The number one job skill in 2020

Written by George Anders for LinkedIn on June 13, 2013

What's the crucial career strength that employers everywhere are seeking -- even though hardly anyone is talking about it? A great way to find out is by studying this list of fast-growing occupations, as compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sports coaches and fitness trainers. Massage therapists, registered nurses and physical therapists. School psychologists, music tutors, preschool teachers and speech-language pathologists. personal financial planners, chauffeurs and private detectives. These are among the fields expected to employ at least 20% more people in the U.S. by 2020.

Did you notice the common thread? Every one of these jobs is all about empathy.

In our fast-paced digital world, there's lots of hand wringing about the ways that automation and computer technology are taking away the kinds of jobs that kept our parents and grandparents employed. Walk through a modern factory, and you'll be stunned by how few humans are needed to tend the machines. Similarly, travel agents, video editors and many other white-collar employees have been pushed to the sidelines by the digital revolution's faster and cheaper methods.

But there's no substitute for the magic of a face-to-face interaction with someone else who cares. Even the most ingenious machine-based attempts to mimic human conversation (hello, Siri) can't match the emotional richness of a real conversation with a real person.

Visit a health club, and you'll see the best personal trainers don't just march their clients through a preset run of exercises. They chat about the stresses and rewards of getting back in shape. They tease, they flatter -- maybe they even flirt a little. They connect with their clients in a way that builds people's motivation. Before long, clients keep coming back to the gym because they want to spend time with a friend, and to do something extra to win his or her respect.

It's the same story in health care or education. Technology can monitor an adult's glucose levels or a young child's counting skills quite precisely. Data by itself, though, is just a tool. The real magic happens when a borderline diabetic or a shy preschooler develops enough faith and trust in another person to embark on a new path. What the BLS data tells us is that even in a rapidly automating world, we can't automate empathy.

Last week, when the BLS reported that the U.S. economy added 175,000 jobs in May, analysts noted that one of the labor market's bright spots involved restaurants and bars. Waiters, cooks and bartenders accounted for a full 16% of the month's job growth. As the Washington Post's Neil Irwin put it, "A robot may be able to assemble a car, but a cook still grills burgers."

Actually, it's the people in the front of the restaurant -- and behind the bar -- that should command our attention. The more time we spend in the efficient but somewhat soulless world of digital connectivity, the more we will cherish a little banter with wait-staff and bartenders who know us by name. We will pay extra to mingle with other people who can keep the timeless art of conversation alive.

(George Anders is a contributing editor at Forbes, and the author of four business books. Follow him on Twitter @GeorgeAnders, or keep up with his Forbes articles at www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/)

5 skills to take away from any job or internship

Written by Deanna Pan for the June 2013 edition of Student Health 101

You applied.  You interviewed.  You’re hired.  Congratulations!

No matter what kind of job or internship you’ve secured, there are many opportunities to hone your skills and develop your interests while there.  This is true even if it’s not directly related to your intended career path!  In a Student Health 101 survey, 97 percent of respondents indicated that they could learn valuable workplace skills in any job or internship, no matter its focus. 

Keep an Open Mind

Stephanie Ford, director of arts and sciences career services at The Ohio State University in Columbus says, “An internship outside your career field has value.  You’ll have experiences that allow you apply what you’re learning in the classroom and more generalized experiences that are going to be valuable, too.”

Diana C., a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, studies architecture.  She took an internship at a retail store specializing in women’s apparel and home décor because joining the visual display team would offer experience. 

“I signed up for [the internship] because I knew it would relate to craftsmanship, which would help me,” says Diana.  For example, she used her fine art skills to fashion a variety of paper-based displays.  “In architecture, you have to build models.  Craftsmanship is really important,” she explains. 

Skill Development

Allison Cohn, a recruiting manager at General Mills, encourages students to focus on universal skills.  “Think about [what] can transfer into the career or company that [you’re] really interested in,” she says. 

