The Value of our Program to our Clients

Shape My Career’s greatest value as an outplacement service grew out of the flawed framework of our competitors. Here is just a partial list of our benefits:

· The SMC job search system is based on a proven methodology that’s been tested over many years and found to be reliable, efficient, and vastly superior to the lackluster results associated with reliance on Internet job boards (the so-called “black hole” of the job search).

· SMC has been actively involved in the publication of a new book which explains the methodology and provides a step-by-step procedure for its implementation. The book was released in February, 2010 and is called Win The Race for 21^st Century Jobs (co-authored by ETP Network Founder and CEO Rod Colón and ETP Network Editor-in-Chief Chip Hartman).

· Participants will be regarded as business owners, not employees. This is a critical benefit but it can only be achieved if the individual participant willfully adopts a “business ownership” mind set — which we will teach.

· SMC provides access to a network of thousands of professionals worldwide, offering almost immediate access to hundreds of individuals in the participant’s area of interest — some of whom might even work at companies in which the participant has an active interest.

· The SMC staff coaches and educates: there is a clear distinction between the two. By the time you finish your SMC experience, you will have the feeling that you’ve just earned an advanced degree in career ownership. Put another way, you will never again be willing to relegate your career ambitions to the whims and failings of the “black hole.”

· Once participants leave the program, we don’t leave them. We are here to maintain relationships that have been built to the extent that they are wanted.

Welcome To Shape My Career!

WELCOME TO SHAPE MY CAREER!

If you haven’t already done so, take a close look at our logo.

An “S”-shaped section of road blends neatly into the word ‘Shape’. Shape what? “Shape My Career.” The logo serves as a visual reminder of what we regard as our mission in this uniquely designed job search and career management guide.

The mission? We intend to deliver a program of live instruction focused on getting you further along in your journey to the next stage of your career — and far more expeditiously — than any rival outsourcing or career management company. As if that weren’t enough, our program is designed to be custom-tailored for your specific needs and requirements. We will, quite literally, be helping you to decide the direction, speed, and quality of that journey … in short, its shape.

In addition to helping you shape your career, our program will offer resources and support to help you as you continue your efforts even after you’ve left the program! There aren’t many outsourcing agencies that can make that claim!

The methodology contained in the Shape My Career Resource Guide will steer you toward the goal you ultimately set for yourself, whether you are seeking full-time employment, part-time employment, contract work or self-employment.

This is not a “spoon-feed me” course. In fact, it will involve a great deal of work, time, energy, and commitment on your part. But the payoff of putting yourself through it will be enormous when you once again find yourself in the ranks of the employed, or perhaps generating new business or starting off on your brand new career.

You’re on your way and we’re here to help!

The Inbound Marketing Model

By Rod Colon

Social networking is built on the inbound marketing model. Inbound marketing refers to non-intrusive methods of reaching customers by providing something of value that gets noticed, discussed, and freely shared across a wide swath of the online population. It’s built on the premise that attracting customers to you by providing something of value produces greater benefits than the traditional outbound marketing model which includes intruding on strangers with unsolicited e-mail, phone calls, faxes, etc. — often generating nothing but resentment.

With inbound marketing, you create compelling content, post it on your blogs, and attract the online community because you have something interesting to offer. Because the medium is based on permission, conversations occur because both parties agree to participate and want to be present.

Shape My Career - Fresh Approach to Outplacement Services

Shape My Career

Fresh Approach to Outplacement

When people lose their jobs, the resulting pressure comes not only from a sudden lack of income, but a sudden lack of confidence as well. Along with the nagging fear that nothing will ever be the same again, worries about how to support a family while getting back on track professionally can drain even the most toughened job-seeker.

The loss of a job is bad enough but there is something far more insidious facing the “newly terminated” professional: getting hooked up with an outplacement service that, despite its best claims, offers no genuine guidance coupled with a credible program of ongoing support.

Shape My Career was formed in 2009 to provide expert-level career counseling for individuals who are facing a period of transition — whether the transition is voluntary (e.g., changing careers) or involuntary (e.g., getting caught up in a corporate downsizing). The whole focus of Shape My Career is to provide customized solutions for the full range of career management needs faced by those in transition in order to keep the transition period as brief (and productive) as possible.

From its very name, Shape My Career distinguishes itself from all other outplacement services. SMC literally “molds” a career transition plan around you — the participant — and your individual needs and unique requirements. Compare this with most other outplacement services that typically use a cookie-cutter “one size fits all” approach to job searches and career transition — and then promise extraordinary results! The fact is … there is no comparison!

