Keys to Passive Salary Negotiation For Job-Seekers Who Don't Like Negotiating

Passive negotiating. So you're not one who enjoys conflict? In fact you avoid confrontation of any kind? You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or take advantage of anyone. You're a giver -- not so good at receiving? You're a helper, not so good at being helped?

Here's the two things you can do that will not create the dreaded possibility of tension and disapproval, but give you a chance to add dollars to your paychecks.

Some negotiations require action on your part. Documenting, comparing, estimating, promising, etc. Other things are more passive. you want the least amount of negotiating besides saying "OK" (which is simply no negotiation at all!) consider these two passive techniques.

1. Be quiet when it's time to be quiet. You can still be an agreeable person, just don't agree right away! Use "The Flinch." When it comes time -- and it will come time to do this no matter how nice you are -- to talk money, simply let them talk. You don't need to break in; don't need to counter offer; don't need to do anything proactive, or even reactive: just be quiet. When you hear their offer, repeat it and say "Hmmm." Think about it. You will probably get a raise on the spot.

2. Ask "What's the best you can do?" You don't need to argue, present your evidence, make a case, etc. You don't need to say "no" to the offer you received or re-negotiate terms or cover fine pits. You don't need to demand more money or even ask for more money. You won't push them outside their comfort zone. Simply say, "Wow, thanks for your offer. I look forward to starting. And I'm not a very good negotiator, so I prefer to leave this up to you -- I trust you'll tell me the truth. What's the best you can do?

There, that's not so hard, is it? Have fun!

by Jack Chapman

Top 10 recruitment predictions and trends for the next 12 months (2010-2011) …

Daniel Lyons, (Managing Director), shares his Top 10 recruitment predictions and trends of what we can expect in 2010-2011.

1. The perfect storm: say hello to innovation:

At a time when no business is exempt from the challenging economic market, companies are being forced to innovate and restructure at an unprecedented rate in order to achieve a competitive advantage in the market place. The recruitment industry can be no exception: 2010 is ripe for a recruitment revolution.

Whilst for years the recruitment process has remained static, rendering all parties and stakeholders involved in the process unsatisfied, it can no longer afford to lag behind the futuristic technologies which other industries are so successfully embracing in order to get ahead. Recruitment players will be required to offer a much-needed, dynamic and efficient solution to the recruitment process at every level. This will provide large efficiency gains for the early adopters before becoming the industry standard.

 

2. Increased pressure on HR Professionals

During unprecedented times in which increasing amounts of people have been forced to change jobs, the number of applicants per role has risen dramatically. Naturally, this has had an immediate knock-on-effect on the time HR professionals are having to devote to finding the right individual for the job. In fact a recent survey* revealed that of the 39.4% of respondents’ HR departments, as much as 9.2% of them are spending 50-75% of department time on recruiting. These professionals are crying out for an easy to use, creative technical solution in order to decrease interview and screening time.

* Recruiting, Turnover & Retention in the New Economy, Kennedy Information

 

3. From traditional to digital

2010 will see a gradual decline in the use of traditional recruitment methods, at least as far as the larger companies are concerned anyway. They will have the scale to develop the best practices, and train their workforce in other methods of recruitment. This will see the inertia which has traditionally been associated with Social and Digital Media recruitment begin to drift away. Case studies for recruitment via digital will develop, increasing the level of trust that other, smaller parties have in the system.

As employers become increasingly cash conscious and time poor, online resources will begin to take precedence over the traditional mediums of recruiting, which involve lengthy processes such as collating references etc. This will particularly become the case if online recruitment methods improve, and attain a higher level of integration with recruitment CRMs. Finding the right candidate at the best possible price will be key in a difficult economy.

 

4. Increased care to get the right candidate for the job

The commercial cost of making a wrong hiring decision is estimated to cost up to four times the salary of the position according to xxxx - (need to get hold of print copy Recruiter, 3 February 2010 p.20 “Selection – it’s time to move on” by David Mason). There have been murmurings in the industry for years about concerns which employers and recruitment consultants have with CV inflation, but now they cannot afford to make a mistake.

They have to make sure they get the right person, and that that person is capable of adding value to their business. Despite budgets becoming tighter than ever, employers and recruitment consultants will be prepared to invest heavily in solutions which can provide them with the right candidate.

 

5. Direct relationships with employment community

Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook signal a future where employers will need to build deeper channels of communication and provide platforms if they are to get noticed by today's job seekers. In a real time world that is about live, unedited, and passionate responses which span platforms and time zones, job seekers will expect a relationship with an employer that goes far beyond merely sending in their CV. To a candidate, sending a CV to a recruiter currently feels far too much like throwing a tennis ball over a wall. Employers which can engage without compromising their integrity will be the big winners in 2010.

 

7. Accelerated competition

Whilst the recruitment sector is set for gradual recovery this year, the value of the permanent recruitment market will decline by a further 4.2% in the year ending March 2010, according to a report from market intelligence provider Key Note.

For some recruiters, this may be too little to late but for those that remain, competition will be hotter than ever before. Recruiters and companies alike will need to embrace technological solutions to get ahead.

 

8. Mounting pressure on Recruiters

Recruiters will be required to up their game significantly in 2010, providing essential metrics and KPIs to employers in order for them to justify in-house and external recruitment expenditure. Despite this increased service, fee rates are unlikely to rise in 2010 and may even be squeezed further, forcing recruiters to be creative in budget spend and strategic in investment.

