J Patrick + Associates Blog

6 Best Practices For Resume Writing

Posted by Jarrett Zike on Sun, Nov 27, 2022 @ 12:53 PM

It’s a perennial question: “What should I put on my resume?” There are plenty of articles and how-to videos offering advice on what a resume should say and how it should look. But, when looking for employment, it's important to stay focused on your goals in sequence. Here is what I mean: You are not writing a resume to get a job; you are writing a resume to get an interview.  

Here are 6 best practices for writing a winning resume:

1. Create a Personal Brand When Writing Your Resume

When writing your resume, don’t list your strengths and expect a hiring manager to take notice. Rather, make every effort to tell a story that builds a personal brand. What, you might ask, constitutes a “personal brand?” For our purposes, your brand will be a synthesis of your professional capabilities and the positive aspects of your personality. 

Let's say you’re a talented public speaker. Instead of just listing the speaking engagements in which you have participated, give some indication of your enthusiasm for speaking and the impact your rhetorical talents had on your audience.

Did you “present information to colleagues in ____,” or did you “interpret and explain pivotal data and statistics for professionals in the ____ industry?” One phrasing sounds like a description of a slideshow, and the other leaves an impression of personal expertise and agency. 

The key here is to connect your experiences with real-life successes and tell potential employers why they should care. When possible, include observable and quantifiable outcomes in your descriptions. If an employer can look at your resume and see evidence of your strengths, it will put you at a marked advantage. 

Finally, do not lie. Not only is lying unethical, but it is far too easy to sniff out a tall tale these days. 

2. Use The Right Keywords

Working in a recruiting office, I bear daily witness to how sorely neglected keywords can be.

The bottom line is that recruiters in my office sort and search through untold heaps of resumes, and they do so by using applicant tracking systems, i.e., robots: unconscious, hyper-literal, ruthlessly precise robots. If your resume doesn’t contain the exact keywords that map onto the job you’re after, there’s basically no chance you’ll land an interview. 

How can you access the occult words and phrases that open a portal to the interview? Start with the job posting. In almost every case, the employer will include specific skills and qualifications you must possess in order to be considered.

Copy their language directly. Touch up your resume to incorporate their verbiage, then touch it up again for the next job. Does this seem tedious? Yes. Seemingly unnecessary? Probably. But these are the rules of the game. You can be confident that whoever lands the job will have adhered to them.  

3. Tailor Your Resume to Each Potential Employer

The easy path is tempting, but as efficient as it would be to crank out a generic resume and fire it off to everyone who might be interested, this tactic is not a winning one. You will almost certainly get overlooked for missing keywords (see above). You will also blend right in with the nameless mass of resume gamblers who their job searches into something similar to a spam campaign. 

The rationale here is pretty straightforward: Every job is different, so don’t make every resume the same. The screening technologies are too good to countenance blind optimism when it comes to hoping for an interview.

Take the time to tweak and tailor your resume into a customized document that aligns with each job description. Absent this consideration, you will be wasting the time you thought you were saving. 

4. Only Relevant Job Experiences, Please

Many people write their resumes under the misguided assumption that they should cram as many professional experiences as possible onto the two pages of real estate offered by their resume. This is somewhat understandable. They want to impress a potential employer and, thinking quantitatively, more must be better, right? 

This approach is actually the direct opposite of what should be done. When listing professional experience, you should prioritize quality and relevance over quantity. There are a few reasons for this, but the first is simple legibility. A concise and clean resume is a much more eye-catching and inviting document than one with a single-spaced block of micro-fonted text. 

That being said, you do need to list the most current and relevant jobs on your resume. A good rule of thumb is that any job worked before the last 10-15 years is unlikely to be of interest to anyone but yourself. 

