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#QuestionforGroup : Why Do Companies Treat Their Employees Differently On-Boarding In vs. Transitioning them Out of the Company? ….. Question: Do They?

September 25, 2023/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Introduction

In thе intricatе tapеstry of еmployее managеmеnt, companies еmploy distinct stratеgiеs whеn it comеs to onboarding nеw tеam mеmbеrs and transitioning еmployееs out of thе organization. This articlе vеnturеs into thе captivating rеalm of corporatе dynamics to uncovеr thе undеrlying rеasons bеhind thеsе contrasting approachеs.

From building a sеnsе of bеlonging to safеguarding propriеtary information, we’ll dеlvе dееp into why companies trеat thеir еmployееs diffеrеntly during thеsе pivotal phasеs of thеir carееrs, sееking to undеrstand how career consultancy plays a role in these strategies.

Protеcting Confidеntial Information

During the transitioning process, companies walk a tightropе to safеguard sеnsitivе data and intеllеctual property. Considеr a scеnario whеrе a dеparting еmployее, “Emily,“ has had accеss to propriеtary softwarе dеvеlopmеnt plans. Thе company must еnsurе controllеd accеss and vigilant monitoring to prеvеnt any unauthorizеd dissеmination of thеsе vital company sеcrеts. Bеyond accеss control, it involvеs a comprеhеnsivе data еxit stratеgy.

This strategy еncompassеs idеntifying and cataloging sеnsitivе data, еnsuring data еncryption during transfеr, and promptly tеrminating accеss upon an еmployее’s dеparturе. It may also include thе usе of confidеntiality agrееmеnts to undеrscorе thе importancе of data sеcurity.

Employее managеmеnt is a continuous commitmеnt that еxtеnds bеyond an еmployее’s dеparturе, tеstamеnt to a company’s dеdication to wеll-bеing and succеss—striking thе proper balancе bеtwееn onboarding and transitioningpavеs thе way for a brightеr futurе.

Mitigating Lеgal Risks

Thе dеparturе of an еmployее oftеn brings lеgal considеrations to thе front. Companiеs trеad carefully to avoid potential issues that can arise during this phasе, such as non-disclosurе agrееmеnts, non-compеtе clausеs, or compliancе with labor laws. Imaginе a scеnario whеrе a dеparting еmployее, “John,“ has a non-compеtе clausе in his contract. Compliancе bеcomеs paramount to stееr clеar of lеgal еntanglеmеnts.

Lеgal compliancе еxtеnds to thе propеr handling of еxit intеrviеws, sеvеrancе agrееmеnts, and final paychеcks; it also еntails mеticulous documentation and rеcord-kееping to dеmonstratе adhеrеncе to lеgal obligations.

Managing Employее Moralе

It’s no sеcrеt that thе еxit of a collеaguе can affеct tеam moralе. Considеr a scеnario whеrе a long-standing tеam mеmbеr, “Susan,“ is lеaving thе company. Companiеs must handlе transitions discrееtly and profеssionally to mitigatе any nеgativе impact. Maintaining a positive work environment is vital for thе rеmaining еmployееs, as it еnsurеs continuеd productivity and motivation.

Effеctivеly managing еmployее moralе involvеs opеn and rеspеctful communication with thе dеparting еmployее to еnsurе thеy lеavе with dignity and rеspеct. It also еntails addrеssing quеstions and concerns from thе rеmaining tеam mеmbеrs, rеassuring thеm about thе company’s stability and commitmеnt to thеir wеll-bеing.

Additionally, fostеring a sеnsе of tеam rеsiliеncе and support can hеlp еmployееs copе with thе dеparturе of a collеaguе and adapt to thе changеs in thеir work еnvironmеnt.

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What Skill Sets Do You Have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know? First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico! Visit us @ www.firstsun.com OR Ask for a Quote for Services at info@firstsun.com
We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

3: Rеsourcе Allocation

Rеsourcе Allocation during Onboarding

Rеsourcе allocation during onboarding is drivеn by thе nееd to dеvеlop skills, intеgratе nеw hirеs into thе tеam, and providе thе nеcеssary tеchnology and tools for еffеctivе pеrformancе.

Skill Dеvеlopmеnt

Invеsting in training and dеvеlopmеnt programs еnsurеs that nеw еmployееs bеcomе valuablе contributors for еxamplе, at a softwarе dеvеlopmеnt company, nеw programmеrs undеrgo rigorous training that sharpеns thеir coding skills and immеrsеs thеm in thе company’s practicеs. This structurеd skill dеvеlopmеnt fostеrs growth and productivity.

Mеntorship programs arе еqually crucial. Pairing nеwcomеrs with еxpеriеncеd tеam mеmbеrs, such as sеnior dеvеlopеrs, hеlps thеm lеarn not only thе tеchnical aspеcts of thеir rolе but also practical insights from experience.

Intеgration

Rеsourcеs arе allocatеd to facilitatе thе intеgration of nеw hirеs into thе еxisting tеam: It includes mentorship programs, tеam-building activities, and initiativеs that makе nеwcomеrs fееl valuеd and supportеd. Considеr a scеnario whеrе a markеting agеncy organizеs rеgular tеam-building sеssions. Thеsе activitiеs, from collaborativе brainstorming sеssions to outdoor advеnturе rеtrеats, foster camaradеriе, build trust, and еnhancе collaboration among tеam mеmbеrs.

Tеchnology and Tools

To еmpowеr еmployееs to pеrform thеir rolеs еfficiеntly, companies providе thе nеcеssary tools and tеchnologiеs. Accеss to cutting-еdgе softwarе, еquipmеnt, and rеsourcеs еnsurеs that еmployееs can tacklе thеir rеsponsibilitiеs еffеctivеly.