 

9. The rise of online video

The widespread availability of cheaper, hand-held broadcast equipment, software, and photo and video editing sites such as Flickr and YouTube has improved the process of producing and displaying creative work. This has been embraced by candidates, particularly amongst the young, to improve their job prospects, and align themselves with other creative leaders.

"The opportunity for young people to be part of the creative community has soared" notes Matthew Taylor, Director of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts. "The number of people involved in grime [UK underground music scene] is an indicator that we are moving away from an era with a small number of spectators, to an era where every person feels that they have scope for, and can be creative." We expect to see this trend spill over into recruitment, as companies increasingly look for creative thinkers with great problem solving abilities.

 

10. Development methods to pre-qualify candidates

In an increasingly competitive job market, candidates need to be top of their game: anything less just won’t cut it. This quest to gain the competitive edge will render the role of online career centers absolutely crucial. Candidates will begin to rely on these as a means of bridging their skills gap and enhancing their offering to potential employers.

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By Daniel Lyons

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How to Screw Up Your Future Using Social Websites

Millions of young people could damage their future careers with the details about themselves they post on social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace etc. a watchdog warns.

The Information Commissioner's Office found more than half of those asked made most of their information public.

Some 71% of 2,000 14 to 21-year-olds said they would not want colleges or employers to do a web search on them before they had removed some material. The commission said the young needed to be aware of their electronic footprint.

Vetting tool:

The ICO also said young people could be putting themselves at risk of identity fraud because of the material they post on social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.

The data regulator's survey found that two thirds of those questioned accepted as friends on such websites people they did not even know.

Some 60% posted their date of birth, a quarter put their job title and almost one in 10 gave their home address.

ICO deputy commissioner David Smith said: "Many young people are posting content online without thinking about the electronic footprint they leave behind.

"The cost to a person's future can be very high if something undesirable is found by the increasing number of education institutions and employers using the internet as a tool to vet potential students or employees."

Wise up:

The survey found 95% were concerned about their details being passed on to advertisers or other websites.

There were 54% who cared "a lot" about how their personal information was used.

Mr Smith said: "This shows that when young people are made aware that their details could be being passed between parties - legitimate or unscrupulous - they are worried.

"We have to help teenagers wise up to every aspect of the internet age they're living in. It may be fun but unfortunately it is not the safe space many think it is."

The ICO has launched a new website to help young people understand their information rights.

By news.bbc.co.uk

Getting Fired: An Opportunity for Change and Growth

The words that strike fear in all working persons fired, terminated, laid off, let go, restructured, dismissed, downsized, rightsized mean only one thing: you're back on the job market looking for new employment opportunities.

 

While you may find losing your job hard to deal with, most career experts say the best thing you can do is get right back into the job market even if you've gotten a severance package rather than sit around being discouraged. And you shouldn't be discouraged, look at this firing as a chance to start anew with a better opportunity.

 

How do you deal with being fired or downsized in terms of your resume and job-hunting? That's what this article is all about, getting you in shape to find an even better job than the one you had previously. What follows is the career tune-up checklist.

1. Decide on a career path or change. If you loved your last position and the industry you worked in, then you can move to the next point. But, if you weren't happy, now is the time to think about a career change. What kind of transferable skills did you acquire from your previous employment? For example, if you worked in a college admissions office, but now want to get into sales, you have valuable sales and people skills, transferable skills from one position to another. If you're not sure what you want to do, you should do some self-assessment. You can find some great career assessment tests on the Web.
2. Tune up that resume. Ideally, you've been keeping your resume current, but if you have not, now is the time to take a hard look at it. Find some great resumes resources here, then:
• The first thing you need to decide is whether to include the job from which you were terminated on your resume. In most cases, you should include the job unless you only worked there a short period of time (less than three months). Show an end date of your previous job. Focus on your accomplishments and achievements.
• Consider adding, if you don't already have these sections, a key accomplishment and transferable skills sections for your resume. Positioning these sections at the top of your resume also means you can downplay your actual employment history or at least make it secondary to your accomplishments and skills. A functional resume, rather than a traditional chronological resume, will also serve this purpose.
• Develop both a traditional formatted resume and a scannable (text-only) resume. Since job-hunting has expanded greatly to include traditional methods as well as online methods, you really need to have both types.
• Get your resume critiqued. Ask someone in your network, possibly a former boss or college career office (most work with alumni) to review your new resume(s) and offer constructive criticism.
3. Resolve whether you are staying or relocating. Now is the time to think about whether enough opportunities exist where you currently live, or whether you need or want to relocate.
4. Network, network, network. Tell everyone you know that you are in the job market again. You don't need to tell them you were fired if you don't want to, but don't be ashamed of it either, as labor figures indicate that many people have lost (or will lose) their jobs involuntarily. Your network includes your family, friends, former coworkers, former bosses, neighbors, friends of friends - just about anyone. These people may not be able to offer you a new job, but they may know someone who can, so they play a vital role in your job search. And once you find a new job, make sure you keep networking rather than waiting until you don't have a job to do so. 
5. Revisit your references. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your dismissal, you may or may not have a good reference from your former employer. Now is the time, regardless to revisit your reference list. You need to contact these people (which you should already have done from #4), inform them that you are again on the job market, and ask if they will still be a reference for you. If you know your former employer might give you a bad reference, it is extremely important that you have other people who will rave about your accomplishments and abilities.
6. Be prepared to work. It's a cliché, but looking for a new job is now your full-time job. Stay focused and accomplish something every day.
7. Face the tough question. Be prepared with an answer when an interviewer asks you why you left your last job. Make sure you can articulate why your last job didn't work out and what you have learned from the experience. Never blame a former supervisor or employer -- and don't make excuses.
8. Be prepared for rejection. You may be a little extra sensitive because of being fired, but remember that there is always a degree of rejection in any job search -- so don't let it get you down. Keep looking forward.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Retirement: The New Math of Personal Finance