Ford agrees.  She says that early work and internship experiences can help you feel that you have the skills potential empoyers are looking for.  “Figure out what job experiences are going to help [you] build those qualifications,” she says. 

New jobs and internships present opportunities to learn technical skills, industry jargon, day-to-day operations business acumen and professional etiquette.  They can also allow you to develop talents you may not have known you have. 

As Dean M., a student at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Canada, says, “I’ve learned what I can do with my skill set and that I can do things I didn’t know I could do.”  

Communication Skills

Establishing rapport with supervisors and coworkers is essential in any position. 

“You have to be willing, in a nonaggressive and nonthreatening way, to have a conversation about what it is you are expecting and what your supervisors are expecting,” says Trudy Steinfeld, assistant vice president and executive director at the Wasserman Center for Career Development at New York University in New York City.  “Those conversations happen in a workplace all the time,” she advises. 

Learning to have productive, professional dialogue can be good practice for developing relationships and working on collaborative projects in future positions.  The ability to communicate effectively with supervisors, coworkers, and customers or clients will help you advance in any field.  These skills are also essential when participating in extracurricular activities and group work in classes. 

Read about more skills to take away from any job or internship here, pages 9-12.   

How to get the most from your summer internship

By Amanda Barrell

For many college students, summer internships are essential building blocks on the road to “the real world”.  Whether you’re a sophomore trying to discern what you’d like to do for a major or career, or you’re a senior looking to score a sweet job after graduation, an internship can provide valuable experiences and skills if you have the right perspective going into it. 

Pursue a worthwhile commitment

So you’re ready to move up from working at your childhood summer camp?  Great.  If you have an idea of what you’d like to do, that’s even better.  If not, use your major as a guide.  If you’re still unsure about your major, and especially if you’re an underclassman, don’t stress too much.  Think about what you’re passionate about, whether it’s the environment, local politics, or photography.  Once you have that, start exploring your options.  Check out job sites like Snagajob and Coolworks.com or visit your school’s Career Services office.  Not only can the employees there help you find a job, but they can also help critique your resume and prepare you for those intimidating interviews.

Be open-minded.  You might not think that working at your uncle’s general store in Estes Park could be beneficial to your long-term goals of working for a Fortune 500 company, but you might learn about money management, customer service, and teamwork, all skills which are admirable to future employers. 

Talk to past/current interns & coworkers—in other words, network!

Now that you’ve found that sweet internship, it’s important to make connections.  By talking to previous interns who have worked for that same company, or even those who have previously worked in your position, you can gain insight about the work you’ll be assigned, the office environment, and even your boss.

Don’t forget to neglect your coworkers either.  Briefly catching up about your long weekends over a cup of coffee in the lunchroom can help encourage teamwork when you’re asked to work together later.  When the time comes for you to leave your internship, you might also count on those coworkers to give you a good recommendation for future jobs.

Position yourself strategically

While we’re not saying you have to be everyone’s best friend, take some time to observe your office and your coworkers.  Find out who’s working on big projects and volunteer your help if you can, even if it’s just putting together booklets or setting up for a meeting.  Not only will coworkers appreciate your help, but they’ll also see you as someone who takes the initiative.  Just don’t forget to complete your own work and get your boss’ permission first before taking on any additional projects.

 Use your time well

Unless you are the social media coordinator at your summer job or internship, you should not be spending all of your time at work on sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc.  No matter what your company’s social media policy is, it’s still a good idea to stay focused on other work-related tasks and projects.  If you’re bored, ask your supervisor if there are any other additional assignments you can get started on, or if they don’t have anything for you, ask your coworkers.  In most situations, there will almost always be people in need of an extra pair of hands.

Communicate!

Communication is one of those essential skills in any line of work.  Whether you’re suggesting a new idea or providing feedback about your internship at the end of your summer, speak up!  Most companies will appreciate the feedback, especially if it helps make the program better for future interns and employees. 

What skills have you found help you make the most from your internship?

