INVEST in YOURSELF

June 6, 2016 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on INVEST in YOURSELF

INVEST in YOURSELF

 Most often when people think of bettering themselves, they think of getting more formal education or taking a class.  In some instances formal education is a very good idea.  But most of the time it is not necessarily going to accomplish the immediate goal of changing jobs or starting a new career.  It does not cover the “nuts & bolts” of this process either. It is not even the least expensive option.  Master’s Degrees can cost tens of thousands of dollars and there really is no more guarantee after obtaining the degree that this will secure your ideal position.  So where should your time and money be spent?

When educated people make a large purchase they research their options and talk to professionals about the best way to go about the process.  They don’t assume that they know everything about the market, that everything they need to know is on-line, nor do they trust themselves to spend their time and money wisely without an expert opinion.  So why do they assume that their time is FREE, and that they are not losing opportunities or money when they search for a new job or attempt to change careers?  Probably for the same reason they are selling themselves short on job interviews.  They are not marketing experts, nor are they practiced at presenting themselves effectively.  This is a REALLY hard thing to do on your own.  For obvious reasons, you cannot be objective nor can you see yourself the same way that hiring managers do.

Do you know which companies share your values and culture?  Do you know where “your ideal team collaborators” are?  If not, then why do you depend on a job description to be all the information you need to make an educated decision?  Do you think that all dating site profiles tell the whole story or is it important that you meet and talk with that individual? Looking for a job 5 years ago is not the same as today, nor will it be the same 10 years from now.

YOU are probably only going to make a major change a few times in your career.  Is it worth keeping up on trends or would your time be spent more efficiently talking with a career transition expert?  If you are filling out applications on-line and then waiting for a response, I guarantee you that the process will be long and painful.  This is just NOT how it is done.  You can either try this for a few months, OR you can be re-branded and FOUND in just a week, with several pending job possibilities within a month.  Have a professional come up with a customized plan of action including new personalized branding.  Make sure that the key-words you are using are pertinent and that the title you give yourself means something to the current job market.  Make sure that the algorithm for being found on-line has been met, and most importantly you had better have an updated LinkedIn Profile reflecting your experience as it relates to your desired career.  Over 90% of Recruiters and HR Professionals are looking for candidates on LinkedIn- as their sole resource.

I help people with ALL of this EVERY day.  For a small investment in yourself you could be re-branded with a new profile, carrying a new resume, and having a PLAN as to how to connect with those people that you would like to work for. How much is your time worth?  How much money can you afford to lose? What are you waiting for?  Be happy to discuss this process with you.

425-392-7325

Lori Morefield-Berg has over 25 years of successful sales leadership in startup and vertical market expansion situations. Lori launched one of the first IBM PC authorized training facilities and dealerships in the U.S., as well as several other technical entities. This experience makes her uniquely qualified to identify and consult with talented individuals in sales management, marketing, finance, IT, engineering, operations, HR, and business development.  Lori has a B.A. in Developmental Psychology, which underlines her training expertise and consultative approach. She was a business recruiter in addition to providing training to recruiters and career counselors. Lori has supported businesses by providing technical solutions, strengthening strategic alliances, and assisting with business planning and development. She is a mentor, moderator, presenter, ambassador and speaker for various civic and networking organizations and Chambers of Commerce in the Seattle area.

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Don’t Like Your Job?

January 21, 2016 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Don’t Like Your Job?

When working with career transition clients I am often barraged by their  list of “non-negotiables”. This includes the industries that they will work in, what salary is acceptable, hours and locations desirable, and what they are willing to take on as responsibilities in a new job. This information is helpful in deciding whether they would like to take a position that has been offered to them, but it is not helpful in discovering what they should be searching for in a new career. In other words, it is “putting the cart before the horse”.

