PRAISE FOR THIS DYNAMIC BOOK! "BRAVO! A SUREFIRE AID!....you are at the crossroads...windows of opportunity are brief...William Barnson has written a comprehensive, timely, user friendly vehicle to help us meet the challenges and ride the bumps, in a very turbulent time. I recommend this valuable guide to anyone seeking an edge in obtaining new employment or preparing for a career change." - Milton C. Clegg, DDS, MA Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (ret) Former Chief, U.S. Navy Dental Corps "If you're interested in landing a job, the first thing you should read is 'Bounce Back Like A Champion.' It is literally everything you need to know in order to increase your chances for success, from finding the job openings right for you, to exactly how your resume should be crafted. When he says 'step-by-step,' he's not kidding" - Sharlene Wells Hawkes President/CEO, Remember My Service Former ESPN Reporter and Miss America -1985 "A simple, yet effective presentation in securing a job in today's challenging economy. The step by step approach, with practical examples, addresses all of the key components required for successful job search. 'Bounce Back Like a Champion' will be an asset for any reader." - Donna Broadhead Human Resources Department Mission Foods Corporation "WOW! This is a perfect read for all! No matter if you are changing careers, just out of school (college or high school) or if you are getting back into the workforce after time off, this book will take you through each vital step from planning, searching, effective resumes and closing the deal! This is a definite must read guideline on the path to success!" - Patti McMullan Career Specialist Emerald Ridge High School Puyallup, Washington
Bounce Back Like A Champion
The Dynamic Step-by-step System Used by the U.S. Military Transition Program For Getting a New Civilian Job FastBy WILLIAM BARNSONAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2010 William Barnson
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4520-2430-1Contents
PREFACE..............................................................ixINTRODUCTION.........................................................xi Check Out The Current Employment Picture............................1 Evaluate Your Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.......................2 Decide Which Direction You Want to Take.............................3 Job vs. Career......................................................4 The Paradigm Shift - `Think Outside of the Box'.....................5 The Hot Jobs and Markets............................................9 Internet - Seek and Ye Shall Find...................................13 Network Everywhere - Social Media...................................14 The Resume as a Marketing Tool......................................15 Target the Job Requirements.........................................17 Resume Format.......................................................18 Writing Your Resume Step-By-Step....................................18 Write a Great Cover Letter..........................................25 Book the Interview..................................................27 Sell Yourself Like a Pro............................................28 Follow Up with a Thank You..........................................30 Plan Your Work, and Work Your Plan..................................33 Start Your Own Business.............................................35 Buy a Business/Franchise............................................38A. Skills Inventory..................................................41B. Resume Action Verbs...............................................45C. Employment Websites...............................................47D. Sample Resumes....................................................53ABOUT THE AUTHOR.....................................................71
Chapter One
STEP NO. 1 PLAN FOR THE FUTURE Check Out The Current Employment Picture
With today's highly competitive job market, it is critical that you carefully plan your job search. Employment in a free enterprise society is based on supply and demand, therefore the need for workers will fluctuate by industry and economic conditions. Historically, companies have sought out the least expensive source of labor that has the intelligence to handle the complexity required to manufacture the goods or deliver the service required and sometimes that has resulted in outsourcing to other countries. This trend has been observed for decades and has been accelerating as the world's communication and transportation costs shrink.
Outsourcing has been both a boon and a bust, depending on your perspective. For example, shortly after World War II, several American manufacturers shifted their low-tech production requirements to Japanese companies in order to save money. Initially, these products were very low quality and the phrase, "cheap Japanese junk' plagued the reputation of those particular American companies. Fortunately, an Iowa-born Quality Control Engineer by the name of Dr. W. Edwards Deming brought his teachings on quality management to Japan's top executives and engineers and became the driving force behind that country's phenomenal growth in improved technology and economic growth. Soon, Japanese companies began outsourcing some of their lower tech manufacturing to other countries in order to increase their net profit. Outsourcing may have worked for Japanese companies, but in recent years too many American companies have rushed into outsourcing too many jobs to China, India and other third-world countries and leaving American employment gutted in many career fields.
Projecting the employment future is a challenge. There has been a real paradigm shift in the business world in recent years. Emerging technology has devastated many companies and forced them into bankruptcy unless they were able to immediately reinvent themselves. Examples of this tragedy can be found in the auto industry's shift to high-mileage/hybrid/electric vehicles, the video shift from Beta-to-VHS-to-DVD/BluRay, the replacement of incandescent light bulbs by fluorescent bulbs, the retail business shift from stores to Internet sales and the communication shift from FAX/pager/land phones to cell phones, texting and Internet dialing. Today, the U.S. Postal Service is in serious trouble because of the advent of email and even Microsoft is getting concerned over the shift away from PC processing to iPhone and so-called 'cloud' applications that run online instead of in Windows. As you can see, picking a winning career is critical. Take the time to do your homework. Research the labor market and investigate the current trends in your field/s of interest.
There is a wealth of information available online from the U.S. Dept. of Labor at www.doleta.gov/jobseekers and www.bls.gov/emp/ and at your local public library. Interview people currently employed in the types of jobs you want. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority.
Evaluate Your Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Many military personnel enter the civilian job market from combat career fields and must find a new civilian career that requires similar Knowledge = attained thru formal training and accrued wisdom, Skills = expertise attained through instruction and experience, and Abilities = aptitude to perform a task (KSA's). In order to have a successful military organization, it is critical that all members of the team have the requisite KSA's to accomplish the mission. The same is true in the civilian world. Today's job market is very tough. In order to successfully compete, you have to have almost all of the exact (KSA's required by the employer. Gone are the days when having 75% of the required KSA's was sufficient and the employer was willing to train you in the other 25%. Time is money and employers cannot afford to take the time to bring you up to speed. 'Entry level' jobs are getting very scarce and frequently are only found in the fast food, retail sales, military and labor-intensive fields. The apprenticeship programs of trade unions and the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Employment & Training Administration (http://oa.doleta.gov/) have shrunk dramatically. If you are looking for a job in the same employment field in which you currently have experience, you will have a distinct advantage over someone who is cross-training into a new career. However, there are many KSA's that are easily transferable from one career to another. Military personnel routinely showcase their Leadership, Communications and Training KSA's that they have used in combat roles that can be just as effective in a civilian job.
Decide Which Direction You Want to Take
Before you begin your job search plan, you will need to inventory your KSA's. Your skills fall under three basic categories; (1) Adaptive (self-management), (2) Transferable (functional) and, (3) Job-related. Complete the skills checklist at the end of this book and use that list when matching your skills with requirements listed in job announcements and again when writing your resume.
Prior to the current economic melt-down, the employment placement rate in the military's Transition Assistance Program...