Our staff of expert-level career counselors is led by Mr. Rod Colón, Founder and CEO of the ETP Network (Empowering Today’s Professionals). Rod has been building networks, teaching networking skills, and providing expert-level coaching for business and career professionals for almost twenty years. He draws from experience on both sides of the interviewer’s desk and therefore brings a fresh and unique perspective to the career counseling space.

At some point in your SMC training, you will interact directly with Rod and make some interesting discoveries. Although he is energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about helping people, he demands the very best you have to give at all times and uses a no-nonsense approach to get it. As he senses your level of commitment to help yourself, he offers customized guidance and precisely targeted support to ensure you follow a path that will lead to extraordinary success!

Shape My Career, Inc.

155 North Washington Avenue

Bergenfield, NJ 07621

tel: 201.477.8370 ext. 170

alt: 732-367-5580

fax: 201.385.8243

web: www.ShapeMyCareer.com

Going Up? Building Your Elevator Pitch

This is a very good write up on developing an elevator pitch... enjoy -

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/159/going-up-building-your-elevator-pitch.cfm

Best wishes and own your career,

Rod Colon

Networking: Trust Maintenance

Networking: Trust Maintenance

By Rod Colon

Let’s take a look at some specific actions you can take to maintain trust and keep a relationship alive:

· Be direct, open and honest in all communications with others

· Maintain a level of respect for others that they begin to view as your “brand”

· Admit mistakes when you make them

· Demonstrate appreciation and gratitude for the efforts of others

· Protect the privacy of others; always keep private information confidential

· Establish a track record for getting results

· Set realistic benchmarks for improving your own performance and value

· Demonstrate a willingness to confront difficult problems “head on”

· Set up mutually agreed “accountability milestones”; i.e., a healthy relationship allows each member to voice expectations without hurt or hesitation

· Demonstrate your prowess as a troubleshooter but allow for divergent points of view

· Keep promises and commitments and establish a solid track record of unquestionable reliability

· Be willing to risk the extension of trust to others

The Personal Branding and Marketing of ME, Inc.

The Personal Branding and Marketing of ME, Inc

The total relationship people have with you gives them a certain perception of you. This perception is your brand. As the CEO of ME, Inc., your brand helps others decide if they want a relationship with you or not.

Here are some of the hallmarks of brands:

· You only get “credit” for what you do consistently.

· The reliability of your behavior establishes your brand.

· Brands are based on actions, not intentions.

· Inconsistency weakens brands and suspends belief.

This is how your brand will affect your ME, Inc. client search:

· It establishes your value.

· It establishes trust.

· You consistently deliver value, therefore …

· You can negotiate!

Remember this important marketing principle: Benefits Always Trump Features. If a new car dealer tells you about 8 cylinder engines, state-of-the-art emission controls, moon roof, and racing stripes, she’s describing the car’s features. However, if she tells you things like, “It will easily save you over 50% on gasoline”, or “the front and rear sensors warn you if you are too close to another vehicle”, she’s describing the car’s benefits to you as the potential owner.

Since you are the CEO of ME, Inc., always try to emphasize how you can solve someone’s problem or save them money rather than going on and on about all the achievements you’ve racked up in your professional career. If people begin to associate you with consistently providing benefits that will become part of your BRAND— and you’ll be remembered for it!

Learn to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Always provide value. Bring something to the table they can’t. Find a niche that shows the world you are someone with unique skills and talents and that you know how to use them!

Best wishes and own your career,

Rod Colon

Finding Your Purpose

Finding Your Purpose

By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

From Dare to Win

To find your own purpose, our suggestion is that you go deep into yourself. Use meditation if you can. Go into the secret compartment of your mind and ask yourself, “If I knew my life purpose, what would it be?”

Keep asking yourself, and it will eventually unfold. Then you can easily write it down. To help you, here is a chart that shows the relationship of purpose to results:

Purpose = Why

Goal = What

Action-Strategy = How

The “Why” is our purpose. It determines the “What,” which is our goals. And our goals determine the “How,” which are the actions and strategies we undertake to achieve the results we want.

Once you have your statement of purpose, your life will become more meaningful. It could change your whole attitude. A crystal-clear statement of purpose that you act upon could mean the end of alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity, sleeping too much, a whole plethora of ills.

When you have a clear purpose, you won’t have time for negativity.

Seven Steps: Frequently Asked Questions

By Rod Colon

Question # 1 – Jennifer S., Allentown, PA

“Rod, doesn’t this whole process seem like an awful lot of work just to find a new job? In The Black Hole, I’m done within 5 minutes. Your methodology looks as if it could take weeks, maybe even months!”

