Kavaliro Featured on FOX Charlotte

May 15th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

Kavaliro’s Senior Resource Manager Matt Rowles sat down with FOX Charlotte to give recent graduates advice on entering the workforce.

Kavaliro Employment Agency has offices in Tampa, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., Orlando, Fla. and Washington, D.C. and can make sure you find the right people for this important role. We are ready and waiting to help you anytime and look forward to hearing from you.

Personal Mission Statement

May 8th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” – Marianne Williamson

As a resume writer, one of the first questions we ask a new client is, “What is your ideal job?” Even though we interview high-level executives with decades of experience in their chosen field, it is surprising how many spontaneously reveal their unfulfilled dreams. Sometimes their unrealized passions contradict societal paradigms of success and/or diverge from the career evolution their original resumes convey. Yet promptly, such an impulsive confessional is erased with a chuckle and air of sarcasm as they change their tone and launch into a discussion of their more pragmatic career goals.

Even if they have captured millions of dollars in annual revenue and their achievements surpass competition, some clients still struggle to articulate their true purpose and the unique value they bring to a corporation. A hiring manager may contemplate in response to their modesty and ambivalence, “Is this person in the wrong field? Do they have a clear direction in life?”

Also, many job seekers are apprehensive of acknowledging their greatness and the marketable value of their contributions. Sadly, they underplay their achievements and potential. As their resume writer, I wonder, “Are they afraid of their true power and are they lacking in self-worth?” Due to their modesty, they often fear taking ownership of their accomplishments. As a result, their resume is diminished and hiring managers will not realize the full potential they could bring an enterprise.

To remedy this, I advise building a mission statement to engage in the self-assessment needed to empower a career direction and to connect with a unique purpose. A concise yet compelling mission statement may also allow you to identify companies that have similar values. It may help to better analyze the costs and benefits of a new career opportunity. Lastly, such an exercise will crystallize one’s true self and talents with integrity and free of societal expectations.

A personal mission statement infuses you with the power to manifest personal vision in your life. It is a method of synergizing your unique abilities, authentic truth, and the person you are in the process of becoming.

Remember to be patient with yourself. Conjuring a personal mission statement shall merely provide the steps and inspiration you need to create a life and a career that revolves around your own truth. The process of crafting your statement may spark the motivation needed to fulfill your highest potential.

It will also bestow upon you the clarity needed to apply for the companies which truly resonate with your calling and purpose in this world. Your career search will be more proactive and driven by the enthusiasm of bringing your unique talents to the corporation, which shall inevitably enhance client satisfaction and value to shareholders.

So, the question remains, how do you concoct a powerful, personal mission statement? Consider the following steps:

1. Imagine that you have unlimited wealth, influence, and the ability to manifest anything you want. Yet, even with such luxuries and power, you are still obligated to pursue a profession. If money was not an issue and you have no limitatations whatsoever, what would you do with your life?

2. Envision your version of the perfect work day. Where would you be working? What projects would you pursue? What type of people would you interact with? What would give you a deep sense of fulfillment by the end of the day? Write down your story of a day in the life of your dream job.

3. Author your own obituary. Compose the succinct version of your contributions to this world during your time on earth. What has been important to you? What difference did you make to your clients, company, community, and society as a result of your profession? Consider what you would like your descendents to remember you by for generations to come.

4. Identify three or four of the greatest accomplishments in your career. Consider your most significant achievements which truly transformed a company where you have worked. Utilize as many quantifiable details as you possibly can and construct your answers in a results-oriented perspective.

5. Clarify your core values. Some people operate according to a spiritual compass and others fulfill a set of principles to live by according to their philosophies. Contemplate what you stand for and what you believe to be your truth. Write about the actions you are taking to fulfill these principles on a daily basis.

6. What inspires you? Consider the qualities they possess and of which you strive to emulate. They may be people you know on a personal level, or famous individuals who are known for their achievements. Compose a list of their admirable qualities.

7. Write about ways you can make a difference to the ideal company or organization of your dreams. Describe how you could add value to not just the corporation but to society as a whole when actualizing your specific talents and skills.

