Footprints and Associations: Job Search Tips for the Holidays.

This post is one in a series of posts by members of the “Career Collective,” a community of job search experts who provide different perspectives on a common theme each month. This month’s theme: the holiday job search!

December is traditionally thought of as the “sleeper season” for job search. Conventional wisdom seems to run that as the days grow shorter, so do the opportunities—and that the holidays postpone hiring plans until after the New Year.

In all actuality, December is a great time to recharge your job search and to strengthen and build connections across your network. Here are three ways to do it:

1. Include your digital “career” footprint in your e-mail signature. Providing others with a link to your LinkedIn or Visual CV signature can lead a “gingerbread” trail back to the web version of your resume. (It’s much sweeter than sending out a resume in your e-mails; if you “tweet,” you can also include your Twitter handle.)

   Tip: To create your own customized LinkedInURL, edit your "Public Profile" settings and create your own customized shortcut. If your first and last name are already taken, consider adding location or profession - e.g. NancySpragueNYC or NancySpragueHRDir

2. Consider joining a professional association by year’s end if you’ve been meaning to do it—and haven’t gotten around to it! It may be tax-deductible. A win-win, considering that local events and larger conferences can facilitate in-person connections and frequently provide job leads.

   Tip: You can find directories of Associations by area of interest through the American Society of Association Executives or Weddle's Association Directory

3. Open up your ears at holiday parties. The more you learn about what other people need, the more you have an awareness of how you can help. And the more you demonstrate your willingness to help and take action when you can, the more likely you are to find it yourself the recipient of such leads when karma springs back again…

Use the following three approaches and you may find yourself under the job search mistletoe, take the additional advice from my colleagues in the Career Collective and I guarantee that you will!

@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes, "Season's Greetings and your Job Search"

@GayleHoward, The Executive Brand, "It's Christmas: And a ho-ho-ho-hum?"

@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, "The Gift Every Laid Off Job Seeker Needs"

@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog,"Holiday Resume Sparkle: Outshine the New Year Job-Search Mob"

@heathermundell, life@work, "Have a Holly Jolly Job Search"

@sweetcareers, Sweet Careers, Holiday Job Search Tips for College Students 2009

@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Cheers

@careerealism, CAREEREALISM.com, Holiday Tip for Job Seekers: 4 Ways to Impress Others with Your Professionalism

@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, 4 Tips for Making the Most of Holiday Job Hunting

@LaurieBerenson, Sterling Career Concepts, Three Resolutions to Take It Up a Notch

@KatCareerGal, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, Avoiding the Holiday Blues in Your Job Search

@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithillness.com, Avoid this Minefield: No Holiday Here!

@DawnBugni,The Write Solution, Could that sound really be opportunity? During the Holidays?

@andyinnaples, Shift Your Focus to the Highest Impact Job Search Activities During the Holidays to Leverage Your Time

@erinkennedycprw, Professional Resume Services, How to keep up the Job Hunt during the Holidays

@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, Four tips for effective networking follow-up for the holidays and the rest of the year

@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, Navigating the Mistle Toe of Job Search

 

 

@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say,Merry Christmas! Can I Buy You Coffee to Talk About Me?

@expatcoachmegan, Career By Choice Blog, Expat Networking: Holidays are a Great Time to Nurture and Grow your Network

Get a Green Job in Two Years (& Save $$$ on Training)

There's no doubt about it: Green is the new black. It's hip, cool, and sexy to work an environmentally friendly position that allows you to "do good." (Apologies to my mom, the former English teacher, who will scold gently remind me that the phrase "doing good" violates all rules of good grammar. But I digress.)

Virtually every article I've seen about bright spots in the job market recently highlights the increasing demand for green jobs. So does my own homegrown research. Anyway you slice it, green jobs are in vogue--and there are more openings for workers in other field.

But, even with all of the employer demand, there's a slight wrinkle: Many green jobs require technical training and an area of expertise in order to get hired. In many cases, you may find it very difficult to get an interview for a green job if you don't have knowledge of the field or industry in which you'd like to work. Unless you are a technical sales rockstar, and want to work in "green sales" related to a project you've worked on before, you may find that you need additional training--even to get to the interview.

Many colleges and universities are rapidly expanding their environmental science and curricular offerings in order to meet student interest and employer demand for green jobs. But college can be expensive. Which is why I really loved this article from CNN Money on how you can train for a green job in two years.

The secret (according to the article) is to attend community college. Many community colleges are offering innovative two year programs designed specifically to meet regional industry needs: it's a great way to hedge your bets for employment security. So check it out, if you are so inclined.

I'm going to digress (again), and close with a bit of a love letter three reasons why community colleges can be terrific places to boost your credentials:

1. They cost less than many other colleges and universities.

2. In general, the academic job market is very tough for individuals who want to teach at the college and university level. And frequently, positions go to people based on their scholarly and research work--not just based on their love of teaching.

So frequently, you can find devoted and --outstanding teachers--at the community college level. People who want to teach--not to publish the definitive last word on ____________.

3. Community colleges often have great feeder relationships with other schools--and you can still get a four year degree by transferring if that's what you want.  Some states have stellar linkage programs between community colleges and state universities (The University of Virginia, for example, has great relationships and linkage programs with community colleges in Virginia.) If this is something you are interested in learning about, research this.