Financial advice you've gotten in the past may have been misguided and miscalculated. Here's how to make sure you've got enough saved up.

There's one key fact of life that most retirement planning advice gets wrong: the way people actually live and spend when they retire. Put simply, most retirement calculators and planners aim for decades of level spending, but most people reduce their spending as they move through retirement. That's a disconnect that can significantly skew the results of the typical planning exercise, says a recent study from the Society of Actuaries and the Actuarial Foundation. It could lead workers to take greater investment risks, or be overly frugal during their final years of work or their first active years of retirement.

When workers retire, their budget often goes through four phases: (1) early retirement, when travel, home improvement, hobbies, and new wardrobes can raise expenses beyond workday levels; (2) midretirement, when people (and their spending) typically slow down; (3) late retirement, when spending and activity slows even more; and (4) end of life, when spending for health care and personal assistance can use up what's left of a retirement kitty. But the typical retirement calculator calculates first-year spending based on a worker's last year of salary, and then simply adjusts that estimate up every year by the inflation rate. "Replacement rates may make sense as an analytical tool when peoples' income and expenses are stable over time. However, generally neither is the case," the study says.

In fact, retirement spending actually declines markedly over time, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average household headed by someone between the ages of 55 and 64 spent $54,783 in 2008, the last full year for which data has been published. That same year, households between 65 and 74 spent $41,433 and those over 75 spent just $31,692. Between the youngest group and the oldest group, spending fell by 42 percent, on everything from food to housing to clothing. Entertainment spending fell by almost two thirds. Federal taxes fell away, almost entirely.

That has implications for how pre-retirees save and how retirees draw down their money. It is also causing the insurance industry to start peddling new products aimed at that last, most expensive period.

"The first couple of years will be the most expensive. People should plan on that," says Diahann Lassus, a financial adviser from New Providence, N.J. "We're going to take dollars from future years and front load because we want to take these trips and do these things while we are all healthy and want to do them together. But at some point, you're going to be paying those dollars back."

How would this work, from a practical standpoint? A rule of thumb holds that your money will last all the way through retirement if you take 4 percent of your savings out the first year, and then increase the amount of your withdrawal by the inflation rate every year. But if your spending starts out high and doesn't increase with the inflation rate, you can take, say 6 percent out the first year, but not adjust your withdrawals annually by the inflation rate. By the time you start slowing down, in the midpoint of retirement, your withdrawals will have backed down, proportionately, to where they would have been had you been inflating a smaller withdrawal from the beginning.

There are, of course, caveats to that approach. Baby boomers who have the bulk of their retirement savings in tax-deferred vehicles may not see the same reduction in taxes as their parents did. A really bad year in the stock market, coupled with your first few years of outsized withdrawals, can wreck the whole retirement plan, says Tim Maurer, a Hunt Valley, Md., financial adviser. He tells clients to view their active early years of retirement as a multiyear stage, and save the expensive cruise for a good year. He also tells active retirees that they should continue to earn some money during those first active and expensive years of retirement, both to keep themselves satisfied and to bring in enough cash to pay for those extras. "Medically and financially, it makes significantly more sense to go with a pseudoretirement" that includes part-time or consulting work.

Finally, there's the issue that even retirees that have seen their spending dwindle for decades can get socked with big monthly expenses as their health deteriorates. They may need long-term care or expensive personal assistance. There are a variety of ways to deal with that--if they haven't already downsized their home, they can sell that and spend the proceeds on their later years. Advisers often recommend long-term-care insurance to clients well-heeled enough to afford the premiums, which typically top $200 a month.

Insurance companies are busy devising new products aimed at the latter years of retirement. Called "longevity insurance," these products really are deferred annuities that don't kick in until the owner turns 80 or so. But they tend to be too expensive for what they deliver, says Lassus. "We aren't big fans."

By Linda Stern for Newsweek Web Exclusive

Making a Lateral Career Move: The Pros and Cons

You have been working hard, tracking your accomplishments, and promoting your personal brand within your organization all the right moves to obtaining that promotion you know you deserve. Instead of the promotion, however, your boss calls you in for a chat and tells you that you are being talked about for a lateral position that just opened up, a position with the same or similar title and pay grade but in a different part of the organization.

Or, perhaps it's you who has decided that for whatever reason you will not get promoted within your department but you love the organization so you are considering a lateral move with what you hope will be more opportunities down the line.

Whatever the reasons for considering a lateral move within your current organization, take a moment to read this article and then take much longer to weigh the pros and cons of applying for or accepting the lateral move. If you're feeling forced to take the lateral move, you might consider whether you are doing something wrong.

