Upgrade your career during these tough times

Decide on your career goals and how you can achieve them

Decide on your long term career goals, where do you want to be in the next 1, 5 or 10 years? Determine how exactly you can achieve them, what do you need to do to reach your aim? You will most likely need to set small goals in order to create a path to your ultimate goal.

Write your goals down

A Harvard research study as mentioned above also showed that those who wrote down their goals were 3 times more likely to achieve them than those who didn’t. Write your goals down somewhere visible and tick them off when you achieve them.

Be proactive

If you have decided that a new role at a new company is the right route for you then you need to be proactive, start to use job boards and recruiters to help you find that new start.

If you use a recruiter that is specialised to your industry or skill set then they can give you the latest information on your job market. They will also be able to prepare you for upcoming interviews knowing what your potential employer is looking for and give valuable feedback.

At CareerPaths NW we specialize in helping people reach their true potential. Click here to access our latest job’s

Learn and develop as a professional

In order to attain that promotion or new job then you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone, this means being willing to develop or learn new skills. Most new roles will require some level of learning, whether that is learning how to be a Manager or studying a new technique. Be willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Don’t limit yourself

Our recruiters say that it is essential to believe in yourself and don’t limit your abilities. Most employers can tell if someone really believes that they can be successful in a new role compared to those that are not. Confidence in your own abilities can help you get that promotion or new role.

Help your career during this quarantine

Brush up on your soft skills

Emotional intelligence is rooted in them, business leaders swear by them, and they remain in high demand. I’m speaking of soft skills, those frequently misunderstood and undervalued skills that power career success. Earlier this year, LinkedIn released its annual Global Talent Trends 2019 report, which explores the four big trends fueling the future of the workplace. Topping the list? Soft skills.

This finding underscores a fundamental truth: At its core, business is about relationships. No matter your job function or title, to succeed, you must interact with other people. And those who find a way to combine their hard skills with soft skills create environments that empower and ignite their teams, delight their customers, and fuel sustainable growth.

Master time-management

Your ability to prioritize and focus your attention on tackling work projects is crucial. How and with whom you spend your time, and your productivity while doing so, demonstrate your focus and commitment to what—and who—matters most. When you master time-management, you’ll learn to say no, do, decide, delegate or delete tasks, batch routine tasks, eliminate distractions, embrace mono-tasking, get to know—and work—your own rhythms, and build in breaks to recharge.

Get creative

Creativity is the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly disparate things, and to generate innovative solutions. When you’re creative, you’re able to turn new and imaginative ideas into reality. Business leaders agree that to cultivate your creativity, you should ask big questions, pay attention, be open-minded, set aside time to let your mind wander, and not be afraid to take risks.

Letter from the CEO

The COVID-19 pandemic will stand out in history as a world-changing event. In the course of just one month the economy has been affected, the way we conduct everyday life, business and operate within our communities has all dramatically changed. Our hearts and hats go off to the governments, healthcare professionals and first line responders around the world collectively who are all striving to help combat the spread of this disease.

In the face of this unprecedented situation, CareerPaths NW remains committed to doing what’s right for our employees, our clients, their customers, and the communities where we operate. We are continuously working to take steps to protect our extended families, keep business going, and constantly monitoring the situation and adjusting to any changes in policy and or other restrictions.

As a recruiting firm our role in this time is even more critical, and we pride ourselves on being a resource that can provide hope as well as consulting with our clients on best practices to help offset the challenges we all face during this time period. While we cannot promise jobs or placements for everyone, we will continue to advise and guide on how to best navigate these uncharted waters.

If we can be a resource in any way, please feel free to give us a call or email and we will do all that we can to help.

We are in this together, and we will not only survive but THRIVE and overcome. Together!

Warmest regards,
Andre’ Taylor
C.E.O.

Tips for a Job Search during the Corona Recession

The Corona Virus has put everyone on the back-foot, if you are already unemployed or have lost your hours and feel like your job is in trouble you will can follow the following tips to kickstart your Job Search.

Pick and Choose Your Targets

It’s important to put your time and energy into opportunities that you’re the most interested in and that have the best chance of coming to fruition. Pick a few companies you’re interested in and pursue them, whether they have current openings or not.

Concentrate on Growth Industries

Focusing on growth industries and areas. And any job that alleviates pain is recession-proof. Similarly, the National Guard, Border Patrol, homeland security and the defense industry in general will continue to thrive as the next stage in the war on terror continues.

Work Your Network

Flip through your Rolodex or business social media contacts and let them know you’re looking.

