Today's Outplacement

Some people hear the word Outplacement and they think of things like a career center where job seekers are sitting in cubicles using the phone, or a classroom where people from different industries, career levels, and backgrounds are lumped together being given all the same information. Or they might think of someone helping them with their resume, giving some "career" advice and sending them on their way. Doesn't seem very helpful does it? Well, I suppose at some point in time it may have been, but that isn't going to cut it in today's world.

Today, Outplacement has to be more than a cattle call or a cookie cutter solution aimed at the masses. Displaced employees need real support and in order for them to view Outplacement as a viable source of support and not just something their employer tossed in while they were leaving with very little value, it has to be targeted and must provide each person with the tools they need based on where they are in their career, what industry they are in, their career path, skills, goals, and so many other factors. An important factor is when they were last in the job market. A Senior Manager or someone who has not had to actively look for a job for years is going to need far different support than someone who has been out of college and in the professional world for a few years.

An Outplacement Specialist should spend time getting to know each person and truly understand their needs, goals, concerns, etc. Only then can a plan of action really be developed. Each person should feel that their Outplacement Specialist is listening and working specifically for them.

In today's market, looking for a job is complex to say the least. There are job boards to navigate, resume spiders, job portals, social networking sites, business networking sites and that is just the beginning. How do you interview and stand out when there are dozens of candidates vying for the same position? What is a resume supposed to look like today? How do you navigate these things and not go crazy or at least have an anxiety attack twice a day? All of this and more should be handled and planned out by the Outplacement Specialist.

In the end, it is our job to help you---on your terms. We are the experts, you set the pace. At Pinnacle Resource Partners, this is our business model and we are all about bridging the gap and getting displaced employees back to work as quickly as possible. www.pinnaclerp.com.

Looking for a job?

Looking for a job, especially in today's volatile market is tough. It seems that everyday companies are going out of business or we are hearing about yet more lay offs. But there are jobs out there to be had and you can find one--if you have the right tools.

Many people have been out of the job market for years and never expected to be looking. What do you do if you found your last job in the Sunday Times? Or if you were recruited into your previous job? Sure, most people know that today most job hunting is done on-line and scouring the newspaper is a thing of the past. But many job seekers don't have a clue as to what their resume should look like, how to prepare for an interview in today's world, how to use on-line business and social networking as a job search tool, how to launch a successful job search and many other aspects of what is now, a quite complex job market. Employers expect more and have their pick of candidates so it is important that candidates know how to navigate the market and stand out amongst all of the other qualified (and not so qualified ) candidates.

Outplacement supports workers who have recently been laid off or who will soon be facing a lay off, by working with displaced worker one-on-one to build the skills necessary to find a new job quickly. There are many aspects of Outplacement but basically, a good Outplacement firm/counselor will be there to support, coach and provide direction to displaced workers at every step in their job search journey.

Outplacement is a benefit that many employers will provide at the time a lay off is announced and pay for the service so that affected employees have support and can get a jump start on getting back to work quickly. There are a number of packages and levels of support the employer can purchase but almost all involve some level of all of the above mentioned areas. At Pinnacle Resource Partners we work with employers to map out a strategy which ensures that the displaced employees have a solid transition plan. We also work with individuals who do not have a sponsoring company but who want to ensure that they are fully prepared to enter the job market.

Visit us at www.pinnaclerp.com for more info or call us today!

The Benefits of Outplacement

If you are an employer who is faced with the unfortunate reality that in order to remain competitive and profitable you must lay off some of your workforce, you are probably struggling with how to ensure that the employees who are affected will get through the lay off and wondering how you can best ensure they are able to move forward quickly. While laying off employees is sometimes necessary, particularly in today's world, it is never easy. No employer wants to see hard working, valuable employees without a job or income to support themselves and their families. So what can you do? Severance is good, it allows the employee a bit of a cushion to get their bearings, continued health care benefits for a period is nice, who wants to be unemployed and worry that they can't afford health care? But what about giving the employee a resource that they can work with in order to be prepared and successful in their job search? Many employees have not been in the job market for years and have no idea how to navigate, how to create a resume that works in today's electronic driven world, how to interview, how to launch a successful job search strategy or even how to deal with the stress of being unemployed.

All of this and more is part of what Outsourcing provides. For a small fee per employee, an employer can engage an Outsourced firm such as Pinnacle Resource Partners www.pinnaclerp.com, to provide one-on-one support to the displaced employees. This support is invaluable as it provides the displaced employee with the tools and skills to quickly find a new job. For the employer, aside from the satisfaction of knowing that you have provided transitional support to these employees, you also increase your visibility as an employer of choice for your remaining employees as well as future employees, clients are happy to be working with such an employee centric partner, and you also save costs on unemployment and more importantly, reduce the chances for employment related litigation.

