from Yale University. He is currently the director of marketing at Kris-Tech Wire, a copper wire manufacturer.

FastCompany.com | January 20, 2020

How To Emotionally Prepare For The Four Phases Of A Job Search.

January 18, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Job searches require constant commitment, even when your mental, physical or emotional energy is running low. This wouldn’t feel like an insurmountable task if job searches were over quickly, but they rarely are.

According to a survey done by the recruiting company Randstad USA, the average length of a job search is five months, with 82% of participants describing their search as a stressful experience.

If you decided to kick off the new year with a job search or are continuing the one you started in 2019, here’s how you can expect to feel in each stage of the process, along with tips to help you persevere.

Phase 1: Kicking off

Kick-off is by far the easiest phase. Your energy is usually high and most of your thoughts will be optimistic.

Don’t try to temper your expectations or assume your positive attitude is naive. In fact, the hopefulness you feel in the early stages of a job search is in recognition of the true opportunity that stands before you.

Few things in life will transform your daily experience faster than finding a new job. Everything from corporate culture to the skills you develop to your level of autonomy has the potential to change when you start in your new role. And of course, there are the changes that will come if the position enhances your personal life with better pay or work-life balance.

While you may have been thinking about finding a new job for a long time, the process will not begin until you start the basic job search activities. If you aren’t working on your résumé and LinkedIn profile, you have not kicked off your search yet.

The biggest emotional challenge in the kick-off phase comes from fighting off procrastination. You may fear that a job search will be uncomfortable and often includes rejection, but don’t waste precious time failing to get started: job searches are long enough already.

Try not to become obsessed with your résumé, as this can be another form of stalling from starting your search. There is no perfect version; as long as your résumé is error-free and tailored to the jobs you want most, it is probably good enough to start sending.

Move to the next phase as soon as you can because it will take the most time and energy.

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

Phase 2: Finding leads

The lead generation phase is where you’ll identify job opportunities and drum up initial interest in your candidacy. This includes sending emails, having networking calls, meeting with mentors and new contacts, searching job boards, and having initial job-screening phone calls with recruiters.

This phase of your job search will feel extraordinarily long because it often overlaps with the other phases as new opportunities can surface at any time.

What’s difficult about generating job leads is the unavoidable awkward feeling of asking people in your network to help you, combined with the frustration of wasting a fair amount of your time applying to jobs or having conversations that never seem to lead anywhere.

Start now to prepare yourself for both of these feelings. Asking for help in your job search can make you feel vulnerable, especially if you tend to be the person that usually helps others. You’ll have to get over this feeling to leverage the power of your network and attract the best jobs.

Keep in mind that this period is the bridge between dreaming for a new job and having your chance to sell yourself during an interview. Interviewing is a tangible step and will bring with it the feeling of progress, where lead generation often feels unproductive.

Try your best to remember that every job seeker spends most of their time in this phase, doubting if their efforts will ever pay off. If you feel like your job search isn’t gaining traction fast enough, you are not alone.

Phase 3: Converting opportunities

Once your job leads turn into interview requests, you shift into the next phase of your search. While some people do enjoy interviewing, most find it stressful.

During interviews, you will only have a short period of time to make a memorable impression and prove your value. You are expected to come off as competent, smart, likeable, humble and confident all while skillfully answering unexpected questions and remaining relaxed.

It’s next to impossible to leave an interview without wishing you’d done something differently. Even if you ultimately get the job, you may spin for days about what you should or shouldn’t have said before finally learning the hiring decision. If you don’t get the job, you may spend additional weeks picking apart your performance.

Second-guessing yourself is counterproductive during a job search. Studies show that self-compassion is highly correlated with regulating emotions, which you will need to do extensively throughout the interview and negotiation stages.

Of course you want to learn from your mistakes, but often these mistakes are too minor to worry about and are unlikely to occur again.

Before entering an interview, promise yourself that you will do your best and then choose to be satisfied with wherever that leads you.

Phase 4: Negotiating

It’s a shame that this phase can be painful, since receiving an offer is a clear sign of success. Unfortunately, the pressure to negotiate can undermine much of the excitement.

First, if you are wondering if you should negotiate at all, the answer is most likely yes. There are a few places where job offer negotiation is considered outside cultural norms, but in many countries, and especially in North America, negotiation is permitted and even expected at all levels.

That doesn’t mean that you will get what you ask for. It simply means that you should always request a reasonable increase in your compensation or additional work-life benefits, even if you are happy to take the offer first presented. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no and you accept the offer as is.