How Google can help you land a job

Written by Josh Hansen for Brazen Careerist on May 30, 2013

The Internet is one of mankind’s greatest achievements. But since it’s grown to an unmanageable size, using it to hunt for jobs is incredibly daunting for any job seeker. A quick Google search for “jobs in pr” will give you 700,000 results in well under a second! Where do you even start?

Fortunately, there are a few little tricks and tools out there that can help you find the results you’re actually looking for on Google:

Search Operators

A search operator is essentially a set word, phrase or symbol that helps users increase the effectiveness of their search. Below are useful operators for job hunters:

• Site: This operator specifies a keyword or phrase that must appear at least once on the page. You can also use it to search for particular words or phrases on a chosen website. For instance, “royal family site:www.bbc.co.uk.”
• Minus sign: Use a minus sign to remove particular phrases or websites from your search. If you keep getting generic job sites in your results, use the minus sign search operator as follows: “pr jobs –www.randomjobsite.com.” This will eliminate any results from, or containing, that particular URL.
• Inurl: This operator specifies that a particular keyword or phrase has to be found in the URL before it will appear in search results. So if you want to work for a digital company, you could try “digital agency inurl:careers.”
• Asterisk: The asterisk is known as the Google wildcard and comes in handy if you’re not entirely sure what type of job you want. For example, to look for a wide range of entry level jobs in many sectors, search for “entry level * jobs.” Google will fill in the gap for you.

Here’s a full list of search operators.

Google Local

If you’re trying to limit your search to a specific area, go to local.google.com and type the location where you want to search into the bar on the left.

Once you’ve done that, type in the kind of business you’re looking for (e.g. “restaurant” or “school”). Google will then populate the map with the names, addresses and websites of all local results. Pretty handy, eh?

Strategic Search

If you know what company you’d like to work for but aren’t sure whether they have jobs available, how do you give them your resume without sending it to a generic email address?

Just use a simple Google search with the company name and position of the person you’d ideally hand your resume to. For example, you could search for “coca cola uk recruitment manager.” More often than not, the first results will include either their company profile (saves you having to trawl through their website) or a LinkedIn profile. Both can be used to get in touch about possible vacancies.

This technique is simple (and pretty obvious), yet it is woefully underused by hopeful job hunters. It really helps to avoid the middleman.

Google Alerts

Another of Google’s handy tools for those who want to be one step ahead of their fellow applicants is Google Alerts.

Enter a specific term you’re interested in, such as “pr careers in london,” and set a couple of self-explanatory preferences. Whenever that phrase appears on the Internet and matches your set preferences, you’ll be sent an email—and there’s no limit to the number of alerts that can be set up. It’s that simple (and useful)!

What Google tricks do you use for your job search?

Josh Hansen writes for Workfish, a UK recruitment agency that helps people find their dream jobs in PR, communication, social media and events. Follow Workfish on Twitter to keep up with the latest jobs.

5 Inspiring graduation speeches and the wisdom they impart

By Amanda Barrell

In the spirit of spring and graduations, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite speeches and the wisdom they impart, from David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water”, Jeff Bezos’ “Gifts and Choices” speech to Princeton grads, to Julie Andrew’s speech at CU’s Spring 2013 Commencement.

David Foster Wallace: 2006 Kenyon College

Wallace was an award-winning writer and novelist.  Though he died in 2008, Wallace left behind some very impactful knowledge, including his 2005 speech to Kenyon College graduates.  Wallace encouraged the importance of awareness and choosing how to think unselfishly in our future mundane lives. 

Perhaps you saw the YouTube video floating around on Facebook in the past few weeks.  The video has since been taken down, but you can check out the text of his speech online. 

Jeff Bezos: 2010 Princeton University

When it comes to admirable figures in modern society and business, Amazon founder Bezos is definitely a forerunner.  Having started Amazon in 1995 as an online bookstore to satisfy the worldwide demand for literature, Amazon.com is now the world’s largest online retailer. 

