Ask Marcia, the Transition Chick

Social Networking-why bother?

I just read a blog-(weblog) on how employers/companies view social networking...
They think it has value & can serve as a best practices discussion, professional development, even helping retention by the employees having a community of employees that share being in an industry/position/ job seeking tips-within their company or in general.

So, why not use LinkedIn or MySpace, Yahoogroups...to help your job search?  You tap into the Hidden Job Market & begin networking!  80% of jobs are found through networking!

I'm dabbling in LinkedIn-wanna network? :)

In Abundance!
Marcia

Life-career, being a part, is All about change...

Life has been on "warp-speed!"  In a week, I'll have an animated video-Career Hero-you can see a quick YouTube video at my web site!   Scroll about 1/3 way down-on right! 

Why am I telling you all this?  It's all about Transitions!  One of the Team leaders in my product class is 74... another, 24, but, most are midlife/boomer women, like me, & like the majority of my coaching clients!

Career change, be it truly changing career fields, or changing jobs or going from career to entrepreneur...they are all about change.

This boomer has been & will continue to be changing...has book-signing gigs all over Baltimore-on my new Events on my www.eCareerCorner.com web site!  All my books will be for purchase & also on Marketplace on the web site!

And, here's another BIG change!  Once I get back from a meeting with my joint venture partner on putting together a telesummit, (more later-shh!)  Well, about Sept. 29th, I'm launching the Transition Chick Chat radio show on the Internet!  Another change!

Change is a part of life-how you respond to change is a typical question on every employer's mind...As a savvy job seeker-you can talk of how you handled change in your industry, career, why you decided on changing career fields-whatever is your story & helps "sell" you to a prospective employer.   You've probably experienced Lots of Transitions...changes. 

I know this summer has been one of learning & growing & changes for me!

What would you say about change in an interview?  Read "Who Moved My Cheese?"  a short, but great book on how we all deal with change!

 

 

 

In Abundance!

Marcia -Listen at my Media Room-I'm on another radio show! Listen at www.v1370.com or WomanTalkLive.com, too!

 

Marcia Merrill,CCMC,JCTC

Marcia the Transition Chick!

Career/Life Transitions Coach

http://www.eCareerCorner.com

410-467-0811 (cell)410-303-6371 (fax)1-443-836-2402

 

Fall in love with your LIFE & your work! (in that order!)

 

**Starting next classes Sept 18 @7pm EST-Get Hired Now! or Hire Yourself! Sign up to get notified when you can register!

Includes seven -one hour sessions & a cookbook-approach manual to help with your career search...This small group teleseries is designed to decrease your stress, increase your happiness, keep you on track, prevent overwhelm & get unstuck, move forward to a Job/Life that FITS!

Easy to follow 28-day Action Plan & Proven System-Guaranteed to produce results IF you put in the effort & follow through!

Sign up at www.eCareerCorner.com/transitions/gethired.htm

 

___________________________________________

Contact me for your complimentary 25 min. coaching strategy session

marcia@ecareercorner.com 

Sessions by phone with follow up emails/mail/fax. Appts. arranged to Suit Your Needs!!

 

Get 7 FR*EE Lessons from Teachers in The Secret!

http://www.lawofattractionthinking.com

Your resume, don't leave home without it...

This past week, I did two rush resumes to meet deadlines-both career change candidates.  Both had not updated their resumes.
Tip-just put your new position and responsibilities on a resume in a file so you always have it ready, current & can send it that same day to answer a job posting or networking contact who will hand-deliver your resume!  It happens!

All's well, they got resumes, feel ready, I know they're both now, very marketable and the resume shows this!
And now, they both want cover letters!  And resume tweaks to tailor it to each position.

If you needed it now, is your resume ready to go?

In Abundance!
Marcia -Listen at my Media Room-I'm on another radio show!  Listen at www.v1370.com or WomanTalkLive.com, too!

Marcia Merrill,CCMC,JCTC
Marcia the Transition Chick!
Career/Life Transitions Coach
http://www.eCareerCorner.com
410-467-0811  (cell)410-303-6371   (fax)1-443-836-2402

Fall in love with your LIFE & your work! (in that order!)

**Starting next classes Sept 18 @7pm EST-Get Hired Now! or Hire Yourself! Sign up to get notified when you can register!
Includes seven -one hour sessions & a cookbook-approach manual to help with your career search...This small group teleseries is designed to decrease your stress, increase your happiness, keep you on track, prevent overwhelm & get unstuck, move forward to a Job/Life that FITS!
Easy to follow 28-day Action Plan & Proven System-Guaranteed to produce results IF you put in the effort & follow through!
Sign up at www.eCareerCorner.com/transitions/gethired.htm

___________________________________________
Contact me for your complimentary 25 min. coaching strategy session
marcia@ecareercorner.com 
Sessions by phone with follow up emails/mail/fax.  Appts. arranged to Suit Your Needs!!

Get 7 FR*EE Lessons from Teachers in The Secret!
http://www.lawofattractionthinking.com

Career change & airplanes...

An airline nightmare happened to me last Sun...been recovering-I don't travel well-so...last week is a blur!
I only wanted to get to Baltimore from Houston!  Here's what happened...

I'm waiting to hear my flight is boarding-no such luck!  So, an hour later, they confess there's a mechanical problem...40 mins go by-the plane is out of commission-Flight's cancelled-"please form 1 line to get rerouted!"
2 hours later, I finally get my turn with one of the 2 airline reps.  Poor woman, she gamely tried to be clerk/customer service and traffic cop-as people jockeyed for position and stole space in front of others!

Obviously, this called for another system!  So, while she valiantly tried to get me out, I thought what an opportunity this was for an enterprising, aware, job-seeker!

