They (Employers) are Watching – your social footprint that is …

Great is our admiration of the orator who speaks with fluency and discretion.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

The whole issue of potential employers asking job candidates for Facebook and other social media passwords so they could look at someone’s profile has seemed to blow over. I never really thought it was a real issue, but a few very isolated situations that got media spun.

However, a survey by online job board giant Careerbuilder.com (To see the survey: http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=pr691&sd=4%2F18%2F2012&ed=4%2F18%2F2099) paints a clear picture – employers may not be asking for passwords but they are looking at your social media footprint, specifically Facebook, Linkedin and to a lesser degree, Twitter. The survey reports that 37% of hiring employers research candidates using social media prior to hiring.

But here is the most important number:

34% of hiring managers said they have found information that has caused them not to hire a candidate. That is high for sure.

And what did they see that turned them off to a job candidate?
Close to half stated provocative/inappropriate photos or references to drug or alcohol use (49% and 45% respectively). The next largest groups were poor communication skills (35%), bad-mouthing a prior employer (33%) and discriminatory comments regarding race, gender or religion (28%). Last – a real no-no – candidate lied about their qualifications – a shocking 22%.

What about the other side – what did hiring managers see that attracted them to a candidate?
It goes both ways – you can strengthen your position and brand through social media if you are aware of how it can help professionally.  58% of survey respondents  stated that they got a better feel for the individuals personality (and likely thought it was a good fit to the job and culture of the company), 55% thought their social media footprint supported their professional qualifications, 54% found the information supported the background information the candidate provided. The list also included demonstrated good communication skills (49%), creativity (44%) and strong references for the candidate (34%).

My recommendations …
 I heard once someone said, “If you don’t want your grandmother to see it, don’t post it”. Great advice.
Clean up your profiles, lock down security so only you can control what is posted, beware of the inclination to “pile-on” a situation that may be deemed to be unprofessional, offensive or in poor taste. Once if it out there, no way to get it back! Just look at some of the posts recently over the Paula Deen flap – some may come back to bite candidates as the issue is explosive.

And this does not just go for those in the job market – it goes for anyone who is managing their career for now and for the future. Hide the red cups – keep the party photos off your profile, never rant and watch what issues or posts you comment on. I know it seems like your wings are getting clipped – but it is all about your brand, image and development.

It is okay to be humble – many leaders are. They know how and when to communicate, and when to bite their tongue. Be a leader – be humble, and above all others.

And thank you for reading this. – Dan

Dan Moran
President & Founder
Next-Act, Division of DVG, Inc.
Career Management & Transition Specialists
Corporate Management Services
Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!
125 Wolf Road, Suite #128
Albany, NY 12205
Phone: 518-641-8968  dmoran@next-act.com
Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm
Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm
Accept … Commit … Permit … Then Achieve!

Job Market report June 27 2013

Going the wrong way this week!
_______________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

June 26, 2013

Job Postings In Region Drop 13% - Following National Trend

(Albany, NY,  June 26, 2013) –  After holding steady the past few weeks, job postings in the Region dropped 13% the past seven days catching many by surprise. “As I have been reporting, nationally job postings are down close to 30% over the past few weeks as it appears that Wall Street performance, worries over the costs for Affordable Health Care and other issues were affecting the market nationally and it appears that we are seeking the bite as well, albeit not as strong however, evidence that we are in a stronger market – in fact the strongest in New York State (with the exception of small, Cornell-influenced Ithaca). With the Independence Day holiday next week, I expect the slump to continue for another 10 days or so”, stated Dan Moran, of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie. Moran added,

Postings were approximately 1725 the past seven days compared to 2000 the prior seven days. .

Other markets in NYS dropped as well, with the exception of New York metro which held steady the past seven days.. The Capital Region continues to still outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, all larger markets with more employers and population.  

National Job Scene

On the national level, job postings continued to drop significantly indicating a real slow down in employer hiring activity which we will see in June’s end-of-month jobs report. “There is clearly an issue on the national front likely fueled by the stock market performance and employer concern over costs they may face if they hire full-time employees under the Affordable Health Care Act. I have heard from employers who told me that they are just learning how much health insurance costs will be skyrocketing – and this can put a halt to hiring”. Postings were 514,000 compared with 549,000 the week before and 650,000 two weeks ago on June 12^th. .  

