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Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
A Positioning Approach
248 Pages, 8.5
Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism: A Positioning Approach outlines a step-by-step plan for career development based on the technique of positioning. In contrast to traditional job search methods, the positioning approach shows you how to increase your chances of securing your preferred job by placing yourself close to the person with whom you want to work, the place or organization where you want to work, or the position that fulfills your career goals. Using the positioning approach, author Robert B. Kauffman has guided students through internship into the profession and beyond.
Based on contemporary research and literature, Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism: A Positioning Approach prepares students for the next step in their preprofessional and professional careers. This resource offers expert advice and tested techniques to help students do the following:
Decide on the job they want and begin to proactively seek out opportunities in that area. Determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) required to get the job they want and start developing those KSAEs. Use professional networking to meet people in the field and advance their career goals. Gather information on the field, the organizations they want to work for, and the positions they're interested in so they can better show where they fit in the organizations and why they should be hired. Engage in one-on-one interviews with the people in charge of hiring at the target organizations. Prepare for interviews and develop the tools they'll need during the job search, including resumes, cover letters, portfolios, and business cards.The book includes individual and group exercises to help students better understand each step in the positioning approach, as well as sample resumes, letters, and e-mails. It also features stories from students and professionals who describe how they used the positioning approach to reach their career goals. Throughout the text, the author provides examples, tools, and tips from his years of experience helping students use the positioning strategy. He also offers techniques for succeeding in more traditional job searches, including preparing for the formal job interview.
Jump-start your current career or learn how your coursework and field experiences can open doors to your career goals. Whether you're just beginning a course of study or just entering the profession, Career Development in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism: A Positioning Approach will help you develop the skills and tools to get the job you want.
Chapter 1 The New Paradigm
Discovering the Positioning Model
Positioning and the Seven-Step Sales Model
Positioning in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Case Study: Sally Herr
Paradigm Shift
Putting It All Together
References
Exercise 1.1: Comparing Your Resume With Sally Herr’s
Exercise 1.2: Surveying Your Hidden Jobs
Exercise 1.3: Determining Your Hidden Jobs
Chapter 2 Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Seeking Proximity in Your Job Search
Determining Your Career Goal or Where You Want to Work
Putting It All Together
Exercise 2.1: Analyzing Sally Herr’s Career Path
Exercise 2.2: The Blank Resume
Exercise 2.3: Which Student Example Is Closest to Your Story?
Exercise 2.4: The Five Ws and Developing Your Career Goal
Exercise 2.5: Finding a Job Announcement on the Internet
Exercise 2.6: My Favorite Job
Exercise 2.7: My Least Favorite Job
Exercise 2.8: Analyzing Your Resume
Exercise 2.9: The Blank Resume—Part II
Chapter 3 Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Benefits of a Proactive Attitude
Assessing How Proactive You Are
Proactive Career Development Traits
Putting It All Together
References
Exercise 3.1: Proactive Career Development Instrument
Exercise 3.2: Proactive Job Search
Exercise 3.3: Proactive Job Search Skills
Chapter 4 Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
Starting With the Evaluation Instrument
Determining Your KSAEs From Job Announcements
Think Evaluation as Part of the Traditional Job Search Process
Putting It All Together
Exercise 4.1: Evaluating Sally Herr’s Resume
Exercise 4.2: The Hiring Unit
Exercise 4.3: Determining Your KSAEs
Chapter 5 Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
Understanding Bridging
Academic Preparation
Professional Development
Continuing Education
Volunteer Activities
Acquiring Your KSAEs
Putting It All Together
Exercise 5.1: Your Plan to Obtain the KSAEs You Need
Exercise 5.2: The Blank Resume
Exercise 5.3: A Comparative Analysis of Your KSAEs
Exercise 5.4: Now that You Know What to Do, What Should You Do?