5. Grammer  Matters 

This one doesn't require too much explanation. Grammarly and programs like it are so widely available that having an ungrammatical resume impresses as sheer laziness. While it is true that most people cannot recite exact grammatical or usage rules, most people notice when a sentence doesn't make sense. Since the rules of grammar are essentially the accepted logic of the English language,  failing to abide by them can result in nonsense. In a text, there are no nonverbal cues to bridge the gap between what you mean and what you say. So, whatever your creative writing teacher told you in high school, writing like you speak is not a good resume decision.     

6. Begin Narratives With Strong, Descriptive Action Verbs

One of the biggest risks you run when submitting a resume is sounding bland, being forgettable. In order to avoid this, you need attention grabbers. Describing your accomplishments with strong action verbs such as organized, managed, directed, and etc., conveys the active role you played in your stated accomplishments. 

The key here is emphasizing your agency. You did something; you made it happen. Avoid language suggesting that you were merely “responsible” for some outcome or “contributed” to it. These words are vague and reek of passivity. Choosing strong action verbs will also help build your personal brand. Think: You are the kind of person who…launched an initiative, spearheaded an campaign, organized an audit, etc.

Final Thoughts

When you sit down to write your resume, carefully consider what you have to offer an employer. Your resume is the base ingredient of your personal brand–a first impression that should not be improvised. It is a tool to place you in an employable position.

If you find yourself at a loss for ways to improve a resume, don’t be afraid to get professional help. There are people whose entire livelihood depends on creating top-notch resumes. Key details that most people would overlook will stand out to such a person.

 

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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Job Search, Job Interviews, Resume Optimization, Career Strategies

The Pros & Cons of Contract Work

Posted by Glenda Gregorio on Mon, Sep 20, 2021 @ 11:01 AM

contract work

The word on the street in Silicon Valley is that we are currently in a “gig economy.” What that means is that more and more people are opting to work as independent contractors, as opposed to traditional full-time employment. The swing toward contract employment can be explained by several factors, such as the need for a flexible schedule, to the desire for increased autonomy.

But, if you find yourself thinking about joining the growing ranks of contract workers, you need to first understand the pro and cons of this kind of work.


The Pros and Cons of Contract Work

PRO: Potential for Higher Earnings

Companies looking to hire contract staffing because it provides the flexibility they need, it saves time, money and resources. However, they are looking to hire experts, not neophytes. They do not want to invest in training or other onboarding expenses. A contractor who knows what to do and how to get it done in a timely manner is worth top dollar. They come in, do the job and don't put any further drain on company resources.

CON: Increased Uncertainty

The potential for higher earnings is a great benefit of work-for-hire, but there’s no guarantee you will keep working once a contract expires. (no guaranteed job security after contract) And since the nature of the work you’ve been hired to do is finite, you have no guarantee that you’ll make the money you thought you would. Another thing to consider is that the project you were hired to work on can be unexpectedly canceled. All of these factors can add up to increased financial instability --if you’re not working, you’re not getting paid.

And finally, there’s no way of knowing the amount of time you’ll spend between contracts, or during your next job search.  

PRO: Lifestyle Flexibility

According to Randstad’s Workforce360 Study, about 86% of independent contractors reported their level of job satisfaction to be good/excellent. With this kind of work arrangement, comes more freedom. You are able to control your career path without having to wade through office politics for a promotion, pay raise, or time off. You negotiate to get the employment packages that suit you best, and you take as much or as little time off in between contracts. If this type of flexibility is appealing to you, then contracting out may be the best of all worlds.  

CON: Outside Looking In

All that flexibility may be nice, but the price you pay is that you’ll always be the outsider.  Contract work makes it difficult to create connections that might help advance your career further down the road. There’s also the fluid and ever-changing nature of social engagement at work. As we all know, you spend more time at work than at home, so your social life tends to stem from your work life. Relationships are fleeting and long term bonds are rarely formed.

PRO: Increased Technical & Professional Knowledge

You’re an expert in your field and have a certain skill set that companies in your industry want. But, contract work also provides the opportunity to sharpen your expertise and work in different sectors. It allows you to broaden your experience in your field and perhaps gain new skills in other industries. You’re at liberty to choose the skills that you would like to further develop in other industries, allowing you to enhance your CV and marketability for future jobs. It can also be part of your story when explaining an employment gap to a potential employer.

