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#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How to Give Your Resume a Makeover for 2019.

January 3, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Whether you’re a new grad poised to take on your first professional role, or a seasoned pro primed for new challenges, strut your savvy in 2019.

Step one is to ensure that the cornerstone of your personal brand, your resumeand LinkedIn profile, reflect your experience, skills and enthusiasm.

It can be intimidating to put yourself out there; minimize that anxiety by strategically formulating materials that turn heads.

Flex that structure

How you order the section headers on your resume can look different depending on where you are in your career. “New grads are likely to put education first-that’s their main experience and they are going for an entry-level position. But for executives, their education is going to be less important to feature prominently. They’ve already proven themselves. They’re going to have a stronger summary about their careers,” explains Nick Francioso, Army Veteran, mentor to career transitioning veterans and founder of resume optimization tool SkillSyncer.

Francioso points out that while there’s some wiggle room for ordering resume sections, it’s important to adhere to standard headers such as education, experience, summary and skills. He explains: “These are what the ATS (applicant tracking system) looks for. No matter what kind of resume you’re creating.”

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

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Busting resume myths

Your resume isn’t a comprehensive professional history; it only needs to capture your last ten years of professional experience. Francioso explains, “Your resume is what gets you the interview. Then you can talk about all the other positions you’ve had.” Of course, if you’ve worked for your most recent employer for longer than ten years, you want to include those details.

Francioso points out another myth: you don’t have to limit your resume to a single page. His rule of thumb: “If you’re doing two pages, fill two pages.” Francioso recommends that job seekers refrain from leaving excess white space, which can make the resume looks weak or incomplete.

Show me the data

Keep your content concise and avoid over-used buzzwords like “action-oriented” or “hardworking.” A reader can’t tell the difference between a candidate whom such words truly describe and one who’s just making that claim. This is where data comes in; it makes your case.

Offer data that demonstrates your success and productivity. Francioso explains: “If you have a good employer, they tend to help you create bullet points for your resume because they share performance data with you-sometimes at year-end or quarterly reviews…They are tracking performance data to calculate raises and evaluate performance.” Francioso notes that you can also track data yourself by noting reports you run or moves you make that have a measurable impact.

Metrics are concrete indicators of performance. Use them to tell your story.

Befriend the bots

Francioso explains that job seekers have two audiences to keep in mind: “Write your resume for an ATS. If it makes it through that, a human is going to read it.” You reach each audience by speaking its language.

It’s also important to create multiple resumes, each tailored to various job descriptions. Francioso’s recommended approach for getting a high match score from ATS is to “Mention those things that they really emphasize in the job description more than once in your resume- take the hard skills and word them the same way.” If the job description uses an acronym to describe a hard skill that you have, for example, use that same acronym in your skills section.

When it comes to addressing human resume readers, Francioso explains: “You don’t want to show what you’re responsible for, you want to show what you accomplished.” Use meaningful action words to tell that story.

Francioso explains that while pictures, charts, graphs may look impressive, reserve those on a separate version of your resume that you only share with contacts for whom you have personal email addresses. These are not likely to parse well in ATS.

Thinking differently about LinkedIn

Francioso sees LinkedIn as “a database of resumes,” and he recognizes users’ goal on the platform as optimizing their LinkedIn profiles to ensure maximum exposure. Francioso points out that the way you write your headline, the more active you are on the platform, the more connections and endorsements you have, all impact where your profile appears in search results.

His advice: “Make sure that you have the newest tech terms. If you’re a Java programmer, for example, you want to make sure that’s in your headline. I’ve noticed that when you search in LI, it goes to the headline first and then to the summary . . . So if you’re targeting a specific job title or industry, that’s what you want in your headline.”

Francioso points out that your headline is valuable space. If you’re searching for a new opportunity, you can signify that in settings, leaving your headline clear for SEO terms. Francioso explains: “Effective LinkedIn profiles should have headlines that take advantage of the 120-character limit and are roughly 7 – 12 words in length. Add important keywords to your headline since these can be used to rank you higher in search results. . . the most important keywords should go in your header as those are the first to return in search results.”

Another great tip: Francioso recommends creating a customized URL via LinkedIn. This way, it’s easily sharable. Plus, it looks neat, tidy and professional. Francioso recommends adding it to your resume-positioned after your email address.

Remember, refining your personal brand gives you the chance to take stock of your professional goals and accomplishments. That’s a great way to kick off 2019!

GlassDoor.com | January 3, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #StartingYourOwnBusiness – Your 12-Month Guide to Building your ‘Side Hustle’ this Year. Great Read & More!

January 3, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Side hustles are “in.” Or as author and founder of The Lonely Entrepreneur Michael Dermer argues, the gig economy is so prevalent, traditional 9 to 5 jobs are done on the side–instead of the other way around.

His assessment is backed by facts, since LinkedIn data found 71% of employees report having a hustle for additional income, and 36% find success in pursuing a passion project. Thanks to an uptick in the number of tech-forward and remote-friendly opportunities with lucrative salaries, the drive to start a freelance career or found a company continues to grow.

“Slowly but surely individuals started to color outside the corporate lines and bring to bear what many want: Fulfillment. Pride. Extra Cash. Passion. And most importantly the ability to align effort and talent that one expends with results,” Dermer says.

If you want to put your diligence toward your own gig or big idea, the best way to build it is to have a plan. Even if you’re setting your own hours one day, a huge part of entrepreneurism is self-reliance and focus.

Here, experts who have been there and gigged-that provide your 2019 roadmap.

JANUARY: START WITH A SERIOUS SELF-ASSESSMENT

If you think having a side hustle is an easy way to bring in extra cash for your dream vacation to Bali–think again. Considering how much work goes into developing an additional source of income, the most important aspect of getting started is figuring out your motivation. And as the CEO of Life Hacks Wealth, Marcos Jacober recommends asking yourself questions to prepare for the psychological shift required to become a bonafide hustler. “[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”][A side hustle will change] how you view what’s most important in your life and [challenge] your willingness to get very creative and do the dirty work on a daily basis,” he explains.

“Are you willing to make sacrifices for this to work? How badly do you want this to succeed?”

He suggests spending time getting to the heart of what is inspiring action–is it financial freedom? The luxury of doing what you love for a living? The hope to make a difference–or disrupt an industry? Perhaps, more dance lessons for your daughter? Whatever it is, write it down and put it in a place you see frequently to keep you on track.

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

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FEBRUARY: TAP INTO YOUR COMMUNITY

Figure out how you’re connected to people who have the job you already want. LinkedIn career expert Blair Decembrele says since February is often the coldest month of the year in most regions of the country, it’s strategic to use your time cooped up inside to your hustlin’ advantage.

This might be when you start laying the groundwork that’ll help you succeed in the months to come–from updating your social networks to securing a dotcom domain and social media accounts. You can also start cold emailing alumni connections or folks from previous jobs, and ask for referrals, recommendations, or even introductions. The digital footprint will come in handy when you’re in full pitching mode once spring rolls around.

Since you’re online anyway, Dermer also says that February is an ideal month to set specific goals on what you want to achieve–and more essentially–when you want to start taking on gigs. “It sounds boring, right? But it is critical. Gigs disappear quickly if we don’t treat them like true business ventures,” he explains. “Your ability to make your gig successful will depend on your ability to achieve financial goals. This can of course include other goals such as the launch of a website but you should never lose site of the fact that money will create longer term viability of your hustle.”