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. In 2013, his firm will celebrate 25 years in business. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! &  Get Hired Now! programs.

It's not just experience that counts ...

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. - Zig Ziglar

I had the opportunity this past week to speak to a group of graduates from the Nursing Assistant program through the Albany Community Action Partnership. Thanks to Blake Kush for making this happen.

Blake asked that I share my experience and background with this group and to talk about two critical elements they need to prepare for in seeking a job with their new found skill & education:

Understanding what employers look for in job applicants

How to present yourself, and …

What employers are look in for in job applicants.

I know I opened a few eyes and mind with what I presented; it isn’t something they heard before with such a strong emphasis.

So I thought I would summarize here – for those in the midst of a job search, thinking about finding a new job or considering a career change.

What employers look for – and how to present yourself …

It isn’t just education, skills or training – it is the “soft-skills” that are most important and I hear this from employers all the time. They also tell me fair amount of “interview horror” stories.

Employers evaluate:

Attitude – Go into an interview – via phone or face to face – with a negative attitude – you are dead – you will not be hired.  If you are having a difficult time crawling out of negativity, seek help. Try reading Learned Optimism by Martin Siegleman – take action. People want to work with positive people – Debbie Downers are not welcomed or hired.

State of Mind – If you go into an interview and begin to tell how everything is wrong on your life or job, and complain about your boss, co-workers, spouse, etc. – again – DOA – dead on arrival. Check the baggage at the door; approach this as a new fresh start. I have seen this happen so many times.

Appearance – Yes first impressions count. Go into an interview dressed like you are hanging on the street, going to the gym or otherwise not sharp and professional, DOA. Dress to impress; you can never be overdressed; you can certainly be underdressed.

Interest – If you have an interest in the job or the company, say it and why you are interested. It might be the product, the people, the service – whatever, make it known. Employers hire those who have a genuine interest in their company, and show it. If you do not have an interest, don’t waste your time or the companies time – move on.

Connection – Employment is developing a relationship; so in an interview  connect in whatever manner you feel best, to the interviewer. Show your true personality. Be engaged in the interview; ask questions. It goes a long way.  Don’t wait to be interviewed – ask the first question – show interest and your style.

I hope these tips are helpful. You can win at anything you do if you focus on you – your attitude, state of mind, presentation and action.  There is no ceiling for you – unless you put one there yourself.

And thank you for reading this. Thanks again to the Albany Community Action Partnership, Blake and the participants. You are on your way!

Dan

 

Dan Moran

President & Founder

Next-Act, Division of DVG, Inc.

Career Management & Transition Specialists

Corporate Management Services

Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!

125 Wolf Road, Suite #128

Albany, NY 12205

Phone: 518-641-8968  dmoran@next-act.com

Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm

Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm

Accept ... Commit ... Permit ... Then Achieve!

   

Job Market Report 6 19 13

Market still strong!

________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

June 19, 2013

Job Postings Continue to Hold Steady after strong increases – Some softening indicated nationally

(Albany, NY,  June 19, 2013) –  Job postings held steady this past seven days in our Region while the market on a national basis indicated a dramatic, 15% drop which was unexpected for sure.. “ We see again that our Region is somewhat insulated from national trends. We remained rather strong; the national job market dropped rather dramatically and this was a surprise, stated Dan Moran, of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie. Moran added, “ We keep seeing reports that our Region is strong – this is just another indicator – the Capital Region is the place to be”. Postings were approximately 2000 for the past seven days compared to 2100 the week prior.

Other markets in NYS showed similar results with either flat for very slightly lower numbers. The Capital Region continues to still outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, all larger markets with more employers and population.  

National Job Scene

On the national level, job postings dropped rather dramatically and this was not expected to occur and could be an indicator for the near term future. Postings were 550,000 compared with 651,000 the week. Prior.  

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. In 2013, his firm will celebrate 25 years in business. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! &  Get Hired Now! programs.

Dan Moran

President & Founder

Next-Act:

Career Management & Transition Specialists

Corporate Management Services

Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!

125 Wolf Road, Suite #128

Albany, NY 12205

Phone: 518-641-8968

eFax: 586-279-4212

   

dmoran@next-act.com

Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm

Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm

DEFINING YOUR GOALS in Career and Life!

