Horizon Point Consulting

Category: Beyond Work

Beyond Work is our line of resources for people and community leaders looking for something new and innovative outside, be it a new job, career change, or personal development outside of work.

  • 10 Books Leaders Need to be Reading

    10 Books Leaders Need to be Reading

    Leaders are readers. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to grow as a leader is to read about leadership and take the knowledge gained from your reading and apply it.

    When asked about the best leadership books out there, here are the ones I recommend.

    1. Great leaders lead themselves first. You can’t lead others if you can’t leader yourself through strong personal habits. The best personal leadership book I have found is Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.
    2. Leaders are influencers. For a timeless classic on influence, read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
    3. Leaders are Empathetic. Read what I believe to be the best fiction ever written. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.   Even if you read it as a student, it’s a good one to re-read, with a particular focus on the leadership lessons to apply. Also check out The Way of the Shepherd: 7 Ancient Secrets to Managing Productive People by Kevin Leman
    4. A leader customizes his/her style based on whom he/she is leading. To understand situational leadership in order to customize, read The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard.
    5. Leaders understand how to run an organization. For insights on what makes an organization successful, read Good to Great by Jim Collins. For the entrepreneurial leader wanting to understand how to run a great start-up and/or scale and grow one, read Scale by Jeff Hoffman and David Finkel and EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey.
    6. Leaders know the most important decisions they make are people decisions. To know how to hire the best, read Who?: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
    7. Leaders know that once they answer the Who question they need to be able to explain the Why to them. To understand the importance of Why, read Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek.
    8. Although answering Why? takes you a long way in motivating others, for more insights on motivation and building people and teams, read The Leadership Challenge byJames Kouzes and Barry Posner and Boundaries for Leaders by Henry Cloud.
    9. Leaders learn from the success and failures of others. Pick up a biography or memoir of a leader. Some good ones are: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and the biographies of different presidents and visionaries by David McCullough and Stephen Ambrose.
    10. Leaders have some good reference books to turn to when they need tools or templates to help them succeed.   Keep a copy of the The Successful Manager’s Handbook on your desk for this purpose.

    Which leadership books have had the most impact on you?

    Like this post? You may also like:

    Horizon Point Book Review 2014

    Horizon Point Book Review 2013

    Harvard Business Review: 11 Books Every Young Leader Must Read

  • How do you make your resume stand out among the thousands of others received by employers?

    How do you make your resume stand out among the thousands of others received by employers?

    Resume writing is among my favorite tasks in my role as a career consultant. I enjoy getting to know clients and assisting them in their job search by making their resumes the best they can possibly be by providing results of their past achievements.

    In my personal professional development, I’ve taken various courses on resume writing and have learned many tricks of the trade. Key words, proper formatting and the importance of providing “results” are all key aspects of developing an awesome resume.

    Check out these links to help you with each of these:

    4 Easy Steps to Know Which Keywords to Include in Your Resume

    Top 6 Tips for Resume Formatting

    Results, not Responsibilities: How to Describe Job Experience on Your Resume

    Resumes are the one place where you should pull out all of the stops. Don’t hold back! This is your one shot at showing the HR executive, CEO or recruiter that you are the right choice for the job. One way to do that is to find out why the company is filling the particular role. There are three possible reasons why they are hiring: to save time, money or to generate income. If you can pinpoint why a company is hiring for the position you are seeking, you have a step up on other applicants. You can then adjust your resume and provide “results” from past work experiences and show your future employer why you are the perfect candidate. Our Resume Results Worksheet can help you get started.

    Horizon Point Consulting offers services for both Entry Level and Professional resumes. Contact us for more information.

  • Midlife Career Change – Is it for you?

    Midlife Career Change – Is it for you?

    Are you halfway to retirement and considering a career change? Maybe you’re in a role that is being eliminated or just ready to try something new as you dive in to the last half of your career. Where do you begin?

    First, a career assessment is a great place to start. My Next Move is a free one that can be completed online or we can help you with an in-depth assessment that examines your personality and desired skills and abilities.

    Another great resource for making a career change is the internet. You can search for “in-demand” careers online. According to Fortune, “healthcare and technology industries tied for the most openings in 2015.” ONET is another great tool for researching careers along with salaries and provides career exploration tools.

    Regardless of what career you currently have, if you are itching to make a change, examine the following as you begin:

    What is missing from what I do now that I want to be able to do on a regular basis? What skills do I need to use on a regular basis to bring satisfaction?

    What is it that I do now that I want to continue to be able to do? What skills that I want to continue to use are transferrable to other careers?