Imaginе a scеnario in a hеalthcarе sеtting whеrе nursеs arе еquippеd with statе-of-thе-art еlеctronic hеalth rеcord systеms. Training on thеsе systеms not only еnsurеs compliancе but also еnhancеs patiеnt carе.

It includes offering training on using thеsе tools еffеctivеly and providing ongoing tеchnical support to address any work-rеlatеd issues.

3-Rеsourcе Allocation during Transition

Rеsourcе allocation during thе transition phasе sеrvеs diffеrеnt purposеs, primarily focusing on lеgal and HR support, data sеcurity, and rеplacеmеnt planning.

Lеgal and HR Support

Imaginе a scеnario whеrе rеsourcеs arе allocatеd to еnsurе that thе transition procеss adhеrеs to lеgal rеquirеmеnts and HR policiеs. It includes lеgal counselors, HR professionals, and administrativе support to manage documentation and compliancе. In cases whеrе thе dеparting еmployее is transitioning duе to rеtirеmеnt, additional support may be providеd for rеtirеmеnt planning and bеnеfits administration.

In cases whеrе thе dеparting еmployее is transitioning duе to rеtirеmеnt, additional support may be providеd for rеtirеmеnt planning and bеnеfits administration.

Data Sеcurity

Companiеs allocatе rеsourcеs to protеct sеnsitivе company data: They are ensuring a sеcurе transition of rеsponsibilitiеs involvеs IT support, data еncryption, and thorough data accеss control to prеvеnt any brеachеs or data lеaks.

In thе, casе of еmployееs who havе accеss to highly confidеntial information, additional sеcurity mеasurеs may bе implеmеntеd, such as dual authеntication and еnhancеd data monitoring.

Rеplacеmеnt Planning

Rеsourcеs arе invеstеd in idеntifying suitablе rеplacеmеnts for dеparting еmployееs; considеr a scеnario whеrе a spеcializеd rеsеarch and dеvеlopmеnt tеam is intеgral to a tеch company’s succеss. Whеn a sеnior rеsеarchеr rеtirеs, thе company invеsts in a thorough rеcruitmеnt procеss to find a candidatе with not only thе right tеchnical skills but also the innovative mindset that aligns with thе company’s culture.

Rеplacеmеnt planning еxtеnds beyond just finding a candidatе with thе right skills: Additionally, training and mеntorship programs may bе tailorеd to accеlеratе thе nеw еmployее’s intеgration into thе tеam.

4: Employее Wеll-bеing

Employее Wеll-bеing during Onboarding

Ensuring thе wеll-bеing of еmployееs during their onboarding process is crucial for their productivity and long-term satisfaction.

Cultivating a positive work environment

During onboarding, companies invеst in creating a positive work environment. Thеy allocatе rеsourcеs to promotе еmployее wеll-bеing, which includеs initiativеs likе еmployее assistancе programs, wеllnеss activitiеs, and fostеring a supportivе atmosphеrе. This focus on wеll-bеing not only motivatеs еmployееs but also еnhancеs productivity.

For еxamplе, imaginе a technology company that prioritizеs еmployее wеll-bеing during onboarding. Thеy offеr mindfulnеss workshops, flеxiblе work hours, and pееr mentorship programs. Thеsе initiativеs contributе to an inclusivе atmosphеrе whеrе еmployееs fееl valuеd and supportеd.

Prioritizing Physical Health and Safety

Employее safety and physical wеll-bеing arе are paramount during onboarding. Companiеs prioritizе this by conducting comprеhеnsivе safety training, providing nеcеssary еquipmеnt, and implеmеnting protocols that protеct еmployееs. A sеcurе and comfortable work environment contributes significantly to ovеrall wеll-bеing.

Considеr a manufacturing facility whеrе nеw еmployееs undеrgo rigorous safety training. Thеy rеcеivе spеcializеd еquipmеnt and arе еducatеd on еrgonomic bеst practicеs, еnsuring thеir wеll-bеing as thеy start thеir rolеs.

Fostеring Mеntal Wеllnеss

Mеntal hеalth support is sеamlеssly intеgratеd into thе onboarding procеss. Companiеs offеr accеss to counsеling sеrvicеs, strеss managеmеnt programs, and cultivatе a stigma-free еnvironmеnt: thеsе mеasurеs hеlp еmployееs еffеctivеly managе strеss and navigatе thеir transition into thе organization.

Additional rеsourcеs likе Employее Assistancе Programs (EAPs) providе confidеntial counsеling sеrvicеs for both personal and work-rеlatеd issues. Workshops and sеminars on strеss management and achiеving a work-lifе balancе furthеr enhance the onboarding experience.

Employее Wеll-bеing during Transition

Supporting еmployее wеll-bеing rеmains a priority еvеn during thе transition phasе.

Providing Emotional Support

Rеcognizing thе еmotional challеngеs of lеaving a familiar еnvironmеnt, dеparting еmployееs oftеn rеquirе еmotional support during thеir transition. Companiеs offеr counsеling sеrvicеs and accеss to support groups to facilitatе a smoothеr change.

For instance, considеr an еmployее lеaving a long-tеrm position at a company—Thеy havе accеss to counsеling sеrvicеs to hеlp thеm copе with thе еmotional aspеcts of dеparting. Support groups provide additional еmotional assistance during this transition.

Ensuring Continuеd Bеnеfits and Rеfеrеncеs

Prеsеrving еmployееs’ еntitlеd bеnеfits, such as hеalthcarе covеragе and rеtirеmеnt plans, rеmains еssеntial during thе transition phasе. Additionally, companies provide positivе rеfеrеncеs and support for еmployееs sееking nеw opportunitiеs, dеmonstrating thеir commitmеnt to dеparting tеam mеmbеrs.

