Australia's leading Career Newsletter - Career Communique x-Press

Love Your Work! | Secure that Job! | Blitz the Interview! | Retain & Engage your Staff!

In this issue

Greetings

Connections: Career Communiqué Radio & TV:
Boost your professional profile and personal brand – online.

Coach's Corner:
Identifying Your Expertise, Experience and Education

Ace that Interview:
Becoming an influential communicator

Your question answered:
How to handle employment gaps (due to layoffs) in your résumé.

Resources & Tools to Catapult Your Career
Annemarie recommends...

Friday 19, December 2008
ISSN:1835-8551
Volume XXVI, Issue 45

Published every fortnight on Friday. To change your subscription, see link at the end of the email.

Career Communiqué x-Press supports people in accelerating their level of success in the job market and the workplace; and businesses in boosting their staff performance and profitability!

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Personal note from Annemarie Cross

Hi,

Welcome to another issue of Career Communiqué x-Press, and especially a warm ‘hello’ to all of our new subscribers. We consider it a real privilege to have you join us!

December is upon us again – can you believe it? I don’t know about you, however the older I get, the faster the years seem to come and go.

While this time of year can, for some of us, be quite hectic, among the busyness of Christmas shopping and festivities, I hope you’ll take the time to reflect over the past year. What successes are you particularly proud of? What could you have done differently that perhaps would have allowed you to achieve a better outcome? And more importantly, how can you transform challenging situations into opportunities of development and growth to continue momentum towards fulfilling your goals for 2009? What you dwell on expands – so let’s make it positive. Here is to an awesome 2009 for you!! I hope that we at Advanced Employment Concepts can support you in achieving your 2009 career goals.

As this is the last issue of Career Communiqué x-Press for this year I’d like to take the opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I look forward to connecting with you again in 2009!

Identifying Your Expertise, Experience and Education

Considering the possibility of launching your own business? Does the thought of being your own boss seem very tempting, however you have no idea as to what type of business to start? This fortnight’s article presents you with an exercise to get you focused on your expertise, experience and education – all important factors in your decision making process.

Hope you enjoy this fortnight’s article!

Connect with me on Facebook Are we friends yet? If not just click on the photo and send me a friend request. Come and join our Career Success Network too! Or become a fan! Until next time, to your success! Remember: If you can dream it...you can achieve it! Annemarie Cross Career Management & Personal Branding Strategist
	Name: Annemarie Cross

Connections: Career Communiqué Radio

Bringing you empowering career related topics every week to support you in accelerating your level of success in the job market and the workplace. Co-hosted by Annemarie Cross and Keith Keller.
When: Every Monday Where: www.blogtalkradio.com/careercommunique/ Dial In: 0011 1 914 338 0714 [Calls only 1 cent per minute if using a calling card] Time: 8.00-8.30am AEST [Note: All shows are recorded so you can listen in anytime!]
What's coming up on our next show – Monday 22nd December 2008 Topic: Job Search & Career Success - End of year wrap up. Join Annemarie Cross and Keith Keller as they revisit some of the topics discussed on previous CC Communique Radio shows so you can accelerate your level of success in the job market and the workplace. Previous Show: Boost your professional profile and personal brand – online.

Coach's Corner: Feature Article

Identifying Your Expertise, Experience and Education

When at the crossroads of a possible career change, for some of you the desire to start your own business may be strong but overshadowed by uncertainly over what type of business to commence. Even if armed with a positive outcome from our ‘Are you an Entrepreneur Quiz’ that demonstrated you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, you may still be no closer to a decision on exactly what type of business you would like to get into.

There are a number of important areas that you will need to consider before you embark on your new journey as a ‘business owner’, which I aim to cover in the upcoming issues of Career Communique.

In this issue we’ll be identifying and assessing your expertise, experience, and education, all being important tools that you will need to call upon should you decide to start your own business.

Step 1:

Your list could include:

administration (systems, procedures, data);
creation (art, handicrafts, assembling, manufacturing);
negotiation (bargaining, achieving agreement on proposals);

creative writing (composition of articles, stories);

organisation (arranging events, resources, schedules);

to name a few.

Step 2:

Identify your knowledge of existing business industries or fields. For instance if your previous career has been within the HR field, you may have diverse knowledge within recruitment and selection, performance management, policy/procedural development etc. Other business industries or work settings/fields could include:

Accountancy;
Administration;
Arts & Crafts;
Creative Writing;
Counselling;
Electronics;
Education;
Designing;
Graphic Design;
Hospitality;
Information Systems;

to name a few.

Step 3:

Crucial to any successful business, is the director’s/manager’s ability to make decisions, so as the head of your business you need to ensure that you have sound decision making skills.

Write down three situations in which you had to confront and solve a problem including (a) the challenge; (b) the actions you took, and (c) the result. Then, write down three instances where the steps you took did not have the exact results that you wanted, but also add another step to this exercise by identifying (d) what you have learned from each of these situations and what you would do differently if presented with similar problems.

