Tag: job seekers

Interview Preparation – Retail Industry (ZARA Edition for Entry-Level Job Seekers)

Posted on by careerswithmichelle

As the retail industry slowly opens back up, more and more job applications are being submitted and students are in dire need of jobs to pay off their student loans and tuition. But also, if you are highly interested in fashion — you may want to consider applying as well.

To give a general idea on how to prepare your job application and interview for the retail industry, this post will focus on one of the brands, ZARA.

Watching the video below will be helpful to those who are interested in learning more about the company before applying. (You can find the original PREZI slides HERE)

Zara’s History

Zara is the richest valued stock in the apparel sector. They have 2,259 stores globally and 21 online stores. In 2019, the leading brand of the Inditex Group was Zara with a global net income of over 19.5 billion euros and almost 600 Zara Home stores in operation around the world.

Zara’s Customers

Understanding Expectations and Various Positions

Preparing For the Interview

3 Follow Up Email Templates to Send After Job Interviews (by Recruiter, Lee Ann Chan)

Posted on by careerswithmichelle

“What’s the best way to follow up with an employer after a job interview?” Recruiters like Lee Ann Chan and I personally receive this question a lot from job seekers that we coach and place, and according to Lee Ann, “most candidates don’t want to come off as desperate or annoying (their words, not mine!) but they also don’t know the best way to approach employers for their interview updates.”

Below are the recommended follow-up emails and templates from Lee Ann to use when you want to check on your status and keep establishing a professional presence.

Effective Virtual Interviewing (Spectrum Edition)

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via Charter

During the interview process, there are many ideal competencies and traits that Spectrum is looking for. Spectrum likes their employees to be great communicators, problem solvers, adaptable, detail-oriented among others, enthusiastic efficient and don’t forget – technologically savvy! These are what make a successful employee at Spectrum.

Spectrum’s Talent Acquisition Senior Recruiter of 15 years in the Greater NYC area speaks and shares his 9 tips in this article to job seekers.

When preparing for that interview, a hiring manager typically reaches out to Talent Acquisition and asks to schedule an interview. In most cases nowadays since 2020, that interview will most likely be virtual instead of being in person. This scenario is becoming increasingly more common. Nearly 75% of executives use real time video to interview their leading candidates and 50% of them leverage it to narrow down their applicants. The process enables employers to open up their talent pool to interview candidates who live all around the globe, and not just the ones who live down the street. It also cuts down on traveling expenses.

So with that virtual interview or video interview, well it’s a normal job interview that leverages video technology where a lot of conversations take place remotely. So rather than meeting face to face, the manager and the candidate are going to connect with each other online using video softwares. The tools typically required for these types of meetings involves a computer, a built-in external/internal video/camera and a microphone, a reliable internet connection (try not to do it wirelessly because most of the time that won’t work very well), and headphones if desired.

So generally a video interview follows the style of a traditional in-person interview. Here’s going to be a few key considerations to keep in mind:

  • For perspective employee, try to make that pitch by a video conferencing software such as Skype, Zoom, Google Hangout. It may be a bit daunting, especially if you are not accustomed to it.

I will give you 9 virtual interviewing tips to reduce the stress, aid in helping you stand out of the crowd, and in the end hopefully help you land a job – whether that is with Spectrum or with another company, these tips still work.

1. Test your technology. The minute you agree to a virtual interview, you need to ensure that you test your technology and ensure that you are set up for success. You want to also check your internet connectivity, you’re going to confirm that your camera and microphone is working. If the picture is blurry or you’re experiencing an echo, you might need to buy a different webcam, you might need to not use the computer’s built-in microphone – but use the speaker phone instead or a separate phone. So this is going to be hard to do 5 minutes before so you don’t want to wait until the day of the interview to figure it out. Most computers these days will allow you to use the audio and video connection. Some of them, will have a choice of using just one single device for this video and the audio. But when you have the option to use separate devices, that is the option you ought to take (one phone for the video portion and one phone for the audio portion – like a phone, laptop or tablet).

Of course in some instances, you are able to just only use that one single device but that’s only going to work if everybody is on the same network – for example, if you are doing internal interviews. But when everyone is on separate networks, the best practice is ensuring you don’t lose the connection altogether – if you prefer to use separate devices.

Here’s a note to keep in mind. On the day of your virtual interview, you will also want to test your internet connection again even though you tested it a few days before. Make sure you do it on the morning of.

Being technologically savvy is one of the 10 traits that employers are going to look for. If you come onto the virtual interview fumbling around with your audio or your lighting during the call, you’re giving the hiring manager a reason to question if you’re the right candidate for the job. Make sure you do not only test it beforehand, but on the day of, you’re going to test it again.

2. Be aware of the surroundings. You’re going to set the scene, minimize the amount of distractions while testing your technology, determines where the interview is going to take place. You want to find a room with optimal lighting, preferably near a window or a wall. Somehow, you’ll be able to guarantee that you are the focal point of the conversation. So the best practice in relation to lighting is to simply set up a bright light that is focused on your face. This should at least as bright as or be brighter than the background behind you. Therefore, this will help you and your personality stand out. It will minimize the background. Also, if you are using window lights as the light changes, because sometimes it gets very bright and sometimes it gets very dark – where in some cases it will cause your camera to start struggling and it will become a distraction to the interviewer instead of the help you thought it might be. Choose the lamp effectively.

Whether you sit on your living room couch or home office, be sure to tidy up your surroundings. It is hard to convince the employers that you are detail-oriented or you are organized, when they are looking behind you and they visibly see papers all over your desk. This might sound remedial, but trust me – as a recruiter, we see this all the time. You need to think, sit in front of your computer and look at yourself and behind you – what the hiring manager will be seeing in the background.

Once you have all of that settled, you are going to want to limit your distractions. This means turning off the TV, turning off the stereo, closing any nearby windows just so you can muffle traffic and neighborhood noise.

3. Sit down and be prepared to engage. Just because you’re in front of a computer, doesn’t mean you can search the web for answers in a middle of an interview OR avoid to start clicking around when a hiring manager asks you a question. So you want to appear focused and ready to answer the question without the help of the internet. No one wants to think that you are cheating on your answers. Trust me, it happens.

You want to do your research on the company ahead of time before you sit down. Print out a copy of your resume and have it near by so you don’t get the key talking points that you want to bring up. However, as with any interview, you’re going to come prepared with answers to any coming questions. This isn’t particularly an interviewing conference call, but there are some that you are going to know how to answer. For example, “why are you interested in the role?”, “what do you know about the company that you are interviewing with?”, “what do you consider your greatest weakness?”, “what do you consider your greatest professional achievement?”, “tell me about some of your challenges and how you dealt with them”, “what are you looking for in a new role and why are leaving your current role?”

The key here is, you want to avoid memorizing each response. That’s not engaging. You don’t want to over rehearse. Instead, write some high level thoughts down on a post-it and stick it to your computer. So being aware of how far your eyes are moving from the screen, because if your notes are far away, it will appear that you are searching for your answers and reading them instead of engaging in that dialogue.Note that you don’t want your notes resting on your lap or from a place where you want to look far away from the screen. In that case, it is going to come quite apparent that every time you are answering a question, you are looking away from your interviewer for an answer. Of course, that is not a good plan.

You want to come prepared and engaged. And how do you engage? You will do that by practicing our next tip below.

4. You have to come mentally thinking about this being a “dialog”, not something that is memorized. So you are going to have to practice. Practice on your dialog that you will have with your interviewer. Don’t focus on trying to memorize all of your anticipated responses. You’re not going to get all of your questions asked anyway. When you have an interview, you want to have a good conversation. Not rehearsing the points that you memorized, because you are going to sound like a robot throughout the interview, whether you are answering, asking or even giving your quick elevator pitch. It is easy to tell that you do not sound genuine.

