As more than a few clients have asked, “Jan, how is that novel of yours doing?” - I thought I’d share where things stand today.
Actually, I already did that, in a guest blog for a respected writer, Sandi Kahn Shelton. With the NCAA basketball tournament in full gear at the time, that became the theme for my blog.
Quick update: I completed “Telling Tales: On Merlin’s Island” some months ago, have spent sporadic time editing, and was encouraged to enter my first work of fiction (seven published books already, but all nonfiction) in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Award contest back in January. To my surprise, I have continued to make each month’s cut… winnowing the pool of possible candidates from 10,000 down to… 100 as of today 
If you’re curious, you can visit Amazon for a free download of the excerpt … http://tinyurl.com/c4n5cwn
Here’s the synopsis (pitch) that got me through the first gate back in January:
Telling Tales: On Merlin’s island (Jan LaFountain Melnik)
As she rounded the corner behind the woodpile still buried beneath last night’s snowfall, she could hear Jeff speaking sternly to someone. There was an urgency to his tone and she realized he was on the phone. Her pace slowed and she found herself almost catatonic as she heard, “I told you not to call after 6, ever. I’ll see you tonight.” The perfect world she believed she’d been living in was suddenly a snow globe turned upside down.
* * * * *
At 31, Nicole Ferris Kemper finds her happily-ever-after dissolving when she is betrayed by her husband. She decides to start over by leaving the Boston suburbs and moving with her standard poodle, Molly, to her family’s cottage on Merlin’s Island. An elementary school teacher, Nicole lands a job at one of Maine’s few island schools. There she connects with folks from her childhood summers as well as someone from her grandfather’s past when she discovers letters from the final year of World War II in the attic of what was originally her grandparents’ cottage. Hidden among the many missives her grandfather had written to his mother during the war were letters of a different sort: Love letters from a woman who was not her grandmother.
Unable to resist her penchant for bad boys, Nicole tries to purge the taste of her soured marriage through a series of flings in what would become a carnal journey. She is surprised, though, to find herself attracted to a caring, considerate man—someone unlike the guys to which she was typically drawn. At the same time, she grapples with the death of her overly controlling mother and their unresolved issues all while trying to adjust to living alone and settling into a new job. Sifting through her grandfather’s letters, Nicole becomes mesmerized by a one-sided account of what clearly had been a passionate love. She works to uncover the mystery and in doing so recognizes that lust and love are not mutually exclusive.
Then there’s the book’s description (sort of the why-did-you-decide-to-write-this-novel that got me through another contest hurdle):
Description: A fictional island in the middle of Sebago Lake, Maine, Merlin’s Island is patterned loosely on Frye Island, but with a year-round population and a small K-12 school (similar to several island schools off Maine’s coast).
The story line follows a school year (September–June) and takes place in 2009–2010. A secondary story line alternates between the present day and the final year of World War II, 1945 (90% of the novel is in the present and just 10% is in 1945).
An underlying catalyst for this novel were letters written by my father, a WWII vet, who is now 88 years old. These letters had been saved by his mother/my grandmother and served as a rich source of authentic material for the flashback chapters. Those chapters expand considerably beyond the letters with action/narrative both in the European theatre of WWII as well as ‘back home’ in a rural Vermont village.
With my dad’s permission, I use approximately half a dozen of these colorful letters in the novel (my dad was—and is—a talented and interesting storyteller, writer, and orator), altering only the names of people. While I have nearly 75 letters available, this novel is not a collection of letters; rather, select letters are shared to advance a fictional plot that began 60 years earlier. They provide a historically accurate and vivid backdrop to the stage on which a purely fictional story line develops.
I began work on this novel more than four years ago, with the idea that Nicole’s journey would speak primarily to today’s female audience. However, the elements of erotica in the novel bring a dimension to her character that is relevant and timely given the broad popularity of novels such as the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.
And if you’re interested in how the whole contest has unfolded (and what’s at stake), these are the details!
http://booksnewhaven.wordpress.com
Happy New Year! May 2013 be healthy, prosperous, and bright for you and your families. Now, to the serious matter of job search–whether you are happily employed, unhappily working, or out-on-the-market ready for an exciting engagement, smart job search isn’t a matter of ready, set, go anymore.
