Home › Blog › Page 30

Monthly Meeting

Posted on by Adrienne Roman

The Breakfast Club NJ Presents: “Selling Yourself” by Joey Himelfarb

Saturday November 8, 2014 at 8:00am ET

The Presentation: “Selling Yourself”

Aristotle believed an important skill any person could have was the ability to influence.

Have you ever had to convince your colleagues, department heads, or company executives to try a different tactic in acquiring new business? Ever tried to get your customers to buy your stuff? Ever tried to get your kids to behave a certain way? Ever go on a job interview?

Join us for a thought provoking, highly interactive, and entertaining program that will demystify your views of selling and help you to better sell yourself. With a blank white board or flip chart, 2 different colored markers, and an audience thirsting for knowledge, you will:

* Discover how you can apply selling theories and techniques to help you land whatever job you desire. (Hint: no rocket science involved, but Rocket Scientists can surely benefit.)

* Hear new ideas about old sales strategies that focus your attention on getting hiring managers to consider you for the job you want. (Make them wonder how they ever got along without you.)

* Learn how to put a different spin on the job search activities you currently perform…so you can distinguish yourself from your competition…so you can bolster your pipeline…so you can improve your chances of getting employed. (Make the people you talk to feel glad they met you.)

About the speaker:
Joey Himelfarb (all his friends call him Joey) has been selling for over 20 years. Whether it’s multi-million dollar computing and telecommunications systems to Fortune 100 companies around the world, or consumer products in a homeowner’s backyard or driveway, or even their own home, Joe enjoys helping his clients ge from where they are to where they want to be.

Joe’s passion is being on stage and encouraging people to maintain positive mental attitudes. His contention is that we sell everyday and being negative serves no function. To that end, and on a regular basis, Joey facilitates seminars to unemployed individuals as well as small business owners.

Most people who have participated in these seminars have learned new tactics for selling themselves and maintaining positive mental attitudes in their professional and personal lives. And some attendees have actually seen and heard a unique similarity in Joey’s presentation style with a famous comedian who has had success hosting several Oscar Award Show Ceremonies.

Networking begins at 7:30 am, meeting starts promptly at 8:00 am.

There is a $10 fee at the door to cover the cost of the room.

Be sure to tell your friends and bring them along.  Be a part of our growing network of Job Seekers, Hiring Managers, Recruiters, Career Coaches, and people who want to be able to help themselves and each other.

Event Location:

Days Hotel Conference Center

195 Rt. 18 South, East Brunswick, NJ 08816

732-828-6900

Posted in Monthly Meeting

Women versus Men in Job Interviews and Salary Negotiations

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

For both genders, anxiety before the interview may be present, but studies show that women handle it better. Women adapt more proactively than men do. Women seek social support from colleagues and friends more than men do. And women are more prone to do mock interviews with those colleagues and friends more than men are. […]

The post Women versus Men in Job Interviews and Salary Negotiations appeared first on Landing Expert Career Coaching.

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/7F0MrD
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Consider Hiring an Older Skilled Worker

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

Until recently, companies had smaller budgets, which led to some people being promoted into higher positions or management with little experience. However, good workers do not always make effective managers. To stay competitive in today’s marketplace, companies now need to make an effort to attract and retain older workers.

Here are some reasons to attract older workers:

A Less Risky Hire

Companies invest many hours and financial resources into the screening, hiring and training of new employees, only to find that many employees leave for “greener pastures” in order to ascend through their career path. Older workers tend to be more interested in stability where younger workers might be more concerned about moving up the corporate ladder as quickly as possible. In addition, making a poor employee selection will cause your management to look poorly upon you and your decision.