The savvy candidate could have sympathized with the reps' plight, told her how down he was about the job search...Made her feel better-at least she's got a job!  And now is disposed to being helpful, proving a contact, maybe she's buddies with friend in HR?  Networking can occur any time!

THE JOB SEEKER ALSO CLEARLY UNCOVERED A NEED!  Uncovering what needs you can fill can also be a part of the job search equation.

So, as the rep/ticket agent labored and finally surrendered to fact I won't be getting home tonight...she gave me a voucher for meal  and hotel!

Why tell you this?  Every encounter is an opportunity.  Who knows?  You may just  find that perfect job that FITS with the skills you have and love to do!

In Abundance!
Marcia  the Transition Chick!
www.eCareerCorner

PS I made it home!  Don't fly A-, rhymes with harrigan!

Career changes only happen after Sept 3rd...

I spoke on summer job searching, but this bears repeating!  It's July 5th & guess what?  There's business happening!

Just these past 2 weeks, I saw job requests come across my desk-all from Networking!  So, it's just a myth that "no one hires in summer"...

Now, if you need to take a break, I tell all my clients to honor their health, recharge to do more job searching...It's ok, to take a short(not 3 months) break-just don't forget to come back!

What do you think?  Agree or disagree?  What's been your experience?

In Abundance!
Marcia

Marcia Merrill,CCMC,JCTC
Marcia the Transition Chick!
Career/Life Transitions Coach
http://www.eCareerCorner.com
410-467-0811  (cell)410-303-6371   (fax)1-443-836-2402

Fall in love with your LIFE & your work! (in that order!)

**Starting July 18@7pm EST-Get Hired Now! or Hire Yourself!
Includes 7 hour sessions & a cookbook-approach,maual to help with your career search...This small group teleseries is designed to decrease your stress, increase your happiness, keep you on track,  prevent overwhelm & get unstuck,  move forward to a Job/Life that FITS!
Easy to follow 28-day Action Plan & Proven System-Guaranteed to produce results IF you put in the effort & follow through! www.eCareerCorner.com/transitions/gethired.htm

___________________________________________
Contact me for your complimentary 25 min. coaching strategy session
marcia@ecareercorner.com 
Sessions by phone with follow up emails/mail/fax.  Appts. arranged to Suit Your Needs!!

Get 7 FR*EE Lessons from Teachers in The Secret!
http://www.lawofattractionthinking.com

The Interview-is there such a thing as age discrimination?

I've been away-dealing with a relapse of the flu, then, a fall-bruised my ribs (ouch!) & my dignity! (Double ouch!)
But, while recuperating, some clients & readers of both my blogs , this one & the one on Transitions, & my ezine had this recurring theme-so I wrote lots about it!  I divided it up, so as not to cause eye strain!

Is There Such A Thing As Age Discrimination? (Part 1)

 

I’m not going to lie to you! Of course, there is…an interviewer has prejudgements, like every other human. He/she may see someone bald & recall a bad incident with a bald, former friend. Or a perfume might arouse memories of his late wife/sister & feel kindly towards that job-seeker…Or, she/he may look at a person’s ethnicity, skin color or a mention of a church committee &, unfortunately make judgements or link them to others he/she has known or read about… Some see a gray-haired candidate & think they’re “too old” to learn new things…& the interviewer makes/creates judgements around that…But, some job candidates may use their age as the ONLY reason the job wasn’t landed…But, that may just be an excuse…

 

What is your point? I do have one & it’s not intended to discourage anyone! You cannot be held responsible for any interviewer’s thoughts PRIOR to your interview! There just are some variables you cannot control!

 

Focus on what is in your control. Have a positive, can-do attitude…don’t think you’re too old to get a job! That kind of thinking and negative vibration will get you what you don’t want!  Be 100% prepared-know the info on the company, their products or service and show you’ve done your research! I often tell my clients during Interview Coaching sessions to ask a question showing your knowledge about the industry or company. For example, I was reading in your In the News section of your site that you’re launching a new software program on…I’m wondering what will be the projected marketing strategy…Now, your questions should be appropriate to the interviewer. My example might be if the interviewer were an executive or in marketing, not the HR representative.

 

You’ve shown you’re interested enough to do the research, ask intelligent questions, are technology savvy & are a strategic thinker! All of this information gathered from one question. Not having up-to-date skills, particularly in information technology, is always a concern of all interviewers-whether it’s a computer company or not…Computers are a part of most people’s lives.  Show you've kept up with the technology-are an asset, not a liability.  More on ways to dispel the myth of being too old to land a job!  Stay tuned!

What do you think?  Have you felt like this?  Please comment!

In Abundance!

 

 

 

Hi, why listen to me about career/transition stuff?

I'm Marcia Merrill, the Transition Chick...Why listen to me?  Well, I have lots of life experiences and done several major transitions! 

Career changing from being a Staff Analyst for an Engineering Consulting firm to being a Career Counselor, by way of teaching ESL and Spanish Composition,& being a substitute teacher.

I separated from my husband-my first boyfriend of 5 years, but we divorced...Felt a failure and will never remarry!  But I did- remarried a great guy 8 years later, then, had a major health crisis,and am recovering & re-learning how to get things done!

My doc said I can no longer drive!  During all this turmoil, I resigned from my career after 16 years in a college Career Center and started my own business!  Along the way, I took coaching training programs- so all total I have 18+ years in Career Development & Transitions!

Over the years, clients, students, friends have asked me about career info, job search, transition guidance...so, each time, I'll answer a question-and you can either email marcia@ecareercorner.com or comment and I'll answer each one!  Do an ezine, too and I'll answer in more detail there!

In Abundance!