It is a good practice to run through a practice with your friend. Pull your family members in and have that conversation. This is going to give you a chance to rehearse with different personalities since each person will be asking you a question or answering you a bit differently and it will throw you off so that you will be more ready when you begin to interview with your employer.

So while you are practicing your interview with your friends and family, it might seem a little awkward. But one of the keys that will benefit you from doing that though is you will have a safe atmosphere where it is okay to make mistakes. You can learn from them. You may not have answered the way you thought you should have or you didn’t come across the way you anticipated. That’s where you can hone in your interview skills so that you are better prepared for the real thing.

It is really important that when you are interviewing, you’ve got to keep it really simple. You don’t want to feel like you have to give a long-winded answer if a short answer will do. You won’t know that until you practice some of those answers. So being able to be clear and concise is the most important thing that you are going to need to do in a job interview. So a great answer will always tell your interviewer at least 3 things. Every one of those answers put it on the back of your mind. That answer ought to say what you did on the job. You don’t want to say how well you did what you did on the job. And the very important one you ought not to leave out, because most people do, is your answer ought to tell what was the impact of the action you had on the business or project. So what you did, how well you did it, and the impact it had.

When you prepare those types of answers and you are able to give them freely without memorizing them, or at least not sounding like you memorized them, now you are ready to have a dialogue with your interviewer – and not just a rehearsed, memorized set of answers.

Well that in fact, brings us to our next point. First impressions still count, even in a virtual environment. In with that in mind, there will be 2 tips that I’m going to mention.

5. Monitor your body language.  Obviously, you can’t firmly shake a hiring manager’s hand or easily exude enthusiasm through the video, but what you can do is monitor your body language. The main way to communicate confidence during these interviews; well, you’re going to sit up straight, you’re going to smile, you’re going to keep your camera at eye level. You want to avoid the tendency to look at yourself on the computer monitor while you talk. I would suggest you put your computer/laptop on a box so that your eyes are right on the center of the screen and you’re not looking down on yourself, or having to look far up because research shows that employers are more likely to remember what you say if you are maintaining eye contact. So you want to keep your focus on your camera when you’re talking – not looking at the hiring manager. The time when you look at the hiring manager is when he/she is talking.

This brings us to the 6th tip here. You gotta make those first impressions count.

6. Dress for success. So you might be sitting on your bed, but you shouldn’t look like you just rolled out of the bed. You want to dress like you’re going for an in-person interview. Just because a person can’t see what you are wearing from waist level, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your best to dress. For men, you’re going to wear a button up shirt and dress pants. For women, you might want to consider a dress, skirt and/or a blouse. Besides not knowing if for some reason you’re going to have to suddenly stand up in the middle of an interview, well professional clothing will show that you are serious about the job.

Well, there are personal benefits as well. Studies show that people feel the most authoritative, trustworthy and confident when they are wearing formal business attire. So when you feel good about yourself, it is easier to execute a lot of these tips especially our next one.

7. Connect on a Personal Level. You never know how many interviews a company may conduct for a position. You may be at a long list of people that the hiring manager or recruiter spoke to that day. That’s why it is important to make that small connection. So don’t be afraid to have a short aside about a common interest when you’re in an interview. The recruiter or hiring manager might enjoy the break from the routine questions that they have gone through that day.

You and I know that it is not easy to connect with everyone, but it is a crucial part of the interview. Don’t be afraid to share about yourself or connect about that one thing you discovered that you both like. Take a moment and touch on it, because you want the interviewer to be able to remember a story you told or a common interest that you both share. That is one of the best ways to prevent you from simply blending in with everyone else who came in and interviewed for the same spot.

Trust me, these little tips are what we as recruiters go through each and everyday. We trust that that investment in your time and you will be able to remember these. Use them on yourself and you will see the difference in your own interviewer.

Now, making that connection will really come from a predetermined mindset to employ this next to last tip.

8. Be Yourself. The hiring team is essentially looking for the interviewee to answer 2 major questions. The whole point of the interview: 1) Can you do the work that they need? But guess what, there’s another side. 2) Will you be able to fit into the company culture and department that the hiring manager has as well?

A key task for the recruiting and hiring team is in determining whether in fact, yes – you can do the work, but how will you fit in the team/company’s culture? This can be challenging during your virtual interview because there’s this physical disconnect. We don’t get to see your whole body and we don’t see how you reply to every question, or are your feet moving around a lot, or are you twirling your fingers. We don’t get to see a lot of those verbal or visual cues that helps to go along with your comfort level. So it’s more difficult for your interviewer to understand your enthusiasm or screen them, so make sure that you are more expressive when you are answering the questions.

If you want to use your hands, you may want to do that freely. Let your expressions be bold. If you are a more of a straightforward kind of person, be sure that you’re using those active listing techniques so that your dialogue is free and flowing between you and the interviewer.

Some people are great interviewers. They’re going to be able to tell your vibe. They’re going to be able to tell if you’re going to fit the company culture right off the bat. With that being said, you want to be able to walk away and give your interviewer a reason to push you to the second round of the interview, by shining a light on how you can help the organization grow.

This begins with not just with can you just do the work, but can you fit into the company culture. They are not looking for a robot. They are looking for you. So be sure that you are being yourself on these interviews.

This is going to lead us to our last point.

9. Don’t forget the Professional Graces. As soon as that interview is done, you’re going to do some immediate follow up within at least 24 hours of the interview. You’re going to send an individual Thank You Email to everyone you met. Sometimes they don’t provide you with that information so you should send that Thank You Note to your recruiter and they will forward it to the leadership team. But, make sure you’re taking that extra step.

Put it in a Word Document so you can upload it to your profile so the next recruiter can see that you’re communicative and that you possess those professional graces. It’s not only going to show that you valued your interviewer’s time, but it’s going to give you the opportunity to resell yourself and express your unique traits that you can bring to the role, or share any talking points that you forgot to address.

If there was something specific that you have bonded over during the interview, you want to mention it briefly and follow up in the Thank You Email so you can keep it on the top of your mind.

Or, if the interviewer brought up a particular business challenge, you’re going to use that to follow up; as a way to propose that potential solution – saying something to the affect of: “It was fantastic to have met you today and I remembered one of the challenges that the business had was ITEM A and here’s what I have done in the past that I can do to help.”

You want to keep the email concise of course. It is not a paragraph. You want to just leave a short note and leave a lasting impression, not one that will immediately end up in the circular file because it was too large or too long.

These are the key tips that we as recruiters have seen either in people that are not employed OR employed effectively. It helps them stand out and be remembered. They bring the right successful profile, but if they’re not able to get the hiring manager to remember it, then that becomes a challenge.

New Year’s Resolution for Job Seekers

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via Ashley Brooke Photography

Job searching in the middle of a pandemic has been the most challenging for job seekers. Job seekers have been blindly applying for 10 months or more and building their network. Some have been plugging away and applying to jobs since March and have had little success with interviews and no offers with no feedback. And some have been forced (by the pandemic) into starting their own businesses/side hustles to pay off student loans, rent, debt, etc.

Whatever the case may be, job searching has always been challenging. However, the best way for it to be a success is to remain positive, and to not give up. Giving up is not an option. Show employers that you are willing, wanting and able to work!

Here are some New Year’s resolutions to help jump start your motivation and pave way to a successful job search.

  1. Connections can help a great deal. Spend more time talking to people than submitting your application to posted job ads.
    • The quickest way to get back into the job market will be your network and your referrals. Who knows that a 30 minute coffee chat could turn into an opportunity of a lifetime.
    • You would be surprised that you will have connections in your circle who know about the existing job vacancies that aren’t posted on job boards. In other words, the hidden job market.
    • When reaching out to your connections, you may want to follow the email template below:
      • “Hi [Connection’s Name],

        I hope this email finds you well. How was your holiday season and New Year’s? It is shocking how 2020 flew by.