Take a Temporary Position

Consider interim staffing to fill a temporary slot for work that needs to be done despite the economy, or temp with a company that interests you. Many of these options pay well and can carry the burden of bill-paying until a permanent position comes along.

Sweat the Small Stuff

Don’t forget the personal touches,  don’t use a template cover letter — make sure each letter addresses specific skills or qualities the company is looking for. And always send a thank-you note or email after the interview. Use this correspondence as an opportunity to revisit weak areas of your interview.

Stay Positive

The most important thing when searching for a job in these tough economic times is to retain a positive attitude, even in a job market with 10 percent unemployment, there’s 90 percent employment.

Struggling to find a great job in a bad economy can be a drag, but undertaking even a few of these tips will improve your chances of landing a gig.

Industries still hiring during the Corona Outbreak

Pandemic job insecurity comes with a silver lining: It’s better to see the ax now rather than later, because your chances of landing a new gig are highest right now, at least in certain industries. Here’s where to look:

Shipping and delivery companies: Amazon is hiring 100,000 workers, mostly for fulfillment and delivery, and some UPS hubs are hiring as well, although—fair warning—both companies are facing criticism over employee safety. Some couriers are also hiring.

Online learning companies: Now that over 30 million children are out of school, it’s boom time for online schools, which are swiftly expanding capacity. Outschool is hiring thousands of teachers to meet demand.

Grocery stores and delivery services: Grocery stores are your friends. Major chains such as Kroger, Meijer, and Safeway are hiring in-store shelf stockers and delivery staff; ditto for regional chains such as Raley’s. Grocery delivery services and apps such as Instacart are also hiring.

Remote meeting and communication companies: Zoom is hiring, as are Slack and Microsoft Teams.

Working families: Many working parents are now forced to hire for many months of childcare, now that California’s governor announced that schools likely won’t open before fall. If kidcare is your jam, consider offering cheap, flexible options. Snap up these gigs in the next couple weeks.

Think broadly: There is no shame in a paying job of any kind, especially during a pandemic. And remember this is an excellent time to skill up. Want to learn to code? Or take a crack at the GRE? Or pick up an online credential? ‘Tis the season.

Take control of your job search like a boss.

Consider the hiring manager’s perspective

Keep in mind that, even if you’re desperate for a job, the company is almost as anxious to find someone capable to hire. Most companies need to attract the best talent, but don’t have their pick. Even at Google, the talent war is real.

And here’s a pro-tip that will help boost your confidence: The hiring manager wants to hire someone who will make them look good in front of their boss.

If you can show them that you are that person, then you’ll be exponentially more successful in your interviews.

Prepare to answer classic interview questions

Interviews have enough unknown variables to potentially throw you off. Because of this, you should try to prepare for as many of the known variables as you can. These are questions like…

  • “Tell me about yourself.”
  • “What’s your greatest weakness?”
  • “What’s your biggest strength?”
  • “Tell me about the time you overcame a challenge.”

The thing is, you can crack almost any interview, as long as you have a good answer to the tell-me-about-yourself question. Don’t make it chronological. Instead, pick 3 qualities and tell 1 story for each.

Competence Triggers

Have a firm handshake

When you walk into the interview room, subtly wipe your possibly clammy/sweaty hands on your pants or skirt and get ready for the first competence trigger – the handshake. If the interviewer doesn’t initiate one, feel free to extend your hand yourself, and give their hand one firm shake.

Relax

I know, I know – relaxing in an interview is easy to say, but hard to do. Here are a couple tactics that you can use to stay relaxed and confident:

  • Remind yourself of the work you’ve done upfront – Practice interviews, research, coffee meetings, etc. If you’ve done your best to prepare, then you’ll do your best at the interview – which is all that you can ask of yourself, whether or not you get the job. In line with that…
  • Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” – More often than not, that means totally bombing the interview and not getting the job – not fun, but then again, it’s not the end of the world, either.

If you have time, you can also quickly run to the washroom to calm yourself down, have a few quiet moments, and take a few deep breaths.

Show your excitement and enthusiasm

You can do that by reminding yourself about how cool the job or company sounds in the job description, or even about all the stuff you can buy once the dough starts rolling in – whatever gets your blood pumping.

So, before you walk into the interview room, slap on a big grin on your face, and reflect your enthusiasm in your…

Body language

In an interview, you want to come across as confident and personable. How to be more personable will be covered in the next section, but to accomplish the first one, you need to take up space when you sit, and minimize movement. If you’re sitting in a chair, lean forward a little – this shows that you’re interested. Speaking with your hands is OK, so long as you slow down your movements.