8. Make a list of your top goals, both professionally and personally. Write them with absolute confidence that one day they will be fulfilled.

Now, you are ready to write your personal mission statement. Study the answers you have composed to these questions and hunt for recurring themes that arise. Also, circle words you have repeated in order to discern subconscious patterns revealing what is important to you. Keep in mind that it would be useful to construct a mission statement that is short enough to memorize. As you evolve as an individual, your mission statement should be revised as well. You are a work-in-progress. Each day can become a masterpiece by practicing this invaluable self-assessment tool.

Guest author, Victoria Andrew, CPRW and Owner/Director of Words Prevail, LLC www.wordsprevail.com

Victoria Andrew offers resume writing solutions and will be happy to help position new grads for career campaign success with her diverse portfolio of services.

Social Media Marketing for New Grads

May 1st, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

At its foundation, social media is a set of technologies and channels targeted at forming and enabling a potentially massive community of participants to productively collaborate. IT tools supporting collaboration have existed for decades. Yet, social-media technologies, such as social networking, wikis and blogs, enable collaboration on a much grander scale and support tapping the power of the collective in ways previously unachievable.
Six core principles underlie the value of social-media solutions and serve as defining characteristics setting social media apart from other forms of communication and collaboration. Principles include:

Participation
Collective
Transparency
Independence
Persistence
Emergence

Social media can include text, audio, video, images, podcasts, and other multimedia communications. Ultimately, it can be an effective tool to help with your job search. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn enhance and expedite your hunt for a new job.

For Generation X/Y, social media networking serves as the most potent catalyst to forming the vital partnerships, visibility, and opportunities needed to penetrate the job market for the first time.

Consider the following sample sites and exercises for working your networking muscles:

1) InternshipRatings.com

Thinking about applying for an internship? Wondering what kind of experience you’re going to get out of that internship? Internships are the most important thing students can do to prepare for their career, especially if you choose the ones which will grant you the important transferable skills needed for your future career. Internship Ratings offers you reviews from students that have already been through internships and know how valuable they are.

Activity:

Log on and create a free account with www.internshiprating.com.Complete a quick and easy survey to rate different aspects of your current and previous internships, including the level of “real life” experience, compensation, and networking opportunities you have garnered so far in your education and early career. Then, add a comment to describe a specific experience from your internship in more detail.

Ultimately, this site is a quintessential way to weed out the internships that will be a waste of your time and shall catapult you into the ones that will actually benefit you personally and professionally.

2) Create a Blog

Blog about whatever interests you – music, books, politics, sports, food, whatever it may be. In the perspective of social media networking for your career search, the content is not as important as revealing that you are opinionated and confident enough in your writing to share it with a community of online readers. You definitely garner bonus points too if you’re able to create a blog that has a substantial following, as this demonstrates an entrepreneurial side that most employers love.

Activity:

Write a list of ideas, topics, and issues you feel passionate about. Our of your lists of interests, passions, and even obsessions, choose one you can confidentially write about on a weekly (or even daily) basis. Then, set up a blog in just a few key strokes by utilizing services such as WordPress or Blogger. You shall definitely get bonus points if you’re able to create a blog that has a substantial following, since this shows an entrepreneurial side most employers appreciate.

3) Create a LinkedIn Profile

For those of you that don’t know. LinkedIn is essentially a Facebook for professionals. You’re able to provide a skeleton version of your resume and you can also connect to any professional or work-related relationships you have developed throughout the years. Employers are able to see this version of your resume, interests you have, and also the people that you’re connected with. By creating this profile, employers are able to see how you interact and communicate with other professionals like yourself.

Activity:

Launch your own LinkedIn profile! Even if you feel you have miniscule professional/corporate experience as a recent graduate, take inventory of your achievements in internships, volunteer work, and classroom projects producing quantifiable results. Having a profile will demonstrate a level of professionalism, ambition, and sophistication over and above typical college graduates.