        I wanted to reach out because things have changed at [Current Company] and am specifically looking to transition to [Job Title] at [Industry/Sector/Company] where I can utilize my [Insert Relevant Skills] to be able to do [Insert Desired Activities].

        I wanted to reach out to see if you know of anyone who could connect me to such an opportunity. I understand that this is a big ask and your time is valuable. If it is too much right now, don’t feel any pressure as I totally understand.

        Either way, I hope you are staying healthy and safe. I look forward to catching up with you soon!

        Best Regards,
        [Your Name]”
  2. Update your resume.
    • Your resume should always be different and tailored based on the job description. Study the job description carefully and proofread your resume before uploading it on the job board because you want to get past the Applicant Tracking System.
      • Education: Don’t just focus on the schools and institutions that you have attended. Include organizations that you were involved with as well! If you had a GPA that is higher than a 3.0, showcase it and be proud of that achievement!
      • Work Experience: I mention this all the time but make sure your duties are not only duties, however make it into an accomplishment by incorporating quantifiable metrics using numbers and percentages. Also, tailor it towards the field that you are interested in.
      • Leadership Experience: This is important whether you are looking for a job or internship. If you were active in many organizations and clubs, list it and highlight that leadership because that is always going to be a plus.
      • Skills and Projects: Again, just like your work experience, tailor your relevant skills towards the field of interest. If you have worked on special projects that were tailored towards the specific field of interest, include that as well.
    • Have your peer, mentor, career coach or a professional critique your resume.
  3. Hone your interview skills.
    • Have a friend or family member interview you and provide feedback.
    • Participate in mock interviews. Especially during this pandemic, many virtual platforms are partnering with big companies (such as Moody’s, Google, McKinsey & Company, Credit Suisse) to connect with nonprofit organizations and social ventures to give back and provide these free services to job seekers.
  4. Sharpen your skills.
    • If there is a specific field you are looking to go into or a job that you want to apply for, study the job description closely and discover if your educations and skills are going to be a good match.
    • If you do not have the skills that the employers are looking for, you should look into taking online classes that will help you move forward in your intended field.
  5. Map out what you are looking for.
    • Don’t just randomly apply for jobs because you need a job. Seek purpose in the kind of job you want. Make sure your job search has a path. What is it that you really want in your job? Do you want to work entirely remote? Do you want to work on-site? Do you want to work flexible or set hours?
    • Follow the SMART goal outline via FlexJobs.
      • (S)pecific: What industry or sector do you want to work in? Do you want to stay local, or are you willing to move? How much do you need to earn?
      • (M)easurable: To meet your goal, how many resumes will you send out per week? How many networking events will you attend each month?
      • (A)ttainable: Do you understand the difference between your dreams and your goals? Keep in mind that some things are beyond your sphere of influence. You cannot control how many interviews or offers you get, but you can set a goal for the number of business connections you’ll make each month.
      • (R)ealistic: What can you achieve in this moment? If you have little experience, it’s unlikely you can move directly into a C-level job. Be honest with yourself about what you can achieve right now, but also plan for bigger and better goals in the future.
      • (T)imely: When is your deadline? This aspect of goal setting is often overlooked, but deadlines—even arbitrary ones—are important motivators. Since you can’t control when you’ll get hired, you may find that a resolution such as “I will find a job within the next six months” is less effective than “I will apply to at least five vacancies this week.”
  6. Target specific companies that you are interested in working for.
    • Make a list of your top target companies
    • Research, research, research them!!! Anything you can find such as articles, interviews with executives, surveys, podcasts, etc.
    • LinkedIn is a valuable platform for you to use in landing your dream job at your target company. From there, you may want to locate contacts who can refer you into your target role such as a hiring manager, team lead, recruiter or a friend who was hired there.
    • Reach out and cold email them.

Staying Engaged In Your Job Search During the Holiday Season

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via Woman’s Day

Although the holiday season is the most exciting time of the year, don’t be fooled. It is also the busiest time for many people. The job market is indeed, the most active during this season.

While COVID-19 has caused considerable disruption to services for many employers, you may be thinking — Will this impact holiday hiring?

According to iCIMS’s Monthly Snapshot Report for September, “During the height of the pandemic, hiring for full-time retail roles dropped to account for only 28% of hiring activity during April and May. In August, we’re seeing an increase in the demand for full-time employees, now making up 34% of all hires—still 10 percentage points away from pre-pandemic levels.” The retail industry is going to be busy as they are in dire need of seasonal workers especially during the holiday season.

This is a good time to apply for jobs since job seekers often suspend their job search during the holidays and will be spending time with their loved ones. This often means that there is less competition for jobs however, this can also lead to missed opportunities. This also means that there will be fewer resumes to compete with, and your skills/experience may be a potential match to the employer (since many employers are STILL looking to fill their roles before the New Year).

It is completely understandable that job searching during the holidays are not meant for everyone. If you are one of the job seekers who are planning to suspend your job search for the season, you want to take this time to stay on top of your organizational skills. Revamp your resume and cover letter so that when you are back in your job hunt, you won’t have to stress over proofreading and overlooking the little details. Set yourself reminders, organize your notes/folders and prioritize your goals so that you can avoid making the same mistakes that you have previously made throughout your job search.

While it is important to spend quality time with your family and loved ones, if you are one of the job seekers who has too much free time — during your downtime, don’t forget to stay productive and continue your job search in hopes that your holiday gift will be landing a new job!

So, what if you were interviewed right before the holidays and are in the process of waiting to hear back? This is the most stressful stage for job seekers, especially for those who anticipate that they may not have gotten the job. But then, you don’t want to come off pushy. What is the best way to follow up? If you were out of the workforce for a while and want to reconnect/network, how do I approach them during the holiday season?

❄ Send Holiday Greeting Cards to Recruiters/Hiring Managers
࿏࿏ Not all recruiters/hiring managers will remember you since they have met a lot of other faces as well. Be sure to include a brief reminder of who you are, your point of contact at the company.
࿏࿏ As you pick out your holiday card, please be sure that the card is appropriate and generic.
࿏࿏ Not all job seekers will invest their time and effort to do this, so this can potentially set you apart from others.

❄ Discuss About Your Employment Status / Job Search At Holiday Gatherings
࿏࿏ It is important to let your friends, family and distant relatives know that you are looking for a job. You will never know who they may know. They may know of someone who is working at your target employer. Or, they may even be an employee of your target employer.
࿏࿏ Making new connections or re-establishing old connections can actually land you a job offer even by just casually speaking to them about what you are looking for.

❄ Use This Time As a Networking Opportunity
࿏࿏ Virtual fundraisers and virtual Zoom holiday parties with friends during this time allows you to connect and mingle with many like-minded individuals that you connect you to potential jobs that you want to work at.
࿏࿏ While it is a holiday party, make sure you don’t come off as too professional and stiff. Remember, this is a time to gather and enjoy your time with friends. You do not want to come off as desperate, however you just want this topic to casually arise in the conversation.

The Changing Landscape and Job Outlook in the Media and Entertainment Industry

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via ShingShing

Since pre-COVID-19, in this industry today — it is certain that digital will replace print. With consumers seeking for simple and swift methods of accessing content, this has led technology to advance rapidly. Many companies, let alone media giants and tech giants — are shifting toward Internet delivery, which will heavily increase online streaming and smart media more than it ever did before. According to Srijan, “apart from leading players like Netflix and Amazon, several others like Apple, Disney, HBO Max and WarnerMedia are joining the streaming domain, making it even more complex. There’s an increasing competition, coupled with the need to meet customer expectations.“

Moving forward from this point on, Deloitte highlights three critical issues to consider in 2021 for the industry — “1) Renewing the focus on customers’ needs; 2) Converging and remixing entertainment experiences; 3) Repositioning to monetize advanced wireless networks.” Check out their full report for more great insights on the job outlook for the telecommunications, media and entertainment industry!

While the trends in the industry are swiftly shifting, so will the career trends. Job seekers, if you are looking to pursue a career in the field — please refer to the chart I have created below regarding the job outlook between 2019 to 2029.
Disclaimer: All information are obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (I have included links for more information)

OccupationJob DutiesEntry-Level Education2019 Median PayJob Outlook between 2019 – 2029What To Do
Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators“Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.”Bachelor’s Degree
– $59,810 per year
– $28.76 per hour		“Overall employment of film and video editors and camera operators is projected to grow 18 percent (+12,400) from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The number of Internet-only platforms, such as streaming services, is likely to increase, along with the number of shows produced for these platforms. This growth may lead to more work for editors and camera operators.”How To Become One
Broadcast and Sound Engineering Technicians“Broadcast and sound engineering technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for media programs.”Post-secondary non-degree award or certificate– $45,510 per year
– $21.88 per hour		“Overall employment of broadcast and sound engineering technicians is projected to grow 9 (+13,200) percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected to stem from businesses, schools, and entertainment industries seeking to improve their audio and video capabilities. They will need technicians to set up, operate, and maintain equipment.”How To Become One
Editors“Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.”Bachelor’s Degree– $61,370 per year
– $29.50 per hour		“Employment of editors is projected to decline 7 percent (-8,700) from 2019 to 2029. Despite some job growth in online media, declines in traditional print magazines and newspapers will temper employment growth.”How To Become One
Multimedia Artists and Animators“Multimedia artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.”Bachelor’s Degree– $75,270 per year
– $36.19 per hour		“Employment of multimedia artists and animators is projected to grow 4 percent (+2,800) from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Projected growth will be due to increased demand for animation and visual effects in video games, movies, and television.”How To Become One
Photographers“Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images.”High School Diploma or Equivalent– $36,280 per year
– $17.44 per hour		“Employment of photographers is projected to decline 4 percent (-4,800) from 2019 to 2029.”How To Become One
Producers and Directors“Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, commercials, and other performing arts productions.”Bachelor’s Degree– $74,420 per year
– $35.78 per hour		“Employment of producers and directors is projected to grow 10 percent (+16,000) from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth in the motion picture and video industry is expected to stem from strong demand from the public for more movies and television shows, as well as an increased demand from foreign audiences for U.S.-produced films.”How To Become One
Reporters, Correspondents and Broadcast News Analysts“Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts inform the public about news and events.”Bachelor’s Degree
– $46,270 per year
– $22.25 per hour		“Overall employment of reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts is projected to decline 11 percent (-5,800) from 2019 to 2029. Declining advertising revenue in radio, newspapers, and television will have a negative impact on employment growth for these occupations.”How To Become One
Art Directors“Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions.”Bachelor’s Degree– $94,220 per year
– $45.30 per hour		“Employment of art directors is projected to decline 2 percent (-1,800) from 2019 to 2029. As traditional print publications lose ground to other media forms, employment of art directors is projected to decrease in the newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers industry.”How To Become One
Writers and Authors“Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media.”Bachelor’s Degree–
$63,200 per year
– $30.39 per hour		“Employment of writers and authors is projected to decline 2 percent (-3,100) from 2019 to 2029.”How To Become One
Announcers“Announcers present music, news, and sports and may provide commentary or interview guests.”Educational requirements for announcers vary. Radio and television announcers typically need a bachelor’s degree in journalism, broadcasting, or communications, along with other experience gained from internships or working at their college radio or television station. Public address announcers typically need a high school diploma with some short-term on-the-job training.– $39,790 per year
– $19.13 per hour		Overall employment of announcers is projected to grow 1 percent (+700) from 2019 to 2029, slower than the average for all occupations.How To Become One
Interpreters and Translators“Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language.”Bachelor’s Degree– $51,830 per year
– $24.92 per hour		“Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 20 percent (+15,500) from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Globalization and large increases in the number of non-English-speaking people in the United States will drive employment growth. Job prospects should be best for those who have professional certification.”How To Become One
Public Relations Specialists“Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent.”Bachelor’s Degree– $61,150 per year
– $29.40 per hour		“Employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 7 percent (+19,700) from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. The need for organizations to maintain their public image will continue to drive employment growth. Candidates can expect strong competition for jobs at advertising and public relations firms and organizations with large media exposure.”How To Become One
Technical Writers“Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily.”Bachelor’s Degree– $72,850 per year
– $35.03 per hour		“Employment of technical writers is projected to grow 7 percent (+4,300) from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will be driven by the continuing expansion of scientific and technical products. An increase in Web-based product support should also increase demand for technical writers. Job opportunities, especially for applicants with technical skills, are expected to be good.”How To Become One
via U.S. Bureau Labor of Statistic’s Occupational Handbook

Below I have asked a recruiting professional to provide some insight and updates about the media and entertainment industry as of today. Danny Gonzalez has been in the Recruiting industry since 2016. He started his recruiting career at Univision, a broadcast media company, where he has recruited for several roles within the business, i.e. Accounting, Finance, Public Relations, Sales, etc. He continued on with his experience and talent at JP Morgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, Amazon Web Services, LiveRamp and CyraCom.

Feel free to connect with Danny afterwards on LinkedIn.

Michelle: What does the future of the Media and Entertainment Industry look like in a post-pandemic world?

Danny: From a half glass full standpoint and depending on which services are being provided; both good and bad. Whether you are a TikTok influencer or a company like Netflix, the script has been flipped. Nielsen, a known and reliable resource for media giants, announced their plan to combine traditional and digital TV ratings, to accurately reflect a world in which audiences are watching TV both live and on-demand, across a variety of different streaming services and devices. I anticipate Marketing to be a very demanding profession in the next coming years.

Michelle: Many aspects of this industry heavily hinged on physical attendance to produce profits – such as sports arenas, concerts and movie theaters. But because of COVID-19, it has imposed restrictions on public gatherings. How will this affect their services?

Danny: Great question! It is true that these type of services that rely heavily on physical attendance, i.e. movie theaters. AMC took a huge hit and is still suffering from this, however, another company like Universal, are striking while the iron is hot. For example, their digital marketing has picked up through social media, and are inclined to the option to share their movies-on-demand. Streaming Services, i.e. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max more than ever are bringing in exclusive movies that you can only watch through their services. Most notably, Wonder Woman 1984 will be going straight to HBO Max with fans excited about this.

Michelle: What are the pros and cons of media shifting fully virtual?

Danny:

  • Pros — On-demand and access mean exactly that. No longer the need to wait in queues or tickets being sold out for events. 
  • Cons — While the price of a movie ticket may be on the high side, as a consumer, is the trade-off worth paying the same price to watch at home? There are certain experiences that are worth in-person vs. digitally. 

Michelle: On the bright side, the digital takeover makes a positive impact for consumers who are still committed to their TVs and online shows. Today, many consumers are viewing, sharing and listening to more online content and with COVID-19, it is forcing those who don’t use technology, to use technology. Do you think artificial intelligence and automated jobs will take over many existing jobs in the industry?

Danny: This has always been the thought/concern for several years now, however, it will take some time before we get there. In any event, I recommend folks to brush up on their communications skills now more than ever and see which tools are and have been the most efficient and effective, i.e. e-mail, phone, conferencing platforms, and whether to go with audio only or audio and visual.

