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Creating a 30 60 90 Day Plan

A 30-60-90 day plan is a modest idea that has an influential impact in your interview with a hiring manager.  This information is an outline of what you intend to do in your first 3 months on the job.
VentureReady has used this outline of the first 90 days of service in a new position with clients in various industries (not just sales) and achieved phenomenal results.  Every client who have used this document has blown away the hiring manager and was hired for the position they were seeking.
A30-60-90-day plan will show the hiring manager that you have done your homework, analyzed the position, and thoughtfully considered how you can best serve the company in this particular position. Done right, the plan will be very impressive to a hiring manager. This kind of effort is the advantage you need to set you apart from other candidates and get you hired.
Every job has a period where you’re learning the company’s policies and procedures, getting up to speed on the projects and daily work you will be performing, and taking on assignments on your own to make noteworthy offerings to the organization.  A 30-60-90-day plan expounds on that, and shows what it will look like to have you in the position.
How you put together your plan will vary by whatever industry or career you are in, but all jobs will have a basic structure you’ll follow when you start. VentureReady can assist you with crafting this powerful tool for you arsenal that is sure to turn the interview in your favor.
A 30-60-90 day plan should include:
  • Introduction: An overview of what you would like to accomplish the first 90 days in the job.
  • First 30 days: During the first 30 days in the position, time is spent in training, meeting team members, learning the organization’s systems and its products and services, reviewing procedures and assigned accounts.
  • First 60 days: The next 30 days is spent studying best practices in the industry, setting goals for the next 30 days, meeting with the supervisor to gather feedback, building relationships with your colleagues, identifying potential mentors, reviewing the efficiency of company processes and procedures, visiting other departments and continuing to attend training.
  • First 90 days: The final 30 days will be spent obtaining feedback on new processes and procedures, implementing new strategies and procedures, and addressing the three strategic initiatives.
30-60-90 day plans take a while to put together so you don’t want to write it the day before the interview. Just like the rest of the documents you prepared for the interview process, you want the plan to be visually attractive to the eye and grammatically correct.
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Tell Me About Yourself, Interview Strategies

Re-posted article from Resume to Referral  Original post date -February 14, 2013
I’ve seen professionals who not only can appear confident, but who ARE confident, very successful sales professionals for example, fall flat on their faces in interviews. It’s a very different ball game.
Many of the most skilled and successful professionals are victims here. I only reference sales professionals because they are the people likely to understand the dynamics of an interview for it is like the sales call. Unfortunately, even they may sometimes forget the basics of “selling”. So skilled they are that they forget the basics, and it is there, where the control in an interview is both gained and lost. When lost so are the “wits” of the so-called “confident and accomplished professionals” and they assume a more reactionary stance. Here are some tips for gaining more control in an interview that may help: Addressing the infamous “Tell me about yourself”.
“Tell me about yourself” may be the single-most important pitch moment you have and a favorite question that has befuddled many an unsuspecting candidate. Responses can range from strong to weak to irrelevant to fatal. Having a good response is as important as having a good tennis serve. There are several different types of responses. Two that are especially effective are the Specific Approach and the Overview Approach.
• Specific Approach allows you to identify specific, relevant aspects of your background
• Overview Approach is more of a summary of your background. The Overview is also used to keep you out of trouble when you are not certain of what the interviewer wants to hear.
With either approach, your response should be followed by a question that is intended to evoke anarrower question from the interviewer. That is, it forces him or her to ask a more specific question in line with your opening statement. Since I prefer to combine the two approaches, I have a model I advise folks to use.
A SIMPLE 4-STEP APPROACH
 
1. Prepare Bullet Phrases
Do your research and prepare four or five bullet phrases relevant to a business challenge or a market threat or potential opportunity that the target firm or industry faces. Each bullet should be no longer than 3-seconds and associated with action-oriented successfully completed tasks (“I started-up this”…“I developed and successfully executed that”…“I spearheaded something and brought it to something other”). The bullets should also touch on your positive attributes and personal characteristics – all combined, a big order I know. Here are some examples of words and phrases that have impact and can trigger interest:
• Ability to identify alternatives
• Results-oriented
• Successful business startups
• Led both large and small companies
• Decisive; easily cuts through non-essential information
• Put through major changes
• Ability to identify alternatives
• Good long-range strategic planner
2. Story-Telling
Prepare a 30- to 50-second story for each bullet using a “story-telling” technique I refer to as S.O.A.R.
S The Situation or circumstance in which you were involved
O The Opportunity that existed for, first, your organization and then you
A The Actions you took in face of the opportunity
R The Results of your action
Example: (S) The ownership of a physical therapy and sports medicine company recruited me to (O) lead, grow and concurrently stabilize a $4.7 million health systems company staffed by 85 professionals. (A) I developed and executed all business plans and opened new markets in industrial and corporate health promotion, (R) positioning the company for its very profitable $6.6 million sale, $2.5 million more than the ownership had anticipated.
Strong, well-articulated success concepts and persuasive examples of your successes using the S.O.A.R. technique are essential for securing a quality position.
3. Bullet Phrase Roll-Call
In the Interview: When asked “Tell me about yourself” begin with “As you can see from my resume my experience covers…” and then recap your resume for him/her (eg. “…covers the full breadth of starting up a business from developing a business plan to obtaining seed capital to acquiring plant and equipment to hiring staff) and quickly roll through your four or five specific 3-second bullet phrases
4. The “SOAR” Story
After rapidly firing off your bullets you can wrap-up with “on which of these would you like me to elaborate?” or, if you learned something that is important to your target firm, you may suggest one upon which you can expand, such as “would you like me address some of the specifics of my business start-up experience?”. I personally prefer to lay out the bullet phrases and let him/her choose thus giving the illusion that they are selecting the topic. BTW, I have yet to receive feedback of an Interviewer suggesting you talk about something other than one or more of the bullets that have been outlined. Now, once you have your marching instructions, the bullet phrase(s) on which s/he wants you to elaborate, you can provide your well-prepared corresponding SOAR story. Be prepared to keep it under 1 minute.
The combination of your resume, bullets phrases from relevant research and the “story technique” is a great method to address the infamous “Tell me about yourself”.
Hope this answers some questions.
Rob Taub, MBA, Credentialed Career Master, and successful businessperson is a 25-year veteran in the career consulting field, Principal at Job Search Corner, creator of the blog, “Job Searching with Rob”http://bit.ly/18wCkO and is a CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert and LivePerson’s Online Expert for Career Coaching http://www.liveperson.com/rob-taub
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To get more tips on the subject matter, Join us on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for a workshop on Interview Readiness.  You will learn techniques to make sure the interviewer can see your true personality and how you would be a great fit for their organization. 
Click here to register!
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Why use a Career Portfolio during an Interview?

I am an advocate for the use of career portfolios during an interview.  Career portfolios are useful for interviewees at all levels of their career.  This document showcases education, skills/accomplishments, volunteer work, and professional memberships.  It also helps organize a candidate’s thoughts during the interview.  It provides a polished presentation to the hiring manager, and shows him/her that the candidate took time and effort preparing for the interview.  A standard career portfolio will be about 20 pages and have:
  • A table of contents
  • A copy of your resume (which you should bring to the interview as a standard practice)
  • A break down of experience pertaining to the position
  • Education degrees/certifications or transcripts (if any)
  • Accomplishments or awards (professional and/or academic)
  • Samples of your work (professional or academic)
  • A 30/60/90 day work plan.
A career portfolio sets an interviewee apart from the crowd as most candidates will not have a presentation such as this in the interview.  It is a package that you leave with the interviewer so they can see your presentation as they review their notes of the interview.  It is also a guide for the interviewee to refer back to during the interview in order to refresh his/her memory of details that my be forgotten, if left to memory.  The 30/60/90 day plan shows the interviewer that you are serious about becoming a part of the team and will give them a picture of how you will use your skills, education and experience to help the organization reach its goals.
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To get more tips on the subject matter, Join us on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for a workshop on Interview Readiness.  You will learn techniques to make sure the interviewer can see your true personality and how you would be a great fit for their organization. 
Click here to register!
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Ace the Interview Before It Begins

Sweaty palms, a nervous twitch, parched lips, or words that just won’t come — does that sound familiar? No, you are not waiting to perform before an audience of 20,000 adoring fans! You are driving into the parking lot anticipating your upcoming interview for a new job. What is the key to minimizing your fear and feeling in control of the interview? Preparation and practice, practice, practice are key protocols to successful interviewing. Even the most seasoned professional develops a solid interview strategy and prepares adequately to avoid an interrogation by an untrained interviewer. Don’t make the mistake of comparing the “gift of gab” with well-honed interview skills. Remember… there is no such thing as an innocent question. You are being judged from the moment you walk in the door or speak on the telephone until the instant you are offered the job.
Focus research on each targeted company
Once you land an interview, research the targeted organization thoroughly. Focus completely on the company’s needs, not your own. Study the corporate website and read the Annual Report, executive bios, company mission statement, and other important information. Use the local library to learn more, stop in personally and ask for company brochures and other available marketing materials, and contact inside sources to learn about critical issues, concerns, or projects your targeted department might be facing. It’s critical to know as much or more about the company than the person who interviews you. It is shocking to learn that many job seekers are not completely sure what the company does when they arrive for an interview! This simple, return on investment interview strategy sets you apart from the crowd from the beginning.
Know your résumé inside out
Develop a core message based on value and capability and adjust that message to fit each company’s need. Know your résumé inside out and prepare several stories or examples to support every point listed. With a strong arsenal of examples, you can adjust rapidly to almost any interview question and quantify, build, or compare your answers to highlight your best skills and accomplishments. In preparation, think of questions you will probably be asked and prepare solid answers based on thebenefits you will bring to the organization. Identify questions you do NOT want to be asked, and prepare a strategy to address each question with a positive, confident response. Finally, define a response to “Tell me about yourself” based on your skills and achievements that match the needs of the company. This is your 90-second commercial that sets the tone for the interview. Practice with a family member or friend until you sound natural, positive, and comfortable.
“Good hours, excellent pay, fun place to work, paid training, mean boss. Oh well, four out of five isn’t bad!”


Help Wanted Ad, PA newspaper, 1994

You are interviewing the company for a good “fit” as much as they are interviewing you. Research five to six intelligent questions to ask the interviewer — never about vacation, wages, or benefits. You will only use a few good questions, but prepare adequately in case some are covered during the interview.
For an in-person meeting, take a dry run simulating interview day traffic and plan on arriving approximately 10 minutes early. Have your interview clothes dry cleaned (sealed in a bag if you smoke) and your shoes polished. If you are unsure about appropriate attire for the interview, drive to the company parking lot and watch how employees are dressed as they arrive for work. Or make a simple phone call and ask the receptionist for advice.
In closing, remember, there is always a market for “A” players, but people often hire for passion (attitude) and train for skills. Show enthusiasm, give concrete examples of your achievements, and present a positive attitude. Ace YOUR next interview before it begins!
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To get more tips on the subject matter, Join us on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for a workshop on Interview Readiness.  You will learn techniques to make sure the interviewer can see your true personality and how you would be a great fit for their organization. 
Click here to register!
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Resume Types

Many people do not realize that there are different resume styles. There are three different resume styles Chronological, Functional and Combination. It is very important to identify which style will best showcase your skills. In this post we will review the benefits of using each style.
Chronological Resume – This is the typical style that most people use.  This might not be a good choice for some on who has gaps in employment history, have moved frequently to various companies, or someone who is moving to a new industry.
Choose this style if you have:
  • consistent work history that is related to your employment goal
  • recent employer was very prestigious and you want to showcase their name to impress
  • continuously increased your level of responsibility through the jobs you worked ie., you began as a accounting clerk, then became staff accountant, then accounting manager
Functional Resume – Also referred to as a skills profile, this style allows you to focus more on your skill sets. It allows you to choose which skill categories you want to emphasize and showcase. Choose this style if you want to:
  • Focus on a selected area of accomplishment/experience
  • Camouflage gaps in work history or helps downplay areas you do not want to emphasize
  • Highlight experience gained from one or two employers you have been loyal to for many years
  • If you are changing careers and want to present recent training/education more so than employment history
Combination Resume – This type of resume combines characteristics of both the chronological and functional resumes. It is easily adaptable and you can format your information according to your specific situation.
As a client with VentureReady LLC, we can review which resume style best fits your situation.
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If you want to learn more on resume writing. Join us on Monday, October 27, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. for a teleseminar on The Resume Checklist.  This checklist will ensure that you have everything you need for an “interview winning resume”.  This teleseminar is geared to individuals who have written their resume. Click here to register!
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7 Secrets to Making Recruiters Find You

The best recruiters out there pride themselves on being able to find you, not the other way around. So what if they haven’t called yet? Instead of calling them and coming across as desperate, do your best to get on their radar by following these 7 tips.

1. Get Active on LinkedIn

Here’s a surprise: recruiters use LinkedIn more than emails. In fact they probably click on the LinkedIn site about a hundred times per day minimum. So just by being on LinkedIn you’ll be able to be found by recruiters. Make sure you use the right keywords on your profile, get active in Groups and Events and you’ll be targeted very quickly.

2. Get Active on Twitter

Recruiters love Twitter as they can spray out their new roles to the market. Finding job opportunities onTwitter is very swift and takes very little effort. Follow the recruiters you know have the positions you want, by searching for your skill + recruiter + your location. Start adding value to them by doing some retweeting of their tweets, help them out with potential referrals etc. Before you know it, they will check out your online bio and see if you are keen on a new position as well. This requires you to have an employee friendly Twitter profile, clearly stating what you do and a link to your online bio somewhere.

3. Write and get read

Everyone likes to write but very few get round to it and publish anything. With the advances of technology, it’s never been easier to reach out so embrace this to the fullest. You can write an article in your favorite industry periodical, a letter to the editor of the local newspaper, a post on your company blog or your own blog. The key here is to write something that will get read by the right people (in this case recruiters). Ensure that you are credited with your name, title and company at the end of your piece to make it easy for the recruiter to look you up.

4. Speak and get heard

Next time you go to an industry event, try to secure a speaking slot either as giving a speech or just participating in an open forum, whatever it takes to get listed in the event’s directory. Recruiters are known to sneak in to these functions and to make contact with prolific people in the industry; public speaking is a brilliant way of being included on the hit list.

5. Get Referred

Being referred by an authority in your industry is a great endorsement for you. Even if you are not exactly what the recruiter is looking for, they will be interested in you have come recommended by somebody they respect. It’s easier than you think to get referred as recruiters pester their candidates asking for referrals all the time. If you make it known to the right people that you are looking around, they will be very happy to tell the recruiter as it gives them future kudos. To make yourself seem more sought after, pretend that the referral was made without your knowledge and you “weren’t actively looking for job, but will listen to what they have to offer”.

6. Online Resume

This is an optional one and not exactly a secret. Some would say don’t list yourself or upload your resume with online job sites like Monster, as you may come across as desperate. Other will say it’s the quickest way to get found. If you do it, be prepared to be bombarded with calls and emails from myriads of recruiters scouring online resources every day. To avoid irrelevant job offers, a good tip is to get the right keywords in your resume as it will be indexed and searched. And do activate the anonymous name and contact details setting allowing you to respond only to the relevant enquires.

7. Recruit Internally

Get yourself involved in the internal recruitment at your company. You will be working with HR and they will introduce you to the recruitment partners they use. This is very sensitive for the search partner but if you send out the right signals, sooner or later the recruiter will probe you on your career. Sometimes they can actually help you direct; sometimes it will have to be more indirect (involving a 3rd party) due to legal implications. The point is that once one recruiter knows and rates you, they will be able to help you in one way or another. Recruiting internally is also very useful to for understanding exactly how recruiters operate and how the HR hiring process works in general.
That’s it! You might also want to cast a glance at 5 Tricks Recruiters Use to Find You.
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Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating a Salary

“Copyright [2007] Careerbuilder, LLC – Reprinted with permission.”

As if the résumé writing and panel interviews weren’t grueling enough, now you’ve got to negotiate a salary before you can successfully end your job hunt. “If you want something, you had better negotiate for it.” That’s the bottom line according to authors Robin L. Pinkley and Gregory B. Northcraft in their book “Get Paid What You’re Worth.” They note, “Employers routinely will offer you less than they ultimately expect to compensate you with the expectation that you will negotiate.”

To help you nail the big bucks, heed these dos and don’ts.

Do arm yourself with as much information as possible by checking out industry Web sites for your occupational and geographic areas and others that specialize in salary information or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Don’t overlook information from consulting firms. Mike Nichols, vice president of compensation, benefits and HRIS for Cendant Corporation, places the most confidence in surveys conducted by major consulting firms. “I frequently seek out surveys from Mercer, Hewitt, Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt,” Nichols says. While most of the survey data from these firms is cost-prohibitive for an individual, there are a lot of good articles and information available from their web sites to help you understand how companies view and determine compensation levels.
Do withhold salary information for as long as possible. “Salary information is often used by employers as a screening tool. You want to keep all salary information away from a potential employer for as long as possible so that you’re not “screened out” before you even get your foot in the door,” suggests Denise Cooper, vice president of human resources for Peoples Energy in Chicago.

Don’t feel pressured to divulge a specific figure on an employment application. Instead, write “open,” “negotiable” or “competitive” on every application form you complete.

Do delay the salary negotiation process for as long as possible. Each minute spent with your prospective employer is another minute you can use to explore the job and the types of responsibilities it entails. This will allow you more time to focus on your strengths and accomplishments as they relate to the job and demonstrate your value.

Don’t be shy about outlining the skills and experience you will bring to your employer and how they will help the organization meet its goals or solve a problem. If there’s ever a time to toot your own horn, the time is now. Know what the value of your skills, experience and achievements are worth in the current marketplace.

Do let the prospective employer make the first move into the salary negotiation phase. Knowing what the salary range is for the job will give you an idea of the interviewer’s negotiating parameters and will help you gauge how much selling you may have to do.

Don’t give the employer an actual figure if you are asked directly about the salary you want. Instead, turn the question around and ask what salary range would be offered in the company for this type of job for someone with similar years of experience, level of expertise and knowledge of the business.

Do be honest about your current salary. Falsely inflating your pay or padding numbers is dishonest and can come back to haunt you when your new employer verifies your past employment . . . and salary.
Don’t act too eager to accept, even if the offer was more than you expected. Most employers have some room to negotiate and you should strongly consider making a counter offer. Pinkly and Northcraft found of the companies they interviewed, “Eighty percent told us that the job applicant who negotiates in a professional manner would make the best impression. Only 20 percent said they would be most impressed by the applicant who accepted the offer as made.”

Do be professional in your negotiations. Keep the salary discussion positive and upbeat by focusing on why you should be paid what you desire and the value the employer will receive in return.

Don’t let your current salary limit your viewpoint of what you’re earning potential might be. If your research shows that the industry is paying more than your were being paid, hold out for this higher amount and remind the interviewer of your qualifications and experience.

Do be realistic in your expectations. Some candidates have inflated opinions of what they should be earning. Consider the industry, the economy, your experience and the competition from other potential candidates.

Don’t let the employer rush you into accepting a salary that you know you’ll be unhappy with soon after you take the job. Let them know that the salary offer is less than what you desire by saying something like, “Taking my experience into consideration and knowing that I have the ability to jump right in and make a difference, I really feel strongly that a salary of $55,000 would be appropriate.”

Do aim high. Keep in mind that you can always lower your desired salary expectations, but it’s impossible to inflate it once you indicate what would be acceptable to you.

Last Updated: 24/09/2007 – 3:50 PM

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Free Resume Writing Workshop

Are you looking to change fields or just give your résumé some more meat?  If you are worried about writing a résumé, or struggling with the task, you’re not alone! Research suggests that your résumé has less than 20 seconds to make the right impression, so it must be eye-catching and easy to read.
Join us Monday, September 22, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at The Free Library of Philadelphia, Cobbs Creek Branch where Katrina Brittingham, MBA, MSA, Owner & Readiness Consultant of VentureReady, LLC, will help you turn your résumé into a powerful tool that will get you interviews.
This workshop will:
  1. Lead you through a self-assessment series so you will have extensive knowledge about marketing your most important brand… YOU!
  2. Teach you about various résumé formats and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
  3. Assist you with writing a “Summary of Qualifications” that shows potential employers that you have direction.
  4. Teach you what to present on your résumé, and what to keep to yourself.
  5. Teach you how to overcome gaps in work history and age discrimination.
  6. Show you how to use online resumes and Internet Resume Secrets.
Leave this workshop with tips and techniques that will make employers seek you out.  This workshop does not promise job placement. It does promise to make your résumé more attractive to employers, which may help you get in the door for an interview.
 
Please bring a copy of your résumé for evaluation or to use as a starting point.
To Register Online
Go to: ventureready-ResumeWorkshop.eventbrite.com
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45% of Employers Screen Job Candidates Online

Social media has and continues to change the way we communicate. I stress to my clients that their profiles are an important tool for landing a job. The stats below confirm the trend of hiring managers basing their decision to hire or not hire you based on what is on your profile.
Polls, published on FastCompany will enlighten Job Seekers on the importance of using social media efficiently.
CareerBuilder.com conducted the following surveys:
  • 45% of employers check social networks before hiring
  • 11% plan to use social networking sites for screening in the near future
  • 35% of companies had rejected a candidate based on information from a social-network profile
  • 14% rejected a candidate for using an emoticon (smiley face, sad face etc)
Companies selected candidates based on their social media profiles for the following reasons:
  • 50% chose a candidate because the profile communicated a “good fit” and personality
  • 39% based on professional qualifications
  • 39% based on the creativity of the candidate
Make your social media profile creative, but keep it professional.
Click this link to read the entire article: http://sn.im/qm85x
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What Oprah Taught The World About Hiring

If you want to learn the secret to hiring, there is no better lesson than Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey is a bold, African American woman who wanted to talk about gays and feelings before it was kosher to talk about gays and feelings. Her background includes a nightmare childhood where she was sexually abused by several family members, crack cocaine and giving birth to a son at age 14.
And yet, in 1986, King World Productions took a huge chance with her, and so did all the syndicates who had the cojones to run her program, The Oprah Winfrey Show. When the program finished its run in 2011, it did more than just make billions of dollars.
It changed the world.
View the full article at: http://news.voiceglance.com/?p=605
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