Answer # 1

Yes, it is a lot of work. But didn’t you agree to view your job search as a business back in Chapter 3? Are you going to abandon that mind-set so quickly? Business owners work hard to achieve their goals; as the CEO of ME, Inc., why shouldn’t you?

NEWSFLASH: That “5 minutes” you spend in The Black Hole doesn’t include weeks of waiting for an answer. And guess what? In some cases, the answer never comes — remember that you’re not interacting with live communicating people, just a bunch of computers. In terms of human interaction, it is a totally connectionless environment.

Do you really expect “quick” results from a connectionless environment??

Question # 2 – Carlos D., Lincoln Park, NJ

“Why do I have to call Advocates in Group “A” as opposed to e-mailing them which is so much faster?”

Answer # 2

It’s not as impactful. You need to sell your value proposition and nothing beats talking with an advocate directly. E-mail may be faster for you, but it may get far less attention on the receiving end, a scenario you clearly want to avoid.

Question # 3 – Linda C., Tampa, FL

“Why do I have to recreate a resume when I have a template for a core work skill?”

Answer # 3

The issue is we’re running a business. We don’t deal with generic information. We need to be able to influence the decision-maker to a “yes” decision, right? A generic resume doesn’t really address any specific needs. Your proposal must address what the client is looking for and then really nail it. We call it a targeted resume.

Question # 4 – Mark A., Lakewood, NJ

“How often do I follow up with an advocate?”

Answer # 4

Roughly once a week, according to the Keith Ferrazzi follow-up model we use. To be effective, every follow-up gets an e-mail and a voice mail. Both must be very positive in tone and be sure to reiterate your interest. If you have a discussion with an advocate in Group “A” and/or “B”, they’re going to give you an estimate of when you can expect to hear back … that’s when you need to say something like the following: “If I don’t hear back from you by {date}, may I call you back on {date + 1}?”

Question # 5 – Danielle R., Mendham, NJ

“Do I rely on one advocate in an organization as a cheerleader (Group “B”)?”

Answer # 5

We want as many cheerleaders as possible. Just remember the comparison to a real cheerleader: If you’re playing football, do you want to hear just one cheerleader in a stadium or a whole squad of cheerleaders stirring up the whole crowd? It’s the same principle here.

Question # 6 – David C., Stroudsburg, PA

“Do I tell an advocate about my work with other advocates in the organizations?”

Answer # 6

Yes, as long as the advocate is going to do something for you. But if he or she is just gathering intelligence for personal use, then there’s no need to share information. As a courtesy, it’s always better to try to let them know.

Question # 7 – Adelaida D., Princeton, NJ

“How do I find a phone number for a company?”

Answer # 7

First, go to the company web site. If you can’t find the information there, use Manta.com or any other web site where corporate information is provided (e.g., Hoovers.com).

Question # 8 – Charlie M., Atlantic City, NJ

“What is an Advocate Worksheet?”

Answer # 8

An advocate worksheet is a spreadsheet that mirrors the 7-Step Job Search Methodology. It allows you to track every client advocate with details such as dates of contact, comments shared, agreed-upon follow-up dates and times, notes of special interest, etc… Its primary purpose is to ENSURE that you follow up with an advocate.

Question # 9 – Isaac T., Verona, NJ

“How do I find a job if nothing shows up on Indeed?”

Answer # 9

There are several possibilities here. First, you may have an incorrect job title; check your bio, your resume, and any targeted resumes you’ve written. Select titles that are appropriate for what you’ve actually accomplished. If you still have a problem, seek out the counsel and wisdom of individuals with whom you’ve worked in the past to help you identify “core titles.”

Question # 10 – Nikki B., Charlotte, NC

“Is there another way of finding a job other than Indeed?”

Answer # 10

There are hundreds of job search engines that are available. Alternatives are Dice, Monster, NetTemps, etc… We have a toolbar (built by COO Carl Reid) with a “smart radar” system that allows qualified users to get “feeds” of opportunities that are relevant to their specific search criteria.

Question # 11 – Jacqueline S., New Rochelle, NY

“I hate using the Internet to find a job but that is what you're asking me to do. Isn’t there any other way?”

Answer # 11

In business, as a business owner, we often have to do things we don’t like to do. Market demand (a key component of the 7-Step Methodology) is much more efficiently displayed and analyzed using the Internet. I have two suggestions for you:

· Try to get comfortable with the Internet; it’s not going away any time soon.

· Make sure you read Chapter 11, The Awesome Power of Attitude and Behavior; it sounds like yours could use a tune-up.

Question # 12 – Jason K., Los Angeles, CA

“I don’t want to work in my core area of expertise – what do I do?”

