First of all, you may be wondering what social media is.

Social media is defined in Wikopedia as “Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories, and understandings.”

People who’ve attained jobs through social media:

A new grad, Andrew Cafourek, who initially responded to a blog is starting a new job at Outrider next week! Andrew’s story starts out with reading Jeremiah Owyang’s blog and seeing a post about people who were “on the move” in the social media industry. Andrew left a comment on Jeremiah’s blog basically saying “Hey, I haven’t been on the move but I would like to be!” As a result, Lisa Young from Outrider reached out to him with some information about the company and the industry as a whole. Then Andrew spent a day and a half pouring through Google and every other internet tool he could think of to absorb as much information as he could about the company. Andrew writes, “Well, over the past few weeks, about 97.4 emails, and dozens of hours spent researching different aspects of the company and industry, I decided that I really wanted to come on board with the firm and so here I go!”

In Lindsey Pollak’s blog, Lindsey Pollak cites the case of her own husband Evan, who accepted a dream job as Advertising Sales Director with Travel Zoo using LinkedIn! Evan shares that using LinkedIn was quite easy. Read about Evan’s story from Mario Sundar. Or, listen to Evan tell his story for a couple minutes at LinkedIn.

Several of my clients are starting to look at social online media such as LinkedIn and Facebook as valuable networking tools to connect with people who are in industries and companies are interested in working in.

I’m passionate about people enjoying Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon!

Packages are offered on strengths identification, career exploration, job search strategy, effective communication, career branding, networking, résumé & cover letter expertise, confidence-building interview preparation and jump-starting a new position.

You are invited to schedule a 20-minute complimentary coaching session with me and then 5-10 minutes for both of us to determine whether or not career coaching is what would best meet your goals. If at any point during the last 5-10 minutes you decide career coaching would not be a good fit, I’d value you letting me know since both of our time is valuable!

For more information, go to my website at Summit View Career Coaching or email me.

In the USA, coaching fees are typically tax deductible since they are considered an expense for continuing education undertaken to maintain and improve business and professional skills. (See Treas. Reg.1-162-5. Coughlin vs. Commissioner, 203F 2d 307) Your tax consultant can provide you with further information.

Enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon!

“40-Somethings” are the hot ticket for recruitment relocation according to Kennedy Recruiting Trend. “The primary targets for corporate relocations were the ‘30-somethings’ looking for career advancement. Nowadays, companies are asking the ‘40-somethings’ and seasoned veterans to relocate for the good of the company – a movement paralleling another workplace trend – the demand for higher skilled workers.”

For years I have been hearing about the War For Talent. Sainsbury’s has announced that it wants to take on 10,000 new people at its stores across the UK - but all applicants must be over 50. “Workers in this age bracket will help give customers a “quality, hassle-free festive shopping experience”, the retailer said.

The Los Angeles Times wrote that Home Depot will not divulge complete statistics on how many older workers stride the concrete floors of its huge home-improvement stores, but the number is on the rise. The company hooked up with AARP four years ago to woo a sales force that might otherwise be golfing and says it now has 5,000 employees over 70.

“They are loyal and dependable,” said Tim Crow, chief human resources officer for the Atlanta-based firm. “We look at the demographics, and everyone is getting older. This is the future workforce.”

The U.S. Department of Labor writes that, “Older Americans are staying in the labor force longer than prior trends would have predicted and many change jobs later in life. These job transitions are often within the same occupation or across occupations within wage-and-salary employment. The transition can also be out of wage-and-salary work and into self employment. Indeed, national statistics show that self employment becomes more prevalent with age, partly because self employment provides older workers with opportunities not found in traditional wage-and-salary jobs, such as flexibility in hours worked and independence.”

I’m passionate about people enjoying Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon. Packages are offered on career exploration, job search strategy, effective communication, strengths identification, career branding, networking, résumé & cover letter expertise, interview preparation and jump-starting a new position.

You are invited to schedule a 20-minute complimentary coaching session with me and then 5-10 minutes for both of us to determine whether or not career coaching is what would best meet your goals. If at any point during the last 5-10 minutes you or I decide career coaching would not be a good fit, I’ll let you know and I’d value you letting me know since both of our time is valuable!

For more information, go to my website at Summit View Career Coaching.

In the USA, coaching fees are typically tax deductible since they are considered an expense for continuing education undertaken to maintain and improve business and professional skills. (See Treas. Reg.1-162-5. Coughlin vs. Commissioner, 203F 2d 307) Your tax consultant can provide you with further information.

Enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon!

