Empowering People To Change

Usually people associate dining out with fun, pleasure and a relaxed atmosphere. All true statements until you are trying to land a job while going out for lunch. Candidates normally asked themselves why an employer would want to conduct an interview over a meal. There are many reasons why. The hiring manager may not want the office to know they are interviewing for a certain position. The position may require heavy client interaction and business meetings and not only are you being considered for the position but also you are being observed on how you perform in an open environment. It doesn’t matter what the reason is, but in an extremely tight job market you the candidate need to be prepared.
Here are a couple of Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind.

The Do’s
 Shut off your cell phone – I know it’s very tempting to check you blackberry or phone but resist temptation. Even if your interviewer is checking their phone do not check yours.
 Learn the Restaurant – Find out something about the restaurant that can be associated with something you are interested in. Engage your interviewer about the restaurant ask a question “Have you been here before?” “What do you recommend?”
 Inquire about your interviewer – You need to break the ice, ask questions such as “What do you like most about the company?” “How did you get your position here?”
 Keep your guard up – Remember this is an interview not a social setting. Keep focused on what’s at stake. Some companies will send an employee that is similar in age and background that will try to possibly stay something that you should not have.

The Do Not’s
 Talk Excessively – Better known as the pregnant pause used by interviewers. When you are done answering a question do not fill the open air. It is interesting what is said when someone is nervous.
 Being Late – Whether it’s for an in office interview or lunch interview always arrive about 15 minutes early.
 Rude to Restaurant Workers – This rank’s number one as the biggest blunder. Be polite to your waiter/waitress. Be patient and keep you focus on why you are there.
 Your Ordering Taste – Keep in mind the price of the items on the menu. Ordering the most expensive item. Skip dessert and only order coffee if the hiring manager is having something. This shows that you are fiscally responsible. Beware of what you order. Order something that you need to use a fork, and stay away from onions and garlic.

Following these easy to remember tips will help you land your new position. Lunch interviews just added some more complexity to the hiring process. Also always do your research on the company and be prepared.

The Resume Checklist you Can’t do Without

With the current state of the economy and unemployment rising every month you the job seeker need to take full advantage of every opportunity you have. There are fewer and fewer jobs available thus making your resume the number one priority. Before you send out your resume compare it against this simple checklist.

1. Clear Objective
There has been much debate was to whether or not to include an objective on a resume. I am here to say “YES”. Your resume must have a clear objective, not one with a lot of words that is not clearly defining your interest. It is simple your objective should state the target job title your resume is going to speak to. Your objective helps lead you into your opening statement which you will then focus your resume on. This statement will immediately let employers know who you are.

2. Opening Statement

Most resumes open with the “Summary of Qualifications”. The problem is the qualifications summarized tend to be more fictional than real. Within this paragraph cliché phrases are used such as “results driven” or “proven track record”.

If your resume has these two phrases or phrases that are very similar you may want to restructure your resume. Don’t bore your reader, your reader is only interested in one thing can you do the job. Can you help solve their problem.

Instead present a clear and concise statement usually one sentence that highlights your single biggest strength and end with what benefit you can offer. This is normally justified by some dollar figure since in today’s business world everything comes down to dollars saved.

3. Measureable Results
Within this section you need to list specific achievements in a bullet form. Achievements should be justifiable someone you worked for received a benefit. You need to get your point across in this section you need to communicate to your audience your “true value” both clearly and specifically. These bullet points should be brief no longer than a sentence long. Ideally if you are able to assign a dollar value to your statement it will have a bigger impact with your new employer.

4. One Job Title = One Resume
Employers, Human Resource representatives, job recruiters have a short attention span, thus you only have a small window to lure them into reading more about you. Once you lose their attention or confuse them your resume will be put to the side. If you are applying for a controller position state why you are a great controller. Employers do not need to know areas that do not pertain to the current job you are applying for. Always use one resume for one position, do not use the same resume for different positions. You need to structure your resume for the job you are applying for. If you do this your resume will not be set aside.

5. At the Top
Put all important information at the top of your resume. Start with your most recent position and continue. Most resume readers spend approximately 20 seconds thus you have this amount of time to make an impact and to capture your reader to keep reading. If you have an important fact do not bury it within the body have it stand out. For example if you helped reduce costs by 10% this information should be highlighted at the top of page 1.
If you follow this simple checklist, chances are your resume will stand out and you will receive more call backs.

Carvechi, a premier career website for the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology, has announced a “Managed Solutions” division to assist national clients with challenging projects in Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology.

Miami, Florida (PRWEB) June 16, 2009 — Carvechi, a premier career website for the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology, has announced a “Managed Solutions” division to assist clients with challenging projects in Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology.

This new division is focused on being a project based solution service for clients who face the pressure of reduction in permanent headcount as well as the challenges of meeting pending deadlines with SOX compliance, internal control implementation, cloud computing, new Software implementation and assessment of work-flow. The Managed Solutions division is part of Carvechi ‘s “Empowering Movement” which focuses on changing the mentality of corporate barriers in the job market thus causing a paradigm shift in the global mindset of how employee and employer synergistically bond in the United States and abroad.