MARCH: BE REALISTIC ABOUT TIME

Now that you have built your legs–it’s time to turn your attention upwards and work on your juggling abilities. No matter the industry or the type of profession, most people struggle with time management, starting from the early days of school and far into their careers. After all–procrastination will always be tempting, especially when you don’t have a manager keeping you accountable for your gig duties. Since April will be when you’ll finally hit the ground running–more on that soon–fine-tuning the balancing act of full-time work and gigging is the best way to spend March.

Jacober suggests sitting down at the start of each day and writing your hour-by-hour deliverables. This doesn’t have to be all business-minded, since part of hustling is figuring out a work and life balance, so he recommends setting aside time for lunch, stretches, exercise, and so on. As the month wears on, you’ll quickly see what adjustments need to be made: is there enough friend time? Do you have the space for a new project? Are you going to bed too late–or too early? Are you #exhausted? Good, you’re on the right track.

APRIL: GET GOING

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork for the first quarter of the year, it’s–hopefully–about to pay off. Depending on what venture you’re shooting for, “getting started” can mean a variety of tasks. If you’re a freelancer in any capacity, it’s time to begin pitching and setting up those invites from February that kept getting pushed to the side. Entrepreneurs will be doing much of the same, as they start conversations around investors and perhaps, seeking capital.

During this month, you’ll want to ensure your website is up and fueled with the information needed to validate your experience and of course, start posting on social channels, according to Jacober. Just remember, every little thing you share should have value, since you’re building a brand, a reputation, and trust. “When it comes to social media posting, there is so much content and not enough time to consume it. Don’t just put something out there for the sake of posting. Think of the objectives you want to achieve from it and make it count,” he recommends.

MAY: GET INVOLVED IN AN ASSOCIATION OR PROFESSIONAL GROUP

The April forecast probably brought a shower of rejections–and one bright, sunny day of “yes.” Since you’ll be reeling off of the progress and feeling pumped, Decembrele says now is a strategic time to join an association or a professional group within your gig’s industry. Since May kicks off summertime, spirits are higher and more people are willing to go out and about for rooftop cocktails, making it a relatively less stressful time to mingle and make connections. Not to mention, make you better versed when you head out to pitch again. “There are often conferences where you can hear from industry speakers, members may have internship or job opportunities, and you’ll be in the know on key issues and policies,” she explains.

JUNE: GET AWAY

Since your side hustle is still in its infancy stages at this point, a two-week luxury vacation might not be in the cards. But, taking a weekend–or if you can, a week–during June to disconnect and reflect. Decembrele explains any hour spend with your loved ones in a place that feeds your passions can help spark creativity and enrich your focus toward your goals. As you will have likely learned by this stage in your gig trajectory, it’s rare for a freelancer to ever take a solid vacation. When you’re away from your phone for too many days, you could lose opportunities that come and go quickly. This may be a worry–and one that’s warranted–but try to spend at least a handful of hours when you’re out of town to pay attention to the culture and beauty that surrounds you, allowing yourself to daydream of the success you can see within sight.

JULY: INTEGRATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE INTO SALES AND MARKETING

Since you’ve been networking, you hopefully have learned a thing or two about how to put yourself out there. Much like dating, finding the right gigs, business partners, investors, and, eventually, employees means consistently pivoting, pitching, and repeating yourself.

Dermer says since July can be a slower month with vacations, use the time to home in on your sales and marketing skills. “Once you have the knowledge, you must make it front and center. It should be the first thing anyone hears. The normal bullet points don’t matter: Everyone uses them. It is your unique knowledge that must shine through,” he explains. Or in other words: Figure out how to differentiate yourself from the rest of other people who also seek your hustle. You want to be a journalist? Cool, what kind? You want to help small business build their social media efforts? What type of micro-companies–and what digital channels?

It’s an experience Jess Tatham, founder and lead developer of DevelopHER Designs, knows all too well. When figuring out how she would launch and build her web development company, she knew seeking a niche market she was personally passionate about would be the best route. Though it took plenty of naming brainstorms and some pitfalls before she found her pace, now she has helped countless female executives and entrepreneurs get their big ideas online.

AUGUST: JOURNAL AND REFLECT

Okay–you don’t have to put pen to paper, per se, but you should turn off your distractions and go over where you’ve been, what you’ve done and what’s ahead. Remember when you first thought about hustling your way to a new career in January? Look back on those notes and see where you are, two seasons later. This is when exercising your self-criticisms bones is essential to make moves. Jacober explains entrepreneurs should identify shortcomings in their processes to help them work more efficiently and effectively. Are there areas of your growing gig business that you could outsource to make room for more lucrative incentives? What about jobs you’ve been meaning to reach out to–but keep forgetting? Whatever the tasks are that keep falling through the cracks, now is the time to see where you can make changes.

Decembrele says many budding hustlers will feel stressed by this time. To manage the natural anxiety that comes from piecemealing your own empire, she suggests setting aside every week to gather yourself. “Keep those Sunday Scaries at bay by grabbing a pen and paper, and jot down to-dos, work priorities, questions, and so on,” she explains. “Writing down even the littlest notes and reminders can help you focus on the here and now. Spend some time thinking through what is a priority and start there.”

SEPTEMBER: GO IN WITH GUNS BLAZING

Technically, the last quarter of the year runs from October to December, but most companies start their mad dash to the New Year finish line after Labor Day. Since children return to school and professionals buckle down to meet goals and bring in the last of their clients and income, a side hustle requires the same diligence. Since you’ve been laying out the blueprint since April, you probably have a steady stream of go-to’s who assign or outsource your work, or are helping you build the groundwork for your business. It’s time to further engage with them and see how you can go even bigger before the end of the year by taking on a new project or perhaps, preparing for the holiday season by buying your supplies in bulk. Dermer says now is the time to put pedal to the medal and bring your gig to a new level.

OCTOBER: LEAN INTO YOUR CUSTOMER

After 30 days of going full throttle, you can now look at what you’ve made–and figure out how to make it better. And that begins from the outside in. No matter the side hustle, everyone has some sort of customer. For those in creative fields, it’s not only editors or managers who assign their stories, but the readers who critique them. For anyone in sales, it’s the people who fork over their own hard-earned cash for your product or service. For those who are creating something new in the tech space, it’s users and contractors who are making your dream possible.

Jacober says let October be when you double-down on the heart of any gig: the people. “Provide exceptional service and enhance the customer experience in every way you can. This includes follow up and real time experience management,” he continues. “Part of customer service is being a good listener. Don’t rush people through their conversations or complaints. If they bring up things they have done, hand out praise. People don’t get praised enough and are usually looking for it whether they know it or not.”

NOVEMBER: PAY YOUR GRATITUDE

Cheesy, old-fashioned, or not–saying “thanks” goes a long way when you’re competing against many others for the same gig. In fact, so much of transitioning your side hustle into your full-time lifestyle is earning solid recommendations from previous clients who stand by your talents. Word of mouth is powerful, no matter the industry, and often it is the loudest voice in the room. “The best way to keep your side hustle going is by referrals. As silly as it sounds, you want to be in touch with the people who hired you and offer them a discount for continued service or a perk if they refer someone to you,” explains millennial workforce expert and leadership trainer, Alissa Carpenter. “You want to have a stream of clients coming in based on your good work.”

