Unique job search tips

I’m often asked about unique job search tips – ways to search for jobs other than the most popular job search sites. Whether someone is feeling overwhelmed by all of the options on popular sites, not feeling like their skills are being recognized with so many other applicants applying for the same job via the same search site, or they are looking for a way to find new open positions rather than scanning through a handful of search sites that have the same job postings.

My first suggestion is always to search for specific company sites. Find companies within your location or decide you want to focus on remote options and search the sites of companies you are interested in working for. Several companies only post job openings on their own site instead of using other searchable forums so you have a fresh group of opportunities to search and typically larger companies post new jobs almost daily so keep checking back for new postings (several openings are listed at the bottom of this post).

Other unique tips I suggest – check career openings for companies you see commercials for while watching your favorite TV series and check out your favorite magazine publisher for job opportunities. Any company that has a commercial most likely hires employees and large publishers usually have several magazines they produce and need a variety of employees to do that. And just like larger companies, they typically only post job opportunities on their web site so you will have another fresh group of jobs to search.

Some publishers or companies you see commercials for have openings in several states and/or remote opportunities and they post new jobs often. There are a lot of opportunities available when you expand your job focus and search. Research companies that have products or services you enjoy and search their web site for career opportunities. Typically, a product site or publisher will have a career or employment tab at the bottom of their site or they have that option under the menu tab and the About Us section.

When you treat a job search like a job you increase your chances of finding the best match.

• I highly recommend dedicating time daily to research the most popular job search sites, but also make time to research specific companies you are interested in working for.
• Explore creative options that might be available through the products and services you enjoy.
• Spend time updating your resume for each position you apply for, making sure your skills and those in the job description match.
• Create a unique cover letter for each opening as well. Mention something specific about the company you are applying for in the cover letter – it can be a core value you connect with or congratulating them on a recent accomplishment. This will let the hiring manager/committee know you are familiar with the company and invested time to learn about them. Also, include at one accomplishment that ties in with the requirement(s) of the prospective job.

Typically, two to four hours a day are needed to dedicate to job search this includes the actual search, resume updating, cover letter creation, application process (might be separate from submitting a resume and cover letter), and track who you have applied with, what position, date, submission process, and any other specific notes so you can easily refer to them when called for an interview.

Put in the dedicated time and it will pay off – typically, the more time you put into a job search, the better chance you have at finding a job you truly want with a company you are interested in working for. Putting hours into a job search gives you more choice and control. You have skills and competencies that you should be proud of and a company should be excited about working with you.

Below, are a few companies that sell products and have commercials on prime time (or late night) TV and magazine publishers with current job opportunities in several states including some remote and work from home options. I have checked the sites personally and although I do not have any affiliation with them, I’ve checked each site to ensure they are hiring (as of today all of them have openings) and to confirm the career section and application process, which is noted by each site/link.

Good luck in your career search. Please contact me if you have a specific career, resume, cover letter or other job-related questions. Also, I am currently reviewing resumes for free and providing suggestions via email. If you would like me to review your resume please email me at successencourager@gmail.com .

Inogen.com – Scroll to the bottom of the web page and click on careers. You can search by location and/or job title. Hiring for Brooklyn, OH, Goleta, CA and Richardson, TX. Opportunities include Billing manager, Buyer/Planner, and Operations Supervisor in TX and Accounts Payable Specialist and Senior Staff Accountant in CA and Quality Assurance Specialist in OH and several other openings.

Careers.firstam.com – First American. Can search by location, keyword, or department. Hiring in several states for many positions. Current openings include – Executive Assistant in Santa Ana, CA, Receptionist openings in Katy, TX, Oroville, CA, Yukon, OK, and Orlando, FL, Seasonal Office Assistant in Flint, MI and in Brighton, MI, Authorization Representative in Phoenix and Escrow Assistant in Salem, OR and several other openings.