CON: Career Development

The freedom provided by contract work to broaden your technical and professional skills means that you are in charge of your own development. Great, right? Maybe not. Although it feels empowering to be in charge of your own career development, it is a heavy burden to bear. You no longer have the human resources department or a talent management team to ensure that you’re properly trained and qualified for the job. It is now up to you to make sure that your skillset is up to par with the current trends of the industry.

Like everything in life, contract employment has its benefits and drawbacks. Although it might not be a career-long plan, if you’re returning back to the workforce or need a flexible work arrangement, contract work very well might be a great option. Although there’s no fixed amount of time you can guarantee being unemployed between contract positions there are definitely a lot of pros to short-term positions.

 

 

Find A  Job!

 

Tags: Job Search, Job Interviews, Career Strategies

Traditional Recruiting Methods vs. A Recruiting Firm

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Fri, Feb 21, 2020 @ 12:51 PM

Traditional Recruiting vs hiring a recruiting firm

Whenever a business has to hire that new employee, they have to decide whether they should search for candidates on their own, or elicit the help of an outside agency.  Traditional recruiting methods versus a recruiting firm is the typical conundrum, so why is using a firm the better option? 

Finding an employee has always consisted of the traditional methods.  Examples of these methods include online recruitment job boards, online ads, classifieds, and career resource sites.  Online recruitment has become a HUGE influencer in the job market, websites such as monster.com, jobs.com, careerbuilder.com, and other sites have dominated the online job scene.  Another traditional method is an employee referral program.  This entails finding job candidates from referrals that may come from other employees, family members, friends, or anyone that can get in touch with you and influence your decision.  So the question still remains, what benefit does a recruiter have over the traditional methods, and do I want to pay someone to find an employee for me?

When you decide to work with a recruiting firm to help fill your job posts you enter into a relationship with a recruiter who has a wealth of knowledge in a specific field that you are trying to hire for.  Placement after placement, these recruiters have learned the industry from front to back, side to side; they know their stuff to say the least.  When you choose a recruiting firm, cost effectiveness goes hand in hand.  When you mention cost effective around the “head honcho” of a business their eyes light up, and visions of improved margins can quickly become a reality.  Nothing triggers the “let’s do it” side of the brain like saving money.  Recruiters can save you money, in fact LOTS OF MONEY because they provide the right person to fit your employment needs.  In other words, you don’t go out and hire some person who you thought was great, who turns out to be unskilled or unstable, etc.  Imagine wasting an entire first years’ salary on the wrong person?…ouch.  Saving time is also a benefit of choosing a recruiting firm over the traditional methods.  Recruiters look through hundreds of resumes every month, this saves companies plenty of time in searching for that needle in a haystack.  Once these recruiters have searched through these resumes they present only the most qualified candidates to potential employers.

Going with the traditional methods could work, but if you want that perfect fit for your position and organization, it’s worth the time, effort and energy to work with a specialized recruiting firm Guaranteed it will save you time, money and unnecessary headaches.


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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Job Search, Job Interviews, Career Strategies

Numbers Talk: Why You Must Use Social Media in Your Job Search

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Thu, Feb 06, 2020 @ 03:13 PM

Numbers Talk_

You have read so many articles like “14 Ways to Use Twitter to Land a Job” or “8 Ways to Get Recruiters to Find You on LinkedIn.” You may have read many of ours giving this type of premier advice…but here is the million-dollar question…

Are you doing it? Any of It? Even a little bit of it?

Only You know the answer to that…

I have to believe you do not need any more convincing as to why you must use social media in your job search…but in case you do here are some numbers to consider.

Social recruiting is on the rise.

The use of social media to find candidates in recent years has only increased as recruiters learn how to maneuver it. And guess what…it’s not going anywhere.