In the past, Outplacement involved a work center in many cases, where displaced employees would go to attend group workshops, use a cubicle, etc, basically it was a cookie cutter approach. Today, Outplacement has to be much more than that. It has to be individualized and focused in order to be effective. Most people have a home computer and don't need a center to go to, thereby eliminating the need for brick and mortar, which results in lower costs to you. Some Outplacement firms charge up to $5,000.00 per employee---this is completely unreasonable and not economically responsible. A good Outplacement provider should be flexible in their approach, be able to provide support virtually and be able to show you exactly what the employee will get.

Today, 72% of employers are utilizing some sort of Outplacement when laying off or downsizing--the benefits and values are absolutely worth it!

Four Good Job Sites

Everyone knows about the big 3--Monster, CareerBuilder and HotJobs. However, sites that are industry specific are actually becoming more and more prevalent. Employers are seeing the value in targeting job seekers from with their own industry. For example healthcarejobs.com increase its market share last year substantially, Dice.com which is tech specific rose as well, while CareerBuilder actually went down. It's important to do your homework and find specific sites for your target job. Below are 4 examples of more general websites that have recently become very popular.

Indeed.comIndeed includes millions of job listings from thousands of web sites, including company career pages, job boards, newspaper classifieds, associations, and blogs. Job seekers may also search job trends and salaries, read and participate in discussion forums, research companies and even find people working for companies of interest through their online social networks.
LinkUp.comLinkUp is a job search engine that searches jobs on company sites. The job postings are from small, mid-sized, and large company career sections, and are updated whenever the company web site is updated.
SimplyHired.comSimplyHired searches thousands of job boards, classifieds, and company sites. Advanced search options include type of job, type of company, keyword, location and the date the job was posted.
JobsterSeach for jobs posted by location (city, state, zip), keyword, vicinity, and best match. Advanced search options include state, city, radius from a city, date posted, and multiple keywords or a phrase.

Lost in a sea of technology

If you are like me, you are struggling everyday just to keep up with the latest technologies and praying that it will slow down so you can catch up. If you aren't blogging, tweeting, twibing, Im'ing, Facebooking (is there a verb for posting on FB yet?!), texting, emailing video conferencing or pod casting then you are clearly asleep at the wheel and quickly become a relic. It feels like if you slow down for a second, the information super highway is going to make roadkill of you in short order. I have anxiety just writing about it!

I now keep a spreadsheet of all of the accounts I have--log-in's, passwords etc. for Twitter, Twipe, Facebook, BlogSpot, Skype, GoToMeeting.com, e-mail, IM, MySpace, Gather, Spoke, Linked IN---there are more names on the list than were at my wedding.

So here's what I've decided to do--I've decided NOT to try and do all of it. I mean come on, it is ridiculous to think that anyone can hold down a full time job and do all of this stuff (while maintaining any sense of sanity whatsoever!). I have decided to weed out what I don't need. Mostly what I need is business. Facebook isn't helping my business, IM is just distracting, and I am drowning in email because I have several accounts. I am consolidating and having only one--I will spend more time calling my friends and family and less time feeling guilty because I can't respond to their emails, and I will be honest and tell them that I won't respond unless I can. I have decided that we have to set boundaries and limit what we try to take on, lest we become the roadkill previously mentioned. My Space is so yesterday and texting, Hello?! No, I'm downsizing in an effort to be more efficient and lean. Are you with me??

Here's to pulling into the slow lane!

What are key words and why should you care??

Ok, so you're out there--Like it or not--in the vast abyss that is today's job market. You keep sending out your resume, you've posted it on every job site you can find and still...nothing. The phone isn't ringing, no emails, you stare at the phone and your inbox and hear crickets. Is it just that there are no jobs out there? Are you not qualified? It's driving you nuts...

One thing that job seekers have to do in order to insure that their resume is being seen by employers and recruiters, is to make sure that it contains the key words that potential employers would enter into a resume database such as Monster, CareerBuilder, Dice and others when searching for candidates. If your resume does not contain these important key words, you will never make it into the batch of resumes returned in a search. If you are an Accountant but no where in your resume is it listed that you have private and industry experience or that you have your CPA, have used Peachtree, QwickBooks, etc. then you might as well settle in, because it will be a long wait.

The good news is, it's easy to figure out exactly what key words you should include in your resume. A good practice would be to go to one of the on-line databases and do a search for the kind of job you are looking for. Once you have located several postings from various companies, compare them and find the commonalities used in the job descriptions and then incorporate them into your resume!

Happy hunting!
PRP

Resume Tip--Making an Impact With Your Objective Statement

Your resume is a representation of you. It is a marketing piece and YOU are the product! So don't sell yourself short by not making sure that you have really put your best foot forward and created the best composite of you and your experience possible.