Chapter 6 Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Professional Networking
Avoiding Black Holes
Developing Your Professional Family
Professional Mentoring
Putting It All Together
References
Exercise 6.1: Identifying People
Exercise 6.2: Working the Room
Exercise 6.3: Networking Costs and Benefits
Exercise 6.4: Living Legends
Chapter 7 Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Places to Look
Casing the Field
Casing the Organization
Researching the Position
Casing the People
Positioning Yourself
Putting It All Together
Exercise 7.1: Casing the Joint Worksheet
Exercise 7.2: Introductory E-Mail
Chapter 8 The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
The Seven-Step Sales Model and Positioning
The Seven-Step Model and the One-on-One Interview
The Individual Job Announcement
Dressing for Success
Seating Arrangements
Starting the Conversation
Putting It All Together
Exercise 8.1: Seating Arrangements
Exercise 8.2: The Good Listener
Exercise 8.3: Perfecting Your Greeting and Introduction
Exercise 8.4: Writing Your Individualized Job Announcement
Chapter 9 The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Strategies
Typical Questions
Questions for Recent Graduates
Transition Questions
Gotcha Questions
Three-Doors Questions
Inappropriate or Illegal Questions
Phone Interviews
Following Up
Putting It All Together
Exercise 9.1: Mock Interview
Exercise 9.2: Mock Phone Interview
Exercise 9.3: Talking to Your Talking Points
Chapter 10 You and Your Resume
Does my resume reflect who I am?
Design Principles
Reverse Chronological and Functional Approaches
Parts of Your Resume
Your Resume as an Art Form
Putting It All Together
References
Exercise 10.1: Individual Resume Assessment
Exercise 10.2: Group Resume Assessment
Chapter 11 Portfolios and Business Cards
Do I have the job search tools I need to obtain the job I seek?
Types of Portfolios
Layout Considerations
Parts of Your Portfolio
Business Cards
Putting It All Together
Exercise 11.1: Business Cards
Chapter 12 Cover Letters and E-Mails
Do I have the job search tools I need to obtain the job I seek?
Cover Letters
E-Mail and Other Electronic Communications
Putting It All Together
References
Exercise 12.1: Writing a Cover Letter
Chapter 13 Putting It All Together
Exercise 13.1: Applying the Positioning Model
Robert B. Kauffman, PhD, is a professor in the recreation and parks management department at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland, where his work with students as internship supervisor led to the development of his theory of job search positioning.
As a researcher, Kauffman has focused on the study of resume construction and the evaluation criteria of employers reviewing resumes of job candidates. Kauffman also was the editor of Employ, a former publication of the National Recreation and Parks Association, which provided tips and tools for the job search and career opportunities in the recreation and parks field.
In April 2005, he received the Citation Award from Maryland Recreation and Parks Association, the highest award presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to recreation and parks movement in Maryland. Kauffman was awarded two Golden Quill Awards in 1990 and in 1989 from the American Camping Association for literary contribution to the camping field. In 1989, Kauffman received the Golden Eagle Award from the Council for International Non-theatrical Events (CINE) for his film Cold, Wet, and Alive. He received this award a second time in 1994 for his film Heads Up.
Kauffman designed and built the home where he and his wife, Sally, reside in Frostburg. In his free time, he enjoys home construction projects, whitewater canoeing, rafting, and wilderness canoeing and camping.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
Nine Steps to Positioning Yourself
Nine steps to help you land your dream job.
The steps of the positioning process form the structure of this book. Each step includes a question that summarizes the goal of that step; these are the questions you will be trying to answer as you go about the positioning process. Some of the questions are very similar to the questions that are traditionally asked of applicants during interviews. However, they take on a different meaning when applied to the concept of positioning because you are asking them of yourself.
Proximity Is Everything . . . Well, Almost Everything
Where do I want to work?
Positioning starts with determining where you want to work, or your career goal, if you know what it is. Because most people have trouble delineating their career goal, the emphasis at this point is on the immediate goal of determining your next job. Then it is a question of positioning yourself close to the people, job, and organization that will advance you in fulfilling your career goal. When you ask yourself, Where do I want to work? you are already in the process of moving toward the position you seek. Chapter 2 walks you through the process of answering this question and provides examples of people who have successfully positioned themselves.
Being Proactive, not Reactive
Do I actively seek the job I want, or do I wait for it to come to me?
Attitude is a vital component of positioning. A proactive person has a curious attitude and finds out what needs to be done and then does it rather than waiting to be told what to do. When I sought a position in western Maryland, my actions suggested to others that I had a proactive attitude. In turn, when you seek a field experience or internship, you are demonstrating a proactive attitude. For the most part, the job search process associated with the traditional model is reactive, whereas the job search process associated with the positioning model is very proactive. As the question suggests, in the traditional model, you wait for the job to come to you. You wait for the organization to advertise the job, and then you apply for it. Chapter 3 applies the principles of being proactive to your career development. Don't get upset if you don't view yourself as a proactive person. By following the positioning model and the techniques described in this book, you will become more proactive in your job search. An added bonus is that people who are proactive get better positions, promotions, and advancements.
Think Evaluation
Why should they hire me?