Carvechi’s professional network of registered executive level candidates allowed us to create this exciting division to assist corporations with the many challenges they are facing in today’s global economy while focusing on creating change, sparking creativity, and building efficiency.
We empower and give free education to enable people during their career transition
Carvechi’s Managed Solutions division offers a wide variety of services for each targeted business area, and has the knowledge of experienced minority professionals to help our clients improve performance and achieve any goals. Donald Tee Carson, president and CEO of Carvechi stated “Carvechi’s professional network of registered executive level candidates allowed us to create this exciting division to assist corporations with the many challenges they are facing in today’s global economy while focusing on creating change, sparking creativity, and building efficiency.”

In addition to launching this new division, Carvechi has also remodeled its leading career website to provide enhanced features and user-friendly environment, enabling both candidate and employer to come together. People searching for a job are encourage to apply for positions at Carvechi and career opportunities range from accounting jobs, finance, technology, and executive careers. Employers can post a position for a low price of $349.00 with full database access to search resumes and job visibility for 45 days.

A great addition to the career site is the “Carvechi Live” module. In keeping with the theme of “Empowering People to Change”, Carvechi Live is a free repository of excellent articles on interviewing & resume writing techniques, career coaching, available opportunities, and latest news on the job market. Carson stated “We empower and give free education to enable people during their career transition”. Articles are written from leading industry experts and provide empowering information.

About Carvechi:
Carvechi is a minority owned company with over 50 years experience in Information Technology, Accounting, and Finance. With a premier career website and managed solutions division specializing in the areas of Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology. We are revolutionary in our process to educate and empower people while searching for a career. We offer job seekers the ability to post resumes, CV’s, and video resumes enabling hiring organizations the ability to view prospective candidates in a unique forum and in essence conduct an initial screening online. Our Managed Solutions delivers value to our clients regardless of size, state, local or federal government, at significant cost saving measures to ensure on time delivery of projects, quality, and professionals.

This is the innovative new trend in career websites and managed solutions.

###

You worked hard in school getting an education needed for to jump start your career and to land your first job. Don’t let these mistakes stall your career growth. Remember coming right out of school and entering into the work force you have a clean slate. Let your new employers perception of you see you as an up and comer not a slacker. Your behavior, attitude and appearance will play an important role in your success.

The following career killers should be avoided:

1) Procrastinating – In your school career you probably waited to study for a big exam until the last possible moment, and you probably ended up with a decent grade. This type of procrastination in the work place will be unacceptable. If you wait to pull together a big presentation chances are the preparation for this will be shoddy and shown to your boss and co-workers. There is always a chance something will happen as well you might be missing a key part of the presentation due to someone’s absence or is unavailable to assist you. The end result you will be seen as a slacker and you will find yourself on the “corporate slow track”.

2) Sense of Entitlement – Society has driven us to always get what we want. This is not true in the workforce. You need to be patient it’s not possible to gather ten years of experience from one year. Young inexperienced employees feel entitled to receive quick promotions, but it’s that attitude that will keep you from advancing. If you have a job you are lucky to have one in this economy. Remember you are at the bottom of the ladder, and need to work your way up. You will need to pay your dues that means working on the days that everyone senior wants off. This is the time for you to learn more and how to advance your career.

3) Settling into your Job – Getting adjusted to your job is your first step, but you should always be on the lookout for chances to shine. Do not be shy from to step up for more responsibilities. Go above and beyond your everyday tasks. This will demonstrate your talents to your boss and show your boss that you are a risk taker who takes initiative.

4) Avoid Office Politics – Within every office politics are alive. You need to beware of them and not fall into the trap of gossiping and backstabbing. Instead you should use this to your advantage by developing relationships, asking for advice, and offering your help by showing sincere interest in others.

5) Not being a Team Player – This is a situation that young employees need to pay close attention to. You want to be part of a team and help in making the project successful, but you do not want your efforts to be lost and not recognized. You need to be able to demonstrate your skills and build your career without giving the perception that you are only looking out for yourself.

6) Not Dressing the Part – You want to look the part. You want to look professional and in control not sloppy. In today’s society people tend to look at the visual more than your merits and skills. Look at your co-workers see what they are wearing. If they are wearing suits than you should be dressing similar. Do not wear a suit if everyone is wearing jeans.

7) Not Networking – Not only is networking a good thing to help you find a job, it’s also a good way to keep your job. Maintaining your contacts after you are hired is critical for continuing your career. You never know that a contact may help you find your next position if you follow the points suggested above.

Do you hear what I hear? The sounds of the masses panicking over the DOW dropping and slowly accepting defeat by rolling over and playing dead. The media loves nothing more than to pump us up with this negativity; to fuel the fire. Everywhere you turn it seems like someone is spewing myths of doomsday, and one can’t help feeling overwhelmed and challenged. Layoff and unemployment rates seem to be going up and up, and many are beginning to wonder “Why Me”.

With the job market being so competitive due to a lack of available jobs, and recruiters seeming to collect resumes as a hobby rather than actually get you a job, it’s easy to feel victimized by the system. Everyone is facing challenges right now, but the only way to overcome these challenges is by having the right mindset. Everyone needs to learn to face these challenges to head on. We need to learn to empower ourselves to change or empower ourselves to MAKE a change.