4) Create a Twitter account

Twitter is an excellent way to get yourself involved in the community, show your thought process, and your opinions on many different subjects. Yes, you can tweet that you’re going to eat a sandwich or that you’re dressed in a red boa for Gay Pride, but we would recommend tweeting more on your thoughts, opinions, revelations, and discoveries on the job search quest. Employers will thus see that you’re an intelligent individual and that you’re able to communicate effectively, even if it’s only in the form of 140 characters.

Activity:

Create your own Twitter account and resist the temptation to tweet about trivial, everyday life experiences. Push yourself to a new level and tweet only about your career interests and job search. Demonstrating such discipline and restraint will set you apart from the crowd and reveal a higher level of sophistication than others your age.

Fine-tune your list of potential network contacts and set a goal to contact a certain number each week or month. Arrange to meet with as many contacts as possible, and always ask each one for more referrals. Send thank you notes, and update your contacts regularly on your progress.

Ultimately, job seekers should aspire to take advantage of any extra edge that they can get. Capitalizing social media is an excellent way to get your name out there, to brand yourself, and also to potentially network with future employers or references. By taking the fullest advantage of social media, the world shall be your oyster.

Guest author, Victoria Andrew, CPRW and Owner/Director of Words Prevail, LLC www.wordsprevail.com

Victoria Andrew offers resume writing solutions and will be happy to help position new grads for career campaign success with her diverse portfolio of services.

Four Reasons Why Job Seekers Need to Be on Social Media

April 24th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

In the relatively recent dawn of social media, employers have more access to information on job candidates than ever before– and don’t think they aren’t taking advantage of it. Forbes reported that one in five technology industry executives didn’t hire a potential candidate because of their social media profile.

It’s time to give a more optimistic look into social media and what it can do for job seekers. Here are four reasons why you should have a Facebook/LinkedIn/Twitter when beginning your career search.

1. Develop Your Personal Brand
It’s almost a guarantee an employer will Google you. When applying for a job, you’re essentially marketing yourself and advertising your personal brand. Social media profiles allow you to define how your brand is portrayed. LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook profiles are all easy branding initiatives. This seems like a no-brainer, however according to The Student Career Development Study, 93 percent of Millennials don’t understand personal branding. Despite having more than 95 percent on Facebook, only 34 percent of Millennials have LinkedIn profiles. Regardless of profession, it’s important to have a presence on LinkedIn, as it serves as a professional connection to your social brand.

2. Show Your “Organizational Fit” with the Company
Social media for companies is all about their brand’s voice. If an employer can look at an applicant’s blog or LinkedIn profile, they can identify if your voice matches with their’s. In a study issued by Youtern, recruiters hired 68 percent of candidates because a social networking site gave a “positive impression of their personality and organizational fit.” Having a positive voice and attitude on all social media channels is just as important as the experience listed on a resume.

The culture of a company is just as important as the job itself. It’s critical to make sure your values align with company values so it makes for a perfect match. For example, if an employer doesn’t see eye-to-eye with you in regards to business ethics then it might not be the best fit. A company’s social media page gives great insight into their culture and values. Connecting with businesses socially can help narrow down your list of jobs to apply to and help focus on the ones you could really flourish in professionally.

3. Establish Yourself as a Social Connector
Often companies consider your social influence as an advantage against other applicants. By establishing an online reputation you become valuable to a business. Brand ambassadors are crucial to businesses utilizing social channels as gateways for communication. It’s important for organizations to have ambassador type employees both internally and externally. Potential customers or clients will think about the relationships you’ve built through your social presence when they’re deciding where to do business. Social media is all about making real connections between a brand and its audience. The only way to make these connections is through trust and friendship created through social networking.

4. Social Media Savant
Social Media is a skill. More companies are recognizing the necessity of social branding and jobs are being created to incorporate it into all aspects of business. Employers are searching for web-savvy candidates skilled in communication and analytics. Social media profiles give visible proof of your abilities. The numbers of jobs or internships listed on a resume aren’t the only variables now looked at when applying for a job. Social media experience and skills give recent graduates and job seekers a leg-up over other candidates and provide a boost to a resume that has limited job experience.