In addition to writing out those “thank you” notes that could result in monetary notes in the New Year, Jacober also suggesting getting ahead of procrastination, since the holidays always disrupt our routines. This can make it far less likely you freak out when you’re traveling home for Thanksgiving, and can’t stop thinking about that email you sent to so-and-so. “Looking at our to-do list as a whole instead of as bite-sized chunks can really cause us to be overwhelmed. When we feel overwhelmed, anxiety grips us. Anxiety slows our emotional responses and our body as a whole, leaving us feeling even more vulnerable and overwhelmed,” he says.

DECEMBER: REFLECT–AND SET GOALS

Resolutions may feel like a waste of time, but you don’t have to call ’em that if you don’t want to. Instead, think of them as goals or, rather, answers to the most important questions you need to ask yourself at the end of your first side hustlin’ year, according to Carpenter. She recommends asking: How did it go–really? What worked? What didn’t? Is this something you want to continue? Did you like it? Was the reward worth it? How were your friendships and relationships impacted? Can you continue to build? Is it time to make the leap–and make your side hustle, your only hustle?

If thinking thoughtfully through all of these questions results in a resounding “YES!–then you know you’re on the right track. Carpenter suggests setting three specific, tangible, and impactful goals for the first 90 days of the year.

And then? Well, get back to work. You’re still just getting started.

BY LINDSAY TIGAR – Editor’s Note: This story is part of our special New Year’s package “Your Future Self,” click here to read the full series.

FastCompany.com | January 3, 2019

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#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – This is How you’ll Look for a Job in 2019. Must Read!

January 2, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When you couple the fact that unemployment is at a low 3.7%, and the number of U.S. companies wanting to hire fresh talent is at a 12-year high, it’s a job seekers’ market.

However, thanks to the increasing use of automation, artificial intelligence, and a growing interest from companies to hire more diverse candidates, the way job seekers will find the best opportunities is shifting. We asked the experts to tell us how the way we will look for jobs will change in 2019. Here’s what they told us.

WHERE TO LOOK AND WHAT TO EXPECT

Tom Gimbel at LaSalle Network says that among 5,000 professionals the staffing firm surveyed, the top three ways they look for employment are online job boards, sites like LinkedIn, Indeed and Glassdoor, recruiters, and networking. “While we’ve seen various trends pop up in the job-search process,” he says, “these traditional methods continue to be most the popular and we plan to see it remain the same for years to come.”

However, at places like EY, which plans to hire approximately 15,700 workers in the U.S. in the coming year, some 1,300 bots focused on recruiting efforts are likely going to be part of the candidates’ interview experience.

Eyal Grayevsky, CEO and cofounder of Mya Systems says that in 2019 the divide between intelligent, conversational recruiting bots and basic chatbots that follow simple decision trees will become a chasm. “Job search candidates will gravitate toward conversational bots,” he explains, “because of their ability to respond more knowledgeably and naturally, to anticipate candidate needs, and to learn and adapt to candidate preferences over time.”

AI aside, more freelancers are finding jobs online and working remotely. Sixty-seven percent of freelancers report that the amount of work they’ve gotten online has increased in the last year, and 64% of freelancers found work online, up 22 points since 2014 according to the most recent Freelancing in America report. And a Flexjobs survey revealed that these jobs range from tech to accounting, HR to administrative work.

Ankit Somani, cofounder of AllyO, believes both active and passive candidates will see a marked difference in 2019. Passive candidates, those who are not putting themselves out there to look for jobs, can expect to experience personalized outreach, leading to mini-conversations which are empathetic and get to the core of what they might be interested in, Somani says. “Active candidates will see more channels of engagement (text, web chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.),” Somani adds, “and there will be an increasing focus in helping candidates answer any of their questions upfront and help them find jobs based on their likes and dislikes.”

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

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SKILL SHIFT

“The line between soft and hard skills is disappearing,” says Michelle Weise, chief innovation officer at Strada Institute for the Future of Work, “What matters is whether a skill is ‘human’ or can be performed by machines.” According to a new analysis of more than 100 million job postings, resumes, and social profiles by Strada Institute for the Future of Work and labor market analytics expert, Emsi, job seekers can future-proof their chances to be competitive by beefing up their soft skills.

The report finds that employers are hungry for skills like communication, critical thinking, ethics and problem-solving. “The most valuable workers now and in the future, will be those who can combine technical knowledge with human skills: programming and ethics, artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence, logic, and judgment,” says Weise.

That said, job seekers are turning to job boards to ferret out positions that can use very specific tech skills. New Indeed research reveals the fastest-growing skills in tech job searches and found that job seekers are most frequently looking for jobs that use cloud computing tools and e-commerce platforms. Job searches using Google’s Go programming language, called Golang, went up 81%. Facebook’s React framework, which was the fastest-growing tech skill last year, rose 61% this year.

Another in-demand skill that could be a game changer in the way we look for jobs in 2019 is cybersecurity. Tim Roddy, vice president of cybersecurity product strategy with Fidelis Cybersecurity says job seekers should be looking at which transferable skills they have to bring to the industry. “The beauty of cybersecurity is that it’s vast,” he says, “there are specialists for everything, whether you’re interested in law, forensic investigations, cryptography, ethical hacking, or data analytics–you can apply this interest to security.”

Whatever your skills, the best way to highlight them (and yourself) online is simple, according to Amy Guo, LinkedIn principal product manager. “The only thing you don’t want to do is treat your LinkedIn profile simply like a resume,” she says. “Instead, use it to share stories about your professional journey. This is your chance to showcase what skills you excel at, what opportunities you’re looking for or offering, and how you can help your community. You never know, this could be the reason a recruiter, future employer or a potential client finds you and sends you a message.”

In addition to making sure you list at least five skills, Guo suggests adding the field you work in since more than 300,000 people search by industry on LinkedIn each week. And don’t forget to update the city you work in since this can make you up to 23 times more likely to be found in search, according to LinkedIn’s data.

LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY AND EQUITY

Brenda Darden Wilkerson, president and CEO of AnitaB.org says that 2019 will see more job seekers prioritize diversity and equity when seeking new roles. “Much like how consumers are becoming increasingly more discerning around which companies they buy from, job seekers–especially women and underrepresented groups–will be increasingly discerning about the companies they apply to work for,” she believes. Darden Wilkerson says candidates will favor companies that prioritize diversity, inclusion, and equity and will expect to see data that proves the company is creating a supportive culture for people of all backgrounds. “Programs like mentorship and formal pay equity policies that provide concrete systems of support and inclusion for women to reach their fullest potential will set employers apart in the minds of conscious job seekers,” she explains.

MORE TEMP TO HIRE

“A very important stat that job seekers should note is that the risk of new hires failing was 50% in 2017,” notes Elaine Varelas, managing partner at Keystone Partners, “and talent acquisition people have been challenged to fix this expensive margin of error.

While they solve for the cause, HR is working on minimizing risk and the cost associated with this failure, by moving from permanent hires to “temp to perm” roles throughout the organization, she says.

“Job seekers need to make sure they are comfortable with this kind of offer,” Varelas explains, because it often doesn’t include holidays, vacation time, and most other important full-time employee benefits. “Key to your success in these situations is getting answers regarding what factors are considered to make the switch to permanent,” she recommends. If it is based on the economy, there most likely won’t be severance if the role ends, she points out. If it’s entirely based on performance (and most likely it will be) what does the organization need to see from you in terms of contribution? “Ask, how will my success be defined? And, how often will feedback be provided?” Varelas suggests.