How do you prepare yourself for your next job? Whether you use the traditional or positioning model, you will find chapter 4 unlike any other in most career development books because it approaches the job search process by starting at the end of the process, evaluation. This chapter provides an insight into the link between the evaluation instrument (the documents and rubrics hiring organizations use to evaluate candidates for employment) and the job description. You will also learn how your application will be evaluated in the traditional model. With this insight comes key knowledge of how to prepare for eventual employment. The chapter also shows how to use job announcements to determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs) you will need in order to prepare yourself for your next job. By starting your career development at the end, with evaluation, you are actually starting at the beginning.
Bridging
Am I prepared for the job I seek?
If you are on one side of a river and want to get to the other side, you build a bridge. You don't sit there and watch the water flow by. In chapter 4, you first determine the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need for the job you seek. Then you develop a plan to obtain them. Bridging is the process of obtaining the appropriate skills for your desired job, whether it is a new job (horizontal bridging) or a promotion (vertical bridging). Chapter 5 describes several bridging techniques and offers advice on developing the KSAEs you need for your next job. It starts with the selection of your major and includes obtaining field experiences, internships, and even summer jobs. Professional development is also discussed.
Professional Networking
How do I meet the person who will hire me?
Although the concept of networking has been around for a while, it needs reexamination, particularly in terms of professional positioning. Chapter 6 introduces the concept of professional networking. It is more than just making contacts; it is making quality contacts, or the right contacts, and it includes addressing technical and content competency. Professional development is one of the key avenues for developing professional contacts in any field, and it is an important aspect of networking. Think of it this way: If you position yourself, you will know who will hire you. In fact, you have probably already met this person. And, because you have already met and talked with this person, in all probability you have already networked with him. In other words, you have assessed what he can do for you in terms of your career, and conversely, he has assessed what you can do for him in terms of his needs.
Casing the Joint
Do I know everything about the organization and the job I seek?
Now that you know where you want to work and have prepared yourself for the job, you need to investigate the organization. Casing the joint is another way of saying researching the organization. In the seven-step sales model, this is the survey phase. It doesn't matter whether you are reactively responding to a position announcement you saw on the Internet or using the positioning model to proactively seek an organization where you can potentially work. The more you know about where and for whom you want to work, the better able you are to position yourself for the job. Chapter 7 reviews some of the traditional research techniques from the perspective of the positioning model. It describes a methodology for researching the field, organization, and position to determine whether this is where you want to work.
The One-on-One Interview
Who within the organization can hire me?
As part of your job search process, you identify the person within the organization whom you need to contact regarding a job. Your next step is to contact that person or someone who can introduce you to that person. This initial contact is what we call the one-on-one interview, in which you explore job opportunities and how the organization can use your skills. This interview incorporates most of the steps in the seven-step sales model. The one-on-one interview is unlike the traditional interview in that it occurs at the beginning rather than at the end of the process, and you are not in competition with anyone else for the position at that time.
The Formal Interview
How should I prepare for a traditional interview?
Depending on your circumstances, even within the positioning model it's entirely possible that you will take part in a formal interview as part of the job search process. In the formal interview process, the organization announces the job and people apply and compete for the position. In some cases, it is a formal process. If you have positioned yourself well for the job, it may be more of a formality. Chapter 9 helps you prepare for the traditional interview.
Developing Your Communication Tools
Do I have the communication tools I need to obtain my job?
Three chapters focus on the communication tools that you will need to obtain your job. In the positioning model, you might never be asked for a copy of your resume. However, you should certainly be prepared in case you are, or in case you are applying for a position through the traditional model. Chapter 10 addresses the nuts and bolts of preparing an effective resume. There are other ways, though, to communicate your skills to a prospective employer besides a resume. Chapter 11 discusses the value of preparing a portfolio and business cards. Finally, because you may need to send a letter or e-mail to the person who will employ you, it is helpful to know the proper format and etiquette for writing cover letters and e-mails. These are addressed in chapter 12. All of these communication tools are sales instruments that sell you and what you are capable of doing. They are you.
Proactive Career Development Traits
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying.
I am constantly on the lookout for new ways to advance my career.
For a proactive job seeker, seeking to advance your career goes without saying. Proactive job seekers are constantly looking for ways to improve and advance their careers. Chapter 5, Bridging, helps to formalize this process and describes specific ways you can acquire the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences you need in order to develop your career. Sally Herr will identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences she needs to become an aquatics director, and then she will develop a simple plan to acquire them.
I feel driven to make a difference with my career.
