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Career Zone is a monthly career column written for Drexel alumni by Julia Levy '93. Julia is a strategic communications and staffing leader with experience in corporate communications, brand management and recruiting. Find out more about Julia below.
In the podcast below, find out more about Career Zone directly from Julia:
Alumni are encouraged to send comments, questions or suggestions for future column topics to alumni@drexel.edu.
For those of you who read my monthly Career Zone articles, you may know that I live in New York City. The images of the destruction that Sandy left in her wake are haunting. I was very fortunate in comparison to many people in the area who lost everything.
Many of my friends and family members jumped into action to see how they could donate much-needed items, their time and energy, or money to help those in need of assistance. The sense of community that developed out of this tragedy was astonishing to see. When I logged into Facebook and saw all of the posts on people looking to volunteer – or knowing of organizations that were in need of volunteers – and seeing how quickly people reacted, it warmed my heart.
So you may be wondering how Hurricane Sandy relates at all to your career. One of the first things you hear from safety experts is to always be prepared. That means you should have a "survival" kit on hand at home and at work of important items such as water, food, flashlights, blankets, matches, etc. to last you several days. Something that is portable and you can grab on the go.
You need to be prepared in your career to handle any kind of unexpected change, and if you don't have your evacuation plan and survival kit handy, you might find yourself sitting in the dark with no tools for your career to survive. A big client may cancel their contract, there might be unexpected leadership changes, or your company might be acquired by another organization. If any of these things happen to you, would you be prepared to survive through the storm? Or will you be left standing in long lines, frustrated at the grocery store after all the water, bread and batteries are long gone?
Your career survival kit has several items in it which include:
- An updated résumé — You should update your résumé twice a year – if you have mid-year and end-of-year performance reviews, these are optimal times to do so. Keep a running list of your accomplishments and copies of your reviews, 360 feedback, or other documentation at home.
- References — Who are your trusted advisers, managers, partners, clients and/or employees? You should know the people who would be willing to speak about your abilities and be sure to communicate with them regularly.
- An updated LinkedIn profile — The importance of your LinkedIn profile should not be underestimated. Many companies and recruiters use LinkedIn as one of their main sources for finding passive candidates.
- Knowledge of the external marketplace — You should always be aware of who the key players are in your industry or functional area of expertise and have a target list of companies that you stay on top of. This means setting up Google alerts, joining LinkedIn Groups and networking with people at those organizations. You can also go to sites like Glassdoor, Vault and CareerBliss to learn about those target organizations.
- Ongoing networking — Too many times, when people are secure and comfortable in their careers, they let networking slack. It is important to constantly be connecting and re-connecting with influencers in your network. When career disaster strikes, it's a lot easier to reach out to someone you connected with six months ago as opposed to three years ago.
- Be resourceful and ask for help when you need it — Don't be too proud to ask for assistance when career disaster strikes. You have a community of people and resources available at your fingertips – from the local library, your place of worship, Drexel's Alumni Relations and Career Services Offices, etc. People will help you with your career; all you need to do is ask.
Be prepared with your survival kit so that when career challenges come your way, you have the necessary tools and support systems to help you weather the storm without major disruptions.
And please continue to make efforts to help Sandy victims! Many of you may have employers who will match charitable donations. Check to see if your employer does, and what steps you need to take in order to take advantage of it. There are still many people and communities that need your help and assistance.
 Julia Levy '93 has a passion for recruiting and helping find the right people for the right job. Currently, she manages Talent Acquisition Operations for TIAA-CREF, a Fortune 100 financial services organization. At TIAA, she is helping to transform the recruiting function by optimizing processes, implementing creative tools and technologies and developing innovative talent strategies.
With more than 15 years experience in Human Resources, Julia believes that job seekers need to be educated on how employers think in order to be successful in finding a job or advancing in one's career. On the flip side, employers need to think more like a job seeker in order to find the best candidates and retain them.
Professional development is an ongoing process; whether or not you're looking for a new job, there are always opportunities for growth and improvement. Julia's column will touch upon broad topics which range from résumé-writing, to networking dos and don'ts, to how the latest technology can be used to enhance your personal brand.
Previously with MetLife, Julia had developed and implemented innovative sourcing strategies, programs and branding to acquire top talent and increase the visibility of MetLife in the marketplace. During her tenure there, Julia helped increase recruiting effectiveness and saved millions through the development and implementation of a centralized staffing strategy. She also managed relationships and negotiated contracts with external outsourcing, search firms, job board and advertising partners.
In her off hours, Julia's passion for travel has taken her to lands near and far. She lives in New York City and loves to play on her co-ed softball team Who's On First. More |
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May 2009
Networking Debunked
June 2009
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
July 2009
How to Incorporate Social Media into Your Job Search Strategy
August 2009
Answers to Your Online Networking Questions
September 2009
Interview Types and How To Prepare
October 2009
Answers to Your Toughest Interview Questions
November 2009
How to Say Thank You
December 2009
'Tis the Season To Update Your Résumé
January 2010
Everything Above the Fold = Gold
February 2010
Company Research is Always in Fashion
March 2010
Job Loss Can Happen To Anyone
May 2010
Keeping It Together During a Job Search
June 2010
Want to Increase Your Job Search Success? Create a Personal Positioning Plan!
July 2010
Activity vs. Productivity
August 2010
Follow Up With a Dead Mouse |
September 2010
To Temp or Not To Temp, That is the Question
October 2010
Attitude is Everything in Your Job Search
November 2010
Optimize Your Job Search
December 2010
'Tis the Season for Stepping Up Your Job Search
January 2011
The Most Overused Buzzwords That are Killing Your Résumé
February 2011
Shopping for a New Job at Work
March 2011
Skate to Success in Your Next Interview
May 2011
How to Negotiate Your Way to a Raise
June 2011
Stand Out on LinkedIn
July 2011
What's the Definition of Job Search Insanity?
August 2011
References, Do They Really Matter?
September 2011
Job Search on the Go!
October 2011
Oops! You Did It Again: Common Mistakes Job Seekers Make
December 2011
How to Stay Motivated When Working From Home |
January 2012
Get SMART with Your Performance Review
February 2012
Job Search Netiquette
May 2012
Would You Supply Your Facebook Password During an Interview?
June 2012
How to Connect with People Using Social Media
July 2012
How to Win Over a Hiring Manager
August 2012
Going for the Gold in Your Job Search
October 2012
Keeping Politics Out Of the Job Search |
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