Career Strategies in a Competitive Job Market

Speaker
Lisa Ryan, Heyman & Associates

Job market

• Market is getting better according to economic signs
• Need to be realistic in job search
• Position, network, update resume, network, meet with recruiters, network

Skills in demand

• Enthusiasm
• Solid writing skills
• Media relations skills
• Strategic planning skills: implement plan personally, “do it and deliver”
• Need to understand business: know how to read the annual report, read business publications
• Leadership skills:
  • Show initiative.
  • Treat others, as you would want to be treated.
  • Work with senior management.
• Integrity
  • Starts with your resume, don’t lie
• Judgment and how you present self
  • Dress appropriately
  • Way you treat people during interviews including the secretary and driver
• Self confidence
  • Show to staff and senior management even during bad times
• Intellect
  • The more you read trade publications and books, the more well rounded you appear.

Buyer’s market, employees are looking for all of their requirements in one person; searches take about 5-6 months

Top Industries

• Pharmaceuticals
• Financial services are coming back
• Have to dig and be patient in job search

Resumes:

• Personal reflections of you
• Employers spend average of eight seconds on yours
• Chronological is best
• Don’t include job description, list accomplishments
• No objective
• Include summary of who you are (2-3 sentences)
• Include dates
• Job you are currently at, will be the largest section
• Two pages are good, more than that it’s stretchy
• Include professional organizations, leadership positions
• SPELL CHECK
• Have people outside industry look at it and tell you what you can do to make changes

Cover letter:

• Brief
• Never sent to Dear Sir or Madam
• Explain what you are looking for, be brief
• Employers never really see cover letter

Networking practices:

• Talk to people and ask that person for names that may help you
• Get involved in organizations to expand network
• Informational interviews

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