Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Investigating the Tech Skills Gap at SXSWedu

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Investigating the Tech Skills Gap at SXSWedu Greetings from SXSWedu! This evening, I will have the privilege of moderating a panel titled Tech Skills Gap: What Can Employers and Educators Do? Im representing DeVry Universitys Career Advisory Board and will be joined by Robert Paul, president of DeVry University, Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, and Sara Ley, digital learning and technology leader at GE. Without giving too much away, well be discussing the Career Advisory Boards recent research, for which we asked 500 hiring managers, human resource professionals, and c-suite executives to reflect on the importance of both applied tech skills and hard tech skills, the challenges they face in recruiting and retaining tech-savvy talent, and the degree to which educational institutions have been successful in preparing students with the right level of technical competency. Our employer respondents indicated significant pressure to keep up with the pace of technology and its ability to inform and impact business strategy. Technology is increasingly important to companies in all areas of business, with four in five respondents (79 percent) agreeing that for technology to be effective, it must integrate people, processes, data and devices. Interestingly, 87 percent of baby boomer respondents supported this overarching view of technology, more than their younger counterparts in Gen X (76 percent) and the millennial generation (76 percent). Seventy-seven percent of all respondents said a company’s competitive advantage lies in using technology to solve problems, and they desire a workforce that is well-schooled in how to do this. Seventy-five percent agreed that employees should understand how to use technology to inform and drive business decisions, while 84 percent claimed that employees who know how to use the right tech tools in their fields are more effective. Furthermore, over 80 percent reported that companies that integrate data and processes are more successful, and 74 percent said that employees need to master the skill of integrating data and information from various sources in the service of better business decisions. According to the survey, the ability and willingness of employees to fully leverage data varies by age. While 72 percent of respondents agreed that millennials are keeping pace with technology, only half said that baby boomers are. For more about our Tech Skills gap research, visit CareerAdvisoryBoard.org. If you are attending SXSWedu, wed love to see you at the JW Marriott (Salon A) at 5PM this evening. If not, stay tuned for updates via @alevit!

How You Write a Pending Certification On Resume For a Job As a Server?

How You Write a Pending Certification On Resume For a Job As a Server?When writing a pending certification on resume for a position as a server, the government usually requires that one write this certification on resume. This certification is basically a two-year course which can be taken at colleges or universities. A server has to undergo a thorough training and can work with different kinds of customers in different kinds of establishments. In order to make it easy for you to write a certification on resume for such a job, there are some basic things that you need to understand.What exactly does this certification means? Well, you will be a certified server who has passed two years of training and will work with different clients in different places. To make it simple, you will be able to use your certification as an asset when applying for an entry-level position.There are a few ways by which you can become a certified server. One of them is to complete a two-year college or uni versity course, while the other is to take up one year of practical courses. The best way is to complete a two-year course and this kind of certification is worth much more than the other types of certification on resume.To help you out when writing a certification on resume for a server job, you have to keep certain things in mind. First, you should not use your previous education and achievements to show your worthiness. In fact, the previous information is never enough to make you a successful server and your success is based entirely on your capability to read clients and to understand their requirements and expectations.You should avoid using your previous work experience and past employers to make it easy for you to write a certification on resume. You should get it in writing. It is also important to know the different companies that offer this training. You should find out whether it is a local or a distance learning training and then choose the one that best suits your need s.Don't forget to check on the available certifications. This is the easiest way to make sure that you have all the essential details about the certification. At this point, you might also want to take a look at other online courses that offer this training for the sake of you having the option to continue your studies.Once you have found the appropriate training, you have to move forward by choosing the location for the classes. You will be required to go for a certain training session in order to complete your certification on resume. It is imperative that you ensure that you are enrolled in a genuine course and that you attend the sessions provided for.Once you have completed the certification on resume, you can apply for the position that you are aiming for. A certification on resume can be a useful tool when searching for a new job, but be careful about making it a way of life and you may just get yourself in trouble.