Since the first of the year, I have had more than a handful of inquiries that included comments along the lines of “I just need to get a resume ‘thrown together,’ I don’t need a cover letter, and I’m not going to worry about using LinkedIn, that doesn’t work anyway…” These are from accomplished, senior-level folks (both gainfully employed and a few who have been looking for some time). Big mistake. Big. Huge.
Without preaching, suffice it to say that a well-developed, concise, highly targeted, accomplishment-rich, branded resume is the cornerstone of successful career management and job search. An equally well-written, laser-focused cover letter *can* be the portal for introduction when *your* contact passes along your resume to the decision maker (YOUR contact may know exactly what you are proposing/wanting–but will THEIR critical contact inherently know your value proposition? how you can immediately contribute?). And anyone who dismisses the incredible networking power of LinkedIn today in passive or active job search truly is going to miss the boat on so many opportunities for engagement, visibility, thought leadership, and connection.
Whether you’ve just learned you’ll be idled in a week, a month, or the end of Q2… or you are already out there on the market… or you are thinking of exploring new opportunities in 2013, please-please take a few extra weeks to properly build the right tools to advance your candidacy. Resume+letter+LI are the foundational documents in your career toolkit–and they must be exceptional and 100% authentically you to do the job for you!
To your success!
–Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW - President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
a familiar theme this time of year! A blanket of snow yesterday in my part of New England really helps to evoke the spirit of the holidays ahead. And for most job seekers, it seems to signal a relaxation in their search efforts. I’ve heard it all over the years: “No one hires during the holidays” “I can’t reach anyone, so why bother?” “I’ll start up again right after the first of the year.”
While it may be true in some sectors that actual hiring *decisions* won’t be made until after January 1, candidate vetting, selection, interviewing, and preliminary decisions most definitely *are* being made in many organizations and companies at this time of year. It is precisely because of the myth (that Thanksgiving-to-New Year’s is the worst time of year to look for a job) that you should double-up on your search efforts right now!
So many folks buy into the erroneous theories about this being a poor time of year for job search that you’ll find yourself the beneficiary: You’ll likely compete with far fewer people in garnering the attention you desperately seek! Add to this the festive mood that can prevail and you may find folks more willing and available to take your calls. Your quest for informational meetings may be met more positively. And for actual openings you source and for which you become a candidate (always through the side door — a warm introduction wherever possible — use that LinkedIn network to leverage a connection!), you’ll find yourself competing with far fewer candidates these weeks between Thanksgiving and January 1, 2013.
Get out there — and good luck!
Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW | President, Absolute Advantage | www.janmelnik.com
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
After a break from blogging of a few months, I’m happy to report (a) I have finally completed my first novel, “Telling Tales: On Merlin’s Island” (stay tuned for details of availability on Amazon.com) and (b) I’ve recently earned renewal of my CCM: Credentialed Career Manager designation. I’m one of a group of just 30 CCMs worldwide.
Individuals who hold the CCM intersect a wide range of the career services industry and include career coaches, career counselors, resume writers, outplacement professionals, college and university career services professionals, military and government career transition specialists, human resources and organizational development professionals, staffing and workforce management professionals, recruiters, executive coaches, and others who work in the careers industry.
To earn the CCM renewal, I submitted a portfolio documenting my professional credentials, more than 30 hours of continuing professional development (this included completion of my Master of Arts degree in May 2011 from Wesleyan University), and a demonstrated commitment to sharing time, talents, knowledge, and expertise through industry leadership, publications, presentations, and pro bono work. I’ve held the CCM for the past decade (renewed every two years). To stay competitive, my clients need to know the latest strategies, trends, and best practices in career management. The CCM credential not only reflects my mastery in these areas, it allows me to ‘give back’ through volunteerism, public speaking, and other avenues.
The Career Thought Leaders Consortium, the credentialing body for this designation, is a think-tank of career industry leaders working collaboratively to support both colleagues and job seekers worldwide by providing expert leadership and innovation throughout all phases of career development, job search/resume writing, long-term career management, and career fulfillment. Founded and directed by industry leader and multi-published author Wendy Enelow, the Career Thought Leaders Consortium is recognized as a catalyst for the now, the new, and the next in careers.