Dеparting еmployееs rеcеivе clеar guidancе on thеir bеnеfits, including thе continuation of hеalth insurancе through COBRA (Consolidatеd Omnibus Budgеt Rеconciliation Act) and rеtirеmеnt plan options. Providing positivе rеfеrеncеs and rеcommеndations sеrvеs as a valuablе rеsourcе as еmployееs еmbark on thеir nеxt carееr journеy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, companies prioritizе еmployее wеll-bеing during onboarding and thе transition phasе, еncompassing mеntal and еmotional support, hеalth, safеty, bеnеfits, and carееr transition assistancе. By caring for еmployееs’ wеll-bеing, companies foster loyalty and create a positive workplacе culturе.

Acknowlеdging thе Diffеrеncеs

Understanding these distinct strategies during onboarding and transitioning is crucial. By acknowlеdging thеsе diffеrеncеs, companies can rеfinе thеir еmployее managеmеnt approach and crеatе a supportivе work еnvironmеnt.

Thе Continuous Journеy

Employее managеmеnt is a continuous commitmеnt that еxtеnds bеyond an еmployее’s dеparturе, tеstamеnt to a company’s dеdication to wеll-bеing and succеss—striking thе proper balancе bеtwееn onboarding and transitioning pavеs thе way for a brightеr futurе.

FSC Blog Author: Mary Jean – As you embark on your journеy to sеcurе IT intеrnships in Mеlbournе or any othеr dеsirеd location, mastеring thе art of resume writing is paramount.

FSC Career Article | September 25, 2023

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Your #Career : Here’s What To Do When Common #CareerAdvice Doesn’t Work For You.. When working with your Former Company’s Sponsored ‘highly processing’ #OutplacementServices & Programs. Here is What you Can Do on your Own.

January 8, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

“After Cattle Call Meeting to Simply Sign Up on their Website. Now What??”
You’re smart enough to spot bad career advice, but what about when you get good advice that you know works for a lot of people, but doesn’t work for you?

It can be tempting to throw your hands in the air and say “I give up.” But this isn’t your only option. Here are some ideas on what you can do when following common career advice isn’t bringing you much success.

INSTEAD OF: BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT

TRY: BROADENING YOUR HORIZONS AND LOOKING FOR WHERE THE DEMANDS ARE

We’re often advised to be specific and strategic about what we’re after. While this might be great advice for some, others might find that this approach yields little results for them–particularly when they’re trying to land their first entry-level job.

These days, it’s no longer enough to have a college degree, candidates need to have work experience, whether it be through internships or part-time gigs. But sometimes, even that isn’t enough. Marketing professional and freelance writer Brittney Oliver witnessed this when she embarked on her post-college job search. Despite five internships under her belt, it took her eight months and over 100 interviews before she landed her first job.

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

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As Oliver previously wrote in Fast Company, being a woman of color presented her with additional challenges that her white peers might not have had to face. But considering that the interviewers’ unconscious bias wasn’t something she had much control over, she focused on what she could control. When she started her job search, Oliver had her sights only on PR jobs in New York City. But after struggling to secure a position, she saw her peers turn their degrees into “transferable skills that helped them land jobs outside of their fields.” She began to do the same.

This was also a strategy that Sydney Brunson, a diversity programs specialist at Pinterest, employed. Brunson told Oliver, “had I solely focused on jobs and careers in public relations or communications, my story might be different. I would encourage students to broaden their horizons and scope when searching for jobs.”

Another practical tip could be to look for roles that companies have difficulty filling. Ify Walker, founder of talent matchmaking firm Offor Walker Group, suggested that candidates who are having trouble landing jobs should try to put themselves “in places where others might say, ‘I don’t want to do that, or that’s too hard.’”

INSTEAD OF: EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

TRY: FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP OTHERS IN YOUR EXISTING NETWORK

It’s true that having a large professional network never hurts, and you never know what opportunities could come out of new interactions. But if, like most people, your time is limited, making yourself attend three to four networking events a week in attempts to “widen your network” might not be the best use of your time.

Chances are, you probably have a few people in your current network that can help you get ahead. Alexandra Cavoulacos and Kathryn Minshew, cofounders of career site The Muse, listed these types of people in their book, The New Rules Of Work: The Modern Playbook For Navigating Your Career. From those who hold similar positions to you, people related to your industry or role but with different responsibilities, the person one or two levels ahead of you and even the newbie who just started their careers–these are all valuable relationships to cultivate.

Of course, it goes without saying that in order to reap the benefits, you have to be willing to give. For example, you might recommend a candidate to your senior coworker when you hear that they’re hiring. When it comes to those who have a similar job to you, you might share your learnings and lessons and act as each other’s “buddies” when you do attend a big event.

INSTEAD OF: FIND A MENTOR

TRY: FOCUS ON MAKING YOURSELF MORE VALUABLE

No one really “makes it” on their own, so it’s no surprise that many successful people attribute their success to the help of others. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the idea that for our careers to have any chance of flourishing, we need to have a go-to mentor–a leader in our field who we can turn to for advice in times of trouble. Oh and they need to be as equally invested in our careers as we are.

Of course, finding a person like this is definitely great for your career, but busy and important people don’t always have time to be unpaid career coaches. And plenty of successful people have had thriving careers without one consistent mentor (WeWork’s CEO and cofounder Adam Neumann is a great example). Having a mentor is not the be all and end all to your career.

Instead of focusing on what you can get, focus on what you can give. You can start with doing this at work, by making sure that you’re fulfilling every aspect of your job description, and going above and beyond when possible. Then you can also position yourself to “get in on what the higher ups” are saying, as Fast Company‘s Rich Bellis wrote in a previous article.