The 4 Steps to Being Job Ready

The 4 Steps to Being Job Ready One of the greatest challenges in your career is being job ready. With the changing landscape of recruitment, impacts of technology and a very volatile labour market, job readiness is something that can be the difference between job search outcomes and job search doldrums. Job readiness covers a lot of factors, for many individuals they see job readiness as knowing your resume and online profiles are up to date and being able to interview effectively. These however are only a small component of being job ready. Breaking it down further, job readiness to many recruiters and hiring managers is the difference between a mediocre candidate and a candidate ready to present for the job. Professionally, job readiness needs to include: 1) Understanding your job It really should be a given but it is alarming how many people actually do not have an understanding of the role they perform and why it is needed within various organisations. This means that they also do not understand what skills are required today or in the future to be able to continue to effectively perform your role. Job readiness here can be achieved by staying up to date with systems, knowing the technical and practical side of your role and understanding where this positions sits within organisations. 2) Understanding the labour market This is another key area that people need to be truly job ready. By understanding the labour market and labour market trends you will be able to understand the demands on your role in the industry and also what is required for the role in the future. This will assist in responding to questions such as “Where would you like to be in 3 years time” by understanding where your role needs to be in 3 years time. 3) Skills and development Being able to articulate your skills, your gaps and areas of development will also help in not only ensuring you are job ready but that you can demonstrate this. One thing that is really frustrating is that individuals are not able to demonstrate during an interview that they have the skills required to immediately transition in to a role, or talk to the gaps and how they will be able to address these gaps to still be able to meet the demands of the role. 4) Presentation and communication Fundamental to your success at the interview, being able to present in a way that reflects your understanding of the role, your level of professionalism and your personal etiquette assists in demonstrating you are job ready. Building from this, being able to communicate confidently, articulately and with clarity is also important for job readiness. Practice the interview skills and start to develop yourself from there. There is a great deal more to job readiness than the above but these are key issues that are now being seen as the forgotten needs. For all individuals, whilst you are employed you need to remain employable, whilst you are not employed you need to demonstrate employability and whilst you are planning future employment you need to develop new levels of employability. Lifelong learning, career development and personal leadership are imperative to your success; and taking ownership of your own career is key to achieving this. Image: Shutterstock

Do I have a Disability

Do I have a Disability The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.   The Act opened up opportunities for millions of Americans to access opportunities and request accommodations to be able to perform work they are otherwise qualified to do. Over the decades, more and more conditions have been classified as disabilities, and both workers and employers are sometimes confused as to what constitutes a disability under the law.   Is a worker entitled to accommodations (allowed to start her shift later in the morning, for example) if her debilitating headaches keep her up all night and make it hard to get up in the morning? If a worker has a condition that requires him to eat small, frequent meals, does he get to violate the company policy about eating at his desk?   These and other complicated issues can cause conflict if you don’t understand the law.   Here are some common sense guidelines for determining if a condition is protected under the ADA. A person has a disability under the ADA if the person has an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The following questions may help determine whether an employee has a disability: Does the employee have a physical or mental impairment?   Is the impairment long-term or permanent? (a condition does not have to be permanent to be protected; if you have a broken arm in a cast, you can request accommodations until you can perform normal duties again.) Does the impairment affect a major life activity? Major life activities have been defined by the ADA.   They include physical activities such as standing, reaching, performing manual tasks, sitting, lifting, hearing, seeing, and speaking.   They also include cognitive abilities such as learning, sleeping, concentrating and interacting with people.   If you are having trouble performing a job function because of impairment, you and your supervisor can work out an accommodation together.   The good news for your employer is that most accommodations don’t cost much; it might be as simple as a device to amplify sound on your phone headset, or simply being allowed to work fewer hours or take more frequent breaks. You should be prepared to state in what material way the accommodation will help you perform your job better. Requests for reasonable accommodation do not have to be in writing; you can request accommodations in a face-to-face conversation or by email. Your employer may choose to write a memo or letter confirming your request or may ask you to fill out a form or submit the request in written form, but he/ she cannot ignore your initial request. You may want to put your request in writing even if your employer doesn’t require it. Sometimes it’s useful to have a paper trail in case there is a dispute about whether or when you requested accommodation. Remember that your employer will not know what you need to perform your job unless you tell him.   The ADA provides for “reasonable accommodations” as long as they do not cause “undue hardship,”, so do some homework on options that might be helpful.   You may not get exactly what you requested, but may get a similar (or more cost effective)version of what you asked for, as decided by the employer. For additional information on the types of accommodations you could ask for, see: http://www.askjan.org/media/atoz.htm

