 You've seen them: the Domino's commercials talking up their new pizza recipe. Have you tried it? Well, lots of folks have, and it's changed everything for Domino's, according to an article in USA Today– New Pizza Recipe Did Wonders For Domino's Sales. Domino's was not doing well. They had a poor reputation and were at the bottom of an already shrinking pizza market in the middle of a recession–not a recipe for success. So what did they do? They bet everything on a brand-new recipe and a brand-new campaign, and not only is it going to keep them in business, it's looking to me like it's going to make them flourish. It was a brave move, and it worked. So what does this mean for you in your job search? If your old pizza isn't selling (you're not getting job interviews or offers), then it's not the kind of pizza they're looking for. You've got to be brave…throw that stuff out and come up with something they're going to want. If what you're doing now isn't working, you've got no risk at all in changing it up: get a brand-new resume, try a new style, try a new strategy, ask someone's opinion and take their advice. If you're having interview problems, think about practising it well or an overall fresh perspective on your style; take advise of well wishers, coach or whatever works for you. Create a 30/60/90-day plan, and bring it to the interview. Put together a brag book, and practice presenting it. Network, network, network....its the sure key to job leads. Do something different if what you're doing now isn't working. Not only are you likely to get better results, you're going to have renewed energy for your own campaign. If Domino's can do it, you can do it too ! http://pharmaceuticalcareerdevelopment.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-can-dominos-new-pizza-recipe-help.html Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author?
 Questions that make sense to ask… however, are very difficult to answer! MANY times, the best job leads come from the most unlikely sources! The best job lead may come out of the blue!
Over the last four years, I regularly hear people tell me something like: “I’ve been searching online postings and going to networking groups for months, but ended up finding the right job through……a referral from an 85 year old woman at my church one Sunday morning.…the stay-at-home mom next door that knew someone.…an old co-worker I hadn’t talked to in 15 years but ran into at the supermarket.…a previous boss that called me out of the blue.…a recruiter that found my information on LinkedIn.…a company I blindly called into, not knowing if they had an open position or not.…a conversation I had with someone I met at a coffee shop.…an email I got back from someone I had sent a monthly update to about my job search.…an introduction I sent someone based on an article I read about their company.…a referral of a referral of a referral!…and on, and on, and on"
There is no single best source of leads. The obvious ones (job boards, online and newspaper ads), are generally the least fruitful because nearly every other job seeker out there is checking out and pursuing those same ones.The reality and the challenge for the job seeker, is that you need to consistently pursue dozens of avenues, all the time!Don’t neglect any contact, lead, or idea you hear of. Use your time wisely, however, the best opportunity often comes from the least likely sources. Often the name you’re given that sounds like a dead-end lead (the 85 year old grandmother), may be the one that has the best contact, specific job lead, or idea for you.Will that always be the case? Of course not! However, don’t miss out on an opportunity by not chasing down every lead and contact you hear of. That means putting in enough time each day and managing your time effectively is key to being able to make each of those connections.If your days are primarily characterized by searching and responding to ads online, you are spending most of your time on the same resources as the vast majority of other job seekers out there. To effectively find and connect to someone that is not getting overwhelmed by candidates, you must go where others don’t.Make personal connections to people whether they have a job opening or not. Getting to opportunities before anything is posted is critical in beating the crowds.Don’t neglect the obvious avenues. You still need to check and follow up on job postings. You still need to attend networking groups. You still need to search out contacts through LinkedIn and connect to potential hiring managers and recruiters. However, don’t dismiss the stay-at-home mom next door when she says… “You ought to talk to my cousin Frank who works at XYZ Company. He’s not in your field, but his company seems to be doing well!” You have no idea… cousin Frank may know of a particular job, have a better networking contact for you, or know of resources that may be worthwhile for you.Effective networking is building relationships, one at a time, building a chain of referrals from one person, to the next, to the next, and to the next until you end up talking to the one that has the right lead for you!Does pursuing all contacts and leads make your job harder than just searching for jobs online? Absolutely! Is it likely to help you find a job faster? YES!You never know where your best job leads will come from. Check everything out and you may be surprised! Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author?
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Leader Pharmaceutical R&D and Expert in hiTech formulation development for over 35 different therapeutic class of drugs moeities, brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data. “It’s been a week since my interview and I haven’t heard anything...”“I had a great informational interview but that was the last I heard…”“I had a phone conversation with a good contact in the company…”“I have almost 100 people I’ve networked with in my job search so far…”“I met someone, at (an event) that said they knew someone, but haven’t heard back…”“…should I follow up?”these are the most common questions I’m asked regularly. And my response is always the same: YES!!! “But I don’t want to annoy them, or come across as a stalker.” …is a common reply. In my experience, I’ve found that candidates think they are being annoying long before the recipient of their follow ups ever do. Professional, timely, pleasant follow up is key to setting yourself apart from other candidates they are pursuing.Why should you follow up, and how do you do it effectively? Here are some ideas…Most people don’t follow up, it’s a chance to set yourself apart. Even after a formal job interview, generally less than 25% of people send a Thank You note of any kind. Other meetings, phone calls, email contacts generally get little to no follow up from most people. Doing something different from the norm, in a professional and upbeat way, will virtually always create a positive impression. You have far more to lose by not doing it, than the infinitesimal risk of losing an opportunity by doing it. Especially if someone else does follow up, and you don’t, you will lose by comparison. It’s another chance to cement a relationship. Whether it’s a casual networking contact, or a formal interview, the chances of gaining more consideration from them is very much dependent on building a relationship. If you only make an initial contact and they never hear from you again, it creates no reason on their part to invest any more thinking in helping or working with you. Building a relationship requires contact and effort in following up. It’s another chance to mention something you may have forgotten before. Although you don’t want to launch into an in-depth explanation of something else in your background in a follow up… a succinctly worded phrase or sentence adding value to your earlier discussion can help in improving their impression of you. It’s another chance to provide additional or new relevant information.Keep it brief! Too often, if someone does follow up, they either ramble on too long on the phone, or write too long in an email or letter. After the first minute of engaging in some way, patience begins to run out and there is either no chance of making a positive impact after that, or you are actually increasing the risk of annoying them. Even an extremely short “Just wanted to thank you again for your time” will have a more positive impact than 5 or 10 minutes of going further into in-depth information. That’s true in a phone call or written communication. It’s best to carefully plan exactly what you want to convey and say it as briefly as possible to make the best impression.Be professional! Regardless of how friendly your meeting or prior discussion may have gone, never assume too casual a relationship. Even though a hiring manager wants to like you to hire you, or a professional networking contact enjoys talking to you, in order to take additional steps with you they need to feel confident that you will always be professional with others they introduce you to as well. The referral process, and the hiring process is still essentially a business transaction. Don’t take it too lightly. Switch it up! Effective, and consistent follow up doesn’t mean a steady stream of phone calls every other day. That does become annoying. However, you can have some form of contact with them regularly to keep you fresh in their mind and build a further relationship with them in the process. Within a day of any of the scenarios listed at the top of this piece… Thank them. You might send them a Thank You card in the mail, or email a brief note, leave them a voicemail, or call and thank them for their time. Then, in a week or two, connect again, but in another form, and in two to 4 weeks again in yet another form. Keep the process going, but you end up actually talking to them directly only every couple of months. If they are hearing from you regularly, but in various and unobtrusive forms, you are building a relationship, not haranguing them. Building that professional relationship has everything to do with their perception of your persistence, your follow through, your professionalism, and their interest in you.Should you follow up??? Yes! Definitely! Absolutely!…but do it right! Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author?
 Dr.Shruti Bhat, Leader Pharmaceutical R&D and Expert in hiTech formulation development for over 35 different therapeutic class of drugs moeities, brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.This article captures situations that can derail a job interview, along with advice on how job seekers can get back on track. So you arrive at a big job interview confident and prepared. It starts off strong. Conversation flows smoothly. You're saying all the right things...Suddenly, the hiring manager asks you a question you didn't anticipate. The "deer in the headlights" look washes over your face. You flounder for an answer that fails to impress the hiring manager. Your confidence takes a hit, and the interview, along with any chance of getting the job, quickly head south. Whether it's a surprise question, a wardrobe malfunction or the hour-long interview that unexpectedly turns into a day-long affair, job interviews are filled with on-the-spot situations that must be handled deftly by the candidate. If not, these situations will sink even the most prepared professional. To help you anticipate these unexpected twists and turns, career experts and corporate recruiters shared eight situations that can come up during a job interview. They offer advice on how to navigate them gracefully so that you can get the interview back on track. 1. You're caught off-guard by an inappropriate or illegal question. By law, employers aren't allowed to ask job seekers certain questions, such as "Are you married?" or "Do you have kids?" But some hiring managers do so anyway, and these questions can throw a candidate for a loop. Interview Magic, a best selling book on interview successes, recommends a three-step process for answering touchy questions:
- Avoid a direct response to an illegal question if it has the slightest chance of hurting your candidacy.
- Address the hiring manager's underlying concern that's driving the question.
- Accentuate a positive character trait or skill that will resound with the hiring manager.
When asked if you're married, for instance, a job seeker may reply like this: "I'm in a solid relationship. I'm blessed to have someone who supports me wholly in my career. You may wonder about my personal life and how it might affect my ability to travel and my work hours. My last position required me to work 60 hours a week and to travel once a month. I love that quiet time in the hotel at night when I can really focus on my work." 2. You need to address the dreaded "sticky wicket." Many job candidates have a "sticky wicket" in their employment histories, such as a layoff, job-hopping or even termination with cause. Candidates who have these issues are in a particularly sticky situation. How they handle discussing their employment history can mean the difference between staying in the game and sudden-death elimination. Bluffing your way through questions about, say, the length of your unemployment or the circumstances surrounding your departure from your last position, is out of the question. Job seekers need to be proactive and forthright in addressing thorny employment issues. Write out answers to those questions that you hope nobody will ask you so that you're not caught off guard and you have a positive answer to them. For example, a job seeker, who was fired or laid off, say something like, "I just want to volunteer that in my last position, I was asked to leave. It was based on some circumstances that I have learned a great deal from. I can tell you what I've learned from the situation, how I've applied it, how it's made me a better person and a better candidate for your organization." Also, what helps is explaining what you learned from the situation and any new skills you picked up that would make you successful in the position for which you're interviewing. "You have to bring your previous experience back to why you're the best fit for the job”.3. You give a ho-hum answer. No matter how much you prepare for an interview, a hiring manager is bound to ask a perfectly legal question that you never anticipated. If your mind goes blank and you muster a mediocre answer, all is not lost. You can always re-address the question later. For example, a hiring manager might ask a particularly difficult, unexpected question. Your answer might have been less than satisfying. But 10 minutes later, you may recall a project you had worked on that would have made for a better answer, and you could ask the hiring manager if you could go back to his previous question. In case yes, you would be able to deliver a much more pointed answer. "Answers to unexpected questions will come to you. Sometimes you just have to relax." 4. You ramble. When job candidates don't know how to answer a question, they'll often ramble until they zero in on the answer. The risk with this strategy is that a tangent may never lead to the bull's eye. If you find yourself prattling, stop. "There's nothing wrong with saying, 'I think I got off your train of thought. Can you restate the question?” Pausing to consider a question more thoughtfully shows the hiring manager that you're in control of the interview. You're also self-aware enough to know when you're not communicating effectively and must find a new way to connect with the hiring manager."I appreciate when candidates realize they're on shaky footing and try to get back on more stable ground”. How do you know if you're rambling? This is how- your answer to most job interview questions shouldn't take more than two minutes to articulate. A notable exception: Behavioural interview questions may require more time to answer. The recommendation is SMART (situation, metrics, action, result, tie-in) strategy for answering interview questions, which is similar to the CAR, or challenge-action-result format. The idea is for the job seeker to talk about a situation she addressed, cite some metrics that shed light on the situation, describe the action she took as well as the result, and, lastly show how it all ties into the value she'd bring to the prospective employer. 5. You lack an important skill. An average of eight job seekers compete for every open position, and Employers can afford to be picky. Chances are you don't possess all the criteria the hiring manager seeks in a candidate. This means you'll have to address your "deficiencies" during the job interview. The most effective way to address a skill gap, is to focus on what the hiring manager wants from a candidate who possesses that particular skill, rather than focusing on your lack of that skill. For example, if the hiring manager wants a candidate with a particular degree or experience with a particular technology that the candidate doesn't possess, the candidate ask the following question: "I'm hearing you need to have someone with X degree or experience using this particular product. Tell me what you need accomplished as a result of that degree or experience." By learning what the hiring manager specifically hopes to accomplish, the candidate now has something they can aim at. "They can say, 'Here's how I did something similar in previous positions. I did it with a technology that I had no prior knowledge of. Here's how I went about the process.' Anytime you can aim at specific results, you have a much better chance of influencing the hiring manager." 6. You lose steam. Job interviews can be physically and emotionally taxing. They can last all day and involve intense conversations with multiple decision-makers inside an organization, sometimes in different buildings. Add intellectually taxing questions, coupled with the pressure a job seeker puts on himself to land the job, and it's no surprise a candidate's energy wanes quickly. "A lot of things can drain your energy during a job interview, but you must keep it up," And "You have to keep your focus at 110 percent in every meeting." Losing steam during a job interview can indicate to a prospective employer that you may not be up to the job. To maintain your energy during a stressful day of job interviews, get a good night's sleep before the big day and to keep some energy-boosting snacks and drinks, such as water and trail mix, on hand. If you run out of energy, there's a good chance you'll also let your guard down. "One of the traps with a day-long interview is that the employer is expecting you to start letting your guard down later in the day. That's when you need to be more conscientious about leaning forward in your chair, leaning into the conversation, not sitting back and relaxing, asking good questions and being curious." On a related note, don't fall into the trap of confiding in whomever is walking you from room to room. “When they ask, 'How's it going,' the temptation is to confide in them”. Just remember that this person will likely be giving his or her impressions of you to the hiring manager at the end of the day. 7. You experience a wardrobe malfunction. A run in your stockings. Trouser socks that sag around your ankles. Food in your teeth. A fly that won't stay up. A button that pops off a shirt or waistband. Oddly, the danger with these wardrobe problems is that they can be even more distracting to you than they are to your prospective employer. If you're worried about how you look, you won't be able to focus 110 percent on the questions and answers between the hiring manager and you. Always pack an extra pair of pantyhose, socks, a small sewing kit with safety pins, and some dental floss in your briefcase to take care of quick repairs in the restroom. 8. Your cell phone rings. You're nervous. You have a million things on your mind. In the process of reviewing facts and figures about your employer and answers to potential interview questions, you forget to shut off your cell phone. True to Murphy's Law, the darn thing starts ringing during the interview—and hiring managers hate this. The best way to rebound from this potentially irreparable gaffe, says is to apologize for the disruption and to quickly shut off the phone. Make sure you do this without glancing at the phone number. Do share with us “What situations have you encountered during a job interview that nearly killed your chances with the hiring manager? How did you rebound from them? Look forward to hearing from you ! http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/05/personal-development-for-pharmaceutical.htmlDisclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10Do you have questions for the author?
Dr.Shruti Bhat, an Expert in Pharmaceutical industry, brings to you some highlights from current pharma business news- Current estimates say that Twitter, the micro-blogging marvel, has a total user count of around 8 million. Every day, up to 10,000 new people join. It’s no wonder that the New York Times calls Twitter “one of the fastest growing phenomena on the Internet.” The most recent figures from March of 2009 indicate Twitter has again nearly doubled, with 8 million unique visitors. Twitter users are primarily adults, and are highly mobile, updating through their laptops, Blackberries, iPhones and other devices. Together, users have created over billions of Tweets to date. Twitter combines components of blogging, Facebook, and other social media and condenses it down to a small but potent task. Members post updates (called Tweets) of up to 140 characters as often as they wish. Ostensibly, the updates are to answer one question: “What are you doing?” Like Facebook and other networks, people can follow each other and their Tweets. Like many social media options, participants can reply to tweets, and begin a whole new conversation. The result is a constant stream of communication. What’s all the buzz about? “Is Twitter here to stay? Does it really provide business opportunity?” But those who support the tool and use it extensively proclaim its great power in communication. When it comes to the world of buying and selling, some major players stand by Twitter, and advocate interesting uses: • Dell has created a number of Twitter profiles, each focused on providing followers new deals. DellOutlet, for example, posts recent refurbished Dell computer offers.• Starbucks posts new offers and also participates in threaded discussions with their Twitter followers.• JetBlue answers questions and provides customer service through their Twitter account.• Southwest Airlines transfers the irreverent tone of their blog to Twitter, running non-official, entertaining discussions with their customers.• Whole Foods Market asks what their clients like to read and watch, recommends food media and podcasts, and invites them to store events.• HRBlock runs ask-and-answer sessions with their customers.• Forrester Research posts updates of their site’s new reports and recent discussions.• Kodak Chief Blogger posts the company blog updates, and invites discussions with customers and followers.• Zappos uses Twitter to connect on a personal level with their employees and customers. They highlight new deals, interesting facts, and share funny stories: Activity is not a sales driver, but a brand builder, driving repeat customers and word of mouth.Twitter in healthcare and pharma: What about physicians? Physicians are an active user group of Twitter, and they’re working to push the boundaries of what to Tweet. Earlier this year, an oncological surgery at Henry Ford Hospital was broadcast to the Twitterverse, giving short, real-time updates on the procedure as a learning exercise in removing a kidney tumour without taking out the entire kidney. Doctors, medical students, and the simply curious around the world tuned in. This type of sharing will undoubtedly increase over time, especially as the medical student population grows increasingly fond of social networking and Twitter. The patients are also using it. Twitter users are finding conversations about drug side effects, clinical trials, approvals, and recommendations infinitely easier and more useful through Twitter than many static sites. Countless twitter conversations on these topics have been documented and recorded. So, the physicians and the patients are using it. What about pharma? Pharma companies have been hesitant, worried about the unknown. This is probably largely driven by lack of knowledge about it as well as legal and regulatory fears. Nonetheless, some intrepid pharma companies have ventured into the unknown waters. At the beginning of this year, several key pharma companies dove in to Twitter, setting up corporate accounts with a variety of content:• Boehringer Ingelheim (@Boehringer) uses a point person, John Pugh, Boehringer’s director for global corporate communications/external communications, to personalise and participate. He posts press releases, links to Internet-based information about disease areas, and posts articles he thinks followers might find interesting.• Johnson and Johnson (@JNJComm) have set up an account focused on personalising the company and building reputation. A real company member tweets and interacts with the public on a variety of topics.• AstraZeneca (@AstraZenecaUS) is focusing on injecting information into the conversation, sending tweets on access programs, healthcare reform and strategy.• Novartis (@Novartis) tweets from their corporate communications centre in Switzerland, and focuses on sending out their existing press releases.These beginning moves are slow starts, but are providing an example for other pharma companies to watch and learn. Opportunities : Ultimately, evangelists and pundits alike agree that companies, especially pharma, can use Twitter as a way to research, interact, assist customers proactively, build relationships, brand, understand more about the market, and learn from others in the field. It’s a way to open up dialogue, knock down the growing perception that pharma companies don’t care what their customers and peers think, and start to build trust. With these potential uses in mind, and taking a composite picture of what pharma, businesses, professionals, and everyday people have done with Twitter, companies can easily come up with a list of activities to try. Before diving in, just as with any other new tactic, companies first need to think about strategy. Why do you want to use Twitter? What specifically are you looking to accomplish? Thinking about all the potential benefits and uses of Twitter, especially those listed above, what do you want to focus on? By far the most successful Twitter ventures are those that keep the role and needs of the customer in mind. People on Twitter, just like other social networks, don’t want to be sold or marketed to. Your goals should revolve around building relationships and providing value for customers. Another consideration is determining your corporate persona. Companies can opt to stick with the brand name, taking on a company personality that stays constant. Companies can also take it a step further, using and identifying specific employees. These individuals evangelise the brand, but also engage in personal interests and communication. No matter how you decide to create a presence on Twitter, the necessary next step, and on ongoing step, is to listen. Follow the ebb and flow of conversation, and you can get a great feel for what content users like, what is important to users, and how you can fit in. Conduct searches on key topics, like your brand or your condition area, and you can get a highly concentrated and natural discussion from those on the ground. With this planning as a foundation, how can you and your company use Twitter to build brands and boost sales?• Test new ideas: Want immediate feedback from the real world? Businesses are using Twitter as a place for thought balloons all the time, and receiving information that can help mould new products and services.• Publish news and info: One of the best parts of Twitter is its instantaneous reach. Take advantage of an interconnected network to blast your up-to-the-minute news on approvals, or send out missives on legislative acts under review.• Distribute promotions: Some of the biggest business presences on Twitter are revered for their sharing of coupons, deals, and other goodies with customers.• Create brand personality: Extend your social media and blogging strategy with Twitter, and you can more fully create the brand personality you’re striving to impart.• Engage in customer service: Offer your presence as a way for participants to get questions answered, get thoughts on specific products, and troubleshoot.• Keep them guessing: Include a wide variety of information in your Twitter stream, mixing information posts, links to other people’s posts, replies to questions, alerts, and more.Remember that Twitter should be another way to add value for your followers and customers. Tweet when you find opportunities to do just that, rather than simply promoting your company and brands, and you can find great marketing benefit. What to Tweet: To effectively create brand personality, engage followers and prospects, and build something unique, your presence should be constant and ever changing. Wondering what specifically to tweet about?• Instead of answering the question, “What are you doing?”, answer the question, “What has your attention?”• Ask questions. Twitter is great for getting opinions.• Tweet about other people’s ideas, products and services. Great for developing networks and conversations.• Give advice when you do mention your products.• Share the human side of your company with pictures and personal posts.• Mention events, both your own and others your audience might find interesting.• Start contests: “The first three people who answer this trivia question get….”• Reply to others (using @ and their twittername). The more personal the reply, the higher the impact.• Point to your new blog posts, and promote other people’s blog posts that are of interest. To really create value with your tweets, and to ensure content that’s continually engaging and attractive, keep consistency. Produce at least 10 tweets a week to maintain an active, current presence that people will trust. Also keep conversations to a group level. For private conversations stick to Direct Messages. This keeps clutter out of the main communication, but also prevents too much information being revealed. Always remember that Tweets are “on the record.” Everything you tweet is searchable on the Internet, aiding keyword searches, but also creating a public record of any missteps. Follow those that follow you. Being connected in this way allows you to send direct messages when needed. This practice can also help prevent discomfort in the Twittersphere; if you proactively follow others without their initial interest, you run the risk of appearing like a spammer. Above all, prevent Twitter addiction. Twitter can easily turn into a time sink. Beginners especially can feel the need to read every single tweet, eating up hours of time that should be devoted elsewhere. To prevent addiction, many experienced participants invest preplanned blocks of time to catch up and converse. Filtering your Twitter traffic can also help; TweetDeck allows you set up groups and filter conversations for specific topics and specific people. Twitter can be highly entertaining and highly effective way to build a brand, if you keep perspective. Twitter can resemble a cocktail party conversation in many ways, and stay limited to small talk and meaningless chit chat. But if you take it to the next level, with appropriate content and follow up, you can make it meaningful. I agree that Twitter is a valuable marketing tool that can be utilised by pharma. I'd be interested to hear from others who may have already had experience of using this to support their pharma marketing strategies.http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/04/twitter-in-healthcare-and-pharma.html Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
Dr.Shruti Bhat, Leader in Generics pharmaceutical industry, globally, brings to you some highlights from current trends followed by pharma companies, news, views and data. What is the single most cause of worry for people across entire North America? The answer is Job loss !
In this era, when the economy is poorly trying to get back on its feet, EI has dried up, debts are rising and hiring freeze prevailing in over 52 % of organizations across all industry sections, finding employment is a tough challenge. Situation is worse as over 150,000 people lost their jobs only within the pharma industry since Jan 2009, the figures are run into multi-millions for all industries combined. And it doesn't end here. Despite, reports being published about situation getting better, we still find that layoffs and no-cause terminations haven't altogether stopped. Numerous articles often repetitive are posted advising job search strategies, yet my discussions with many job seekers lead me to believe that those postings are merely informative but not effective tools to land oneself a job. Moreover, boot camps and seminars conducted on effective networking charge registration fees ranging between $ 50 to $500. With already tough purse strings causing worry to the un-employed, are these bootcamps that rant only theory, without producing positive job land statistics the best option? In my opinion, certainly not.
