In private service, everything depends on your relationship with your employers. How establish the foundation for a positive, professional relationship and still be able to leave on good terms? During this presentation, learn: • How to manage expectations with your resume • Recognize red flags at the interview • Negotiated favorable employment terms without sacrificing the relationships • Social media impacts on the relationship • Planning an exit strategy that works for everyone • Gaining a valuable recommendation Presenter and career coach Donna Shannon has been working with private service professionals since 2005. Drawing from both her corporate recruitment and luxury market placement experience, her company the Personal Touch Career Services helps job seekers with professional writing services, job search consultations and classes. Her book “How to Get a Job Without Going Crazy” (2nd Edition, 2012) is available on Amazon.com. Donna is based in Denver, Colorado and works with job seekers across the country and abroad.

1. Principal Relationships:
From the first interview to the final goodbye
Donna Shannon
April 12, 2014
720-452-3400
www.PersonalTouchCareerSerivces.com

2. The Personal Touch Career Services
• Our Mission: To help job seekers of all levels
achieve their employment goals through
solid, practical advice and services
• Resume services, interview coaching, job search strategy and
group classes
• Over 8 years in corporate recruitment & placement
• Donna’s book, “How To Get a Job Without Going Crazy” is available
on Amazon.com and the Tattered Cover in Denver
(c)2010, 2012 Donna Shannon

3. 4 Key Time Periods
• Before contacting employers
• During the job search
• Course of Employment
• Maintenance after the job ends

4. BEFORE CONTACTING EMPLOYERS
Know thyself

5. Positive Relationships Start with You
Love it Like it Live with it Loathe it
I would happily
do more of this…
I enjoy this… I can do this, if it
is essential for
the job…
I would give
anything to not
have to…

6. Communicate Clearly
• Skills section on resume:
– Best way to start managing expectations
– Don’t list anything you don’t want to do
– Biggest problem areas: cooking, cleaning and
laundry

7. Resume Expectations

8. IMPORTANT INTERVIEW TACTICS
Determining a right fit

9. Applying Your 4L’s
• If sensitive issue in your Love / Like / Live
/Loathe activity, be sure to ask about it

10. Use reflective questions
• Reflective questions dive back into the job
description or something previously said by the
other party:
– “You said there was some laundry involved – how much
do you anticipate?”
– “I understand you would like some meal preparation: is
this for the family, or just the children?”

11. Align or distance
• Style questions can reveal a good match:
– “What is the most important quality in your ideal
nanny?”
– “What did you like best about your previous
nanny?”
– “What did you like the least?”

12. Red Flags
• Watch the way you are treated during the
interview:
– Common courtesy
– Length of interview
– Reaction to your questions

13. GET IT IN WRITING
Negotiations and Contracts

14. Negotiations
• IF working with agency, always defer to them
for negotiations:
– “As I am being represented by ABC Nannies, I
would prefer if you spoke to them about my
salary requirements”

15. Know your value
• It’s NOT what the market will bear
Experience Expertise Education Value

16. Say your value
• “I am seeking a salary of $_______ to
_________, with some flexibility based on
benefits
– Say it with confidence
– ALWAYS talk in terms of RANGE until in final
negotiations
– DON’T say anything else until the other party
speaks

17. Contracts
• For protection of all parties
• Nebulous contracts = nebulous relationships
• Hours per day/ week
• Pay rates, Vacation/ sick policy
• If concerns in the 4L’s, address it
• Prepare children’s meals during the day
• Housekeeping for children’s areas, limited to 5-10
hours/ week

18. DURING EMPLOYMENT
How close is too close?

19. Social Media
• Employer standards:
– Some DO want it as a way to stay in touch with
children’s development and activities
– Others DON’T want it to maintain privacy
– Consider a Fan Page for parents to limit access to
your personal page

20. Social Media Comfort Level
Closed
only connected
with family and
personal friends
Middle
will connect with
friends-of-friends,
openly follows fan
pages or
companies
Open
accepts multiple
connections, sends
requests to others,
plays games
openly, reposts
from followed
pages

21. Social Media Awareness
• EVERYBODY can be found
• Don’t create awkward situations…
• Watch login times and when posting to
manage impressions

22. Boundary problems
• Once a boundary is breached, if nothing is
said or done, it will be breached again
• Documentation can help both sides

23. Incident Log
Date Incident What happened Action
4-1-14 Stayed 2 hours late No word from Mrs. that I
needed to stay- late from
work
Stayed until 8 pm
when Mrs. arrived
4-4-14 Stayed 2 hours late No call from Mrs., running
late from work
Stayed until 8 pm
If consistent problem arises and is verified with documentation, need to set up time
to speak with employers about negative trends and how to get back on track with
the terms from your contract.
Approach with a solutions-based attitude to avoid finger pointing and other
defensive actions on either part.

24. ENDING THE RELATIONSHIP
When it’s time to go

25. Confidential Job Search
• Critical phrase for cover letters:
– “As my job search is confidential, please do not
contact my references without my permission.”

26. Exit Strategy
• Tell employers when interviews are heating up
• Grant 2-4 week notice
• Have written procedures on how to train the
next person (in case you are already gone)

27. Letters of Recommendation
• More than an employment verification,
these capture the essence of what you did
– Specific details = credibility
– Address tasks as well as personality
– Collect recommendations on LinkedIn

28. Maintaining the Relationship
• Make conscious effort to stay in touch with
past employers:
– Holiday cards
– Children’s birthday cards
– Social media contacts (if comfortable for both
parties)
– Call when job searching, just to let them know of
potential reference calls

29. QUESTIONS

30. Final Thoughts
• Control your career
• Move towards your Loves and Likes
• Escape the tasks you Loathe
• Manage relationships with clear
expectations- on both sides

31. The Personal Touch Career Services
Donna Shannon, President & CEO
 www.PersonalTouchCareerServices.com
 donna@PersonalTouchCareerServices.com
 720-341-8229
 www.LinkedIn.com/donnashannon
 Twitter: @DLShannon
 Networking on Meetup.com (Denver/ Lakewood area):
 The Brown Bag Job Search Group