Good Morning,
Hope your week is off to a great start! Here are over 40 hot job openings the only catch is that I need you to share them with your network. Let’s together get America Back to work by sharing job leads with each other.
Have a great day and an even better week,
Kwame Dow
For more information on Articulate U and how we can assist you in achieving your career goals email us at info@articulate-u.com or give us a call at 323-540-4220.
Good Afternoon,
Happy Monday! I hope that you had a great weekend and spent extra quality time with the mothers in your life.
Earlier today I was working with a client preparing him for an interview and I had to stop our session because he kept trying to answer my questions before I asked them. Here is what I shared with him.
Tip of the Week: Shhh Listen!
You can’t answer the question if you don’t know what the question is. We all fall victim to thinking that we know what someone is going to say before they say it. In the interview room we however you have to fight this urge.
I shared with my client a poem I learned many years ago (helps me still today) called Wise Ol’ Owl: “There once was a wise old owl who sat on an oak, The more he sat the less he spoke, The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?”
You must be that wise ol’ owl in the interview room and shhh listen! Listen to what the interviewer is asking you and then answer it clearly (Use our CEO Methodology) so that they can see what kind of immediate impact you can make on the organization!
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame Dow
For more information on Articulate U and our CEO Methodology for value communication and how we can assist you in achieving your career goals email us at info@articulate-u.com or give us a call at 323-540-4220.
Hello,
I hope you had a nice weekend and are ready for a great week! A few weeks back we wrote a Tip entitled “Just Ask“. Well before you can just ask…you have to State Your Interest!
Tip of the Week: State Your Interest!
When interested in a position you are interviewing for you have to make your interest known. You don’t accomplish this by saying, “I want this job, I need this job, can I please have this job”…you do accomplish by thanking the interviewer for his/her time, letting them know that this is a role you can see yourself being successful in and making sure you ask about next steps.
Example:
“Mr. Smith, thank you very much for your time today, I really enjoyed meeting with you and learning about Acme Sprockets and the Sales Manager position. I can definitely see myself in and being very successful in this role. Is there anymore information that I can share with you about my background? Also what are the next steps to move this process along?”
By using the above example there is no question that you are interested. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to wonder if you like them as much as they like you. So state your interest, make it clear and close the deal!
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame Dow
Articulate U is your competitive advantage! Reach out to us today 323-540-4220 and find out how we are Getting America Back to Work!
Good Afternoon,
As I watched the NFL draft last week it struck me that it must be so tough on athletes who were always the first pick for any pickup game to have to wait the hear their name called. I mean, everyone wants to be wanted, right? During the job search, employers are looking to pick their teams too. It’s up to you make yourself as appealing as possible so that they Want U.
Tip of the Week: Make Employers Want U!
The first impression an employer has of you is from your resume. The way you make them want you is to CUSTOMIZE your resume so they can see how your experience ties into their position. The easiest way to do this is to look at the employer’s job description and use the same terminology and words they use on your resume. By doing this you show them that they may indeed want you on their team and should take a closer look by offering you an interview.
Now, you have to show some urgency. This is easily done with your voicemail message. When they call and hear, “please leave a message and I will call you back as soon as possible”, they know that you are about your business. If they call and hear, “please leave a message at the tone and I will call you back at my earliest convenience”, there is a feeling that you will get back to them when you are ready thus putting your needs in front of their team’s and clients’.
Lastly, you have to close the deal when you get the interview by communicating HOW you will add value to their organization from day one. This is done by telling them CEO Stories (Articulate U’s Methodology for value communication) about how you were able to add value to your previous employer’s organization. Oh yeah, and most importantly don’t forget to ask for the job. This makes it clear that you want them and they will Want U even more!
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame
Articulate U is your competitive advantage! Reach out to us today 323-540-4220 and find out how we are Getting America Back to Work!
Good Morning,
Today is a big day in the Dow Household. My wife and I are celebrating our 13th Wedding Anniversary! Since this is the best deal I have ever negotiated, I thought it fitting to make this tip of the week about negotiating the offer.
Tip of the Week: Just Ask!
At some point during just about every workshop that I do someone asks, “How do I get more money when I am offered a new job?” My answer is always the same: just ask! My mother always says if you don’t ask you are guaranteed a no! But if you ask you might just get exactly what you are looking for or close to it.
Here’s how: The company calls and makes you an offer. Let’s say they’re offering $45K but you really want to make $50K. However, you’d be over the moon if you settled at $48k.
What to do?
First, thank them for the offer and let them know how excited you are to have an opportunity to join their organization. Let them know that the base salary of $45K is a bit lower than expected and that you will have to discuss it with your spouse, partner, or family since you make all important decisions (such as this one) together. Chances are they will ask what you were expecting and this is your perfect opportunity to say $50K. They will likely come back somewhere in the middle and you can accept. Now if they don’t ask, you will need to let them know that you will follow-up with them in the morning. Once you call back in the morning, tell the company that you’ve talked it over with your family and while you’re thrilled with the offer you were hoping to earn $50K. At that point the company will either accept your offer or come back with a counter – $47.5, $48k or so forth. At that point you can accept.