Michelle: Where do you see opportunities for advancement/growth for this industry moving forward?

Danny: Personally, the opportunities that I see for advancement/growth in this industry moving forward are in —

  • Digital Marketing
  • Customer Service
  • Conferencing Platforms

Michelle: What is your advice for those who are interested in pursuing a career in the industry?

Danny: I totally encourage it!! In fact, there is a great organization, T. Howard Foundation, whose mission is to promote diversity in media and entertainment for underrepresented groups and underserved communities within the media and entertainment industry. Check them out!  I have personally engaged with the T. Howard Foundation and some of my family members and friends have secured job placements through T. Howard. Good luck!!!

Breaking Into the Tech Industry (Microsoft)

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via Dribbble

Emily Chan is a Talent Sourcer for Engineering and Operations at Microsoft. In Emily’s role, she pipelines top engineering talent through various online sourcing methods (her favorite one being LinkedIn) and find these candidates a home at Microsoft.

During her free time, you can find Emily drinking coffee, buying (too many) plants, and working on a passion project called Sparkline! Sparkline (formerly CEO Mindsets) is an initiative that focuses on empowering students to secure their dream jobs and internships through practical resume, interview, and networking tips. Recently, they have been hosting different workshops on personal branding, LinkedIn, etc. at different colleges and it’s really great to have the opportunity to interact with their audience.

Sparkline is looking forward to expanding their reach to more colleges in the new year! If you’re interested in collaborating with them, feel free to reach out at hello@sparklineco.com and they’ll work together to bring your idea to life!

Emily Chan (Talent Sourcer for Engineering and Operations at Microsoft)

Now, we will delve deeper into the Q&A below where I have asked Emily to provide her input for those who are looking to pursue a career in tech or those who are interested in heading into tech. Emily is excited to share a bit about the tech industry and offer some insight for those who are interested in breaking into this dynamic industry!

※ What are the kinds of careers that Microsoft offers for those who are interested in applying for a tech role there? What are the specific digital skills needed?

Microsoft offers a lot of different kinds of careers in tech – some examples are software engineering, mechanical engineering, hardware engineering, etc. You name it, Microsoft probably has a role. I specifically focus on recruiting for software engineers. In terms of skills needed for it, most of my roles require working knowledge of an object-oriented language like Java, C++, or C# and experience working with highly available and scalable distributed systems. There aren’t too many hard requirements because we recognize everyone has a different story and we want to focus on hiring engineers with a growth mindset and good potential!

※ Last month, Microsoft announced that they want to help create millions of tech jobs in the UK. How do you think this will help shape the industry?

This is an amazing initiative that will not only boost the tech industry, but help the UK’s economy as well. Technology is the future and businesses will only be able to sustain themselves if they include tech in their business strategies. This initiative will not only help expand and accelerate the path into the tech industry but will also aid in creating a more diverse talent pipeline in tech.

※ Is training offered for those who are looking to pivot their career direction or those with zero experience in tech?

Although Microsoft offers extensive training for new employees to learn our tech stack, we do expect candidates to know the fundamentals of computer science and to have some experience working in tech.

If you are a recent graduate with no experience in tech, I encourage you to apply to our amazing internship programs! That’ll help you get your foot in the door for full time opportunities.

If you’re in the middle of your career looking to switch into tech, I recommend either 1) going back to school to learn the basic fundamentals of computer science and then applying for our internships/full time roles or 2) taking a coding boot camp and gaining some industry experience at smaller tech companies before applying to Microsoft. 

※ How do you get your foot in the door?

Network, network, network! LinkedIn is a great place to get in touch with people working at your dream companies. Do some research about them and reach out for a coffee chat to learn more about them, the role, and the company. Build and maintain that relationship and more often than not, they’ll be happy to give you a referral. 

One disclaimer I want to make for this is that you want to make sure you meet all the basic qualifications first! If you don’t, you can network all you want, but it’ll be very hard to land the role. This is because those are the basic skills you need to succeed in that role and companies are not going to bring a candidate into situations where they won’t succeed.

※ What should a job seeker be aware of when working at a tech company?

Be comfortable with ambiguity and be able to adapt quickly. Things are always changing whether it be a customer requirement or a new technology.

※ How does the job market look currently for tech?

More now than ever, the tech space is growing at an increasingly fast rate. Especially with the pandemic, everything has shifted to virtual and people are relying more and more on tech. Companies are working on innovative products to adjust to the modern workplace and modern society so there is such a high demand for good engineers in the tech industry. It’s a really exciting time to be in this space!

※ Technology is one of the top growing industries currently. How much has it grown compared to pre-pandemic? What are the most in-demand careers and skills right now?

As I discussed earlier, tech is in demand now more than ever. Everything is virtual now and even after the world goes back to “normal,” a lot of things will remain virtual.

I can’t speak for different companies since the tech stack varies, but overall, Microsoft looks for working knowledge of an object-oriented programming language and industry experience with highly available and scalable distributed systems.

Why Mock Interviews are Helpful and Even More Crucial Right Now

Posted on by careerswithmichelle
Image via Freepik
  • Eight months later, we are still at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Job seekers WILL appreciate the opportunity to hear the much needed feedback on their interviewing skills. It is certain that there are questions that job seekers had since the start of the pandemic, that they awaiting for. This is a good time for interviewers to schedule a virtual interview using platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco Webex, especially career experts and coaches to patiently and holistically give job seekers their answer and provide them with insight on the job prospects.
  • You have another person (such as a career expert) who can give you so much insights on how to answer behavioral or situational questions, how to outline your strengths/weaknesses by providing some good examples and key takeaways, how to be more structured in your answers, etc. You can use those tools and their constructive feedback to practice on — before going on your actual interviews, such as telling good examples or stories with answers and telling stories in a concise and easy way to digest.
  • Job seekers will be able to gain more perspective on what they had initially perceived as impediments, such as their employment gaps and lack of professional experience. With the interviewer’s feedback, not only will the job seeker be able to gain more confidence with what experience he/she already had, but he/she will also have a better understanding on how to present their strengths (plural here!) and weaknesses.
  • You can always practice with a professional (like a career coach or a friend/family member who is very well rounded with the interview processes) who is great at giving constructive feedback that’s also actionable! Job seekers would appreciate this as they would love to hear more of the in-depth perspective from their interviewer’s side on why some of their answers weren’t as successful. One of the areas that interviewees often get stuck on is where specifically they can pull back or delve deeper into… and this depends on the type of questions they are asked and how they formulate their answers.
  • Job seekers will find it very helpful in their answers to questions where they lack confidence in themselves. They will most definitely use their interviewer’s ideas going forward in their job search. (Note to interviewer: Make sure your input is valuable and gives meaning to the job seeker!)
  • Obviously, mock interviews offer job seekers/interviewees this opportunity to practice with their interview skills. It is definitely going to be a wonderful/life changing experience for them to learn more about the things that they should be doing and not be doing in the actual interviews. When they have someone to practice with, it allows interviewers to catch things and point out mistakes that the job seekers did not catch or notice — and this is where their suggestions come in handy for the job seeker’s interview and resume. And this begins with the interviewer’s patience in answering all of the interviewee’s questions and concerns to set them up for success.
  • Many job seekers need that guidance and help with acing their actual interviews! To make it as informative and helpful as possible to the job seeker, interviewers should take their time to explain where the interviewee did well, where he/she needed to improve, and provide some examples/situations of how to handle certain interview questions.
  • Mock interviews allow job seekers to learn something and walk away with new knowledge and tools to use for their future interviews (for example, they may learn a new way of answering questions when it comes to identifying a problem and being able to articulate how they solved it). In a nutshell, job seekers will gain that valuable experience which felt “real”. More importantly, it should help the interviewee self-reflect. Not only does it help improve the way the interviewees answer questions or ask questions, however it will allow the interviewer to provide excellent critique of their resumes and body language, as well as tone. This will certainly help job seekers with future prospects, boost their confidence/speech as it will allow them to prepare more professionally.