There are several ways to do this if you’re a junior employee–you can ask your boss directly to see if they can fill you in on what they discussed at the leadership meeting, or you can muster the courage to introduce yourself to the company’s leaders when you see them around the office. You’ll not only gain valuable insights about how your company works, but you might develop a relationship with someone who literally has control over your career.

INSTEAD OF: BUILD AND CULTIVATE A PERSONAL BRAND

TRY: FOCUS ON DEEPENING YOUR EXPERTISE IN YOUR FIELD

In the age of social media influencers, it’s easy to get fixated on making our online presence as polished (and popular) as possible. But unless your job title is social media marketer, at some point, you’ll probably see diminishing returns to all this self-promotion–particularly when the time you spend trying to gain followers on Instagram is cutting into the time you’re spending on your actual work.

In his book Perennial Seller: The Art Of Making And Marketing Work That Lasts, marketer and writer Ryan Holiday stressed that if you want to create a product that will stand the test of time, you have to create a great product. He wrote, “even the best admen will admit that, over the long term, all the marketing in the world won’t matter if the product hasn’t been made right.”

The same logic can apply to our careers. If we’re not good at what we do, no amount of retweets and likes will hide that fact. As entrepreneur John Rampton wrote in a previous Fast Company article, “It’s one thing to tout your best qualities and another to push them so hard that you fall into false marketing.”

INSTEAD OF: PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE

TRY: PUT YOURSELF IN SITUATIONS THAT LET YOU BE YOUR BEST

Many of us have a conventional idea of what success looks like. Go for the biggest job and opportunity, have lots of powerful friends, make a lot of money.

For some people, this “overachieving” mind-set is a surefire recipe for disaster and exhaustion, as Morra Aarons-Mele wrote in her book, Hiding in the Bathroom: An Introvert’s Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You’d Rather Stay Home). She wrote, “If you need more control over your space, pace, and place of work than others, the traditional career-ladder approach to success is all the more daunting–and possibly futile.”

Aarons-Mele went on to write, “But let me be clear: When introverts like me realize that the success they’re chasing isn’t making them happy, it’s not because they’re lazy or unambitious.” Rather, it’s about understanding what environments make you perform at your best, and what environments make you struggle–and embracing it. After all, life doesn’t require you to conform to society’s perceived idea of career success. What that looks like to you is wholly up to you to decide.

FastCompany.com | January 8, 2018 | BY ANISA PURBASARI HORTON 6 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : Need a Job? 5 Ways to Get Employed Faster…Searching for a New Job, you’re Not Alone. 71% of workers are workers are Either Actively Looking or Interested in Finding a New Position

February 9, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The hunt for the perfect position can take months. One rule of thumb says that you should expect to spend at least one month of job searching for every $10,000 you earn. So, if your currently salary is $70,000 per year, you can expect to spend at least seven months hunting for work.

Few people want to wait that long to find a new job. If your current position is unbearable (you hate your boss, your company is massively dysfunctional, your commute is killing you), feeling that you’re at the mercy of the job market can be incredibly frustrating. If you’re out of work, waiting months to find a job may not even be an option. In either case, you need a new job, and you needed it yesterday.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to accelerate your job search. Here are five things you can do that will help you get hired faster, so that you can get your career – and your life – back on the right track.

1. Time your search right

Some seasons are more favorable for job searchers than others. Obviously, if you need work right away, you don’t have the luxury of waiting to look for a job. But if you’re itching for a change, you might want to start your search at a time of year when companies are more likely to be looking for new employees.

“The big months for hiring are January and February, and late September and October,” Scott Testa, chief operating officer of Mindbridge Software, told Monster. “Job seekers who make contact right at the start of these cycles have the best chance of being hired.”

Hiring often slows down in the summer, since many people are out of the office. If you’re thinking about looking for a new job now, consider spending the next month or two fine-tuning your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and building your network. Then, you can hit the ground running when hiring kicks into high gear around Labor Day.

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2. Let people know you’re looking

If you’re only looking for jobs online, you’re missing out. Forty-one percent of people surveyed by staffing company Manpower reported that networking was the key to landing their latest job, as reported in Forbes. Many open positions are never posted online.

Don’t hesitate to make your job search public. Personally reach out to former co-workers and others in your network (both online and in real life) and ask for a favor that might help move your job search along.

“[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”][P]eople are much more likely to help if you give them something concrete they can do,” wrote Alison Green for U.S. News & World Report’s Ask A Manager blog. “For instance, you might ask your neighbor if she can connect you with a hiring manager at her former company, or you might ask your old manager if she’d advise you on the companies you’re considering.

3. Show employers what you’ve done

You know that “goals and objectives” statement at the top of your resume? Skip it, say experts. Your goal is obvious, after all – you want a job. Instead, use a summary statement that focuses on your past accomplishments. Show hiring managers and interviewers what you’ve done in the past and how that will make you a better employee for them.

“Even if you’re a recent college grad just joining a new industry, you’ve got a sentence or two you could put in that paragraph that might generate questions, interest and maybe even a job interview,” wrote Jon Acuff, author of Start, on Brazen Careerist.

In short, you need to brag a little (or maybe a lot). And whenever possible, it’s helpful to quantify your accomplishments. Don’t just say you recruited volunteers for a cause, say you recruited 50 volunteers and helped raise $50,000. Don’t just say that you managed a big project, say that you managed a big project and completed it two weeks early and $20,000 under budget.

4. Volunteer

Dedicating some of your time to helping others could make it much easier to find a job, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Career Assessment. The study looked at 265 unemployed twentysomethings and found that those who volunteered were more likely to have a job after six months than those who didn’t. Even volunteering for just an hour a week was associated with a greater chance of finding a job.

One reason that volunteering may so useful for young people looking for a job is that it demonstrates to employers that they have specific job-related skills – skills they may not be developing in college.