The first portion of your resume is usually your objective. Therefore, it should leave no doubt with the reader, that you are the right candidate. It has to grab their attention and entice them to read further. The Objective section tells employers exactly what you are looking for and later in your resume, when they get to the other sections such as Skills and Abilities, Employment History, Education, etc. the details should reinforce this objective. Be specific in your objective. Stating that you are looking for a management position is great, but it does not tell employers what kind of management position you want or why you are right for their company. What kind of Management position are you looking for? Your objective should leave no doubt that you are looking for exactly the job the employer is looking to fill! In addition to the specific title or job you are looking for, you should add a few sentences about how you will meet their exact needs doing this job. But be careful not to overdo the descriptors here--you've still got the skills and Abilities and Summary sections to do more bragging!

Good Luck!

Stressful Times--How to Cope

Given all that is happening in the world, it's easy to feel drained at the end of the day. Even when things are going well in our lives, we can end up feeling like there is a monkey on our backs just from "absorbing" negativity from others, the TV, radio and Internet. So, it's important to remember to take steps that will get you back on track and keep your mental state clear. Here are a few tips:

Set a time everyday when the "devices" go off. Blackberry's, iphone, computer, cell phone--all of it! You will likely feel some anxiety at first but trust me, the world won't end and you will feel better!

Exercise regularly (3x a week is ideal). I know, where are you going to find the time, right?! Exercise doesn't necessarily mean that you have to schlep to the gym. There are many ways that you can get exercise and in process, clear out the cobwebs. The point is that exercise is a wonderful way to ensure that your body and your mind are healthy. Take a walk at lunch, talk a walk after work (force your spouse and/or the kids to go with you and make it re-connect time too!), buy a medicine ball ($10 at a drugstore) and spend 30 minutes each day in a quiet room stretching/working out with ball (if you have to, get up 30 minutes earlier--it's worth it!). Pilates, Tae-Bo and yoga are all excellent ways to reduce tension, properly align the body and keep energy flow on an even keel.

See a therapist. Although this may sound a bit extreme, sometimes just talking, open flow, for an hour can really be therapeutic. You don't need to have a problem to see a therapist!

Surround yourself with optimistic, supportive people. Misery may love company, but this is not the time to commiserate. You need to remain focused, positive, and inspired.

Journal as a way to keep a healthy perspective. Devote at least one night per week to writing down your thoughts and let go of emotions by putting pen to paper.

Whatever you do, just remember to take good care of yourself. Take a bath, lay in silence for 15 minutes, meditate, or just sit back and breath in and out for 10 minutes (when all else fails!).

Here's to a clear mind and a peaceful spirit.

Getting Past These 3 Tough Interview Questions!

It's incredibly hard to land an interview these days, so making the most of every opportunity is critical. In this email I'm going to give you advice on handling the three toughest interview questions that trip up the majority of job seekers. With a little practice you can turn these three questions into opportunities. Below are the three questions that job seekers often have difficulty answering:

Why should I choose you?
What's your greatest weakness?
What are your salary expectations?

Part of the problem is that there is confusion about why the employer is asking these questions, and that people don't like talking about themselves. Here's advice on how to answer these questions:

Why should I choose you?
When I ask this question in an interview, I truly don't expect the job seeker to present a refined case on why they're the best candidate for the position. Rather, I'm looking to understand their qualifications, motivations, as well as understanding how their brain works. The worst responses are when the person simply focuses on themselves. For example, "I think you should choose me because this position offers me a chance to learn new things and be part of a winning organization." That's all fine and good, but I want to know what's in it for me. The best responses are when the person ties their candidacy back to the problem I'm trying to solve. Something like, "I'm a proven performer in the credit and collections area, and I'm confident that in a short time I can reduce your accounts receivable balance by 50%."

What's your greatest weakness?
Many seekers think this is a trick question, designed to make you confess the reason why you shouldn't be hired. This leads to the, frankly, weak response of trying to turn a negative into a positive. "I get impatient with people who don't share my drive." Or, "I become so focused that I find myself working evenings and weekends." While a nice try, most interviewers dislike this approach. In their mind they are thinking, "Do I really look that naïve?" When I'm the interviewer, I'm wanting to see if the candidate is self actualized, and is committed to personal development. A great answer might sound something like, "I'm committed to my own personal development, and every year I focus on two or three skill areas where I know can make improvement. This year I wanted to beef up my negotiating skills, so I've been taking a class and I've read three books on the topic."

What are your salary expectations?
In today's "new normal" economy, this question is confusing to nearly every interviewee. Many people are willing to take a cut in pay just to get a job, and they're ready to say this to the interviewer. I'm even hearing about candidates saying they'll work for free for the first month. The problem is, it positions you as a weak negotiator, as well as creates flight anxiety for the hiring manger. Meaning, he's concerned you'll take a 40% pay cut today, and then quit as soon as the economy recovers. My advice is to simply say that you want to be treated fairly for your relative level and experience within the group. Something like, "I know these are different economic times, so I'm really just looking to be treated fairly in relation to my prospective peers at the company. I'm confident that over time your company will value my skills and contributions which will be reflected in my compensation."