Independence.edu – Independence University. All positions are remote. Click on the ‘more’ button/tab, then About Us, About UI, and scroll down to job openings button and click it..scroll to another job openings button and click on it. Currently, there are 90 openings. Admission Consultant (sales), Web Design Tutor, Career Services Advisor, Admissions Assistant, Administrative Assistant, and several Adjunct Instructor positions.

Activstyle.com – Click menu, About, and scroll down to the bottom and Career Opportunities and click the list of current jobs. There are several locations and about 15 current job openings. Some positions include Outbound Call Center Rep in Reno, NV, Call Center Team Lead in Fresno, CA, Medical Call Center Rep in Minneapolis, MN and Medical Document Associate in Minneapolis, MN.

Jobs.cvshealth.com – CVS Pharmacy. Scroll about halfway and click on the search and apply red button. Several locations hiring including work from home opportunities.

meredith.com/careers – Meredith Corporation, publishes several magazines including Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Food and Wine, Health, Wood and more. Currently, there are 245 openings in several states. Current openings include Account Executive in Nashville, TN, Sales Assistant in Los Angeles, Administrative Assistant in Des Moines, IA, Account Director in Chicago, SEO Content Strategist in NY and Production Designer in Shelburne, VT.

cricketmedia.com – Children’s magazine publisher (several magazines for different age groups). If you are interested in submitting a story for one of their publications you can click on submission guidelines. For other openings click on About and then Careers. Currently, one position open for a remote opportunity – US Based ESL/EFL teacher/tutor. Must have a Bachelor’s degree and experience as an ESL/EFL teacher.

Thank you for reading and following! Please contact me if you have a specific career, resume, cover letter or other job-related questions. Also, I am currently reviewing resumes for free and providing suggestions via email. If you would like me to review your resume please email me at successencourager@gmail.com .

Best to you on your job search journey! Thank you again for reading.

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Career support

The past week has provided several opportunities for me to talk with professionals about job searches, resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and other career topics. I have been asked specific career-related questions and to review a variety of resumes. Each interaction has been appreciated and I have valued the conversations shared with so many. Several people are concerned with their job stability and updating their resume to have ready if needed while others are already searching for a new job and currently unemployed.

During these uncertain days, I am focused on what support I can offer (what is within my control) and one thing I can offer is my professional experience and review resumes for free. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from some amazing professionals and organizations over the past 25 years. I have been a part of several hiring committees, volunteer selection committees and have one on one interviewing, hiring, and conflict resolution experience and I have written about numerous career-focused topics. I actively research career trends and I want to share that knowledge with others in the hopes to alleviate some stress and offer my professional career support during this unprecedented time.

I have talked with people who were strangers until our recent interaction and I have had past co-workers reach out to ask advice. Even though each conversation has been unique and topics have ranged from limited experience concerns and resume content to how to condense three decades of experience onto a resume, there have been similarities too. The most common thread has been wanting to be prepared…prepared to submit the most professional resume and/or job application and answer interview questions confidently.

I have posted some tips on LinkedIn highlighting some of my past career-related blog posts and FAQ page, but I wanted to highlight some of the recent questions that have been asked a few times recently. I hope this answers some questions for others, but please reach out to me if you have a specific career or resume question.

Q: How can I prepare a professional resume and have a successful interview?

A: Being prepared, whether it’s writing a professional resume or cover letter or interviewing, comes down to being confident about your experience and skills. This confidence can be built by acknowledging your past accomplishments and what you bring to a new job. I always suggest reviewing your resume and matching your skills with the requirements of the job post. Updating your resume for each job and/or title you apply for confirms why you are applying for that specific job – you’re qualified and you’re interested. When you can clearly explain why you are the ideal candidate for the job you can confidently be prepared to answer most or all interview questions.

Q: How can I create a resume if I have little or no work experience?