The universal rule of mother nature is “Best things always come free. Be it our parents and their love for us, true friendship, air , sun light etc. ” So, going by the nature's norm, there has to be a free solution to job search issue and social media is one such essential tool for finding employment. Based on two surveys recently conducted in Canada, only 19% of job seekers are using social networking sites to search for employment. On the contrary, 44% of employers surveyed are actively using social sites to network, recruit and gather information for potential candidates.
Based on the employers surveyed the majority are using social networking sites to post jobs, pre-screen candidates and to network to fill their current openings. Based on this statistical data, 5 top reasons someone looking for a job should add social networking to their job search routine include:
1. Post creative updates: Social networking circles e.g. Facebook, are mainly comprised of friends and family members. A top priority should be letting them know you are looking for work, how you are looking for work and asking them for assistance in your search. You never know who they might know that can help you within your search.
2. Follow companies you want to work for: For example, on Twitter, you can follow companies. You should do this for two main reasons: a. You will be the first to know about openings within their company before they seek outside assistance to recruit for the position. b. Once you apply and get an interview, they will be impressed knowing that you belong to their social networking group and that you have been aware of the latest updates from them.
3. Join groups: Join groups that relate to the type of employment that you are looking for. Post discussions, points of interest and even a professional summary of your background and what you are looking for.
4. Ask for connections: for e.g.. Linkedin, Naymz etc: Ask your primary connections for introductions to their contacts that share the same background or interests as you. If you have 100 primary contacts and each of those contacts have 100 contacts, you have a network of over 10,000 potential people to network with.
5. Create a group: Create a group and call it, for example, “Let’s Work Together to Search for Work”. Invite all your contacts that are searching for employment to join and ask them to add their contacts. Before you know it you will have a huge forum of people helping others find employment.
There are more than 350 social media sites available and all are FREE, so, choose whichever is best suited for your profile. Happy hunting, networking.
Join on me on Twitter http://twitter.com/drshrutibhatDisclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/04/best-things-in-nature-always-come-free.html Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.Do you have questions for the author?
 The global economic crisis has hurt all of us in various ways. If you’ve been laid off in recent months, you're feeling its effects very directly. It’s discouraging to try to get a job while the news reports continue to announce massive new layoffs, and the resumes you send out lie buried in stacks on hiring managers' desks. However, your job loss can be an opportunity to reassess your career, figure out what you want to do next, and take more control of your future. Clearly, the days are gone when one company took care of you from graduation through retirement. While you may still meet people who’ve worked for one company for 30 or 40 years, their situation has little in common with ours. In fact, today’s average worker changes jobs every 3 years. Furthermore, hiring managers now prefer the worker who has changed jobs every 3 years. In the manager's eyes, that's the worker with broad experience. The worker who’s stayed with one company for 30 years is now a questionable bet, unless he or she moved around within the company, continuing to learn and grow. Since you can't rely on a company to manage your career, you have to manage it yourself. Coz..."If you don't have a plan, someone else will make your plan." And forming that plan for your career is a critical first step in creating the future you want. You need a strategy for the short term and the long term. Jobs, as per job gurus can be divided into three categories--the ideal job, the transitional job, and the survival job. Here’s how they could be described-Ideal Job: This is what you really want to be doing--"right livelihood". The job that grabs your heart, where your needs and abilities align with those of your company. However, be warned that, at best, your ideal job will last for roughly 7 years. At some point, your soul-mate boss will leave, or your great company will be acquired and then probably messed up. Thus, the ideal job is not a single destination, but one of several destinations in a long journey. Transitional Job: The transitional job is an OK place to be for 1 to 3 years. It serves a purpose, but should be intentionally temporary. It may be a stepping-stone job in a company or career that you want to break into, or a job that gives you a good shot at the job you want later. Just don’t get too comfortable in a transition job and stay there--keep your focus on your longer-term goals. Survival Job: Waiting tables, or temping in offices--these are often the stop-gap jobs. The reasons to take one of them are to keep you employed for sanity's sake, and to have some semblance of an income. However, you can try to align even survival work with your career strategy. For instance, don't wash dishes in the back of Denny's--take a job that is in the public eye, one that lets you meet people and build your network. And while you’re in your survival job, develop or keep a positive, friendly attitude. This affects how people perceive you and how you perceive yourself and your worth, which is important as you continue your ideal job search. In essence, you need to figure out what you want to become, and develop a plan that will get you there. Your plan may change, but you do need one.That's strategy.
