An important thing to remember for the job seeker is the idea of the “corporate culture” of the companies you are applying for. At one point in my career I had made it into an interview for a large, nationally well-known and reputable organization. I had showed up before my interview time, went through the security badge process, and took a seat in the lobby waiting for the Human Resource person. I’m an observant person so I was looking around trying to get a “feel” for the place….noticing things such as what sorts of people work there, their general demeanor, cleanliness of the building, the “presentation” in the lobby, and other things.
I was disappointed to infer a few surprises that I did not expect. For one, the Human Resource person made me wait for 20 minutes before she came out to greet me. Second and most surprisingly, most of the employees who were coming in to work that morning were wearing casual attire…and I mean VERY casual attire. This particular organization is in the finance industry and given the reputation of the organization on the national stage, I had expected to see people dressed in business attire and suites, like even I was for the interview. I was disappointed to see people wearing old, beat-up jeans and hoodies. It looked like the employees were going to the grocery store on a Saturday morning, not working at a professional, publicly traded organization.
Job seekers need to be aware of this often-neglected aspect of the job search process. For many of us, we overlook this because “we just need a job”. But study after study shows that people who do not “fit” with the organization’s culture do not stick around for very long. And then you’re back to square one and looking for work again. It would behoove the job seeker to take seriously this aspect of the corporate culture, and if that company’s culture does not reflect your ideal situation then perhaps that company is not the right fit for you.
At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies, we take seriously the idea of training people to their “best” in the work environment. Classes bring in not only the facts and figures of that particular subject, but also the “soft skills” necessary for an employee to be competitive and attractive to a future employer. We understand that and we want to help you make the most of your chances to land that job whose corporate culture matches your own. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn about our exciting Certificate programs and how you can benefit in your career by obtaining one, or even some individual classes. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Positive Reports and the Job Seeker
There were some encouraging economic reports that came out today about the state of joblessness in America. Apparently there are 23 states in the nation whose unemployment percentage is declining (albeit quite slowly). For Colorado, the rate is at 8.2%...up .1% from last month. Like we all hear on the radio or the news every day, the economy is getting better. It’s just getting better at a very gradual, slow pace. For most people out of work, it is TOO slow. For most out of work, it feels like there is no change from a year ago in their respective situation.
It can be both encouraging and discouraging for the job seeker to look at reports like this. On one hand, it is encouraging that things are improving. On the other hand, as mentioned above, it might not “hit home” in the way you are experiencing…”for me!” It’s fine and dandy that numbers are improving, the job seeker may say, but I don’t see it affecting the way companies are looking for workers or how people are finding the work they desire. It’s times like these where the active job seeker needs to notice the encouraging reports, but not notice them for too long. Whether the percentage in Colorado is above 10% or down to 2%, it remains the same that YOU are out of work.
This is the perfect opportunity in a person’s job search to ask the questions that we need to be continually asking ourselves. Am I networking the way I should be? Does my resume and cover letter “show” who I am? Am I looking for the right kinds of jobs? When any news in the economy changes, it might behoove the job seeker to change their patterns to accommodate appropriately. Staying ahead of the curve in this way will help you as the job seeker become more successful in not only this job search season, but in future searches as well.
There are a number of skills and positions that seem to stand the test of time. At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies we understand what these skills and positions are, and how we can help you become successful in fostering them. We offer Certificate programs in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Call us TODAY at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting, three to four month opportunities that could change the course of your job search and thus your career. We’ll talk to you soon!
It can be both encouraging and discouraging for the job seeker to look at reports like this. On one hand, it is encouraging that things are improving. On the other hand, as mentioned above, it might not “hit home” in the way you are experiencing…”for me!” It’s fine and dandy that numbers are improving, the job seeker may say, but I don’t see it affecting the way companies are looking for workers or how people are finding the work they desire. It’s times like these where the active job seeker needs to notice the encouraging reports, but not notice them for too long. Whether the percentage in Colorado is above 10% or down to 2%, it remains the same that YOU are out of work.
This is the perfect opportunity in a person’s job search to ask the questions that we need to be continually asking ourselves. Am I networking the way I should be? Does my resume and cover letter “show” who I am? Am I looking for the right kinds of jobs? When any news in the economy changes, it might behoove the job seeker to change their patterns to accommodate appropriately. Staying ahead of the curve in this way will help you as the job seeker become more successful in not only this job search season, but in future searches as well.