How do you know when you are in good shape to make a case for your candidacy with employers?

  • You’re thoughtful and well spoken about your experiences and skills.
  • You’re creative and solution-oriented and offered a great example of such an instance.
  • You’re succinct and articulate in framing your experiences.
  • You prepared a number of stories and situations from your previous experience to concisely demonstrate skills and capabilities that the interviewers will be looking for.
    • You developed a strong pitch outlining how your experiences and strengths match the role’s job description.
  • You did a wonderful job in walking through your past work experiences in showing concrete and numeric examples of how you succeeded by training your storytelling muscle, as well as getting into the nitty-gritty of your projects.
  • You focused not only on your soft skills, but you strongly infused your responses for your hard skills/technical abilities.
  • You discussed about your strengths and weaknesses.

Suggestions on how to be more ready and how you can improve:

  • When describing these scenarios to your interviewer during the mock interview, you could definitely insert just a touch of levity to the story so that it would resonate that much more with the prospective audience.
  • If applicable, you can emphasize your past leadership experiences more, where you have led teams. This is a hard to come by skill and you have one or more instances that you can speak to. Be more assertive in announcing this experience. If you add more humility, you could advocate more for yourself by calling this out. You can also highlight your listening skills as having developed when you were leading teams, but also highlight that team leadership.
  • When providing examples from your past experience/s, you should outline the challenge or problem that you have faced, and then key levers that you used to resolve it. This framework will help the interviewer understand the situation from the outset and ensure the main points are lost in the story.
    • With more preparation, you can select examples that better demonstrate the challenges that you have previously faced and how you overcame them.
      • For example, managing deadlines. This example can be shaped to show the actions that you implemented and how you established visual tracking of work to confirm on time completion rather than focusing on frustration at missed deadlines.
  • Show that confidence when providing examples of your experiences. You can practice to be more confident, and show that — that you own your attractive skill set to prospective employers.
    • An example can be, how you conducted data analysis. Expand on it by highlighting your achievements and accomplishments, and not just mentioning what you did.
    • Sometimes job seekers may dilute these examples or apologize to their interviewer for lack of complexity, however you should remain confident in your experiences and present them as such.
  • You may have great experiences and past roles that position you well for upcoming interviews, but you will need to refine the way you deliver the examples to better demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the role.
    • Example: You may have experience on building pages during your tenure at Deloitte, but this example can be enhanced to demonstrate your executive communication development and experience, your ability to summarize complex issues as well as outcomes from your analysis and modeling.
  • Using the STAR Method could help you build your base and hit home on the results of your past work experiences/projects.
    • Tying this in with the concrete and numerical examples into your responses for the behavioral questions, could really drive home your skills and successes.

How To Land a Job at Spectrum and How The Process Works

Posted on by careerswithmichelle

Have you been laid off, permanently furloughed or looking to pivot into a new career in 2020? You may want to consider a career in cable because Spectrum is always looking to building a bright future in spite of change. They build it with their products and services, however they can’t build them unless they have people like you.

Below are Q&A’s that a recruiter has answered on behalf of the job seekers.