Kavaliro Employment Agency, has offices in Tampa, Charlotte, Orlando and Washington, D.C. and can make sure you find the right people for this important role. We are ready and waiting to help you anytime and look forward to hearing from you.

Objective Statement vs Powerful Branding Statement

April 16th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

According to the outdated format of resume writing, a candidate for a new job should open their resume with an objective statement to describe their personal and professional goals. However with the aggressive and innovative methodologies of Words Prevail, we have reinvented the concept of an objective statement and have transformed the practice into a “branding statement” for the resumes we compose for our clients.

What exactly is a branding statement?

It is a powerful and succinct statement utilized in the beginning of one’s resume to demonstrate what sets you apart from your competition.

In a volatile economy with skyrocketing unemployment rates, it is preeminent to differentiate yourself from thousands of other candidates. In traditional objective statements, a job description is basically reiterated and is an indication of how you will fill an organizational hierarchy. In a branding statement, you are composing a memorable, brief statement on your greatest strengths and talents, as well as sharing information on who your expertise will serve. It is basically a statement of positioning and targeting.

Consider the following examples where we compare and contrast a boring, outdated, traditional objective statement with an exciting, proactive, and eye-catching branding statement:

Example 1: The targeted position is for an HR Director

Outdated Objective Statement:
Seeking a HR Management position where my professional experience and education will allow me to make an immediate contribution as an integral part of a progressive company. Wishing to apply my business experience and education to assist the company in the accomplishment of its goals.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail:
Senior Human Resources Executive creating employee-oriented, high-performance culture emphasizing diversity, goal attainment, and superior workforce optimization. Utilizes process-oriented approach to transform struggling organizations in cross-cultural, rapid growth environments and leads award-winning training management strategies.

Example 2: The targeted position is for a Director of Marketing

Outdated Objective Statement:
Seeking a marketing management position with an organization where demonstrated skills in marketing, administration, and sales can be utilized to increase profitability and to promote growth.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail Resume Writers:
Senior Marketing Executive leveraging entrepreneurial vision, branding, and eCommerce specialization to deliver lucrative results for rapid-growth corporations. Identifies long-term opportunities to produce high-impact ROI and increase customer outreach with cost-centric solutions. Elevates usability, traffic, and security.

Example 3: The targeted position is an Accounting Manager in Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis

Outdated Objective Statement:
Seeking a financial planning and analysis position where I can prepare financial and business-related analysis and research in such areas as financial and expense performance, rate of return, depreciation, working capital, and investments.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail Resume Writers:
Financial Planning and Analysis Manager improving capital structure, shareholder value, and business growth. Uncovers financial and operational performance trends, devising corrective actions, reducing capital spending, and orchestrating analytical tools. Skilled in acquisitions, divestiture planning, and restructure planning.

Example 4: The targeted position is for a Senior Sales Professional (Pharmaceutical Representative)

Outdated Objective Statement
Seeking a senior sales position to sell product lines, be a reliable source of information, and support the promotional effort behind products. Demonstrates great interpersonal effectiveness and grows revenue.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail Resume Writers:
Senior Sales Executive leveraging expertise in partnership building, territory penetration, and market share acceleration. Catalyzes revenue generation and drives new product launches, resource acquisition and utilization, and brand awareness while steering companies to capitalize on new opportunities with entrepreneurial strategy.

Example 5: The targeted position is for a Senior Geologist and Project Manager with American Geotechnical, Inc

Outdated Objective Statement
Seeking a position to study the science of geology and apply it to construction, planning environmental measures, and exploring sources for coal, metal, petroleum, and natural gas. Manages teams effectively and provides great customer satisfaction.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail Resume Writers:
Senior Geologist/Project Manager leveraging expertise in engineering, natural disaster analysis, sedimentology, petrology, remote sensing, and historical geology tours. Steers development of geologic maps, boring logs, cross-sections, and proposal preparation. Drives customer-focused solutions and delivers insight on current industry issues/trends to fortify retention and satisfaction levels.

Example 6: The targeted position is for a Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSSE) Manager with Tropical Bioenergia, S.A.