There are a number of skills and positions that seem to stand the test of time. At the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies we understand what these skills and positions are, and how we can help you become successful in fostering them. We offer Certificate programs in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Call us TODAY at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting, three to four month opportunities that could change the course of your job search and thus your career. We’ll talk to you soon!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Leave of Absence and the Job Seeker
Some schools and some companies allow people to take a “leave of absence” for an extended amount of time, due to a variety of reasons. This can be both personal and professional. This is nice because it allows the student or employee a time of “refreshment” where they can regain their posture toward life. Most of the time though, a Leave Of Absence is not necessarily a vacation. If you are a working professional and decide to take a Leave Of Absence for three months from work, it is usually because of a reason that will make your time at your work that much more productive (if it’s not something personal related, like surgery or an illness). Maybe you are working on finishing some classes that will make your job more productive, or maybe you are doing some sort of research for a big project and need to take some extensive time to do that research or plan for the project.
As a job seeker and someone who desires to be in the kind of position where you can take a Leave Of Absence, it can be a good mental exercise as you search for that job to think of your time of looking for work as your Leave Of Absence. Take these three months, six months, a year or more and think of this time as the time where your “project” you are working on is looking for a job. It is not a vacation per se, and should not be treated as such. But rather it is a time where you can devote a considerable amount of time and energy into this “project” and then come out of it stronger, better equipped, and ready to take on your work situation with confidence and ability.
Perhaps during your “Leave Of Absence” it would behoove you to brush up on some skills that might have been neglected but that you notice are desired by employers. If that’s the case, then consider the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies today to help you with some quick and helpful courses, or even a full Certificate, to give you that boost that you are looking for. We offer Certificates in Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Any one of these three to four month Certificates (or any individual class too) will make you more marketable and able to apply new skills in your work environment. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting opportunities!
As a job seeker and someone who desires to be in the kind of position where you can take a Leave Of Absence, it can be a good mental exercise as you search for that job to think of your time of looking for work as your Leave Of Absence. Take these three months, six months, a year or more and think of this time as the time where your “project” you are working on is looking for a job. It is not a vacation per se, and should not be treated as such. But rather it is a time where you can devote a considerable amount of time and energy into this “project” and then come out of it stronger, better equipped, and ready to take on your work situation with confidence and ability.
Perhaps during your “Leave Of Absence” it would behoove you to brush up on some skills that might have been neglected but that you notice are desired by employers. If that’s the case, then consider the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies today to help you with some quick and helpful courses, or even a full Certificate, to give you that boost that you are looking for. We offer Certificates in Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Call Center/Customer Service, Microsoft Power User, and Office Skills. Any one of these three to four month Certificates (or any individual class too) will make you more marketable and able to apply new skills in your work environment. Call us today at 303-755-6885 to learn more about these exciting opportunities!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Job Search and Personal Responsibility
Why is it that there are still so many people out of work, even well after the recession was pronounced “over”? Why is it that people, in good economies or bad, have a difficult time finding work? These are big questions to ask, and frankly I’m not convinced that there is one answer to them. The reality of the matter is that there are countless reasons for why individuals are out of work right now. If we’re honest, broader categories like the economy (national as well as local) have much to do with it. If we’re honest, policy makers have more to do with it than we like. If we’re honest, there is still that every-present reality of each person’s personal responsibility to make their job search the best it can be.
These broader categories you cannot control, so we just need to get over that. And frankly, in most respects people can do very little to influence their policy makers. Each vote counts, but does each politician listen to each and every voter? That answer goes without saying. At the end of the day all you as a job seeker can have control over is yourself. You and your day, every day. That’s what we all should focus on most. Ask yourself: What am I going to do differently today that could position myself into a positive job seeking opportunity? Or: What am I going to do the same today that I have been doing to create a positive habit that seems to bear good fruit? Whatever you do each day that you network or apply for jobs, it’s all on you.
For some, that can seem reassuring. To control one’s own destiny, so to speak, gives people comfort and solace in a time when it has seemed all that you are (vocationally) has been stripped away. And to a certain extent that is very healthy thinking. For others, this is terrifying. Typically (but not always) there is a kernel of truth in this fear that the job seeker lacks a certain amount of confidence in oneself to succeed. There is a phrase in clinical psychology that might be appropriate for this situation: “fear of success”. Perhaps that’s for a different blog at another time, but the truth remains the same. Lack of confidence in some job seekers might be a contributing factor to one’s joblessness. Notice that I phrased that carefully to say “might” and “contributing”….it is not a guarantee and it is not universal among all job seekers.
