Denver Jobing Community Blogs

                For many individuals and families this Thanksgiving season, one has to really dig deep to find something they are thankful for. It can be a difficult and stressful time right now. But there is encouragement and hope on the economic horizon. And it is my hope that you can enjoy this Thanksgiving time to be with friends and other loved ones who have helped you along, giving you encouragement and hope. I would encourage you to look at the little blessings that you have received during your time of unemployment.

Perhaps it was the helpful worker at the Workforce Center that helped you to get your resume straightened out. Perhaps it was someone at the recent Jobing.com job fair who took the time to discuss how working for their company could become a reality. Or perhaps it was a school you are currently attending to get that additional education and training so that you can move into your next work situation as a more capable and qualified employee.

                A lot of times people lack the self-confidence to do the job they are applying to do. And the employer picks up on that insecurity. But there are ways to gain that kind of self-confidence that you need to do your job well. One way is to show your employer on your resume that you are actually qualified to do the job you are doing. Getting additional training, certifications, and education is the perfect way to show your employer that you can do the job you want to do.

                I would invite you to consider the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies as your next step to gain that self-confidence and training you need to show an employer you are capable of doing the job. We offer three to five month Certificate programs in Professional Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Customer Service/ Call Center, and Microsoft Power User. We also have some great specials going on right now. For example, you can receive a FREE resume/interview class with the purchase of any one or more class in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Office, Telecommunication, Office Procedures, or Customer Service. If you would like to learn more or set up a complimentary and personalized visit of the school, please contact Daniel Seatvet at 303-755-6885 or Daniel@ABSRschool.com. Thanks, we’ll see you soon!

It can be extremely difficult to remain positive about finding a new job when you have been in the market for a few weeks, month, or maybe even a year or more.  It’s easy to feel defeated, but it’s important that you make a commitment to stay positive and trust that in the end, it will work out as it should.
 
Here are five ways to stay positive during your job search:
 
1.      Get outside. It’s important that you get fresh air, take a break, and break away from checking job boards and emails. Fresh air, sunlight, and nature have a profound impact on a person’s mood.  Going outside even for 10 minutes can be beneficial.
 
2.      Exercise. Moving your body gets you out of your head, and you know as you are searching, you are in your head thinking, strategizing, over-analyzing and who knows what else. Exercise also increases endorphins to help you remain upbeat and positive.  So, get out and move it, move it
 
3.      Seek Support.  Find a group of supportive, positive, and uplifting people that can help you see that this too shall pass.  Having a few supportive people with whom you can discuss your fears and concerns is a critical component to help you get through this time.  Be sure they are not going through the same thing and wanting to drag you down with them. Find people who have been there and made it through or others who are simply kind and supportive.
 
4.      Protect yourself. Whatever you do, don’t hang around people who are skeptical about their own future and who will just add fear to your situation. Some will tell you “it’s easier to search for a job when you have a job” or other sneaky remarks that do a number on your ego and sense of faith.  When you notice that you are surrounded with “negative-nellies,” politely decline their invitations to get together.
 
5.      Find a passion.  Most people will suggest you should be spending your entire day searching for a job.  And while it’s true, you do need to put in some time searching, writing cover letters and resumes, there really is still time to have some fun and enjoy life. When you do get your next job, I guarantee you will look back and realize how fast time has passed and wonder “why didn’t I actually enjoy it.”  Sure, easier said than done.  But find a passion, a hobby, or something you enjoy and get lost in the moment.  The search will still be there when you return.
 
Bio:
Sabrina M. Risley is the owner and founder of Behind The Moon, Inc.  Sabrina and her team organize several monthly networking events, which provide a unique means for entrepreneurs to promote and grow their business, and help their fellow entrepreneurs do the same. Sabrina also makes use of Behind the Moon’s new Referral Groups, their website and the company's Membership Program to further promote businesses. To receive a copy of Behind the Moon’s Networking for Success FREE report visit http://bit.ly/7Whyi

Many of our families have had to live on a tighter budge this year due to a smaller income.  Some folks are just entering the workforce for the first time, while others are changing careers completely after a lay-off.  In the midst of all this change, faced with multiple challenges, it is amazing to me how resourceful many people are.