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination." Fitzhugh Dodson

Goal setting define success from failure. This is a critical first step because without definition of what you want to be, and without the ability to measure your progress, you will not succeed.
Goals become more tactical – specific to a degree – and serve as tools to guide you and measure your performance. Establishing life goals defines where you want to be, looking at you as a total person.  It is not just about  money or status – but rather defining and achieving goals that will make you smile and know you are doing good for yourself, your family and community.
Goals include but certainly are not limited to:

• Your Career Goals – Understanding the  level you want to reach in your career.
• Your Financial Goals – The bottom-line: How much do you want to earn, by when, and how this is related to your career goals.
• Your Educational Attainment – Determining what you want to achieve in education, by when, and as well including specific knowledge of skills you wish to obtain.
• Your Family Goals – This is determining your overall family plans (i.e.: parent – or not) as well as understanding how do you want to be viewed by a partner or by members of your extended family?
• Your Attitude Goals – The big gun --- the one tool you have that can put you first – your attitude and it is your choice what it will be. Is there any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you? If so, set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem.)
• Your Physical Goals – Do you question the way you look and feel? Do you desire to attain a change in your health, appearance or activity? When you define your physical goals, it is important to create – and sty on – a plan to achieve them.
• Your “Me” Goals - Pleasure – It is important to determine and set goals for enjoyment and how one wishes to enjoy themselves. It is part of putting yourself first which is critical.
• Your Service Goals – Determining how you want to help others, the community or on a larger context, society and ht you leave behind is critical as well and part of your vision. Do you want to impact the world in some manner – how do you plan to do it?

Every goal must be measure: The Beauty of SMART Goals
To make your goals truly powerful and achievable, make them “SMART”. This is a process to define not only your goal, but to test its viability, impact and measure of achievement. No one has a definitive answer of where the concept of SMART goals came from. Zig Ziglar mentions SMART goals in his programs; Ken Blanchard did as well. Some feel it was Paul J Meyer who is considered the father of goal setting. No matter where the concept came from, it works!

Defining SMART Goals
SMART goals are those which are:

• S - Specific (or Significant).
• M - Measurable (or Meaningful).
• A - Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
• R - Relevant (or Rewarding).
• T - Time-bound (or Trackable).

For example, to state that you will have a new career isn’t SMART. Rather, stating that I will be engaged in a career that is aligned to me by 12/31/XXXX – now that is a SMART goal.
Other tips to make your goals more effective
A few suggestions:

• Make  each goal positive 

• Be Very Specific
• Establish Priorities
• Write goals down
• Set achievable and realistic goals

Set your goals – high but not unattainable and shot to meet – and then exceed them. You will be inspired, blessed and catapulted to new heights!

And thank you for reading this. – Dan (sorry about the length – important subject!)

Job Market Report 6 13 13

Market churning along --- that is good!

__________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

June 12, 2013

Job Postings Hold Steady after strong increase – Continued Strength in Job Market Indicated

(Albany, NY,  June 12, 2013) –  Job postings held steady at a rate of sharp increase the prior seven days, a strong indicators of continued consistency and strength in the local, regional, statewide and national job market and this is good news all around, Postings were 2092 vs. 2072 the week prior, but holding steady. “ “Steady is good especially at the levels we are seeing now which are new high levels for the market but not to  pre-recession levels and many economists agree – it might be five years before we see that, but we will take a stronger market now – good news for all”, stated Dan Moran, of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

This news is on the heels of a lowering unemployment rate but lower than average April job postings nationwide. “We saw this in our market as well – employers paused a bit – but the indicators are strong for the last month of this quarter so job seekers be advised – don’t put your resume on the shelf for the summer and don’t buy into the old take that jobs go away in the summer – they do not!” continued Moran.

Other markets in NYS showed similar results with either flat for very slightly lower numbers. The Capital Region continues to still outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, all larger markets with more employers and population.  

National Job Scene

On the national level, job postings were up rater sharply reaching 651,000 this past seven days vs. 579, 630 jobs the week before. April was softer nationally; a bit of catch up.  

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. In 2013, his firm will celebrate 25 years in business. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! &  Get Hired Now! programs.

 

Dan Moran

President & Founder

Next-Act:

Career Management & Transition Specialists

Corporate Management Services

Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!

125 Wolf Road, Suite #128

Albany, NY 12205

Phone: 518-641-8968

eFax: 586-279-4212

   

dmoran@next-act.com

Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm

Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm