Why You Should Consider Going Where the Jobs Are!

Often I am asked by top tier employers how they can attract premier African American and diverse graduates to consider working for them in smaller metropolitan areas or job markets. My response to them is to tell candidates about the great cultural and social dynamics and history of the community, talk about the cost of living as compared to other major markets and who cuts or styles Black hair (smile). Ultimately I advise that they develop information packets or presentations to address these issues since many students will not know about the "hidden treasures" of their smaller markets.


But lets take a few steps backward. All of you are not from New York, LA, Chicago, Boston, Washington, DC., or Atlanta, all are great cities, and many want to work in these cities, but get over it, there's a big country out there, and many of you with a little research may find that other "less popular" metropolitan areas may have exactly what you are looking for. So before you blow off that job offer from Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Suburban New Jersey, Portland, Seattle, or New Haven, you may want to do your homework. Keep in mind that people have very rich, edgy and exciting lives all around the country. Some of you should move forward with plans to work on Wall Street or Capital Hill, but some of you should consider at least exploring other interesting career and living options. Besides, the last time I checked it was the person who dictated the quality, and excitement of their lives, not the city or the local night life.

Lets talk cold hard cash, will your $40,000-$50,000 dollar a year salary go further in NYC, or Indianapolis? You do the math! Some of the salaries many of you will command after graduation in smaller metropolitan markets, could provide you with a great economic jump-start in saving and investing, buying your first home, affording a nice car, joining popular golf and social clubs. It may just beat sharing a room with 4 crazy roommates and several more years of Instant Noodles and P&J sandwiches (many of you know what I am talking about). It's not all about the material things, but the ride can be be a lot more fun if your money stretches a little further affording you a more affluent lifestyle.


Opportunity can knock in different places. Many of you should take a page from the communications and broadcast graduates who know that often to break into their industry they will have to consider working for a period of time in "smaller markets." In broadcasting, most people gain a wealth of valuable and enjoyable work experience in the smaller cities and towns across the nation, and most know they won't just walk in the door and anchor the evening news in New York, or at the desk of CNN in Atlanta. Young professionals considering launching their careers in business, government, non-profit arenas and more should consider a page from the broadcast book of strategic relocation.


Black Enterprise produces an issue highlighting top cities for African American professionals. http://www.blackenterprise.com/cms/exclusivesopen.aspx?id=850

Interesting facts:

• Several of the cities are below the Mason-Dixon Line ---So take a closer look you Northerners hooked on NYC, Philly, and NJ.




• Most of the cities had a 50% or higher African American population.




• Eight out of 10 cities in a recent survey had a cost of living index that is less than the national average

A few final tips:

• Talk to African American and other diverse professionals at the company recruiting you (particularly alumni from your college) and ask them what they think about the cultural environment in the local area.




• Talk to the locals, get their take on the city or town, and where they think it is heading in the future. Don't be afraid to ask about the racial climate and if young black professionals seem to enjoy the area.

• Take a day by yourself to just walk around downtown areas, visit local shopping and dining spots. Use your common sense, if it "feels" uncomfortable trust your instinct.
  



• Do some research, what do the numbers say about cost of living, numbers of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and consider local social environment for "people like you."
  



• Ultimately don't allow yourself to feel pressured. If you don't like the area, it is your personal choice, you have earned the right to be selective and even critical.

Remember whatever you choice is that you give yourself plenty of time, talk to a number of people, visit the location, and don't second guess yourself if it simply is not a match. There are a lot of great cities and towns in the US, don't settle for anything that is less than a great match for you. It is your life, and you need to be sure you can live it when you select a place to live.

Kim R. Wells - let me know your thoughts on this subject.

kwells@howard.edu

Don't Fall Asleep on Your Career This Summer

Hey there is nothing like a lazy summer day at the beach, or a cold glass of sweat tea on the porch with family and friends talking about a whole lot of nothing (smile). We all deserve and need that precious R&R over the summer.

But summer time also presents you with many great opportunities to get a Professional Edge in your career. As I share with my students and alumni at Howard and many of the successful executives I work with, summer is one of the greatest times of the year to refresh and reposition yourself for professional advancement.

Some excellent career advancement strategies to consider this summer:

Internships. For some of you "power players" who are out there and participating in internships, you already know that this is the number one way to strategically leverage your summer time for career advancement. Most top tier organizations provide excellent career development internship programs where you can gain valuable professional experience, mentoring, earn competitive compensation (in most cases), and have an excellent opportunity to develop leading edge competencies. The number one way to secure and transition into top tier employers and professional opportunities coming out of college is by actively participating in internship programs with top tier employers. Stop by your career office for more information on opportunities and participating employers.

Leverage Your "Part-time" Summer Job. So you didn't get that perfect corporate internship this summer and you are working at the mall, all is not lost, there may be great professional development opportunities right under your nose. Don't settle for a waisted summer trying to keep up with mall gossip and parties. Leverage your mall or retail work experience by taking advantage of professional develop opportunities with your employer. Volunteer for available management or technical training, volunteer to assist with business functions such as record keeping, accounting, store deposits, staffing, scheduling, recruiting and training staff. Assist in creating new marketing strategies and developing sales displays. You may be surprised to find that your job at the mall may be filled with many valuable, yet hidden, career development opportunities.

Take time to develop your professional network

and visit employer contacts while on vacation.

Consider while visiting a new city, state, or traveling overseas, planning a site visit with employers in the area. Schedule information interviews with top professionals or successful alumni contacts you may have developed during the year. Remember to bring your business cards to share with interesting and successful people you may want to follow-up with after your vacation. Don't hesitate to ask the people you meet for their business cards. Vacation time is a time when many people are more relaxed and personable, many people you meet may be more willing than in traditional settings to discuss briefly their professional and business interest, or exchange business cards with you.

Catch up with your professional reading. One way to always maintain your Professional Edge is to invest your time in reading innovative, and leading industry books and literature over the summer. Summer is a great time to catch up on professional trends, issues, and hot new industry topics that will keep you in the know this summer. I always recommend professional development reading in the Summer to my students, alumni, and executive clients. Leverage your down time while traveling, on the beach, on the deck, or simply in quiet times at home. Turn off Hollywood for a moment, take a break and invest in your mind.

Schedule a few Power Lunches. This is especially great if you are working near a large metropolitan center and can coordinate power lunches, coffee, or even "happy hour" meetings with business contacts you have developed during the year. Great contacts to connect with may include employer contacts, alumni, and strategic contacts that can provide you with career insight, support, and information.

Lastly, Refresh, Rest, and giver yourself permission to Dream Bigger Dreams. Leave behind challenges of the year, consider your future successes, take a moment and be thankful for the years successes, allow yourself time and moments to drift off into the great dreams and ideas withing you.

Enjoy your summer!

Do you have anything to add, or any comments on this entry? Let me know what you think through this blog, or by writing me at kwells@howard.edu.

KRW

Keep It Moving--(K.I.M.)

One of the old sayings we had in the late eighties, (yes I am dating myself) was Keep It Moving or K.I.M. (yeah I like it for obvious reasons), made popular by hip hop groups like De La Sole--Yes I admit it, I am a closet O.G!

I would like to resurrect that saying for today's entry, I know some of you may be a little bewildered in the job market by the wave of inconsistencies, disparities, ambivalence, and out right discrimination that seems targeted at you as an educated and ambitious African American student or graduate...but Keep It Moving.

Talent is talent, and excellence is excellence, people can attempt to debate, deny, and try to redefine you all they want, but when the day is over it's all about who can deliver... Keep It Moving.

Stop distracting yourself with the delusional, toxic, and small-minded agenda's of the socially, professionally, and spiritually misguided, who's agendas are a reflection of their self-preservation, self-interest, and self-glorification. It doesn't matter if they are on Wall Street, Main Street, or Your Street, a snake is a snake, if they fit the profile, don't eat their "apples." Look to the real champions of our past and present for wisdom, counsel, strength and direction, and Keep It Moving.

This summer take a vacation from the "lifestyles of the rich and ridiculous," and the "reality" they are trying to sell you. Take a time out from the socially irresponsible "products" of the self-proclaimed social architects, and misguided "idols" of the media. Remember the "idol mind" is the devil's playground, so don't get stagnant, get strategic; give your dream, spirit and mind a chance time to heal, reveal, and refresh. Forgive those that violated your dreams, forgive those that don't believe in a better tomorrow, tell them you love them, and you can sort it all out with them in time, but for now...you must Keep It Moving.

Carve out a rich and vibrant future, design your own distinct brand of happiness and success. Yes future leader...its time to leave some "childish" people and behavior behind, and put some of those "toys" back in the toy box, haven't you lost enough time playing "soldier" its time to be one. Like millions of African American leaders before you its time to transition, transcend, and transform your gifts, your world, your family and the many who are waiting on you to show up...Keep It Moving.

If you are wise you will embrace your journey and learn to face your fair share of bumps, dumps, and the many social and professional "punks" along your personal road to success. But rejoice and emerge yourself in the rich moments, relationships, victories, places you will encounter, inspire, and transform along the way. Receive the precious gifts of counsel from loving, wise, and accomplished people into your life, serve the less fortunate, look to the hills, stay on your knees, and Keep It Moving.

Kim R. Wells

kwells@howard.edu

NACE- A Great Resource for All Professionals in the Field of Campus Recruitment and Career Services

Recently I was elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE). I have just completed a year of service as the Chair of NACE's Diversity Advancement Committee and initiatives, and have been involved with the organization the last 4 years in other efforts including magazine interviews, the 2006 conference planning committee, and several years of service in the Diversity Advancement Committee. As Chair of the DAC we had great success this past year which included a successful virtual seminar on diversity recruitment on college campuses, a best practices panel on HBCU recruitment at the national conference, an HBCU recruitment discussion forum in Atlanta, and overall excellent success in inspiring a national dialogue around issues of diversity recruitment on college and university campuses.

I look forward to serving on the NACE Board and hope to provide a new voice that will assist in the development of career opportunities for all students, development of diversity recruitment practices, technologies, and resources that will assist employers and campus career professionals. I am also very interested in being an advocate to promote and inspire more diversity in the ranks of campus career centers, diversity amongst vendors within the career development industry, and increased diversity among employer recruitment teams and management.

I suggest that all students and college professionals who are interested in learning more about the issues and strategies that drive the national and global campus recruitment industry take a moment and check out the NACE website (listed below). Quite frankly, some of you at HBCU career centers and smaller colleges should definitely consider being more involved to have access to the networks, resources and other tools NACE can provide you to give you and your center a professional edge! NACE networks and information have played a vital role for us at Howard in elevating the effectiveness, quality of service, and overall branding of our career services to a whole new level of national leadership and prominence. It could help your center and personal career as well!

Check out NACE's website at www.naceweb.org/

Kim R. Wells

Please write me through this blog or at kwells@howard.edu if you have any ideas or comments about NACE or other subjects you may have in mind.

Strategies for Internal Career Advancement

Recently a reader wrote the Black Collegian and requested that Kim R Wells provide some advice regarding the following situation.

Reader Message:

Hi,I have a question, if you would be kind to answer for me. I would really appreciate it. I am working in a company, and like my work, but it is not exactly in my preferred line of work. I would need to do some academic upgrading before I can really get the job I want there. I recently went for a job interview which is in the same department as the the job I really want. However, I realized in the interview that I might not be happy with the corporate culture for this job, and with the expectations to work overtime and on weekends (occasionally). If I am offered this job, how can I politely refuse without causing any hard feelings among the people in that department, with HR, and with my present co-workers. ---Salary? Present co-workers? I still want to move on eventually but I thought this would be a good step forward. They caught on to that fact during the interview, and asked me if this is a stepping stone in my path to a better job. I said it would probably be several years before I completed enough academic upgrading, but eventually I would like to move on.

KRW Response:

Dear Reader,

I like the fact that you are looking to the future and seem willing to take the next steps in your career through education and exploring job opportunities with your current company. Too many professionals totally overlook opportunities with current employer, and don't consider the excellent "in-house" opportunities for training, tuition assistance programs and other programs such as mentoring that can assist in achieving their career goals.

Also remember while you are pursuing your career goals there will always be seasons when you may need to strategically accept opportunities that are not exactly what you want at the time, but could assist you in the long run in moving forward with your career goals. Most successful professionals will tell you that they had to be flexible at various times in their career and take opportunities that would assist them in achieving their goals, but maybe were not exactly want they wanted at the time. If you are flexible, you can build certain professional competencies you need to develop, get in the "right" department, or find jobs that enable you to visibly "show your stuff" to the right people in the organization. Being flexible and taking strategic "side-steps" in your career can also assist you in receiving great mentors, training, and gain valuable experience that you can leverage to achieve your long term career goals.

Don’t worry about the extra hours and occasional weekends unless you have childcare needs or have other personal issues that may be of concern (and if so speak confidentially to a human resources professional that may be able to assist you by identifying programs or flexibility within the opportunity that will enable you to take the position). I suspect that when you move to the top of your profession, overtime, and weekends will still be a part of your professional life. Sometimes we need to determine what we are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve our greatest goals. Very few people "stumble to the top" most get there through being competent and willing to work hard for what they want.

Also remember that most quality employers recruit employees with the intention of developing the new hires skills and overall value to the organization. If an employer is not excited about your development and career advancement, be careful that there may be other more serious problems at play in the organization that may warrant your keeping your eyes open to other opportunities outside of the company.

If you have already informed this group that you will not be taking the position, don’t worry about it as long as you did it in a timely and professional manner. I suggest a great letter outlining the areas that were of some concern as a follow-up, but be sure to express that you still have a long-term interest in working in that area. Consider also keeping contact with them in case another more desirable situation should open up in the future. Keep moving forward in developing your skills and talents, I wish you all the best in pursuing your goals. Keep me posted at kwells@howard.edu or write back through the blog.