College Resume Example - The Best Way to Learn About Colleges

College Resume Example - The Best Way to Learn About CollegesA college resume example is a great way to get started on your own education. The first step is to go to your school's career center and look at some of the jobs they have posted.You can also find out about the career opportunities with the school. Some schools provide a college resume example from the Career Center or on their website. Keep in mind that these examples are meant for people with excellent academic records, but you can improve your chances if you do not meet all of the requirements but know a little about the program.Search online and you should be able to find a lot of different examples of resumes. This is good because it will help you get an idea of how different programs are formatted and what kind of information you should include on each resume. Make sure that your skills match the requirements of the job as closely as possible.Type all of the necessary information in the appropriate section of the resu me. Many schools are flexible on the type of information that can be included on the application, and most do allow certain letters of recommendation. If you are not comfortable enough typing or cannot write a letter for yourself, you should hire a professional. You should have an application ready that has everything you need to let the hiring committee know you are serious about the position.After that, sit down with a career counselor and they will tell you that one of the examples work best for your specific needs. You can then talk with them about the other aspects of the resume, such as the ability to get along with people and be willing to take initiative. They will also tell you what their personal opinion of you is and where you should make any modifications. Most schools have some very specific requirements and you may have to have extra items on your resume.The key to this job is to get a college program that fits your needs. Be realistic and make sure that you are prepar ed to meet the requirements before you sit down with a professional. A resume example is only meant to help you learn more about the program. There are many professional writers that can help you tailor your resume to the job and this could include writing a few cover letters and filling out the various paperwork required for a specific job.There are even career counselors that can assist you with career planning and other steps involved in attending college. You should go to the career center to ask for advice on how to prepare for your career goals and how to get a college degree. The career center staff is very knowledgeable and can help you with career planning and finding a school that will fit your needs.If you are getting ready to go back to school, it is important to look into a resume example. In addition to helping you find the right career direction, it will show you how to make your resume as professional looking as possible.

LinkedIn Isnt Facebook

LinkedIn Isn’t Facebook LinkedIn Isn’t Facebook Although LinkedIn is primarily a business networking site, it’s still considered social media. That’s part of the reason having a profile photo and, with the new user interface, a background photo too. That said, LinkedIn is not Facebook. Which means your photo needs to be recruiter and employer ready. Despite this, I often seen inappropriate photos used in LinkedIn profiles. I don’t mean the obvious mistakes like party photos, although I’ve seen them, it’s photos that people have put some thought into. Photos like these. Former Group Shots While you may have a nice smile, photos where you have obviously been cut out of a group shot are not good choices for your LinkedIn profile. Even if you have successfully cropped yourself out of the group, as in you can’t see someone’s arm over your shoulder, the angle will still be off. Graduation Photos It’s great that you’re a proud graduate, you should be. But you want employers to see you as an employee not a student. A photo in your cap and gown looks particularly off if you’ve just received an advanced degree. Including that in your education, or even in your Summary section is a better way to show off your new sheepskin. Formalwear Photos While my favorite in this category was a profile I came across while working as a recruiter: a woman in her wedding gown, veil and all. But, I often see photos of men in tuxedos and women in evening, or evening-like, attire. Again, not something that conveys that you are a professional. Group Shots For some reason, many people choose photos taken with their partner, child, or dog. None of these make you look like a business person. The exception might be a vet that has a profile picture of she and her dog. The truth is, if you’re a woman a photo with your child can work against you. May not be right, but it could happen. Sports Photos Unless it’s relevant to your position or target position, a picture of you skiing is not the best choice for LinkedIn. While it may not have as negative an impact as a photo of you and your child, it won’t be as effective as a head shot in business attire. While nice to have, you don’t need a professionally-taken, photo-shopped, profile shot. You do need a clear head-shot, preferably smiling, and wearing business attire. You can upload your photo to photofeeler to get objective opinions for a reasonable rate. Remember, LinkedIn is often the first time a recruiter and/or potential employer “meets” you. Having an inappropriate photo will probably not work in your favor. If you have any doubt that your profile shot is not working, have someone take a few snapshots this week. While you’re at it, choose a background photo for your profile as well. The generic blue screen makes you look generic too.