Over the 8 years I worked at Ivy League schools, I met with several individuals who went to community college before "getting into an Ivy." All of these students had a great experience at the community college level. They credited their Ivy League admission in part to great teachers and mentors who believed in them and encouraged them. One of these students, a Philosophy major who had earned a 4.0 GPA at her new school, said that she missed her community college professors because they spent more time with her.

I'm not saying that community colleges are better than Ivies, or that Ivy League professors don't care about their students. I'm just shedding light on the options--and a potentially hot one for this economy. Take a look--especially if you are thinking about going green!

To your success,

Chandlee

Where the Green Jobs Are

I'm pleased to be participating in Job Action Day for the second consecutive year. Through Job Action Day, you can find a spate of career advice designed to help you jump start your job search or stimulate your own career management--regardless of your current employment status.   

This year, the theme for Job Action day is "environmental jobs" and my friends at the Career Collective and I are painting the web green with information on trends in " sustainable jobs." We've been challenged to present strategies providing workers and job seekers with information, ideas and concrete steps to secure their futures in a changed economy.

I spent eight years working inside the Ivory Tower. My friends kid me that sometimes I have the tendency to "go academic in my blog." Today, I'm showcasing my inner geek and enjoyment of raw data. Where's the best place to find a secure future?

Make sure you know where to go: Study the trends and demand for workers at both the senior and entry-level!

Here's a chart I put together comparing the "war for talent" in the c-suite (where executive recruiters receive their business) and starting salaries.

Top Industry Growth by Search Firm (ExecuNet)		Five Highest Starting Salaries by Major (NACE)
	2009
Healthcare Clean/Green Technology Pharmaceutical/Medical/Biotech Energy/Utilities Business Services		Chemical Engineering $64,902 Computer Engineering $61,738 Computer Science $61, 407 Electrical Engineering $60,125 Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering $58,358

Think this is a new trend that came in with the Obama administration? Not a chance...Take a look at the numbers for the last four years here.

My recommendation for Job Action Day? Before you start a job search, talk to at least three people who work in your intended field or job search function of interest. Find out:

• The skills you need
• The projected hiring outlook
• How can you strengthen your skills to meet the needs of your intended field and job function?

Then, position yourself for the market to show that you can meet these needs!

That's my tip for Job Action Day, I'm off to read the others from my friends at the Career Collective. Check it out:

Meg Montford:  Job Action Day: Finding Your “MOJO” After Layoff http://coachmeg.typepad.com/career_chaos/2009/10/job-action-day-finding-your-mojo-after-layoff.html

Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out? http://resumesdonewrite.blogspot.com/2009/10/plan-b-from-outer-space-or-what-do-you.html

Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them, http://dbcs.typepad.com/lifeatwork/2009/10/green-jobs-what-they-are-and-how-to-find-them.html

Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint http://exclusive-executive-resumes.com/resumes/job-search-blueprint/

Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change http://sweetcareers.blogspot.com/2009/10/securing-your-career-while-navigating.html

Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa– Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different http://hannahmorgan.typepad.com/hannah_morgan/2009/10/why-our-job-search-advice-is-the-same-but-different.html

Gayle Howard: The Enlightened Jobseeker http://www.theexecutivebrand.com/?p=500

Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship http://blog.sterlingcareerconcepts.com/2009/10/30/making-lemonade-out-of-lemons-turn-unemployment-into-entrepreneurship.aspx

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging http://careertrend.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/you-can-thrive-not-just-survive-an-economic-slogging/

Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts http://workingwithchronicillness.com/2009/10/preparedness-its-not-just-for-boy-scouts/

Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow? http://resume-writing.typepad.com/resume_writing_and_job_se/2009/10/furture-careers.html

Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth http://thewritesolution.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/your-network-is-your-net-worth/

Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy http://www.keppiecareers.com/2009/10/30/optimize-your-job-hunt-for-todays-ecomony/

GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You? http://blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2009/10/30/the-life-of-an-entrepreneur-is-it-for-you/

Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes http://www.resumesandcoverletters.com/tips_blog/job_action_day_09_his_resume_s.html

Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career. http://aneliteresume.com/job-search/the-key-to-securing-your-future-career/

Barbara Safani: Where the Jobs Are: 2009 and Beyond. http://www.careersolvers.com/blog/

Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job, http://www.heatherhuhman.com/2009/10/take-action/

Career Resources for Climate Change

 I am pleased to be participating in Blog Action Day 2009, a unified effort of the blogging community to discuss a common theme. This year's theme is "Climate Change."    

I'll be talking more about the green jobs market in November (stay tuned for Job Action Day from Quint Careers). In the interim, here are three suggested strategies for pursuing a professional career that can make a positive difference in contributing to the health of our environmental climate.   

Educate Yourself

OneWorld Guide to Climate Change (from the UK)

Cuncil on Foreign Relations' Crisis Guide to Climate Change (Council on Foreign Relations)

Climate Change: A Guide for the Perplexed (The New Scientist)

Explore Opportunities

Green Energy Jobs: Careers in Climate Change
Look beyond the introduction page to find information on jobs and opportunities.

Green Biz Jobs
Job listings from renewable energy to sustainability

Making the Difference
A Guide to Opportunities in Public Service from the largest employer in the U.S.--the federal government!

Consider a Trip Back To School

Many U.S. colleges and universities offer state-of-the art programs in Environmental Studies. Here are two innovative programs.

GreenCorps: The Field School for Environmental Organizing

Columbia University
Master's Degree in Climate and Society

To Your Success,

Chandlee