OPPORTUNITIES WITH EXISTING EMPLOYERS

“In 2019, I think more people will look for new jobs’ from where they are,” says Tom Puthiyamadam, Global Digital Services Leader at PwC. He expects to see more employees take an intrapreneurial attitude to their current roles to stretch them and shift to find ways to innovate and do more of what they love more efficiently.

Chris O’Neal, evangelist at Workfront, believes voluntary job boards will be big in the coming year. “The future enterprise will create internal job boards of important work that needs to be done, and ask interested individuals and self-organizing teams to volunteer to work on the jobs that are most exciting to them,” O’Neal explains. “Like a corporate backlog that is up for grabs.” He says this will allow more team members to do work that matters to them personally.

Ben Reuveni, CEO of InnerMobility, which is powered by Gloat‘s AI technology, says that apps InnerMobility draws on employees’ skills, past experiences, and future goals to match them with projects, job swaps, mentorships, as well as new positions that will add real value to their career ambitions. “Employees are able to simply swipe on opportunities of interest to achieve horizontal career growth as well as traditional vertical progression,” he says.

“Smart companies that truly value their talent and work in more digital ways, will embrace this and provide–or at least facilitate and encourage–such opportunities,” maintains Puthiyamadam. If they don’t, he cautions, the most valuable employees will be snapped up by companies that will.

THE CONTINUED IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING

“The rise of automated job search services and matching engines means you must become a master networker in order to stand out from all the other resumes being reviewed by machines,” says Tracey Welson-Rossman CMO of Chariot Solutions and founder of TechGirlz. “Whether you are a college student landing your first job or currently employed and looking for a new position at a different company, using your contacts to attach a face to that piece of paper is one way to break out of the pack.”

Laura Cooper, senior vice president of people at Bluecore, agrees. “A personal referral by a current/previous employee of a job seeker’s target company or organization, or from a respected social connection, will be the best method for applying in 2019,” she says. “The link between the referrer and the candidate sends a message to a potential employer of, ‘You know me, I know you and this person, and I vouch that there is a match here.’ It’s an instant credibility-builder.”

FastCompany.com | January 2, 2019

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – Take these Steps to Grow your Career in the New Year! Great Three(3) Min Read!

December 31, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Knowing the right company that fits your culture, passion, and industry is the first step. But once you find the right company, how do you work your way up?

Here are 5 tips on how to cultivate your career.

BUILD A SOLID NETWORK

Make LinkedIn work for you. If you haven’t already, create your LinkedIn profile, and add your skills and contributions to beef up your profile. Endorse your colleagues and request their endorsement. A nod from your peers, or a positive review from a previous client, speaks volumes on LinkedIn.

SET GOALS

Be proactive. Setting goals for your professional career are critical. Start small and add new goals each year.

Find your passion and connect with others that share your ambitions. By sharing with others, you’ll have an even greater network to leverage expertise and resources.

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STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Look for opportunities to try something new and step outside your comfort zone. Are there any classes or trainings available at your company? Does the company offer tuition reimbursements for a class you’re interested in taking? If you don’t know, ask!

When you have a passion for growing your career, take a shot on a “stretch assignment.” Whether it’s contributing to an additional project, or taking on a whole new role, this stretch assignment will add to your skillset, give you exposure to other people in your company, and allow you to gain insight into the expectations and daily work associated with a different position.

SEEK OUT A COACH OR MENTOR

A coach or mentor can be a person that’s in, or outside, of your organization. They should be a trusted advisor that can help guide you to the next stage of your career. Identify who that person is in your life and see if they’re interested in committing to your growth. You can have more than one. Keep in mind: It should be someone that can help you develop your personal and professional skills. Consider a person that is in a current role that you’d aspire to, or a person that can support your professional development, in preparation for the next step.

Be receptive to feedback. Look at any constructive criticism as positive. Remember–your coach or mentor has your best interests at heart. Be open-minded when listening to their suggestions; this can have a lasting, positive effect on your relationship with them and help you identify talents in yourself that you may not have previously realized.

TAKE THE LEAP

Are you ready to grow? Sometimes you need to take the leap and find out. Before you do, make sure you can land on your feet. Have you excelled in your current role? Have you grown to your full potential? If you answered yes, it’s time to move on to the next stage of your career. Before presenting your interest to your manager, prepare to reference any positive comments from others about your performance to solidify your next move. Include any past performance evaluations to add credibility.

If you’ve truly mastered your current role, then moving into a larger or a new position will seem like an obvious next step. In speaking with your manager about your next move, ask what tools you’ll need to succeed.

When looking at the big picture, plan effectively, build relationships, and execute a growth strategy with guidance from your manager and mentor to progress to the next stage in your career. By executing strategic goals, a new path to success will unfold. By implementing these steps, you can significantly impact your growth opportunity and challenge yourself to reach the next stage in a successful career.

FastCompany.com | December 31, 2018 | BY YOLANDA WALKER—GLASSDOOR3 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How to Future-Proof your Resume for 2019 and Beyond ! Whether Employed or Not, Updating your Resume is a Must each Year!

December 30, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

We’re almost at the end of another year, which means that it’s an excellent opportunity to reflect on our achievements and set goals for the year ahead. If, like many people, you’re hoping to enhance your job prospects in 2019, then strengthening your resume should be at the top of your New Year’s resolutions list.

Perhaps you’re looking to increase your salary, or maybe find more fulfilling work. Whatever you’re hoping to achieve, your resume will be your number-one tool for getting ahead of the competition. Here’s the catch–making your resume stronger requires you to do more than just tweaking a piece of paper. You need to be prepared to take actions that allow you to have a strong resume.

Here are three strategies to future-proof your resume for 2019 and beyond.

TAKE ON EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES

You’ve probably heard this Henry Ford quote before, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Motivational speakers often use it, but it’s also a fitting way to describe your career.

If you don’t take on responsibilities above and beyond your current job, then how can you expect to be considered for more senior roles? If you want a promotion into that next-step role in your career, then you need to show employers and recruiters that you are capable of performing them. Chances are, most hiring managers won’t take a chance on inexperienced staff if they can hire experienced candidates.

So, if you’re hoping to progress in 2019, reach out to your supervisor and ask if you can alleviate them from some of their responsibilities. You won’t be rewarded instantly for your actions, but familiarizing yourself with the workload of your superiors will have massive long-term benefits for your career. Eventually, your boss will welcome your contribution, and you’ll learn new skills and pick up invaluable experience that you won’t get from just covering the basics in your role.

Once you’ve gained a wealth of skills from stepping up and taking on more senior duties, be sure to highlight them in your resume and show recruiters that you’re ready for career progression. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone when doing this. Challenge yourself and try to acquire some skills outside of the areas you already excel in.

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STAY AHEAD OF THE TECH CURVE

Technology isn’t just for those who work in Silicon Valley. Nowadays, it plays a huge role in almost every industry and profession. It’s highly likely that you come into contact with technological tools in your work.

Most of us use multiple technology platforms, from operating systems to databases. Some of us are even involved in the building and selling of these platforms. Whatever your involvement is with tech in the workplace, you can’t afford to get left behind. The tech landscape is continually changing, and if you don’t have an understanding of current tools and systems in your field, you’ll become a much less attractive hire than those who do.

