Entry Level Jobs Indianapolis

1.  Review the logs on file through the career center websites that list types positions held by alumnus in your field of study.  Write down a few of the top positions that are of interest to you and do some research in order to get a better feel for where your strengths and interests would be best suited. 

2. Schedule an informational interview.  Talk to your friends and family to see if anyone can help you get an informal, informational interview with a company that has positions similar to the ones on which you have targeted your search.   

3. Job shadow: This is very similar to the informational interview but a little more in depth.  This is a great way to really see "A day in the life of______".  There is no better way to figure out if a position is fit for you than to actually see the work first hand. 

4. Give your resume some TLC and spend some time beefing it up a little bit.  A good way to start is by translating your educational experince into relevant "work" experience.  Add any organizational involvement onto your resume and detail out any skills that are utilized in the work you perform for those organizations.  (If you aren't involved with any organizations, you better get involved quickly!)  I would also recommend having a few HR Professionals or headhunters review it so that you can get the perspectives of a few different people within various industries.  These conversations might also lead to potential Indianapolis job openings!

Personal branding is the process by which we unearth what makes us special and then communicate that to the right audience.

There are so many people competing for the same opportunities now. Personal branding teaches us how to stand out, be found, and align our true authentic selves with the careers of our dreams."

Remember when it was your resume and cover letter that needed to stand out from the rest in order to get noticed? Now it is how you brand yourself in many other ways. Your personal brand becomes your resume of sorts. It tells the story of your career, your capabilities and your value.

This concept can get scary for some if you think that the only way to accomplish this is through an online social presence. Well, that is definitely one way to do it and a quick way to reach a lot of people. However, this is not the only way. Personal interaction and networking is just as valuable and a healthy combination of BOTH is what is required to stand out in the crowd.  The risk we take in focusing only on our o line social network is that we stop communicating live, face to face, with other human beings. Nothing will ever replace the impact one can make through a real, live conversation about how they can add value in the workplace.

Dan refers to the 2010 Kelly Global Workforce Index (yes, I did just mention a competitor in my blog post - demonstrates maturity and confidence) which talks about the importance of soft skills and communication skills in the workplace. The importance of soft skills are outpacing the hard skills by a significant margin.  So get out there and show your face, engage others in the Indianapolis job market and get a personal handle on local hiring trends and job opportunities by TALKING to people.  Practice those soft skills and get to really know people who can help you in your career development and maybe even with your next step.

Remember, even if you have a job, your Indianapolis job search is never really over. As we have all experienced over the past 18-24 months, everything from management jobs to entry level jobs in Indianapolis have been affected by what is happening locally and globally in the economy. Do not be left out in the cold because it was too much work to get out there and network or because you were much more comfortable watching Jersey Shore reruns on TV, wrapped up in your favorite blanket on the couch.

With eight out of ten hiring officials in Central Indiana jobs conducting background checks, it is vital to know what may show up on yours. 

Employers are running checks that range from a basic criminal check for those applying for entry level jobs, Indianapolis part time jobs and administrative jobs in Indianapolis to nationwide criminal and credit checks for those applying for finance and accounting jobs, Indianapolis executive jobs or six-figure jobs in Indianapolis and an even more intensive background check, including interviewing previous neighbors, previous drug use, etc. for those applying for Federal Government Contract jobs in Indianapolis.

Even more important than knowing what may show up on your background is that you disclose this to Executive Headhunters or any hiring official in Central Indiana jobs. You may have a conviction that meets an employer’s criteria but if you have not disclosed this, that is considered falsifying your application.

There is valuable information found at The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse  
 

Before you begin your Indianapolis career search, take the following steps to reduce the chances that you and/or the potential employer will be "surprised" by information found in the background check process:

• Order a copy of your credit report. If there is something you do not recognize or that you disagree with, dispute the information with the creditor and/or credit bureau before you have to explain it to the interviewer. Another individuals name may appear on your credit report. This happens when someone mistakenly writes down the wrong Social Security number on a credit application causing that name to appear on your file. Or you might be a victim of identity theft. (See PRC Fact Sheet 6 on your credit reporting rights, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6-crdt.htm, and Fact Sheet 17a on identity theft, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm.)

