Blog: Brian Shumaker

Recently, I have been asked on more than one occasion this very question.  So, I thought I'd write down a few ideas to share!  This doesn't just apply to students either. Perhaps you are transitioning into a different industry, changing jobs, or perhaps you've been out of the workforce for a while, and coming back in.  Either way, here are a few thoughts, but I'll tailor it to the graduates since this was the direct question.

First, congratulations on your achievements in education!  Your question hits close to home with students getting ready to graduate, so thinking about it now is a step in the right direction.  Most graduates make the mistake of waiting until after graduation to start looking for a job, only to find thousands of other recent graduates doing the same thing.  Finding a job is a full time job, and you need to treat it like a business.  Here’s what I mean...

Within a company, there is typically a strategic plan, incorporating a number of factors including but not limited to: Marketing, budgeting, planning, values, a mission statement, client lists, etc.  Many of these concepts should be considered into your plan, as you are now the CEO of YOU!  You are the sole proprietor of YOU and you can take some very basic steps to put you in the lead. 

First, keep your focus on your school projects and finals, but balance in time to start the “process” of looking for a job.  Schedule out time in your day/week that you will dedicate to getting your strategic plan going.  By having designated time, you are ensuring that it will get done- almost as if it’s another assignment. (probably not what you what to hear, but necessary)

Second, how are you “marketing” yourself?  There are a number of social media sites out there (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter) but are you only using them for your personal use?  What about creating a Professional profile on these sites as well that highlights your accomplishments, awards, projects, etc?  Have you been on LinkedIn?  By creating and designing your professional profiles on these types of sites, also allows you to be visible to the recruiting and business world.  Trust me- Many recruiters and HR Professionals ABSOLUTELY look at these sites when selecting candidates.  Do you want them to see your Friday night, out at the club, keg stand pictures, or your professional profile with accomplishments? Upload your resume and create your profile on job boards such as Jobing.com.  Many employers utilize these sites to not only post jobs, but they also search the resume databases looking for key words within resumes.

Next, begin networking- not only through the social media sites, but start utilizing your connections to learn more about different industries, companies, businesses around town, etc.  Write a list of all the people you know that work in an organization, or start seeking out people that you would like to get to know.  Have you thought about what type of company culture is important to you?  Do you want to wear a business suit, or work in a more casual environment?  Do you like fast-paced changing companies, or more traditional?  These all come into play as you begin your discovery process. Create your own Mission Statement and Value Statement.  Check out your local Professional Associations for your industry.  For example, with HR students, SAHRMA (San Antonio Human Resource Management Association) is a fantastic organization with phenomenal resources, people, and connections.  Check out their website for local events, luncheons, and start meeting others in your field of interest. www.SAHRMA.org 

Finally, (although there is so much more to cover, but this is the start), don’t be afraid.  This is a learning process, just as the last 14-16 years in school as been.  Nobody is perfect at it.  There isn’t one perfect way to job search.  Do not sit behind the computer all day and just use that for your job searching.  Get out and talk with people- Get involved with your local Chambers, or professional associations, work with your Career Advisors and Alumni network.  You’d be amazed at how many people can connect and build rapport based on the town they are from, or college they went to!  Even if it’s out of your comfort zone, remember, this is about YOU and YOUR career to be.  You don’t have to be a sales person to sell yourself in the job market… Just be smart, strategic, and most of all, be CONFIDENT!

Stay positive!
Brian 

Hey San Antonio HR Professionals!  It’s that time again! It’s hard to believe, but the 2009 HR Southwest Conference is almost here! And, if you’re like me…you’re excited and getting ready to gain some great industry information and network. (And, more than likely, have a lot of fun too with old and new friends!)

Over the course of the conference you’ll have the opportunity to engage in fantastic educational sessions and hear from some wonderful motivational keynote speakers like Victoria Labalme, Mike Rayburn, and Henry Winkler. Aayyyy! You’ll also have the opportunity to meet with conference sponsors, like Jobing.com in the Exhibit Hall – so come by and visit with us at booth 1406 and 1408!

