Lexington, KY Makes Top Employment List

According to a recent survey conducted by Manpower employment services firm, the job market is rebounding. The survey of more than 18,000 employers in 100 metropolitan areas found that employers in all 50 states report positive hiring expectations, with 33 of the states reporting strong hiring expectations. In fact, the survey revealed that Lexington, Kentucky had the most optimistic forecast of all the metropolitan areas. According to Bob Quick, CEO of Commerce Lexington, the city has a diverse economy that has helped it weather the recent recession. He goes on to say that health care, bioscience, life science and high tech have emerged strongly over the past few years. Many related spin off and research companies have benefitted from their close association with the University of Kentucky. Also, Lexington has a growing reputation for small business start-ups and being the home of lots of creators and inventors.

LinkedIn Profile - What to include under Experience?

Q: I have a LinkedIn profile, but don’t know what to put in the Experience section of my profile. What should I include? Is this important?

A: LinkedIn can be a valuable job search tool. LinkedIn offers opportunities to connect with professionals in your field, which can lead to the hidden job market and awareness of career prospects. The Experience section of your LinkedIn profile is intended to give fellow professionals, employers, and recruiters a good idea of your professional history and capabilities for future endeavors. If you only share your titles and places of employment, you are not illustrating anything specific about the value you could bring to a company or organization. This section should mirror your resume. Include current and past job titles, places of work, and a description of skills and achievements you acquired in each. Be sure to highlight on-brand content tailored to your industry. Employers and recruiters have expressed a preference for the use of bullet points in this section (much like you would see on a resume). This helps with clarity and quick viewing.

- Submitted by Alumni Career Counselor Kelly Higgins

The Art of Negotiation

Q: I just interviewed for a promising job and expect an offer in the near future. Salary negotiation, however, makes me nervous – especially in a tight economy. What tips do you offer?

A: Remember that all job offers are negotiable. In fact, this may be the only time when you have the upper hand - so you have more power than you think. According to Dr. Giuseppe (Joe) Labianca, Ph.D., UK Gatton Endowed Associate Professor of Management, there are many strategies for improving your negotiating ability. “First, never begin a negotiation until you have a firm written offer. Some firms may ask about your bottom line number, expectations, etc. before offering you the job – dodge and deflect. Believe in the value of what you are selling. Emphasize the positive aspects.” Next Dr. Labianca suggests that you must have data in order to negotiate effectively. Conduct extensive on-line research and also talk to a wide variety of people when trying to gauge your value. Then, open aggressively with your highest defensible offer. Dr. Labianca states that, “Most negotiations end at the midpoint, therefore, when giving concessions on that point, try to get concessions that are more valuable to you on other issues (e.g., vacation time, good schedule, travel expenses, tuition reimbursement). While it’s healthy to take a broad view of your interests in a negotiation, don’t assume that you have to trade those interests off for wages and bonuses. Present wages form the basis for all future wages, and giving up on them has a huge cumulative effect over your career. But don’t get hung up entirely on wages, naïve negotiators focus too much (and sometimes exclusively) on wages to the detriment of other issues that can provide more value.” To learn more about Negotiation, watch Dr. Labianca’s recent UK Alumni Association presentation at www.ukalumni.net/career (Career Related Videos).

Resume Section Headers - Not Set In Stone

We are all familiar with the most common resume section headers - Objective, Professional Experience, and Education. However, it is important to realize that resume headers are not set in stone. Which section headers will most effectively showcase your relevant experience, credentials, skills, and training? What may work for one alumni, is not necessarily the best way to showcase another. One of my favorite section headers that I use with clients is "Community/Civic Involvement". This section header captures ways in which the client may be involved in the community (often in leadership roles). Unfortunately, this excellent information tends to get left off since clients 1) do not think to put it on their resume or 2) they are just not sure where to put it on their tradition resume. I recently stumbled upon a post that will give alumni a tool to help expand their list of header options. Take the time this week to review 111 Smart Resume Section Headings and Titles. Which new headers and titles will you be using on your next resume update? As always, your UK Alumni Career Counselors are happy to review your resume. Simply email it to Kelly.Higgins@uky.edu.

Non-Desk Jobs

"I don't want to sit at a desk all day."

"I think I would die if I had a job where I was confined to a cubicle all day."

"I need a job that let's me be out and about."

Sometimes clients only have the above criteria for their next job. Wouldn't it be nice if a list of non-desk jobs existed...well now it does. Use the link to 55 Non-Desk Jobs to help you brainstorm your next position.

January Self Discovery

Are you getting cabin fever? Many areas of the country have been hit hard this winter. January is a great month to sit by the fire with a warm cup of coffee and take time to reflect upon and plan your career. Once the weather gets warmer, the days go by all too quickly. Grab a notebook and answer the following questions. Enjoy the process.


1. What did I do really well last year in my job? (Hopefully, this is on your resume and your supervisors are also aware of it.)


2. In reviewing the above responses, how could I (should I) continue to excel in those areas?


3. In what areas of my life should I give myself some slack? When working under unreasonable demands, I used to say to myself "All is well that ends well" then one day a colleague said stop being so hard on yourself, sometimes "All is well that just ends".


4. Are there things I need to stop doing (i.e. overcommitting, self-destructive habits, negative thoughts)?


5. In reviewing the past year, list 10 things (i.e. who and what) for which I am most grateful? List why.


6. Are there people with whom I need to reconnect? Make plans to do so.

New Year's Resolutions

Each January 1st, rather than resolving to lose 5 pounds or exercise more, I begin the new year by reading two professional development books. My selections are books that transcend specific industries and are more generic in their advice or findings. This information comes in handy when socializing with friends or networking with professionals who are not in my industry. With the economy starting to show signs of improvement, what will you commit to this year as part of your professional development action plan? Perhaps you will take this week to update your LinkedIn profile and photo. In fact, if you are not using LinkedIn, you are missing out on a real networking opportunity as more and more headhunters and recruiters are using this tool to solely source their candidates or review professional backgrounds and skill sets. Perhaps this month you will take the time to research a new career field and schedule some informational interviews. Another idea would be to start that blog that you have had on the back burner. Yes, the new year's economy is off to a better start than we have seen for awhile. Sieze the chance to make a career transition this year and take control of your life.