Kim R. Wells

Salary Discrepencies for Blacks

It is very disturbing what I hear consistently from my alumni and many African American students around the country about salary disparities that they are facing in the job market. I personally have seen first hand organizations that have offered Black candidates much lower salaries than White with similar backgrounds for the same positions.

What's going on? In a post civil rights era, some people still seem to believe it is ok to offer African American professionals only 80% of what they are offering non-African Americans according to the most recent census information.

Some of the Hurdles:

• Lower entry level salaries for African Americans- Solution, greater time needs to be invested in salary research and developing negotiation skills.


• Lower scores/ Less Recognition in Performance Evaluations Process- Solution, Improved awareness and active management of the performance evaluation process. Report inconsistencies or irregularities to proper organizational officials.


• Lack of Salary Awareness- Solution- Research industry reports and websites on salaries, keep abreast of current salary information reported by organizations for positions in your area of interest and current position. Talk with HR representatives in your organization for current salary ranges in your position and positions you are targeting in the future.

• Visibility and Opportunity- Solution- Seek mentoring and coaching from successful professionals including non-African Americans. Developing a career advancement strategy to assist in identifying formal and informal training and opportunities to achieve your goals.


• Lack of Recognition of Your Own Value-Too many Black professionals are "just happy to be there,"and feel they need to accept lower salaries to secure the opportunity. Solution- Understand you are there because you add value to the organization. Again research of industry and organizational salary trends, discuss with supervisor salary ranges of your peers and research similarly positions across your organization. Ask your supervisor for feedback on strategies to position yourself for higher salary ranges.


• Vote with your feet-If they aren't willing to pay you the reported market value of your talent within your industry, step on... an organization that doesn't reward talent and high performing contributors is probably riddled with other problems that will slow down or even derail your career.

For recent salary information check out the NACE Salary Survey information @

http://www.jobweb.com/SalaryInfo/default.htm

---KRW

What To Do If Your GPA is Low?

Some of you have had to sacrifice and press on in spite of "non-traditional" and even harsh circumstances to pursue your college education. Some of you have worked full time jobs, had to raise children, or have been very actively engaged in student activities or leadership roles on your campus. This is all good, but sometimes for some the GPA (Grade Point Average) can take a hit.

If you haven't graduated my advise is--GET THAT GPA UP, even if it means focusing down on some of your activities and work hours. Keep in mind your long-term priorities. A low GPA can cost you thousands of dollars in entering the job market and less access to top career opportunities that can fast track your career.

But if it is too late...

1. Don't cry over spilt milk - Move forward with dignity and grace, and celebrate the fact that you have reached the privileged status of being a Black college graduate!

2. Consider we all have different learning styles, some are more conducive toward school, some are more hands on in working with people and within "real life" situations that we are more confident in engaging. Some of you that received "Cs" in school will get "As" in "real life" and in your careers.

3. Think about all the great leaders that were "C" students, including business owners and even our current President (ok well maybe not the best example-but he did get in) that were "C" students. Some people just don't begin excelling until after their formal academic careers are over.

4. Examine and design a plan to leverage your unique value to the job market. Consider developing a plan to market the leadership roles you held in campus organizations, part-time work, or internship opportunities--employers love people that can make things happen. Employers are looking for people who have shown prior performance, and GPA is only one indicator of future performance and leadership. How many high GPA students couldn't lead their way out of a wet paper bag?

5. Take the time to develop a strong and targeted resume, mistakes are a killer if you have a low GPA --so none are allowed at all! Showcase your leadership, outcomes of organizations and work activities you lead.

4. Leverage your fan club. Call on campus administrators who know your work, faculty, part-time and intern employers who can vouch for your leadership outside of the classroom. This could also include regional and national fraternity and sorority leaders who are aware of your work, or other local or national professional organization leaders that are aware of your work.

5. Get your hustle on!! What I have found over the years is that "C" students are often great hustlers, and can often talk their way into anything...thet just aren't as focused at times. I recommend that you get your hustle on, hit the pavement hard, and demonstrate your value to top employers who are always looking for great talent potential that they know is sometimes found as diamonds in the rough.

6. Get a good coach or mentor to work with you. You will need someone to help you decode scenarios, people, and circumstances. With experience and time on their side they can help you to avoid some pitfalls, or delays in getting plugged in with the right people and organizations.

7. Remember you have talent. Some people just take longer to demonstrate it due to circumstances, mistakes, or lack of focus. Its time to lay aside childish things, make yourself and your future a priority, and move forward.

Check out this great article at http://www.coba.unr.edu/faculty/parker/Grades.html written by John H. Williams of Pepperdine University about the Behavior Dimensions on Grades.

Take some time to write me and the many who have told me that they are following this blog. We would all love to hear from you on this or the other topics we have covered.
---KRW