Now what about strategy execution? What do you do to get the job you really want? The answer? Marketing. Every job counselor says the same thing: firing off resumes at every job opening that passes by is an ineffective way to get a job, especially a job that fits your long-term plan. We could call this passive-reactive job searching. You wait passively for a job opening, then reach out and try to grab it as it goes by. True, many job seekers have gotten jobs this way. But the passive approach doesn’t work very well in hard times, because the competition for available jobs is fierce. Passive job seekers will often be left waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Marketing yourself, or proactive job searching, starts with identifying (1) what you can offer, (2) what distinguishes you from your competition, and (3) who your target market is. Marketing yourself is no different than marketing a product, but the product is you. To effectively market yourself, you must develop a good understanding of your assets--your skills and personal traits. If you know your strengths, you can market yourself more effectively and with greater confidence, making your strengths available to companies that are looking for them. You also need to understand the marketplace for people with your skills. This requires research. You may find that you need to go back to school or that people with your skills are employed in industries you hadn't thought of. When you know your skill set and your market, your job search should rely on two important techniques: informational interviewing and networking. One technique to apply to your job search is the informational interview. In the informational interview, you contact people who work in a field or company that interests you, and ask them questions to increase your knowledge and understanding. The interview can be done on the phone or in person. You can take this approach: "I'm exploring the kind of work I want to do, and I’d like to learn more about you and your work." The informational interview is an extension of the research you’ve already done. These interviews should help you learn more about your field of interest and intelligently craft your career plan. You might make a connection through interviewing that leads to a job, but don't approach it that way. Instead, be a researcher. Always thank your interviewees for taking time to help you. If they’re interested, keep them updated on how things work out. The second key tactic used by the proactive job searcher is networking. Networking is about meeting people--lots of them--and staying in touch. You should focus your networking on people who are in your field of interest. A good way to do this is to attend professional association meetings in your target field. Attend the meetings of these and similar organizations. Use the meetings to develop relationships with the members, and you will gradually build a powerful professional network. Why do you need a professional network? Because the people in your network care about your success, just as you hopefully care about theirs. Many of them also recognize that helping each other is far more fruitful than treating others as hostile competitors. Read full article...subscribe to a Free Career Management white paper delivered to your email box , to register click here.Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
Http://www.drshrutibhat.comExpert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
Do you have questions for the author?
What do they do differently from average job seekers? Three things. Habitually.
Best part: These 3 habits are recession-proof.
Here they are ...
1. Focus on results, not processes-People who struggle to find work always seem to be in the process of doing something. They can't tell friends exactly what job they seek because they're in the process of deciding. Or they can't improve their Linkedin profile because they're in the process of revising their resume. Highly successful job seekers know that results are what count. So, they just get stuff done.
A job seeker who meets 3 networking contacts with an imperfect resume will get hired faster than one who spends all week revising their resume and zapping out emails. Every time.
2. Pick up the phone and callI have never met anyone who was hired solely on the strength of their resume or cover letter. You have to talk to and meet employers first. In other words, it takes multiple conversations to get a job. Successful job seekers know this. They stack the odds in their favor by proactively calling, talking to, and asking to meet employers they've sent resumes to.
What's the worst that can happen if you call and ask an employer to meet?
They say no.
But ... if you wait for a phone call that never comes, you're still getting a "No" from that employer, albeit a tacit one that can take weeks to play out.
Make your own luck. Call to verify that employers got the resume and cover letter you emailed.
Better: Print and mail your documents. In your cover letter, say: "I will call your office at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday to answer any questions you may have."
Two very good things can happen when you call at a specific time to follow up:
1. Your call may turn into a phone interview.
2. If you get voicemail, your message will be stamped with the time you called, which should be when you said you would in your cover letter. Congratulations -- you've proven that you're detail-oriented and keep promises. And you're not even on the payroll yet.
3. Contact employers 7 times-
In advertising, it's a rule of thumb that prospects must be exposed to your pitch at least 7 times before they buy. Successful job seekers recognize this. So, create a plan for contacting target employers 7 times in the next 3-4 weeks. Be sure to vary the means of contact and -- this is vital -- always give employers another reason to hire you with every contact.
Here's an example campaign to illustrate:
Day 1: Mail well-researched cover letter and resume to ABC Corp., promising to call in two days to follow up.
Day 3: Call, as promised. Ask for interview.
Day 5: Mail newspaper clipping of interview with company president, underlining comments about strategic plan that I can help achieve.
Day 8: Visit company office, saying I was "in the area." Ask if president got article by mail.
Day 14: Mail hiring manager a white paper, "5 Ways to Save on Purchasing at ABC Corp.," based on research done on days 1-10.
Day 16: Call hiring manager to follow up. Ask for interview.
Day 22: Email company president with 5 news items about ABC Corp. found via www.Google.com/alerts in days 1-21. Offer suggestions for how I could help with each.
Now. Is contacting one employer 7 times a lot of work?
Yes.
Do you think any other job seeker will create and follow such a detailed plan of action?
No.
So, which is better: a little work now, or no work later?
