Did you make a personal New Year’s Resolution for 2019? How about one for your career growth? This year, setting firm, measurable career goals can improve your quality of life and work/life balance. 

Here are some suggested workplace goals:
1) Get Healthy - Getting healthy is the most common New Year’s resolution made among people of all ages. Because you spend a lot of time at work, incorporating a healthy lifestyle while you are there is crucial for your physical and mental well-being. It doesn't have to be complicated either. For example: pack a lunch 2-3 times a week filled with fruits and vegetables. Take the stairs. Drink an extra glass of water each day. Get up and stretch every hour. Use a standing desk or sit on an exercise ball. Think small, and you’ll find that those little things add up to big results.
2) Learn a new skill - No matter what your title is at work, there are hundreds of new skills to be learned that will benefit your performance and ultimately your career. Pick one skill that you want to learn and use tutorials to aid you. You can find these on sites like Lynda.com and even for free on YouTube. Pick just one skill and set it as one of your work goals for the year. Then get it done. Once you do, don't forget to add it to your resume.
3) Read a career-related book - Reading is great for your mental health and does wonders for your body. Instead of reading a fictional book, find one that aligns with your work goals -- maybe one focused on boosting your performance, your outlook, or even focused on your personal habits. Reading a great book on professional development can give you a new perspective, increase your energy and motivate you during the year.
4) Review and improve your LinkedIn profile - Set a calendar reminder every quarter to assess your LinkedIn profile. Your profile is more or less your online resume so make sure it is up-to-date. You might be surprised when a dream job comes your way or a recruiter reaches out. If you don't know where to begin, assess other profiles of people with similar titles or at similar companies. See what you like or dislike from their profiles and make changes to your accordingly. 

Career resolutions aren't required but can set you on a path to success for the entire year. Even if you only choose one of these, it is well worth the effort because you are sure to see results. Best of luck to you in 2019. 

OpTech is committed to providing its customers with exceptional talent to fit their business needs. We also believe strongly in helping and giving back to the communities in which we work and reside. As a result, a few years ago, we developed a dedicated program for veterans returning to the workforce after completing their active duty. The program not only places a veteran in a new position, but allows him/her to transition into civilian life seamlessly.

The Value of Hiring a Veteran                                           
Veterans generally bring the core values of discipline & commitment to all aspects of their work. They are trained to think and react logically and be a valuable team player in the workplace.

Program Outline
OpTech works directly with a number of organizations and partner companies to place Veterans. Some of these groups include: Hiring our Heroes, Inforum's Next4Vets and MI Virtual Career Fairs, which help Veterans find civilian jobs. OpTech's program is multi-faceted and has been established to accomplish several objectives, including identifying, recruiting, training and assisting veterans in finding jobs and advancing their careers after their military service.

Our success in employing veterans has earned us a Silver Level Employer certification status by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.

OpTech's President and CEO, Ronia Kruse was recently featured in the Detroiter Magazine, alongside other industry experts. The article posed a question to each visionary about the role talent played on Detroit's failed bid to host Amazon's second world headquarters. Amazon cited several reasons why Detroit was not a contender, but the main reason was that our city lacks existing talent. So the question is this: What comes first, talent or business? 

Ronia said the following: 

“Certainly some talent follows companies but more often, companies will follow talent. In fact, studies by renowned economists have proven this theory.  The unemployment rate is under 4%, which is extremely low; IT and Engineering positions are below 2%. Clearly the talent pool in the U.S. is in a crisis. Michigan has some of the finest universities in the country but is being challenged with retaining talent in Michigan, as it is losing about 36% of its students to other states. Michigan is making strides to change this paradigm via the Marshall Plan for Talent and ChooseMichigan.org initiative – programs that are building talent pipelines, retaining students and upskilling talent.”
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The world of interviewing has changed so much over the past 10 years. Not only has the cover letter died but the phone interview has become a true first step to getting a foot in the door, literally. Most companies require you to pass their phone screening process before you can step foot into the office and meet with someone face-to-face. For some of you, this is an easy step to get past, but for many of us, we are much better at meeting someone one-on-one. Unfortunately, your voice and your words must sell you and that can be nerve-wracking and daunting all at once.  
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If you find you are struggling during your phone interviews, here are a few suggestions that could make all the difference in the world:

1. Dress Professionally: Sounds crazy, right? Yes, you could wear your pajamas or gym clothes, but the way you are dressed does impact your demeanor and performance. Psychologically speaking, have you ever noticed that the way you dress, really impacts how you behave during the day? So, when you dress in something professional or an outfit that makes you feel confident, it will show in your voice and will come through over the phone.
2. Keep Your Notes Out in Front of You: This is one of the biggest perks to phone interviews. You can set your notes in front of you to make sure you highlight particular skill sets or experiences. Bullets are best; don’t script your notes. Reading them word for word will sound exactly like that. Having notes out can ensure you hit the topics you want to cover and make you feel more confident.
3. Take the call in a private place free from all noises and distractions: The last thing you want during a phone interview is to be distracted by other people, the radio or a pet. This is a time when you need to focus, so finding a distraction-free space is absolutely essential. If you're unable to be home during your phone interview, you could take the call in a private room at your local library or even in your car.
4. Remain calm and speak at a moderate pace Phone interviews put people at a disadvantage because we don’t have facial cues or body language to gauge how to redirect or moderate our behavior, tone of voice, etc.  It is imperative that you try your best to avoid talking fast and saying filler words such as "um," "like," or "kind of." If you need to, take a few moments after each question is asked to gather your thoughts before you give your answer. You can always acknowledge the question by saying something like "of course" or "definitely," and buy yourself a little bit of time before going into your full answer. 
5. Do smile: Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice. It can also be helpful to stand during the interview, since this typically gives your voice more energy and enthusiasm.

​Similar to any interview, be sure to ask questions and thank the interviewer for their time. Be sure to ask for the interviewer's email address, if you don't already have it, and send out an email thank you note immediately, reiterating your interest in the job. Finally, take a deep breath, and remember, like most things: practice makes perfect. 

​When was the last time you submitted a cover letter with a resume? If you can’t remember, you aren’t alone. Cover letters are quickly becoming a thing of the past with the advent of speed, technology and the sheer volume of resumes submitted for any particular job post, but it wasn’t always this way. Years ago, the cover letter was a tool that recruiters or hiring managers used to get the bigger picture about you and what you had to offer an organization.  

Today, however, the average recruiter spends 5-7 seconds reviewing any single resume. In that amount of time, the last thing they are going to do is read a cover letter. In addition, most companies today use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that allow talent to upload their resume which in turn, strips the information, only leaving the most important data for quicker perusing.

Regardless of all of this, the end of the cover letter also signals the end of personalizing your pitch and highlighting information that doesn’t shine on a bulleted job history. To stand out now, applicants need to get creative and change the traditional resume format to serve their needs. Here is what we suggest:

1. Add a summary At the top of your resume, provide two to three sentences that highlight what makes you different compared to other applicants. This is a great place to share your career-focus or maybe the high-level of competency you offer. Note: this is different than the old-school “objective” that once adorned resumes. The summary should focus on your skills and not your career intentions.
2. Highlight your accomplishments Under each employment heading, include bulleted points listing critical elements that hiring managers are seeking. For example, answer the questions: “What were your major accomplishments?” “What results were achieved? By offering concrete examples, your resume will stand out compared to your competition.
3. Include your Social Media Handles (Where Applicable) On your resume, always be sure to include your customized URL for LinkedIn in particular. If you are active on Twitter and FB (in a professional way) include these too. Think of your LinkedIn profile as the modern cover letter. Here you can provide detailed information about the value you bring to a company. Your social profiles are a direct reflection of you and whether you are a culture fit for the company you are potentially interviewing with. As a result, use discretion and judgement in whatever you choose to share.

There is one caveat to the death of the cover letter. Sometimes it is used as a test to see how interested and committed you are to the position. So if a company asks for a cover letter, be sure to include one. It may not even be reviewed but those resumes received without a cover letter may be a weeding factor and could automatically be dismissed.
Beyond everything else, focus on the elements of the application process – a strong resume, a professional online presence, and skillful networking – elements that will separate you from the crowd each and every time.

By: Paulina Kostecki

​Do you ever find yourself being let down after applying for jobs because your resume isn’t getting noticed? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. In today’s world it is nearly impossible for HR departments to give a close look to every resume they receive. In fact, most resumes don’t even get looked at by hiring managers because they don’t make it past the “robots” that weed out resumes. Read the tips below to find out how you can guarantee your resume will be looked at and called for an interview.
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1.Use Simple Formatting
In order to get your resume past applicant tracking systems, stick to the basics and avoid using logos, pictures, designs, etc. You should also stick to the basic fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, Garamond, and be sure to use 12 pt. font. 
 
2.Utilize Keywords
Make sure your resume uses verbs and phrases that are specific to the position you’re applying for. By doing this, applicant tracking systems will put your resume higher up than others. However, it is important to not go overboard and use all keywords because that will not impress the hiring manager.
 
3.Don’t use the “Objective” Section Header
This section of your resume is pointless. Obviously you are applying for that specific position because you are interested in it and have knowledge in that field. Instead of wasting space with an objective section, try using a qualifications summary with a few bullet-points that highlight your specific skills for the position. This also gives you a chance to use more keywords.
 
4.Check for Typos
Self-explanatory. Don’t let your resume go unnoticed because of spelling mistakes.  
 
Well, there you have it! Follow these very simple steps and you will be sure to get your resume past the robots and into the hands of the hiring manager. Don’t let applicant tracking systems hold back your resume!