I help professionals in transition sort out what they have both enjoyed most and excelled in, in order to be able to decipher which careers are available and easily attainable. This is a simple problem-solving exercise but it becomes complicated when job market, job opportunities, personal branding, interviewing methods, and other factors are unknown in the process. The individual would have to research all of this, and THEN figure out how to go about finding their new career position. I am not sure why professionals take on this market research task since it is not usually something that they have done recently. Shopping commodities is one thing, but it is not usually easy to be objective about things that are so close to your psyche. In other words, even if you were a doctor, would you operate on yourself?

In navigating this problem-solving exercise, you need a consultant to guide you and show you the way. Being talented, motivated, intelligent, and market savvy, will aid you in the process of reaching your goal; once someone else has put together a road map or a plan. Do you really want to waste any more time now that you have decided to make a change? Don’t lose momentum or courage by trying and failing. “Don’t jump from the frying pan into the fire.” Have a career consultant help you to find the right job, not just a different one.

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Planning for a Career Transition

September 14, 2015 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Planning for a Career Transition

Change is difficult and making a career change is daunting. But most of the time it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you make it. Because it is a painful process, you tend to want to cut corners and have it over with as soon as possible. This usually leaves out a detailed thought process or planning which not only is a recipe for disaster but actually makes the process last longer. What should that planning look like?

Of course anything is possible but what is the most probable? What is the cleanest, straightest path to a better career? What is the profession that would require the least amount of change to achieve? Will this be a two part change involving leveraging the next job or can you transfer seamlessly in one step?

Market research of the job climate in the city, in which you are living, is very important. With your experience and background what would lend itself to the career you desire? Can you re-brand yourself to work in that career? Do you need more education or experience first? Which would be better or easier to accomplish?   Finances do enter into the equation. There is an inverse relationship to the amount of change in your career and the amount of money you can expect.   Most of the time you can stay close to the salary you are making, but a major change NEVER garners a bigger income.   So IF you have a lot of obligations you may NOT be able to make a change right now. However, you MAY be able to switch companies while doing the same job.   You may find a better opportunity that would leverage your salary to a higher pay.

What you must NOT do is pick a company, an industry, or a job posting and then talk about everything that you have ever done and hope that they can figure it out for you. That confounds any chance you had at being hired. The cart cannot go before the horse.   Do your homework and research which experience would be most likely to win that position. Enlist the help of a professional. If this is a one-time thing and you don’t want to have to learn the process then it makes perfect fiscal sense to have someone help you. But whatever you decide to do, make a plan first, and stick to it. You are more likely to hit a target that you have set, than just randomly throwing darts.

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What Does “Project Management” Mean to You?

July 13, 2015 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on What Does “Project Management” Mean to You?

The current job market overuses the term, “Project Management”. Some industries such as construction have very technical requirements for this position. The software and manufacturing industries use specialized software packages for this. But literally it can mean you are a junior college graduate with a certificate, or you are an experienced and degreed engineer.  Sometimes it refers to an operations executive.  In my opinion, it is better to not use this terminology at all.  You will be found quicker by adding the skills  and responsibilities that are inherent to your position and industry, and then add to  those  your past job titles.  That being said, this is a basic overview of the title.

Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI) defines project management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project.” The process of directing and controlling a project from start to finish may be further divided into 5 basic phases:

  1. Project conception and initiation

An idea for a project will be carefully examined to determine whether or not it benefits the organization. During this phase, a decision making team will identify if the project can realistically be completed.

  1. Project definition and planning

A project plan, project charter and/or project scope may be put in writing, outlining the work to be performed. During this phase, a team should prioritize the project, calculate a budget and schedule, and determine what resources are needed.

  1. Project launch or execution

Resources’ tasks are distributed and teams are informed of responsibilities. This is a good time to bring up important project related information.

  1. Project performance and control

Project managers will compare project status and progress to the actual plan, as resources perform the scheduled work. During this phase, project managers may need to adjust schedules or do what is necessary to keep the project on track.

  1. Project close

After project tasks are completed and the client has approved the outcome, an evaluation is necessary to highlight project success and/or learn from project history.