Nonetheless, wouldn’t we all like more confidence in ourselves? It’s very human to look down on oneself….buying the lies that the mean girl shoved in your face in middle school, or when a teacher in high school told you that you weren’t good enough in something. For as much as our culture likes to tell us how great we are, it equally likes to tell us how much we’re not (athletic, good looking, smart, you fill in the blank). But we here at the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies do want to tell you that you are “good enough, smart enough, and gosh darnit people like you!” Call the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies today at 303-755-6885 to talk with our experienced and passionate staff about how any one of our six Certificate programs can help you gain the confidence you desire most to be successful in your job search and career thereafter.
These broader categories you cannot control, so we just need to get over that. And frankly, in most respects people can do very little to influence their policy makers. Each vote counts, but does each politician listen to each and every voter? That answer goes without saying. At the end of the day all you as a job seeker can have control over is yourself. You and your day, every day. That’s what we all should focus on most. Ask yourself: What am I going to do differently today that could position myself into a positive job seeking opportunity? Or: What am I going to do the same today that I have been doing to create a positive habit that seems to bear good fruit? Whatever you do each day that you network or apply for jobs, it’s all on you.
For some, that can seem reassuring. To control one’s own destiny, so to speak, gives people comfort and solace in a time when it has seemed all that you are (vocationally) has been stripped away. And to a certain extent that is very healthy thinking. For others, this is terrifying. Typically (but not always) there is a kernel of truth in this fear that the job seeker lacks a certain amount of confidence in oneself to succeed. There is a phrase in clinical psychology that might be appropriate for this situation: “fear of success”. Perhaps that’s for a different blog at another time, but the truth remains the same. Lack of confidence in some job seekers might be a contributing factor to one’s joblessness. Notice that I phrased that carefully to say “might” and “contributing”….it is not a guarantee and it is not universal among all job seekers.
Nonetheless, wouldn’t we all like more confidence in ourselves? It’s very human to look down on oneself….buying the lies that the mean girl shoved in your face in middle school, or when a teacher in high school told you that you weren’t good enough in something. For as much as our culture likes to tell us how great we are, it equally likes to tell us how much we’re not (athletic, good looking, smart, you fill in the blank). But we here at the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies do want to tell you that you are “good enough, smart enough, and gosh darnit people like you!” Call the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies today at 303-755-6885 to talk with our experienced and passionate staff about how any one of our six Certificate programs can help you gain the confidence you desire most to be successful in your job search and career thereafter.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Networking with your Alma Mater
A great arena for networking that is not utilized as much as it should be is your college alma mater. Just today I went to my own alma mater for an alumni luncheon and was disappointed to see a relatively small turn-out. Nevertheless, before I had even sat down with my paper plate of food I had already connected with one former classmate and a new acquaintance --- exchanging business cards and expressing interest for a follow-up one-on-one over coffee to chat more. The job seeker needs to think strategically about their networking venues (because there are A LOT of venues out there).
What better place to connect with like-minded people than your college or University alumni association. Alumni associations typically put on good events for people to connect, whether it is for business networking or otherwise. If you attended a large school, each department within the school might even have its own alumni association. If you attended a Business School, contact the Business School Department and inquire about alumni events or other means to connect. The same goes for Law School or any other kind of school. Departments are usually ecstatic when someone expresses interest in getting involved. That means it’s less work for them to do to reach out to you!
The Accounting and Business School of the Rockies knows how difficult it is for people to find work. There is a fairly large database of past graduates who are currently in companies which means you have an “in” for that company. We encourage students to get out and network, network, and network some more to find fellow alumni as well as other sorts of connections to land that next job. If you are interested in learning more about the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies, please call 303-524-5218 to learn more. We offer six Certificate programs in Administrative Assistant, Professional Bookkeeping, Office Manager, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service and Microsoft Power User.
What better place to connect with like-minded people than your college or University alumni association. Alumni associations typically put on good events for people to connect, whether it is for business networking or otherwise. If you attended a large school, each department within the school might even have its own alumni association. If you attended a Business School, contact the Business School Department and inquire about alumni events or other means to connect. The same goes for Law School or any other kind of school. Departments are usually ecstatic when someone expresses interest in getting involved. That means it’s less work for them to do to reach out to you!
The Accounting and Business School of the Rockies knows how difficult it is for people to find work. There is a fairly large database of past graduates who are currently in companies which means you have an “in” for that company. We encourage students to get out and network, network, and network some more to find fellow alumni as well as other sorts of connections to land that next job. If you are interested in learning more about the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies, please call 303-524-5218 to learn more. We offer six Certificate programs in Administrative Assistant, Professional Bookkeeping, Office Manager, Office Skills, Call Center/Customer Service and Microsoft Power User.
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