Welcome to the Careers Blog. I am Terri Ferrara, a Career Coach that is passionate about helping people enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon! I derive great pleasure in helping people understand who they are, the unique value they have to offer an employer and the steps in communicating that value to a current or potential employer so that a person targets and is offered a position that fits them well!

What questions do you have about career transition, networking, branding, resumes, interview preparation, jump-starting a new position or maximizing your current position?  I’d love to hear questions from you if you are thinking about a career/job transition, high school/college students searching for direction, retirees wanting to pursue a dream that has been put on their back burner and those returning back to work. Your identity will be kept confidential. This column will be a Q&A forum, so your questions are welcomed!

I have some questions for you. What dream is on your back burner? What kind of work is like play to you? What are you passionate about? Imagine all of us using our unique strengths and loving what we do (at least 90% of the time) in our career! We’d be so much happier, less stressed out, healthier, more productive…

Enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon!

For more information on Terri and Summit View Career Coaching or for a complimentary, confidential consultation, please contact her online at  www.summitviewcareercoaching. 

As a member of the Career Management Alliance, I receive some of the latest information that comes out. Today we were informed that AARP just released its selection of the top 50 from a list of 115 companies that embrace older workers.

Some reasons for top picks include company policies and practices for workers over 50, range of flexible work arrangements, available health benefits, number of senior employees in the total company workforce, alternative work arrangements, seasonal work programs, telecommuting, lifelong learning, financial benefits, on-site medical centers, retirement plans, job rotation, temporary work in other departments, and more. Top on the list for boomers is flexible work arrangements, since many of them care either for their grandchildren or for their aging parents.

1. SC Johnson, Racine, WI
2.  Mercy Heath Systems, Janesville, WI
3. First Horizon National Corporation, Memphis, TN
4.  Scripps Health, San Diego, CA
5.  Stanley Consultants, Muscatine, IA
6.  Lee Memorial Health Systems, Fort Meyers, FL
7.  Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, Leesburg, VA
8.  George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
9. Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA
10. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

A Career Coach can give a person successful tools and guidance so that their career aligns well with their personality and strengths. If you or someone you know would like a complimentary initial consultation, contact us at Summit View Career Coaching.

I found it really interesting that “dozens of colleges and universities are offering career-counseling services not only to recent graduates but also to thousands of alumni, including some former students who completed their degrees a decade ago or more,” writes Justin Pope.

For years colleges and universities have offered career-counseling services. Pope goes on to say, “But only in recent years have a significant number begun devoting staff members solely to alumni. One reason: Increasing job turnover in many professions has more former students looking for personalized advice. Still, the number of schools with full-time staff for alumni remains small. One reason is that colleges are supposed to serve students first, prompting some debate about how such programs should be funded.”

If you are thinking about a career transition, you may want to check out if the college or university you graduated from offers complimentary services to alumni! If you know of someone who isn’t being offered complimentary services where they graduated and would like to have some advice through a complimentary initial consultation with a professional Career Coach, please share with him or her about Summit View Career Coaching.

Below are the top 10 jobs that U.S. employers report difficult to fill so far in 2007:

1. Sales Representatives
2. Teachers
3. Mechanics
4. Technicians
5. Management
6. Truck Drivers, Freight
7. Drivers, Delivery
8. Accountants
9. Laborers
10. Machine Operators

Source: Manpower Talent Shortage Survey 2007 Global Results, http://tinyurl.com/yuq8q6

If you are thinking about a career transition and would like to talk to someone who has been trained in and specializes in helping people enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon, call Summit View Career Coaching for a complimentary initial consultation.

On Sunday evening, are you looking forward to going to work on Monday morning? Or, do you dread going to work? If you could picture yourself in a career really enjoying what you do, what would that picture look like? What dreams do you have on your back burner?

Sarah M. Schultz, MA, CPC wrote, “There are a zillion different jobs out there. There is NO reason to suffer for a lifetime in a job or a career that isn’t right for you. If you decide that you ARE in fact in the wrong job, it’s time to start taking steps to move into a field that you LOVE. So how can you do that?”

Sara went on to give some great advice that I give my clients. Read on.“First you have to figure out what’s stopping you from leaving your current position. Is it just that you can’t figure out what you’d rather do? If that’s the problem, then start doing some research. Begin talking to people who have careers in something you suspect you’d really like to do (mystery shopping? CIA agent? CEO of a major corporation?). People love to talk about themselves, so offer to buy them lunch and in return see if you can ask them some questions about their job. I’ve never had a problem getting someone to open up to me about their life.