Projects and project management processes vary from industry to industry; however, these are more traditional elements of a project. The overarching goal is typically to offer a product, change a process or to solve a problem in order to benefit the organization.

So, ARE you a project manager?  Well, you are definitely a manager.  How you describe yourself depends on the target industry that you are applying for.  Definitely get a second opinion and market yourself appropriately.

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Need a Consultant or a Coach?

July 8, 2015 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Need a Consultant or a Coach?

Whether you are a business manager or a member of a team;   a job seeker or a hiring employer … You need the type of one-on-one assistance that consultants and coaches can provide. The safety and security that is inherent in this dynamic allows for the behaviors of the participants to positively change without a loss of status or productivity.

The change that must accompany   forward thinking decisions and tangible results requires real motivation. Personal Motivation is dependent on emotions not standardized training or outside industry influences .

Training programs are becoming a costly and ineffective solution to changing   the individual team member’s or leader’s behaviors and imparting knowledge that is immediately going to be utilized and effective. Your budget would be better spent on contracting assistance that is targeted and objective.

So which do you need?   A Consultant or a Coach?

Consultant: Hired for their expertise at solving problems while providing ideas and processes that are quantifiable. They provide step-by-step solutions and translate complex processes into useable plans.

Coach: Inspires the client to higher achievement by listening, and allowing the client to be understood. This optimizes the chances of the client’s ownership of the desired results and the behavioral changes necessary for those results.

Both must motivate their clients to own the project and be accountable in order to be effective.

As in many other industry professions, being specialized or vertically siloed is no longer going to be enough. Independent consultants or coaching professionals must be multi-faceted and talented with more than one asset to offer their clients.

Who needs their help? The BUSINESS MANAGER – or the TEAM MEMBERS ? The JOB SEEKER – or the HIRING EMPLOYER   ?

All of these roles need this type of one-on-one assistance. The safety and security that is inherent in this dynamic allows for behaviors to change without fear. The majority of people make decisions through their learned experience and emotions . The buy-in necessary to effectively change teams, careers, and production requires a supportive, expert, and objective guidance from outside.

So the answer is that you need both skill sets in one person. The % of coaching/consulting blend will vary from client to client and session to session. These definitions apply to both Business-Oriented AND Career- Based Consultants and Coaches.  Investment in one of these professionals will be money well spent towards your future success.

 

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Graduation is Over, Are you Workforce ready?

May 14, 2015 by Lori Morefield-Berg in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Graduation is Over, Are you Workforce ready?

In a digital, forward-thinking, innovative economy, employers expect you to either know what to do, or be able to figure it out. There is no-longer an insulated ramp-up time. You have to be OK, with making mistakes and learning from them. You have to be comfortable with being challenged, and you have to be persevering. You will not be handed a to-do list, and most of the time you won’t receive any appreciable training.

Even though higher-education does not address these kinds of skills, you WILL have to know how to move fast, manage projects, and develop plans. Every job involves being a Project Manager. Except for industry specific knowledge, a CERTIFICATION for this really is valuable only as an alternative to the experience. The landscape will be constantly changing, and your new job description may even contain the word “ambiguity”.

Do you have the “grit” to fail, pick yourself up, and live with anxiety? Without this sense of urgency you may not have the “drive” necessary to succeed in a growing tech or start-up environment. Most importantly, are you ready to OWN the outcome of your decisions? Real business opportunities hold no guarantees. There is no security.

If you have had an internship or industry experience that showcases these abilities, AND you can quantify this experience with numbers; then you should be able to clearly communicate this. Having a proven track record of saving money, increasing productivity, or dealing with an impressive number of clients or projects simultaneously will help an employer see that you have already been successful at “making things happen”.

Growing companies need people who can take initiative, and have a sense of ownership. The days of “padding” and “vertically siloing” job descriptions has come and gone. Everyone is expected to do more, and responsibility has spread way past leadership. Drive is best learned through suffering the pain of failure. Are you really ready?

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