Step 4:

Make a list of what you believe your main strengths to be.

Step 5:

Make a list of what you believe your weaknesses to be.

Step 6:

Identify and write down the steps you could take to transform your weakness(es) into an area of strength? Could this weakness potentially block your progress in starting your own business? If so, perhaps this could be overcome through further education or professional development.

In the New Year, we’ll be covering ‘Scrutinising your skill level and motivation’.

Till next fortnight!

To your success!

Annemarie

Ace that Interview!

Becoming an influential communicator

An interesting study was conducted that discovered that:

- 55% of the impact of communication comes from visual elements – your body language and mannerisms;
- 38% of the impact of communication comes from auditory elements – your voice, including your tonality, speed, volume and articulation; and only
- 7% of the impact of communication comes from words.

So, next time you go to an interview, while the information (words you speak) must be relevant and coherent, the biggest impact you make with the interview is through your body language, your mannerisms and how you communicate your responses!

Grab your copy of 10 key steps to Ace that Interview! Today! Send me Ace that Interview today!

Need to get your hands on 10 key steps to Ace that Interview! immediately for an unexpected interview? Get a copy of our new e-Book version delivered to your inbox today! Send me Ace that Interview today!

Note: Want to learn more about how our laser-focused interview telecoaching sessions can drastically improve your interview performance? Click here to find out how.

Subscriber Spotlight: Your questions answered

Subscriber Spotlight: Your questions answered…

Hi Annemarie

I’m wondering how to handle being laid off on my resume. Is there anything I can put down to show that I was part of a mass layoff and not personally singled out? Do you think it will make a difference? I appreciate your help with this.

-- Susan.

Hello Susan,

Developing a resume that handles gaps in employment can be difficult, however on a positive note, there are some techniques that you can follow to minimize possible negativity. You have to remember that there are many legitimate reasons for not working and as in your case, being laid off was something that was out of your control and therefore should not jeopardize your future employment.

Some strategies that you can consider when developing your resume are provided below, with the aim to highlight your experience and marketability, and divert the reader’s attention away from any gaps. Once you are in an interview situation then you can disclose the reason for leaving the position, which in your case will be the layoff.

Omit the months when providing dates, so that instead of putting 1/2006– 2/2008, you would just state 1999–2008. This is quite acceptable and should not raise concerns.
Identify what you have been doing since you were laid off. This may include:

voluntary work – committees, community-based organizations, or even within a corporate environment on an unpaid basis;
freelance or consulting assignments – did you provide any advice or perform any work that you can present under this label;
classes, courses or seminars; this is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to enhancing your knowledge, which is vital to the success of keeping up with current trends in the market place.

By incorporating this information, can demonstrate transferable experience, competencies and knowledge, which can certainly be beneficial to an employer.

Rather than presenting your resume in a reverse chronological format, which is the most common, with contact details and positions listed with the most recent at the forefront, try the combination, which lists your relevant transferable skills, competencies and accomplishments at the forefront, and then your professional experience.

The key is to believe in yourself and focus on your skills, experience and qualifications, with your resume reflecting your positivity and overall marketability – this should not block you from moving forward.

Drop me a line at info@a-e-c.com.au and let me know how you go Susan.

Annemarie

Resources & Tools to Catapult Your Career

Career tools Annemarie recommends... ATTENTION JOB SEEKERS! Want to seize control of your job search and ensure you maximise your chances of snaring that interview by making yourself irresistible to a potential employer?
Did you know that:
in today’s fast paced and competitive job market your resume will only receive about 15-20 seconds to make an impression, and thousands of job seekers are loosing out on job opportunities due to a dull and
uninspiring resume? So what lasting impact is your resume making? Powerful Resumes!: x-POSED - 6 crucial writing strategies to Secure that Interview! e-Course shows you how to create a powerful marketing tool that will allow you to outshine your competitors and catapult your application to the top of the pile. [Fast-track your application to the top of the pile today!]

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You can as long as you include this complete copy with it:

Annemarie Cross is a Career Management & Personal Branding Strategist, Speaker, Consultant, Radio Broadcaster, and Author of ’10 key steps to Ace that Interview!’ She is also the founder/principal of Advanced Employment Concepts – Career Management and Personal Branding Specialists offering powerful programs for people striving for career success and fulfilment, as well as savvy companies committed to building and retaining their most important asset – their staff.

A champion for her clients, Annemarie’s motto ‘Your catalyst to success’ perfectly encapsulates what she desires for everyone she and her team at AEC works with. To learn more about her book, 10 Key Steps to Ace that Interview! and sign up for more F*REE tips and solutions like these, visit the AEC site at www.a-e-c.com.au

Have a question you'd like answered in this ezine? Contact: enquiry@a-e-c.com.au

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