October 14, 2009

Tools for Independence

People all around the world are taking time this week to celebrate White Cane Day. Here in the U.S., we celebrate the white cane both as a tool and a symbol of independence every October 15th.

Natalie Jaffee writes:

"It may have seemed long at the time, but, as evolutions go, the white cane's journey from "tsk, tsk" to "good for you" took only 34 years in the U.S. -- from the first White Cane Ordinance in Illinois in December 1930 (giving blind pedestrians the right-of-way while carrying a white cane) to October 6, 1964, when a joint resolution of Congress proclaimed that October 15 of every year would be White Cane Safety Day. By then, the white cane had become the symbol of blind persons' ability to come and go on their own. So it remains today."

People in Florida get together each year to make motorists aware of the White Cane Law. Their driver awareness program reminds people that all vehicles are required to stop anytime a person with a white cane or guide dog is attempting to cross the street.

Continue reading "Tools for Independence"

Posted by Jim Hasse at 11:37 AM | Comments (8)

October 06, 2009

Disability Employment in Perspective

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Recently, we received three pieces of information which gave me some perspective about disability employment in the U.S.

First, the U.S. Department of Labor recently released disability employment statistics for September 2009 that show "the percentage of people in the labor force was 22.0 for people with disabilities compared with 70.5 for persons with no disability."

You can read more about these recent findings

Second, in his National Disability Employment Month proclamation, the President writes:

"...During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to implementing effective policies and practices that increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities."

Read the President's proclamation

Third, eSight member James J. Elekes sent us President Obama's announcement about what steps his Administration is taking to provide "fair and equal access to employment" for people living with disabilities.

One of those steps is a "day-long, Federal Government-wide job fair for people with disabilities."

Find more information about these federal initiatives.

Continue reading "Disability Employment in Perspective"

Posted by Jim Hasse at 08:23 PM | Comments (8)

September 28, 2009

Manage Employer Perceptions About Your Visual Impairment

Last week, eSight member Jeff Smith gave us his approach for disclosing his visual impairment to a potential employer.

He writes:

"Thus far in my job search, I've not mentioned my visual impairment in my resume or other written documentation. I figure that ‘first contact’ information needs to focus on where I add value to the company -- experience, skills, and training which can help them do what they do ...

"When I do meet with (employers), somewhere in the conversation, (I) refer to my visual impairment in some way. I then let them know I already own most of the adaptive equipment I'd need to do the job …

"I also carry a tool with me that gives normally-sighted people an idea as to what I see, (letting) them know that I can see, even if it's different than they do …

"I usually end by telling them the vision issue has had a positive effect on my attention to detail …"

Notice how Jeff proactively manages to reveal, explain and position his visual impairment in terms that relate back to how he can help a prospective employer continue to be successful.

Continue reading "Manage Employer Perceptions About Your Visual Impairment"

Posted by Jim Hasse at 06:39 PM | Comments (3)

September 22, 2009

Addressing Employer Concerns About Your Disability

This summer we have been looking at ways to use social media as a job search tool. We have also discussed ways to use it as a marketing tool for those of us interested in self-employment.

We are approaching National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October) and now have an opportunity to use social media as a tool to educate employers about the benefits of hiring individuals who happen to have a disability.

Disability Mentoring Day, which this year will take place on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, is yet another way we help employers to change their perception when they open their doors for participants to explore career paths, learn interviewing skills and job shadow for a day.

Here are two eSight resources worth revisiting to help
us prepare for October:

Continue reading "Addressing Employer Concerns About Your Disability"

Posted by Jim Hasse at 01:18 PM | Comments (1)

September 14, 2009

Who Can Best Use Your Creativity?

As you continue to refine the focus for your new small business, think of broad issues within our economic and political system which are important to you.

What skill, experience or insight do you have that is valuable to those who are presently working within those sectors which, you believe, need reform?

Honest answers to that question will help you identify a demand for what you can offer as well as an issue that will truly motivate you and propel you to success.

You can identify that demand and confirm your motivation by actively participating in social media networks. Social media networks are your "playground" for doing some serious secondary research about what your small business should offer before you commit to your venture's complete game plan.

Continue reading "Who Can Best Use Your Creativity?"

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:48 PM | Comments (1)

August 31, 2009

Follow the Money

Networking for a small business owner (or an aspiring entrepreneur) is always helpful, but networking during times of economic turmoil is essential.

As a single-owner proprietorship, you can set up a simple advisory board locally that includes a wide spectrum of professional expertise that you can draw on for advice. Such board members often are attorneys, certified public accountants, civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to yours or whom you do business with, and retired executives.