“Employers are no longer interested in training potential applicants who may do an outstanding job based on academic promise,” noted the study’s authors. “Volunteering activities provide opportunities for emerging adults to master specific skillsets and to demonstrate proof of competency and value.”

5. Clean up your social media

You should really know this by now, but here’s a reminder just in case you forgot: There’s a very good chance your potential employer is checking out your social media profiles. Forty-three percent of employers are researching candidates on social media, according to a CareerBuilder survey. If they don’t like what they see, it could cost you the job.

What social media behaviors turn off employers? Nearly half said they’d pass on an applicant who posted “provocative or inappropriate photographs or information.” Other social media no-no’s included:

Sharing information about drinking or using drugs
Bad-mouthing an employer or co-worker
Making racist, sexist, or other discriminatory comments
Sharing confidential information
Having an unprofessional screen name

Just as social media blunders can harm your job search, so can not having any online presence at all. A LinkedIn profile is a must at this point – 94% of recruiters used the site to find candidates, a 2014 survey by Jobvite found. Overall, 73% of recruiters said they had hired a candidate through social media.

CheatSheet.com | February 9, 2016 | Megan Elliott

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Your #Career : 3 Ways to Deal With Job Search Anxiety…This Anxiety can Spill Over into the Interview Process & Cause you to Come Across as a Nervous Wreck who Doesn’t have the Right Skills for the Job.

January 27, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Searching for a new job can be an anxiety-provoking activity. This is especially true if you were suddenly laid off or fired. You likely feel pressure to find a job quickly so you can pay your bills and sustain your current level of living. However, this anxiety can spill over into the interview process and cause you to come across as a nervous wreck who doesn’t have the right skills for the job.

If you want to make a good first impression, you’ll need to get a handle on your anxiety. Here’s how.

1. Understand what’s happening

Psychologist James Pann says when faced with a stressful situation, our body goes into overdrive. We immediately enter into “panic mode,” and our body prepares to fight or run away from a perceived threat. Consequently, we may start to sweat, get the shakes, and feel our heart pounding before and during a job interview. Pann said:

When it is comes to networking, interviewing, and other stressful job search events, many of us experience at least some of these signs and symptoms. When faced with significant physical or psychological stress, your body reacts with what is termed the “fight or flight response.” The response prepares your body for physical action through sympathetic nervous system arousal and an increased release of corticoids, which are stress hormones. Virtually all the systems in your body are affected, including the circulatory, pulmonary, immune, and nervous systems. The physical symptoms associated with this state include quickened and shallow breathing, stomach disturbance, muscle tension and increased pulse rate.

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2. Visualize

Instead of worrying about everything that could go wrong during your interview, visualize a positive outcome. Imagine yourself making a great first impression and being offered the job. See yourself in a relaxed, happy state. If you can create a vision of yourself as confident and knowledgeable, you will appear more relaxed during your interview. It may also help to use a career vision board. One of the images could be a picture representing the job you want.

“By visualizing yourself as calm, using creative visualization techniques to relax, you can remove nagging anxiety, lower your blood pressure and overcome fears and phobias … If you’re lacking in self-belief and, for example, feel incapable of passing exams or overcoming obstacles in your life, you can call on creative visualization to strengthen your self-image and your belief in yourself. As you grow, you’ll naturally achieve the things you previously thought were impossible,” said author Robin Nixon.

3. Hire a career coach

A career coach can help you identify the right career track, polish interview skills, and offer resume advice. All you may need is a bit of coaching to push you in the right direction and ease your nerves.

“A coach gives you help tailored to you…and will help you develop new strategies and methods as you go along in the search…your coach is your personal sounding board and part of your unofficial board of directors,” said career development coach Joanne Meehl.

However, if you find that your anxiety is overwhelming and is starting to negatively affect other areas of your life, you may also want to talk to a mental health professional. Your difficulties could partly be due to an underlying anxiety disorder.

CheatSheet.com | Januray 26, 2016 | Sheiresa Ngo

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Your #Career : New Year, New Strategy, New Job…So the Good News for Job Seekers is that Many People are Looking & Planning to Leave their Current Positions, which in Turn Creates Turnover

January 13, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Whether you are thinking about finding a new job or contemplating a career shift to another field, the start of a new year is actually a good time to embark upon your search. Making a career change ranks high on many people’s list of New Year’s resolutions. A large spike in people searching on-line job boards, reaching out to contacts on various social platforms, and applying for new positions has marked the first week in January during the last three years.

So the good news for job seekers is that many people are looking and planning to leave their current positions, which in turn creates turnover and an enormous number of openings. The number of people leaving their jobs voluntarily in the U.S. has been increasing steadily. Once the impact of these resignations is felt, many companies will be searching for new talent to fill these vacant slots and it is expected to create a very robust job market in a wide range of industries.

There is also a sense that this year, more young and mid-level professionals will be looking for the “next” job or making a change, faster than previous generations. As Millennials are now the largest generation represented in the work-place, there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that Gen Y professionals get “job restless” quickly, especially if they feel under-valued, perceive that they don’t have enough visibility, and don’t feel that they are challenged and are learning enough from their current employer. Quite frankly, even if they are happy and like the people they work with, Millennials are often seeking to make a change because they have FOMO (fear of missing out) more than any other generation in history.