As Thanksgiving approaches, with an incredible turkey dinner on the horizon, I can’t help but think of so many things I am grateful for.  I am most grateful to call Colorado my new home.  Although the desert southwest is a beautiful place, the Rockies offer a new kind of adventure, like snow shoeing.

From a career perspective, I am thankful for some great organizations, local entrepreneurial women and fellow jobing.com bloggers.  Mountain State Employers Council (www.msec.org) is an excellent resource for local employers.  Jobing.com, in addition to its on-line presence, offers valuable career expos and workshops, matching businesses with the best local talent.  The Denver Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in attracting businesses to the metro area for 130 years (www.denverchamber.org ) and has been a wonderful way to network in a new city .  I am extremely grateful for the pleasure of meeting local talented, entrepreneurial business women who understand the importance of building strong business networks, delivering excellent customer service and sharing their talent with their community.  Ladies like attorney and jobing.com blogger, Laura Hazen keeping us up to date on employment law makes Denver a great place to be.  There is also Angel Tuccy of Experience Pros (www.experiencepros.com), expert at customer relationship building and Sabrina Risley of Behind the Moon (www.behindthemooninc.com), helping small businesses connect.  Thanks also to fellow jobing.com bloggers, Martha Finney, one of my favorite authors and Daniel Seatvet with the Accounting and Business School of the Rockies helping train Denver’s workforce.  Thanks for making Denver a great place to live and work!

Take a moment to think about what you are grateful for.  Who has helped you learn and grow?

Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving here this month, I thought it would be appropriate to focus on gratitude and how to become more grateful as we embark on the holidays and our job search.

When you focus on what you have rather than what is missing, you go from thinking there is not enough to realizing there is more than enough.  You shift your mind from negative to positive.  The universe itself is complete – nothing is missing. We create negative thoughts and a belief that there is not enough or that we don’t have enough. But by simply aligning with abundant completeness and having gratitude for what you already have, you open yourself up, attract more of what you want and experience more joy and happiness.  I find when I can’t sleep at night, I start thinking of all the things I am grateful for and I fall right to sleep. Being in a place of gratitude relaxes our mind and our body. We move from our head where fear lives to our hearts where love lives. By thinking thoughts of gratitude we allow ourselves to appreciate the abundance that surrounds us.

Take the week to notice where you live in yourself.  Is it in a place of not enough or in a place of gratitude and abundance?  I invite you to share what techniques, words you use to move into that place in the midst of rejection letters and no response from your job search. 

I invite you to honor your breath, your heart and all that you have.  You are enough and you have much to offer.  Remember to breathe, allow and open so that the abundance in your life can surround you and the stress and strain of your search can take a back seat for awhile.

Live Well,

Katie

This week I had the pleasure of attending the 2009 Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. At the annual conference, outstanding employees in the hotel & lodging industry are recognized for exceptional service in their respective areas of expertise. If you’ve traveled in Colorado you’ve likely met some of these service providers. They are the people who go out of their way to make guests feel “at home” while on the road and include bellman, concierges, reception desk staff, chefs, etc.

The evening before the award dinner I heard about one particularly outstanding employee …. Ken Wall of Doubletree Grand Junction. If memory serves correctly, Ken has worked at the property for 19 years. In that time he has not missed a single day of work, has never been late and has not been the recipient of a single disciplinary action. Ken is a “getter done” guy who is committed to exceptional service and making life easier for others.

Here’s the challenge……and the story as I heard it from several sources…..I-70, the highway leading from Grand Junction to Denver/Colorado Springs was closed. If I-70 is impassable it would be really unsafe and unwise to attempt any other way down the mountain. It looked like Ken would miss the conference….and the presentation of his award for outstanding service.