They could be three to five individuals who are knowledgeable about the environment in which you do business and are able to connect you with the information you need to make good decisions.

Continue reading "Follow the Money"

Posted by Liz Seger at 01:08 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2009

How to Find Your Unique Market

Today's online social media are great tools for both talking and listening.

But, before you begin talking, try listening.

Listen and do market research. This is critical if you want to start a small business at home and use social networking as a relationship-based marketing tool.

Continue reading "How to Find Your Unique Market"

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:11 PM | Comments (3)

August 19, 2009

Your Competitors Could Be Your Opportunity

There are signs that an increasing number of people who have been forced out of their jobs are starting their own businesses, according to the July 30, 2009, Computerworld.

"A quarterly survey of 3,000 job seekers conducted by Chicago-based outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., released July 30, shows a near doubling in the year-to-year growth of job seekers turning to self-employment," Computerworld’s Patrick Thibodeau points out.

Continue reading "Your Competitors Could Be Your Opportunity"

Posted by Liz Seger at 11:00 AM | Comments (9)

August 10, 2009

Keeping Your Contacts Enrolled

Over time, thoughts and ideas will occur to the people within your social network about how they can help you with your job search.

You want to make sure you are at the top of their minds (that they have automatically become "enrolled" in your support group as you search for your job) so they'll feed helpful information to you and you'll have an opportunity to help them in return.

How do you get individuals "enrolled" in your job marketing campaign? Express appreciation for the help you receive and help them in return.

Think of your online network as your job club, your mastermind group, or your support group - consisting of individuals who want to help and be helped.

If you experience a benefit from a referral, let those in your network who helped you get that referral know how valuable it was for your job marketing effort.

By showing genuine appreciation for the help you receive through your network, you'll also be demonstrating -- in a dramatic way and in a real situation -- your ability to establish effective interpersonal relationships, implement a creative marketing campaign, and conduct an extensive business research project.

In doing so, you're showcasing your skills in strategic planning, personal sales, business writing and project management for recruiters and hiring managers.

Continue reading "Keeping Your Contacts Enrolled"

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:25 PM | Comments (0)

August 05, 2009

Seven Tips for Managing Your Social Network Information

Seven Tips for Managing Your Social Network Information

Manage the information you gain through networking. That involves not only recording the information you gained and comparing it to what you wanted to obtain. It also means personally evaluating your contact's response to your current dialogue.

Both pieces of information for each of your contacts are important. Why? You're on a job search. You want to actively use the referrals you've collected to reach out to specialists in your chosen field who can give you specific information about the steps you need to take in charting your career path.

It's information you cannot obtain at the library or in Internet documents. It's information bringing you closer to the job and company that's best for you. You get it by visiting with people. That's the power of networking.

And your hiring contact may be two, three or four levels deep within your network (so-and-so knows so-and so who knows Mike who has a job open).

So, networking is real work. That's why streamlining the updates you send to your network and effectively managing the contact information you gain as a result of those updates is so important. Streamlining can save you time.

Continue reading "Seven Tips for Managing Your Social Network Information"

Posted by Liz Seger at 09:44 AM | Comments (3)

July 27, 2009

Develop a Social Network Dialogue

How do you start a conversation in a social network that helps you get the job information and referrals/introductions you need for your job search?

Focus on the further information you need that is essential to your career goal -- information you could not get through your online research.

Always have these two questions in the back of your mind as you form social networking relationships: What information does this particular contact person have that can be helpful for me? What information do I have that can be helpful to that person?

In other words, establish your social networking strategy first before you dive into a relationship-based campaign to find the job that's right for you.

Then, you're ready to work on the details.

Continue reading "Develop a Social Network Dialogue"

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:20 PM | Comments (3)

July 20, 2009

Ask the Right Questions

Do your research online about the industry, company and job you're targeting before you join a social network as a job seeker so you know what topics you want to discuss and what questions you want to ask.

Both informational interviewing and social networking accomplish one thing: they carry you beyond the shotgun approach of blindly sending out a bunch of resumes to companies and beyond the routine of submitting your resume electronically to job sites. Instead, they both allow you to target the industry, the company and the job which are right for you.

Social networking allows you to achieve that focus with less time and work at a lower cost than you would probably spend in conducting in-person informational interviews.

For a glimpse of what is involved in making sure you're prepared to ask the right questions in an in-person informational interview, go to "Preparing for Informational/referral Interviews"

I believe the following guidelines from that article for making sure you're asking the right questions in an informational interview are still valid in a social networking situation you may create for yourself today as a job seeker.

Continue reading "Ask the Right Questions"

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:17 PM | Comments (3)