In his 2010 speech to Princeton graduates, Bezos reinforced the idea that while “cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice” that all graduates should keep in mind in their future endeavors. 

Michael Uslan: 2006 Indiana University 

In his wildest, most secret childhood dream, Uslan desperately desired to write Batman comics.  After a series of very fortunate events and many years of perseverance, Uslan has not only written Batman comics, but has also had a hand in producing every contemporary Batman movie from Tim Burton’s “Batman” to Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises”. 

In his 2006 commencement speech to the graduates of his alma mater, Indiana University, Uslan encouraged students to take calculated risks, believe in themselves, persist through frustration and rejection and follow their passion.

Stephen Colbert: 2011 Northwestern University 

Stephen Colbert.  Need I say more?  2011 Northwestern graduates laughed and clapped their way through Colbert’s puns and backhanded praises to his alma mater.  But as the graduates were to learn, Colbert was, “not there to talk about me, I am here to inspire you by talking about me”. 

Colbert’s wisdom to the soon-to-be alumni?  Don’t get discouraged if you don’t achieve your dream.  Remember that you are not the most important person in your life, and whatever you do, you should serve what you love, whether it’s friends, money, community or yourself.

Julie Andrews: 2013 University of Colorado- Boulder 

Oscar and Golden Globe winning actress, author and bestowed honorary “Dame” by Queen Elizabeth II, Andrews has inspired many with her portrayals in film, from sweet, genuine Maria in the Sound of Music to stately Queen Clarisse in the Princess Diaries. 

Of course, like the roles she plays in movies, Andrews couldn’t help but inspire students and audience members in her feel-good commencement speech to 2013 graduates at our very own CU-Boulder.  Wisdom such as “engage in planned acts of kindness” and “when adversity hits, go out and learn something” are just a two of the memorable quotes from her speech.  

Avoiding interview blunders

Written by Shawna Simcik for COBizMag.com on May 22, 2013 

You've gotten this far, don't blow it! 

Interviewing is one of the most important steps in the recruiting process. It allows the employer to see you in action and ask additional questions about your qualifications, skills and ensure a good fit within their culture. As a jobseeker, you've made it past the first barrier – the dreaded phone screen – and are now waiting in the batter's box. Don't blow it when you get to the plate!

1. Be Prepared – Really? Do we have to say it again? Preparation is everything! Find out as much as possible before the interview not only about the company but the interviewer and/or hiring manager as well. Go above and beyond all other candidates who will just review the company website. Search the company Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn page.  Ask current employees about the dress code and intricacies of the culture that you wouldn't glean from a company website. Is it a public company? Then research their financials.  Come prepared with intelligent questions about your role and the organization. An applicant that I met with went so far as to visit all the branches of a credit union across the state of Colorado and asked the employees what they loved about the organization and what they would change. She was armed with incredible data, research and questions to bring to her interview.  
2. Find out More about the Hiring Manager/Interviewer – This directly aligns with being prepared but take the next step and find out a bit more about what type of person you are interviewing with – are they direct, detail oriented or someone who enjoys small talk? Adjust your interview style to meet these small personality characteristics. This allows you to build rapport quickly and demonstrate your fit.
3. Dress Appropriately – I mentioned earlier that you should research the type of dress code and, armed with that information, always dress one step up from the official or unofficial dress code of the organization for an interview. If employees wear jeans every day to work or practice business casual, show up to the interview in a business jacket or sport coat and slacks. Your physical presence is the first thing that an interviewer judges. Take the time to brush your hair and bring your very best.
4. W.A.I.T – Is an acronym that we most often use in our coaching approach. When you find yourself rambling on in an interview setting, stop and ask yourself, "Why Am I Talking?" In situations of stress and uncomfortable pauses we tend to fill the silence with ramblings and talk ourselves right out of a position. Answer the question and stop talking. If you begin to feel uncomfortable and tempted to fill the void, ask a clarifying question, "Did that answer your question?" or "Would you like me to tell you more about that problem/solution?"
5. Get Loose – We tend to get stiff or make awkward movements in an interview setting. We put our hands in odd positions; begin stuttering and some of us even start to rock in our chairs. It's okay to bring out a folder or writing pad with prepared questions and copies of your resume. Bring a pen to take down a few notes or answers to your questions. If you get the chance, video tape yourself in an interview setting before game day. You will notice your odd intricacies that only come out in stressful situations. Stay professional in your approach but remember that this is a two way dialogue. Don't be afraid to say, "That's a great question. Let me think about that." Then glance down at your resume or notes. Then continue, "Oh right, let me tell you about a time when I solved this challenge in my previous position . . ."
6. Millennial's:  Leave Mom at Home - According to The Center of Generational Studies, Millennial's are getting their parents involved in the interview process. Either accompanying the child to the interview or calling later to negotiate the job offer.  Leave mom or dad at home. Use your parents as a resource to help you prepare and research but when it comes to the interview stand on your own two feet. The more prepared you are – the more confident you will be and won't need your parent along for the ride. Mom/Dad – back off. Your involvement in an interview will only reflect poorly on your child's ability to hold a job, think critically and make their own decisions, all key characteristics of a good job applicant.