A: Recent high school and college graduates ask this a lot, but so do those that have been out of the workforce for years. Depending on your situation school clubs, activities, sports, volunteering, or project-based experience such as lawn care, babysitting, etc. provide skills that are important in the professional workplace. Creating a resume that is focused on workplace skills you have learned through activities and highlighting your personal attributes will provide a perspective employer information about how you could fit into the position and/or company. If you volunteered to help process a mass-mailing project to new and current donors for a fundraising event you learned several skills; following directions, computer skills for mass mailings, organizational and deadline skills, etc. If you mowed lawns you have customer service skills, budget (billing and money handling) skills, possibly marketing skills. If you coordinated events for your community you most likely developed communication skills, teamwork skills, planning and problem-solving, and more. Focus on skills you are comfortable with and have developed through a variety of opportunities to help an employer see your potential and work-ethic skills.

Q: Do I have to include all of my past work history?

A: Typically, you will include work history for the past 10 years and/or what is relevant experience to your current career choice and job search. Focus on skills that you are comfortable with and have experience with that relate to the current position you are applying for. Please see my post on finding your resume balance for a complete answer and suggestions.

Q: What is ATS and why is it important to my resume format?

A: ATS is a software – Applicant Tracking System. The software is used by several job sites and employers to scan submitted resumes and applications for keywords from the posted job description. It’s important to confirm that your skills match the job posting and incorporate those keywords into your resume or application so the software will pick up on them when it scans your submission. When formatting your resume, you can include a brief job description under each position/company (highlighting an accomplishment) and create a list of skills used during that employment at the description end. You can also separate your skills in a new section of your resume and combine all of your skills from past employers into one list. The important thing is to use the keyword/terminology that matches your skills with the required ones in the job post.

Thank you so much for reading my latest post. Please let me know if you have any specific career-related questions or if you would like me to review your resume for free. Please comment below with questions or email me at successencourager@gmail.com !

Please stay safe, practice self-care, and focus on what you can control today.

 

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Share your remote work resources

During my own search for part-time remote work opportunities, I have seen several remote positions open via various resource sites.

I am not affiliated with any personally, but have visited them in my own job search.

Some resources include jobspresso.co , remote.co , angel.co , jobs.workable.com , freelancewritinggigs.com are a few I have searched.

Did you find a postion that interests you?

Carefully read through the requirements, view the company website to discover and familiarize yourself with their mission, core values, and any news about current projects, etc. Next, update your resume (confirm it is error free and connects your skills with those in the job post) and create a personalized cover letter highlighting your experience, describe how your specific skills match the job requirements, and follow the application process exactly.

Specific questions about the general job application process? Reach out, I would be happy to provide a few tips or suggestions.

Good luck!

And of course sites like LinkedIn and Indeed have remote listings too.
If you have any to add, please share!

#remote #remotework #freelance #virtual #career

Personal Development

Personal development is equally important as professional development. Learning a new skill to advance your career can seem easily obtainable, yet devoting time to personal growth may seem less important or even a selfish use of time. Personal development has many forms yet is unique to everyone and should never be ‘finished’. Personally, one should strive to discover, evolve, and grow for their entire life.

It’s never too late to reinvent yourself and/or evolve and it should never be ‘finished’.
Discovery and personal development take time, love, growth, and more time. Please be patient while taking action and nourishing your unique process. Set your pace and give yourself permission to dedicate time to your personal growth without feeling guilty. Please set goals with intention and dedicate time to self-care.
You are in control of how you show up for the world. Showing up as your authentic self is just as important as being career-ready.

Skill training actually becomes more effective once you acknowledge your boundless potential and true self-awareness. Confidence is not arrogance. Confidence is knowing what you are capable of and taking action and trusting each decision you make will take you closer to your future self; the self you are capable of being and the ability to continue supporting it.

A form of personal development is self-care. Through self-care, you present the best version of yourself to the world. Evolving into the best version of yourself encourages growth in other areas and gives you the clarity to focus and define the steps needed. Self-evaluation will help you discover where you currently are and where you want to grow.