Jobing.com is proud to be a Silver Sponsor of the 2009 HR Southwest Conference! You can find us in the Exhibit Hall with information on exciting new products and services to help you meet your goals and even to create some new ones! Drop by and visit with us on Wednesday, October 14th and Thursday, October 15th and learn why we’re much more than just a job board and why we should be your first choice for Local Talent!

If you haven't registered to attend, there is still time! Visit www.hrsouthwest.com today.

Juan Sepulveda, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, in collaboration with UTSA President Dr. Ricardo Romo; Dr. Harriett Romo, Professor of Sociology and Director of Mexico Center, University of Texas San Antonio; and, Mayor Julian Castro, City of San Antonio, invites you to participate in a White House Initiative Community Forum at:

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Downtown Campus, Durango Building
 Southwest Room (DB 1.124)
501 W. Durango Blvd.
San Antonio, Texas 78207

Monday, July 13, 2009
12:30 pm to 2:30 pm

This forum is part of the White House Initiative’s “Community Conversations” series taking place nationwide.

This session will provide you with an opportunity to voice your thoughts in two areas:
1) how Latino education attainment can and should be improved; and
2) what the White House Initiative should be doing.
The information gleaned from these sessions will be recorded and/or collected and will serve as the foundation for the new presidential executive order that will govern the White House Initiative and will be signed by President Barack Obama.  KLRN will be on site to document the program.

PARKING ARRANGEMENTS:
There are two options for parking at the UTSA campus.  A map is enclosed for your convenience.  PAID parking is available on the second level of the parking garage (on IH-35) for $1.00 per hour.  The parking garage is located on the ace road off of Pecos La Trinidad.  FREE parking is available at UTSA lot D3 (underneath IH-35; entrance at the corner of El Paso and Pecos La Triniddad).

Please confirm your attendance with Ms. Elvira Jacquez of UTSA at 210-458-4009 or by e-mail at externalaffairs@utsa.edu.  For more information about the event, contact Ms. Glorimar Nosal, marketing-communications manager, White House Initiative, at 202-401-0078 or Glorimar.Nosal@ed.gov.

We look forward to seeing you at this exciting event!

Dr. Ricardo Romo    Dr. Harriett Romo
UTSA President  UTSA Mexico Center

UTSA logo  Mexico Center logo  City of SA logo KLRN logo

Our friends at the San Antonio Manufacturers Association (SAMA)are asking for our help to place six summer interns in the Manufacturing Technology Academy (MTA) by Friday, May 8, 2009.

As you may know, SAMA, in partnership with the City of San Antonio, Independent School Districts, and the Alamo Colleges, created a dual credit Manufacturing Technology Academy targeting high school juniors and seniors.  The program introduces students to the technologies involved in manufacturing while imparting important work place habits.  Students in the program earn college credit for the manufacturing technology courses taught by the community college.  In between their junior and senior years, they are placed in an internship program with a manufacturing company.

The internships offer the hosting company a wonderful opportunity to evaluate prospective associates while allowing them to perform productive, supervised activities.  Companies sponsoring interns have overwhelmingly favorable outcomes.  In fact, sponsoring companies hired many of the participating interns from prior class years upon graduation.  Moreover, essentially all of the MTA graduates continue with their education building upon what they learned from the Manufacturing Technology Academy experience.

For the 2009 school year, the Manufacturing Technology Academy has placed all of its enrollees except for six.  We know that we are in tough economic times for most manufacturers and that many of you have reduced your workforce.  Nevertheless, we must look to the future.  We implore you to take just one intern for just 8 weeks this summer.  As noted above, this will give you an excellent opportunity to evaluate a prospective associate, but it will also keep alive a valuable program that will be providing prospects with a basic knowledge of manufacturing and a desire to work.

For questions regarding MTA, please contact Michael H. Harris, President, SAMA, at 210-979-7530 or michaelharris@sama-tx.org

 

Summit to Draw More Than 1,000 Teens From Across San Antonio

Juvenile Outreach Vocational Educational Network (JOVEN) will co-host the first San Antonio Youth Summit with the San Antonio Youth Commission.