To keep your tech skills sharp and stay in-demand, you need to be proactive in seeking out the latest technology in your field, and ensure that your knowledge is up-to-date. LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to find industry conversations and learn about emerging platforms in your industry. If you learn about a new technology that is disrupting your industry, look for online courses on them, or speak to your supervisor about trying them out in your office.

When you do this, you can list a much greater breadth and depth of technical knowledge on your resume. You’ll become a much more attractive candidate to future employers.

DRIVE SOME TANGIBLE RESULTS

Hiring staff is a significant investment for employers, and, like any investment, they will eventually want to see a decent return. Naturally, hiring managers like to hire candidates who have delivered real results for previous employers.

If you want to showcase some impressive achievements on your resume in 2019, you need to start working toward them ASAP. Say you’re working on a big project, strive to make notable contributions that can be directly related to saving costs, improving performance, or any other metric that adds real value. If you see a process in your workplace that doesn’t function as smoothly as it should, take action and implement some changes to that process so that it enhances productivity.

By achieving these results, you’ll have concrete evidence that proves your value to recruiters and hiring managers. When you can present facts and figures, you can illustrate the scale of your impact, and give them an accurate reflection of the benefits you could potentially bring to their team.

Making professional progress requires you take the initiative to go above and beyond what you are hired to do. By actively boosting your skills, taking extra responsibilities, and staying on top of technological trends, you can make 2019 your year.

Andrew Fennell is an experienced recruiter and founder of resume advice center StandOut CV. He is also the author of “How To Write a CV” and regularly contributes careers advice to a number of leading publications.

FastCompany.com | December 29, 2018

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#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – 14 Job Search Tips Everyone Should Know

December 27, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Getting a new job is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, with as many as 14 percent of people saying they’d like to change employers when they change their calendars.

Sound like you? If you’re ready for 2019 to be the year you finally find the right job, keep reading! We’ve curated 14 of the best job search tips from the past year to help you start your New Year’s job hunt off on the right foot, featuring advice from CEOs, celebrities and job coaches who know exactly what it takes to succeed.

1. Don’t wait until you have all of the qualifications to apply

“If you have all the qualifications you may actually be overqualified! Go ahead and apply if you have the core requirements.” —Jenn Lofgren, Incito Executive & Leadership Development

2. Explore your network — or make new connections — to get an internal referral

“Companies always give preferential treatment to employee referrals. If you don’t know someone there, then volunteering at a company’s local charity event can also be a great way to meet people.” —Carolyn Thompson, executive recruiter and managing principal at Merito Group

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3. Make LinkedIn work for you

“Make your online network reflect your offline connections. Once you set up your profile, start connecting with everybody you know: current and former colleagues, past employers, people in your industry, neighbors, family, friends, former classmates. —Donna Serdula, LinkedIn expert and author

4. Pursue a job that means something to you

“Do the work that comes from the soul of you… The key to fulfillment, success and contentment in life is aligning your personality with what your soul came to do.” —Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey Network

5. Tout your soft skills

“Instead of calling them soft skills, I would actually call them essential skills… Some of the most crucial of these skills include communication, teamwork, leadership, relationship-building, balance, reliability and dependability.” —Greg Muccio, Director of People at Southwest

6. Prepare, prepare, prepare — and then prepare some more

“The best way to calm the nerves is by adequately preparing for your interview. Control the controllables. Do your research, hone your stories and schedule a practice interview.” —Sarah Johnston, The Briefcase Coach

7. But make sure to remain authentically you

“There is no replacement for 100% authenticity in interactions with people, and the same is true of interviews, as they are simply an interaction with someone you don’t know [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”][yet]… Remember that this is about assessing fit for you too, and the only way to truly assess fit for yourself is to be fearlessly and authentically you.” —Amanda Gulino, Founder of A Better Monday

8. When it comes to salary, don’t ask for what you’d be willing to take — ask for what you’re worth

“Decide what you think you’re worth and then ask for what you think you’re worth. Nobody’s just going to give it to you.” —Shonda Rhimes, Award-winning producer and scriptwriter

9. Step into an interview with as much self-awareness as possible

“Know what you’re good at, and know what you’re not good at. Don’t pretend you’re something that you’re not. Always ask for help. The smartest people ask questions; the people who are the most ignorant think they know it all.” —Jessica Alba, actress and Co-Founder of The Honest Company

10. If you work with a recruiter, look beyond the one job listing

“[Our] intent is always to form lasting personal relationships, whether that be to help you find a permanent job or if you want to deploy from assignment to assignment. [Most good firms are searching for] people who want to have a mutually beneficial relationship to help them achieve their career goals while solving problems for our clients.” —Ryan Lynch, Client Relationship Executive atKforce

11. Don’t let rejections derail your job search

“Don’t be afraid of the word no. It doesn’t mean it’s a bad result. It just means try again. You can’t be afraid to ask, because if you don’t, no one else is… If you just go out there and not be afraid of the negative result, you’ll be surprised. You may get a positive result.” —Serena Williams, Professional tennis player

12. And don’t let fear derail it, either

“Stop being so afraid! That’s really what strikes me when I look back — the sheer amount of time I spent tangled up in fears and doubts that were entirely of my own creation… Instead, what matters are the true friends you make, the activities you throw yourself into, the books you read, the skills and knowledge you acquire. Those experiences — the ones that make you stronger, smarter and braver — are what really matter.” —Michelle Obama, author, activist & former First Lady

13. Don’t just read blogs — find a mentor

“Find mentors in the people around you who you respect… There are mentors in the workspace all around you — peers, the seasoned professional, your supervisor, the supervisor one desk over… [The best] person to be your mentor in the organization is someone who sees you every day, someone who knows you at your best and someone who can give you opportunities to improve.” —Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors

14. Keep learning – your resume is never done

“Learning is the true currency in today’s economy… Employees need to constantly refresh their skills to stay relevant.” —Michael Fraccaro, Mastercard’sChief Human Resources Officer

If you’re going to finally find the right job for you in 2019, you’ll need to lead your job search with the best advice you can find. Use these pro tips to make sure your 2019 job search is as effective as possible!

GlassDoor.com | December 19, 2018 | Posted by Sarah Greesonbach

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#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – 4 Things to Do Now to Prepare for Your 2019 Job Search.

December 26, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Most people looking for a job put it on hold in December. That’s generally because hiring slows down during the holiday season as people take vacations and lose time to seasonal events, and companies do other year-end activities like budgeting and employee evaluations.

December may not be when you’ll land a lot of interviews for permanent work, but it’s still a time of opportunity. If you know you will be seeking a job in the new year, you should take the month to get as ready as you can for the new year and the return of normal hiring rhythms.

Of course, if you’re out of work, you should not put your search on hold for December. Work on all of these things while you keep looking, because a hiring slowdown isn’t a hiring stoppage. And if you’re employed but ready to move on, these are good ways to get ready.

1. Get Your Resume in Order

It’s not enough to just update your resume. You also need to research whether resume format for your industry has changed. For example, in journalism, a one-page resume was the standard throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At some point in the 2000s that changed, and multiple pages became not just appropriate, but expected for more senior-level people.

In addition to making sure you have your resume copyedited and checked for other errors, it’s important to make sure it’s current. Talk to hiring managers or other people in your field who have recently gotten hired to find out what’s the current norm.