It seems that the topic of virtually every speaking gig I’ve been tapped for lately has centered around the use of social media in job search–and LinkedIn, specifically. For the past six months or so, I’ve been straddling that fence and now about to jump fully into saying that a robust and branded, fully developed LI presence is just as important as an exceptional resume to successful job search.
Four, three, even as recently as two years ago, perhaps only 50% of my clients would accept my recommendation that we create a full LinkedIn profile while building a resume and other collaterals. Now? It’s nearly 100%–and certainly that level among those in the C-suite and senior-level executives in all disciplines. Most are over the stigma that a presence will label them as job-seeking or, worse (from their perspective only), out of work. People recognize the value this tool brings to networking and remember that it is just that, a tool to support effective ways of reaching out and maintaining connections (and, yes, job search).
If we accept, then, as a given that a LinkedIn presence is essential, what’s the next step? In coaching sessions, I’m frequently met with (virtual) blank stares. Without further prodding, many of my clients seem content to remain passive–”Okay, my LI is ‘up’ with well-developed, branded content consistent with my messaging, I’ve reached out to colleagues, clients, vendors, former managers, etc., and built a respectable group of connections, and I’ve even uploaded a recent professionally done headshot.” And that’s it (they think). While it is true that in ever-increasing numbers executive recruiters are trolling LI looking for talent and may/do reach out, those engaged in otherwise active job search are leaving a huge stone unturned by not using the valuable features LI provides.
When I point out the tabs-at-the-top of LinkedIn, I’m consistently surprised by the number of execs expressing surprise: they’ve not spent any time or even thought to ‘hit any of those buttons.’ The three I’ll spend the most time coaching on in a one-on-one LI training session: Groups, Jobs, and Companies. The biggest takeaway I impart is how to find and use the connections-in-common with each category of interest.
For this blog posting, I’ll focus on Groups (and handle the others in a separate article). For instance, if I’m working with a CMO whose industry background has been aerospace and defense, I’ll encourage her to use the search feature in Groups to identify possible organizations to ‘join.’ I stress the need to be discriminating. While LI (today, anyway) allows up to 50 ‘memberships,’ it’s impossible to monitor, actively contribute to, and demonstrate thought leadership on that many forums. Pick a handful of engaged groups that can bring value while allowing you to potentially help others. Examine a few key criteria: How may members in the group? How active is it (LI will tell you this)? How many people in your network already belong? Are these 1st or 2nd degree connections?
For this example, the group “Aviation & Aerospace Professionals” appears the most robust with more than 38,000 members, “very active” discussions (813 this month - as of May 4), and it might be a good place to spend some time. Then go to the thread for that group and read. Anything catching your interest? Do topics seem lively, well-developed, eliciting involvement? Lurk for a while, then dip your toe in by sharing an opinion or thought on a thread. Of course, a savvy job seeker *isn’t* going to announce that fact. Rather, as thought leadership is demonstrated through intelligent, thought-provoking posts, people will notice… and when they visit that person’s profile, it will open the door to a contact if there is interest/opportunity.
For this same aerospace CMO client, we find among the 1300+ possible associations/groups of interest another much smaller forum: Aerospace Marketing & Business Development. While there are only about 1400 members, the conversations in this portal are niche-specific. Probably another good place to check out. Use the connections you have within those groups to begin a separate dialogue by sending a message (or an invitation to connect if you haven’t already done so). Of course, it’s essential to personalize your message and not simply accept LI’s ubiquitous: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”
I’ll talk more about connecting the dots between Groups and the other two important areas on LinkedIn for networking, Jobs and Companies, in a future piece. Go leverage your LI power!
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW - President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
Over the past three months, I have delivered four focused resume programs to fairly broad audiences ranging from new graduates and early-career professionals to rising stars and C-level folks. I’ve identified some common technical questions and a few oft-repeated “techniques” that might be standing in the way of a second glance - and preventing a critical opportunity from happening: to be selected among those candidates being vetted for a coveted position. Some pointers may sound pretty basic - but, time and again, I frequently see the do’s missing… and the don’ts still occurring. Keep in mind that these tips, for the most part, focus on the technical, the presentation (as opposed to content, which should always be customized, branded, value-driven, and unique to what differentiates you; that’s ‘a whole nother ball of wax’).