According to a recent Jobvite study, 73 percent of recruiters have already hired someone using social media. Furthermore, 93 percent of recruiters will look at a candidate’s social media profiles before making a decision.

In fact, recruiters are now taking social media profiles more seriously. According to the study, 55 percent of recruiters changed their minds about a candidate based on something they had on their social media profile. (This is why it’s imperative that you be careful about what you post on social media.)

If that’s not enough to convince you, consider this: 73% of recruiters plan to invest even more in social recruiting. It’s working for them, and as such, you should consider getting in on the game.

Social Networking Sites by the numbers.

LinkedIn is a recruiter’s top choice for finding candidates with 94% of them utilizing it. Facebook is in second place with 66 percent of them using it to find candidates.

Below you’ll find a breakdown of which social media platforms recruiters have already used to hire candidates:

  • 79% of recruiters have hired someone using LinkedIn
  • 26% of recruiters have hired someone using Facebook
  • 14% of recruiters hired someone using Twitter

This means that social media isn’t a fad. Social hiring is happening right now as we speak.

What recruiters do on Social Media Sites.

On Facebook, recruiters tend to focus on the employer brand (59%), post jobs (48%) and generate employee referrals (51%). While Twitter isn’t as widely used, recruiters are still using it for much of the same. In other words, if you’re not active on either of these networks you’re missing out on about half of the job opportunities available to you.

Of course, LinkedIn is the recruiter goldmine with 95 percent of them using it to search for and contact candidates. They also use it to keep tabs on potential candidates for future openings.

Social media as a means of getting referrals.

Another Jobvite study found that 55 percent of referrals get hired faster than candidates from company career sites. The rise of social media has made it easier than ever to create contacts and build relationships with referrals.

Numbers don’t lie. If you’re not on social media then you’re missing out on major job opportunities. You can download our free eBook to help set yourself up for social media success.

 


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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Social Media, Job Search, Career Strategies

What Gets Enterprise Sales-Leaders Excited These Days?  - Part 1

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Thu, Jan 23, 2020 @ 04:43 PM

What Gets Sales Leaders Excited_

Hiring managers and candidates alike know that recruiting and retaining an A-level sales team is key to the success of any company offering an enterprise solution. No matter how compelling the product, without top performers on your team, success is going to be elusive. Every company wants them, and yet, not every company can get them.

Certainly, considerations such as compensation, company culture, the degree to which a company is willing to invest in training, ongoing learning and career development all carry weight with candidates. But what we find is that these are not necessarily the factors that drive top talent to leave one position to take another.

What does it take to attract top Enterprise sales talent?

In a word: Pre-IPO. Well funded start-ups that have not yet gone public are enormously enticing to our sales candidates right now. And while there are risks associated with moving to a new/unknown entity, the rewards can be enormous. That is if you’re moving to the right company.

So, what is the right company?

Well, of course, that answer is going to be different for every candidate, but driven to get involved with what could be the next great technological leap, here’s what top sales leaders are thinking about when considering a new position: 

Disruptive Technologies with an Achievable Plan.

A disruptive technology is one that either displaces an existing technology or introduces a ground-breaking product that opens up a new industry. It’s exciting, it’s cutting-edge and it’s potentially important. You won’t find better salespeople than those who are looking to be engaged with the product they’re selling, who need to feel that they are helping to build something new, innovative and/or helpful. And truly, what salesperson worth their salt doesn’t want to be selling the world’s next great technological breakthrough?

But above and beyond the technology itself, savvy salespeople are considering the marketplace for this product. How corded is it? Are there too many players, is the company engaged in a red ocean or a blue ocean strategy?

Confidence.

A top salesperson got where they are based on the value of their relationships and the depth of their network. There’s no point in making a move where you can’t carry those relationships forward with you. It’s not enough to only believe in the product you’re selling, it’s vital to consider if it’s one you can sell to a marketplace/customer base you know well. How well will you be able to leverage your existing network?  And, more importantly, does this new product solve a real problem for your current customers?