Answer # 12

First of all, what is it you want to do? If you’re running a business, you have to know what products and services you offer. What have you done? What skills are transferable and what are they transferable to? Once you know, find mentors who know people that hire people like you. Determine market demand. You might also need some training, so keep this option open. Invest time connecting with individuals who are currently in the new industry you want to join .

Question # 13 – Maricel M., New Brunswick, NJ

“I don’t have anyone at Level 1 (LinkedIn) who can help. What should I do?”

Answer # 13

LinkedIn is a great contact database and it’s always good to have a solid base of Level 1 connections. I’m sure you can find friends and business associates (current or former) who would be glad to hook up with you. And don’t forget: Once you get those Level 1 connections, the real power of LinkedIn is not in how many Level 1 connections you have; it’s in the extraordinarily broad reach of your Level 2 and Level 3 connections. In fact most people who actually land jobs through the assistance of LinkedIn connections get those jobs via Level 2s and 3s, not Level 1s.

Question # 14 – Della S., Greensboro, NC

“What if I don’t really know what I want to do?”

Answer # 14

Find people who are doing something you consider "pretty cool." If your reaction is, "I could do that!", then you may have just identified an area you can explore.

Question # 15 – Maria C., Portsmouth, OH

“How many job opportunities should I be trying to find each week?”

Answer # 15

Here’s the best “rule of thumb”: Find one opening a day! The reason? It keeps momentum going and keeps your attitude positive. Never let a day go by without finding at least one opening. Success or failure lies in finding one opening a day.

Question # 16 – Sam R., Denville, NJ

“Rod, this is not directly about the 7-Step Methodology, it’s about the connection process and the requirement for a valid value proposition before you connect someone with someone else. Why do you insist on a value proposition just to connect someone? Lots of other people in LinkedIn simply hook people up and that’s that. What’s the big deal?”

Answer # 16

Good question, Sam. Before I answer it, make sure you understand the way I’m using the term ‘value proposition’ as it applies to network connections: It’s not the three documents described in Chapter 4; that’s the “case” you build for a position you’ve already targeted.

Instead, the value proposition — in terms of connections — is simply the answer to this question: “What value do you have that will benefit the person you want me to connect you to?” If the answer is “none”, then I don’t feel comfortable about making the connection because that puts me (as the connector) at risk. I suggest you re-read that section titled “Protect the Connector” in Chapter 2.

Finally, let me add this: Building a ME, Inc. business requires you to accept the responsibility and accountability for your mission/vision/value in running ME, Inc. You cannot rely on the old premise that you are “owed something” or carry any kind of entitlement mentality.

Seven Steps That Could Change Your Life

It is a procedure that's been tweaked to near-perfection over the past five years but will undoubtedly be tweaked many more times whenever improvements are discovered, tested, and evaluated.

To do this, your CEO business brain must think in four dimensions, i.e., remember that each component (networking, CEO mind-set, value proposition, and methodology) becomes supercharged when combined with the other three but has ample horsepower to stand on its own when the situation calls for it.

This will be challenging work and at times you may become frustrated. But the payoff is substantial: You will cut yourself free from the grip of The Black Hole. Instead of being dependent on people who don’t know you to advance your career goals, you will learn to network your way to an interview, job or contract by leveraging the power of advocates — people who not only know you, but like you, trust you and will gladly help you to “connect the dots.”

Don't Leave Home Without Them When Networking

From: How to Wow by Frances Cole Jones

• Remember that 7 percent of your impact comes from the words you say, 38 percent from your tonal quality while saying it, and 55 percent from what your body is doing while you're saying it
• Speaking in story will help both you and your listener retain and commit to your message
• Introducing yourself - saying your name - is a presentation opportunity. Don't squander it.
• Delete useless modifiers from your vocabulary. Something is only amazing, terrific, or horrific if you tell me why.
  

Becoming Front and Center of a New Contact

Once you have met someone for the first time at an event consider the following as key in cultivating and maintaining a warm and trusted relationship:

1. An individual needs to hear from you at least 3 times post original encounter within a period of 30 days to develop a strong recognition of you. These 3 contact points can be through: e-mail, phone call, in-person, etc.

The First 90 Days

During your first few months in a new position, you will obviously want to manage your workload carefully, but downtime provides good opportunities for the following activities, all of which are intended to shore you up when your next job loss occurs:

• Network actively with your new fellow employees (i.e., build and expand the "safety net").
• Manage your new relationships; nurture them with the idea that they will lead you to others and in all cases, connect with them on LinkedIn.
• Check Indeed.com regularly to see what kinds of opportunities are out there even though you are temporarily secure.
• Explore the “Hidden Job Market” to gather business intelligence, discover market conditions, spot trends in your industry, and so on.