The Basics: Do’s and Don’ts for Technically Enhancing Your Resume
• Show (not tell) predictors of success, using action verbs and eliminating the articles. For the most part, you can drop nearly all uses of “a,” “an,” and “the” … one of the few cardinal rules: do NOT use the word “I” in your resume … but absolutely use it in your cover letter and LinkedIn profile, both of which are written in a far more personality-driven, engaging narrative.
• Present your community service, professional affiliations, volunteerism, and appointments (but, please, unless it’s for an audience outside the United States, and this will be country-/culture-dependent, do not list marital status, health condition, age, height, weight, social security number, or number/ages of children).
• Your resume should be a concise and succinct marketing document that demonstrates your capabilities — in one or two pages (no more - the few exceptions being in academia and with medical profession CVs)… consider using leadership addenda, project briefs, leave-behinds, and other peripheral documents to round out your portfolio.
• Ensure your design includes plenty of white space and creates a readable, skimmable presentation… no tiny, impossible-to-read fonts.
• Be sure you have a text version of your resume for email/Internet purposes; some audiences will want a PDF. These are both in addition to the gold standard: Your resume must be in Microsoft Word. And you’ll still want to have a quality paper for printouts that are brought to interviews, used in certain networking situations, and - sometimes (to great effect) - mailed with a targeted letter to a decision maker (my favorite is Crane’s Pearl White Kid - 32 lb. - crane.com; mailed flat in a 9×12 white catalog envelope through the good-old U.S. mail, you’ll definitely stand out, no one is doing this anymore! [except my clients!].
• Please don’t use a laundry list - avoid using too many bullets… and an obituary-style resume is dead Forward-focus always: Demonstrate what you can deliver (support with quantified achievements and CAR [challenge-action-result-strategic impact] stories).
• Do not use words such as tasks, duties, responsibilities… instead, communicate with strong action verbs and be precise about the value you delivered (Spearheaded, championed, turned around, coalesced, engineered, etc.).
• Ensure paragraphs/blocks of text are no longer than 4-5 lines and, preferably, 3 at the most.
• Always proofread multiple times; spellcheck does not catch everything.
Remember: The sole purpose of a resume is to open doors to contacts/interviews where candidates can best sell themselves. I used to think of them as being the single most important tool you need when beginning a career search. Consider this: You reach out to network with someone and the first thing they say is, “Bob, email me your resume.” After that, there are a hundred more important steps you’ll take to get to the offer! Today, I am *nearly* ready to say that your resume and your LinkedIn profile are equally critical tools that must be complementary, co-branded, and consistent in their messaging of authenticity. I’ll share lots more success strategies in the months ahead. But these are some pretty often overlooked areas that folks can take quick steps to improve the quality of their career communications. Have at it!
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage … CMO Coach, C-SuiteCareerCatalysts.com
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
C-suite executives can often feel alone and ill-equipped
when it comes to managing their careers. As a Chief X Officer, who can they
trust? Who can help guide them through the myriad challenges in managing
high-profile career transitions? Who can assist them in leveraging the
intricacies of social media while effectively managing digital identities? Who
can help them build the right game plans for managing the next chapter of their
careers? C-level executives no longer need to go it alone: They can turn to the
experts at C-Suite Career Catalysts for support in handling all facets of
career management, job search, and positioning.
Combining the executive-coaching talents of five
industry-leading professionals, C-Suite Career Catalysts is a portal for
C-level and rising senior-level executives across all industry sectors (from
CEOs, CFOs, and CIOs to COOs, CMOs/CSOs, and CXOs). Executives will gain access
to expertise unique to their world from a professional who understands their
situation, knows the challenges they face, and who will work individually with
them to build a plan so that they are
fully in control. From crafting customized documents for executives
(resumes, bios, LinkedIn profiles, one-page executive summaries, cover letters,
addenda) to strategizing game plans, facilitating recruiter contacts, and
providing executive coaching, the C-Suite Career Catalysts deliver the optimal
solutions a C-level executive must have to catapult to the top of their game.