8 Ways to Extract Value from Networking Meetings - Hire Imaging

8 Ways to Extract Value from Networking Meetings - Hire Imaging 1. Prepare for the meeting. You’ve successfully navigated the initial stage of the networking process, and someone has agreed to meet you in person or talk with you over the phone. The question now is: How do you get the most out of the meeting? Here are some things to consider: 1. Prepare for the meeting. Prepare for the informational networking meeting with questions; and with a twofold purpose: (1), make sure you know what you want from the other person; and (2), whether that person is capable of giving you want you want. If you’re meeting the person just to reap information about a specific industry or company, draw up a list of questions before you go into the meeting. 2. Look your best. If you’re meeting a contact personally, treat the meeting as if it were a job interview. Even if this isn’t an official interview where they’re evaluating you for a job (I’ve had clients who said it turned into that, so don’t assume), make an impression that positively influences how eager they’ll be to give you names of other people or to recommend you for possible job openings. 3. Connect with the gatekeeper. If the person you’re meeting has an assistant or receptionist who screens phone calls and arranges appointments for that person, introduce yourself and tactfully try to establish a relationships. Get the person’s name. Make sure that he or she knows your name, so that when you call the next time, you won’t have to reintroduce yourself. 4. Plan the time and stick to it. Verify how much time the person is prepared to give you before you actually start the conversation. It’s best to know beforehand, when you initially set it up. Otherwise, at the start of the meeting, ask directly, “How much time do we have? I don’t want to interfere with your schedule.” Keep track of the time as the conversation proceeds. If the person appears restless, or you’ve used up your time, you should offer to wind down the conversation. Why does it matter? First, you avoid the awkwardness you may feel when the other person has to tell you, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any more time.” It also conveys the right message by showing the other person that you value his or her time. If you have to go back to that person for help, he or she will probably be more apt to say yes. 5. Take notes. Taking notes during the meeting â€" as long as you do it in a relaxed manner that allows you keep eye contact â€" is a good idea. You retain information you gather. Note-taking also actually flatters the person giving you the information. Do ask right away if it’s okay to take notes. Few will say no. Don’t allow the note-taking process to interfere with the person’s efforts to answering your question. Listen intently, and write down key ideas. You’ll have time after the interview to flesh out your rough notes into a more polished form. 6. Don’t complain. “Of course not,” you say. But many have told me how once in a meeting â€" even if unintentional â€" they moved to talking about their frustration, how they were “wronged,” or other negative topics. The purpose of a networking meeting is to get information and at the same time, to make a favorable impression so that if this person does hear of a job or lead, he or she will not hesitate to recommend you. So regardless of how discouraged you might feel about your job search or any career woes, don’t wear your heart on your sleeve. Smile, speak with a lift in your voice, and sound enthusiastic. The last thing you want from this person is sympathy. 7. Ask for names. If you achieve nothing else, walk away from an information meeting with at least one or two additional names of people you can contact â€" and with that persons’ permission to use the names. Ask for those names at the end of the conversation, after you have connected with rapport. The direct approach is usually the best: “Do you know any others who might be helpful for me to talk with?” 8. Show your appreciation. Always, always, always send a short thank-you note  to everyone who gives you their time, either in person or over the phone. Do it within a day or two. Send an email first. Then follow it up with a short, hand-written, snail-mailed note. And even better, share something. If that person expressed an interest in a topic, send along an article or link that’s related, with, “I thought you might enjoy this, Joe.” The power of showing gratitude  can’t be overstated. What’s been your experience with networking meetings? I’d love to hear from you! Please comment below.