With American Institute, education is about more than just the training you receive while at school. You will also be exposed to career planning skills that will help your effort to get from where you are today to where you want to be in your future.

In part, successful career planning is a combination of:

sound goal-setting, flexibility to adjust your goals to reflect the opportunities available, and

executing a plan that communicates your qualities and experiences in effective ways to the right employers in the right quantity to find the one whose needs you meet.

The information shared here in The Career Planner Voice provides you valuable advice and tips from people who are part of American Institute and can help you understand how to achieve your goals.

What is a resumé?

2010-06-30

Prospective employers use resumés as their tools for deciding on which candidates to move to the interviewing phase of the job search process and ultimately hire.  Your resumé is the key that can open the door to a job opportunity. It must be crafted with careful consideration given to; word selection, what you include and how you include it, and how well it is organized.

It’s important to remember that an employer will view your resumé as a condensed version of your background and can interpret it as a reflection of your ability to perform the job responsibilities and requirements.  A resumé is first and foremost judged on its content and appearance.

A resumé also allow an employer to evaluate an individual’s organization and preparation skills.  How do employers use a resumé to do this?  They look at how well an individual can write, how well they organize their past experiences and just what types of experiences and jobs they have had.  You should always use your resumé as an opportunity to organize and review your skills and qualifications in a way that will strengthen your confidence and the confidence others will have in you.  This is your opportunity to communicate your achievements.  In reviewing your own resumé, think like an employer and ask yourself, if I saw this resumé, would I want to hire this person?

Paper or the Internet?  Good Question. Why, because so much of what we do is internet based today, individuals are questioning if there still is a need the traditional “paper” resumé. 

The internet has become a necessity in today’s job search, not only for researching job leads and company information, but especially considering that almost every job listing you see requests that resumés be emailed.  With that being said, today’s job applicant will need to submit their resumés via the internet. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create an electronic version of your resumé - it’s a vital part of finding that job you are looking for. 

So what about the “paper resumé”?  You will still definitely need to have a paper version of your resumé.  Why?  When you get that interview, and you will…you’ll need to bring a paper version of your resumé with you.  People interviewing you will ask, “Did you bring a copy of resumé?” And your answer should always be, “Yes.” 

Also, your paper resumé may also help you as you fill out your on-site job application.  Filling out an application can be tricky, and let’s face it, when you are at your interview you will be nervous, so use your resumé to help organize your thoughts.

In addition, even though much of our daily business happens on-line, there will still be places that can’t accommodate an electronic version of your resumé and they will request that you fax or bring in a paper copy.

You may also come across different job postings where an email address is not listed.  Maybe they forgot to add it or maybe there is a typo in the address giving the dreaded “undeliverable message” – but you really want the opportunity to interview for that job.  Send them a paper copy and maybe you will get the chance after all.

Finally, I happen to believe that while you are busy sending out electronic versions of your resumé, sending a traditional paper version in the mail will help you to stand out.  That’s right use the US Postal Service - it can help you stand out!

 

Career goals

2010-06-28

Throughout my years working with students and graduates who are striving to achieve career success, I’ve encouraged them to establish career goals to help guide them.

I have urged them to set their sights on “Long-term career goals.” These goals will assist them in achieving their ultimate career position over time.  I also urge them to set smaller, supporting “short-term goals.”  These goals will provide planning and focus on the individual elements needed to accomplish to achieve their overall career goal.
 
To understand what a “career goal” is, let’s define what the word “goal” means by thinking about how it is used in everyday conversations. First, let’s think about the word goal in terms of sports. Like a hockey “goal” or a basketball “goal”. Or, we can look at something common that many of us focus on from time to time – a goal to lose weight.

Next, let’s think of a goal in terms of something you want to obtain, whether it’s an object (car, boat), status (manager, president), money, a new job, or a promotion.

By looking at the word “goal” in these examples, we can see that an “end result” or achievement is desired. We also see that both scenarios require a “necessary effort” be put forth by an individual to accomplish their desired “end result” or achievement.
In simple terms, let’s agree to a personal Goal as:

The desired end result or achievement that can be reached or accomplished by putting forth the necessary effort.

Then, by the definition, every goal should have two parts:

• An End Result or Achievement
• Necessary Effort

For planning and focus in reaching Career Success, our basic definition for a goal can be used in three distinct ways: “Long-term Career Goals”, “Short-term Goals”, and “Building Block Goals”. Short-term Goals generate shorter results or accomplishments leading toward your Long-term Goals. In addition, for helping in accomplishing more involved short-term goals, I encourage the use of what I refer to as “Building Block Goals” which are short and concise defined tasks necessary to achieve a short-term goal. Which of these various goals do you think are important and why?

David Royka
National Director of Professional Relations

 

What is success?

2010-06-01

Different Meanings for Different People

If you asked 10 different people the meaning of success, you’d probably get 10 different answers.  When I’ve asked new students, just starting school what success means to them, typical responses include: owning a home, doing something meaningful, making money, providing for family, job security, being able to retire and living a comfortable life – to name a few.

Which is the “right” answer?
There really is no right answer.

Success is what’s important to you and to succeed is to have accomplished your individual goals.  These are individual because each person’s likes, dislikes, and beliefs are influenced by his or her background.  And, as we reach different points in our lives, our views and priorities change, also affecting how we view success.

A Starting Point for Success
If we were to look at the different meanings people have for success and, then focus on how each success could be achieved, we’d see that, although the definitions may be different, many have the same starting point for success – a good starting job that becomes a rewarding career and helps achieve ultimate success.

In any field that you choose, a good job is one of the most effective ways of climbing the ladder to career success.  Career success can lead to more opportunities for additional successes in life.  A good job can provide personal satisfaction, health benefits, steady income, room for advancement, and opportunity for a comfortable retirement.

Therefore, if acquiring a good job is a necessary step in achieving your own career success, then, getting your first job is critical – whether it meets all of the aspects of “good” or just some is a stepping stone.

That’s the reason students attend American Institute, because they realize that to get that first job in their chosen field, they need: quality training, assistance in their job search, as well as their own commitment to succeed.  All of us at American Institute take great pride and great care when we are working with our students and sharing in their successes.  And they are their successes; because as we tell our students, in the end your outcome is very much based upon your effort, commitment, and professionalism.  Striving for success in anything always entails the risk of not achieving it, but in education, those are the things that maximize student’s success potential.

In my 20+ years of experience in student and career services, I’ve enjoyed the unique opportunity and derived great personal satisfaction in being a part of people changing their lives.  I have spent years helping to bring graduates and employers together.  For me, success is being able to help students and graduates to reach their career goals.