The brainchild of CEO coach Deb Dib, the C-Suite site coalesces
the talents of Dib and four other C-suite experts: Kim Batson (CIO coach),
Cindy Kraft (CFO coach), Beverly Harvey (COO coach), and Jan Melnik (CMO
coach). Each coach also works with CXOs. C-level and rising executives are
invited to contact the coach in their specific area of expertise to discuss
confidentially their unique situation and explore appropriate career management
options.
These C-suite experts agree that “C-level executives must be
ready the next time a valued contact presents an interesting opportunity or
they are contacted by a headhunter or a board of directors about a high-stakes
interview.” They add that executives must feel confident that their career
documents, database of contacts, and digital identity are all in order if their
current engagement were to suddenly cease or if their position were eliminated.
“Better yet, savvy executives proactively plan for the next move in their
career. If they’re not preparing today, they’ll be scrambling tomorrow… and
that’s not their style.”
The C-Suite Career Catalysts are committed to creating value
and building client loyalty that extends well past the first service
engagement. They strive to create long-term partnerships with their clients.
Their mission is to support, empower, and celebrate each client’s unique
success story. They can be contacted individually through www.C-SuiteCareerCatalysts.com.
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
In a recent survey of C-suite and senior-level executives by C-Suite Career Catalysts, respondents were asked a wide range of queries related to their experiences in job search.
The methods of job search deemed most effective by C-suite and senior-level executives alike are, of no surprise, networking (between 51-58% of job seekers at this level) and leveraging former relationships (34-53% of those responding). Fourteen percent of senior-level candidates found use of recruiters and using LinkedIn to be equally effective, while just 7% of C-suite execs ranked LinkedIn as very effective. Interestingly, when compared with their senior-exec counterparts, 11% of C-suite executives found working with recruiters to be very effective as a job-search method; 14% of senior-level executives considered working with recruiters to be among their top three most-effective strategies. One revealing finding: more than 52% of C-suite executives found that making direct contact via phone was either “very effective” or “effective” in securing their next gig: 47% of senior-level execs considered this method in the same light.
What isn’t working for candidates at this level in job search? Nearly 95% of C-suite executives describe use of Facebook and Twitter to be ineffective in their job searches. Sixty percent describe mail campaigns to be ineffective as well. Among senior-level executives, 90% of them think Facebook is not going to produce the desired results. The number drops to 85% among this group finding Twitter to be ineffective, while 67% find mail campaigns do not work well.
Other methods of job search given some credit by C-suite executives include nearly 24% finding use of such $100K websites as Execunet, Bluesteps, Ladders, and to produce results (”very effective” or “effective”); this compares with no senior-level execs experiencing results this strong (50% find it “not effective” and 50% would state only “somewhat effective”).
For more strategies in recruitment and job search at the executive level, please visit other highlights of survey at C-SuiteCareerCatalysts.com.
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
It was bound to happen. Those of us with kids of a certain age (teens, young adults, Gen-Yers/Millennials, and even tweens) already know that if we want them to hear us and receive our message, we need to IM or text it. Send them an email? It might join hundreds or thousands of unread emails in their overflowing digital in-boxes… Leave them a voicemail? Forget it. It will sit unheard for days on end… For effective communications other than face-to-face, it’s down to the immediacy of an IM or text message via our smartphones.
Of no surprise, then, is the carryover to the corporate world. According to the December 2011 issue of Human Resource Executive, in a survey conducted of 1,400 Chief Information Officers of nationwide companies, “extinction may soon be the calling for the once-revolutionary mode of communication” (email). Wow! I remember some 25 years ago (no laughing allowed) sitting in my office at Digital Equipment Corporation and using DEC’s internal email system to communicate with my colleagues. That was the same era in which there were real secretaries that answered the telephone–and recorded my messages on pink slips of carbonless paper.
Real-time technologies in the form of IMing tools and text messaging certainly allow for immediacy. But they’re less than ideal — by far — for communicating detail. Time will tell how technology adapts to the needs of the workplace, being influenced by the newest generation of workers, while still enabling productivity and clarity.
