Posted by Michele Wierzgac, CMM on November 19, 19101 at 19:43:48:
In Reply to: Career Change posted by PRB on November 09, 19101 at 20:02:00:
You are someone with tons of experience and with "transferable skills" which are in demand wtihin the meeting industry.
You are in need of a few "achievable" things:
1. A Personal Brand Statement is a short comment that summarizes what you can bring to a company or a client within the industry. What can you do that is "better" than all the rest or "contributes" to an organization. Can you make this statement, both in a verbal and written format which I call a "10 Second Commercial"? , then add on to the 10 seconds and create a 30 second commercial, and then a 60 second commercial.....
2. A resume that you HAND-DELIVER or send to a "decision-maker" that has ALREADY asked for it. My point here is that you must NETWORK. You can have the best resume, the best format, the best paper, but if you do not have a contact, you are out of luck. Alot of resumes get tossed.
Rather than spending time and your money on mailings, your better investment is to join a local chapter of MPI, PCMA, or ASAE that services the meeting industry and network from now to the time you graduate. (After receiving each one of my degrees, I had a job waiting for me. I networked like crazy)! The other major tool you have are the web-based resume boards. But again, it's all about networking!
3. ASK PEOPLE FOR WHAT YOU WANT!!! So many people want certain types of jobs or careers....all you have to do is ask. Someone knows someone who knows someone......AND you must followup as well!!! People will connect you to others but will not hold your hand.
4. Are you current with technology courses (i.e. email, database management, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.)? You will be asked this in an interview?
Thanks for asking,
Michele C. Wierzgac, CMM
CEO & President
Michele & Company