The owner of the Doubletree Grand Junction property is in the Denver area and was already at the conference. When he heard about Ken’s predicament he immediately went into action. Ken arrived later that evening…….by plane. The property owner recognized the importance of going above and beyond for Ken.…..just as Ken had gone above and beyond for so many guests over the previous 19 years.

My reaction to this story as it was relayed to me….in a word: Goosebumps.

If you want your employees to go the extra mile for your customers…..go the extra mile for them.

Are you holding yourself to the same standard you expect of all employees?


May all your Endeavors be Insightful,

Nora A Burns, SPHR


p.s. Next time I’m in Grand Junction ….. I’ll be staying at the Doubletree. They have earned my business by displaying exceptional leadership.

 

With thousands of job seekers expected to attend the Jobing.com Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, it’s important to have a job fair strategy to stand out from the competition.

• COME WITH A GREAT ATTITUDE - We know times are tough right now, but a job fairs are about first impressions. Please do not disclose personal or financial issues to the employers. They want employees who will bring a positive attitude and work ethic into their workplace.

• TREAT THE EVENT LIKE A JOB INTERVIEW - The Jobing.com Career Expo has booths staffed with HR professionals. These are the people who have a direct say in who will be hired, so treat this opportunity as a first interview. Dress professionally and come prepared to sell yourself.

• HAVE A PLAN - The Colorado Convention Center will be filled with Denver employers. It is important to use your time wisely by selecting a top 20 list of employers to visit. Research these companies and their open positions prior to the event.

• PREPARE QUESTIONS - Employers want candidates who are prepared, professional, and serious about their openings. If you ask a question that can be answered from the information on their company website, it shows you did not take the time to do your homework.

 • CREATE YOUR 30 SECOND PITCH - Job fairs are not only for job seekers to learn about employers, but for employers to learn about the candidates. Be sure you can sum up what you are looking for and why you are a great candidate, concisely, in 30 seconds.

• UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS - Many organizations have applicant tracking systems in place to manage the hiring process. This means the recruiters may ask you to submit your resume online. Rather than use the career expo as a resume drop off, use it as an opportunity to get first hand information from someone who knows what it's like to work there. This way you can tailor your resume even further prior to submitting it online.

 • FOLLOW-UP - Remember to collect business cards from employers you speak with! Send a hand written thank you note to all of the employers you met with. Even if a company does not have the right position for you today, they may in the near future. Always work to make a positive impression and expand your professional network. Address the conversations you had at the event in your cover letters. Remind the employer of who you are and discuss something you learned about the company from the event. This will help the employer see why you would be a great fit for the organization.

As a job seeker in today’s economy you should be looking for every opportunity to stand out among the competition. Job fairs are a great way to meet face-to-face with hiring managers and get an edge over candidates who only apply online. With the recent spike in unemployment the dynamics of attending job fairs has dramatically changed, so how do you ensure you are using your time a job fair most efficiently? Your success at these events depends on creating a structured job fair strategy. 

Be sure you are keeping a great attitude throughout the event. Remember that your first impression can make or break your chances at getting that job offer. By allowing any frustrations or discouragement to show during your conversations, you are sending the wrong message to the recruiters about what type of employee you would be. There may be many job seekers with your same skill set, and a great attitude can set you apart from your competition. 

By attending the event and making a great impression on the recruiters, they will remember you when sorting through the hundreds of applications they receive. 

Click here to register for the job fair

 

 

 

Business Etiquette

Date:  Friday December 4th, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Presented By: Rebecca Marinelli

Rebecca is a Staffing Manager for BBSI, a large staffing agency with an office in the Denver area. Rebecca has substantial experience with what companies are looking for in job candidates who come in for an interview.