    What type of environment do I enjoy working in?

    What careers match with the skills and abilities I want to use and are also in line with my work values?

    Finally, why not do a trial run before jumping into a new career? Job shadowing is a great way to try out a new career (or two) before you make a change. Read 4 Tips for an Awesome Job Shadow or Informational Interview before your first one. 4 Great Benefits of Job Shadowing for Grown Ups offers more benefits of job shadowing for career changers.

    Check out 4 Ways to Change Careers in Midlife and 5 Tips for Midlife Career Change for more insight into making a midlife career change.

  • Career Sportlight: STEM Careers

    Career Sportlight: STEM Careers

    Do you like science or math? Does engineering or technology interest you? If so, this career spotlight is a must read. STEM Careers are “in-demand” and offer several options for cool jobs, and according to Stemcareer.com, during the next decade, the U.S. demand for scientists and engineers is expected to increase four times the rate for all other occupations.

     

    STEM is an acronym referring to the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The term is typically used when addressing education policy and curriculum choices in schools to improve competitiveness in technology development. It has implications for workforce development, national security concerns and immigration policy.

    Wikipedia

    Change the Equation is one organization that has developed a variety of resources around STEM learning, from data and research to philanthropic best practices. Read more about STEMworks and other resources.

    What do you need to pursue a career in a STEM field?

     

    Education:

    Varying levels of education are required for STEM careers. ONET provides a comprehensive list of all STEM Careers. Search ONET for specific information on each occupation.

    If you are a high school student and are interested in a STEM career, consider taking various math and science courses, pre-engineering or computer science in high school.

    Is the field growing?

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    What is the pay like? (A selection of STEM careers salaries are included below.)

     

    Chemical Engineer

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    Software Developer

     

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    Statisticians

     

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    What’s the Holland Code* for STEM Careers? (The same STEM Career selection as above is represented below.)

    Interest code for Chemical Engineers: IR

    Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive   amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and   figuring out problems mentally.
    Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems   and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials   like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working   outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

    Interest Code for Software Developer: ICR

    Investigative — Investigative   occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
    Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
    Realistic — Realistic occupations   frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with  others.

    Interest code for Statisticians: CI

    Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These   occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas.   Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
    Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive   amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and   figuring out problems mentally.

    Source: www.onetonline.org

     

    If you are interested in learning more about STEM Careers, check out these articles and resources:

    6 Things You Need to Know About STEM

    The Top Paying STEM Jobs for Recent Grads

    STEM Career

    Change the Equation

    Are you interested in a STEM Career? Why or why not?

    *Holland Codes are a way to classify a person based on their skills and interests as well as jobs based on the nature of the work. If you have an interest in knowing what your Holland Code is in order to match yourself to careers to pursue, you can read more about our assessment process.

  • Career Spotlight: Market Research Analyst

    Career Spotlight: Market Research Analyst

    Do you like analyzing data? Are you interested in sales forecasting? If so, then a career as a Market Research Analystmay be perfect for you.

    On the other hand, if you don’t enjoy gathering data, preparing reports, critical thinking and problem solving, becoming a market research analyst may not be a good fit for you.

    Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.

    Bureau of Labor Statistics

    What do you need to be a Market Research Analyst?

    Education:

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, market research analysts typically need a bachelor’s degree in market research or a related field. Many have degrees in fields such as statistics, math, and computer science. Others have backgrounds in business administration, the social sciences, or communication. Some market research analyst jobs require a master’s degree.

    If you are a high school student and would like to become a market research analyst, consider taking a marketing or business class while in high school.

    Market Research Analyst may be a good career change option for advertising managers, public relations specialists and economists.

    Skills:

    Market Research Analysts know about:

    • Customer Service
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Critical Thinking & Complex Problem Solving
    • Communications & Media
    • Monitoring
    • Coordination

    Is the field growing?

    ONET reports that careers in Market Research are expected to increase by 32% over the next 10 years.

    What is the pay like?

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    What’s the Holland Code* for a Market Research Analyst?

     

    Interest code: IEC – Investigative, Enterprising, Conventional

    Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
    Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
    Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

    Source: http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/13-1161.00

     

    If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Market Research Analyst, go to ONET. You should also check out U.S. News & Work Reports article Market Research Analyst.

     

    Would you want to be a Market Research Analyst? Why or why not?

     

    *Holland Codes are a way to classify a person based on their skills and interests as well as jobs based on the nature of the work. If you have an interest in knowing what your Holland Code is in order to match yourself to careers to pursue, you can read more about our assessment process.