I encourage you to set goals that help you discover your true authentic self and set a consistent self-care routine that will help you explore your self-discovery. There are several ways to take action toward personal development, here are a few:

• Journaling
• Define your core values
• Create your own personal mission statement (and visualize your future)
• Explore hobbies
• Read
• Attend workshops
• Network through clubs or your local library (events and small groups)
• Make time to meditate and spend some time alone
• Share your efforts and/or goals with a trusted friend

I have written posts to help assist in the goal-setting categories and process including defining your goal, but if you have any specific questions please reach out and ask! Comment here or email me at successencourager@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading & following! Connect with me on Instagram for daily inspirational quotes & tips.

The Enrichment version of my Year in the Life of… goal-setting planner is now available and currently 25% off!! Click on the link to order a copy for yourself and/or get one for a friend. Once ordered please reach out to me and tell me what your current goal focus is!

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Nourish inwardly

Self-care and self-love are essential for overall wellbeing. So many goals and resolutions revolve around the self, yet the commitment is simply not made a priority. The most important goals are focused on nourishing inwardly, mental and physical health, expanding skills and learning new ones, and being happy with one’s choices and lifestyle.

Demands from jobs, family, responsibilities, budget, etc. take precedence over goals related to ‘self’. Yet, to truly devote time, focus, care and attention to loved ones, careers, financial and other responsibilities we should first acknowledge the importance of self-care, self-love, and committing to our personalized unique goals.

For example – A goal focused on health that includes dedicating time to walking or other physical exercises, better-eating habits, and meditation is not a selfish goal. Creating blocks of time to exercise and meditate and budgeting for healthier meals will result in a better whole self and actually allow more energy and focus to be dedicated to responsibilities. Better health is a form of self-care that not only results in feeling better but also presents an opportunity to set other goals and be more present at work and/or home.

Another example might be setting a goal to expand your education whether through formal class settings to obtain a degree or certificate or self-paced skill training. The time needed to complete this goal may seem like it takes away from another responsibility, but focusing on the ‘why’ and the results will remind you of the importance of expanding your skills and/or education and learning opportunities. The end result may lead to a promotion, career change or possible entrepreneurial opportunity to start your own business. The self-enrichment gained can result in numerous opportunities. The time dedicated to this goal could result in having more ‘free’ time in the future, more income opportunities or a career you enjoy more than your current one.

Your goal is unique to you, your reasons why is unique, and only you can commit to your personalized goal and set your unique pace.

• Please pause.
• Slow down and organize your schedule, your time, and your unique focus.
• Prioritize tasks and goals to nourish inwardly so you can embrace the calm and growth internally that leads to encouraging others to do the same.

I have written posts to help assist in the goal-setting categories and process including defining your goal, but if you have any specific questions please reach out and ask! Comment here or email me at successencourager@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading & following! Connect with me on Instagram for daily inspirational quotes & tips.

The new Enrichment version of my Year in the Life of… goal-setting planner is now available and currently 25% off!! Click on the link to order a copy for yourself and/or get one for a friend. Once ordered please reach out to me and tell me what your current goal focus is!

 

Your Potential

Sometimes we see more in others than we do in ourselves. There is a unique balance for providing support & encouragement to others while making time to do the same for ourselves. It is a necessity to acknowledge & nourish our potential by setting goals, self-care practices, and challenging ourselves.

Defining one goal-focus and setting a three to five step action plan can begin your goaling journey on any given day, not just January 1st.

I encourage you to pause and give yourself 15 minutes today to write out & briefly define a goal-focus that is unique to you and will encourage your self-discovery and encourage your own potential. Then put one step into action tomorrow & allow your action plan to evolve at your pace.

Please do something that creates self-discovery and an opportunity for practicing self-care daily.

Thank you for reading and following! Please find me on Instagram (successencourager) for daily inspirational quotes.

Sale – My enrichment planner is now available and 25% off!!