Story originally written by Shawna Simcik for COBizMag.com on May 22, 2013.  

      
Shawna Simcik, MA, CMP is genuinely passionate about utilizing innovative resources and market knowledge to drive organizational, career and individual excellence. As President of Business Leadership for a fast-growing, certified Woman Owned Business, Shawna specializes in Executive Recruiting, Leadership Development and Career Transition. Reach her at. shawna.simcik@innovativecareerconsulting.com or ssimcik@oipartners.net.  To learn more, follow her at @shawna_icc or contact her at 303-865-4400.www.innovativecareerconsulting.com

Does your voicemail scream unprofessional?

By: Amanda Barrell, Graphic Design and PR Assistant, CU Boulder Career Services

As a young job seeker, it can be intimidating and frustrating to apply for positions in today’s economy.  From customizing and sending out multiple resumes, attending job fairs, and prepping for interviews, all of those details can add up to be quite overwhelming.  Perhaps you’re frustrated by not getting any callbacks for an interview. 

While there are many details to focus on and stay up-to-date with when applying to jobs, one aspect that may help improve your chances of getting that interview with a company is your voicemail message. 

Imagine right now that a recruiter from your dream job has seen your resume and loves what they see.  They dial the number listed on your resume, it goes to voicemail, and the recruiter hears this:

“Hey y’all, you know what to do!”  BEEP!

Or…

“You’ve reached Bob, I’m not a slob, I want a job, don’t be a snob; leave a message!”  BEEP!

Or maybe you’ve just left your caller with an entertaining, albeit unnecessary, snippet of your favorite heavy metal/country/hip-hop/pop song before… BEEP!

Despite how amusing or clever you’re trying to be, if you’ve used anything like these messages above, chances are your future employer is not impressed. 

Your voicemail should serve two purposes.

1. To help the caller confirm that they’ve contacted the correct person/number. 
2. To leave a short message regarding their call. 

Instead, make sure you follow these guidelines when recording your voicemail message. 

• Keep it simple, short and precise. 
• Decide on three sentences you’ll say during the recording and practice these sentences beforehand. 
• Pay attention to how your voice sounds, your tone and how fast you’re speaking.  When you listen to it, can you understand what you’re saying?
• If you mess up, don’t worry.  Re-record it until it sounds right.

 Here’s just one variation of a more professional voicemail message:

“Hi, you’ve reached Jessie at 555-555-5555.  I’m sorry I missed your call, but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.  Thank you.”  BEEP!

Whether you’re a college sophomore looking for that first summer internship, a new graduate trying to break into the working industry or a young professional looking for a new career opportunity, it’s important that your future employers see you as mature and professional, even in your phone conversation and voicemail.