SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/306114
22 SportsTurf | May 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com Facility & Operations | By Mary Helen Sprecher Each day we are presenting ourselves to employment "decision makers," in both our work and private lives. Unfortunately we don't always take advantage of these encounters by either being under- prepared or by failing to market ourselves in a professional, positive manner. By being cognizant of the fact our professional image is always on display to current and potential employers/decision mak- ers, we can position ourselves into an "interview-ready" state simply by taking a few important steps: Know who your target audience/potential employers and "decision makers" are. The short answer is—EVERYONE. Potential employers and decision makers are everywhere. People mistakenly think of potential employers as being limited to owners/ managers in their chosen field. But decision makers can be those in associated fields who have connections. Vendors for instance, call on numerous customers/organizations in your same industry and may know of potential job openings. Sometimes they are even asked their opinions/references on job candidates. Co-workers who are not in positions of authority today could be promoted to positions of authority tomorrow at your, or an associated, organization. Your industry peers may be used as references or asked for name sugges- tions when organizations are looking at potential openings. Are you treating these and other potential decision makers every day with the same respect and professionalism as you would a potential employer? Give yourself a raise today; make your resume a constantly growing and updated reflection of you. In today's economic times, raises can be few and far between, especially with local/ state government employers or schools. But why wait for a raise when you can reward yourself? Many employers still offer reim- bursement for college classes or will pay for continuing education courses through trade industry seminars. These classes, paid out of pocket, can be worth thousands of dollars, but are worth far more as future career-building and advancement tools. If reimburse- ment funds are not available, ask your HR department about what courses are currently available through your organization. Often supervisory classes, time management, first responder courses, etc., are available through your company. These classes are not only resume builders but sends a message to HR and company offi- cials that you want to grow and improve yourself. If classes through your company are not available, check the web- site at your local library or county extension office: computer classes, public speaking courses, etc., are available for little to no out of pocket cost. Upon completion of any course, be sure to forward your HR department a copy of your certificate of completion to update your employee file with the personal improvements you've made. Most importantly, update and maintain a running list of the names, locations, dates, and thesis or summary statements of any courses you complete for a resume attachment. Showing potential employers a desire to continually educate yourself and update skills is always impressive. Resumes must be current and a hard copy within reach at all times with no exceptions! Even with all of the electronic media available for posting online resumes, there is something special about being able to present a current, well-written, hard-copy resume in person. Your resume should be a growing/changing record of your career, and with today's technology there is NO EXCUSE for not keeping it updated and current. The need for having a copy of your resume available at all times is because you never know when those "in-person" meetings with decision mak- ers will be. Luck has been described as "being prepared for great opportunities." Make your own luck happen by being prepared to introduce/sell yourself to potential employers wherever you may meet them. Have multiple copies of your resume stashed every- Are yOu "inTerview-reAdy"? Facility & Operations | By Carole H. Daily Resumes must be current and a hard copy within reach at all times with no exceptions! In today's changIng job clImate and transitional workforce, the average employee changes jobs every 2 to 3 years. It is estimated the average worker could have as many as 20 different jobs in his or her working lifetime. Some occupations average longer periods than others, but the days of working for the same company until retirement are almost unheard of. With that in mind, how prepared would you be if you had an interview today? The truth is we should be conducting ourselves as "interview-ready" everyday. Image ©istockphoto.com/i_frontier.