It’s time to goal

There is so much to be grateful for. Even in chaos there are blessings of support and opportunities for self-discovery. Your self-love is important every day, but especially during times of distractions, evolving, discovering, and other areas of opportunity. During a season of giving and even some added stress with traveling, gift purchases, gatherings, missing loved ones, and any other stressful moment(s)…please make time for self-care and self-discovery.

Supporting positive relationships, showing kindness & respect, and accomplishing tasks are important, but please make time to care for yourself as well.

You are loved, you are capable, you are unique and it is perfectly OK to take time out of each day to show yourself love & care by setting personal unique goals.

I am grateful for every supportive relationship and for the opportunities I have to care for myself so I can continue to share my support and love with others.

Please set goals that include opportunities for self-care & self-love. There is no magic in any given day…today is a perfect start date!

How do you make time for self-care?

Thank you for reading and following! Please find me on Instagram (successencourager) for daily inspirational quotes.

My enrichment planner is now available and 25% off!!!

Sale – I am so excited & grateful! The Enrichment version of my goal-facused planner is completed and for sale and 25% OFF for the next few days!!!!

No matter where you are in your journey every day is an opportunity to accomplish atleast one step toward creating your future and focusing on self-care. This unique version of A Year in the Life of… will help you organize each day to include goal-focused steps and discover the area(s) of your unique life to enrich this year!

It’s the day before a conference

It’s less than 24 hours before a professional development conference. Planning, organizing, and preparing to attend any type of training typically starts weeks or even months in advance (especially for administrative professionals who usually have this type of planning in our DNA!). After all of that planning, the final 24 hours should offer the opportunity to get excited about all of the learning possibilities during the event.

The luggage is packed, the flight is scheduled, hotel booked, agenda reviewed, speakers and topics highlighted, necessary downloads and/or print-outs have been completed, the boxes have been checked, the to-do list is mostly full of tasks crossed out.

I have attended several conferences, workshops, and other personal and professional development opportunities throughout my almost 25 years as an administrative professional. In the past, I would feel stress the day before training and a trip (even if it was a short drive). Had I forgotten anything, I was sure I had, and what still needed to be done, and why did my printer jam each time I waited until the last minute to print every essential document I needed?

Determining what opportunity to attend as early as possible helped alleviate some of that stress. Not waiting until the last minute to organize documents helped a lot too! Knowing in advance which opportunity I will attend has helped me pace the preparation needed way before the big day arrives.

My typical pre-conference 24 hours:

•  Confirm that documents or electronic files are in the order they will be needed
•  Review the agenda one more time and refresh my memory of speaker names, topics, and resources related to them
•  Get a good night’s sleep
•  Eat healthy, nothing too heavy since I will be flying (and drink plenty of water)
•  Continue with my vitamin and immune building regimen
• Check and double-check that my driver’s license (needed for the plane boarding) is in fact in my carry on, then check again in a minor panic the morning of the trip!
•  Check the weather of my destination
• Thank my supportive family and coworkers who have helped make the trip possible!
•  Make notes on topics I’d like to discuss with other attendees and/or any questions I  may have since I will be around others in our chosen profession
• Look for opportunities that will help me discover personal growth as well as professionally

The list above is a personalized abbreviated one that works for me and may offer a few tips for others. The last bullet point is one that I incorporated a few years ago and so grateful I did. Looking for personal growth opportunities during any professional training is key for me. When I seek out personal growth takeaways I can bring that to any and every professional role. Personal development can be any opportunity you seek that will build confidence, teach you a new skill, encourage communication, or any other area that promotes expanding beyond your current situation or focus.

Most professional speakers discuss topics that can have personal and professional education benefits. Being open to (and excited about) how those topics fit into your unique life can make any presentation have that dual effect. Part of my pre-conference 24 hours is spent visualizing and noting what my expectations are and where I am personally and professionally so I can be open to personalizing my experience.

How do you personalize your training experience?

Thank you so much for reading and following. Please find me on Instagram for encouraging quotes, tips, and more!

I recently posted about the value of professional partnerships. Please take a look if you missed it.

