THE JOB CLUB:
TRANSCENDING FROM CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY
Wednesdays: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
January 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25,
April 1, 15 and 22, 2009
Wainwright House
260 Stuyvesant Avenue, Rye, NY 10580

In a safe and supportive environment, learn how to:
• Embrace change and use it to propel you forward
• Explore and identify career paths that best fit your strengths and interests
• Prevent your Inner Gremlin from standing between you and your goals
• Effectively build and mobilize your network, even if you are shy
• Address spoken and unspoken objections and work around challenges
• Define your Personal Brand for use in your resume, cover letter, online presence,
sound bites and messages that capture the interests of hiring managers and key contacts
• Conduct an effective job search using the Dispatch Method
• Transform interviews from interrogations into business meetings
• Identify and answer illegal interview questions while maintaining your cool
• Negotiate better salary and compensation packages

Pre-registration is required
http://www.wainwright.org/Program_DittaAnneMarie_series.htm
Phone registrations: 914-967-6080, Monday – Friday 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
At other times, please leave a message and a registrar will return your call and take your registration and credit card information.
12-week series
$540 for members \ / $600 for non-members

1. Present a job objective that will appeal to the readers’ interest. A clearly stated objective such as PROJECT MANAGER / BUSINESS ANALYST will get more attention then “a challenging position that will utilize my skills and talents.”
2. Think of your PROFILE or CAREER SUMMARY as the back cover copy of a book or a mini sales letter. Some hiring managers decide in as little as 10 seconds whether to call you or toss your documents in the circular file.
3. Keep your profile no longer than 6 lines. Make every word count; your profile is 10 times more powerful than the sections that follow. Use SOUND BITES; ACTION ORIENTED VERBS and KEY WORDS; PICTURE AND EMOTIONAL WORDS, BENEFITS, NOT FEATURES to keep your message focused and capture your readers’ attention.
4. Writers know readers like to focus on one topic at a time. INCLUDE ONLY INFORMATION THAT IS RELEVANT TO YOUR CAREER OR JOB OBJECTIVE. Omit information such as marital status, age, weight, and any data that is unrelated to your objective.
5. What are your readers most interested in? Take the time to research the jobs and companies that interest you. What qualities, skills, or knowledge are they looking for? WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED, HAVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT, OR ARE SKILLED IN THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB.
6. A WELL-DESIGNED, CLEAN, SIMPLE LAYOUT WITH AMPLE WHITE SPACE IS EASIER TO READ than a document that has multiple type fonts and type styles. Use BULLET POINTS TO CALL ATTENTION TO ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BOLD FACE TYPE FOR SECTION HEADERS, JOB TITLES and / or COMPANY NAMES, ACADEMIC DEGREES and / or COLLEGES or UNIVERSITIES.
7. The key to good writing is EDIT, EDIT AND EDIT SOME MORE. What if your readers can spot grammatical errors that you didn’t know were there? EVERY MISTAKE IN GRAMMAR, SPELLING, SENTENCE STRUCTURE, AND OVERALL ORGANIZATION, ANYTHING THAT TRIPS UP THE SMOOTH FLOW OF IDEAS FROM YOU TO YOUR READER IS A POTENTIAL MINEFIELD. Once your resume and cover letter are completed have the documents proofread by someone other than you.

A key factor in any job search or career transition is the ability to effectively network. I have come across a variety of reactions when I coach people in this method. The most common response is a sigh followed with “I have tried but I have not had any luck.” When I ask about what exactly they tell their network, they say they tell their friends they are looking for a job and if they know of something to please let them know. One of the reasons people fail in their networking efforts is because they lack clarity. Think about it, whom do you know has the psychic power to know what you are looking for and would be willing to listen out for something that could help you, even if they were unsure of what it was you were looking for?

“Help me…help you” Jerry McGuire (Tom Cruise) pleaded with Ray Tidwell (Cuba Gooding) in the 1996 movie Jerry McGuire. Besides being an excellent sound bite it sums up how effective sound bites can capture interest and win support. The clearer you are about your strengths, your goals and what you need from your contacts the easier it will be for them to become a valued member your career team. Instead of asking vague questions use carefully selected words to demonstrate the value you present. Prepare a list of companies you are interested in working for instead of telling your friends how hard it is to find a job. Ask who do they know that either works or who might have a contact at one of these companies. I promise you your friends, family, acquaintances, past employers and even the dry cleaner really want to do anything they can to help you achieve your goals. They just want need to be told what you need from them.

ANATOMY OF A SOUND BITE

The Sound Bite

I have 10 years experience in selling advertising space to small business owners, non-profit organizations and schools. I am now looking to transfer my experience to a private school or cultural organization that wants to reduce their marketing costs and expand their reach. While sales have been a large part of my position, I also write powerful ad copy and press releases. I have been told that I also have a real eye for layout and design. In fact, ABC Day School and County Arts Center were so happy with the campaigns that I created for them that they fired their advertising agency. With the money they saved on agency costs they were able to penetrate new markets. Since you have such a good handle on marketing, I thought I could take you to lunch and discuss some ideas on which organizations to approach and my strategy for reaching them.

Breaking It Down

About you – I have 10 years experience in selling advertising space to small business owners, non-profit organizations and schools  

Clearly Stated Objective- I am now looking to transfer my experience to a private school or cultural organization that wants to reduce their marketing costs and expand their reach.

Strengths / Personal Qualities - While sales have been a large part of my position, I also write powerful ad copy and press releases. I have been told that I also have a real eye for layout and design.

Unique Value Proposition - In fact, ABC Day School and County Arts Center were so happy with the campaigns that I created for them that they fired their advertising agency. With the money they saved on agency costs they were able to expand their campaigns to penetrate new markets. 

Effective Request for Help - Since you have such a good handle on marketing, I thought I could take you to lunch and discuss some ideas on which organizations to approach and my strategy for reaching them.

The Sound Bite

While working out in the field I discovered I had a knack for working with people in education and cultural organizations. Not only was I able to uncover their real needs but I found I had effective ideas about how to increase subscriptions and enrollment. In particular, I created an insert for the County Art Center’s winter program. They had such a great response that they had sold out tickets for entire season in less then two weeks. Do you think that some of the cultural organizations around here would have the need for a full time marketing director?

Breaking It Down

Strengths / Personal Qualities – While working out in the field I discovered I had a knack for working with people in education and cultural organizations. Not only was I able to uncover their real needs but I found I had effective ideas about how to increase subscriptions and enrollment.

Unique Value Proposition - They had such a great response that they had sold out tickets for entire season in less then two weeks.

Effective Request for Help - Do you think that some of the cultural organizations around here would have the need for a full time marketing director?