Here are six ways to keep your skills current.

Check out the most in-demand skills

Look at job titles and postings for positions in your field to find out what the most desired skills are. Search job sites for jobs like yours, and your dream job, to see what skills you’d need to develop. Read blogs, journals and articles related to your field to learn as much technical material as possible.

Chat with HR

Ask the human resources staff at your company to find out what skills they’re looking for when they hire someone in your profession. Find out what experiences or certifications the top employees at your company have and target those accomplishments.

Make a plan

Once you identify the skills you need to master to advance your career, make a plan to enhance them. Check into professional associations to see what types of educational opportunities they offer or suggest.

Attend a workshop

Look into workshops, webinars or online tutorials that might be offered by other software companies and other organizations. These are great ways to gain information about new products, platforms and services. There’s a wide range of topics and skill levels that are offered, many for free or a small fee. Attending a conference in person is really valuable, too. Not only is this a great chance to network, you can also chat with your peers and mentors who’ve actually used some of these new skills and technologies. They can offer advice and anecdotes that you can learn from.

Go to school

Check with colleges and continuing education programs to see what kind of course and seminars they offer to help update their skills. Check to see if there are any your company recommends or will sponsor.

Volunteer and share

Ask to take on projects either at work or at nonprofit organizations where you can practice the skills you’ve been working on. Document the output of the skills you’re trying to hone in a portfolio so you can justify that promotion or new job. Share what you know by teaching it to someone else. By helping others problem solve and fielding their questions, you’ll help to solidify your own understanding. Consider sharing through tutorial videos, blog posts or by presenting at seminars or workshops. Again, not only are you mastering the subject, you’re also getting your name out there and developing a network of peers.

For more tips on how to further enhance your skills and advance your career, contact us today.

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Here’s the difference between the two and the best ways to exhibit them.

Hard skills

Hard skills are skills that are teachable and measureable and usually acquired through books and other learning materials—perhaps a course or on-the-job training. Applying them takes logic and knowledge of math, accounting, biology, finance, statistics or some other studied and practiced field.
Some examples include proficiency in a foreign language, typing speed, machine operation, computer programming or proofreading. Often, an aptitude in one of these skills results in a degree or certificate.

On your resume

These can easily be listed in your cover letter or on your resume in a very straightforward manner. They’re easy for a recruiter or employer to recognize, assess and verify. A master’s degree, for example, is easy to prove with a phone call to the awarding college or university. A mastery of computer programming is easy for an applicant to demonstrate by sharing something they created.

Soft skills

Soft skills, on the other hand, are more subjective qualities that are hard to quantify. They’re not necessarily taught in schools, but acquired through emotional intelligence or life experiences. Some examples include effective communication, networking and how you build interpersonal relationships. An interviewer might be trying to assess how well you demonstrate empathy or whether you work well in a team. Some of that can be listed on a resume, but most of it would probably best be determined with in-person interactions.

In an interview

Other soft skills that employers and recruiters look for are patience, flexibility, leadership, self-motivation, problem-solving abilities, decision making, creative thinking, time management, a solid work ethic, confidence and the ability to handle stress and pressure situations. Again, most of these traits can be conveyed in an interview or by contacting references and prior supervisors.

Both are necessary

Both skills are necessary for any position and play essential roles in the development of your career, but employers often prefer candidates with certain soft skills because they can more easily teach the hard skills, like how to use Excel or another computer program. Often soft skills are more important in business professions, particularly in leadership positions while hard skills might be more valuable in technical jobs.

The hard skills—certifications and qualifications—listed on your resume might get you noticed or land you the interview, but the soft skills are usually what help you get hired.

For more information on how to land your dream job, contact us today.

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Build your team

Select the best people from the start and figure out how to organize them into a high-functioning team. Get to know your employees as individuals and learn what they want and how you can mold their given desires and skills into tasks and responsibilities that power your team. Learn to delegate and clearly communicate your expectations. In the long run, it’s worth investing the time to teach them how to do things you could easily do. The more time you save by delegating, the more time you can devote to advancing and evaluating team goals.

Motivate your team

Encourage your employees to work hard by acknowledging their successes and efforts. Be patient with their failures and don’t dwell on imperfections or what’s lacking. Instead, praise the process and improvements they’ve made. Show them you value their well-being and they’re more than just a bottom line, and they’ll be motivated to do their best work.

Communicate with your team

It’s important to let your team know pertinent information, including clear direction toward company goals. Give feedback and constructive criticism with care—one uncomfortable conversation can correct a serious problem in the long term. A good manager listens to their employees as much as possible and validates and responds to concerns appropriately. Schedule one-on-one meetings—they don’t have to be all business; a simple 10-minute coffee run is plenty sometimes. You want to check in, hear feedback and show you’re engaged and committed.

Build trust

Be prepared to be a leader, not just a manager. Lead by example to show you’re committed to company goals, too. You’re human, so bravely acknowledge your weaknesses. Let your employees know you look to improve yourself in the same ways you expect them to.

Empower your team

 An ideal manager develops a team of competent problem solvers, not powerless minions who rely on them to solve every little problem. Help your employees grow and learn to handle issues and hiccups on their own, so you can be more hands-off and focus on more important matters.

For more tips on how to effectively manage a team, contact us today.