I will have more career posts and a special announcement soon! I am excited to be working on an ebook and workshops focused on my almost 25 years as an administrative professional and the importance of thinking beyond knowledge-based skills – more information coming soon!

 

 

Assistants are partners

Administrative professionals are business partners essential to the professional development of managers, colleagues, and companies. In my almost 25 years as an administrative professional, I learned this in a variety of ways from various leaders, colleagues, mentors, and self-discovery.

As an administrative professional (and a number of other career choices), it is important to not only continually learn and develop the skills required for your position, but also educate yourself on the goals, mission, and core values of others you work with. A partnership is built when you are confident about your ability to perform a job’s requirements, adapt to changes, evolve, future-focused, and seek to understand the goals of your manager, co-workers, and the company. By understanding those goals and core values you not only perform the key aspects of your position successfully, but you can better understand the importance of your role toward the company’s main focus.

Seeing yourself as a key partner isn’t always easy, especially if others don’t see you that way. I cannot change how your coworkers or manager see you, but I do encourage you to see yourself as a valued partner. And truly hope you acknowledge your capabilities and what you bring to the table because trust me – assistants not only bring it, most of the time they set that table and create the invite list.

To realize your partnership value:

• Be confident in your abilities. You are in your position for a reason!
• Continue developing your skills
• Encourage professional development in others
• Actively learn new skills and the vision/mission of the company and manager
• Ask questions and provide solutions
• Share your ideas and listen to responses
• Seek knowledge from coworkers at every stage in their career (every career stage has knowledge, resources, processes, and information to share – seek it!)
• Create the opportunity to learn about other departments, positions, or processes
• Anticipate future needs or yearly cycles and work ahead of deadlines
• Think in terms of outcomes and how your daily tasks create accomplishments
• Focus on your professional development despite having support or not. There are free webinars and workshops available, workgroups, free library resources, etc.
• Visualize your current position as the learning opportunity it is
• Look forward to career growth and change

There are several other ways to realize and acknowledge the value of your partnership, but the list above are a few key points I personally find important.

In the world of administrative professionals, there are so many personalities and working relationships that range from direct and indirect support to customer service related interactions with community members and vendors (and the list goes on and on). It is so important to focus on your partnership value and learn as much as you possibly can from all of your professional contacts. Whether you plan to retire from your current position, start your own business, change jobs often or even switch to an entirely new career choice knowing your value, building partnerships, and expanding your learning will influence and support your professional development in any role.

How do you acknowledge your partnership value? What is an important professional development tool you utilize?

Have any questions about your career, interviewing, resumes, partnerships, professional development, career changes? Please contact me in the comments or via email at successencourager@gmail.com – I am happy to answer questions!

Thank you so much for reading and following. Please find me on Instagram for encouraging quotes, tips, and more!

I will have more career posts and a special announcement soon! I am excited to be working on an ebook and workshops focused on my almost 25 years as an administrative professional and the importance of thinking beyond knowledge-based skills – more information coming soon!

Setting unique goals

Sometimes it is difficult to set a goal that truly fits into your unique lifestyle and expections. When setting a goal it is essential to ensure the goal aligns with your personal desired outcome. Defining an area of your life you want to enhance or create more time for helps create an action plan that works for you and your pace.

Support from others can encourage success, but please remember your goal is unique to you even if a friend has the same type of goal, most likely your ‘why’ and process are different.

Your goals, and the reasons why you set those goals, are unique to you. You control your process, pace, and dedication toward your goal success. Please do not compare your goals, self-care needs, or process to anyone else. You are uniquely you and your process and accomplishments are part of your own self-discovery.

Goals should encourage growth and even challenge you, but start with what works for you and your current routine then evolve as time passes and after you begin to accomplish certain steps.

Celebrate every decision, every accomplishment, and your unique process as it develops.

What area/goal are you currently focused on?

Thank you so much for reading and following!

Find me on Instagram (successencourager) for daily encouraging tips, quotes, and announcements!