  1. Suppose you come in as a Customer Service Representative, with minimal experience from at least 6 months to 1 year. If you are looking to go into another department, do you offer training for that?
    ⦾ In fact, the customer service job posting only says you need 6 months of experience working with customers. It didn’t have to be from a call center and you don’t need to have a tech background. Once you go onboard, and generally after 6 months you go on an internal career progression.
    ⦾ There will be courses that you are required to take to move up. For example, in customer service – there are 4 levels of customer service. During your tenure, you do get merit increases but your bigger jumps in pay come as you complete the industry courses that we pay for and have you assigned to, so it’s really up to you where you go.
    ⦾ The key here is, once you get to Customer Service Level 4, that’s where you can start applying for let’s say a Floor Coach — which is lower than a Supervisor or you can decide whether you want to move over to the Quality Assurance Department, another department — but those are not internal progression roles. So for folks that are in the Customer Service Level 2 for two years, the company doesn’t prevent you from applying for a Supervisor — but in many cases, those who applied for the role, have already completed Customer Service Level 4, they’ve finished all their courses, and they’ve already moved over to Quality Assurance or something like that … so your internal competition tends to be as strong as you coming in externally, because you are competing with everybody who has the same and higher skills.
    –
  2. What percentage of Spectrum jobs require a college degree?
    ⦾ I will not be able to give you a specific percentage however, I’ve went through the number of departments I’ve been in — Sales, Customer Service, IT, Engineering, Field Operations, etc., but in all of those I can only recall where it’s a Manager or Director role where a degree is required.
    ⦾ Most of the other departments will say that they prefer an Associate’s or Higher, except for the Entry-Level roles. In their case, they prefer a GED or higher.
    ⦾ But remember, “prefer” doesn’t mean you can get the role without it because they will appear on every job you look on the website. It will either say “A degree is required” OR “With a degree OR equivalent experience”.
    ⦾ By enlarge, most people aren’t bringing in a degree when it’s lower than a manager or director. They’re bringing some technical certifications with them, they’re bringing a high school diploma/some college, because we are focused to train you ourselves. We’ve got so many courses that we want you to take, that the department offers. You’ll be trained to become an industry expert sometime within the first 5 years.
    –
  3. Does the Spectrum Careers page indicate the salary range?
    ⦾ No they don’t. However, I suggest that you check O*NET OnLine because Spectrum is a federal contractor and our jobs are linked to that website. So if you see a job title, let’s say 70,000 technicians and you see that their average salary is $30,000 a year. It gives you an idea.
    –
  4. I come from a Graphic Design background and I want to go into a career change — possibly heading towards becoming a future technician? Are there any trainings that Spectrum offers?
    ⦾ Yes and no. If you’re going for a different career, there’s going to be some minimum qualifications there. You will hear that you can create a Functional Resume that focuses on your career skills as opposed as to where you work.
    ⦾ Look at the job description as it’s posted and you’ll see all the skills on that job description that you know that you can do.
    ⦾ Once you craft that resume, you can show those skills and how long you’ve used them. And your work history will be on the bottom.
    ⦾ Once you upload that resume, the recruiter will go through that folder and the system will flag you (to have your resume looked at) because you have the skills that the job has posted. That is how you get your foot in the door, I’ll be straightforward as a recruiter; we are required to look at every single resume. We have to interview those who are the most qualified first.
    ⦾ Once you have those crossover skills that you have listed on your resume, it will increase your chances of getting noticed and that phone call for the interview since you are showing them that you can bring that talent, those skills, those tools to the table.
    ⦾ You will then fall into the range of 1-100 of being the most qualified because you are still competing with how many people applied to that position — how much experience and skills they have. There’s a little bit of luck in terms of changing roles as well.
    –
  5. Are there any trading schools for skills training related to what Spectrum is looking for in Field Tech? For example, if I want to become a low voltage technician?
    ⦾ Absolutely. Thankfully, there is the Workforce Investment Act that is funneled through the U.S. Department of Labor and the Workforce 1 stations where you can get training for those specific skills. You are capitalizing on what the federal government has already put in place.
    ⦾ So when we post a job for a technician, I’m going to be looking for someone who has about 6 months of technical experience where we typically find folks in that minimum range who graduated from APEX Technical School. Let me be specific. So a person who has graduated with a certification in low voltage from APEX Technical which is a 900 hour course, they may come in as Tech Level 1 if they have no other technical experience. But they are still considered because they have the minimum experience. So we interview that person. Again, don’t forget — it depends how many jobs that are there and how many people that applied at the same time.
    But I am the one who usually call those candidates myself — to bring folks in from Tech Level 1 so by the time they are in Tech Level 5, we train them up from the beginning. Generally, it would be $17.50 for this role.
    ⦾ However, if a person graduates with their Network+ certification, that’s going to start at $26.50 since they will come in as Tech Level 4. Now, you would have made a difference of starting at $17.50 an hour to $26.50 an hour — just by doing that on your own. We also pay for the courses. However, if you paid for them yourself you will now just start at a higher level.
    –
  6. If I do not have any experience. Will any trade school experience be credited? Are low voltage cable installer courses helpful?
    ⦾ APEX Technical, Comptia Network+, Comptia A+ Certifications, NEW (Non-Traditional Employment for Women), BICSI  – are all certificate programs / providers we like to interview for the entry-level Field Tech.   They will come in with only their Technical training cert between $17-$26.50 (depending on several variables).
    ⦾ Workforce Investment Act will pay for many of the training programs on your behalf through a Workforce 1 Center and their “training voucher” program. Stop by your WF1 office for details.
    –
  7. How much of a hindrance would something like a very long period of unemployment be in getting hired? No one would hire me because I have been unemployed for a while and my unemployment just keeps getting longer and longer because of this. It’s a vicious cycle.
    ⦾ It is, and I understand that 100 percent. Good thing I will tell here is, that answer will vary depending on what company you go to – but as of 2013, you might see on our website – that we do not discriminate against anyone based on their employment history.
    ⦾ Now, it’s not uncommon for people to be a Director and they’re applying for an entry-level role. Many employers will say they would be overqualified. However, Spectrum doesn’t do that.
    ⦾ Some of them who are out of the workforce for 4 or 5 years, many employers would say they are unreliable. Spectrum doesn’t do that. We only go based on the job description and your qualifications.
    ⦾ So if you apply for something within Spectrum that you’ve done or did in the past, you will get a call. You just have to be ready to perform and bring up those skills in you. You wouldn’t get declined based on your length of unemployment. You will get the offer or not, based on how you perform on the interview.
    –
  8. I saw a Customer Service position in a Spectrum store. Are they salary based or just commission based?
    ⦾ The Retail Store / Cable Store rep has both part time openings and full time openings.  There are two types of roles.
    ⦾ One is a Customer Experience Rep – that will be the title when it’s posted. It’s entry level and is wage based. No sales. You might also see it posted from time to time as a “store greeter”.
    ⦾ The Retail Store Rep is the other (so titled; in some areas of the country its called simply “Cable Store Rep”. NYC its called “Retail Store Rep”. This is also hourly wage. No upselling is a requirement for the role, however, should you upsell and close the sale, you would get commission on the upsell. So, in this case it’s “base + Commission” in practice, but technically, its just hourly wage.
    –
  9. Will AI automation take over all customer service jobs? I always prefer people to people.
    ⦾ Great question! And your suggest of preferring “people to people” indicates there will be in person service reps for the foreseeable future for us.  
    ⦾ Remember, Spectrum needs customers to be able to connect with their services and with the company in a way that best benefits the customer experience.
    ⦾ A number for customers are not tech savvy and still mail letters at the post office, and some are “customer service savvy” and would rather not wait in line for a chat or a phone call, so its easier for them to just go into the store, since they know that will be the solution to their problem anyway. And some are very Tech saavy, and would not want to speak with anyone in person, or via phone – they get their need met via chat only.
    ⦾ So for now, Spectrum Stores and store associates are an important part of the Charter organization. Additionally, we have the Customer Help Desk who uses both phone and Chat to manage customer needs.
    ⦾ Spectrum Store employees help the Sales & Marketing organization drive sales, retain customers and provide personal interaction and knowledge through exceptional customer service. With more than 3,500 retail employees and nearly 700 stores nationwide, Charter has more locations than many top retailers. To find a Spectrum Store near you, click here. You can also find some details on Cable Store Reps.
    ⦾ That said, while Call Center, and Cable Stores and the in-person experience are an essential customer link for us right now, as noted in the presentation, the future changes due to changes in consumer tastes and interests.  For sure we will anticipate the change, and adapt to it as need dictates in order to relevant.
    –
  10. Will they train and field technical without any background experience?
    ⦾ It’s not out of the question; and it has been done frequently in the past. However, the key factor here is how many spots do we have open when you apply.
    ⦾ Let’s say we have 100 Field Tech spots available. We fill 80 of them with people with some experience.  If we still have open spots and no new candidates with experience apply, then, the hiring managers start to look at “cross-over skills”… that is what OTHER skills do you bring as shown on your resume? Does your resume show a history of consistently sticking to your goals; do you stay on jobs for a long time or short; during the interview, did you come across as teachable and focused on success, or “just need a job” attitude.
    ⦾ So, technically, the answer is YES, but in practice, usually we don’t post so many Techs spots that we run out of candidates with “some” experience.
    –
  11. What if someone has over 20 years experience in customer service not call center experience?
    ⦾ That’s a win-win for us – depends how it works for you.
    ⦾ The customer Service – Video Repair rep is hourly pay; no commission or sales.  It currently pays $20/hr.
    ⦾ If you have 20+ years in customer service, customer account management, resolving customer concerns.  You’ll do well on the interview.
    ⦾ But, there is a computerized assessment you would have to first pass to get the interview.  The test is designed to answer the question, “Has this applicant the aptitude and / or experience to work in a call center?”
    ⦾ If you’ve worked in a call center (like 311, Geico, Telemarketing, Survey Center), for certain you’ll pass the assessment based on your experience alone – but if you’ve never worked in a call center but have the aptitude for it, you’ll still pass the assessment. But, if that really just isn’t your thing, for sure you wouldn’t pass the assessment – then, the system will notify you your application will not be moved forward.
    ⦾ If all of those factors work for you, then, you should give it a try and apply.
    –
  12. Is Spectrum currently hiring for interns in marketing/communications? If so, how much training is provided to assist new hires?
    ⦾ Yes and no.
    ⦾ We have an annual internship program across the country.  The internships post the first week of February, and interns are selected for the summer internship by May.  They start their paid internships in June and continue until the middle of august.  This year’s internship ended on Friday, August 14th, 2020.  We did have Marketing interns this year.
    ⦾ However, how the program works, is, in December, each department that WANTS to have an intern will submit the request for an intern at that time (to ensure it gets costed into the budget for the next year.)
    ⦾ Then, when budget review is complete, those departments whose budget allowed for an intern will then send a request to the Talent Acquisition department to secure an intern for the program.
    ⦾ So, while its very usual to have Marketing interns each year, it’s not ALWAYS the case, and we don’t actually know yet what departments will request interns. So, best bet is to wait till February, then visit the website and search for the word INTERN. All internship roles will be posted. Apply to the one you meet the job requirement.  (Generally, there is a lot of competition because very little experience is required – instead they are looking at educational goals, volunteer experiences, what you major currently is in school… that sort of thing. Obviously having some prior experience related to the Major will be a plus).
    ⦾ The only other option is Spectrum Networks usually has a 1 year internship. But, its not paid. You work in the Broadcast media division for 1 year as an apprentice – kind of, I should say. Then, a job full time job is offered to you after you graduate in the department you’ve been working in. It’s a lot of work, and not everyone’s cup of tea. But, it can work for the right person. It will also post usually in February when they have it.
    ⦾ In either case, though, training is part of the internship – its designed to give you real work experience in a role / department related to your degree.
    –
  13. What the hourly rate are for Customer Service Representative? How many hours per can you work? What are times for work schedule?
    ⦾ If you apply to the NYC locations for example, the CSR is $18.50/hr base pay + $0.75 for Night Differential base on shift
    ⦾ Current Training Schedule Six (6) weeks
    ⦾ 100% attendance mandatory
    ⦾ TUESDAY – SATURDAY 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
    ⦾ After Training Work Shift: 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm (anticipate having this shift for at least 6 months or more before having a chance to change shifts.) | (Two consecutive weekdays off, will be required to work Saturday & Sunday as part of the work schedule and most holidays)
    ⦾ Normally a 40 hr work week; but overtime is available at times. Generally, floor leadership will seek volunteers for overtime and Exceptional Employees sign themselves up for it.
    –
  14. How should I apply & what are recruiters exactly looking for on resume or cover letter?
    ⦾ Apply here: General job applications are found at the website : jobs.spectrum.com.   Once they apply, they can let you and I know, and I’ll take a look and offer advice or make connections deemed appropriate.
    ⦾ In general, a good resume must have : 1) Contact Section 2) Chronological Experience Section (covering at least the last 7 years), and 3) Education / Additional Skills, Certifications section