• Check court records. If you have an arrest record or have been involved in court cases, go to the county where this took place and inspect the files. Make sure the information is correct and up to date.
  
  Reporting agencies often report felony convictions when the consumer truly believes the crime was reduced to a misdemeanor, or that it was reported as a misdemeanor conviction when the consumer thought the charge was reduced to an infraction. Court records are not always updated correctly. For example, a signature that was needed to reduce the charges might not have been obtained or recorded by the court. Don't rely on what your attorney may have told you. If you think the conviction was expunged or dismissed, get a certified copy of your report from the court. For an explanation of expungement, visit www.epic.org/privacy/expungement.

• Check DMV records. Request a copy of your driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles, especially if you are applying for a job that involves driving.
  
  Many employers ask on their application if you were ever convicted of a crime. Or they might word the question to ask whether you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Typically, the application says you do not have to divulge a case that was expunged or dismissed, or that was a minor traffic violation.
  
  Don't be confused. A DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) conviction is not considered a minor traffic infraction. Applicants with a DUI or DWI who have not checked "yes" on a job application may be denied employment for falsifying the form -- even when the incident occurred only once or happened many years before. The employer perceives this as dishonesty, even though the applicant might only have been confused by the question.

• Do your own background check. If you want to see what an employer's background check might uncover, hire a company that specializes in such reports to conduct one for you. That way, you can discover if the data bases of information vendors contain er

  

  roneous or misleading information. (Consult the Yellow Pages under "Investigators.") Or, you can use one of the many online search services to find out what an employer would learn if conducting a background check in this way.

• Read the fine print carefully. When you sign a job application, you will be asked to sign a consent form if a background check is conducted. Read this statement carefully and ask questions if the authorization statement is not clear. Unfortunately, job seekers are in an awkward position, since refusing to authorize a background check may jeopardize the chances of getting the job.

These steps can help eliminate a costly (and even embarrassing) mistake in your Indianapolis job search!

I recently attended the Indiana State Human Resources Conference and learned a lot of great things.

There seemed to be a recurring theme throughout all the sessions I attended which I think is valuable for employees and employers alike: we have been through (and are still experiencing) very tough economic times. Central Indiana jobs have been eliminated, employees in entry level jobs in Indianapolis to those in six figure jobs in Indianapolis are expected to do more and morale is low. It is time for employers and employees to reengage with each other and become excited about their jobs and the companies they work for. Companies have been so focused on the bottom line and employees on protecting their jobs they we have forgotten about trusting and respecting each other.
  

Libby Sartain, who worked for Southwest Airlines and Yahoo! spoke about this topic at the Conference. Sartain’s message was that the success companies experience is not the result of one person or one executive, it is the result of everyone. Employees are looking for opportunities that ignite their creativity but also bring balance to their lives and HR professionals are searching every day for "stars" to contribute to this environment.

Sartain says people want challenging work. They want to make a difference. They want to have fun. They want a sense of community -- and community involvement. They want to take occasional time off to spend with friends and family.

Employees want you to outline their role and what it means. They want to know what success means for them and the organization.

Employees and employers both need to be effective communicators. Communication gets projects done. And you have to communicate the meaning of what you do time and time again.

This is a great message for all central Indiana employers in addition to those employees entering an Indianapolis job search or searching for career opportunities. The focus should be on companies who embrace putting trust and value in their employees. At That's Good HR, we make sure that before we place our candidates on a job, we learn as much as we can about the company, the culture, the job and the expectations. This way, our employees have the best chance to go in and put their best foot forward right away. To learn more about Central Indiana job opportunities, visit our website at www.thatsgoodhr.com.

There are many personality types we deal with in Central Indiana jobs. While diversity in personalities is what makes the business world go around, there are certain people that create a toxic work environment for many of those in Indianapolis careers. According to Suzy Welch , there are five “species” of difficult co-workers:

·         Boss Haters: Most Boss Haters persist, using every kind of subterfuge from eye-rolling to outright belligerence, until management loses patience and ousts them.

·         Stars: Many key players are Stars largely because they are the best kind of employee, inclusive and inspiring, but some Stars can develop into real bullies, often ridiculing any idea that is not their own.