They Are Focused
Older people have been working their entire adult life and are often not searching for the next opportunity at another company or a new role like younger workers. They know exactly what they want to do, are typically satisfied with a good work opportunity, and are focused on getting the work done. 
Maturity
Compared to their younger colleagues, older workers have years of experience you can’t teach or replace. Maturity comes from years of life and work experiences, and makes for workers who get less “rattled” when problems occur.
Efficiency
Their years of experience in the workplace give older workers a superior understanding of how jobs can be done more efficiently, which saves companies money. Companies can save the cost of many man hours lost to inefficiency.
Confidence
Older workers have confidence, built up through the years, which means they won’t hesitate to share their ideas with management. People without that confidence may keep their ideas to themselves because of an irrational concern that they won’t get credit for their ideas.
Battle Tested 
Many industries are cyclical and older workers have experienced the highs and lows, making them more the wiser. The great recession and housing market crash of 2008 was something the country also experienced in the early 1980s. Old members of the workforce learned valuable lessons that helped them weather the recent economic storm and prepare their companies for the next one.
They have Strong Networks
Older workers have been in the workforce longer and they’ve had more time to meet people and network along the way. Hence, they have stronger professional network of clients, vendors, partners and other professionals that serve within their industry.

Reduced Labor Costs 
Some older workers have insurance plans from prior employers or from a spouse/partner. In addition, some have an additional source of income and are willing to take a little less to get the job they want. They understand that working for a company can be about much more than just collecting a paycheck.

I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…
David Schuchman

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/7D4xQs
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Not Everyone Wants More Responsibility

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

As a manager, one of your most important obligations is to make your staff feel truly valued and letting them know that your company, department and you would be worse off without them. In many cases, you recognize the successes of your top performers by giving them more responsibility. However, you must consider that not everyone may want more responsibility.

The Peter Principal
The Peter Principle is named after Laurence J. Peter who co-authored the humorous book, “The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong.” One of the theories discussed in the book is that management stops promoting employees once they can no longer perform effectively. In some cases, employees have determined their own level of where they perform effectively. Hence, they are hesitant to accept more responsibilities or a promotion when they have reached that point.

They are Happy With Their Current Responsibilities
Hopefully, your staff are good at what they do. In some cases, they are very happy doing the job they have already attained. When that happens, they simply may not want new responsibilities or a different job within the organization.

It will Cost Other Opportunities
Some staff will consider the added responsibility a “dead end”, that it will hurt their professional reputation, or that it will cost them other career opportunities. Most people want their next position to allow them to grow their skills and experiences, and to be applicable to their career path. They may turn down responsibilities that contradict their professional vision.

They Recall Their Work History
Some staff have previously been rewarded with new responsibilities. They recalled what their initial and long term performance was when they received it and felt they did not adjust well. They experienced difficulties with the added work, new client interactions, new time demands, etc. Some people do not want new additional responsibilities because they expect it will cause them to become overloaded or unproductive again.
No Offer of a Salary Increase
Some people hesitate to accept new responsibilities when the amount of new work and time demands are not accompanied by added salary. It’s not to say that all added responsibilities deserve added salary. You need to reflect on this perception when giving more responsibility.

What are You to Do?
  1. Be sure to give your good performers praise.
  2. Offer new responsibilities to staff. But, do not force it upon them. Let them know why you are making the offer, and discuss how the new responsibilities will benefit their career path in addition to your organization. If they express concerns, assure them that you will be supportive during their transition. In the end, let them make the final decision.
  3. Compensate fairly. If the new responsibilities are worth more to the organization, then it may be justified to align that employee’s compensation with the new work opportunity.
  4. Consider that if you team is consistently working at their most productive capacity, it may be time to add staff to your team. You may need to document the team’s productivity vs. the work demands in order to make the case to your management.
David Schuchman

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/746C8X
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Conventional or Behavior-Based Interviewing?

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

A job interview has been scheduled for you, but do you know what types of questions you’ll have to answer? This is the dilemma most candidates face. Don’t panic. You can prepare for various types of questions, and I’ll give you a few hints later on. Most companies are using one or the other type: […]

The post Conventional or Behavior-Based Interviewing? appeared first on Landing Expert Career Coaching.