Finally, remember that some of the best run organizations understand the value of their employees and the importance of retaining the best workers within the organization even if that means shuffling some people into new positions, so do not assume that a lateral move is a knock against you. The key is understanding the organization's corporate culture and whether it does indeed value its employees.

Pros of a Lateral Move

• Promotion Potential. Organizational structures have become much flatter with the downsizing that many organizations have done in eliminating middle management positions. With this flatter structure comes fewer opportunities to be promoted, but making a lateral move and gaining more experience and more contacts within the organization should make you a much more attractive candidate for a promotion when a position opens in the future.

• Improving Job Security. A lateral move from an under-performing or soon-to-be-downsized department gives you a chance to not only stay with the company, but also show your value in a new department.

• Increased Marketability. Gaining new skills and broadening your capabilities and accomplishments can also make you a much more attractive candidate to headhunters and outside organizations with positions to fill. So, even if you are happy with your organization now, it never hurts to make yourself a more attractive job-seeker.

• Professional Development. If you have been in your current position for a number of years, you may have become so good at it that you know all there is to know perhaps even become a bit bored with it. By taking a lateral move and learning new skills, you may again become excited with the challenges you'll face.

• Fresh Faces. Taking a lateral move means working with new people and new teams, giving you the chance to make new friends and contacts especially important if you are tired of the people you currently work with, or simply like meeting new people.

• New Boss. Let's face it, not all bosses are made equal. Maybe it's time to switch to a new boss and show him/her what you're capable of doing. Your current boss might be just fine, but perhaps s/he just does not see you for your potential. Or perhaps it's simply the opportunity to learn from a new boss, especially if you feel you have maxed out with your current one.

• No Additional Responsibilities. While a lateral move will provide you with new challenges and learning opportunities, because it's at the same level as your current job, it will not tax you with more responsibilities. It's a good solution for someone seeking a new challenge, but not yet ready to tackle more responsibilities/pressures.

Cons of a Lateral Move

• Internal Perceptions. You'll want to analyze the corporate culture of the organization because in some organizations, folks making lateral moves are seen as the people who just don't have the skills to get promoted, and you'll certainly want to avoid that label.

• No Closer to Goal. If you're like many folks, you have a specific job title you want to reach in your career, and a lateral move takes you no closer to your goal.

• Same Salary. While a promotion carries with it more money (and perhaps other perks), a lateral move usually offers no financial incentives and in some cases, perhaps a lower salary.

• Further From Your Passion. While a lateral move might make the most sense in moving your career forward, it often takes you out of your field and away from your career passion. While not always a bad thing, many unhappy workers realize at some point they are unhappy because they are not working in what they love.

• Chance of Failure. In any job, there is a chance of failure, but if the lateral move is way outside your current comfort zone or into a department that has internal turmoil, there is always the chance that you could fail and lose your job.

Final Thoughts

For those in the corporate world, it's ingrained in our thinking from the beginning and from popular culture that climbing up the ladder is the direction of choice as well as a sign of success, but in today's business environment, that simply is no longer the case.

If you're contemplating a lateral move, whether on your own or suggested to you, schedule a talk with your current boss. It's possible your boss either does not know your ambitions or has a misconception about you or your situation. If you have a mentor within the organization, schedule a meeting with him/her as well.

A lateral move may make sense for you and your career, but before you make that final decision, be sure to do your research and make an informed decision.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

How Can You Take Advantage of Opportunities on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is continuing to get bigger and bigger and it continues to be a great resource for businesses and employees to connect with one another.

One of the best things about LinkedIn is the Shared Connections feature. This feature makes it possible to find people like potential clients and then see what connections you have in common. Shared Connections then makes getting a virtual introduction that much easier.

Building up a strong LinkedIn network and being willing to introduce others (in good faith, of course always use your best judgment) can also increase what opportunities you can get in the future.

B2B marketing is often built through trust and word of mouth. Having a shared connection is a great way to start establishing some of that trust from the very beginning.

LinkedIn also has a community of active participants. LinkedIn Answers serves as a knowledge base where business representatives can establish authority and expertise by participating in the ongoing discussions. LinkedIn Groups is an opportunity for business professionals to interact with other topics relevant to his/her interests. One business successfully used LinkedIn Groups as a way to build business leads. This business opted to engage in relevant industry discussion and offered business services when requests were made, thereby bringing in a highly targeted business lead. Actively participating in LinkedIn is often one of the best ways to not only help people out, but also to make a connection for your service and even generate leads.

Answering questions across LinkedIn Answers and LinkedIn Groups doesn’t mean to simply put out the marketing blurb, but to really engage and offer feedback and solutions. Again, social media is most effective when it is genuine.

5 Tips for Using LinkedIn to Find Top / Star Employees

Successful business people are always looking for their next rock star employee. The question is where do you find them? The good news is that the latest LinkedIn stats, 60 million professional profiles spanning 200 countries, would indicate this is a good place to look.

Many of us already have a LinkedIn account, and if you don’t, LinkedIn is free and easy to maneuver. The trick is incorporating some strategies (habits, if you will) into using LinkedIn.

Below are five easy things you can add to your LinkedIn strategy to give you greater exposure to top talent.