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
Employment trends among the Millennials (Gen-Yers) include increased likelihood to pursue relocation than other age groups as well as a likelihood to view free agency and a portable portfolio of skills and abilities as a very acceptable form of career-building (this according to the October 2, 2011, issue of Human Resource Executive). In other words, 20- and early 30-somethings aren’t as enamored of the 30-year career in the ivory tower as their parents and grandparents may have been. Watch for these upstart movers and shakers to pave new paths to career management success in the decade ahead. This demographic will have exponential career opportunity a decade or two from now–when the Baby Boomers *finally* decide to retire from the workforce! In fact, there will be huge shortages in many disciplines as the numbers of workers entering or in the workforce will be significantly fewer than the number of those exiting.
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
The October 2, 2011, issue of Human Resource Executive includes an Outlook 2012 section with projected trends in human capital and staffing challenges. Teresa Carroll, Senior VP and Global Practice Lead for Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group, stated that “62% of global executives report that they expect to see a growing proportion of free agents in their workforces over the next 10 years (five times as many as those who expect to see a growing proportion of traditional full-time staff). Forty-four percent of U.S. workers currently fit the free-agent category, with only 11 percent due to economic necessity. Even after employment conditions stabilize, it is expected that roughly one-third of the U.S. workforce–and 20% to 30% of the global workforce–will be free agents.
“These free agents tend to be highly skilled and well educated–with more than one-third holding master’s degrees or higher. Compared to traditional employees, more free agents have technical or professional skill sets–reflected in the fact that the fastest global growth in free agency is now in knowledge-worker roles, where skill shortages are most acute.” Interestingly, Carroll notes that the “average American free agent is 50 years old and satisfied with his or her work/life balance, annual earnings, and opportunities to acquire new skills. Seventy-five percent of them choose the free-agent work style because they value the freedom and flexibility it provides. These free agents will play a critical role in the talent supply chain of the future.”
Does this trend cause you to consider your own value (and portfolio of skills) in a slightly more portable way?
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired, It’s your career. It’s your life.
Job seekers still rank networking as the #1 way by which to find their next gig — but Internet job boards took a jump up in prominence. According to the Sept. 2, 2011, issue of Human Resource Executive, in 2010, 41% of new career opportunities were secured through traditional networking. An amazing 25% of new positions were secured through the Internet job boards. Right Management in Philadelphia conducted the survey with 59,133 respondents (a statistically large pool to validate these findings).
My bottom-line suggestion? Leave no stone unturned in your job-seeking efforts. This means using all forms of networking (including LinkedIn, including Facebook, and - yes - even including Twitter, plus old-fashioned, pick-up-the-phone, get-out-there-and-meet networking)… use alumni and trade journal contacts… do check out opportunities on the job-search boards (but always go direct to the company after you find an opportunity on line)… and keep up efforts on all fronts. Persevere. Be tenacious. It’s how you’ll get it done.
Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW - President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
Don’t forget to say “thank you.” It matters more than you may think - especially in job search.
According to a brief in the June 2, 2011, issue of Human Resource Executive, “More than one in five (22%) of 2,878 hiring managers surveyed say they are less likely to hire a candidate if he or she fails to send a thank-you note after an interview.” (Data source: CareerBuilder.com, Chicago)
Mom was right. Courtesy does make a difference and can have a tremendous impact on the entire hiring cycle. Furthermore, a thank-you note that goes beyond simply expressing appreciation for the interview can be a very powerful tool in your career-search arsenal. Use it to amplify key points, reiterate positioning you might have felt you were weak on, bolster responses to queries you faltered on, and generally reinforce the strong fit and value-add you can deliver! It’s one of the very best means by which you can solidify your candidacy.
Ideally, send your thank-you (email, most frequently, because it allows you to convey far more than the requisite thanks that a typical note would just barely accommodate) same day if at all possible or next morning at the latest. Absolutely customize the content to the experience - and send everyone on the interviewing team a different message. Do this for subsequent interviews as well! More times than I can count, clients have shared with me this made the difference in the hiring decision, tipping the scales in their direction.
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
I’ve been on hiatus from my blog (not my clients, not my private practice, and certainly not my family)… simply because “something had to give.” This past spring I was in the final push to complete my master’s degree and write my culminating project.
I can happily report that after three-and-one-half years of diligent, rigorous effort, I earned my Master of Arts degree (Humanities) from Wesleyan University on May 22… summa cum laude. When researching graduate school programs, I knew I wanted to study at a respected institution with a solid liberal arts foundation. With two undergraduate degrees in business, I wanted to complement my own foundation with advanced studies in a different discipline.