Top-Level Management.

When it comes to startups, who are just as important as what. Top management leaders who’ve scaled a company before, who have the knowledge, experience and following to build a successful company are nearly as important as the technology itself. Savvy salespeople look to the management team as a good barometer for potential success. They’re looking for managers they not only they feel they can work with, but who have a track record of success and can move the company toward profit and beyond.

It’s also important to remember that more people cite a lack of faith in, or conflict with, their manager as the number one reason for leaving a position. And while you can’t know how you’ll get on with a manager, doing due diligence about the people you’ll be reporting to is a key consideration to make.

High-Scaling.

Look, salespeople know a worthwhile lead when they see it, and they can also recognize a dead-end long before it comes into view. Yes, there has to be a belief in the technology and an investment in the worth it adds to the business, or society at large, but more than that, there has to be the potential for a high return.

Always consider who is involved. Is this a purely VC backed venture, or PE? Where are they in their funding? While getting into a company while they are still in series A funding might promise higher returns later on, we are currently finding that the majority of our sales candidates are interested in series C or beyond. This may be attributable to the fact that the first quarter of 2016 has seen the lowest number of companies going public, or it may be that they are looking to move only to companies that are further along in their development. Either way, the real potential has to be there for a company to attract top sales talent.

Getting in on the ground floor of a disruptive technology ensures that a salesperson is both challenged, engaged and invested in the company’s success. The only gamble, of course, is whether the tech will catch on or not. If they’ve judged well and have gone where the smart money is sitting, they can expect to find themselves post-IPO in a very comfortable position, and their reputation as a sales leader greatly enhanced.


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Tags: enterprise, HR and Hiring, Career Strategies, Career Path

5 Tips to Succeed With a New Boss

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Fri, Jan 10, 2020 @ 03:38 PM
5 Tips to Succeed with a new boss

Change. It’s the only constant, especially in business. Co-workers come and go during your career, and so do bosses. And while it can be unsettling to have to adjust your work routine, rhythms and style to a new supervisor, it is, almost all too often these days, a necessary evil you very well may have to face. 

But rather than seeing it as an unnerving disruption that must be muddled through, try to look at it as an opportunity for growth and possible advancement. However, in order to do that, you must handle the transition well.

 

Here are 5 ways to help smooth the transition with a new boss.

1. Make An Appointment

Within a few days of your new supervisor’s arrival, book a short meeting with them; 10-15 minutes. Treat this meeting like a sales call, or an interview. Your goal is to find out who they are, how they like to work and how you can best be of help. Find out their priorities and adjust your mindset to match.

Mind you, this is not the time to suck up or jockey for position, but rather to get some of the essential facts in place. How do they prefer to communicate: email, IM, face-to-face? Are they looking for in-depth weekly reports, or on the fly updates? Letting them know you are willing to be flexible and work their way will help get the relationship off on the right foot.

 

2. Expect Change

Yup, it’s a constant...

You’re accustomed to your department running one way, and it’s tempting to think that it’s the only way it should be done. But when your old boss left, they took their procedures and processes with them. Don’t assume that things will continue to run the same way, and don’t cling to the past. You may not initially understand or appreciate your new boss’s way of working, but you have to be patient. Watch, listen and trust - there’s always another way to do things. Just because things have been done one way for as long as you can remember, doesn’t mean it’s the best way.

 

3. Share Your Knowledge

Remember; you might be facing changes in your department, but your new boss is facing a new job. Whether they came into this position through a promotion or as an outside hire, they have new responsibilities and a new boss of their own. They’re looking to establish themselves, and your job should be to aid them in getting them up to speed so they can get her priorities into action. Showing yourself to be a team player sends a powerful message, and puts you in a position for advancement further down the road.

 

4. Bring Solutions

Get your ideas on the table. Let your new supervisor know about your current projects and those that you’d like to get off the ground. While you can mention prior successes, old wins are history, all that matters now is how you can help the department move forward and grow.

