Tuesday, June 28, 2011

We Want You To Sell Your Right Transferable Skills

We strongly believe in helping our clients sell their transferable skills. As part of our service, we will be surfacing the full range of skills that you possess and will suggest key phrases that properly reflect those that are most in demand. We will also be incorporating those skills in the resumes, letters and website we develop for you. Please review this chapter for some added general insight.

You’ll need to do more than just present your background. Don’t trap yourself by thinking, “This is simply who I am, where I’ve been and what I’ve done.” People fail because they never surface and communicate all that is marketable about themselves… and they never build their appeal beyond factual credentials.

Using our career history and marketability profile, our starting point will be to organize your lifetime of experiences and achievements. Whether you are a young attorney or a company president, there is probably much more to your story than meets the eye. We’ve learned that people need to identify 10 to 12 skills that can make a major difference in their career opportunities.

About 20% of the clients who come to us have settled for less, simply because they are not able to communicate their real skills. One client was earning a $65,000 base after almost 20 years. Three years later, she is earning $180,000. Another executive came to us at $125,000. Three years later, he is a CEO at many times that amount. The key in both situations was to market their true assets.

Psychologists, spiritual leaders and coaches have often said that the most restrictive limits you face are those you put on yourself. So, don’t put any limits on your thinking, and look at some factors that you may have overlooked… which will expand your marketability.

Identifying transferable skills is critical (e.g., organizing, group presentation skills, problem solving and so on). Employers place a premium on men and women who can move from challenge to challenge, handling assignments that draw upon skills.

Your experience can also be reviewed according to various “functions” that apply to most businesses, such as sales, production, accounting and human resources. All areas in which you have knowledge should be identified. At the same time, you need to think of your experience in terms of “action words” that describe what you did, and then translate those activities into achievements, e.g., controlled, wrote, reshaped, etc.

For more information be sure to check out SET Personal Marketing's Twitter, follow SET Personal Marketing's Facebook, watch SET Personal Marketing's videos on YouTube or visit SET Personal Marketing's website.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Know Your Options

Don’t make the mistake of believing you can only be an executive for a certain industry. If you know the previous industry is shrinking or going through some very troubled times, you can either keep trying to get back into that line of work, or you can look for new opportunities. Your skills and experience may make you perfect for a different business that you never gave much thought to in the past. Make sure you know your options.

Transition to a new industry is easier than it used to be. Historically, people have overrated the barriers and underrated their abilities to move into new areas. The vast majority of all new jobs are created by small and mid-sized businesses. So, while major employers are still important, you may want to explore positions with startups or emerging companies.

If you choose the right industry, you will have more growth opportunities, perhaps meaningful stock options, an environment that is likely to be more positive, a chance for more regular pay increases and probably advancement.

Increase your awareness of the fastest growing industries and companies. These firms have to go outside their industry to find the best talent and skills. The second way is to list characteristics of your industries… and find similar industries. We use software to compare your industry’s characteristics with 2,500 others, e.g., 35 industries may be an 85% match. Keep in mind that projecting some form of an “industry hook” is the next best thing to having industry experience. Group your possibilities three ways:

(1) close industry hooks, easy possibilities

(2) medium industry hooks, next best

(3) far reach or stretch industry hooks

When changing industries, you also don’t want to overlook your leverage power, the added benefits you may bring by virtue of your contacts or knowledge. You may be able to bring a team with you that helped in similar situations. Despite our recent economic slowdown, new companies have sprung up throughout America. Established organizations are reexamining the way they do business. Medium-sized companies are expanding. New industries exist that are employing tens of thousands.

The more you appear to know about an industry, the easier it is to generate interviews. Virtually all employers look for “common ground” when hiring a new person. For example, do you have experience in or knowledge of similar product lines, distribution channels, manufacturing methods or problems in their industry? There can be other similarities. Consider the scope of operations, the role of advertising and promotion, the importance of the sales organization, the influence of labor, and other items.

For more information be sure to check out SET Personal Marketing's Twitter, follow SET Personal Marketing's Facebook, watch SET Personal Marketing's videos on YouTube or visit SET Personal Marketing's website.