 

RSVP for this FREE Seminar by Wednesday December 2nd 

 

Phone 303-755-6885 or email Daniel@ABSRschool.com

Location: 5420 S. Quebec St., suite 100   Greenwood Village, CO 80111

 

Attending a job fair can be one of the most powerful tools available in your job search today - with a little preplanning. One thing to consider is the parking costs associated with attending the event.  If you are planning on attending the Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, at the Colorado Convention Center - parking in the garage will cost $10. To help you save money on parking, here are some tips:

• You may want to consider carpooling with a friend and share the parking fee

 

• There is a limited number of meter parking available, so come prepared with plenty of change

 

• Another option is to take the light rail or bus.  Visit www.rtd-denver.com for schedules and more information.  

See you Wednesday!

 

 

 

Attending a job fair can be one of the most powerful tools available in your job search today - with a little preplanning. One thing to consider is the costs associated with attending the event.  If you are planning on attending the Career Expo on Wednesday, November 18th, at the Colorado Convention Center - parking in the garage will cost $10. To help you save money on parking, here are some tips:

You may want to consider carpooling with a friend and share the parking fee. 

There is a limited number of meter parking available, so come prepared with plenty of change just in case you are in luck.

Another option is to take the light rail or bus.  Visit www.rtd-denver.com for schedules and more information.  

 

See you Wednesday!

All of us want to be more effective in some area of our lives.  Maybe it is finding the perfect job, making a big sale, being a better leader, being a more effective parent or improving our health.  “Do you have to be confident in order to achieve your desired results or does achieving your desired results make you confident”?  This question was posed by Dr. Julie Bell in her book, “Performance Intelligence at Work”.  Her question had me pondering my thought process when I reached my goals compared to when I fell short.  Every single one of us has our weak areas where we are less than completely confident in our abilities.  Overcoming these vulnerabilities is the key to reaching our goals.  Our minds are extremely powerful and we can coach ourselves to change our behaviors in order achieve our goals.

I occasionally have one of those days when I am just not “feeling it” and I’m less than satisfied with my performance is some area.  We’re taught to be optimistic and see our glass half full, but how do we change the way we think when we are feeling less than confident?  This is my strategy for cranking it up a notch:

At the end of the day, I think about what I accomplished and what went well rather than the stuff I didn’t get done on my list or where I failed.  Thinking about my accomplishments puts me in a more confident frame of mind; not to mention, I am a little more pleasant to be around.  Don’t think about your performance as all or nothing, success or failure.  It is a combination and a range of both.

The beginning of each day is all about reviewing my game plan. I think about changes I can make to improve my performance.  These are usually small things like adding more details to a message in order to be clearer.  Maybe you decide to focus more on your listening skills when speaking with a potential employer or client.   The change might be to remember to thank your assistant for his hard work or skip that piece of chocolate cake.  Coach rather than criticize yourself.

I keep my goals in mind, but it is more important for me to focus on the process rather than the outcome.  Are you taking the actions you need to take each and every day to get you where you want to go?  When thinking only about your ultimate goal, like being the top sales manager, landing the perfect job or running a marathon, it can seem overwhelming.  I find that I experience more success when my thoughts are focused on doing the right thing.  The positive outcome generally follows. 

Good Luck!

 

With so many people attending the job fair, what’s the benefit of pre-registering if there is a line to get in anyway?  By pre-registering you will save time because you won’t have to wait in line to fill out the registration form onsite. But remember, registering online won’t do you any good unless you print and bring the registration form with you to the event.  

Complete the online registration form by this Sunday before the event and we will email you a copy of the show program about two days before the event.  This gives you first look at who will be there and where their booths will be located; giving you extra time to create the perfect expo strategy!  

Click here to register for the job fair

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) revised it required equal employment opportunity poster. It now includes changes made by the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act (GINA). The employment law provisions of GINA become effective on November 21, 2009. Employers must post the new EEO poster by then.

GINA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on genetic information. It also restricts employers from acquiring genetic information about employees and limits disclosure of genetic information.

The new EEO poster is on the EEOC website at www.eeoc.gov/posterform.html. The EEOC plans to also make the poster available in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

In addition to posting the new poster, employers should revise their EEO handbook policies to include genetic information as a federally protected class.