 

Career Advice for Women

Networking Horizontally:

Networking is one of the most crucial parts of building a career or business. One ignored part of networking that is extremely useful is Horizontal Networking. Networking doesn’t always mean attending events or trying to connect with someone you admire. Networking can also mean getting close with the people in the trenches with you as you evolve in your career. Over the years, those people will move on to other positions and you never know how you can help each other in the future.

Passion:

The most important quality to have to move ahead in your career is to show passion in every job you have. Even if you are not in your dream job, you need to put your best foot forward.  You never know who you will meet or who will end up shaping your future. Remember that your career or business is a marathon, not a sprint.  Do not try to be an overnight success or a one-hit wonder. Slow and steady wins the race. Take your time to develop the skills you need. No one expects you to know everything out of the gate.

Be Bold:

Be audacious! Treat your career as an exciting story, one you want to tell, each chapter adding new experiences and capabilities to your professional and life journey. Be passionate, show up and do what you love. Push other women forward, too.

Instinct:

Go with your gut. Never doubt it. Nurture it. Make it stronger. Make listening to it part of your self-care routine. It will never lead you astray. Even if it tells you something you don’t want to hear, trust that voice; it will guide you to the right destination. If it recommends a career transition, a new job or circle of friends, trust it blindly. Make that a foundation you can always turn to in moments of doubt or on hard days.

 

3 things to differentiate you in the workplace

Always Acknowledge People Who Help You

It may sound simple to acknowledge those who offer assistance, but it’s genuinely a significant gesture. Whether someone gives you five minutes of his or her time or an introduction to a potential employer, it’s important to let that person know that it meant something to you. And when he or she or someone else needs help, return the favor. Consider it good karma.

Own Your Mistakes

Everybody makes mistakes. Even if you try hard not to, it will happen at some point. Of course, you will do what you can to avoid making a grave error, but sometimes even that happens. While your instinct may be to run away and hide, that is the worst thing you can do. Admitting your error, finding a way to fix it, or at least taking an action that mitigates its effects, will help restore your reputation.

Be Your Own Cheerleader 

Root for yourself. If you aren’t your own biggest fan, who will be? Take note of and pride in all your successes and positive attributes. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you “job well done!” Reflecting on your achievements will spur you on to accomplish even greater ones.

Do you have a plan for your career?

Have a Job Target You Believe In

Be clear on what you want, why you want it and what qualifies you… Without clarity from the very start, virtually every stage that follows will be based on little more than a hunch — and that is an extremely fragile foundation for navigating a dynamic job search. You begin by engaging in some form of assessment. It could involve taking a standardized assessment instrument, keeping a journal or talking with people whose advice and feedback you value — friends, family, or a career coach. The goal is to achieve self-awareness in the form of a career target. The next, and equally important, step is a reality check. Here is where you determine that the goal you selected makes sense. Is it appropriate for you and is it attainable?

Create a Plan

Identify a few key features, such as, why is finding a new job important to you? What is your ideal time-frame for finding a new job? …What are types of companies you’d like to work for? When will you perform job searches — is there a day of the week that you will meet for coffee with your networking connections? What’s your timeline for updating your resume and cover letter? Post the plan somewhere you will see it and put important dates on your calendar. Most people don’t plan their search; they simply go about it in a haphazard fashion, so you’ll be ahead of the game. If you plan your search, you’re committing to a new job and will be more likely to find the job that you love.”

Miscellaneous Resume Tip’s

Ditch “References Available Upon Request”

If a hiring manager is interested in you, he or she will ask you for references—and will assume that you have them. There’s no need to address the obvious (and doing so might even make you look a little presumptuous!).

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

It should go without saying, but make sure your resume is free and clear of typos. And don’t rely on spell check and grammar check alone—ask family or friends to take a look at it for you, or come to Career Paths NW and our experienced recruiters can help you with your resume.

Save it as a PDF

If emailing your resume, make sure to always send a PDF rather than a .doc. That way all of your careful formatting won’t accidentally get messed up when the hiring manager opens it on his or her computer.

Name Your File Smartly

Ready to save your resume and send it off? Save it as “Jane Doe Resume” instead of “Resume.” It’s one less step the hiring manager has to take.

Constantly Refresh It

Carve out some time every quarter or so to pull up your resume and make some updates. Have you taken on new responsibilities? Learned new skills? Add them in. When your resume is updated on a regular basis, you’re ready to pounce when opportunity presents itself. And, even if you’re not job searching, there are plenty of good reasons to keep this document in tip-top shape.