Kerisma

CNBC’s On The Money Show is Helping Job Seekers.
Tune In for Advice on How You Can Improve Your Chances for Finding the Right Fit In A Challenging Economy.

I Did and They Listened!

Tuesday’s CNBC’s On the Money Job Watch segment presented a great opportunity for my questions to be answered personally by television host Carmen Wong Ulrich, as well as guest Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster.com and Eons.com. Each took the time to address my questions about preparing for the interview in person and proving one’s worth in this competitive job market.

Since being laid off, I’ve been making a point to attend networking events, where in fact I met Jeff and heard him speak. I’ve been researching job boards online, conducting informational interviews, relying on some traditional tactics, while using new types of social media tools to get recognized for the right opportunity. I’ve also been promoting my consulting services on a per project basis.

Jeff highlighted the importance to keep active all the time. He encouraged me and others not to get frustrated, although easier said than done for some. Yet, I’ve noticed surrounding myself with positive influences from friends to family, as well as getting involved in varied activities and educational opportunities, can help one during a stressful situation to be at ease. It’s also important to go through this exercise to learn more about oneself and interests.

I’ve been making a point to schedule my day that includes taking the time for my job search, researching and preparing for different meetings, sending thank you letters, but also attending classes, working out at the gym, and kicking back to be social with friends. I’ve been exploring new opportunities outside my familiar circle, as well as companies on the horizon that are hiring someone with my expertise.

Taking the time to refine my resume, putting together personalized cover letters, as well as figuring out how best to pitch myself as a professional has indeed been a learning experience. It’s about selling yourself and showcasing to others what you are capable in hopes one will take the time, commitment and investment in your skills to get the job done.

I’ve found it can’t hurt to ask others for some constructive advice. Companies may not always give it to you, because it’s not always favorable. Yet,  those that do should be appreciated for offering their opinions. It’s about taking the advice for what it’s worth, but learning to make improvements every step of the way regardless of the outcome. At the same time, it’s about finding out in fact if the potential employer would be the right fit after all for you.

Check out the video presentation of my call into the show and interview with Carmen and Jeff.

Although, I’ve had experiences in the online space, I’m very much a person that enjoys meeting people face-to-face. Inquire today about my potential candidacy with your company and call me for an interview!

Information About Me

Keri Singer’s Resume

Bringin’ it Back to Beantown Where it All Began. The HOB first launched in Cambridge, but only a few were blue when it closed down. The restaurant and entertainment venue had much success expanding in such locations as Vegas and Chicagoentertaining crowds. I’m glad to see it come back home and nobody was singing the blues tonight in Boston. There were guests living it up, laughing and having a great time at the opening party listening to the rockin’ blues talent at the new location on Lansdowne Street. Young and old mingled in the crowd of eclectic artwork decorating the walls where the disco ball and lights of the Avalon nightclub used to shine. Dan Aykroyd, the original Blues Brother himself and his closest friends, including Carly Simon, gathered on stage to get the party started and give birth once again to the new venue next to the famous Fenway Park. Everyone was dancing and singing celebrating the occasion. It was a great escape from the stresses of society today, to see everyone smiling having a good time, and meeting new people. I had quite a few memories dancing at Avalon and wasn’t quite sure what to expect walking through the door. They preserved certain aspects of the nightclub with the new structure, but offered audiences three floors now to socialize. I’m told the VIP room called the Foundation is quite the place to see and you too can join with an exclusive membership.

The men on stage were taking off their shirts as they were gyrating their bellies to the music, as the girls got down swinging their hips. It was fun and quite funny. I enjoyed swinging it myself on the dance floor and few complimented my moves. Best of all, was seeing many familiar faces of my past at the party. Yes, time has moved on for all of us, people get married, move on, have kids, change jobs, start companies, nightclubs and restaurants open and close. Yet, there’s one great thing about this city I can appreciate, mixing the old with the new, but preserving those special moments as if they just happened yesterday. Yes, it’s nice to connect with people on Facebook from our past, but the experiences tonight with people in person around this town, no technology can replace the realism, the real connections and memories made face-to-face. I had a good time and happy to share that experience with you. 

It’s about opening my world to you to share my perspective. You will read the Boston Globe and/or Boston.com, and some people will be seeing tonight’s report on WBZ Channel-4, as well as many other media outlets reporting on the event. Yet, my perspective will be unique to all the others, and that’s what is great about the new technology in our hands today and the power it has on us.

So if you are sending your resumes on Monster, beefing up your LinkedIN profiles appealing to hiring mangers and HR executives, one comes to wonder, why are certain opportunities only granted to specific individuals? Is it really just luck, who you know, timing, or how you best market yourself? Is it about putting as many keywords in your resume to get the hiring manager’s attention? It’s a combination of a few things to see what works best for you based on your background and what you can offer.

Today there are lots of talented people laid-off, people looking for work in all areas and new graduates on the horizon adding to the competitive landscape. Honestly, it’s exhausting with all the resources out there. Yet, it’s important to be noticed where you can stand out best in your industry. Why is it now that we have to go to numerous channels to manage our identity online,  seek-out new positions, as we document our experiences, all in hopes to get noticed?  We are all learning with the advancements in technology, it’s about using the virtual world combined with the real world to bridge the gaps and build stronger relationships.

For those of you looking for jobs, including myself, I’ve come to notice  that many companies are still filling roles with the “cookie-cutter” mentality of finding someone with this or that, while many companies continue to overlook the valuable transferable skills. I believe there are some innate skills to identify with someone that proves they will go out there to make something happen, regardless of their background.Commitment, Passion, Enthusiasm, Creativity, Professionalism and of course a little Humor can go a long way in the right hands.

In certain cases, companies aren’t sure what exactly they need to be successful, or understand their true needs in this evolutionary time.

Why do companies take actions to attract audiences convincing them to provide random personal information to generate new leads for others, in return to spam people with useless information which later builds distrust in hopes one will stay connected to the community? For those examples, there is a lot to be learned. Some businesses are trying to catch up now playing a game of cat and mouse and for some it’s too late. The attitude has been if everyone else is doing it, we should be too. Yet, that is not always the best approach to follow, but rather test different segments of the market to see if in fact audiences are receptive. I still believe it’s important to utilize and be smart about using traditional marketing tactics, but at the same time be open to experimenting with the new concepts. You should too go out there and try something new as you prepare yourself for the next big thing around the corner.