Remember, this is not the time to look for personal advancement. Your job is to help the team, not yourself.

 

5. Plan for Problems

Even if you and the new boss hit it off from day one, there will be problems. Repeat that: There will be problems. But you want to make certain that molehills don’t have the chance to grow into anything larger, be proactive in reaching out to your new boss. Ask for weekly or bi-weekly check-ins that match their style. You don’t ever want to let assumptions take the place of open communication, especially in a relationship as important as this.

At the end of the day, your boss is the gatekeeper for future advancement. They can help you get where you want to go, or they can see to it that you fail. By helping them succeed in their new role, you’re investing in both a productive partnership as well as your own long-term goals. 

Embrace the change!

 


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Tags: Career Strategies, Career Path

9 Tips To Help You Stand Out and Get Promoted

Posted by Dylan Rivera on Tue, Jan 07, 2020 @ 03:44 PM

Add a heading (2)

Completing your everyday tasks just isn't enough when it comes to getting under your boss's spotlight and landing a promotion. With everybody in the workplace showing up to complete their daily tasks, what makes you stand out?

In order to get promoted, you must get the attention of your employer, and in order to do that, you must differentiate yourself from the rest of the team.

Here are 9 tips to help you stand out and get the promotion you deserve.

1. Eye Contact

Studies have shown that human senses and brain cells are triggered when someone is looking at you, thanks to a phenomenon commonly known as a “gaze detector.” Whether it be a one-on-one exchange or a regular conference meeting, when conversing with your employer you have to maintain eye contact. A constantly shifting gaze or downcast eyes do not send the message that you're present and focused.

Don't forget, eye contact is also a strong indicator of a person's confidence level. And managers always appreciate a courageous and concentrated employee.

2. On-Time

Shakespeare once said, “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” Nothing broadcasts apathy toward your job more than showing up late to work, even if that's not your intention. In most cases, it's an occurrence that could have been easily avoided, so take care to plan your life properly. When you're late, you are potentially decreasing work productivity for your co-workers. By getting to work early, you are illustrating your dedication to your job; an attribute employers love and can't easily ignore.

3. Engagement

To get the promotion, you must take initiative. This means going above and beyond your average work tasks and responsibilities. Don’t be intimidated by taking the lead and becoming a driving force behind your team’s productivity. Be open to work on new projects and look for opportunities to volunteer to help. Even if your boss doesn't immediately recognize how engaged you are, they’ll see it through your numbers and productivity.

4. Dependability

It's every employer’s dream to be able to call on someone and delegate a task with zero concerns on if it will be completed in a correct or timely manner. When upper management delegates a task to you, that means they are putting their trust in your hands. Now it’s your job to make sure you deliver top quality work on time. Your capability to show up and deliver are only a few of the factors that prove your ability to be trusted. If your supervisor is constantly looking to you and delegating tasks your way, you're doing something right.

5. Know When To Speak Up

You have a voice, so you shouldn't be afraid to use it. An employee who gives their input on projects and business activities is an employee who cares. And those who care, get rewarded. Whether it be during meetings or face-to-face interactions, don't be intimidated to get involved on relevant topics and let your voice be heard. However, you don't want to overstep, so make sure you find a balance on when to pitch in and when to keep quiet.

6. Know When to Keep Your Mouth Shut

Some offices can sometimes sound like a high school cafeteria with the amount of gossip being passed around. Instead of the buzz being centered around the ‘popular kids’, it’s often revolved around business operations or a co-worker in the office. It's normal for individuals to vent about their problems and concerns, however, when you're in the office space, keep your nose clean. You do not need to be caught up in anyone else's drama or bad feelings. So when you’re in the office, keep your mouth shut and your eyes on your work.

7. Positivity

Time to turn the energy switch to level 1000. Put aside the morning's commuting nightmare, or the shoulder-check you received in the subway. When you walk into the office on Monday morning, put on a smile and wish everyone a good morning. Be enthusiastic around the office and provide a helping hand to your colleagues. Before you know it, your positivity will have spread throughout the entire building. Managers look to people who add to the office, and not those who look as if they dread their job.