Rather than think of challenges as horrible incidents that HAPPEN to us, we need to think of them as hurdles that we must jump in order to build strength of character and grow as a human being. It’s easy to say things like “I’m facing this challenge because of the government, not because someone wants me to grow”, but the truth is that we all make our own success and our own failures. We are responsible for 99% of what happens to us, and if we face a challenge, it is because of a decision we made that did not work out just right. It’s time you empower yourself to stand up and say, “This situation sucks, but I’m taking charge. I’m going to MAKE my success. I’m going to MAKE myself happy.”

Face the challenges head on. Face your fears. If you do, you will see such massive growth in yourself that it will radiate to all other areas of your life, because you will have learned a great lesson. Even though we cannot control what happens in our day to day lives, we CAN control how we handle the situation. We can empower ourselves to MAKE our own “luck” by hard work and dedication. We can empower ourselves to MAKE to change if we don’t like where our life is headed right now. No one gets a free lunch in this world. No one got where they were by just being “lucky”. Once you realize that you’re not a victim just because you weren’t one of the “lucky” ones, you will rise above.

Having the right mindset will get you far. If you take the bull by the horns, run with the situation and make the best of it, success will come your way. Instead of moping about not having a job, go out there every single day and make it happen. Call up every company that turned you away and sell them on why they need you. Don’t take no for an answer, and don’t stop there. Remember that job that you wanted so bad, but thought you could never get because it was out of your league? Apply to it! Envision yourself getting that job, and depositing that first paycheck. Empower yourself to believe that you can make a change, and maybe, just maybe, YOU can empower people to change.

We all know the job market out there is tough. It’s tough times for everyone right now. You’re either looking for a job or petrified that the job you currently have is going to end for a reason unknown to you. So how can one create wealth and abundance in a volatile job market? How can you be successful when it seems you have nothing but obstacles in front of you?

First, let’s define wealth and abundance. Wealth and abundance is not just about having lots of money and a yacht to boot. Wealth and abundance is having the ability to live a comfortable life, and to continue to further yourself. It’s somewhat of a two-way street. You cannot be happy and successful if you do not have wealth and abundance by striving to better yourself. If you are stagnant, you create a stagnant lifestyle. That is what you bring to you. Whatever you project out comes back to you.

If you have the ability to face your challenges, then do so! By facing challenges head on, by taking control of your life, you are unconsciously creating wealth and abundance. You are telling yourself that you believe that you can do something better, that you have real value. If you project that positivity, eventually (though it may not be as quickly as you like) that is going to be what surrounds your life.

You may be thinking that it’s easier to say than to do, and if that’s your mindset, you are your own worst enemy. Things can always get worse before they get better, but why focus on that? Because you’re a “realist”? No, you’re a pessimist if you think in those terms. You’re accepting defeat and you’re letting the world know, “Hey, I’m a victim!” The only person who has victimized you is YOURSELF.

We have to learn to let go of our fears and our inhibitions. Learn to emit positivity, and wealth and abundance will come your way. It’s not just going to happen to you, you have to go out and get it. If you feel you justly deserve a raise, create a game plan/speech and tell you boss you deserve it and exactly why that is the case. Break down the walls that we’ve been brainwashed to put up. Once you learn there are no limits, you have nowhere to go but up.

Resumes just don’t cut it. It’s not enough, in this down economy, to submit a resume, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. You have to go through multiple avenues to make your mark and get noticed in a hiring process. Interviewing helps to a great extent, but a little boost can get you the job when it comes down to two candidates…yourself and another. That extra boost is a job proposal.

You may be asking yourself what a job proposal is. It is a tactic that is not used enough in job hunting, and is so beneficial to your portfolio. It almost sounds like something an employer should be giving you and not vice versa, right? Wrong. A job proposal is something you give an employer, once you get past the first screening process (the resume submission) to give the company an idea of how you can enhance the company and what you have to offer it. Resumes are great for reviewing your past accomplishments, and give a great baseline of your skill sets. Job proposals are designed to look towards the future, to show the hiring manager that if they choose you as their employee, you will accomplish several tasks for them.

The great thing about job proposals is the more creative they are, the better! You can submit a 1 or 2 page letter, you can do a PowerPoint presentation, or maybe even create a website tailored to your plan. If it’s appealing to the eye, creative, and has excellent content, you’re sure to catch someone’s eye. The point is you have to show the company that you understand their vision, and you want to help them achieve it. Some examples of what you could include in a proposal might be how to enhance an existing program (particularly useful if you’re going for a managerial position), introduce a new product or vision that you might have that can increase their revenue, or why to implement a new process. This brings up another important point. The proposal should also be geared toward how you can improve the company’s bottom line. That could be through increasing revenue or improving accounts receivable.
Companies want to know why they should hire you over another. You’re going to have to prove yourself worthy, and proposals give you that extra edge over your opponents. They set you apart from the pack, and odds are that’s probably going to be one large pack. Combine multiple techniques, and you’re sure to get pushed to the front of the line.