BOSTON COLLEGE WORLD-WIDE WEBINARS:
Bridges and Barriers to
Re-Entering the Workforce
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W e d n e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 3 , 2 0 1 4
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Presenters:
Carol Sabia CGSOM ’83,
V i c e P r e s i d e n t o f Ta l e n t , r e a c H I R E
Addie Swartz, CEO, reacHIRE
Carol Rosa Sabia
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CGSOM ’83
Carroll Graduate School of Management
VP Talent, reacHIRE
Addie Swartz
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CEO, reacHIRE
Outline of Webinar
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Challenges of Re-Entry
Where To Begin
Telling Your Story – Elevator Pitch to Interview
Challenges of Re-Entry
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Where to begin?
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What do I want?
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–
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Full time, part time
Big company, small company, etc…
How do I make it happen?
?
?
?
The Hurdles
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Resume Gap
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Technical skills are Outdated
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Corporate References Old
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Volunteer Work …
How Does it Translate?
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Social Media Seems Daunting
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New Tools & Technologies
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Job Market Dynamics & Search
Techniques have Changed
Realities of the 21st Century Job Search
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2-4% Success Rate of Online Applicants
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Applicant Tracking Systems
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Search for skills, education, experience match-up
 LinkedIn Recruiter
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64% Employee Referral Hires
Bridges and Barriers- Overview
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Where To Begin?
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What IS Your Story?
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Telling Your Story
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Your Elevator Pitch
Your Career Profile Summary – LinkedIn & Resume
Where To Begin?
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You Don’t Have To Be Alone: Get Some Support
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A Buddy
 A Coach
 A Program
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Reconnect With
Yourself – Who Were You When You Worked?
 Former Colleagues – Revisit/Refresh The Value You Bring
 The Industry – What’s Been Going On?
 Functional Skills – Update Yours
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Start To Capture & Refine Your Story
What IS Your Story?
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What Do You Do Well?
What Would Others Say About Your Value?
How Do You Do Your Work Differently From Others?
What Makes You Unique?
Come Up With 2-3 Statements/Themes
That Set You Apart
Sample Story Themes
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I am a recruiter in high tech and my strength is that I build
strong relationships with candidates and hiring managers
and understand the needs of both to best fill the job
openings, resulting in high retention.
I am a marketing analyst with experience in consumer
goods products and proven performance at all stages of
product introduction and growth. I’ve managed 3 new
product introductions that exceeded growth objectives.
I am a serial entrepreneur who has successfully launched,
built, and sold 3 businesses.
Sample Story Themes (cont’d)
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I am a project manager with a technical understanding of
networking, mobile, and web services and a proven track
record of managing projects on time and within budget while
exceeding customer expectations
 I am a software developer with 20 years experience in C/C++,
Java; I recently taught myself C# and WordPress and I am
currently learning iPhone application development with
CS193p from Stanford on iTunes U.
 I am a financial analyst with a strong customer support and
retention track record at Fidelity where I sold and serviced
mutual funds to individual and corporate clients.
Telling Your Story
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Interviews
Resume
LinkedIn
Elevator Pitch
Telling your Story – the Elevator Pitch
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Your Story
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Your Unique Strengths and Contributions
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The Value you Bring to an Organization
Your Introduction!
Why It Matters
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Nailing your elevator pitch will help you with:
 Networking
 Interviews
 Sharing information about your transition
Drafting an Elevator Pitch
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1.
Identify your goal – what is the objective of your pitch?
2.
Explain what you do. What do you want your audience
to remember?
3.
Communicate your X Factor
4.
Engage with a question
5.
Draft it
6.
Practice!
Sample Elevator Pitch
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- I am a financial analyst with a background in auditing, risk &
data analytics and compliance in the banking and telecom
industries.
- I’ve also been a lecturer in business for the past 10 years,
both in Italy and the US.
- What I loved to do, and where I was most successful, was
when I was a finance marketing manager at Telecom Italia
negotiating large contracts anywhere from $20-$50M.
- What about you, what’s your background?
LinkedIn & Resume
Writing your Career Profile Summary
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6 Second Scan – Top 1/3
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Substance over Style
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Results over Activity
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The Career Profile Summary sets the stage
Drilling Down – Career Profile Summary
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Branding Statement
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Convey value you bring to the job
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NOT OBJECTIVE
Focus on core skills
Areas of expertise
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High level examples
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Enable employer to see you as qualified
 Add “Tipping Point” Items
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Additional language, results, specific technology, credentials
Sample Career Profile Summary
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Before: Experienced financial analyst with a broad background in
banking, telecommunications, bank auditing, data analytics, bank risk
analytics, bank risk compliance and executive education. Former
National Bank Examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency. International experience in Europe in telecommunications and
higher education. Business Lecturer at Hult International School of
Business and UMass Lowell. Fluent in Italian.
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After: Experienced financial analyst in domestic and international
banking, telecommunications, bank auditing, data analytics, bank risk
analytics, bank risk compliance and executive education. Negotiated
carrier agreements up to $50M. National Bank Examiner for $800M
assets. Business Lecturer: Hult International School of Business; UMass
Lowell. Fluent in Italian. Boston College MBA, Banking & Finance.
The “Gap”
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Use traditional format for resume:
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Summary
Experience
Education
Technology
Community Service
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Community Service should be last on the list,
not too detailed
 Be honest about the lapse in work experience
 Keep all dates for both experience and education
Q&A
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Resources
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Article - The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why by Deborah Tannen
https://hbr.org/1995/09/the-power-of-talk-who-gets-heard-and-why
Book - The Power of Story: Change Your Story, Change Your Destiny in
Business and in Life by Jim Loehr
Book - The New Elevator Pitch by Chris Westfall
YouTube Six elevator pitches for the 21st century by Daniel Pink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvxtC60V6kc
How to Perfect the Elevator Pitch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Y02_oZP8U
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The reacHIRE Approach
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Learn More
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• 6 Week Comprehensive Training Program
• One-on-one Coaching
• Placement into a part-time project in Boston’s leading companies
reacHIRE.com
Stop by our booth at the Mass Conference for Women
Tomorrow 12/4 - Booth #865
For more information about reacHIRE: info@reachire.com
For questions about this webinar: carol@reachire.com
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