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CulverCareers partners with employers to help them win today’s fierce war for talent and build powerfully talented teams. As a result, many of Culver’s rapidly growing, recently funded and newly public clients have become household names. Perhaps the strongest testament to CulverCareers’ abilities, however, is their partnership with other recruiting firms. In fact, six of the top 10 recruiting companies in the U.S. engage CulverCareers when they need top talent!

Timothy Culver, CEO, states, “We are extremely proud of this honor. It is nice to be recognized by a publication as universally respected as Forbes.” When asked to comment on what sets CulverCareers apart from the other recruiting firms, Mr. Culver replied, “Recruiting is about transparency, integrity, values, sophisticated search and hard work. In my 38 years of business, the one thing that keeps reoccurring is the fact that recruiting and executive search is not a commodity that can be canned and sold. It is a sophisticated, complicated art that is ever-changing. We are good at what we do because we have experienced recruiters who respect these principles.”

This honor is just one of many CulverCareers has recently received. Earlier this year, they earned one of Inavero’s Best of Staffing^® Client and Talent Diamond Awards, after winning the Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards at least five years in a row for providing superior service to their clients and job seekers. CulverCareers has also been recognized as an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private U.S. Company twice, the San Diego Small Business of the Year, and a winner of the California Small Business award.

About CulverCareers

For over 38 years, CulverCareers has partnered with some of the most dynamic, fastest-growing companies in the U.S. Specializing in the placement of sales, marketing, manufacturing, technology and management professionals with salaries ranging from $50,000 to $400,000 annually, their targeted search markets cover most of North America, as well as Great Britain and select European countries. In 2017, the executive search firm was named a winner of Inavero’s prestigious Best of Staffing Diamond Award highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality, placing them in the top one percent of recruiting firms in North America.

For more information, visit www.culvercareers.com.

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Keep it as professional as possible, so avoid friends and family. Focus on three to five people who can speak to your work ethic, skills, education and performance. Here are the people you should include.

Former supervisor

A former boss can attest to your reliability and performance, but don’t feel like you have to include them. If they don’t know enough about your abilities and accomplishments to speak well of you, leave that person off the list—especially if you left the company on bad terms. And do not use your current employer if they’re unaware you’re seeking a new job. Hearing from a competing company is probably not a good way to find out!

Former co-workers

Your co-workers can speak about your diligence, problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate. Since they worked with you every day, they might even be better references than a supervisor.

Friends

Although you generally want to avoid listing personal relationships, a friend or family member might be appropriate if that person was your manager at one point or is employed by the company you’re currently applying to. They can at least speak knowledgeably about your strengths, weaknesses and fit for this position.

Faculty members

If you’re a new graduate with little work experience, it’s acceptable to use a former professor or advisor, particularly if they taught you in a field related to the job you’re applying for. If you’re still in contact with them, high school teachers or coaches are also appropriate. Other students are acceptable if you worked closely with them on long-term group projects.

Volunteer supervisors

If you’ve volunteered regularly at a nonprofit organization, be sure to list your supervisor or contact person there. Volunteering is impressive and increases your chances for getting hired, so it’s important to mention.

How to go about it

Always ask your references first if it’s okay to use them. When a hiring manager asks for a list of references, remind those people they might be hearing from someone about you. Inform them what kind of position you’re applying for and give them a copy of your resume. Be sure to point out any skills or accomplishments you want them to mention. Keep them updated and thank them for their help with this process.

List your references on a separate sheet of paper, not on your resume. Include each person’s name, professional title, relationship, company name, company address, phone number and email address. Only provide your list if the hiring manager requests it, but always have it with you!

At CulverCareers, we understand the importance of choosing the right people as references. Contact us today for more information.

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Here are five important steps to help you stand out and land a real-life interview.

1. Get Organized

Request a specific time when you know you can chat without interruptions or distractions. Set up a quiet space with paper and pen, a copy of your resume, cover letter, and job posting to refer back to.

Use a landline if possible, and don’t answer your call waiting during the interview. Have a clock handy so that you can make sure you’re not rambling. Your first response should be about two-to-three minutes.

2. Be Prepared

Research thoroughly about the company beforehand. Research shows that a candidate is truly interested in the opportunity. The more research a candidate does the better. Make sure you understand what the company does and the job description. Be prepared to explain how your skills and accomplishments make you a good fit. You might want to outline your responses to common interview questions in advance, but be careful not to read from a script.

As for salary, be prepared to discuss salary, but don’t be the one to bring it up. Know what you deserve to be paid and be ready to negotiate. They should know that you’re interested but still desirable.

3. Keep Notes

Jot down the names and positions of everyone interviewing you, so you can give personalized replies. Repeat the question in the final sentence of your answer and use verbal cues such as “finally” or “ultimately.” Communicate thoughtfully and make sure you sound positive and interested. Listen carefully and never interrupt.

4. Be Enthusiastic, Stand Up and Smile!

Answer the phone promptly and politely. Smile and exude friendliness. Even without being able to see you, the interviewer can detect your level of enthusiasm. Stand up or sit straight so you sound more confident. Speak clearly, slowly, and directly. Allow for silences and chances for your interviewers to take notes and absorb what you’ve said.

5. End It with Affirmations

As the call is wrapping up, reaffirm your qualifications and interest in the company. Ask where you stand and what the next steps are. Ask for everyone’s contact information so that can send follow-up questions and thank you notes. Have a calendar ready and suggest a few days when you can visit for a next interview.

While on a phone interview, remember to be prepared with questions, take notes and be enthusiastic. For more information on landing your dream job at your dream company, contact us today.

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