Want more great tips and advice like this? Disclaimer- The information posted here is for information purpose only and should not be considered as legal advise.
http://www.drshrutibhat.com
Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/02/three-habits-of-job-seekers-who-get.html
Statistics indicate there are at least six unemployed Americans for every job opening; and this figure does not take into account the employed-but-searching for new job candidates who are also competing for these jobs.So, what is the difference between job seekers who achieve success and those that keep toiling away day after day, week after week, and month after month without landing a job? It is whether you approach your job search as a Hunter or a Farmer.When compared to Farmers, Hunters are 87% more likely to find a job in this economy with key differences being in their qualitative approach to pursuing opportunities and their prioritization of using a professional network. So who are the Hunters and who are the Farmers - and which one are you?Hunters are extremely focused and very selective; they stalk few opportunities and only ones they consider just right for them; and most important they effectively leverage their professional networks to work for them.Hunters expand and leverage their professional network every day of the week to find opportunities and consider time spend networking exponentially more important to their job search than depending on job sites.Hunters use online social media and profiles, with references and testimonials, as tools to enable their networks and develop a brand and Subject matter Expertise in their field.Hunters manage their contacts personally and independently, outside of company systems.Hunters are more selective and apply for fewer opportunities and only those opportunities considered fulfilling or critical to their career roadmap, and they are twice as likely to follow up interviews – and even after being rejected.Hunters will tailor their resumes and cover letters for each position to stand out in a crowd, and they will focus on showing not only why they are qualified, but more so why they are the most qualified candidate for that job, and why they want to work specifically for that company and not its competitors.Hunters cultivate, grow and contribute to their professional networks on an ongoing basis, and they place as much if not more emphasis on helping others rather than only looking to only themselves.Hunters are more than twice as likely to consult mentors on their job search, and they are likely to seek out and pay for a resume and professional advice and attend paid seminars and networking events, rather than basing their job search exclusively around free advice, services, job fairs and no-fee events.Farmers are seed-sowers; they cover a lot of ground, exploring numerous opportunities and place more value on broad, rather than qualitative searches. Farmers are more conscious about key-word searches and not whether this is a job they will qualify for and enjoy.Farmers use job boards to find opportunities and consider jobs sites more important than networking.Farmers may use online profiles, but primarily to market themselvesFarmers keep address books or contact lists on company servers, making the data vulnerable to lossFarmers post and pray; apply for many jobs, even those perceived as low matchesFarmers are more likely to use the same all-purpose resume and cover letter for each applied-for position.Farmers only use their professional networks as needed.Farmers rarely consult others on their job search or pay for a professional resume or valuable career advice.Now that you know the facts you choose whether you want to be a farmer or HUNTER.Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/01/are-you-hunter-of-farmer.html
The average job seeker takes about four months to land a job after searching for openings. During an economic downturn, finding a job becomes even more difficult and so discouragement is a common emotion. While the practical aspects of looking for a job present plenty of challenges, the emotional component cannot be ignored.For some, the emotions of shock, grief, anger, anxiety, and depression that often accompany job loss can impair a solid action plan. Maybe you don’t even have a plan of action. Or, you are diligently getting your resume out to the world without the results you desire. Everyone feels discouraged at times but you can’t be effective in your job search if you launch into interviews with unchecked emotions popping up.What can you do to transform discouragement into hope that you will land another job? First, don’t panic. Place post-it notes with the word “Breathe” on them. Engage in activities that will help you move through difficult emotions. Fear and hope make poor roommates because one dispels the other.You must fight discouragement. Avoid beginning and ending your day with negative television and radio news reports about the economy. News of this sort can only result in negative thinking and feelings. Begin your day early by first making a deposit into your emotional bank account. Write a list of five things you are grateful for each morning. If you are starting to give in to discouragement, it is time to tune in for self-care. Prepare a list of 10 self-care items that will help renew your mind, body, and spirit. You may find it difficult to do so, but it is completely worth your time. The items on your list do not even have to cost money. Participate in 2-3 of these self-care activities every day. If you are burned out, experiencing stress or other physical health symptoms, and feelings of discouragement, this situation absolutely requires that you give yourself permission to take an overdue restorative time-out. It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity!Many people work very hard while also attending to the needs of their family, but find it nearly impossible to be especially kind and tender to their selves. In an emergency, you have to put on your own oxygen mask first, and being out of work in an economic downturn qualifies as just such an emergency.Address discouragement and other emotions by taking the time you need – not by doing what others think you should do. Talk to someone you trust who will help you to get rid of negative feelings. When you are ready, launch into the tangible, practical components of job search.Take stock of your expectations. Unmet expectations can lead to disappointment and discouragement. You may be very good at the work you have done in the past but your future does not live in your past. Industry changes create opportunities for new job growth. Do you need to take what I refer to as the ’transitional bridge job’ or two part time jobs to pay the bills while you think about seriously re-inventing yourself ?Do you want to return to a former, similar, or new job title? Research professional association websites in the industry you want to explore. Perform information interviews to help expand or narrow options. New job growth is there. You will bring greater enthusiasm and success to your job hunting when you identify what you want to do. What does your heart desire for employment?When you are ready, set a structured job search schedule, say between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm daily. No matter what, though, it’s important to keep your work/life balance in the daily mix. Your future work is ahead of you and you must move forward to reach your goals.Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/01/overcoming-discouragement-from-fired-to.html
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