8. Self Investment

As you're aware, you won't be the only person working to get a new position. You need to stand out, and the most dominant differentiator is your skillset. Use your personal time to increase your skills by taking a class, or earning a certification in a relevant field.  When your skills increase so does your value. So never stop learning, even if it means doing it on your own time.

9. Big Picture

Every successful company has long-term plans or goals. All of the tasks that you and your team members are working on are all little variables to the company's big equation. The goal is always at the top of upper management's agenda, so make it yours as well. Look for extra ways to contribute to the company’s big picture, even if it means you won't receive full recognition. 

And even if you don't get the next promotion that comes down the line, you'll be sending a very strong and clear message to your boss that you are a team player who is worth investing in.


Related Articles:

https://www.jpatrick.com/our-blog/5-reasons-why-you-should-never-turn-down-an-interview

 

 


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Tags: Career Strategies

6 Ways To Refocus your Team and Get back to Making Deals

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Thu, Jan 02, 2020 @ 10:34 AM

6 Ways

It happens to the best managers - your team was cruising along, making deals and running like the well-oiled machine you built it to be.

But then something happens. The latest flu makes the rounds in the office picking your employees off one by one, or people are having a hard time refocusing after vacation. Whatever the reasons, it's time for you to refocus your team and get things ramped back up.

5 Ideas to refocus your sales team

Wipe The Slate

A stockpile of work can be overwhelming, but there’s nothing worse than having fluff making the pile even higher. Take the time to go through projects and clear out irrelevant and outdated tasks. What seemed like an important project back in early July may no longer be applicable. Clear the decks so you can get the team working toward clear and achievable goals.

Make A Plan

Even if you had the whole year mapped out, now is the time to realign and reprioritize. The best way to get your team back into fighting shape is to present them with a game plan. Clear priorities and a newly energized effort help set the tone. We are back and ready to start cranking out the deals!

Resurrect Boundaries

Dress code and Friday closing times aren’t the only things to get loosened up in the summertime. Boundaries and conventions have a habit of slipping as well. Take these days in the early part of September to re-establish the conventions that help make you the most productive. Close the door to your office or put your phone on Do Not Disturb for a few hours in the morning in order to give yourself the time you need to refocus. Do what you need to do to send the signal to your team that its nose to the grindstone time.

Authorize and Engage

Sometimes the best way to get the blood going, and to show your team they're valued, is to change things up. You've hired a crackerjack team, now it's time to push them. Give an individual a new responsibility, enhance a particular group’s reach. This isn’t about playing favorites, but it is about creating new avenues for development, both individually and for the team as a whole.

A Little Competition Goes A Long Way

There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to get people back into fighting form. Creating a sales competition is a great way to get the blood going again.

If a sales competition is not pertinent to your business, then try a fundraising challenge or even plan a sporting event. The idea is to get the team reinvigorated and re-engaged both together, and individually.

Take the time to reinvigorate and re-engage your employees, and the benefits will be seen long past the close of the quarter.


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Tags: Recruiter Tips, Career Strategies, Career Advice

4 Steps To Restart Your Career in 2020

Posted by Alysa Wishingrad on Mon, Dec 30, 2019 @ 12:05 PM

4 Steps to restart your career in 2020It can be tempting to put off thoughts about your career during the holiday season, convincing yourself that you’ll get to it in early January after the parties and celebrations are over. But the truth is, the weeks between Christmas and New Years are the perfect time to assess where you’ve been, and more importantly where you want to go next. With the exception of those positions with high year-end demands, business takes a slower pace in late December. So while others put a halt to their job search during the holiday period, take some time in between lunches, parties and spending time with family to work through these 4 tips to to jump-start your career for the new year.