 

1. Build Connections

In the course of your daily business, you never know where your next sale is going to come from. The same can be true for recruiting. It’s important to connect and build relationships with a variety of different people. For example, my LinkedIn profile has connections from prior jobs, clients, and local entrepreneurs I do business with. It’s great when I can make introductions between people with varied needs.

 

2. Join Groups

In addition to being a part of groups for your personal and/or professional benefit, join a couple of groups that might help surface candidates. Let’s say you’re always looking for sales professionals. There’s a LinkedIn group – The Sales Association – that you might want to join as a way to connect with possible candidates. They have almost 20,000 members, are affiliated with a national association, and have a job posting system when you’re ready to let people know about your next opening.

3. Engage with Questions and Answers

Once you start connecting with groups, look for opportunities to engage with people in discussions. Notice people who share your culture and enter into a conversation with them. I belong to a group called Social Media in Organizations. This group offers multiple channels to talk about workplace social media – discussions, webinars, articles, a book club, etc.

4. Get (and Read) LinkedIn Updates

This is a quick and easy way to recognize people for promotions, awards, and accomplishments. People will remember you. Since much of your LinkedIn profile is static, this is a way to regularly let people know what you’re up to. I’ve seen some of my connections post in their status “Looking for a Senior Accountant. Got a lead? Let me know.”

5. Embrace Mobile

Keeping up with all of the information available can be a daunting task. That’s why I like the mobile version of LinkedIn for my phone. I can check updates while I’m waiting at appointments, so staying on top of the activity doesn’t have to be a time-consuming chore. LinkedIn offers versions for the iPhone, BlackBerry  and Palm.

Over the years, LinkedIn has taken some hits for being nothing more than an online repository of names. But these days, more and more people are becoming reacquainted with it. Since most people have a presence on LinkedIn, it’s an obvious place to keep tabs on what’s happening in the marketplace. And as small business owners, you can easily leverage LinkedIn to find talent.

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By Sharlyn Lauby

A Collection of the Best Career Networking and Professional Organizations / Associations for WOMEN

Women's Career Networking and Professional Associations with all details like mailing addresses, phone nos. emails and direct links to their web sites. This is a special gift working women. Detail is given below:

Networking organizations:
Advancing Women -- This International Network for Women in the Workplace highlights issues for the working woman. Includes an online career center, Today's Women's News feature, forums for discussion, links for networking with international women, personal services resources and links to similar sites. E-mail:
publisher@advancingwomen.com

BellaOnline -- Online resource for women that has career and networking advice, as well as chat areas and discussion forums for online networking.

DinnerGrrls.org -- a great networking and mentoring site for women, from all over the world. Includes both online resources and network, as well as local chapters in some U.S. cities. For all women, from college student to CEO. Free to job-seekers.

iVillage.com -- Another online women's resource with career and networking advice, and chat areas and message boards for online networking.

Business Women's Network (BWN) -- Is dedicated to the promotion of business and professional women by providing assistance to corporations, businesswomen's organizations and state and federal agencies. BWN strives to be the authority on issues affecting businesswomen and the growth of women-owned businesses. Offers searchable online business women's network directory.

Women's Professional Organizations:
Selected women's professional organizations are provided here. To locate professional organizations specifically for women, use the Gateway to Associations Online search engine. This search engine has a pull-down menu that enables you to select "women" as one of the search criteria.

American Association of University Women (AAUW)
1111 16th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-785-7700
E-mail: info@aauw.org
A national organization that promotes education and equity for all women and girls.

American Business Women's Association (ABWA)
9100 Ward Pkwy.
Kansas City, MO 64114-0728
Phone: 816-361-6621
E-mail: abwa@abwa.org
Call the ABWA's national headquarters for local contacts.

American Medical Women's Association
Suite 400, 801 N. Fairfax St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-838-0500
E-mail: info@amwa-doc.org
Serves female health professionals.

American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants (AWSCPA)
401 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Phone: 312-664-6610, 800-AWSCPA-1
FAX: 312-527-6783
E-mail: admin@awscpa.org
The American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants is the devoted exclusively to the support and professional development of women CPAs. The society also addresses gender equity, the glass ceiling, work and family issues. To accomplish its mission, AWSCPA offers in-depth support in six important areas, including networking. AWSCPAís Web site has information about meetings and conferences as well as current job opportunities. Some areas of the site are open to members only.

Association for Women in Communications
3337 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-370-7436
Fax: 703-370-7437
E-mail: info@womcom.org
Offers a mentor program and an annual career day.

Association for Women in Computing
Suite 1006, 41 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Phone: 415-905-4663
E-mail: info@awc-hq.org
Serves programmers, analysts, technical writers, and entrepreneurs. Contact the national headquarters for local information.

Association for Women in Development (AWID)
Suite 825, 1511 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-628-0440
E-mail: awid@awid.org
Serves women working on international-development issues.

American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT)
Suite 200, 1650 Tysons Blvd.
McLean, VA 22102
Phone: 703-506-3290
E-mail: info@awrt.org
Serves women working in electronic media and related fields. Offers job-fax service.

Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
Suite 650, 1200 New York Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-326-8940; 800-886-AWIS
E-mail: awis@awis.org
The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to achieving equity and full participation for women in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. AWIS has more than 5,000 members in fields spanning the life and physical sciences, mathematics, social science, and engineering. Events at the 76 local chapters across the country facilitate networking among women scientists at all levels and in all career paths.

Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT)
PO Box 65962
Washington, DC 20035
Phone: 202-785-9842
Monthly events with speakers, periodic seminars on trade topics, and a job bank.

Business and Professional Women USA
1900 M Street NW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-293-1100
Hosts meetings to discuss issues such as equity, job advancement, and networking.

Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)
1201 Wakarusa Dr., Ste. C3
Lawrence, KS 66049
Phone: 785-832-1808
For women working in all facets of commercial real estate. Call the national headquarters for local contacts.

Financial Women International (FWI)
Suite 814, 200 N. Glebe Rd.
Arlington, VA 22203-3128
Phone: 703-807-2007
E-mail: info@fwi.org
Formerly known as the National Association of Bank Women, FWI serves women in banking and financial services.

Federally Employed Women (FEW)
Suite 425, 1400 I St., NW
Washington, DC 20005-2252
Phone: 202-898-0994
E-mail: few@few.org
Serves women in all levels of the federal government, including the military. Also offers a mentor program and seminars on policy and legislative processes.

International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM)
Department of Music
George Washington University, NW
Washington, DC 20052
Phone: 202-994-6338
Serves composers, conductors, performers, and music lovers. Provides venues for female artists to perform and helps promote their shows.

National Association for Female Executives (NAFE)
60 East 42nd St., Suite 2700
New York, NY 10165
Phone: 212-351-6400
E-mail: nafe@nafe.com
With some 250,000 members nationwide and abroad, the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) is the nation's largest businesswomens' association. NAFE provides resources and services through education, networking, and public advocacy to empower its members to achieve career success and financial security. NAFEís Web site provides information about NAFE, its membership benefits and services, and NAFE networks around the country. It also includes articles and information about business and management, selected articles from NAFE's Executive Female magazine, and links to business-related sites.

National Association of Insurance Women
1847 E. 15th St.
Tulsa, OK 74104
Phone: 800-766-NAIW
E-mail: National@naiw.org
Provides opportunities for woman in the insurance industry to expand their circle of business contacts and knowledge through association activities such as state meetings, regional conferences and a national convention. Call the national office to locate local chapters.

National Association of Women Business Owners
Suite 1100, 1511 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-638-5322
Leadership training and a network for women who have been in business for themselves for more than eight years.

National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. -- This nonprofit, volunteer organization is involved with community service, leadership develop and enhancing career opportunities through networking and programming. For information on NCBW chapters and programs in your area, contact the national headquarters at 212-947-2196, 38 West 32nd Street, Suite 1610, New York, New York 10001-3816. E-mail: NC100BW@aol.com.

National Women's Political Caucus
Suite 425, 1211 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-785-1100
Leadership and campaign-training programs.

Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) -- The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) is a non-profit professional organization designed to promote women doing business in international trade by providing networking and educational opportunities. Members include women and men doing business in all facets of international trade including finance, public relations, government, freight forwarding, international law, agriculture, sales and marketing, import/export, logistics, and transportation. Web site contains information about conferences, events, chapters in the United States and around the world, as well as a job bank. E-mail: ewhalley@worldnet.att.net

The Professional Business Women of Illinois (PBWI)
PO Box 151
Crystal Lake, IL 60039
Phone: 847-888-8551
E-mail: info@pbwi.net
PBWI's mission is to provide a gateway for professional and personal growth through continuing education, community involvement and a network of combined resources.

Society of Women Engineers
120 Wall St.
New York, NY 10005
Phone: 212-509-9577
Contact the national headquarters for local contacts.

Women in Advertising and Marketing
4200 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 301-369-7400
Monthly networking dinners, speakers bureau, job bank.

Women in Aerospace (WIA)
204 E Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202.547.0229
WIA is dedicated to expanding women's opportunities for leadership and increasing their visibility in the aerospace community. Offers networking and professional development opportunities.

Women in Housing and Finance (WHF)
6712 Fisher Ave.
Falls Church VA 22046
Phone: 703-536-5112
E-mail: whf@whfdc.org
Monthly luncheons, a job bank, professional development, and special-interest groups on insurance, securities, technology.

Women in International Security (WIIS)
Center for Peace and Security Studies
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20005-1145
Phone: 202-687-3366
E-mail: info@wiis.org
WIIS (pronounced "wise") is dedicated to enhancing opportunities for women working in foreign and defense policy. An international, nonprofit, non-partisan network and educational program, WIIS is open to both women and men at all stages of their careers.

Women in Technology International (WITI)
13351 D-Riverside Drive #441
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Phone: 818-788-9484
E-mail: member-info@corp.witi.com
WITI's mission is to empower women worldwide to achieve unimagined possibilities and transformations through technology, leadership and economic prosperity.

Women Presidents' Organization (WPO)
155 East 55th Street, Suite 4-H
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-688-4114
E-mail: info@womenpresidentsorg.com
An organization for women whose businesses annually gross more than $2 million. The organization's mission states: improving business conditions for women entrepreneurs and promoting the acceptance and advancement of women entrepreneurs in all industries.

Women's Caucus for the Arts (WCA)
PO Box 1498, Canal St. Station
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212-634-0007
Has established a national network through research, exhibitions, conferences and honor awards for achievement. Call the national headquarters for local contacts.

