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Browse published articles attributed to Kristen Harris, with full-archive search.
Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution, rebounding from the holidays or simply having more free time, the new year makes people think about their career. Typically folks fall into one of three camps: happy, okay for now or definitely not happy. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, there are things you can do to move your career in the right direction.
The so-called “skills gap” has become a hot topic lately—lots of people are talking about the problem, but few have solid ideas about how to solve it. In a nutshell, unemployment in the U.S. is still high, but employers are saying they can’t find the workers they need to grow their businesses. So what exactly is this gap, and how do we fill it?
One-tenth of a second. That’s the amount of time you get to make a first impression every time you meet someone. Yes, in less than one second that person has made a judgment about you, and their impression is very difficult to overcome once it’s been made. Unfair? Don’t a judge a book by its cover? Of course you’re a really great person with a lot to offer, but unless you’re able to make the right first impression you may never get the chance to prove it.
Wondering who’s responsible for your career development? Take a look in the mirror. It’s you. Yeah, you. Why? Because no one else is. There may have been a time when employers provided extensive on-the-job training for new, potential or current employees. But in an era of fast-paced, ever-changing, competitive business on a tight budget, that level of training and development is no longer the norm.r
Recently Lyft, Uber and Car2Go came to Columbus. They all just showed up, practically at the same time, seemingly ove ight. Surprised? I wasn’t. It’s just another sign of the rapidly growing “sharing economy.”
Think you know all there is to know about working with a recruiter to land a great job? In my work running a temporary staffing firm, I’ve found many job seekers fall prey to false beliefs about what the process is like. Here are the top five myths when it comes to working with recruiters. Don’t let these common roadblocks get in the way of your next job search.r
As we head into the festive season, and before you get distracted with turkey, pumpkin pie and after-meal naps, let’s talk about job hunting during the holidays. I’d like to dispel a couple of common myths that hold people back in their job search, especially during the holidays.
Exposure: 10 Reasons Why LinkedIn (Still) Mattersr By Kristen Harris With the explosion of social networks, especially those that blur the line between personal and professional, a lot of people are wondering if LinkedIn is still relevant. Does it still matter? In a word, yes.
Looking back at the recent economic crisis, it’s easy to think that all classes and industries suffered equally. In reality, workers in the so-called creative class have come through relatively unscathed. Yes, just under three quarters of a million creative jobs were lost during 2008-2010, but that’s less than two percent of total jobs in the category.1 And certainly some categories of creative jobs fared better than others--news reporters, musicians, photographers and editors were especially hard hit.
There’s been a lot of talk about “soft skills” lately, they continue to be an important differentiating factor for job seekers, employees and employers in the current market. Beyond the technical skills and education (“hard skills”) required to do a job, employers are also looking for the traits that influence how we work individually and with our teammates. These so-called soft skills include things like being able to focus, having self-control, resolving conflict, being curious or open to new experiences, and being able to negotiate differences.
There are literally hundreds of questions you may be asked in an interview, from straightforward ("do you know xyz software?") to eclectic ("how many things could you make with three paper clips and a rubber band?"). A quick online search will give you many lists of different types of questions, along with advice on how to answer them. However, there are a few key questions to always prepare for before getting in the hot seat.
With some of the recent unemployment statistics it’s no surprise age discrimination continues to be a hot topic. Looking for a job is hard enough. Feeling as if you are being discriminated against for any reason makes it even harder to keep moving forward. There certainly are documented cases of age discrimination. Yet often job seekers create a trap of their own making when it comes to feeling “too old.”
My reality television weakness is The Millionaire Matchmaker. In case you haven’t seen it, the premise is that Patty (The Matchmaker) runs a high-end dating service (The Millionaire’s Club). Every week she and her team select two high-net-worth individuals, preview potential dates for them, set up a social mixer, orchestrate a “master date,” get feedback from both parties, then decide how to move forward. She’s from a long line of matchmakers and focuses on helping her clients find true love, not just a hot date.
References Matter: Three Tips to Prep For Successr By Kristen Harris There is a lot to think about when applying for a job—prepare a great resume, write a compelling cover letter, dress appropriately for the interview, follow up with a thank you note—these are all things YOU need to do. There is one more thing that OTHERS can do for you, and that’s provide a good reference. The difference between a glowing recommendation and a ho-hum reference check could be the difference between you getting the job offer or not.
I love a new year! It always feels so filled with possibility. It’s a fresh start and time to try something new. Instead of the same old resolution to lose ten pounds, exercise every day, or give up chocolate (gasp), this year make some resolutions worth keeping. Here are three ideas that will make a difference in your career over the next year, and for many years to come.
