Career Coaching Framework Back to Career Coaching Services At the end of March 2010 the unemployment rate in the U.S. was 9.7%. Since the start of the recession in July 2007 the U.S. economy lost 8 million jobs. Economists predict that it would take up to four years for the level of employment in the U.S. to get back to pre-recession levels. The situation in Canada is slightly better with an unemployment rate of 8.2% at the end of March 2010. What would it take for YOU to be one of the successful job hunters? I absolutely believe that the opportunities are out there. With a lot of determination, resourcefulness, hard work, and an effective approach, you can get there. After considerable research of the endless resources out there, I have developed the Career Transition FrameworkTM, which serves as the foundation for partnering with you on your job search. Please note that the framework is only a guideline. As your coach, I will work with you to decide on the job searching strategy that is most suitable to you.

Career Framework Description   1.     Come To Terms If you have lost your job recently you have most probably experienced feelings of disbelief, anger, shame, disappointment, loss of self-esteem, and possibly even depression. There may also be immediate financial issues facing you. The relationship with your family and friends may be impacted. There is a lot you have to deal with in this initial period. In our first few coaching sessions we will work through the issues, and find effective ways to deal with them, while laying the foundation for successfully conquering the challenges ahead. 2.    Explore The Market In this phase you may consider spending some time exploring the market and becoming familiar with what is awaiting you out there. The economy, the stimulus package, the state of your industry, occupations and locations in demand, new technologies, government and other resources available to you, and the like. 3.    Develop Strategy This is the most important step of all. Together we will work on defining your long term and short term vision, your core values, your strengths, weaknesses and self-limiting beliefs, and the things that make you unique. We will then develop an effective strategy for transitioning to your new career or job.  Here you will define the type of job you wish to have, the position, responsibilities, salary and employment conditions, the type of company and its culture, your future work-life balance, etc. You will also define your job search approach, the resources you will use, how you will network, and how you will prepare for your interview. 4.    Write Resume Writing an effective resume is based on a few key principles. First and foremost it is advisable to customize your resume to meet the specific requirements of the company and the job you are applying for. Most companies use Resume Search software that automatically searches for the skills and attributes sought by the company. If you wish, I will assist you in writing a well structured resume.  You may also wish to search your name on Google and make sure you are comfortable with all the information posted about you on the internet. 5.    Networking Recruiters agree that most jobs, perhaps 60% to 70%, are found through one's own network connections. Most career experts also advise on the importance of investing in our professional and personal networks. The internet provides ample opportunities to stay connected via LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, and others. Together we will define your professional brand, namely how you would like to be known in your professional community. I will then work with you to define and implement your networking strategy. 6.    Search Job Most experts prefer the targeted approach to job hunting, based on pursuing your network of contacts, and getting an audience with an individual who will open the doors for you. It is also a good idea to thoroughly research the company you are pursuing. Get to know everything you can about the company, its strategy, its market position, its key personnel, and even its competitors. 7.    Interview Ultimately, it will all ride on your ability to project a confident, competent, skilled, and experienced image at your interview. Your preparation is crucial, both in terms of the information you need to collect, and your ability to resonate positively with your interviewer. We will spend as many coaching sessions as you require to optimize your interviewing skills. 8.    Salary Negotiation Skillful negotiation of your salary and employment conditions is essential. Whatever you are not able to negotiate prior to joining, would be very difficult to remedy later. First, do not negotiate before you are certain that you are the chosen candidate. If asked, avoid the topic tactfully but firmly. Research the market salaries in your profession. Salary information on the internet is abundant. Prepare a detailed list of benefits that are important to you. And finally, determine the minimum salary at which point you would be prepared to walk away from the job opportunity.