The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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How Good Writing Skills Can Build Your Brand with the Grammar Goddess

How Good Writing Skills Can Build Your Brand with the Grammar Goddess

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Employers want employees and new hires to good writing skills. If you find writing a challenge, this is a good show for you. Susan Rooks, the Grammar Goddess is back to revisit the value of good business writing.

I also mention it’s National Punctuation Day and what better way and reason to celebrate it.

How important is good writing to you?Let’s discuss! You can do this in three ways:

  • Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822, or text your comments to the same number
  • Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
  • Send email feedback to mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

NEED A HOLIDAY JOB?

In the first segment of the show, Victoria Crispo offers some holiday job search advice. She is a Career Development Expert, Manager of College and Professional Outreach at Idealist.org. I first met her as she was the Content Manager at IdealistCareers.org. IdealistCareers.org is a not only a nonprofit job board but also has good content for your job search.

More about the Grammar Goddess


Susan Rooks is the Grammar Goddess and can be found at the GrammarGoddess.com. She is a copy editor and a corporate educator. Susan traveled the world training audiences on various subjects including business writing.

Here are some highlights from our discussion:

  • Susan talks about manners in writing in using “please” and “thank you”–not used enough
  • The misuse of commas–the Oxford comma she says is still essential–Helps guard against misinterpretation
  • E.g., My heroes are my parents, Superman, and Wonder Woman vs. My heroes are my parents Superman and Wonder Woman
  • Susan advocates a refresher on grammar usage. It has been since high school most people have taken a class
  • Most people should stop using colons and semicolons because they are often misused
  • I reference using Grammar Girl and Strunk and White, “The Elements of Style”
  • Although Word grammar check helps, it covers only a fraction of grammar usage

Do you need coaching or instruction?

I am here for it! Use my contact information above to inquire about individual or group coaching. You can also sign up for my weekly newsletter at the top of my page.

 

About Mark Anthony Dyson

My name is Mark Anthony Dyson, and I am the Founder of The Voice of Job Seekers. I am a career advice writer, but more importantly, I hack and re-imagine the job search process.. I've worked with hundreds of job seekers one-on-one helping them to construct a narrative and strategy that appeals to hiring managers and recruiters. I present at colleges and organizations, and facilitated many workshops including my volunteer effort through a Job Lab. I write and create useful job search content on this blog and write career and workplace advice for blogs such as Glassdoor, Payscale, Job-Hunt.org, Prezi and more. Media Feature highlights: Forbes, Business Insider, NBC News, Glassdoor, LinkedIn's #GetHired, and NPR Freelance writer and content contributor: Glassdoor, Payscale, job-hunt.org, The Financial Diet, RippleMatch.com and more. Contact me to contribute career, job search, or workplace advice for your site at markanthonydyson@gmail.com.

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Graduates, the Skills Gap is Real

Graduates, the Skills Gap is Real

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We have been hearing about the skills gap for a long time and studies in the past address the lack of what employers want. Payscale released a skill gap study detailing the disconnect between managers and recent graduates regarding their preparedness for employment after entering the workforce, and which skills managers are most likely to consider absent or deficient. Please go to Payscale’s website to view and download their report!

I discussed this two months ago with Rich Thompson, Adecco North America Chief Human Resource Officer. He also said one of the biggest challenges employers have is the skills gap. It is evident according to the study and organizations; graduates are not ready to present themselves as proficient in business oral and written communication. Lydia Frank from Payscale is with me to discuss their skills gap study specifically as it relates to college grads.

Have you been turned down for a position because you lacked skills? Talk to us. Here’s how you can participate in the discussion:

  1. Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822, or text your thoughts to the same number
  2. Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
  3. Send email feedback to mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Lydia Frank (@lydia_west)

Lydia Frank was in episode 68 last year, and most recently on episode 111. I bought her back to discuss the latest study conducted byPayscale.com. Lydia is the Senior Director of Marketing for Payscale and salary negotiation columnist for Money.com. Her media contributions include TechCrunch, Havard Business Review, The Huffington Post, and CBS News.

  • The study focuses on the value of skills gap and identifies skills that affect pay in a positive way
  • Industry specific expertise will differ especially in the technical fields
  • The study focused even more of graduates
  • Writing proficiency and public skills are lacking–perhaps due to technology
  • Personal communication does not carry over to business communication
  • More proof and assessments. More frequently, the first two interactions with a company would be a telephone interview and a skills assessment
  • Great work by blogging is valid social proof and differentiate from the competition
  • We talk about how critical thinking affects the need to assess. Questions around critical thinking often evaluate how a job candidate thinks about solving a problem
  • Employers want to see the work and his or her process
  • Lydia discusses how a diversity of thinking and the background of the team is important–does he or she complement the team? Not just diversity of people
  • The study looks at the skills gap by U.S. region

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it!

Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

My name is Mark Anthony Dyson, and I am the Founder of The Voice of Job Seekers. I am a career advice writer, but more importantly, I hack and re-imagine the job search process.. I've worked with hundreds of job seekers one-on-one helping them to construct a narrative and strategy that appeals to hiring managers and recruiters. I present at colleges and organizations, and facilitated many workshops including my volunteer effort through a Job Lab. I write and create useful job search content on this blog and write career and workplace advice for blogs such as Glassdoor, Payscale, Job-Hunt.org, Prezi and more. Media Feature highlights: Forbes, Business Insider, NBC News, Glassdoor, LinkedIn's #GetHired, and NPR Freelance writer and content contributor: Glassdoor, Payscale, job-hunt.org, The Financial Diet, RippleMatch.com and more. Contact me to contribute career, job search, or workplace advice for your site at markanthonydyson@gmail.com.

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2014 Job Preparedness Indicator Survey with Alexandra Levit

2014 Job Preparedness Indicator Survey with Alexandra Levit

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Alex (2)

For the second year (the third year on the blog), we are featuring the results of the Job Preparedness Indicator Survey done by DeVry University’s Career Advisory Board. A large part of the survey studies the job skill gaps and provides job strategies and recommendation mainly for college students and Millenials. Alexandra Levit is one of the workplace/career experts and executives on the career board. She provides an overview of the survey findings and job strategies for young job seekers.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about the survey. What do you think about the findings of the survey? There are three ways you can share your thoughts. Let me know if it’s OK to read or replay your message on the show:

  1. Call and leave a voicemail at 708.365.9822
  2. Email: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com
  3. Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com/71, press the Send Voicemail button on the left, which will activate your laptop microphone, then leave a message

Alexandra Levit is a friend of the blog and podcast as for the last three years, she has volunteered to share the Career Advisory Board’s findings on various studies. Here are the other conversations we’ve had in the past:

  1. Are College Graduates Unprepared for the Marketplace?
  2. How Can Career Services Engage College Students Through Social Media?
  3. This is the Future of Work (as an Independent Contractor)

We discussed some of the following findings of the survey:

  • Only 7 percent of hiring managers report that “nearly all” or “most” job seekers have the complete set of skills and traits that their companies need to fill open positions
  • Hiring managers appear to do little to no training of new hires
  • High integrity of candidates is favored  more than ever as a needed attribute of the entry level candidate
  • Although a global perspective is a must local candidates are considerably favored – Hiring managers are unlikely to look for candidates who are not local at the time of hiring
  • Adequate business writing skills are needed without much training or monitoring
  • Hiring managers want candidates who are quick and perpetual learners, again minimizing or eliminating training time

Job strategies for job seekers:

  1. Millenials must show the ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing. Because of truncated social media messaging, many are not demonstrating the acumen for business writing
  2. Be ready to absorb new material quickly. Hiring managers are looking to spend minimal time in training
  3. Look much closer to home for opportunities. Employers will continue their search for candidates until a viable one becomes available
  4. Must have high integrity. Employers need candidates and new hires they can trust
  5. Perpetual learner. Certifications, continuing education, and expanded learning is essential

About Mark Anthony Dyson

My name is Mark Anthony Dyson, and I am the Founder of The Voice of Job Seekers. I am a career advice writer, but more importantly, I hack and re-imagine the job search process.. I've worked with hundreds of job seekers one-on-one helping them to construct a narrative and strategy that appeals to hiring managers and recruiters. I present at colleges and organizations, and facilitated many workshops including my volunteer effort through a Job Lab. I write and create useful job search content on this blog and write career and workplace advice for blogs such as Glassdoor, Payscale, Job-Hunt.org, Prezi and more. Media Feature highlights: Forbes, Business Insider, NBC News, Glassdoor, LinkedIn's #GetHired, and NPR Freelance writer and content contributor: Glassdoor, Payscale, job-hunt.org, The Financial Diet, RippleMatch.com and more. Contact me to contribute career, job search, or workplace advice for your site at markanthonydyson@gmail.com.

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