The Elements of a Resignation Letter

Congratulations! You have carried out a successful job search and have accepted a new offer.  Now comes the often-uncomfortable situation of informing your current employer.  Quickly schedule a face-to-face meeting with your supervisor, since ideally you will want them to hear the news from you and not through the office rumor mill.  No matter what the situation surrounding your departure, this meeting needs to set the wheels of motion in place for a positive, smooth transition. Prior to the meeting, prepare an official letter of resignation.

The first paragraph of the letter will state that you have accepted another position and list your last day of employment. It is not necessary to disclose your new employer.  A two-week resignation is still considered a minimum courtesy with some employers requesting up to a month.  Keep in mind that in some situations, employers will consider your resignation effective immediately and possibly may require a security escort to the door. Although it is hard not to take this type of treatment personally, it is often simply company or security protocol.

The second paragraph or body of the letter will thank your supervisor. In many situations, this will be easy. In other situations, you will have to stretch, but always find something(s) positive. Examples of things to thank your supervisor for could include: serving as a mentor, giving you leadership, training or skills development opportunities, recommending you for special committees or stretch assignments.  Lastly, reassure them that you will do everything possible to make this a smooth transition offering some specifics. Oftentimes, employers will ask you to train a temporary or replacement, leave explicit notes, or get projects in good standing.

Clients have shared that when they go into the meeting with a resignation in hand, it makes the meeting proceed in a more business-like manner and less emotionally driven. In some cases, the supervisor may beg you to stay, offering more money. Mentally, be prepared if this happens. Remember why you are really leaving. Money is seldom enough to truly rectify a poor fit or unchallenging role. Ideally, if you were unhappy, career management conversations would have already occurred that could have made the job continue to work for you and your career path. The enticement of more money seldom is a cure all.

Before approaching your supervisor with the announcement, here are some additional things to consider: make sure you have contact information of key people that you would like to remain in your network and remove any personal files or materials from your office. If you have your LinkedIn account tied to a work email, change this to a personal email. Work-related email accounts are often turned off at the time of a resignation.

By following these strategies, preparing for your next resignation will be a straightforward process.

Telephone Interview Strategies

The initial telephone interview serves great purpose for the employer. Not only does it cut down on the time and expense of bringing a candidate on-site and gathering a selection committee, but it is also a tool to narrow down the pool of applicants. I have had several clients lately who are getting initial telephone interviews. These can be quite intimidating if adequate preparation and role playing has not taken place. This blog will highlight telephone interview tips that we can be utilizing with our clients. First, we want to encourage our clients that during a job search they should never answer a call from an unfamiliar number. There is nothing worse than taking a call from a potential employer and not remembering the job details or having background noise. Ideally, clients should let the call go to voice mail and then quickly respond from a land line once they have reviewed their records of the specific job for which they applied and are in a quiet environment.  As for any interview, review common interview questions, know your strengths, relevant skills and experience, and have a copy of your resume handy.

The following are some common telephone interview questions that we can role play with our clients.

·         How did you learn about this position and why are you interested?

·         What do you know about our company?

·         What skills make you particularly qualified for this position?

·         What was your most recent salary? What is your salary expectation?

·         Why are you leaving your job or are no longer with your last employer?

Additional strategies would be to make sure clients have a glass of water, pen and paper, and a list of their accomplishments close.  Encourage clients to speak slowly and smile during the call. Studies show this helps project a more positive voice tone. The goal of any telephone interview is to set up a face-to-face interview. At the close of the interview, clients can certainly ask for a face-to-face meeting to further share their qualifications. Lastly, be sure clients get the name and contact information of the interviewer and send a thank you note. The coaching our clients for telephone interviews, they will be best prepared and more likely to secure face-to-face interviews.

Successful Job Search Strategies

Job Search Strategies
What advice would I give to alumni who have lost their jobs or who may be gearing up for a job search? Through the years, I have observed that alumni who make successful career transitions tend to have a few things in common.

·         They network constantly and effectively.

·         They can sell themselves and clearly articulate how they can help a future employer.

·         They use social networking tools (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) to connect with people in their industry and to build their credibility.

·         They read career and professional development books, blogs, and articles. They attend professional development and career related workshops and seminars.

·         They act quickly and with urgency to gain an edge over other candidates.

·         They take care of themselves physically, emotionally, and intellectually so that they can put their best foot forward. Attitude is everything.

·         They revise and improve their job search self-marketing pieces (e.g. resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile).

·         They remain flexible and look at all opportunities.

·         They are conscious of projecting a professional image.

·         They practice interviewing skills.

·         They can confidently answer why they are no longer employed or looking for a new opportunity with a positive spin.

 
Below are some helpful articles and links.

• Job Seekers: Stop Kidding Yourself

http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2010/07/job-searchers-stop-kidding-yourself.html

• 18 Things Your Mama Never Told You about Looking for Work, According to Those Looking For it

http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2009/09/18-things-your-mama-never-told-you-about-looking-for-work-according-to-those-looking-for-it.html

• Job Seekers: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself

http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2010/10/job-seekers-10-questions-to-ask-yourself.html

• Job Seekers: Rituals and Habits to Speed Up Your search

http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2010/10/job-seekers-rituals-and-habits-to-speed-up-your-search.html

 

Capitalize on the Holidays!