Women's Information Network (WIN)
Suite 635, 1511 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-347-2827
A Democratic group that serves mostly younger women. It features a job center and a well-reputed networking event, "Women Opening Doors for Women," in which high-level professional women share their experiences at informal dinner parties.

Women's National Book Association (WNBA)
3101 Ravensworth Pl.
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone: 703-578-4023
Serves women in publishing, writing, and editing, as well as those who have an interest in books. Offers professional-development programs.
 

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By Quint Careers

10 Best Jobs / Careers for Women Over Forty

In a nationwide survey, we asked midlife women to define the most important elements of a great job. In addition to a good salary and benefits, you told us you want a profession with a bright future, a high level of control and a flexible schedule.

We grilled the experts to find careers that deliver. Ready, set, reinvent! (saying Kate Ashford in More.com)

1. Community Service Coordinator/Manager

(volunteer coordinator, program director)
Salary: Most earn $42,110 to $73,470
Top 10% Make: $96,000+
Why Now: The field is expected to grow 48% by 2016
What You’ll Need: BA, passion for a cause
Entrepreneur Opportunities: Most in the field work for nonprofits or the government

2. Personal Financial Adviser

(financial planner)
Salary: Most earn $46,390 to $119,290
Top 10% Make: $166,000
Why Now: One of the 10 fastest growing occupations, it’s projected to boom 41% by 2016
What You’ll Need: A solid business background plus education in the field. You’ll probably also need Series 7 and Series 63 or 66 licenses
Entrepreneur Opportunities: 30% are self-employed

3. Environmental Scientist

(hydrologist, environmental ecologist, environmental chemist, ecological modeler)
Salary: Most earn $45,340 to $78,980
Top 10% Make: $103,000+
Why Now: The field is expected to grow 25% by 2016
What You’ll Need: Most positions require a master’s degree in environmental science, hydrology or a related natural science
Entrepreneur Opportunities: About 2% are self-employed

4. Registered Nurse

(critical care, emergency, oncology, clinical)
Salary: Most earn $51,640 to $76,570
Top 10% Make: $92,000+
Why Now: A projected 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created by 2016
What You’ll Need: A BS in nursing (four years), an associate’s degree in nursing (two to three years) or a diploma from an approved nursing program
Entrepreneur Opportunities: Although some nurses provide care as independent contractors or wellness coaches, most are employees

5. Computer and Information Systems Manager

(chief technology officer, management information systems (MIS) director, information technology (IT) director)
Salary: Most earn $88,240 to $141,890
Top 10% Make: $166,000+
Why Now: This field will add 43,000 jobs by 2016
What You’ll Need: A bachelor’s degree and sometimes a master’s degree—consider an MBA with a focus on technology
Entrepreneur Opportunities: These tend to be leadership positions within a company

6. Education Administrator

(principal, assistant principal, provost, dean of students, school district administrator, director of student services)
Salary: Most earn $68,360 to $102,830 (elementary and secondary school)
Top 10% Make: $125,000+
Why Now: Many will retire in the next decade
What You’ll Need: Experience as a teacher or in a field such as recruiting. Some positions require a master’s degree
Entrepreneur Opportunities: Most work for school districts or universities

7. Strategic/Crisis Communication Professional

(crisis manager, strategic communication specialist)
Salary: Most earn $38,400 to $71,670
Top 10% make: $98,000+
Why Now: The field is expected to create 43,000 new jobs by 2016
What You’ll Need: Public relations experience
Entrepreneur Opportunities: With the right expertise, it’s possible to provide this service as an independent contractor

8. Accountant

(public accountant, management accountant, government accountant, internal auditor)
Salary: Most earn $45,900 to $78,210
Top 10% Make: $102,000+
Why Now: The field will grow 18% by 2016, adding 226,000 jobs, and these positions are available in every industry
What You’ll Need: A degree in accounting or a related field. You have to pass an exam to become a CPA
Entrepreneur Opportunities: 10% are self-employed

9. Human Resources Specialist

(job analyst, compensation manager, employee benefits manager, training and development manager, recruiter)
Salary: Most earn $35,020 to $67,730
Top 10% Make: $84,000+
Why Now: There will be 147,000 new specialist jobs created by 2016
What You’ll Need: Depends. To specialize, you may need an MBA with a focus in HR management
Entrepreneur Opportunities: About 2 percent are self-employed

10. Small-Scale Niche Farmer

Salary: Most earn $26,800 to $76,230
Top 10% Make: $97,000+
Why Now: Small farms are growing at a rate of 10,000 a year
What You’ll Need: Nothing—training is done on the job
Entrepreneur Opportunities: 80% are self-employed

Job-Hunting in Times of Uncertainty: Five Overlooked Strategies to Help Make Your Job Search More Productive and Successful

In times when the economy falters, when financial markets fall, and when companies of all sizes in many industries announce plans to reduce their workforce, job-seekers tend to get a bit concerned about the length and success of the job search they may face. It almost goes without saying that job-hunting in a boom economy is quite different (and much easier) than job-hunting in a slumping economy.

Different, yes. Harder and often more time-consuming, yes. Impossible, no. Job-hunting is an art that simply takes more time and work to perfect in uncertain times than in good times. You will have to work harder and smarter at finding new opportunities, but they are out there, and if you take advantage of these five strategies you will be much better positioned to land a new job.