Remember too that Colorado's minimum wage has dropped, so a new state poster will also be necessary in January.

Mountain States Employers Council's members can choose to belong to an Update Service; subscribers receive a revised federal all-in-one poster automatically. This stops employers from having to figure out when updates are really necessary after getting an urgent email from a poster supplier. This is truly a good service to have.

As a job seeker in today’s economy you should be looking for every opportunity to stand out among the competition. Job fairs are a great way to meet face-to-face with hiring managers and get an edge over candidates who only apply online. With the recent spike in unemployment the dynamics of attending job fairs has dramatically changed, so how do you ensure you are using your time a job fair most efficiently? Your success at these events depends on creating a structured job fair strategy. 

With the increase in job seeker attendance, handing your resume to the recruiter is a thing of the past.  The main reason to attend the event is for the opportunity to speak directly with the recruiters.  It’s an opportunity to ask questions and gather contact information for your follow up.  Making a great first impression is very important, so when you apply online there is a reason for them to remember you. 

Most recruiters today will ask candidates to apply online rather than accepting a hard copy of their resume. This may seem strange because job fairs are intended to connect employers and job seekers face-to-face.  Remember that a resume is your tool to get the interview, but the online application is what the recruiter needs to gather the information that is important to them.  If a recruiter asks you to apply online, be sure you reference the conversation you had with them at the job fair in your cover letter. This will remind them of who you are and allow you to use information you learned at the event to show why you are a good fit for the organization.  This will position you as a well informed, serious job candidate. 

Click here to register for the job fair
 

Bio:

Sabrina M. Risley is the owner and founder of Behind The Moon, Inc.  Sabrina and her team organize several monthly networking events, which provide a unique means for entrepreneurs to promote and grow their business, and help their fellow entrepreneurs do the same. Sabrina also makes use of Behind the Moon’s new Referral Groups, their website and the company's Membership Program to further promote businesses. To receive a copy of Behind the Moon’s Networking for Success FREE report visit http://bit.ly/7Whyi 
 

Is this your job search philosophy: Well, if it sticks….?  

To say the least, the job market can be well – down right frustrating. The majority of people in this market did not necessarily enter the search market on their own accord and are now frustrated, feeling hopeless, and wondering if the searching will ever end.  

Most start off with high hopes that they will soon get a new position and are selective to which jobs and companies they apply to.  But there comes a critical point in a person’s job search when they start utilizing the “throw it to the wall, and see it if sticks” philosophy. This includes applying to positions for which you are overqualified, underqualified, are of no interest to you, or that you’d never accept if an offer was extended.  

The problem with using this philosophy is that you are wasting your own time, the hiring professional’s time, and creating even more angst, regret, lack of self-worth when even Starbucks won’t call you back. While the hopeless feeling might throw you into a frenzy, and the 2am panic attacks might tell you that any job is better than no job, throwing stuff to the wall in the long run isn’t a good strategy. In fact, it’s a downright bad strategy. 

Instead, get clear on what type of job you really want, what company you would like to work for, and start thinking of creative outside-the-box solutions to get you in front of the right people… people who could actually help you land that new job.  

Take some time to answer these questions:  

 

What is the work environment of my ideal position? (travel, work from home, have an office)

What is the culture and environment of the company? (hands on, team environment, independence)

What benefits are most important to me? (vacation, growth potential, flex-time)

What level do I need to be at to feel respected, appreciated, and fulfilled?  (entry-level/executive, salary requirements, etc.)

 

Once you have the answers to these questions, it’s easier to know which jobs to apply for and which to let the other seekers go after. You may think I am a bit crazy by suggesting you be selective on the positions for which you apply.  But the truth of the matter is that if the position isn’t right for you, the hiring person will detect this during the interview and will realize that you either (a) won’t last, (b) are using this as a temporary job fix or (c) that you lack passion and commitment and will therefore not make a good employee. 

Do yourself and your self-esteem a favor and don’t set yourself up to be rejected by the jobs that even you would reject.