In this issue:

About SixFigureStart

The Three Criteria Of An Actionable Job Search Target

Live workshop in Manhattan:  Is Your Job Search Where You Want It To Be

About SixFigureStart

SixFigureStart offers career coaching by former Fortune 500 recruiters for Gen Y college students and young professionals.  SixFigureStart uses proprietary strategies and exercises to help you:

Identify what you want – passion, balance, legacy
Build a strong brand – resume and cover letter, presentation skills, online presence
Communicate effectively – networking, interviewing, negotiating

Navigate for the long-term – promotions, lateral moves, mentorship

Founded by two professionals with over 40 years of combined HR and business experience, SixFigureStart coaches have recruited for start-ups through global blue chips, including leading the entry-level hiring efforts for Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer, and Time Inc.  We have hired thousands of people and bring you the insider’s view into how the hiring process really works and what employers want.

If you have friends who may want to join the distribution list, please forward this issue and they can sign up here. 

The Three Criteria Of An Actionable Job Search Target

In the last few weeks, one of my most asked questions has been, “Is financial services still a safe place to have a career?”  I hear this from students and graduates, unemployed and working, inexperienced and mid-career, from different schools and backgrounds.  I normally respond with my spiel on how all sectors have boom and bust cycles and how the only real safety is the security of having good career management skills.

But it also reminds me about how often people are not specific enough when they talk about targets for their career and especially their job search.  Financial services is not a specific enough target.  A target is only specific enough when you can take action against it.  To take action in your job search you need to identify three criteria for each of your interests:

Industry

Function

Geography

Some people refer to financial services as the industry – banking, insurance, accounting, etc.  That’s fine, except what specifically would you be doing within each of these firms?  That’s where the function comes in.  Are you in PR at a bank?  Are you in actuarial science at an insurer?  Are you a tax specialist, a legal specialist, an operations consultant at an audit firm?  Targeting financial services is too broad.

Similarly, some people say financial services when they are thinking of just a specific functional area therein, such as corporate finance.  But finance functions aren’t limited to financial services firms.  There are M&A groups, finance/ accounting departments, and other finance-related functions within non-financial corporates.   That’s where the industry comes in.  If you have identified that you want to do M&A, then investment banking may be one industry, oil & gas may be another, media, consumer products, etc.

Finally, the difficult market is a global phenomenon but there are pockets of the world that are doing better than others.  Knowing the state of financial services in general is not as important as knowing how the companies in your target industry and function are faring in the geography of interest to you.  This may mean that you need to keep updated on the Asian markets, or the West Coast, instead of where you are.

An informed jobseeker is specific in what s/he wants and goes after.  This means selecting an industry, function and geography for each target search. 

Caroline Ceniza-Levine, co-founder of SixFigureStart, was former head of campus recruiting for Time Inc, and has also recruited for Accenture, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Citigroup, Disney ABC, Oliver Wyman and TV Guide.  Schedule a complimentary consultation with a SixFigureStart coach at 212-501-2234 or email info@sixfigurestart.com. 

News and Upcoming Events

SixFigureStart Career Check-up:  Is Your Job Search Where You Want It To Be?

A live workshop to identify exactly where you need to step up your job search efforts

Young professionals, this is a tough time to start a career:  maybe you took time off and are returning to the job search when no one is hiring; maybe you banked on changing careers but are afraid to take chances now.

College students, you know that this is a different recruiting season:  internship offers are not being converted to full-time; the downturn in the economy mean that existing offers may change or even disappear. 

In this interactive two-hour workshop:

• Take the 60-question SixFigureStart Career Assessment and see exactly what you are doing well and what you need to do better;
• Learn the six job search steps that really matter in the hiring process, developed by former Fortune 500 recruiters who have hired thousands of candidates just like you;

• Hear strategies and tips that you can use specifically in this challenging market. 

This workshop will be led by Caroline Ceniza-Levine, co-founder of SixFigureStart and former recruiter for Accenture, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Citigroup, Disney ABC, Pfizer, Time Inc and others.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

4:00p – 6:00p

In Good Company Workplaces

Cost is $95.     Space is limited.          Advance registration is required. 

Email caroline@sixfigurestart.com or call 212-372-0277 with questions or to register.

If you have friends who may want to join the distribution list, please forward this issue and they can sign up here. 

All information is copyright © SixFigureStart 2008