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2. Get Your References Set

Very few people like surprises — at least when it comes to reference requests. Your references may all agree that you’re a wonderful person and an excellent worker, but they probably don’t want a surprise call asking about you.

Let your references know that you plan to start a job search and that you’re using them as references. This will have them expecting calls and give them a chance to opt out — maybe they will be traveling out of the country, or maybe they don’t think they can say anything nice about you.

3. Use Some Vacation Time

Vacation policies vary by company. Some carry vacation over into the new year, and some pay you for unused time if you decide to leave, while others do neither.

December is a popular month to take time off, and in some cases, even companies where unused time does not carry over will allow you to book January vacations using 2018 time. If you have unused days, see if you can use them early in 2019, which can give you time to search for a job and go on interviews.

4. Polish Your Skills

Consider the type of job you’ll be applying for and examine your skill set. Maybe there’s something you know how to do that you’re a little rusty at. Take an online refresher course or do something that lets you show during an interview that you worked on that area. Even just starting the process can make a big difference to prospective employers.

Being Rested & Ready Will Pay Off

While December can be a hectic month, it also tends to be a time when most workers in fields that aren’t retail-related get time off. Use that time both to prepare for your job search and to recharge your batteries.

Do things like setting up email alerts for certain job titles and bookmarking company careers pages you want to track. Make sure you have interview outfits ready to go and that you have nicely printed copies of your resume and references. There’s only so much you can prepare, but doing what you can will make it easier once the job market picks back up in the new year.

GlassDoor.com | December 25, 2018 | Posted by Daniel B. Kline, The Motley Fool

#CareerAdvice : #ProductivePeople – 11 CEOs share the Bad Habits they Want to Ditch in 2019. Great Read!

December 26, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

While you’re busy making lofty resolutions for 2019, it’s important to also think about the things you don’t want to do in the new year. Whether you’re spending too much time fielding emails or reading the news, chances are you could be more productive—or simply happier—by making a few tweaks in and out of the office. We asked a number of CEOs about the habits they hope to kick in 2019.

MULTITASKING IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICE

It’s no secret that your productivity suffers when you multitask—a habit multiple CEOs said they want to cut back on. Hussein Fazal, the CEO of travel startup SnapTravel, notes that people often spend “downtime” checking work emails and messages—and then spend their “work time” looking at personal emails and messages. (Perhaps this sounds familiar?) “It is super important to compartmentalize these time blocks,” he says, “to ensure maximum productivity while working and to minimize work distractions while enjoying downtime.” To that end, Fazal has turned off nearly all notifications on his phone and frequently keeps his phone on “do not disturb” mode.

But even when you don’t let personal agendas interrupt your workday, it can be difficult to truly focus on one task (and one tab!) at a time. That’s why Heidi Zak, CEO of lingerie startup ThirdLove, no longer brings her laptop to meetings. “I’ve found I’m much more engaged and present,” she says. Cheryl Kaplan, cofounder of shoe startup M.Gemi, says that because she often finds herself multitasking, in 2019 she wants to “focus on being present,” whether it’s at work or at home. “Face time is precious, but sometimes it gets difficult to focus on what or who is in front of me,” she says. “My goal is to put all my attention on the conversation or task at hand, instead of trying to give partial attention to a few different things at once.”

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TAKING YOUR PHONE INTO THE BEDROOM

If you’re dreaming of more peaceful sleep in the new year, you’re on the right track. “Stop trying to be a ‘hustler’ who works 24/7 and never sleeps,” advises Peter Shankman, the CEO of The Geek Factory and an author who has written and spoken extensively about living with ADHD. “Take care of yourself first and foremost. You can’t make a million dollars if you’re dead.” Founders like Tara Foley, the founder of beauty startup Follain, plan to make sleeping well a priority in 2019—even if it means not finishing work. “I get a more restful sleep if I get in bed earlier, and I get more done with my day if I’ve gotten enough sleep,” she says. Alana Branston, CEO of the retail startup Bulletin, intends to start going to bed before midnight.

For some CEOs, sleeping more soundly means unplugging. “I am working on creating a phone-free bedroom environment,” says investor Anu Duggal, who started Female Founders Fund. And Ariel Kaye, the CEO of bedding startup Parachute, is already on her way to a bedroom devoid of screens. “This is extremely challenging for me,” Kaye says. “I’ve started using an alarm clock and charge my phone outside of the bedroom. I’m already seeing the benefits—not only do I sleep much more soundly without the blue light from my phone, but I’m now in the habit of reading at night.”

Plus, the better you sleep, the less likely you are to hit the snooze button—a bad habit that Shankman cautions against. “Getting up a half hour earlier will radically improve your life in countless ways,” he says.

STRETCHING YOURSELF TOO THIN

One way to address both multitasking and sleepless nights is to take on less and say no more, as Eunice Byun—the founder of cookware startup Material—hopes to do in 2019. “As an entrepreneur with an under-one-year-old business, I catch myself feeling like we need to be ready to seize every opportunity,” she says. Over time, she has realized that when she is “more purposeful and intentional” about where she spends her energy, it is easier to stay true to her company mission. “It’s fun and exhilarating to be in hyper-growth mode, but saying ‘no’ can be just as important to growing long-term,” she adds.

As a founder, doing less also means delegating effectively—something that can be difficult if you have built a company from the ground up. “The single worst habit I have—that I continue to work on—is micromanagement,” says Zahir Dossa, CEO of beauty startup Function of Beauty. “It isn’t easy to detach from the day-to-day tasks that I was once used to occupying. The most important thing that leads me to let go of things, however, is trust in the people [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”][who] now lead these initiatives.”

NOT COUNTING YOUR WINS

Vivian Shen, founder of coding startup Juni Learning, says that in 2019, she wants to focus on creating good habits. One of those is making time to take stock of positive developments. “Given all the negative news throughout the past year, I believe it is more important than ever to practice gratitude,” she says. “We so often focus on what went wrong or what we could have done better. We don’t intentionally take the time to reflect on and truly celebrate the wins at work or in our personal lives. As a CEO, I feel that consistently showing appreciation for our team’s accomplishments needs to be core to our company’s DNA if we’re going to build a successful, long-term company.”

FastCompany.com | December 26, 2018

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#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – The 10 Most Popular Work-Life Articles/Stories of 2018! Must Read!

December 24, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

2018 was a year of both hopeful and discouraging moments in the world of work. As Fast Company‘s Lydia Dishman reported, we’ve seen many instances where employees pushed for accountability from their leaders. We saw workers strike to demand better rights and conditions, and actively protest company policies that they morally opposed. Some leaders responded to those concerns, by publicly shouldering responsibilities and taking steps to have the necessary, yet difficult conversations. Others did not.

Technology continues to raise questions around the future of work–and how humans will coexist with machines. We also learned more about the upsides and downsides of existing in the gig economy, as well as its promises and perils.

But amid all the volatility and changes in the landscape of work, Fast Company readers remain committed in their desire to succeed in work and in life. As we head into 2019, we can look to these stories to put us in the right path to do just that.

1. 7 WARNING SIGNS THAT YOU SHOULDN’T ACCEPT A JOB OFFER

It’s difficult to make an accurate assessment of a company culture in a 20 minute interview, Piyush Patel, author of Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work, told Fast Company‘s Stephanie Vozza. However, Patel believes that there are a few things that should raise red flags. Messy bathrooms, for example, can be a signal that employees in that company lack a collaborative attitude.

2. WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I TRIED THE U.S. ARMY’S TACTIC TO FALL ASLEEP IN TWO MINUTES

Many of us have trouble falling asleep. In fact, 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have some sort of sleeping disorder, according to the American Sleep Association. If you’ve ever struggled with any sort of sleep issues, you probably know that it has a huge impact on your mood and productivity. Fast Company’s Michael Grothaus has tried everything from meditation to medication to combat his occasional sleep problems. This year, he experimented with the two-minute technique that the U.S. Army employed to help soldiers fall asleep quickly in “less than ideal conditions.”

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3. NEUROSCIENCE SAYS THAT LISTENING TO THIS SONG REDUCES ANXIETY BY UP TO 65%

People use all sorts of different tactics to manage stress, one of which is sound therapy. As Inc. columnist Melanie Curtin wrote, neuroscientists in the U.K. have now composed a playlist that has been scientifically proven to ease your anxiety. Curtin wrote, “In this age of constant bombardment, the science is clear: If you want your mind and body to last, you’ve got to prioritize giving them a rest. Music is an easy way to take some of the pressure off of all the pings, dings, apps, tags, texts, emails, appointments, meetings, and deadlines that can easily spike your stress level and leave you feeling drained and anxious.”

4. SIX VERBS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND WEAK (NO MATTER YOUR JOB TITLE)

Words have a lot of power. No matter your job title, they can either command respect or hamper your credibility. Leadership communication expert Judith Humphrey shared the six verbs that can do the latter. When you say “think,” for example, you’re conveying something less than definitive, while saying “need” can “conjure up a feeling of dependency on the part of the speaker.”

5. NEVER, EVER UTTER THESE PHRASES IN A SALARY NEGOTIATION

Salary negotiation is both an art and a science. There are certain techniques that can work no matter who you’re negotiating with. Likewise, there are strategies that will almost always backfire on you. Josh Doody, author of Fearless Salary Negotiation, shared the phrases that you should stay away from if you want to impress the hiring manager. First things first? Don’t fall for the trap of answering the “dreaded salary question.”

6. THIS 75-YEAR HARVARD STUDY FOUND THE 1 SECRET TO A FULFILLING LIFE

These days, it’s hard to prioritize what’s important in your life. But according to a study, there is one thing that trumps everything when it comes to bringing happiness–quality relationships. As Melanie Curtin wrote, “The data is clear that, in the end, you could have all the money you’ve ever wanted, a successful career, and be in good physical health, but without loving relationships, you won’t be happy.”

7. HERE ARE SIX SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME TO QUIT YOUR JOB

Jobs tend to have an expiration date. Sometimes new opportunities prompt you to move on, but other times, that end date isn’t always clear. Fast Company’s Stephanie Vozza wrote about the warning signs that signal it might be time for you to go elsewhere. Perhaps you’ve found it more and more difficult to get out of bed, or that you’re not being recognized for your hard work. If any of these signs look familiar to you, it might be time to wave your current job (or company) goodbye.

8. THESE ARE THE 5 “SUPER SKILLS” YOU NEED FOR JOBS OF THE FUTURE

The world of work is constantly changing. That means that what it takes for you to succeed in your job today will be different to what it will take for you to succeed in five years’ time. That’s why to stay relevant, you need to make sure that you’re consistently working to master these “super skills,” from being adaptable with technology to being resilient in the face of change.

9. THIS IS WHAT IT’S LIKE NOT TO OWN A SMARTPHONE IN 2018

Fastcompany.com Deputy Editor Kate Davis has never owned a smartphone, making her an oddity among U.S. adults (77% are smartphone users.) But she doesn’t plan to change that anytime soon. Becoming a parent has solidified her “low-tech commitment,” and not being tethered to digital distraction has allowed her to maintain a level of sanity in the exhausting news cycle. She wrote, “There’s a way to stay informed about and proficient in technology while setting boundaries around how much it infiltrates my life.”

10. DON’T TELL RECRUITERS THESE THINGS IF YOU WANT THE JOB

There is a lot of emphasis on what to say and what not to say during a job interview. But every interaction in the job search process matters. Glassdoor’s Amy Elisa Jackon shares what you shouldn’t say to a recruiter if you want a competitive job offer, from accepting the starting salary without negotiating, or complaining excessively about your previous job.

FastCompany.com | December 24, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #OlderWorkers – Just Unbearable.’ Booming Job Market Can’t Fill the Retirement Shortfall

December 23, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

For older Americans, the last few years of work can be a vital chance to patch up thin savings or pay down debt to ease their way into retirement. Many aren’t getting that opportunity.

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Overall, 31% of job seekers aged 55 and older report they have been looking for work for 27 weeks or longer.

“My job now is to keep my job” and make my employer successful, she said, “so I can retire and not be a burden to my children.”

Greg Miller, 65 years old, a former environmental engineer and contract administrator, was laid off in 2017. He recently gave up looking for full-time work after sending out more than 400 résumés.

“The heartbreak and the discouragement were just unbearable,” said Mr. Miller, who lives on Social Security and a part-time job. He shares a ranch house in Lansing, Mich., with three other men. “I am kind of working without a net here,” he said.

This kind of late-career employment woe is part of a paradox that is deepening the worst retirement shortfall in decades.

Even though the official unemployment rate is just 3% for older workers, the actual jobs environment is surprisingly bleak. Nearly eight million older Americans are out of work or stuck in low-quality jobs that offer little opportunity to prepare for retirement, a Wall Street Journal analysis of government data shows.

At Risk

Nearly eight million older Americans are out of work or stuck in low-quality jobs that offer little opportunity to prepare for retirement.

The figures include the nearly 2.1 million Americans who are out of work, working part time because they can’t find a full-time job or have stopped looking because they don’t think anyone will hire them.

Another 5.8 million Americans—or 23% of full-time, year-round workers ages 55 and older—are employed in what economists describe as “bad jobs” that offer no health benefits and typically pay poorly. A decade ago, about 20% held these jobs, according to census data compiled by the Minnesota Population Center.

“These jobs, which might be right for some, tend to offer low pay and little opportunity to save for retirement,” said Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

When older workers find themselves out of a job, it typically takes them a long time to find work and they end up worse off financially.

Workers 56 and older earn on average 27% less in their new job after they’ve been unemployed for at least a month, according to an analysis by Stony Brook University economist David Wiczer, compared with an average raise of 7% for people under age 30.

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

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Pay Cut

After a period of unemployment, older workers earn less when they move into their next job.

For older workers, the earnings losses “come from moving down the occupational ladder” and being unemployed for longer, Mr. Wiczer said. The people who go through unemployment “and come out better on the other side, he added, “are almost exclusively under 35.”

Even just a few months out of work or living on a depressed salary without benefits can strain a senior’s finances as he struggles to cover mortgage payments, health care and other routine expenses. When a job is lost late in life and it takes a long time to find a new one, it can push back retirement by years or even erase the prospect of retirement completely.

“There is a model we are familiar with—work to 55 or 60, play golf for five or 10 years and then die,” said Paul Rupert, founder of Respectful Exits, a Chevy Chase, Md., nonprofit that advocates for improved employer practices with aging workers. “But now people are living to 80 or 90 and that model is completely broken.”