Do you feel driven to make a difference with your career? Sally Herr may not be driven in the traditional sense, but she would like a job as the aquatics director at the AFC. In this sense, she is proactive and driven to make a difference in her career.
I seek out new career positions rather than wait for them to come to me.
Do you take the initiative, or do you follow after others have taken the initiative? This statement reflects the question at the beginning of this chapter. The proactive job seeker takes the initiative and goes after the job. By following the positioning model and seeking the job at the AFC, Sally Herr went after the job she desired.
Wherever I have been, I have been a powerful force in my career development.
Do you take charge of your job search and career development? If so, you are a powerful force in your career development. By using the positioning model, you demonstrate that you have taken charge of your job search and career development. Sally Herr did. This question illustrates a subtle but important paradigm shift in the job search process. When people become proactive in their job search, the locus of control shifts away from the employer and toward the job seeker. Often, the employer does not become actively involved in the employment process until the one-on-one interview described in chapter 8.
Nothing is more exciting than eventually obtaining the position that I seek.
Exciting may be a slight overstatement; perhaps satisfying better describes the feeling you get from obtaining the position you seek. What could be more satisfying than identifying the position that you want, seeking it out, and then obtaining it? When Sally Herr finally obtained her job with the AFC, though, she was excited.
If I see something in my career development that I don't like, I fix it.
This statement is about showing initiative and having a take-charge attitude. Sally Herr determined that she needed to gain programming experience in water aerobics, and so she completed a water aerobics certification program at her local community college (see chapter 4). In terms of her career development, she fixed a hole in her career development.
I will do what is necessary to develop my career, even if others oppose it.
In a very real sense, this statement measures the intensity of your commitment to and your perseverance regarding your career development. The statement does this in two ways. First, it states it as a positive-that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Second, it suggests that there might be a cost to your commitment. In the face of the opposition of others, will you still do what is necessary to attain your career goal? It is easy to say that you will do what is necessary to develop your career. Who wouldn't? However, the statement suggests that there might be a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?
It is important to note that others will often oppose your career development. Change is often upsetting not only to the person making the change but also to those surrounding the person. Your spouse may look at change as a potential loss of income. Some people will react out of jealousy because you are seeking change while they are trapped in their current circumstances. Others will view you as seeking change to get ahead of them in the fictitious race of life. Many people judge their career progression according to those around them.
The first position I obtained after college was in a bank. After working there for a year, I decided to go back to the university to study recreation and parks. My immediate career goal at the time was to become a camp director. My mother was very unhappy about my decision. The simplest way to put it is to say that it was outside of her comfort zone. Although she didn't overtly oppose my decision, she made her opposition known.
I excel at identifying my career opportunities.
In the positioning model, the first step is to decide where you want to work. You may be able to articulate this in terms of your career goal. Chapters 4 and 5, on think evaluation and bridging, will help you identify your career opportunities. Sally Herr identified her career opportunities and then pursued them.
Regarding my career development, I am always looking for better ways to do things.
Better ways to do things can include identifying and acquiring the necessary KSAEs, casing the joint, or seeking a one-on-one interview. They may also involve more traditional actions such as developing your resume and cover letter.
If I need a new skill to advance my career, I will develop it even if I have to pay for it myself.
In a sense, this is a variation of statement 7. It has two parts, challenging you first to develop a new skill to advance your career, and second, to pay for it yourself. The cost of obtaining the new skill includes not only money, but time. This statement reflects perseverance and dedication.
Sally Herr determined that she needed a four-year degree and to increase her programming diversity. She planned to strengthen her credentials by obtaining a water aerobics certification at the local community college. Although her parents were contributing to her tuition, she was willing to pay for the certification, if necessary.
I have recently had a new job or a major promotion.
Are you complacent and satisfied with your career, and with what you are currently doing? If so, are you proactive in terms of your career development? Probably not. The inference of this statement is that if you have recently had a new job or a major promotion, your career is active and you are moving along on your career path. Because Sally Herr is a graduating senior entering the field for the first time, this statement has less relevance for her.
I can spot a good career opportunity long before others can.
This statement embodies the main principles of this book. Proactive job seekers have a good idea of the job they are seeking. Once they know this, they actively seek this position. They network. They case the joint. These are all signs of spotting a good career opportunity long before others can. The principles of positioning described in this book will help you spot good career opportunities before others do and will help you to become more proactive in your job search.