Monday, June 13, 2011

SET Personal Marketing Reviews the Current Job Market and Offers 3 Ways to Overcome Its Downfalls

With unemployment rates hanging at a steady 9 percent, job hunting continues to be a daunting task for the unemployed. However, SET Personal Marketing, a firm that specializes in helping professionals find work or change careers, offers advice to job seekers on how to land a job, despite these tough economic times.

According to Robert J. Gerberg, CEO of SET, although it may not seem like it, you can still land a great job even when the economy doesn’t look promising. You will just have to refine your job search strategy.

As of April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employers added 244,000 jobs in April. On the other hand, they also reported that 190,000 fewer Americans were working in April than the previous month.

If you are one of the many jobless people struggling to find work in this economy, SET recommends you incorporate these three tips into your job search approach to increase your chances of landing a job.

Look at your industry options.

If the industry you’re looking at is being affected by the tough economic times, consider other industry options. Are there emerging industries seeking professionals with your skills? Breaking into a new industry is just a matter of selling your transferable skills. So identify the skills you have that could translate to a different industry and work on marketing them to employers.

Expand your network.

The way people network has changed. Thanks to sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, networking with potential employers has gotten easier than ever. The key to efficiently networking is to reach out to all social and professional connections you have built in the past. Then, create online profiles that represent you as a professional. They should include your experiences, connections, skills and other insights into what you would bring to a company.

Sell your worth.

Show how you can add value to a company. If you have been successful at increasing sales or building clientele in the past then noticeably place those achievements on both your resume and cover letter. Don't make an employer guess or imagine how to use you, instead make yourself relevant by describing the benefits that your previous employers have gained by hiring you.

With more than 12 years industry experience, SET is the premier personal marketing firm for professionals. Visit www.seniorexecutivecareerpartners.com for free videos on the job market; new resume styles producing real results; interviewing tips; and ways for accessing leads and contacts on the Internet.

For more information be sure to check out SET Personal Marketing's Twitter, follow SET Personal Marketing's Facebook or watch SET Personal Marketing's videos on YouTube.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

SET Personal Marketing Reveals How Developing Positive Chemistry Can Help You Succeed in a Job Interview

In order for an interview to turn into a good offer, SET Personal Marketing, a firm specializing in helping professionals find work or change careers, advises that it should be far more than just a question-and-answer session.

Although you can’t plan exactly how things will go in an interview, you can have a game plan for coming out on top. One strategy Robert J. Gerberg, Chairman of SET Personal Marketing, suggests is to develop a positive chemistry right at the start.

“When a company is interviewing different people – it’s about individual competition. Be at your very best,” Gerberg said. “If you’ve done your homework and are prepared, it will clearly be evident to the people who interview you.”

Specifically, Gerberg suggests doing these five things to develop a positive chemistry right from the start.

Build chemistry by researching the firm and being informed. By being knowledgeable, doing your research beforehand and learning about the industry and the person you will be meeting with, you will be able to make a positive first impression.

Build chemistry by impressing the front office staff. Two-thirds of executives say their secretaries influence them, so it is important to be attentive to the front offices staff.

Build chemistry by projecting the right image. People silently react to the image you project, your dress, your posture and body language, the things you say about any subject, and the way you answer questions. So be sure to project an overall positive image.

Build chemistry by paying compliments. Before the interview, read or talk to people about the firm and uncover good things to say. You can compliment their facilities, people, ads or many other things. Just remember to be specific in order to show you have given the subject some thought.

Build chemistry by asking questions. The way you ask questions and the specific nature of their content will tell a lot about you so it is important to have a questioning strategy.

With more than 12 years industry experience, SET is the premier personal marketing firm for professionals. Visit www.seniorexecutivecareerpartners.com for free videos on the job market; new resume styles producing real results; interviewing tips; and ways for accessing leads and contacts on the Internet.

For more information be sure to check out SET Personal Marketing's Twitter, follow SET Personal Marketing's Facebook or watch SET Personal Marketing's videos on YouTube.