You might not know it just by looking around, but every workplace has two kinds of employees: renters and owners. Renters are in a job temporarily. They might be committed for a while, a one-year lease, maybe even two. But they’re not planning to put down roots and stay for the long haul. It may be a nice enough place, they may even love it…for now. Or they don’t love it, and are looking to move ASAP. Either way, renters are pretty sure they’re not going to stay where they are “forever.”
Freelancers, independent contractors, sole proprietors, consultants, temps, self-employed, or contingent—no matter what term you use, independent workers are a growing segment of the workforce.
The 2011 Talent Shortage Survey1 results have been released, and news is mixed for job seekers. By being forced to reduce their workforce and find ways to “do more with less” during the recent recession, businesses have found that they can do great things if they have the right talent in place. What is interesting is that while companies are not planning to increase their staff back to the pre-recession levels, they are looking for the “right” people, and apparently having a difficult time finding them.
Forced to be more innovative and efficient with the resources they have, companies continue to need creative thinkers to compete. No longer a manufacturing-based workforce of skilled laborers, we’re idea and technology-based. We’ve moved from the Industrial Economy to the Creative Economy. Enter the era of the designer.
We keep hearing the phrase “the new normal,” and wondered what exactly that means for the world of work. With that expression, experts are essentially saying, “Don’t expect things to return to how they were pre-recession. What you’re seeing now is about what your expectations should be.” When it comes to jobs, “the new normal” often means higher unemployment rates, fewer manufacturing and construction jobs. What else should we expect as we adjust to lingering changes in the work world? Here are a few trends that seem to be here to stay:
“Never mistake activity for achievement.” –John Wooden This quote by John Wooden is great to keep in mind when talking about your career. Experience is great, education and training is usually required and always useful, industry knowledge helps, but in the end it’s all about the results. When you’re talking to a prospective employer, the main question they’re asking themselves (and probably you) is “did you deliver results before, and can you do it again for me?” People are hired based on prior success, and an assumption they can make a repeat performance.
Unemployment numbers. Job loss reports. The latest jobs-related statistics are enough to make you want to just crawl under a rock and hide until “this whole thing” blows over. Guess what? It’s not blowing over and nothing will be exactly like it was before. The jobs marketplace is highly competitive; you must focus all of your energy and efforts to succeed.
Job hunting in a good economy can be an effort. In a slumping economy it can be downright brutal. It would seem logical that job seekers would use every available strategy to secure employment. Yet according to a recent study by Career Builder and The Inavero Institute for Service Research*, the majority of job seekers are not utilizing key resources in their search.
Working with a recruiter or staffing firm can be a useful tool in your job search toolkit, whether your ultimate goal is temporary work or a full-time position. As with most things related to your job search, developing positive relationships is often the key to success.
LinkedIn is the most widely-accepted social media platform for business. Anyone who is an employee, employer, student, freelancer, business owner, job-seeker or otherwise involved in a professional endeavor should have a complete and current LinkedIn profile. It’s the site where recruiters find candidates, employers check out potential employees, freelancers connect with future clients, former coworkers reconnect, and business contacts find opportunities every day.
In a recent study1 of corporate employers critical thinking and creativity were indicated as important skills they need from new hires. The catch is that companies are not providing training for these skills, they expect new employees to come prepared in those areas.
Economic upheaval of recent years has dramatically changed the American workforce. Companies of all sizes have had to reduce staff, figure out how to do more with less and become more creative than ever in how they use their people to get work done. For the job-seeker, these shifts mean opportunity.
Remember the teacher who encouraged you, or even pushed you, to try something new? Or that supervisor who took you under their wing to show you “how things really get done around here?” Maybe you had a business associate who met you for coffee to talk through a troublesome problem. We may not call these people “mentors,” and they may not have even realized it, but these trusted counselors, supporters, advisors and guides help us to navigate the tricky waters of career and life.
A perfect storm is brewing, setting us up for a workforce that will be ill-prepared for the jobs of today and the future. Young people are graduating from high school, and even college, lacking basic skills required for success on the job. Companies have ever-increasing needs for basic, applied and specialized skills to compete effectively. And employers are becoming less and less willing to provide on-the-job training. These three factors are leading to a substantial gap between company needs and the preparedness of workers, with employers not necessarily willing to bridge the gap.
Whether searching for a new position, or looking to advance your current career, it’s necessary to understand the skills and traits employers are looking for. In an environment where education and training is fairly accessible, it is possible for technical skills to become a commodity. If so, then what will set you apart from all the other candidates when applying for a position? In a recent survey, Portfolio Creative found performance skills (how you do the work) to be at least as important as technical skills (the work you do).
We’ve all heard the phrase “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” It can seem pretty negative, as if some people have all the advantages due to family, circumstances or other advantages, while the rest of us are out of luck. But at the core, “who you know” means exactly what it says—who YOU know can be a tremendous asset during a job search and throughout your career.