a.       I advise to read the job description first. Each job will have a section that shows “required qualifications/skills” and possibly a “preferred qualifications” section as well.

b.       The Resume MUST list how your job experience matched those hiring manager requested skills and experiences.  (other sections will include education and training as well.)

c.       Remember to list accomplishments as well on your resume – they should tell us

                                                               i.      What you did

                                                             ii.      How well you did it

                                                           iii.      Its impact on the business / project

So, the resume is the first chance the hiring manager gets to see if you can perform the duties of the role.  Use it as your marketing tool to highlight how you’ve done what they’re requesting.

The Hiring Process/Timeline on the NYC Real Estate Industry

Posted on by careerswithmichelle

Zoé Kellerhals-Madussi, the President of Sales and Marketing at LG Fairmont, was raised and educated in France, Switzerland, Italy and the United States, lending a multi-cultural and linguistic perspective to her client skills. With a degree in corporate communications and a specialization in luxury marketing, Zoé previously worked in marketing high end commercial real estate.

Leah Azizian, the Head of Business Development & Project Feasibility at the Developments Division at LG Fairmont, has recently launched a podcast called, “Real Estate Untapped” which is available on Spotify and Apple, featuring both conversations with other people both in and out of the real estate industry.

This podcast is definitely a humbling experience for those who are thinking about going into the real estate field or would want to learn more and her first quick episode speaks about why Leah joined the industry and what real estate means to her.

Below, I have interviewed
LEFT: Leah Azizian (Head of Business Development & Project Feasibility at the Developments Division at LG Fairmont)
RIGHT: Zoé Kellerhals-Madussi (President of Sales & Marketing at LG Fairmont)
to get their input regarding the hiring process/timeline

Please note that Leah is providing insight to prospective agents, or those seeking to join the industry, while Zoé is providing insight from the brokerage’s perspective.

  • For someone who is unsure about where to begin in real estate, what would your advice be for him/her? 
    • Leah — I’ve noticed over time that some people are interested in achieving a particular role (for example: becoming a developer, or real estate attorney), but still consider obtaining a real estate license first and becoming an agent in order to understand the fundamentals. While I can understand the thought process behind this, I usually advise against this. I believe that if you have a certain vision in mind, it’s best to connect with people who hold the position closest to what you are seeking. This way you’ll get the most clarity as to whether the vision you have for yourself is worth following through with.
  • For someone who is interested in becoming a real estate sales agent, how do they begin this process?
    • Leah — Once you have obtained your license, it’s time to choose a brokerage to associate yourself with. I generally advise to begin speaking with different brokers and/or brokerages before you officially obtain your license in order to get the wheel rolling. Make sure you take the time in every meeting to ask the right questions to understand the brokerage’s vision, team culture, and what’s expected of you. You can find a list of important questions here.
  • Is there room for advancement/professional growth?
    • Leah — Real estate agents by nature are independent contractors, and essentially work for themselves. So “professional growth” is defined as something else in the real estate field. It generally correlates more directly to personal career growth, than growth within the company. This can be seen with the type of clients you work with (for ex: progressing a higher end clientele), or the type of projects you choose to work on. A fair share of agents also choose to advance their career by partnering with the right agent or broker to establish a team together, and produce greater sales volume. However, depending on the brokerage you associate yourself with, there may be room for you to advance in helping the brokerage grow as a whole; this is usually most prevalent amongst younger firms that are still expanding.
  • Is training provided for an unlicensed realtor?
    • Leah — Generally, brokerages won’t associate you into their firm or provide training until you’re licensed. Once you are licensed though, it’s good to keep in mind that the level of training that each brokerage provides differs. Some will hold the hands of beginning agents more and provide extensive hours of training, while others will keep it to the basic necessities and encourage you to learn through experience. 
  • What kind of attitude would an ideal candidate possess? 
    • Zoé — At LG Fairmont, we seek a few attributes when hiring agents. Because the barrier of entry is so low in this industry, it is difficult to figure out who could be a good candidate based on their resume. Rather, character weighs in strongly. Because we are a small group, it is important that any new member is someone who we see will not only fit in but be an asset to the firm. The personality trait we seek is an entrepreneurial mindset. If you are someone who is willing to get your feet wet and do what it takes to become successful, you will fit in properly. Curiosity also goes hand in hand with that. Because real estate agents are independent contractors, they must be capable of asking questions at all times to learn the most possible. If you are not curious and you are not a go-getter, you will not be successful in this industry. 
  • What are the challenges that they will face in the industry?
    • Zoé — The biggest challenge in this industry is the lack of stability. There are constant ups and downs. Mostly, you will do this on your own. No matter what firm you join, if you don’t understand the importance of proactively seeking a circle of allies, you will be on your own. The lack of stability will make you a very strong person but it will also create moments where you need to step out and breathe. I believe one of the most important roles I provide as President of Sales and Marketing is to consistently find better ways to tackle that lack of stability. That is the biggest role of a brokerage: to tackle the instability and create a support system that will be reflected in your pipeline. The busier you are, the more stability you create.
  • What sets LG Fairmont apart?
    • Zoé — Let’s be honest: every brokerage offers similar services. Many times, clients believe that because you are an agent from a firm they recognize, the agent will be better. This is the power of marketing. It does not reflect the truth though. Agents that do not offer great services can be found anywhere. Fantastic agents can also be found across the industry. As I mentioned before, what we are constantly seeking to improve at LG Fairmont is how to help agents create stability and successful careers. This includes leads, a fair and open split system, a management team that is always there to help, marketing, and a boutique atmosphere. We also do not believe in upfront costs for agents so you do not pay a desk fee with us. 
  • Real estate agents have to put on multiple hats. How do they get all of this work done?
    • Leah — Being an independent contractor provides you with a certain liberty that other career paths don’t, but it can be easy to get caught up in the moment and work on tasks that either won’t monetize well or provide you with long term value. It’s important to train yourself to stay as organized as possible, and prioritize the tasks that align most with the goals you are aiming to achieve. I usually pause throughout the day and ask myself whether I am working on the tasks that currently matter most. 
  • How are real estate agents paid?
    • Leah — Real estate agents get paid through commission only, that is earned upon closed deals. 
  • How do you land your first client? And continue to build that network?
    • Leah — You can land your first client through anywhere and everywhere. Real estate is a people’s business, built on trust. You don’t need an extensive network to land your first client. All it takes is one person who you know and trust, to refer you to someone looking for a home. You continue to build your network by focusing on building wholesome relationships with others. If your focus is on meeting others, and building relationships, the clients will follow.