UNPREPARED

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Staying on the job can have a significant impact on a retiree’s financial well-being. Working just three to six more months provides the same financial boost as saving an additional 1 percentage point of earnings annually for 30 years, says Stanford University economist John Shoven.

Working longer carries an outsize payoff because monthly Social Security payments increase by 8% plus inflation for every year retirees delay claiming benefits until age 70. Staying employed also allows more time to contribute to retirement savings and for those funds to compound before the first withdrawals.

The reasons companies aren’t hiring older workers are complex. Many have long directed recruiting and training at younger workers. Some older job seekers lack the right skills or are unable or unwilling to relocate, while others are disadvantaged by new ways of recruiting, such as online tools that use key words to identify candidates for interviews. Some job-placement specialists say age discrimination is a factor. Employers may consider older workers more expensive, even at the same pay, because of higher health-care costs.

“I keep hearing that the economy is better, but we are not seeing that for our clients,” said Amanda Fox, director of career development and counseling at New Directions Career Center, which works with women in central Ohio.

One New Directions client, Jill Short, 59, of Columbus, has an M.B.A. and previously worked for the federal government, a local utility and a technology subcontractor. The financial crisis made it tough to re-enter the job market after she took time off for foot surgery in late 2007. She had a few seasonal positions, but didn’t find another full-time job until 2012 and was laid off in a restructuring 4 ½ years later.

“I probably should have declared bankruptcy, but I didn’t want to lose my house,” said Ms. Short, whose temporary position helping seniors select Medicare plans ended earlier this month. She receives $192 a month in food stamps and owes about $30,000 in credit-card debt and loans from friends.

“I have depleted my savings. There really is none,” said Ms. Short, who has a four-inch thick folder detailing all the jobs she has applied for. Her goal is to work until 70 in a full-time job with benefits.

Such difficulties come at a time when companies around the country are struggling to find workers. In Minnesota, the unemployment rate is 2.8%. For the past two years, the state Chamber of Commerce has held an annual event hoping to entice employers to hire categories of people being ignored by companies: the disabled, ex-offenders—and anyone over 55.

“This is a long-term challenge,” said Bill Blazar, until recently the group’s senior vice president. “Employers for decades have had certain strategies for hiring their staff.”

Ultra Machining Co. in Monticello, Minn., is working hard to retain veteran employees by offering shorter hours, and is launching a training program for candidates with little or no manufacturing experience that it hopes will attract older workers. But the 200-person company has long focused on recruiting the young, creating feeder programs and apprenticeships aimed at middle- and high-school students.

“Kids hang out at schools and we can just plug in,” said Jaci Dukowitz, director of human resources. “Where do older people hang out? What do they do when they are looking for jobs? Those programs aren’t in our community or, if they are, we are not aware of them.”

Compounding the financial hit is a long period of unemployment that drains what had been stored up.

Long Slog

There are more seniors out of work for longer than in the past.

Overall, 31% of job seekers aged 55 and older report they have been looking for work for 27 weeks or longer, according to the BLS, compared with just 24% of younger job seekers. Older job seekers report looking for work, on average, 34.6 weeks. That is nearly three months longer than the average of 23.4 weeks reported by unemployed 25- to 54-year-olds.

What had been the largest safety net for someone this age is also evaporating. Seventeen percent of workers ages 55 to 64 had a pension plan in 2016, down from 33% in 1992, according to the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.

Lisa Borthwick, currently age 60, was working as a graphic designer for a group of real-estate magazines when the financial crisis hit. She lost her job, then her Hernando, Fla., home, then her savings. She has no pension. She took on student loans to pay for her degree.

A decade later, she is still struggling to recover.

“When I was sitting for interviews, they offered me $10 an hour,” she recalled. “They said most people your age only need supplemental income.”

Physically Taxing

Most common occupations for newly hired people age 62 and older, by percentage of workers

Now living in the Midwest, she recently landed two part-time jobs—as an operations manager for a nonprofit and an administrator for a real-estate company. She said both jobs are fabulous, but she can’t afford her own apartment in a neighborhood where she would feel safe and doesn’t receive health insurance or other benefits.

For the past two years Ms. Borthwick has rented a bedroom from a couple she met when, on the verge of homelessness, she put her dog up for foster care.

“Am I asking too much to be compensated for my experience?” Ms. Borthwick asked. “I am fairly tenacious, determined and resilient, but it doesn’t pay the bills.”

At nonprofit employment training agency Nova Workforce Development Board in Silicon Valley, more than three-quarters of dislocated workers are 45 or older and nearly one-third have advanced degrees.

“The older you are, the longer you are unemployed,” said Nova executive director Kris Stadelman. “The longer you are unemployed, the less attractive you are to any employer.”

Nova coaches clients to “de-age” their résumés by focusing on the past 10 to 20 years of experience, and highlighting recent training and credentials. It teaches how to interview with someone half their age and subsidizes training so they can reframe their education with, say, a certificate in another computer language.

Paul Millman, chief executive of Chroma Technology Corp., which recently won a state award for supporting mature workers, said he doesn’t understand companies “that turn up their noses up at experience.” The Bellows Falls, Vt., optical-filters manufacturer offers training to workers of all ages and opportunities for sabbaticals. Forty-four percent of its 124 employees are 53 and older.

Newer ways of recruiting via online application processes can disadvantage older workers, especially if their skills don’t fit the precise requirements but may be transferable.

Some studies have found what appears to be direct evidence of age bias. David Neumark, a University of California, Irvine economist, created fictional résumés for comparable job candidates around age 30, 50 and 65 and then submitted their applications to more than 13,000 different job postings. Callback rates declined by age, with bigger drops for female applicants.

Some states are experimenting with ways to connect experienced job seekers with willing employers.

The Southeast Michigan Community Alliance in Taylor, Mich., held its first 50+ job fair this spring with AARP Michigan. Job seekers’ qualifications were reviewed before the event to make sure they had the needed skills; 31 of them received job offers on the spot.

Most participating companies were in the retail, hospitality and home health-care industries, and offered hourly positions that require applicants to spend the workday on their feet. That was disappointing for attendees seeking “more professional work,” said workforce programs administrator Ana Salazar.

A tight job market “makes you look at your openings quite differently,” said Julie Haak, corporate director of human resources at Neogen Corp., a Lansing, Mich.-based food and animal safety company with about 1,600 employees. Neogen has hired several older workers through Michigan AARP and is looking to partner with the group on a 50+ job fair.

Michele Langdon, 55, had worked for several startups and was employed by Hewlett Packard for nearly 20 years. In 2016, she was let go after the company sold the unit she worked for.

Divorced and with two children, Ms. Langdon ran up $50,000 in credit-card debt. She relied on unemployment insurance, food stamps and a state program that helps the unemployed pay their mortgages during her 18-month job search.

Ms. Langdon figures she applied for roughly 500 jobs and eventually had to settle for a short-term contract position. A few months later, she was offered a full-time job as a program manager for a new data-center business at a different company.

But the lengthy time out of work means she now expects to work until at least age 70.

“My job now is to keep my job” and make my employer successful, she said, “so I can retire and not be a burden to my children.”

—Paul Overberg contributed to this article.

Write to Ruth Simon at ruth.simon@wsj.com

Appeared in the December 21, 2018, print edition as ‘Booming Job Market Can’t Fill Retirement Shortfall.’

WSJ.com | Ruth Simon

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