·         Sliders: former Stars, resting on their laurels and undermining their teams with apathy. Their unspoken excuse is "I've proven my worth around here; I don't need to scramble anymore.", leaving their co-workers to pick up the slack while they get the glory

·         Pity Parties: The most expert Pity Parties concoct long-running sympathy stories: bad backs, bad marriages, bad childcare, and so on. I don't want to sound harsh. Sometimes people really do need time off or special accommodations, but Pity Parties make an art form of wriggling out of responsibility, and you're left wondering if you're a heel for resenting them—or a dupe for helping them.

·         Self-Promoters: Self-Promoters occasionally sabotage peers in pursuit of fame and glory

I’m sure in reading these descriptions an image of a current or past co-worker popped into your head. But what if YOU are that toxic employee?

Those working in entry-level jobs in Indianapolis and administrative jobs in Indianapolis to those in managment positions, six figure jobs in Indianapolis and all those in Central Indiana jobs have weathered (and still are) a tumultuous economy where companies are doing massive downsizing, employees are asked to do twice as much work, there is constant concern about whether you are next on the downsizing list or whether your company is going to make it through the storm.

While this type of stress seems to bring out the worst in us, this is an opportunity to promote your Indianapolis career. Being that employee who takes a bad situation and continues to work positively and with a “whatever it takes” attitude are the employees that employers of Central Indiana jobs will value.

If you were a victim of the economy and downsized this positive approach is a plus to you in your Indianapolis job search. It not only gives you answers to those companies who have adapted the hiring trend of Behavioral Interviewing but will also give you positive references from your former employers.

Not sure how your personality is perceived by others? Take a quick quiz to find out or for fun, determine which character from Office Space you are!

Last year I became one of the many casualties of the economy. I was downsized from an Indianapolis Staffing company where I had spent the last 17 years. This was not only a blow to my ego but also stressful to be searching for HR jobs in Indianapolis in a very bleak economy.

After feeling sorry for myself and spending a short amount of time being the youngest snowbird on the Gulf Coast (this was actually a boost to my bruised ego!), I decided to practice what I had been preaching for the last 17 years in my staffing and HR roles:

1)  Do not solely rely on job boards to find your new career. While sites such as CareerBuilder and Monster are valuable, do not assume that only submitting your resume through these sites will land you your dream job.

2)  Network, Network, Network!

o     Reach out to any and all personal and professional contacts. Referrals are a very valuable tool in searching for positions. Your neighbor may know of a position opening up within his company or your former employer may be hiring. People who know you want to help.

o     Contact your college placement department.

o        Contact your former employer’s competitors. You have the industry experience and knowledge they are looking for and you can add new insight to their business.

o        Join professional organizations in your area. There are organizations for HR , Accounting and many other professionals in Indianapolis. There is also the Business Network International Organization (BNI) which is the largest business networking organization in the world and The Network of Women in Business. There are also website groups for Administrative professionals and "virtually" any other type of professional on websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace.  These organizations enable you to network yourself directly to hiring officials.

o       Many churches in the Indianapolis area have networking groups which is another great way to market yourself.

o         Volunteer. This is a great way to not only network but to also turn the negative of finding yourself with too much time on your hands into making a positive impact in your community.

3)   Follow the news. Know what companies are coming to your area. While they may not have jobs posted yet, you can proactively market yourself ahead of the pack!

4)  Contact Indianapolis staffing companies. I know of a really GREAT staffing company, called That’s Good HR! Indianapolis Staffing companies work for you. Whether you are looking for Federal Government Contract jobs, Accounting jobs, Administrative jobs or Six Figure jobs in Indianapolis, Indianapolis staffing companies have many contacts within many companies. While you are networking yourself to one company at a time, Indianapolis staffing companies are networking you to many direct hiring sources.

5)  Above all else, stay positive and open-minded. What may appear to be a less than ideal job opportunity could end up being a better career fit for you.  For example, you may start at a more entry-level position than where you previously were.  This may enable you to learn about the company from the ground up. You may have employment offers that are “temporary to hire”. This is an opportunity for you to try out a new company or industry.