Ranked #12 nationwide by US News & World Reports/National Liberal Arts Colleges, Wesleyan is considered a baby ivy (part of the “little three,” along with Williams and Amherst). The fact that I could pursue my graduate degree with acclaimed faculty on a gorgeous brick-and-mortar campus just 15 minutes from my home was especially appealing. Sign me up! It wasn’t exactly that easy, of course. I needed to secure letters of recommendation from previous professors and write several lengthy essays in order to matriculate (the writing part, for me, was fun!). Of course, there was the small matter of about $20K in tuition and several thousand more in books (not a blink when you consider my three sons were all undergraduates themselves at private universities at the time). But I was intent on going.
What an experience! For any adult professional who has been away from the classroom for more than a decade or two and who has possibly postponed or even abandoned the idea of graduate school (or perhaps returning to school to complete an undergraduate degree), I heartily recommend it. The chance to revitalize critical thinking skills from the perspective of academia is a real rush. This is particularly the case when in a classroom (physical, in my case, or virtual, as is the case with many universities and colleges nationwide) surrounded by peers that range in age from 22 to 82 (seriously: in one of my grad school classes, a woman older than me wheeled her elderly mother to class for every meeting. Why? This feisty octogenarian had a passion for learning that simply wouldn’t quit, even though her mobility had ceased). Beyond incredible opportunities for learning (a chance to revisit some of the great authors of the previous two millennia, from Dickens to Steinbeck — if you haven’t read Grapes of Wrath since high school, as I had not, I urge you to take another look!), the rigor of a structured academic program, hundreds of pages of required reading each week, and the demands of producing new material (written, photographic, artistic) on an ongoing basis forced a discipline that is invigorating. Networking with fellow students — and creating valued friendships that will endure for a lifetime — was an added plus. (The opportunity to attract and work with new clients, from fellow students to my professors, was a big bonus for my private practice!)
All said, I’d do this again in a heartbeat. In fact, I’ve begun preliminary research into a doctoral program. But I’ve promised my husband to hold off a few years — at least till our youngest graduates from Brandeis — before I spend any more big bucks on my education. In the meantime, I’ve doubled-up efforts to complete my first novel and am aggressively pursuing opportunities as an adjunct professor (a long-time goal of mine: to teach in a formal college program). The winter should bring some lovely opportunities.
Meanwhile, I urge each of you (whoever is reading this blog) to consider your long-time dreams, those shelved ideas, the idled wishes you’ve never quite given the proper focus. Now’s the time. A million cliches apply: It’s never too late. Carpe diem (with thanks to my first of now three alma maters, Bay Path College). Make the day yours!
– Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW — President, Absolute Advantage
I’m delighted to announce that I have been re-credentialed as a Master Resume Writer - one of just 28 MRWs in the world. I also hold the distinction of having been the second person globally to have earned this credential back in 2004. MRWs must submit to a rigorous re-credentialing process every two years to maintain this distinction, which is considered the industry’s gold standard in career document excellence!
According to ExecuNet, their benchmark Executive Job Creation Index (EJCI) held positive for an eleventh consecutive month in November as executive recruiters reported employers are encouraged by improving economic indicators and plan to create more management jobs over the next six months.
The number of employers expected to add executive jobs during that time topped those planning to eliminate or postpone filling top roles by 21 points, a 12-point gain from October 2010 and a signal that more companies will recruit executive talent to rebuild their management teams and realize their 2011 strategic growth objectives.”
“ExecuNet has seen a 30 percent gain in private executive job postings…and they continue to see high-tech and healthcare companies doing some of the most aggressive executive hiring.”
“In November 2010, 61 percent of executive recruiters were confident or very confidence that the prospects for new management hiring activity will be positive” and continue upward over the next six months. That’s good news for C-suite executives — and those aspiring for opportunities within the top tiers of organizations!
Full link to article: http://bit.ly/f25Y9W
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW; President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
Credit: Career Management Alliance E-Bridge, Kathy Bitschenauer
Even though “googling” oneself (using Google as a verb) is passe and being so-called blacklisted with other expressions from 2010 that are being eliminated from the lexicon (along with just sayin’ … my bad … bring it … starting every sentence with “So” … just do it …), I *do* highly recommend you Google yourself pretty regularly to see what your digital identity is saying - especially to those who might be vetting you as a candidate!