Congratulations you have successfully negotiated the job offer.
Remember if you don’t ask you are guaranteed a no…just ask, I did and 13 years later, here I am.
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame
Articulate U is your competitive advantage! Reach out to us today 323-540-4220 and find out how we are Getting America Back to Work!
Isn’t it funny how things happen? For the last THREE years we’ve been teaching job seekers that they only have 5-7 seconds to catch a hiring manager’s attention. Last week I read an article saying that they have only 6 seconds (this of course is the average of 5-7). Even though I was happy to see the information getting out there, it dawned on me that job seekers who we have worked with one on one or that have attended our workshops are 3 years AHEAD of the curve.
Call to Action: Better Late Than Never
This must be why 90% of job seekers those who we coach or attend our workshops say that they are, “better equipped to successfully tackle a job search” after working with us.
Get the information you need to navigate today’s job market now. Trust me, its better late than never!
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame
Articulate U is your competitive advantage, don’t try to do it yourself let us help you Get Back To Work! For more information on our services email us at info@articulate-u.com or call (323) 540-4220
Good Afternoon,
I hope you had a great holiday weekend and that your week is off to an excellent start! Last week, I spoke at the California Workforce Association Spring Conference down in San Diego on How to Craft Resumes, Interview, and Get America Back to Work. During my presentation I made the point that it’s not enough to tell people what they need to do. If you really want to help them get back to work you have to show them HOW to do it.
Tip of the Week: Being Prepared
Beyond wearing a conservative suit, minimal makeup, fragrance and jewelry you should know the company that you are approaching inside and out. Visit their website and find out who their Executives are. Run a Google search for their most up to date news articles and press. Look for them on LinkedIn; depending on their size they should have a profile with company statistics including demographics. You should also do similar research on the person you are interviewing with. If they have a, “different” name, find out the proper way to say it. This is easily done by calling the company switchboard and listening to the automatic greeting or asking the receptionist.
Know how your experience ties directly to the position you are applying for. Go through the job description point by point and make sure you can speak to WHY your experience is directly connected to the position.
It takes work to Be Prepared but as a friend once told me: If you stay ready, you will never have to get ready! Take this Tip of the Week to heart and get ready!
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame Dow
Articulate U is your competitive advantage, don’t try to do it yourself let us help you Get Back To Work! For more information on our services email us at info@articulate-u.com
Good Afternoon,
This is a special Pasadena Look Who’s Hiring:
TJ Maxx Hiring Event April 19th-21st
Have a great day and an even better weekend,
Kwame Dow
Articulate U is your competitive advantage during your job search email us at info@articulate-u.com and find out how we can help get you hired
Good Morning,
This is our 100th TIP OF THE WEEK!!! I honor of this achievement I thought I would answer a question that I have received about 100 times, “I love my job but hate my boss what should I do?”
Tip of the Week: Love Job/Hate Boss
Part of loving a job is loving the people you work with. It can be hard enough finding a job you love and when you do every effort should be made to keep it.
So what to do?
Try bringing your concerns directly to your boss in a constructive manner. Nine times out of ten this person has no idea of his behavior and doesn’t realize how he is being perceived. What happens if your well intended talk isn’t well received? The next best thing to do is to get the Human Resources (HR) Department involved. The role of HR is to ensure a comfortable work environment for all. Let them know how he makes you feel; don’t worry, they will keep your conversation confidential and work with her/him to correct this behavior.
Don’t look at this as getting your boss in trouble because it’s not. Again, in many cases he/she doesn’t realize what they are doing and by having HR address it you get to stay at your dream job.
Have a great day and a great weekend!
Kwame Dow
Articulate U is your competitive advantage during your job search. Email us at info@articulate-u.com and let us show you how we can make a difference in your search.
Good Morning,
I hope you had a great weekend! Mine was nice and relaxing. We finally got a bit of rain here in Los Angeles, which was much needed.
Every time I conduct one of our Getting America Back to Work Resume Workshops I am asked how to address gaps in employment on your resume. Here is how.
Tip of the Week: How To Fix Gaps On Your Resume
The best way to address gaps in employment on your resume is to volunteer. Yep, volunteer.
Let’s say you are an accountant and volunteer your time to help your church keep their books in order, you can put this experience on your resume. List it the same way you would any other job; organization name, bullet accomplishments and job title (but list Volunteer next to title). Example:
Agape International Spiritual Center
Accountant (Volunteer)
For many employers it’s important that they see that you are keeping your skills sharp during gaps and volunteering shows them that you are.
So find an organization, nonprofit, church, etc. that can use your expertise and volunteer your time. Volunteering will not only make you feel good it just may help you land that job that you have been looking for.
Have a great day and an even better week!
Kwame
Time to do some spring cleaning of your resume, take advantage of the NEW Articulate U Resume Module today for only $5.00
Get Hired