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/72kzXZ
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Why are you a Project Manager?

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

You may be asking why this wasn’t my first blog. I believe we had to establish a relationship before this question was asked. So, why are you a project manager (PM)? If the answer is, why not, then most likely you don’t understand the question. Allow me to elaborate; in this work world of ever changing direction, scope, and responsibilities, why would you want to put yourself right in the middle of chaos? I understand that the job market is very competitive and that even PM jobs are hard to find these days. However, many of us can work at another role, a business analyst for example, or a technician. So, why are you a PM?

Many of us like the challenging and exciting role
This is probably the most appropriate reason and I admit that this is the top reason for me. I like being a leader and I believe I am a good communicator, but the challenges and the excitement of being a PM are the most alluring for me. And like any other role, with challenges lurks the dark side of agendas. As PMs we are more vulnerable to those that don’t have our best interest at heart. As a matter of fact, sometimes there are individuals that just want to prove they are more valuable by finding fault in the PM and just about everyone else. To that end, I would encourage everyone to read Dr. Sutton’s book, “The No A**hole Rule.”  I also encourage you to read “What every body is saying” by Joe Navarro, a former FBI agent, regarding how to read body language.
Even with the criticism by individuals who revel in everybody’s failure, the excitement of being a PM can be exhilarating. I remember when I was the PM on a project that led my organization in placing our biggest client into production. The feeling was something I can’t explain in writing, but suffice it to say, it was exhilarating.
Some of us like to lead
Speaking of challenges, being a leader is one of the hardest things to accomplish. And it’s not about titles and organizational charts; it is about perception. You know when a leader walks into a room, Heads turn, people sit up, those who are speaking to others stop to listen. It’s not about power taken from interrupting someone that is speaking. A leader knows when to speak up, and most importantly, when to listen. Leaders put themselves in positions that some would consider precarious. Others would shy away from leadership positions because of the need to make decisions, and here’s the hard part, be judged on those decisions. You see, it is easier being a follower and criticizing a decision, especially when others are piling it on. Leaders are not afraid of asking for forgiveness later rather than waiting for permission. You may think I am speaking of a PM that has gone “rogue.” On the contrary, the PM is tasked to make decisions and will be judged on those decisions based on organizational policies and procedures. Sure, we all like to break the rules once in a while, as long as we can back those decisions with strong evidence that the rule was hindering progress on a project. I am not speaking of a Captain Kirk type of person, but rather a Captain Jean-Luc Picard who understands his or her underlying role and is not afraid of risks if the benefits outweigh the costs. 
Some of us are very good communicators
I have discussed communications before in previous blogs. I believe communication is the most difficult part of being a PM and is, I believe, the biggest reason for project failure. I believe the root of communication begins with clarity and value. The customer or client must understand the value of the project in clear, concise terms that they will understand. What PMs sometimes miss is that the client may not be well versed in PM speak. What the client wants to hear is that the status is green, or if yellow, how to mitigate the issues. Also, in clear terms, what are the tasks for the client. Don’t be fooled; the client has tasks, even if they are to approve a change or a document. If the client does not understand the value of the project or even the value of their decision input, then the project is doomed to fail.
In summary, I would like to know why you are a PM, now that you understand my reasons. I encourage your feedback not only to me, but to all who read this blog.

I am open to discussion at any time on these blogs or anything else related to project management you would like to explore. If you would like to comment about this blog, please do so by posting on this blog or by responding in an email at Benny A. Recine. You may inspire a blog article. I look forward to your comments.