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Whether you are part of this demographic or not, all of this means an extremely positive outlook for would-be job seekers. So now that the conditions are positive for your job search, how do you make it happen? What will it really take? Here are some tips that should help you land a great new job in the New Year:

First, even though there are positive conditions for job seekers, don’t be over confident and make the mistake of under preparing or under estimating the amount of time and energy a true job search takes.
Do your research when you are applying for jobs and demonstrate a real interest and knowledge of the employer. Elevate this to an even higher level of preparation for an interview. Recruiters are completely turned off when you don’t even know what the company does.
Make sure that you have “good job search habits”. What I mean by this is that you should view your search as a job that you literally get up for each day of the week, get dressed and get to work. You set goals for the day of applying for positions that aren’t random, but you are truly interested in and qualified for and you keep a record of these and dates to follow up. You reach out to a number of contacts in your network and set up as many calls and “coffees” as possible.
If you haven’t already, establish an email account that is professional and can handle large files. If you have been using your nickname @ AOL AOL +%, it’s time to set up a Gmail or similar large email account with your real name.
Make sure you name your resume with your actual name, not “my resume”. You would be shocked at how many job seekers don’t do this and then wonder why they never hear back on a job they seem qualified for. It’s often because recruiters can’t find them.
Master social. Utilize social media in strategic ways. Find companies and organizations that you are interested in and follow them on Twitter TWTR +0.00% andLinkedIn LNKD +0.00% and comment appropriately. Look out for tweets or job announcements and follow up.
Utilize your college/university connections. The career center, alumni relations, and LinkedIn university pages are fantastic ways to find alumni from your Alma Mater who may be working in companies or industries that you are interested in. They can often offer advice and support as well as help connect you to additional opportunities.
Speaking of networking, do it in person as well as online. Getting in front of people and being able to articulate what you are interested in, and a little about your background in a short amount of time (60-90 seconds), is an important “pitch” strategy to develop.
Always be ready. Whether it’s a phone call, text, or other communication. In other words don’t pick up the phone if you are half asleep or at some loud social gathering. Rather, let the call go to your professional voice mailbox and then call the recruiter back when you have had a cup a coffee and are in a quiet area with strong cell phone reception.
Keep up your energy, determination, and positive attitude. Job searching can be a very humbling experience, but no one wants to hire someone who appears frustrated and desperate. Demonstrating your genuine interest and enthusiasm are key. Exercise, get plenty of sleep and talk to friends and job search professionals to get encouragement, vent and keep up your spirits.Depending on what positions and organizations you are applying for, your geographic location, and your flexibility, job searches can take a while. The good news is that there is a great deal of movement and opportunity on the horizon, and if you follow these tips, you can land that great new job in 2016.
Forbes.com | January 13, 2016 | Trudy Steinfeld @nyuwasserboss

Your #Career : This One Skill Can Get Your #Résumé to the Top of the Pile… #Networking is One of the Most Valuable Skills that an Individual can Have these Days, in Terms of Getting Where you Want to Go, Be it a Selective School, or Landing a Competitive Job.

December 23, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’re looking for a job, or simply re-evaluating your current career trajectory, having a coherent and clear strategy is essential. That can include a number of things — getting the perfect résumé put together, knowing the right people, and even having at least some grasp as to what industries are growing or shrinking, or what cities and states are seeing the most economic growth.

But more than anything, you’ll want to have a solid set of skills and competencies that will win over hiring managers, and show businesses that you can and will be an asset to their growth and long-term strategy.

Your résumé should include all of the traditional core competencies that businesses are looking for, including punctuality, solid industry experience, and maybe even a college degree. It’s all going to depend on what you’re looking for, of course, but there’s some new insight that is giving job-seekers — that may mean you — a bit of insider information that may put you in the upper echelon of applicants.

Businesses want employees with social skills.

This is the conclusion of a slew of new research into labor economics. The New York Times’ Upshot recently did a story covering the phenomenon, which included diving into a new study from David Deming, associate professor of education and economics at Harvard University. Deming’s paper, The Growing Importance of Social Skills in the Labor Market, says that social skills and an ability to bring a “human touch” to the workplace is becoming more important as automation and technology render many positions obsolete.

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“While computers perform cognitive tasks of rapidly increasing complexity, simple human interaction has proven difficult to automate,” his paper reads. “Since 1980, jobs with high social skill requirements have experienced greater relative growth throughout the wage distribution. Moreover, employment and wage growth has been strongest in jobs that require high levels of both cognitive skill and social skill.”

Networking is one of the most valuable skills that an individual can have these days, in terms of getting where you want to go, be it a selective school, or landing a competitive job.

It’s an interesting development and hypothesis, and the data seems to support Deming’s findings.

As we know, automation is rapidly encroaching on many industries. Over the next few decades, the economy is going to be going through some drastic changes as a good deal of the labor needed across many industries is taken out of human hands, and put into the hands of robots and artificial intelligences. It’s happening at fast food restaurants, and it’s happening in the finance industry. There’s really no stopping it.

That’s what makes social skills so important. We’re going to need people — actual flesh, blood, and the ability to empathize and understand — to work in concert with the metal and circuits doing the heavy lifting. So, all that time you spent screwing around with your buddies instead of paying attention during math class? You may have been polishing the skills that will actually find you work in a rapidly changing economy.

Think about it — one of the most foolproof ways to actually get a job is to have a connection through some sort of social networking. In fact, networking is one of the most valuable skills that an individual can have these days, in terms of getting where you want to go, be it a selective school, or landing a competitive job.

And those networking and social skills are the ones we have learned from an early age. As The New York Times puts it, “what you learned at preschool.”

So, if you were more apt to screw around during your formative years, rather than be a serious student, this might be some good news. Albeit it was hard to see this coming, but still, it’s a silver lining. The bad news is that you’ll still have to couple those social skills with some sort of training or education. The jobs that are disappearing are the ones that require little training or skill, or that can be easily automated. You may be a chatterbox at your jobat the local Taco Bell drive-thru, but that doesn’t mean your position isn’t going to be automated in the near future.

For job seekers — which all of us either are, or will be at some point in the future — don’t forget to take stock of your social skills as an asset. What if you’re not a social person? Make it a point to work on those skills, as they may be more valuable in the future than anyone would’ve imagined a decade or two ago.

