by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Mar 3, 2011 | Job Search, The Placement Experience
Go time! March is finally here, and we all know what that means. It’s time for March Madness!
For most Americans, “March Madness” signifies basketball games on television, betting pools with friends and colleagues, and the mind-numbing fun that comes with working through your brackets, watching early contenders fall, and ending with an overhyped contest, resulting in the emergence of one champion.
When you work in higher education, “March Madness” means something different: the great kickoff of hiring season. Candidates practice their pitches, don their uniforms, and put their game faces on. But the reward that comes at the end of this contest is not a trophy, but a job.
If there are any significant tournaments during the hiring season, they are the placement conferences, both regional and national. The largest of these is the Placement Exchange. TPE, as it is often abbreviated, is the “300 pound gorilla” of placement conferences for higher ed administrators. The Placement Exchange is a partnership of NASPA, ACUHO-I, NACA, NODA, ASCA, AFA, and HigherEdJobs. This event is expected to draw over 1200 candidates and has 463 positions already posted.
If you have never been to a placement conference, it can be a bewildering and confusing experience. But with a little preparation, some context, and the right attitude, attending a placement exchange can be a great experience.
This Friday at 11 AM, I will have the pleasure of hosting Nathan Victoria, Assistant Director of Educational Programs and Social Media for NASPA on my BlogTalkRadio show, when he will answer some common questions about the placement experience and offer some practical tips and encouragement for job seekers attending TPE this year.
If you would like the opportunity to hear more about the Placement Exchange experience or ask questions or offer your perspectives and advice for candidates attending a placement conference this year, please join us!
To listen to the show go to http://tobtr.com/s/1610677 or click on the BlogTalkRadio player below. During the show, you may call in your questions to (347) 989-0055 or connect to the show via Skype by clicking on the Skype click to talk “S” logo once the show is on the air. If you cannot join us at 11 AM Eastern time this Friday, you are welcome to submit your questions and comments in advance by e-mailing Sean@higheredcareercoach.com or sending a tweet to Sean at @hiedcareercoach. The show will also be available for download and streaming after the show concludes.
Listen to internet radio with Sean Cook on Blog Talk Radio
Like this:
Like Loading...
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Mar 2, 2011 | Job Search, job search tools
Whenever a candidate undertakes a serious, wide-ranging job search, keeping up with job search communications is a major concern. When I was in grad school, the universal tracking methods were a) a sheet of paper in a designated notebook or b) an excel sheet if you had access to a computer (I didn’t back then, at least not on a daily basis.) Today’s job seekers have many more options, and ultimately, it’s easier to stay on top of your search.
The biggest difference for today’s job seeker is access to real-time information available on the internet, using your computer or even your phone. In particular, tools that have been designed to help businessmen keep up with sales and relationship-building, or Client Relationship Management (CRM) can help you streamline your communication strategy and stay on top of your progress in different searches. And many of the best tools are free and integrate with common web applications (most notably Google).
The best of these (in my opinion) is Gist. Recently bought out by Research in Motion (creators of the Blackberry), Gist is a revolutionary tool that aggregates information about your contacts from the public streams that their blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other profiles put out there on the internet, relate them to any public information about their employers and networks, and allow you to see all of the above, in context with communication you’ve had between these contacts.
Screen grab of Gist's suggestions feature.
There has probably never been a more powerful tool for job seekers. Gist is intelligent, and you help it learn and get better. Each time you log in, it gives you suggestions for new sources of information about your contacts,which you can filter through, confirm, or ignore. It allows you to see communications and meetings between you and your contacts. And it lets you keep notes. All in one place.
Click on the name if a person or company, and Gist will compile a “dossier” for you. Connect Gist to your calendar, and as you prepare for your next interview, you can research your contacts, the company, and others you might be meeting with. You can see that you did indeed send in your latest resume, cover letter, and that all-important background check form. And you can read the latest news on your potential employer and prepare your questions and talking points more effectively.
Gist works well with GMail, Outlook, Firefox, and Chrome, and you can use it on your iPhone or Droid phone, so you can access new information while on the go (like at a placement conference, or on the way to your next interview.)
To some, Gist seems a bit “Big Brother.” I’ll admit that it really brings home the extent of information available out there in the public stream about individuals and institutions. But you have to remember that most of the information it shows is public, and that the rest of it is directly related to communications you’ve had with the involved parties. In this context, think of Gist as a powerful and personalized partner in your job search.
Like this:
Like Loading...
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Feb 17, 2011 | Coaching, Job Search
1950s style journalist working in his office at night, he is typing with a vintage typewriter, flat lay desktop
I’ve been posting chunks of the “Creating a Killer Resume” webinar and resume coaching session for the past couple of weeks, but have found a good way to share it with you in its entirety through Amazon S3.
The video, in its entirety, is now posted at 
https://s3.amazonaws.com/seancook2/resumewebinar012711.mov
It is just over an hour long, and will show you what a resume coaching session is like, as well as give you tips on how to ensure the content, style, design and flow of your resume bring out the best aspects of your professional history and your potential match for a position.
I will be posting some additional resume resources soon, and announcing some specials on resume and interview coaching to my list. So if you need personalized help creating your resume, stay tuned!
So check back soon, and if you are interested in getting some coaching, sign up for my list so you don’t miss the special offers! (There is a sign-up form in the sidebar, and you may also see a pop-over form as well.)
Like this:
Like Loading...
by sean@higheredcareercoach.com | Feb 10, 2011 | Career Skills, Coaching, Higher Education, Job Search, Student Affairs, The Placement Experience
This is part 3 of my recent “Creating a Killer Résumé” webinar, where I did a sample coaching session for a second-step job seeker in Student Affairs. If you find it informative, please share, like and re-tweet the link, and “like” it on YouTube.
More segments are coming next week.
Also, please consider joining my mailing list, where you will get periodic “insider only” content, and special offers. Subscribers also get, for a limited time, access to my auto-responder e-course “Planning Your Career in Higher Ed” for free.
Like this:
Like Loading...