 

Are you thinking about taking the holidays off and starting your job search again in January? We strongly encourage you to reconsider! Networking is more than 80 percent effective when it comes to landing a job. Even if you are not actively job searching, networking is a key contributor to successful career management. About 70-80 percent of positions that are currently available are not advertised. They are filled through word of mouth. The more networking you do, the more you will learn about these hidden positions.

Use this month to reconnect and build relationships not only with recruiters, but with previous managers, colleagues and clients. Send a simple email or card to family, friends and professional contacts expressing gratitude for their previous business, support or friendship. There is a myth that no one hires in December or that December is the worst month of the year to be job seeking. Based on the volume of employers with open positions and the number of alumni who have been calling and emailing about interview tips and salary negotiation strategies, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

No matter what your current employment status, a positive attitude is critical while networking. Put your best foot forward and accept all holiday invitations. Take advantage of holiday open houses and parties. Send LinkedIn invitations to new people you meet at these events. This is the time of year when feelings of peace on earth and goodwill make networking much easier. Social occasions and year end networking can go a long way toward building trust and may help open doors for business opportunities next quarter. The bottom line is, when you spend time with people, you remain fresh in their mind.

Career Counseling: The University of Kentucky Alumni Association is proud to offer Alumni Career Services as a benefit to our members. UK Alumni Association members are eligible for up to four complimentary appointments with an alumni career counselor per year. Call 1-888-9UK-CATS (852287) to schedule an appointment.

Visit www.ukalumni.net/career to learn more about Alumni Career Services.

Wildcat Resume Boosters

In order to make your resume more accomplishment oriented, ask yourself the following questions for each position listed:                                                                                                     

·         Did you initiate anything new?

·         How is this company better off now than when they hired you?

·         What did you do to enhance this position that your predecessor or co-workers didn’t do?

·         Did you volunteer for a project/assignment or were you selected?

·         Did you increase/generate ___________ (i.e. sales, productivity, new accounts or business, etc.)?

·         Did you help to company decrease ___________?

·         Did you save the company money by_________?

·         Did you help the company make money?

·         What problems did you solve?

·         Did you create, design, launch, build, organize or develop any new product, program, system, or process? If so, what were the results?     

·         Did you recommend or implement a better or more efficient way to________?

·         Did you receive any awards or special recognition?

·         Did you exceed goals or quotas? Did your team get recognition for_________?

·         What changes did you make to turn things around, increase productivity etc.?

·         Did you supervise or train others?

·         How was your work used (i.e. manual, annual report, presentation) to help others or the organization?

·         Did direct reports get promoted because of you?

·         Do you have a notable record/reputation of accomplishing your job?

·         Are you known for being especially good at something that distinguishes you from your peers?

·         Have there been particularly challenging situations in which you have excelled?

·         Did you meet an impossible deadline through extra effort?

·         Did you complete a major project under budget? How did you make it happen?

·         Did you take on new responsibilities that were not in your job description?      

·         What are you most proud of accomplishing in this position?

·         Why were you hired, selected, or promoted for a role? Was there a particular challenge the company was facing?

Be sure to quantify (#, $, %) your results whenever possible. Explain the positive benefits this made to your employer.

What Salary Should I Ask For?

What is a fair salary to ask for? This is a question that many job seekers face when job searching.  As career author, Alison Green, puts it in her article How to Determine What Salary to Ask For “At some point in your job search, you’re going to be asked what salary range you’re looking for. You’ve probably read that you should try to avoid naming a number first, but the reality is that employers are going to ask you and you’ll usually have to answer. In fact, many online applications these days won’t even let you apply without naming your salary expectations.”

There is no way around this question, and only one way to prepare for it – Research!  By efficiently preparing for the salary question ahead of time, you can accurately evaluate your market value and provide a confident response. 

We often work with clients who are fearful of two different situations regarding salary in the job search. On one extreme, clients do not want to low-ball themselves. On the other hand, they do not want to price themselves out of the employer’s range. As Goldilocks would say, you want to find a salary range that is “just right” for the target position and company. 

Three strategies to ramp up your salary research:

1.) Salary websites. Research your target position on websites that provide salary information. (NACE Salary Calculator, Salary.com, Glassdoor.com, Payscale.com, CNN’s Cost of Living Calculator.) This can be a good place to start your research, but don’t strictly depend on this strategy. Job titles commonly represent widely different latitudes of responsibility, and salary websites don't always reflect this.

2.) Ask professionals in your target industry. I am not suggesting that you ask others what they make. That can be awkward for both parties involved. Rather, you could say something like this “Based on my research, I have found $ - $ to be a fair range for this position. Given my experience and level of education, would you agree?” Are you about right, too high, too low?

3.) Check out similar positions on online job boards. Some companies will list a salary range with the position. Target similarly sized companies in your desired geographic region to gather additional data.

Do as much research as possible. This will allow you to identify consistent salary patterns in your industry to generate a fair salary range. After you have explored all three forms of salary research, you can provide an informed response based on facts. What strategies would you add?

Keep in mind, salary is just one piece of the compensation package. Though some companies have set ranges that allow little wiggle room, don’t let this discourage you. You’ve still got benefits, bonuses, vacation days, etc. to negotiate! Click here to hear what Dr. Joe Labianca, UK Professor of Economics, has to say about salary negotiation. 

Posted by Kelly Allgeier