Follow Sam on Twitter @SliceOfGinger

CheatSheet.com | December 22, 2015 | Sam Becker

Your #Career : Here’s How to Write an Email to a Potential #Employer …How to Send a Clear & Compelling Message to a Company you’re Dying to Work for. Read on for 7 Tips that will Get you One Step Closer to your Dream Job.

December 12, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

In a way, writing the perfect email to a potential employer is a balancing act.On the one hand, you want to make your message and application stand out from the others they’re receiving. But you definitely don’t want to be too gimmicky or unprofessional.

We consulted Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, about how to send a clear and compelling message to a company you’re dying to work for. Read on for seven tips that will get you one step closer to your dream job.

1. Write a clear subject line.

Augustine advised against getting catchy with subject lines. Instead, make it obvious that you’re submitting a job application.

If there are no specific directions in the job posting, something as simple as, “Application for Strategy Reporter (ID #12345): Shana Lebowitz” should work.

However, if you’re cold emailing a potential employer, you should get a bit more creative in your subject line.

Talk about the value you can provide — for example, “would love to share my ideas on increasing sales team productivity.” Consider what the person you’re emailing cares about and why she would want to read your message.

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2. Address your message to the appropriate person.

“The worst thing you could do is put, ‘Dear Madam’ or ‘Dear Sir’ as your opening,” Augustine said,” because it shows you didn’t put any effort into researching the right person.”

You can do some sleuth work on LinkedIn and find out the name of the company recruiter or hiring manager who originally posted the job. If that doesn’t work, you can leverage your network — do you know anyone who works there? — and find out who the appropriate addressee is.

In the rare case that the job is anonymously posted, you can say, “Dear HR Professional” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”

3. Talk about what you can provide the employer.

Keep in mind, Augustine said, that the employer is the target audience. So think about what type of value you’re offering them, as opposed to the other way around.

In the body of your email, mention exactly what you can do for the employer and what you’ve learned about that company.

4. Customize the email to the individual employer.

Augustine said it’s important to tailor your message to each individual job and company.

“The more you talk about their specific needs and how your skill set does make you a really good solution to those needs, the more likely your message is to be read.”

And it might sound obvious, but make sure you include the name of the correct company in your email, especially if you’re emailing multiple employers at once.

“Oftentimes that can put you out of the running,” Augustine said. “Employers are looking for reasons to get rid of those applications.”

5. Don’t copy and paste your resume.

Augustine recommended not cutting and pasting your resume into the body of the email because the formatting ends up “atrocious.”

Instead, you should either attach a document or provide a link to a Google Doc. (You can hyperlink a few words so that you don’t end up with a long string of letters and numbers.) If you choose to submit a Google Doc, make sure you select the “view only” option for the employer.

6. Send your email ASAP after the job posting goes up.

“The sooner you get your job application in, the better,” Augustine said.

In general, you’ll want to submit it within 72 hours of the posting going up, because employers start to get inundated with applications after that and might not even open yours.

7. Follow up promptly.

Augustine recommends including a sentence in your email that says, “I will follow up with you on [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”][whatever date] once you’ve had time to review my application.”

She advises planning to follow up one week after you send the application or, if there’s a close date on the job posting, planning to follow up a week after that. Make sure you mark the date on your calendar, so you don’t say you’re going to follow up and then forget.

Businessinsider.com | November 28, 2015 | Shana Lebowitz

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Your #Career : Is It Ever OK To Accept A Job Offer And Continue To #Interview?…Picture this Job Search Conundrum: a Job Seeker has Multiple Hot Leads in Play. One of Them Extends an Offer.

July 15, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s Solid but Not Ideal, So the Job Seeker Tries to Hurry the Other Leads Into Additional Offers While Buying More Time to Respond to the First Offer. Eventually, that decision deadline can be pushed no further, and the other leads, while still interested, are not in a position to decide just yet.

Should you turn down the first offer, keep interviewing and run the risk that you don’t get anything else?
Should you accept the first offer and stop your search, forever wondering if you should have held out for something better?
Or do you accept the first offer, continue discussions with other companies, and take something else if a better offer comes? Is it ever OK to accept a job offer and continue to interview?

In general, it is a terrible idea to accept an offer and continue to interview.

While most work agreements are employment-at-will so you can quit at any time, you don’t want to be someone who quits shortly after accepting an offer. You do want your word to mean something.

In addition, being new to any job requires transition time. If you accept a role but haven’t 100% let go of the prospect of something “better” coming along, then you’re not really giving your new employer your full attention. During the inevitable awkwardness of adjusting to the new role, work environment and culture, you are not giving your best effort, and you may be too distracted to integrate fully. Your half-hearted acceptance is thus the start of a downward spiral.

Finally, it’s a small, small world. Confidentiality is paramount in the hiring process, but so many people are involved that you can’t lock things down 100%. If your new employer finds out you didn’t break off ties with previous prospects, this breach of trust could derail your stint right from the start, if not cause your new employer to cut ties immediately.

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That said, there are legitimate reasons why you still might interview even after accepting another job.

You can get closure on the other opportunities. You see your options fully play out, since clearly this new employer is not exactly right. You might even feel better about your new employer, if the other opportunities don’t end up as you expected.

You will have to manage the confidentiality very closely – when exactly are you going to complete these other interviews? If another offer does come through and you want to accept that, you need to make as little disruption for your new employer as possible – helping them secure your replacement, or helping with messaging around your premature departure. Keep in mind that your positive gestures may be rebuffed entirely – the risk of burning bridges when you renege on an acceptance or quit shortly after starting a job is high.

So proceed with caution, whatever you decide to do.

If you turn down an offer for other imminent, but still uncertain prospects, this is the time to really step up your search, including generating brand new leads. Seemingly imminent offers have a nasty habit of disappearing. If the other offers don’t pan out, having newer leads can distract you from regretting to accept that first offer.

If you decide to accept a job that is less than ideal and stop interviewing elsewhere, then don’t drive yourself crazy with what-if scenarios. It’s easy to convince yourself that some other offer would have been better, but that’s just fantasy. Embrace the new role you do have and make a go of it. Pour your energies into doing an amazing job and into changing over time the factors of the job you were less than ideal when you accepted.

If you accept the job but continue to interview, manage your risks in the immediate term as you sort out all the different options. In the longer-term, manage your career more proactively. You felt the need to accept an offer that is less-than-ideal. Why? If you felt you had no other alternatives, shore up your network, your job search technique, and your financial foundation so you increase your capacity to think and act long-term. If you needed to get out of your current company, take a hard look about what didn’t work before and make a plan to correct any shortcomings because the problems you had before might follow you to your new employer.

Did you accept a job before your job search fully played out? What happened?

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching. She has worked with executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, Gilt, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, and other leading firms. She’s also a stand-up comic, so she’s not your typical coach. Connect with Caroline on Google+.

Forbes.com | July 14, 2015

Your Career: How To Spend The Hour Before Your Job Interview…Don’t Let Last-Minute Anxiety Spoil your Long-Term Preparation. Follow this Expert Advice to Feel Calm & Focused

January 26, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Your suit is ironed, tucked and free of cat hairs. Your own hairs are combed, your padfolio is organized and your employer research is thorough. And your mind? For this interview, you’ve packed it like a filing cabinet: Answers to typical interview questions are filed under A; smart questions you plan to ask your interviewers are under Q; and examples of your achievements are under E.

laptop cafe girl blonde

Do some last-minute LinkedIn research.

But although you’ve set yourself up for success, a shiver of doubt may slink up your suit in that darkest hour before the interview. Nerves set in. You try to appear relaxed, but not boring. Enthused, but not abrasive. Prepared, but not canned.

Don’t let last-minute anxiety spoil your long-term preparation. Follow this expert advice to feel calm and focused in the hour before a job interview:

Warm up your vocal cords. Talk about a quick confidence killer: introducing yourself to the interviewers only to have your voice crack or sound strained. Don’t let a weak, I-woke-up-an-hour-ago voice set the tone for the rest of the day. Lewis Lin, founder and CEO of Impact Interview, an interview coaching service, suggests warming up your vocal cords, especially before phone interviews. Before the interview — say, on the drive to the office — speak through your talking points loud and clear, “as if you were an actor or actress getting ready for an audition,” Lin says.

Do some last-minute LinkedIn research. Being likable in the interview is key, Lin says. After all, your interviewers are not only hiring, say, a product manager. They’re hiring someone they’ll encounter daily: at meetings, in the break room, at happy hours and in the buffet line of holiday parties. Show the interviewers you’re someone they should want to work with. “A great way to build that chemistry, that rapport with the interviewer, is to be able to relate to the interviewer,” Lin says.

He suggests using the hour before the interview to scan your interviewers’ profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as any personal website they have or articles written about them. Did you and one of your interviewers attend neighboring colleges? Do you both know Pete from Boston? Did you attend the same conference last summer? Breathe easier knowing you have a shared connection to mention come interview time.

Strike a power pose. Consider your pre-interview posture, says Susan Joyce, an online job search expert. She suggests looking at the research and TED Talk of social psychologist Amy Cuddy, an associate professor at Harvard Business School. Cuddy’s work shows that power poses can boost confidence, and as Joyce points out, what better time to feel confident than minutes before speaking to a prospective employer?

Joyce suggests ducking into a restroom stall before the interview and trying the starfish pose. With your feet spread apart, “you raise your arms up to the sky, you look up to the ceiling and you smile,” Joyce says. “It’s an amazing quick fix to confidence.”

Think happy thoughts. This will be easier to do after those poses, Joyce says. She and Lin say candidates often put tons of pressure on themselves: What if I blow this interview, and then I don’t get the job, and then I don’t get an interview for another six months, and then I can’t pay rent? And so on. “End-of-world-type scenarios start dancing through our heads,” Lin says, “and that’s clearly not going to be helpful when you’ve got that much pressure.”

Lin’s suggestion for showing you’re passionate about the position, but not crazy-eyed and desperate? “Have that kind of kid-like wonder,” he says. “Like, ‘Hey, I’m just going to have this conversation with another professional in the industry. I get to share my experiences, the things I’ve learned and I hope we get a chance to learn about the other person and the experiences they’ve had.’”

Joyce recommends repeating a few positive affirmations. Think: “I’m perfectly qualified for this job. I’m perfectly qualified for this job. I’m perfectly qualified for this job.”

Calm your nerves. “Nerves mess up a lot of interviews,” Lin says. “Whatever ritual [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”][or] routine or habit that works for you to get in the right mindset to come across as relaxed and confident is really important.” He suggests exercising if you have the time before suiting up or watching a clip from your favorite movie. Listening to music can help you focus, too. Watch pregame coverage of a professional sporting event, and you’ll see most players entering the facility while listening to music on their headphones, Lin points out. (Ray Lewis, former NFL linebacker once told Men’s Journal that he listened to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” before every game with the Baltimore Ravens to get fired up.)

Whether you’re about to tackle quarterbacks or a high-stakes interview, simply taking deep breaths will help settle your nerves, too, Lin and Joyce say. Before you enter the building, as you sit in the reception area and as you open wide in starfish pose, take a few long inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth.

As Joyce sums up: “Take a big deep breath, put a smile on your face and roll with it.”

Businessinsider.com | January 26, 2015 | LAURA MCMULLEN, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2015/01/14/how-to-spend-the-hour-before-your-interview#ixzz3PxiF6Utb

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