So just do it 
Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW - President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
1-1-11… Anyone remember Three Dog Night’s “One Is the Loneliest Number?”, Harry Nilsson’s song they made famous in 1969? Well, in 2011, the number one certainly will not be lonely. Whether it’s today - January 1 - or on January 11 - or on November 1 or November 11 - “one” will have lots of company! As should you if you’re engaged in an active job search or even thinking of exploring the possibilities as a New Year’s Resolution.
What are the easiest ways not to be alone? Of course, social networking should be your first go-to strategy; ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and that you take advantage of the space there to communicate your unique value proposition - use the summary, specialties, and career history. Maximize your outreach, connecting with as many people as possible.
If you’re on Facebook, use this forum for more casual connections with people you know and want to know. Ensure your posts reflect the ‘you’ others would want to refer!
Consider (strongly) tweeting - establish a Twitter account and have something to say! Offer information, volunteer contacts, and feel free to ask others about connections they may have.
Explore job-leads clubs and other in-person networking activities in your professional industry and in your neighborhood and surrounding communities. Be active, be visible, be known.
Take advantage of the turn in the calendar to rejuvenate a sluggish search or start a new job search: Put in place an aggressive plan to make things happen!
Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW - President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
It may seem counterintuitive to put your foot on the job-search accelerator between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but this is exactly the advice I’ve been delivering to clients and job-seekers who attend my workshops for the past few months–*and* for the past decade or more!
A recent News Tribune article, courtesy of CareerManagementAlliance.com, captures some of the key points I recommend:
* It’s a mistake to lose your momentum by taking a break.
* Because so many job-seekers *think* it’s a poor time to hunt, you’ll be competing with far fewer candidates.
* Employers are still at work, and in the quieter time before the holiday, it may be more convenient, and they may have more time to speak with a job seeker.
* A number of organizations will want to be making new hires come the first of the year… you will already be in play, on their radar.
* Many offices limit the time staff can take off, making it a good time to call on an employer.
* Offer to invite the employer/decision maker to coffee for a warm meeting.
* Send holiday notes to thank people who have helped with your professional life this year.
* Send a holiday greeting to establish a warm connection with someone you don’t know…it may just open the door you need.
* Make holiday parties a time to build relationships with people who may be valuable in your network.
* Connect with family, the often forgotten connections in a job search. They have jobs and may know companies in the community that may be on the move or in a transition, and need your talent to fit a particular spot.
* Set regular business hours for your job search, and build in time for fun, to keep your life balanced.
* If you are unemployed for the first time in years, take a little extra time to enjoy family and festivities while devoting those regular hours to job search.
* If you have decided to take a few weeks off from the search entirely at the end of the year, put in place a plan that will allow you to jump out of the gates the first of the year. Then relax.
* Remember that the job search is temporary–a blip in the scheme of things–that will eventually end with a good result. Remain positive!
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.
The Feds reported that the jobless rate increased to 9.8% in November, the highest since April, as the latest data showed employers hiring at a slower pace and the number of long-term unemployed staying about constant. Some speculated that the November numbers didn’t reflect all of the holiday hiring that had been anticipated. Many economists had predicted the addition of nearly 150,000 jobs in November. But the report showed an addition of just 39,000, a sharp decline from the 172,000 jobs created in October. Retailers, factories, construction companies, financial firms, and the government all cut jobs during November.
There were 15.1 million people unemployed in November. Of those, 6.3 million fell in the long-term unemployed category (out of work for 27 weeks or more). Adding those unemployed people to others who are working part-time or underemployed in full-time jobs as well as those who have given up looking for work yields 17% of the labor force in the general category of underemployed (same stat as October).
Another factor reported: There was a record 1.3 million “discouraged” workers in November. These are people not currently looking for work because they believe there are no jobs available to them.
Source: http://fxn.ws/gfmaCS, courtesy CareerManagementAlliance.com “E-Bridge”
– Jan Melnik, MRW, CCM, CPRW, President, Absolute Advantage
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.