Outdated Objective Statement
Seeking a HSSE position to plan, coordinate, and implement issues and directives within an organization. Ensures safe environmental working conditions for all employees.

Powerful Branding Statement by Words Prevail Resume Writers:
Environmental, Safety, Health, and Sustainability Executive driving strategic planning to identify and minimize environmental impacts and create measurable financial value. Catalyzes corporations to take social and economic responsibility by launching risk management solutions, enhancing core business competitiveness, and amplifying value to stakeholders, employees, and multinational enterprises.

~~~
In order to be called upon for opportunities and to have your resume outshine the thousands of other applicants, you need to demonstrate a specific area of expertise. To survive and thrive in a digital world and volatile economy, you have to choose a topic and master it. Your branding statement should reflect this in a dynamic way.

Guest author, Victoria (Tori) Andrew, CPRW and Owner/Director of Words Prevail

Hiring Extroverts and Introverts

April 9th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | One comment

“Stop the madness for group work!” says Susan Cain, author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” The key for recruiters is to find an employee that strikes the perfect balance between introversion and extroversion: someone who may be a little bit quirky and eccentric, who thinks independently and creatively, and may even conjure up some outrageous, outside-of-the-box business ideas, yet can also fit seamlessly into the company, department, and position; and ultimately work as a team.

According to Cain, most people display characteristics of both introversion and extroversion, but tend to lean towards one personality trait. In a recent “TED Talks” video, Cain explains that our society exalts extroversion in the workplace, but overlooks the power of introversion.

Extroverts are gregarious, talkative, curious, outgoing, energetic, positive, cooperative, compassionate, vulnerable, need a lot of stimulation, open to new experiences, methodical in their discipline, and aim for achievement. If recruiters are looking to fill positions in politics, teaching, sales, managing, or brokering, then choose a candidate with more extroversion features.

On the other hand, introverts are reflective, solitary, trustworthy, analytical, inventive, cautious, private, creative, and suspicious. If recruiters are looking to fill positions in writing, the arts, sculpting, engineering, composing, or inventing, then choose a candidate with more introversion features.

So why do introverts get such a bad wrap in society? A common misperception is that introverts are shy. However, a shy person has innate fear of being in a social setting, while introverts just prefer to be alone. Some interesting tidbits about introverts:

They take less risks, but get better results
They know how to exchange and share ideas, but also take time for long periods of self-reflection
They cherish quietness, contemplation, and autonomy
Ever heard of Charles Darwin, the famous scientist who discovered the concept of natural selection? He used to go to outlandish dinner parties, but also take long walks by himself. While we don’t all have to live like monks or Buddha, humans do need quiet time to make revelations and have epiphanies. In a society immersed with so much noise and distraction, Cain says: “solitude matters,” even for extroverts.

So, what types of questions can recruiters ask during the interview process to find out what if they are hiring an introvert or an extrovert?

1. Do you prefer working in a group? (extrovert)

2. Are you quiet around strangers? (introvert)

3. Do you like to be the center of attention? (extrovert)

4. Do you have more close friends than acquaintances? (introvert)

5. Are you skilled in handling social situations? (extrovert)

6. Do you like to work independently? (introvert)

7. Do you make new friends easily? (extrovert)

8. Do you enjoy spending time by yourself? (introvert)

9. Do you like to draw attention to yourself? (extrovert)

10. Do your best ideas come to you when you are alone? (introvert)

Guest Author, Mary Catania

Consultant of the Month

April 4th, 2013 | Blog,Consultant of the Month | Kavaliro | No comments

We’re excited to recognize Michael Gilpin as the March Consultant of the Month! Michael is a Senior Business Analyst at Kavaliro and has been with us since August 2012 in the DC metro area.

Michael exemplifies the Kavaliro pillar of Authenticity in all aspects of his work and contributions to the community. He is an asset to our team as a strong records management professional with over 10 years of IT and SDLC experience.

We value his positive attitude at work day after day and, in the words of Michael’s manager, “his knowledge to move projects through the pipeline perfectly!”

Thank you Michael for all that you do for team Kavaliro!

