Published: August 19, 2010
Experts Reveal Smartest Moves and Biggest Mistakes Job-Seekers Make in Quest for Career Success Today
NEW YORK - (BUSINESS WIRE) - What are the most important steps you can take to advance your career in
today's job market? This is the question experts tackled today at a
special conference sponsored by DeVry University and hosted by renowned
author and career columnist Alexandra Levit.
"There is an overwhelming amount of information out there about
employment, career field growth and retraction, and, much of it paints a
bleak picture for those who are looking for a job or want to advance in
their current position," said Levit. "I worked with DeVry University to
put together this conference so that we could cut through all the
complex statistics and trend information, and offer people actionable
advice."
The In-Demand Careers Conference, held at DeVry University in New York,
N.Y. (known in New York as DeVry College of New York), featured an
interactive panel discussion, online course and career assessment tool
demonstrations.
In addition to Levit, the panel included Michelle Mercurio, national
associate dean of career services at DeVry University; Erica Orange,
vice president of the leading futurist consulting group Weiner, Edrich,
Brown, Inc.; Kathleen Frawley, chair of health information technology at
DeVry University; and Lindsay Lindstrom, academic developer evangelist
at Microsoft Corporation.
"We're pleased with the conclusions that were drawn from today's
discussion and appreciate all of the insights that experts shared with
us," said David J. Pauldine, president of DeVry University. "We
sponsored this conference as part of our commitment to career-focused
education and hope that these insights will help anyone who's looking to
advance in their professional development."
Levit and the group of industry specialists participating in the DeVry
University Conference identified the biggest mistakes and smartest moves
for career success.
Job-seekers don't use their time on social media networking sites
wisely. Too much time is spent trying to create a presence on every
social media website causing networking overload rather than meaningful
connections.
The Smart Move: Instead, job-hunters need to find the right
places to connect. Focus on places that offer the best quality and
quantity of contacts and companies you are interested in and build on
those connections to increase your network. It is not necessary to
become a member of every hot new networking site. Consider what purpose
each site serves as it pertains to your career goals. Choose wisely.
Job-seekers constantly look at what's hot now instead of long-term
employment trends. Being unaware of which industries have the
greatest growth potential is a missed opportunity for many people.
The Smart Move: Understand where the job opportunities are and
will be by looking at statistics and broad trends. For example, healthcare
management and technology will thrive in the coming years due to an
aging population and a focus on providing care to those who have not
traditionally been able to afford coverage.
Job-seekers are overly focused on making new connections. They
tend to overlook existing and former contacts in pursuit of new ones
when networking.
The Smart Move: Revisit old contacts and resources. Networking is
not just about creating new contacts. For example, your college career
office is a relevant resource for jobs, even if you graduated many years
ago. Also, reconnect with former colleagues, supervisors and clients,
whether you are using them as a reference or not. They should be an
active part of your network too.
Job-seekers consider gaining new skills an impossible undertaking.
Many rule out returning to school due to time commitments or expense.
The Smart Move: Do your research and understand what new skills
could be good for your career and the best way to get them. For people
who are looking to fit career-related education into a life filled with
other responsibilities, options exist like the flexible online and
in-classroom learning options offered at DeVry University.
Job-seekers confuse demonstrating digital savvy with using casual
tech-talk. 'lol,' 'ttyl' and a range of emoticons and acronyms, or
tech-talk have a growing presence in the vernacular of job-seekers. The
new abbreviations have moved from being typical of friend-to-friend
digital communication to use in interviews and on resumes, often
replacing professional communication which employers view as critical.
The Smart Move: Demonstrate that you can balance both tech-talk
and formal business communication. Before tweeting, ask yourself whether
the 140 characters potential employers might see will add value and show
that you will be a professional asset to their company. Take the time to
write formal cover letters that demonstrate advanced communications
skills. Demonstrating an aptitude in 'bi-lingual' communication shows
employers that you can advance the company's goals through multiple
channels.
Job-seekers do not have a well-defined personal brand. Today,
just communicating that you've got the skills necessary for a job is not
enough. With so many people applying for the same job, job-seekers need
to think about how to stand out. This is particularly true of recent
college graduates who have had little experience in trying to
differentiate themselves outside their academic world.
The Smart Move: Create a strong and memorable personal brand that
sets you apart and remains consistent regardless of your career path.
Ask for feedback from personal and professional contacts to identify how
you are perceived, your work style, your strengths, what makes you
different, etc. Make sure that your social media online and in-person
networking reflects your brand. Younger job-seekers should consider
taking on multiple internships to learn about where their real passion
lies so they can create and live a personal brand that really represents
them.
Job-seekers only look to older adult contacts as mentors. While
having an older mentor certainly helps to provide career guidance, they
can lack a fresh perspective on new trends and technologies that are
valued by employers.
The Smart Move: Look to younger friends, family or professional
contacts as mentors, especially those that are early adaptors to new
technologies. Employers are looking for innovative thinking and younger
mentors can explain new technologies and provide a unique way to look at
the world around them.
Find more information including video and images from the career experts
involved at http://www.pitchengine.com/preview-release.php?id=82738
and www.devry.edu.
About DeVry University
Founded 1931, DeVry University is one of the largest, private sector
universities in North America, with more than 85,000 students enrolled
in the United States and Canada. The university's mission is to foster
student learning through high-quality, career-oriented education
integrating technology, business, science and the arts. With more than
90 locations, DeVry University delivers practitioner-oriented
undergraduate and graduate degree programs onsite and online that meet
the needs of a diverse and geographically dispersed student population.
Home to five colleges of study, including Business & Management,
Engineering & Information Sciences, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts &
Sciences, and Media Arts & Technology, DeVry University's outstanding
faculty members, work in the fields that they teach, providing students
with real-world experiences that prepare them for high-growth careers.
DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the
North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.
DeVry University, a subsidiary of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), is based in
Downers Grove, Ill. For more information about DeVry University, find us
on Twitter @DeVryUniv or visit www.devry.edu.
Emily Bendix
MS&L Worldwide
emily.bendix@mslworldwide.com
312.861.5214
or
Melanie
Wright
DeVry University
mwright@devry.edu
215.591.5909
Copyright © 2012, Business Wire, Inc., All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2012, NewsBlaze,
Daily News
Search News