Utilizing the Power of Networking
What's the most important tool of job-hunting, especially in times of uncertainty? Not a resume nor interviewing skills…but networking. Why networking? Networking is the most effective tool of job-hunting because if you use your network properly, you will hear of multiple job opportunities, often before they are even listed (if they are ever listed).

Some job-seekers shy away from networking because they equate networking with taking advantage of people, but if done correctly, networking can be a rewarding experience for all parties involved. Networking is not asking everyone you know for a job. Networking means developing a broad list of contacts family, friends, and people you've met through various social and business functions and using them to your advantage when you look for a job. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry, and introduce you to others so that you can expand your network.

Now is the time to broaden your network even if you are not currently looking for a new job. You never know when you'll need your network, so make every effort to grow it.

Need more information about networking? We have lots of networking tips, names and contacts for numerous networking and professional organizations, networking do's and don'ts, and much more in The Career Guide.

Finding Hidden Job Opportunities
In good times job openings are plentiful, but in uncertain times the job openings disappear. Job-seekers are left scrambling for the few “open” jobs. But there are always other job possibilities lurking in the background, and it is up to the persistent job-seeker to find those hidden job opportunities and/or to create new opportunities.

Finding hidden opportunities. Job-seekers must take full advantage of their network to uncover as many potential job openings as possible. Hunt down every lead. Consider using cold calling techniques to find other opportunities. Focus more of your time and energy here than trying to respond to every job posting at Monster.com or the other job boards.

Creating new opportunities. As companies downsize and consolidate job functions, many opportunities may arise for a job-seeker with the right skills. Determine your most marketable skills, examine the ongoing needs of the employers where you want to work (including your current employer), and develop a proposal showcasing how the employer would benefit from hiring you.

Sharpening the Focus of Your Resume
One of the most important tips you can take away from this article is this one: resumes are supposed to document your skills and accomplishments, not your duties and responsibilities. Make a list of the two or three accomplishments from each of your recent jobs and then use them on your resume. Try to quantify accomplishments as much as possible.

Decide whether a traditional chronological resume format is better for you or whether you need a functional resume format, or some type of hybrid format.

Consider developing a "qualifications summary" or "key accomplishments" section for your resume. Think of this section as the executive summary of your resume. If the employer reads only this one part of your resume, will it be enough to entice the employer to read the rest of your resume?

Develop multiple resumes, perhaps even customizing each resume you send to the specific job and employer. Also consider multiple resume formats, from the standard formatted paper resume to a scannable text resume and Web-based resume.

Finally, remember that a resume is a living document. You are never "done" with your resume. You should update and edit your resume(s) regularly, adding new accomplishments and skills, sharpening the focus, removing outdated material.

Developing a Dynamic Cover Letter
A cover letter is an integral tool of your job search. Perhaps in the past you have been able to get good jobs with a mediocre cover letter, but in uncertain times, your cover letter becomes the main tool that can determine whether your resume is read and whether you are even considered as a candidate for a position.

How can you improve your cover letter? Let's review the two most important parts of the cover letter: the introductory paragraph and the ending paragraph.

The first paragraph of your cover letter must sell the employer on the benefits/skills/talent you will bring to the job - a mix that no other job-seeker has and one that has a clear benefit to the employer. Do not waste this critical opening paragraph.

Weak opening paragraph: I am writing today to apply for the account manager position you have posted on your company Website.

Better opening paragraph: I have increased the size and sales levels of my client base in every position I have held, which in turn has increased the revenues and profits of my employers. I want to bring this same success to the account position you have posted on your Website.

The final paragraph of your cover letter must be proactive. You must ask for the job interview (or a meeting) in this paragraph. You must express your confidence that you are a perfect fit for the job. You must also put the employer on notice that you plan to follow-up within a specified time.

Weak closing paragraph: I hope you will review my resume, and if you agree with what I have stated here, consider me for the position. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Better closing paragraph: I am eager to help advance the success of your company, and I am convinced that we should arrange a time to meet. I will call your office in the next week to schedule an appointment.

Mastering the Art of Follow-Up
In good times, some job-seekers may be able to get away with being impolite in not sending thank you letters and being lazy by not following up all leads, but in a tight or uncertain job market, job-seekers must follow-up every job lead, every job application, and every job interview.

Some job-seekers may see follow-up as too aggressive, but the cliché about the squeaky wheel getting the grease applies to job-seeking. As long as you don't contact the employer too often or act abusive, following up with emails or phone calls is a way to stay at the forefront of the minds of the employers, as well as a way for you to stay on top of the status of the search. Each time you follow-up, your strategy should be to reinforce the perception that you are the ideal candidate for the job; the job-seeker with the unique set of skills and experiences required for the job.

Follow-up each cover letter and resume you send with a phone call or email requesting an interview. Follow-up each interview you have with a thank you note or letter to each person who interviewed you. And follow-up your thank you note with a phone call or email to again express your interest and fit with the job and check on the status of the search.

Final Thoughts
Persistence and patience are the important traits to have when job-hunting in uncertain times. Persistence, because as mentioned in this article, the job-seeker that tracks down all leads and follows up with every person is the one who is going to have more opportunities. And patience because in uncertain times, employers will slow down (sometimes even stall) the job search process, so you need to be prepared for the job search to be long.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.