Kavaliro Employment Agency, has offices in Tampa, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina and Orlando, Florida and can make sure you find the right people for this important role. We are ready and waiting to help you anytime and look forward to hearing from you.

Entrepreneur Magazine: What Your Business Can Learn From March Madness

March 26th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

Image credit: blog.eastbay.com

It’s March Madness and you know what that means: U.S. companies are poised to take a productivity smackdown. Chicago-based global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., estimates that March Madness will cost at least $134 million in “lost wages” over the first two days of the tournament, as an estimated 3 million employees spend one to three hours following the basketball games instead of working.

John Mahony, chief operating officer of staffing services firm Kavaliro, which has offices in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, doesn’t buy that. He advises companies to embrace March Madness as a morale-builder and a chance to have some fun. In his company’s headquarters, the conference room television has one of the games on it when the room isn’t in use and employees engage in friendly ribbing over favorite teams. Here are four lessons he says companies can learn from March Madness.

1. Underdogs win. From the Murray State Racers to the Butler Bulldogs, every year, a Cinderella team upsets one of the legacy teams. When your company is up against a big competitor, this reminder can be inspirational and encourage your employees to bring their A-game, no matter what the odds.

2. Working together works. The big trophy goes to teams whose members work together. Backstabbing, infighting, blame — these are poisonous habits for companies just as they are for basketball teams, Mahony says. The big wins happen when everyone works together for the good of the team (or the company).

3. Fun matters. Basketball is fun. It’s fun to watch the games. It’s fun to try to predict who is going to win. It’s fun to trash-talk with your co-workers. Enjoying the tournament together instead of fighting with employees about sneaking a peek at the games is going to build good will and make the office environment a much more pleasant place to be.

“When you let people enjoy the things they love instead of trying to control them, and you trust them to do the right thing, that pays off for the company,” he says.

4. Some moments really matter. The NCAA tournament is a chance for the teams who made it to leave behind their season records. It’s a blank slate where anyone can win title “National Champions.” Mahony says the lesson for employees and companies is that they can shake off previous losses or setbacks and use every day to start again, making progress toward their goals.

Click here for original article

Consultant of the Month

March 19th, 2013 | Blog,Consultant of the Month | Kavaliro | No comments

We’d like to recognize Tom Hanley for representing the Kavaliro Pillars of Commitment. Tom relocated to take a position in Central Florida and has been a real asset to our clients. We are grateful for his flexibility in filling this role. The Orlando office is very lucky to have such a hard worker on their team. Thank you for all that you do Tom!

The Real Truth About March Madness

March 11th, 2013 | Blog | Kavaliro | No comments

And so it begins. It’s that time in the month for the ultimate office distraction- March Madness.

Employees are already making plans to ditch work and instead make time to sneak in as many of the 68 tournament games as possible. Kavaliro, as well as every other employer, are well aware of the effects of March Madness in the workplace. Extended lunch breaks, live streaming via tablets and smart phones and a record high number of bathroom breaks are all methods employee’s choose to get that all important scoring update.

It’s important for employers to voice their stance on monitoring these sporting events at work. Kavaliro embraces the age old motto, “If you can’t beat ‘em- join em!” by letting employees participate in the mania that is March Madness. By welcoming the hype of the games with open arms, Kavaliro employees can work worry-free while they attempt to check on scores.

“The Millennials have grown up on the Internet,” says Bill Peppler, managing partner at Kavaliro. “This has become part of our world. To tell them not to be online or use social media just isn’t realistic.”

Kavaliro has a company-wide NCAA tournament pool that allows employees to fill out the brackets for fun — with all cash prizes going to the company’s charity. It builds camaraderie and provides competition and conversation among employees who may not have time or projects that permit them to bond.Game-winning shots, unbelievable upsets and thrilling action all make for the craze that is tournament basket. But just like the student-athletes playing in the games, employees work hard and give their personal bests every opportunity they can. So why not have a little fun while you’re at it?

Bring it on March Madness, Kavaliro’s ready for you.