In practice, it’s common to fear coming off as greedy and losing the offer altogether. Once you make it all the way to phase four of a job search, the last thing you want to do is start over. However, it’s extremely unlikely that your offer would be rescinded. What is more likely is that you will undervalue your worth and end up regretting not negotiating your offer.

Offer negotiation is not about forcing demands. You’re making additional requests because you have invested a lot in your job search and you want to get the best possible return. You owe it to yourself after all you’ve been through.

Finding a new and better job will test your emotional fortitude, but don’t get discouraged. It is ultimately worth the effort.

Author: Kourtney Whitehead is a career expert and author of Working Whole. You can learn more about her work at Simply Service.

Forbes.com | January 12, 2020

#BestofFSCBlog : How To Find A Full-Time Job When You’re Over 50. Great Read!

January 17, 2020/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

With unemployment at all-time lows, now might be the best time for you to be looking for a full-time job. The challenges, however, are greater if you’re over 50 years old.

According to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average it takes those 55 to 64 two weeks longer to find a job compared to those 20 years and older. (The news is worse if you’re 65 and older, where this average duration of unemployment is 10 weeks longer.)

It seems the idea of early retirement hasn’t caught on with those in their 50s (and even beyond).

“Our research shows that experienced workers are staying on the job longer or looking for a job for two reasons,” says Susan K. Weinstock, Vice President, Financial Resilience Programming at AARP. “Financially, they need the money, and, secondly, they like their job and find it fulfilling and want to keep working.”

Bankrate regularly surveys workers regarding their financial circumstances. Its data confirms what AARP found for those working well past age 50.

“When Bankrate asked Americans who were neither retired nor permanently disabled about their retirement savings, more than half said they were behind where they should have been,” says Mark Hamrick, Senior Economic Analyst at Bankrate.com.

“For members of Generation X (age 39-54), the percentage was 63% and Boomers (age 55-73), 54% said they were behind on their retirement savings. No doubt many people who would otherwise be candidates to retire seek to remain in the workforce because they feel they need income, or to further boost their savings. Others may choose to work as a means of remaining engaged and active.”

If you’re like many older workers, you may prefer to retain your current position. But what if your present employer can’t accommodate you? It may have been decades since you last tried to look for a new job. What has changed since then? What do you have to do differently today to land full-time employment?

Like this Article? Share It! You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & type(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search: https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Continue of the article:

Bryan Zawikowski has been a recruiter for 25 years and is the vice president and general manager of the military transition division for Lucas Group. Forbes ranked Lucas Group as one of the top 10 executive search firms in the nation in 2019. Zawikowski’s team works with many people who find themselves either changing careers or looking for new jobs later in life. He shares the following advice:

“What are the best practices?”

· To thine own self be true: “Don’t try to hide your age. It doesn’t work, and you end up looking either vain or foolish—maybe both.”

· Polish up your online presence: “Your LinkedIn profile should be very professional, including the photograph.”

· Emphasize your real-world experience: “No ‘functional’ resumes. They end up in the trash.”

· Brevity is the soul of wit: “Maximum 2-page resume. The further back in your work history you go, the less detail there should be.”

“What are the easiest ways to make it happen?”

· Recalculate: “Be financially prepared to take a step back in compensation (either scale back your lifestyle or be prepared to dip into savings if need be).”

· Re-calibrate: “Be emotionally and mentally prepared to work for someone younger and perhaps more talented than you.”

· Circulate: “Network with former classmates, former work colleagues, friends and acquaintances that know something about your desired career path.”

· Captivate: “Have a GREAT story about why you are interested in this new career field and why you’d be good at it.”

“What are the do’s and don’ts?”

· DO something you enjoy: “Pick a career that you are really into, something that energizes you and somewhere you look forward to going to work most days.”

· DO maintain your health: “Stay physically active. You don’t have to be a marathon runner, but do something to keep your energy level up.”

· DO continue to learn: “Read as much as you can about your new career field.”

· DON’T lie: You can’t “pretend to be an expert at something just because you were good at something else.”

· DON’T assume the status quo: You’ll be disappointed if you “think you will be able to make a lateral move from where you are in your current career field.”

· DON’T be unrealistic: You’ll only hurt yourself more if you “sacrifice more than you can afford to in terms of compensation. Retirement isn’t too far away and you don’t want to jeopardize that.”

You are the master of your own destiny. If you want to find a job, you can. No matter what your age.

Forbes.com | January 17, 2020 | Chris Carosa