The event promises to be both informative and exciting, with more than 1,000 high school students expected to attend. The focus will be on planning for a successful future for all of San Antonio ’s youth. The event, scheduled for May 21, 2009 at the Municipal Auditorium, will feature panel discussions and presentations on an array of topics that affect San Antonio’s youth, including drugs and alcohol, gangs, the high school dropout rate, teen pregnancy, and more.

Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their skills as they attend workshops and training sessions on topics ranging from applying to college to organizing a community service project. At the end of the day, students will enjoy a ‘Future Fair” featuring booths for colleges, employers, volunteer opportunities, and city departments that serve youth.

“This summit is taking on some serious and important issues and I applaud JOVEN and the San Antonio Youth Commission for their work,” said Mayor Phil Hardberger, who has put support behind both the summit and the Youth Commission. “Our young people deserve all the support we can give them to succeed. Our collective future depends on their success.”

“We are excited to be working with the San Antonio Youth Commission on such a promising and worthwhile project,” said James Parsons, JOVEN’s CEO. “This event will not only give the youth of San Antonio an opportunity to learn from each other and others, but also something equally important: a voice on public policy.”

Teens from high schools throughout San Antonio constitute the San Antonio Youth Commission. “I’m very proud of the work that the Commissioners are doing to start a new movement in our city,” said Zak Newman, Chairman of the Youth Commission. “In organizing the summit, our goal has been twofold: to give our peers an opportunity to take a stand on the issues that affect them most and to empower them to go out and make the change that they want to see. To succeed, all our generation needs is an opportunity.”

Sponsors are still being sought for the event. Sponsors make it possible for this event to be free to participating students and schools. For more information on sponsorships, the Youth Summit or other JOVEN programs, contact James Parsons by e-mail at jparsons@jovensatx.org or by phone at (210) 924-0330, ext. 263. More details on the event can be found at sayouthsummit.com.

The Texas Legislature is currently convened in its 81st Regular Session. As legislators grapple with the state's economic woes, other issues important to Texas' employers are also under consideration.

On February 12th, the Texas State Council of the Society for Human Resources Management will host a legislative conference for HR professionals in Austin. Imperative Information Group is proud to sponsor this event with the TSC and Bracewell & Giuliani.

Lon Williams is a partner in the Dallas office of Bracewell and Giuliani. He is also the Director for Legislative Action with the Texas State Council.  In the latest Imperative Podcast, I discuss with Lon what HR professionals can expect at next week's legislative conference in Austin.

For more information about the legislative conference, please visit the Texas State Council website at www.tsc-shrm.org.

Mike Coffey is president of Imperative Information Group, a background investigations firm dedicated to employers who can't afford cheap background checks. He can be reached at coffey@imperativeinfo.com or toll free 877-473-2287.

We are proud to announce the official partnership of SAHRMA with Jobing.com! Both organizations are dedicated to helping our local community in a number of ways, and through our partnership, we will be able to provide a GREAT LOCAL resource for employers and job seekers throughout San Antonio and the surrounding areas!

The mission of the San Antonio Human Resource Management Association is to achieve and maintain the highest level of membership loyalty and provide our members with unsurpassed value, satisfaction, service, and opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Jobing.com's mission is to connect local companies with local people and help them build valuable relationships in order to recruit and hire future employees. We strive to help employers utilize technology to save time and money while making it easier to hire qualified individuals to contribute to their organizations' goals. We are also committed to helping people find better jobs and career opportunities to improve their lives.

So between the two organizations vision, missions, and goals, we feel it was a perfect partnership to help everyone in San Antonio! Be sure to check out www.sahrma.org for more information on SAHRMA, and also the Events page on Jobing.com for upcoming local events!

Whether you have been affected by a downsizing, restructuring, layoff, or whichever term was used, there is a local opportunity for you to network, meet, and talk with professional recruiters to maximize your next career potential!

R.O.A.R. - Reach Out, Actively Recruit is happening January 14th, at Amorcito's Mexican Cocina, located at 1604 & Blanco.  

Check out more details on the "Events" page, located at the top of the Jobing.com website.