The positioning model gives you the opportunity to see potential career opportunities that others have not seen. It can also help you create a job where one didn't exist previously. Sally Herr spotted a potential career opportunity at the Anytown AFC and then pursued it using the positioning model. It doesn't really matter whether she created a new position where one didn't previously exist, or whether she simply uncovered a job that others didn't see.
Many people who are positioning themselves become fearful that someone else will recognize the career opportunity that they see and steal it from underneath them. This is a natural fear. In most cases, however, you can lay this fear to rest because everyone else is generally oblivious to the career opportunity you see. This is because they haven't put in the time and energy that you have to research the position. In most cases, when you are positioning yourself, you are the only one competing for the position.
Resume Design Principles
Create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics.
This section addresses both traditional and new design principles. By addressing these principles in the construction of your resume, you will be able to create a resume that communicates what you have to offer while also reflecting your unique characteristics. When you have completed your resume, you can evaluate it by asking questions based on these design principles. Is your resume designed as a sales instrument? Does it focus on your future? If you placed it on the wall next to a picture of yourself, would it be a good representation of you? In addition, many of these principles can also be applied equally well to your other communication tools including your portfolio, business card, and even e-mails.
Selling Yourself
The traditional purpose of your resume is to sell yourself to the potential employer. View your resume as a one- or two-page sales instrument. Everything that you place in this limited space should put you in a better light or sell you better to the potential employer. As a general rule, you should consider everything you include in your resume through this prism. For example, you may wonder whether you should include references on your resume. Ask the question, Does including a list of references sell you better to the person reviewing your resume, or could you use the space better with something else? The issue is not merely about presenting references, but about whether they will enhance your resume as a sales instrument. Review the section on endorsements later in this chapter. Because space on your resume is limited, a quote from your references on your capabilities may be a better use of this space.
Focusing on Your Future
Most people write their resumes or portfolios with a focus on the past. However, as a sales instrument, your focus should be on the future and your next job. Rather than reporting what you have done, your resume should tell the potential employer what you can do for him. For this reason, you should tailor your resume to address specific jobs and clientele.
Separating Yourself From Others
The questions that you need to address are What makes you special and separates you from everyone else? Did you increase sales? Did you receive a commendation? Did you increase productivity? Did you do something new? Your resume should communicate what makes you special and different from everyone else.
Drawing a Word Picture
Whether you use bulleted items or paragraph descriptions, choose your words carefully when you describe yourself. Don't assume that the reader understands what you have done. For example, compare the following two bulleted items that depict your skills:
- Demonstrated excellent leadership skills.
- Supervised five lifeguards as an assistant pool manager.
Which one depicts the skills you have? Most people like some specifics with the word pictures that you draw of yourself.
Paying Attention to Form
The sample resumes in this chapter all use the same content-it's the presentation of that content that differs from resume to resume. Exercise 10.1 at the end of this chapter lets you decide this principle for yourself. If you rate the resumes differently in terms of acceptability, you will agree that form does count.
Making a Good First Impression
The first impression of the person who reviews your resume influences how that person views your candidacy. Practice the five-second rule. Glance at your resume for five seconds; then look away. What do you remember? List these items. Do these items suggest good things such as skills, honors, or accomplishments, or do you remember a bunch of meaningless dates? Does your first glance suggest that you are a winner?
Collectively, the information presented says a lot about who you are and your motivation. Conversely, misspelled words, poor structure, excessive use of the word I, or poor grammar can reflect negatively on you.
Being Selective About What to Include
Your resume is not a job application that requires you to list everything about your past employment. If you had a lousy job, you don't need to list it on your resume. If you have experiences that supersede earlier experiences, you need not include the earlier experiences. After students obtain their first full-time job, they often delete many of the part-time and volunteer positions they had in college, which they used to obtain their first full-time job. Two or three years of full-time employment supersedes these part-time and volunteer experiences. For example, after Sally Herr has been employed as an aquatics director, she can delete the substitute teacher and recreation assistant experiences from her resume because they are no longer necessary.
Keeping It to One or Two Pages
Some experts suggest that a one-page resume is more effective than a two-page resume. Others favor a two-page resume over a one-page resume. Take your choice. Either format is acceptable. The two-page resume gives you more room to present your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences (KSAEs). Some human resources personnel who review job applications prefer one-page resumes because they are easier to critique. Again, the choice is yours. When you develop your resume, if you find it gravitating to a page and a half in length, either cut it down to one page or expand it to two pages. Don't have an overstuffed one-page resume that should really be a two-page resume (see resume 10.6 on page 191). Conversely, be careful not to have a two-page resume that should have obviously been a one-page resume.
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