4 Tips to Jumpstart your career for the new year

1. Review your year

The best way to move forward is to know where you’ve been, so it makes sense to begin your year-end career tune-up with an assessment of the past year What worked? Make a list of your achievements both large and small. Make note of any certifications or trainings completed, awards received, sales quotas crushed, or any other professional milestones . Does it surprise you how many there are? Allow yourself a moment or two to revel in the satisfaction of a job well done.

Now make a list of things that didn’t work out as well as you wanted. . What systems can you put in place to help streamline your work-flow? What were some of the opportunities you should have taken? Rather than seeing them as failures or losses, think about what you could do in the future to yield better results.

2. Update your goals

Now that you’ve taken a good look at the past, it’s time to assess where you are and where you want to go.  Working off the lists you made, make an outline of your goals for 2020. Define your career targets, both long and short-term. Doing so  is a necessary step toward achieving both success and personal satisfaction By assuming agency in determining how your career develops is not only more satisfying, it is likely to lead you to better opportunities.

Lay the groundwork for where you’d like to be at this time next year. Research new certifications and education opportunities. Perhaps it’s time to get another degree or begin researching other sectors your skills can transfer to.

 This will help you clearly define what you want, what you have to do to achieve it and how long it will take to meet your goals.

3. Embrace the season (for networking!)

Amidst the reviewing and revising, make sure to get out and enjoy the holidays! Luncheons, cocktail hours and holiday parties are the perfect time to expand your network, build relationships, and reconnect with old contacts. When you can, spend time with people you don’t usually have the opportunity to speak to - rather than sitting next to someone you are familiar with, take the chair next to someone you’d like to get to know better. Ask for introductions. Ask a contact in a company you might be interested in working for out for a coffee or lunch. Approach a manager you respect to offer insights into how they work.

Take advantage of this time of year to cultivate relationships that not only enrich your value in your present job, but can also help you in your next position.

4. Update your resume & social media presence

You may not be in the job market today, however, bringing your resume up to date is the career equivalent of keeping your car gassed up before a big storm. You never know when you might get a call from a headhunter or a contact with a fantastic opportunity. It pays to be prepared.

Take your list of achievements and use it to update your work history and job description, certifications, awards or significant recognitions.

Once your resume is up-to-date, take it a step further and make sure your LinkedIn profile is working as well as it should be, and reflects who you are. 

5. Be ready for the new

When you make room between finishing up year end projects and holiday festivities to do some career housekeeping, you’ll find that come January, you’ll be energized and ready for all the new year has in store for you.


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Tags: Career Strategies

Future Looks Bright for A/V Professionals

Posted by Daniel Sullivan on Wed, Dec 11, 2019 @ 11:11 AM

Future Looks Bright For Av Professionals

Audiovisual (AV) professionals handle a variety of complex operational procedures ranging from selling, installing and maintaining digital signage to setting up and monitoring live, in-person presentations.  Today, these professionals are in high demand in several industries including the luxury real estate, healthcare, and event/conference markets. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for AV professionals will grow at a rate of about 13 percent until 2026.

Here is a look at the AV positions that need to be filled

Salesmen

Even the best AV equipment won’t sell itself. Savvy salesmen are needed to reach out and close deals.

Sales Engineers

This position involves working closely with installation teams to verify dimensions, create diagrams and relay power requirements.

Installers

Speakers, screens and control devices all need to be set up for presentations - and the process can be complex.  Installers get you up and running instantly and account for potential configuration and interoperability issues.

AV Technicians

Events like trade shows and conferences need Technicians to maintain floor operations and handle processes like setup and removal.  Technicians are also required for on the spot issue resolution and troubleshooting.

Post-sales, customer-facing roles

This type of role is ideal for a worker with stellar personal skills who can communicate client needs, but is also technically-oriented and understands how audio and visual systems work and operate.

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Are you an A/V professional who is detail-oriented, patient, highly technical and adept at working with customers?  If so, J. Patrick & Associates has a long record of success placing sales, marketing, and technical management and staff for audiovisual and video conferencing vendors.

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Tags: AV/VTC/UC, Career Strategies