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/72LDB7
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Not Everyone Wants More Responsibility

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

As a manager, one of your most important responsibilities is making your staff feel truly valued and letting them know that your company/department (and you) would be worse off without them. You want to recognize the accomplishments of your top performers. In many cases, you do so by giving those staff more responsibilities or even a promotion. However, you must also know that not everyone wants more responsibility

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/71mtBr
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

Not Everyone Wants More Responsibility

Posted on by Adam Kovitz

As a manager, one of your most important responsibilities is making your staff feel truly valued and letting them know that your company/department (and you) would be worse off without them. You want to recognize the accomplishments of your top performers. In many cases, you do so by giving those staff more responsibilities or even a promotion. However, you must also know that not everyone wants more responsibility

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/71mtBr
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,

“Why Can’t I Get That Job?” by Alex Freund

Posted on by Brian Mecca

The Breakfast Club NJ Presents:  “Why Can’t I Get That Job?” by Alex Freund

 Saturday October 11, 2014 at 8:00am ET

The Presentation: “Why Can’t I Get That Job?”

This presentation deals with various details focusing on the interview—for example, the importance of the fit factor.

The audience will learn about:

  •  What exactly are recruiters looking for in résumés?
  • What about the issue of discrimination?
  • What are companies’ unwritten little secrets about hiring?
  • What are the various interview types?
  • What other tricks and traps do job seekers encounter?

 About the speaker:

Alex Freund, the “landing expert,” supports job seekers into employment.  He is known for making people feel comfortable when interviewing.

Alex is an effective and successful career and interviewing coach.  He is prominent in several on- and off-line job-search networking groups, conducts workshops on effective resume development and use of LinkedIn in the job-search process.  Alex has been teaching for several years a career development seminar, and publishes a blog designed especially for job seekers.

Prior to his current position, Alex managed several large departments in two Fortune 100 companies.  Alex maintains and publishes a free directory of job-search networking groups via his web site at http://www.landingexpert.com

Alex is a Cornell University grad, lived on three continents and speaks five languages.

 

Networking begins at 7:30 am, meeting starts promptly at 8:00 am.

There is a $10 fee at the door to cover the cost of the room.

Be sure to tell your friends and bring them along.  Be a part of our growing network of Job Seekers, Hiring Managers, Recruiters, Career Coaches, and people who want to be able to help themselves and each other.

Event Location:

Days Hotel Conference Center

195 Rt. 18 South, East Brunswick, NJ 08816

732-828-6900

Posted in Monthly Meeting

Keep your Next Meeting on Track

Posted on by Adam Kovitz
There’s nothing more annoying than a meeting that goes on and on. Whether you’re getting ready for a weekly team meeting or convening a larger group to discuss your company’s or department’s strategy, as a manager it’s your job to make sure people don’t go off on tangents or hog speaking time. But how can you keep people focused without squashing their creativity?
Make the Purpose Clear
You can head off a lot of problems by stating the reason for getting together right up front. Create and send an agenda and any background materials ahead of time. This way, everyone understands the objective of the meeting and the necessary preparation. The agenda will also act as a schedule for the meeting and outline all of the topics that must be addressed. Consider including a list of things that won’t be discussed in the meeting as well.
Control the Meeting Size
Meetings can get out of control if there are too many people in the room. Only include those who are critical to the meeting topic and can provide enough diversity of opinion.
Manage Ramblers
It can be tough to cut off someone who is a rambler or speaking off topic. However, it’s sometimes necessary to do so. For someone who is prone to rambling, talk with him/her ahead of time or during a meeting break. Ask that s/he keep comments to a minimum to allow others to be heard.
Meeting Timing
Consider scheduling meetings that end either at lunch time or at the end of the work day. You’ll be surprised how few people will ramble when they want the meeting to finish on time.
End the Meeting Well
End on the right note to set the stage for the work to continue. Identify what you see as the next steps, who should take responsibility for them, and what that time frame will be. Record all of the points discussed and the open questions to be answered. Then, send out a meeting summary email so that everyone is on the same page.
I encourage you to leave a comment by clicking on “…comments” below…
David Schuchman

from BCNJ Member Blog Feed http://dlvr.it/6wNPBS
via IFTTT

Posted in Member Contributions Tagged with: ,