Is the problem that you know what you’d rather do, but it seems unrealistic or impossible? Then the first thing you need to do is banish those doubts. Talk to a career counselor or to a trusted friend. Start by admitting that you have a dream for your life. Then begin uncovering the reasons why you’re blocking yourself from realizing your dream. Are you afraid of failure? Do you think you need to be “responsible”? Do your parents/friends/spouse put down your ideas for a different life? Do you think you’re too old to start all over? Figure out what your obstacles are, and then begin brainstorming ways to overcome them. This is when a coach or a counselor can really come in handy. Real change takes a lot of dedication and persistence, and having someone on your side, committed to your success is the best way to realize your dreams.”

As Sara suggested, what are your dreams? What are the roadblocks to those dreams? How would you feel if you were living out one of your dreams? What about taking a few minutes each day to do some research? There is so much information online, at the library, in bookstores, and most importantly, with people! We can gain so much valuable information from asking people questions. People usually enjoy sharing their career experience with us. Also, I highly recommend assessments! Get to know yourself better. It is vital to target a career that aligns with your strengths, core values, life purpose, identity and personality type!

Some people do a terrific job in target job search on their own. Most people prefer a coach to guide and journey with them in finding a career that fits well. If you would like to have a complimentary initial conversation with a career coach, contact us at Summit View Career Coaching.

Suzanne Freiberg listed in her blog key elements of being a successful business entrepreneur. You may ask why I am writing about business entrepreneurs. As you go through the list, you’ll  see that the steps below work for an entrepreneur and are key for a target job seeker. 

1. Determine Your Niche,
2. Identify Your Ideal Client,
3. Develop Your Unique Value Proposition,
4. Create Your Brand,
5. Prepare a Business Plan,
6. Prepare a Marketing Plan,
7. Develop a Sales Strategy, and
8. Accept failure, learn from it and re-group

If you’re a career transitioner, how are you doing with the 8 steps? There are lots of books and teleseminars on the subjects that are listed. Ask for help from a librarian. Are you at a point where you are ready to have a professional coach you on each of the steps so that you are a successful target job seeker? You may want to try contacting Summit View Career Coaching for a complimentary initial coaching session to see if career coaching is right for you.

Paul Copcutt, in Career Hub, writes about an enterprising young Canadian, Sean Aiken,  who has taken a very different approach to career search. Sean Aiken is working his way across Canada, one week at a time, doing a different job every week! He is up to week 27 and has done everything from bar person to dairy farmer and plans to spend 52 weeks trying to figure out what he wants to do.

What he has achieved already is a very decent Google score - over 17,000 pages and is building his personal brand with a very informative and interactive blog (internet TV show), One Week Job and has had plenty of media coverage etc - he is also donating all his earnings to charity (over $10,000 so far) and has gathered a few sponsors on the way.

What is the dream on your back burner? Do you find yourself on Sunday evenings dreading Monday morning? Would you like to look forward to Monday mornings? Does your career fit who you are? Are you using your key strengths, transferable skills, core values and personality traits in your current position?

Instead of taking a year off to discover a variety of careers, what about working with a Career Coach to find a career/position that is interesting and aligns with who you are (while maintaining your current career income!) so that you enjoy Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon?

For a complimentary initial session, contact Summit View Career Coaching to schedule a time to determine whether our services will bring you what you are looking for.

As we all know, there really isn’t such a thing as job security anymore. Diane Hess wrote, “The best strategy [for career success] is to be excellent at what you do, keep your skills cutting edge and love your work.”

So, if we practice Diane’s advice, are we…

• Excellent at what we do? I know that for myself, I’m continually attending 2-3 annual conferences and weekly teleseminars, ordering and reading books, talking with colleagues and anyone who is willing to talk about their career. Excellence and improvement are very important to me and a high priority.
  
• Keeping up your skills cutting edge? My answer would be that I am continually working at having my skills cutting edge. I’ve joined a group where we work with each other on our coaching skills. Also, I am looking at registering soon at a coaching school to improve, again, my coaching skills. Other skills I am continually upgrading.
• Love your work? I really look forward to Monday morning and each morning as much as I do Friday afternoon! I love helping people that are frustrated transition to a career/position that aligns with their strengths and what is most important to them! Sometimes my clients go through the coaching process and their perspective changes 180 degrees, so they stay in their current position, loving each Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon!

Diane Hess wrote, “There are many options for people who want to turn a creative passion into a solid career. Read this article about a musician who did just that: “How I Got to Where I Am Today: An Orchestra’s Operations Director.”

If you wish you enjoyed Monday morning as much as Friday afternoon, contact me for a complimentary initial consultation.